Friday, February 25, 2011

gone country




Git yer boots and hat, yer big silver belt buckle and turquoise jewelry, yer fancy yoke shirt with the pearl snaps cuz it's Go Texan Day! Time to let your inner cowboy cowgirl cowperson shine!

Today is the day the trail rides come in and there's a big campout in Memorial Park. Tomorrow is the rodeo parade and the start of the Fat Live Stock Show and Rodeo. Back when I was in high school this was still a pretty big deal. Even in the city high schools had FFA programs (that's Future Farmers Of America for all you hard core urban dwellers). And it was the only day of the year that we girls could wear pants to school.

I kid you not.

They didn't used to let girls wear pants to school. Or sandals either. Or boys either. I mean, boys wearing sandals not girls wearing boys cause I'm thinking they still don't allow that. In fact this one kid got kicked out for wearing sandals to school...with socks. I'm pretty sure it was the sandals they objected to, not that he was wearing them with socks, which I don't get why some people think that is so uncool. I wear socks with my sandals.

Hey! I heard that!

Divided the whole school and there was a near riot with the jocks getting the fire hoses and threatening to hose down us that supported the kid. Oh and his hair was too long too. It probably touched his ears.

Anyway.

What was I saying?

Oh yeah, Go Texan Day and the Rodeo. They had musical acts during the rodeo when I was a kid but they tended to be TV stars like Roy Rogers along with the ridin' and ropin' and calf scramble and greased pig and the bucking broncos and bull ridin' and the chuck wagon race. You know, the usual. And the carnival and the livestock show with all the farm animals from rabbits and chickens to pigs and cows that got judged and auctioned off. Animals that kids had raised all year through the FFA programs.

Now there's a big vendor show too and music acts about 3/4th of the way through. Country music. Which I happen to like. Some. There was a point back when I started listening to country music that that was the only place you could hear some rock and roll. Country kinda got rocky. I'll listen to just about anything now. Except jazz. Jazz I just don't get. Especially the kind where it sounds like they're all playing different tunes.

So where was I Wednesday night? At the jazz concert put on by the junior college here. My sister works part time for the junior college so she makes me go to all these things. Really though, the kids need the support and encouragement. And it's the only entertainment in town. And it's free.

It sounded more like big band stuff to me though what with all the trumpets, trombones and saxophones. Especially since they played Misty. I didn't realize Misty was jazz.

So.

Where was I?

Oh yeah. Go Texan Day and the Rodeo. Well, I guess times have changed. They don't have FFA programs in the city high schools anymore and girls can wear pants and sandals anytime they want (just no boys) and they have music at the rodeo. This year they are having, among others, the likes of Alan Jackson, Clay Walker, Lady Antebellum, Tim McGraw, Martina McBride, Rascal Flats, KISS.

Wait. What?

KISS? At the rodeo? When did KISS go country?

Man, am I out of the loop!


19 comments:

  1. To a city slicker like me this sounds sooooo country! Love it!!!

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  2. KISS! If they sing Beth, I'll be there!

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  3. Glad to see you are feeling more chipper today - this post had me laughing out loud. Too funny.

    KISS! I couldn't believe it. If you go, please, please take pictures.

    And by all means throw in one of you in yours socks and sandals. You sassy woman you! :D

    Have fun.

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  4. Ellen, please. Socks with sandals? Say it ain't so. When you remove the socks, you'll be back in the loop.

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  5. Yeeeee haw! I'm thinking KISS is probably taking any gig they can get.

    We weren't allowed to wear pants to school either. So we wore mini-skirts so short our asses were hanging out.

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  6. Will there be pictures?

    I demand pictures.

    Wait: I don't know that I know you well enough to DEMAND pictures.

    I politely clamor for pictures?

    Hopefully yours,

    Sooze

    P.S. One of my fondest memories of living in TX was attending a real live rodeo. So much fun!

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  7. Well, I seem to have given the impression that I am actually going to the rodeo. Which I'm not. I can't remember that last time I went. We tried to go a couple of years ago. A friend had given us tickets which we never really looked at. Turned out it was a matinee and we got there just as it was over.

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  8. I grew up in cowboyland- we had one day a year where we could wear trousers to school but they had to be "western" with western snaps and piping and kerchiefs and hats - it was dumb but great to get out of wearing skirts for a few minutes.
    Texas days- I suppose everyone has a Texan accent on this day!
    Socks with sandels- but OF COURSE!

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  9. Socks and sandals....gawd I love you girl.
    Yep, no pants for us either except for State Fair Day. Same thing different words. I loved the rodeo. Bronc riders, bull riders, cowboys, cowboys, yeppers and then I married one and well....uh, no. But I still love country music and the rodeo. Sounds like some good music except for KISS.....I've got tickets to see Gretchen Wilson in a couple of weeks. Red Neck Woman....gonna scream like a teenager wearing socks with sandals. tee hee. Glad you're funning not fuming. But we gals do that from time to time and it's okay. The Olde Bagg, Linda

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  10. I've never been to a rodeo. Or a state fair. My mom didn't want to mess with it so she bought us presents instead (don't you want something you can keep forever?). Sigh.

    BUT we wore jeans to school all the time. No shorts though. And my sandals were sockless.

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  11. You sure can tell the geezers in this group. No we couldn't wear pants and our skirts had to touch the ground when kneeling. I don't remember about the sandal issue but I still wear socks with them if it is cooler out.

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  12. The years I spent in Texas make me think of some kind of cosmic fun house. . .

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  13. Well that sounds like it could be fun... maybe. :)

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  14. I am sure what you said makes sense to some, all I know is that at rodeos in he movies they go yeehaw a lot. Do they still do that?

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  15. Yee-haw, Ellen! I love it when you let go like this, all stream-of-consciousness like, lettin' that Texan culture jump out of its boots. You're inner cowperson really shined here. Oh yes, you're having your own rodeo, girl!
    Happy Friday! ;)

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  16. Great country vibes here, Ellen, and your reminiscences, precious.

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  17. ellen - i'd be heading to kiss in my sandals with socks . . . what's wrong with sandals and socks - seriously?!! my family fires all sorts of negativity my way when i step out in my sandals and socks and the only answer i get about it is that it's not cool. you don't do that daddy. etc. etc. i want more info. steven

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I opened my big mouth, now it's your turn.