Homecoming Week 2025

Saturday

I woke up feeling refreshed. That didn’t last long.
I threw together a quick breakfast—a green chili cheese omelet—and had my coffee. Fire and caffeine, the only way to start the day. Then it was time to get to work. The joy of homeownership. I needed to get up on the roof and cut away a partially fallen branch.

My balance isn’t quite what it used to be (thank you, aging), so I brought both the chainsaw and trimmers up the ladder in one go.. Oh, the joy. Thanks to my damn back, I have to watch myself on ladders these days. Luckily, it was a quick cut, and I was down in no time.

I cleared the branch from the roof and gave it a good kick to send it crashing to the ground. It was still partially attached to the tree, but momentum and weight took care of that.

The fun part came with disposal, which required the chainsaw and some time. I pretty much wore myself out with the chore. I’ve been feeling a bit of a seasonal funk lately, so it didn’t take much to drain me. I’m apparently allergic to autumn.

Since there was no tailgating to attend, I whipped up some lunch for us—German potatoes and bratwurst. It was a nice afternoon for grilling. I was actually impressed with the potatoes, a recipe I came up with years ago. It reminded me that I need to make more German food for Oktoberfest. Perfect excuse to go full schnitzel.

I’m not entirely sure what happened to the rest of the afternoon. It sort of disappeared. I mopped the floors, cut up old shirts for rags, and headed to the mall with Yvette and Lola to check out wedding rings and do a little shopping. I looked at dress shoes while the girls mostly browsed.

Yvette’s grandmother was turning ninety in a couple of days, so a big gathering was planned while everyone was in town. We had brisket with all the good stuff that comes with it. Yvette’s family is so much larger than mine, and it’s always something special when they get together. How it doesn’t dissolve into total chaos is kind of a miracle.

Sunday

Sunday morning, the dogs must’ve plotted to drive me insane. Ever since Owen’s recent surgery, Rosco has been glued to him—barking, whining, hovering. I figured it would stop eventually, but it’s just gotten more ridiculous. Poor Owen seems confused, and Rosco’s behavior is compulsive, which is unusual for such a mellow dog.

I made myself some brisket egg tacos for breakfast while the girls went off to church. For some reason, I worried the outing might end with everyone in a bad mood. Mothers and daughters…

Later, I made a quick trip to the store for a few essentials and started planning meals for the week. That’s kind of my thing. I’ve got some creative dishes lined up, but it’s impossible not to spend a ton of money grocery shopping these days.

The girls and I met up with my mom for lunch at a restaurant we used to visit all the time. The owner is a neighbor of mine. As soon as I walked in, he greeted me with a hug and poured me a tequila shot and a beer. It’s a long-standing tradition. I tried to put a stop to it a few years ago after my head injury, but… traditions die hard. A single shot and a beer weren’t going to ruin my day or keep me from finishing what needed to get done.

I hadn’t eaten there in a while and had no idea what I wanted—so many good choices. I went with the cheese enchiladas. They make them differently than anywhere else in town. Something about that sauce and the gooey cheese… Comfort food.

It was a good lunch—nice to spend time with my mom and the family. Good to have some laughs together.

Later, Yvette and I made a big Sam’s run to restock some essentials. I swung by my mom’s again to visit and grab some of her sweet pickled jalapeños. We had a simple dinner with good conversation. Alaya’s dad came over for a visit, and I capped off the night watching an old X-Files episode.

All in all, a nice weekend—even with my annoying seasonal yuck. Work, family, food, and a little tequila.

Homecoming Week!!

Lots of fantastic traditions on campus: door decorations, the Blue and Gold Bash, a remembrance ceremony, a bonfire, and many more. The general vibe is excitement.

On Tuesday, Hazel turned 10. Damn. That makes me both happy and a little devastated. I remember when she was just a few months old—like it was yesterday. Time shouldn’t fly so damn quickly. It just needs to chill the fuck out! She’s still the same sweet girl she’s always been; she just moves a little slower now, just like I do.

When she was a puppy, she was such an athletic dog—she could catch a flying frisbee mid-air. It was majestic. My sweet girl.

For her birthday, I went out and found her some doggie ice cream and one of her favorite toys: a pig. Ever since she was a puppy, she’s had a thing for pig toys. She carries them around like they’re her babies. She was very happy to have another one that oinks.

I sure love her, and I’ll cherish all the time I have with her. Not much in life has brought me as much happiness over the years as my sweet Hazel. She’s been one of the greatest joys of my life. I’m a dog dad—and she’s my first girl.

Wednesday I was really into the homecoming spirit—it was the day of the Blue and Gold Bash. I’ve attended every year they’ve held it since 2019. Unfortunately, this year it didn’t kick off at its usual 5 o’clock. I waited until 5:20 and left. I had a social hour to attend with Yvette.

I was a little pissed. It always started at five. They advertised it as starting at five. What the fuck, people?

Anyway, Yvette’s boss had invited us to a Cyber Security social at a restaurant called Angry Cactus. I was a little out of my element and worried I wouldn’t know anyone—military folks and cyber nerds. The mayor was going to be there (who turned out to be very nice and approachable, actually).

I ended up spending the most time talking to Yvette’s boss’s husband about a town we both love: Alpine, Texas. Every time I’ve spent time with the guy, I get along with him more and more. I kind of feel like we would’ve had a good time hanging out if we’d known each other and were the same age.

I also had the chance to chat with another dean from campus. We talked about our old department (I was a student worker there) and how so many of the guys we knew are now retiring. It’s sad to see the old crew move on. That department was where my campus journey began—my fellow rock nerds.

