First things first.........

Well, I've been back in the Hub City for about a year-and-a-half now and I'm amazed by a couple of things; first, there's been a lot of change in the twenty plus years I've been gone and second, some things haven't changed one bit.

To me, Lubbock has always been about contradiction. To wit, it's one of the most conservative places in the entire United States. A place where God is revered, duty and country are honored, and no one, I mean no one, has sex until they get married. Amidst this backdrop of apple-pie America are countless drunken college kids, numerous bars and honky-tonks, a legendary list of musician and artist provocateurs, high rates of child-abuse and sexually transmitted diseases, and last but not least, roving packs of pit-bulls bent on destroying the very fabric of our community.

I began toying with the idea of starting this blog several months ago as a possible way to resuscitate my moribund creativity. My voice had seemingly been lost in the process of moving, buying a new house, starting a new job, and locating the very best spots in town for Tex-Mex, BBQ, Thai, and Vodka martinis. Now that I've got all of those problems behind me and pretty much have my feet planted on terra firma, I find myself with ample time in which to cast my scatalogical observations to the West Texas wind. Hopefully, it will also inspire me to get back on the keyboard and continue doing what a writer should be doing..........namely, WRITE!

Don't get me wrong, I love Lubbock and the people who live here. After traversing the country for over 20 years while chasing the almighty dollar, living in large metropolitan areas and working for the man, my wife and I relished the thought of a simpler life and slower pace. We're absolutely thrilled to be back, but........there's an old saying to the effect of "the same things that'll make you laugh will make you cry." To me, that kind of sums up life in Lubbock.

For purposes of national security, not to mention my continued employment, my identity will remain secret for the time being. Not that I'm a coward or anything like that, I'm just keenly aware of the need for discretion when one lives in the "smallest, big-city in the country." Over time, I will post my observations on a wide array of subjects whether it be politics, religion, music, books, movies and theater, sports, local government, or where to find the best breakfast tacos in town. Nothing is off limits.

So for the time being, I'm the Dharma Bum. My moniker was taken from one of my favorite Jack Kerouac novels. I thought it appropriate given the fact the Beat Generation was searching for the edge and pushing the envelope during a time when every place in America was just like Lubbock. Of course, that was over 50 years ago.


Until next time.