Castles, Castles, and More Castles II

Continued from Castles, Castles, and more Castles….

Lindisfarne Castle on Holy Island

After a plane delay, 10 hour plane ride, and 2 hour ride on the Britrail, I found myself (along with my family) in Wallsend just on the outskirts of Newcastle in Northumbria (Northern England). On the first day we took a taxi around to a few castles within a car rides distance from where we were staying (more on that in a future blog).

First Time Out of the Country

One week from today I will be embarking on a trip to England with my parents and one of my brothers (I have 3). I have been out of the country so this trip kind of scares me. It’s not the travelling in a metal tube for 9 hour propelled by highly explosive fuel that bothers me. It’s the whole “I’ve never done this before” that gets me. I've traveled through most of the Midwest before but leaving the country is something completely new and foreign to me. But I guess there’s a first time for everything.

I always like to try new things and generally explore, but I have never done so in this way. I look forward to visiting “where the history comes from” yet I’m being unusually cautious. Why am I feeling this why? What should I do? Why do you care? Why am I talking to myself?

Being scared about something new is an entirely natural thing. How you react to this new thing is what matters. So, I plan on reacting by recording my travels and keep up to date logs so I may present you all with a series of blogs on my travels. Stay tuned!

Life Lessons from Grad School at UT Tyler

About a month ago I posted about the Final Frontier for those interested in an M.A.in History from the University of Texas at Tyler. The Frontier is full of reading books, writing reviews on them, discussing their relevance and importance, and finally constructing a complete historiography on the gathered information. But why do you care? Why do I care? Is anyone honestly still reading this or am I beating a dead horse?

To be perfectly honest I am not the least bit offended if you are bored. Most people are when it comes to history. For most there is a general disregard of important facts that may bore but still are of vital importance. We are a society of which lives on LEGEND and MYTH.

What does this mean? Well, I take this from Robert Wuhl and his “Assume the Position with Mr.Wuhl” film in which he lectures a freshman 1301 course and debunks several myths and fallacies concerning American history. Such as the legend of Paul Revere and his midnight ride. In high school classrooms we base our entire understanding of this event through a poem written nearly 100 years after the fact. If that was the way historians critically analyzed historical events we would be using the musical 1776 to better understand what Thomas Jefferson sounded like when he spoke.

News From What About Kabob in Tyler

Here at the Call Center we have written several blogs in the past concerning local eatery What About Kabob. It’s probably because this gyro place is so darn tasty. I’m pretty sure a majority of the communications team here at UT Tyler have dreamed of bathing in their Grenade Sauce. So, it is no surprise that one of would be mentioning it yet again.

Local hot spot What About Kabob has something special in store for all of you. Now I’m not talking about their delicious Feta Fingers which run out faster than you can say gluten free hummus or the special $1 tacos which you have to follow them on Facebook to know about. Or the Wednesday only Gyro Nachos which I personally could not finish in the hour I allotted myself (fresh baked pita ships with nacho cheese and gyro meat and gargle drool fkjaslifjo) Excuse me while I collect myself.

Mmmmm. TACOS RULE!!!

Culture Around UT Tyler

Tyler, Texas will have a lot going on over the next few weeks. Here's just a few of the happenings!

This weekend Tyler has a lot to offer all the music/art/culture fanatics out there. Though The Coffin Shop may not have anything this weekend there is still plenty to do around the area. Tonight through Saturday at 7:30 each night The Liberty Theater in downtown Tyler will be presenting a live adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s 39 Steps. Tickets for that can be found here at the Liberty theater website or at the theater itself prior to show time.

Phussy Sealions and some Toads pt.2

Break Time