Overall, it was a good evening. Good conversation, fun moments, and all of it outside my usual comfort zone. I like that. Yvette’s boss keeps inviting me to things, and it’s always fun. She’s a great person.

They didn’t have enough food for everyone—that one’s on the restaurant. Assholes.

So Yvette and I ended the night with a $4-for-4 chili dog deal and called it a night. Haha. Nothing says classy post-social-hour meal like a chili dog.

Still disappointed about missing the Blue and Gold Bash, I tried to find another way to enjoy Homecoming Week on Thursday: door decorations. I took a little time out of my day to drive around campus and check out the eleven departments that decorated their doorways. I knew where to look because Yvette—yes, she was a judge for the door decorations—had the inside scoop.

Anyway, it was a lot of fun. Some of the departments really went all out this year. It didn’t quite scratch the itch left by missing the Blue and Gold Bash, but it did help take the edge off.

The week was finally coming to a close—thank the heavens for that. One of those weeks that was somehow both busy and dragging along like a dog scratching its ass on the carpet. I don’t know how that happens. Maybe it was the lingering seasonal stuffiness that made it feel excruciatingly long.

Nothing much exciting happened at work—just the final day grind. After work, I was sent to the liquor store to grab the fixings to make Yvette an adult beverage. I thought my week was long—she had me fucking beat.

That night, after dinner, it was off to the bonfire. I’ve been attending the event since 2021, making this year five. This was the first time I wasn’t there alone. It was a different experience with my family in tow, but a good one. It was nice to have something to share. Love them.

Happy Fucking Friday!!!

Horror Season 2025

Prince of Darkness.

This is a movie I’ll always consider one of the first truly terrifying films I ever feasted my eyes upon. I was also way too young to be watching it. It’s one of the first scary movies I can remember seeing as a kid.

It was a night with the entire family — my mom and dad, uncle and aunt, and cousins. I guess they thought it was okay for me to watch. I was probably eight. Maybe seven. I don’t know. I remember sitting on a blanket in front of the TV in the living room, the adults filling up the couches.

Dread. Absolute dread.

It was a great — if not absolutely terrifying — experience.

It left me scarred for life.

And I truly fucking mean that.

There’s a scene in the movie that wiggled its way into my still-developing brain: a student disintegrates into large black beetles. He just falls apart into a writhing mass of them. Because of this, to this day, I’m terrified of beetles. I hate them. In large numbers, they creep me the fuck out.

And honestly? I’m grateful for that.

John Carpenter is one of my favorite directors. He’s made some true masterpieces:
The original Halloween. The Thing. In the Mouth of Madness. The Fog. Vampires. Big Trouble in Little China. Escape from New York.

All of these films hold special places in my heart, filled with memories I cherish. But none hit as hard as Prince of Darkness.

For years after that first viewing, I didn’t even know the name of the film that had haunted me most of my life. It wasn’t until one evening in high school, while browsing the horror section at Hollywood Video (RIP), that I happened upon it again. I liked John Carpenter and was intrigued by the VHS case and plot summary. It sounded familiar, so I rented it.

And then, that intensifying dread washed over me as the film progressed. When the beetle scene hit, the memories of that night years ago came rushing back. It was like I had suppressed it. Suddenly, it all made sense. My fear of beetles.

Most of the actors in this film are relatively unknown. Donald Pleasence is top-billed — Carpenter had worked with him previously on a little movie called Halloween. Dennis Dun and Victor Wong are great in this too; they also appeared in Big Trouble in Little China. Peter Jason has a small part — he always has a small part in Carpenter’s movies. Aside from Alice Cooper’s glorified cameo, I don’t recognize any of the other actors from anything else.

And honestly? They’re not very good. Campy as hell.

But that kind of plays to the movie’s advantage. These are just regular folks in a fucking end-of-the-world scenario.

So, what’s the film about?

It’s about religion and science teaming up. A story of a group of college students, their professors, and a priest investigating an ancient cylinder of swirling green liquid — the physical manifestation of Satan.

I think it’s a very Lovecraftian vision of biblical entities — more scientific than spiritual. The concept of evil as a manifested extension of anti-matter (the dark mirroring the light), along with religion and science converging to study — and combat — that evil? That’s epic. It’s a big idea. And the film does it justice.

It makes evil feel more grounded. And therefore, more terrifying.

The evil spreads from within the church where the liquid is kept. The Catholic Church has been trying to keep it contained for centuries, but its power is growing. At first, only the schizophrenic homeless population outside are affected, but soon those within the church begin to succumb to its influence.

What does this mean?

The people become zombie-like. Or maybe it’s more like possession? Either way, they become the embodiment of evil. Anyone trying to escape meets a gruesome end. Those who remain are slowly picked off — and then revived as something else.

Not alive. Not dead. Just… evil.

Methodical. Emotionless. Creepy as hell.

One of the most effective moments is when a student, in the early phase of possession, retains just enough of himself to realize what’s happening. He chooses the most extreme way to stop it — cutting his own throat with a shard of mirror while singing Amazing Grace.

It sends chills down the spine.

In the end, only four of the fourteen characters survive.

One thing I really loved in Prince of Darkness was the shared dream sequence— the shadowy figure shown in what looks like amateur video footage, accompanied by a cryptic announcement that it’s a transmission being broadcast from the future. (Probably a warning to stop the devil from being released.)

That bit was absolutely great — unnerving, and it lingers in your head long after the credits roll.

And the ending?

I’ll leave it at that. Open for interpretation.