Houston, Texas

Home was named after Sam,

A place known for gas and oil,

A place that houses 2.1 million people and is the fourth largest city in the US,

A place where we have an openly gay mayor,

A place called home,

                          

                         Home has many different names for many different reasons:

Screwston,

H-Town,

City of Syrup,

Space City,

Clutch City,

Bayou City,

Drank,

Lean,

Purple Stuff,

Styrofoam Cup...

Home let’s me be free, 

he mentored me, 

he housed me,

he molded me,

he lives vicariously through me and I him.

It has taken years for me to explore his land and I haven’t seen everything he has to offer 

The various amount of activities at different venues around the town keeps him 

inspired, 

hip, 

tasty, 

funky, 

savvy

Waking up to a morning drive to eat at ‘the breakfast klub’

Taking a stroll to see the art at the Menil Collection

Eating hot dogs from ‘Moon Tower Inn’

Meeting new friends at ‘Discovery Green’

Seating reservations in the evening at ‘Underbelly’

Great set at Fitzgerald’s by the band

Ate again, this time at a local food truck ’The Rice Box’ 

End the night at ‘Southside Espresso’

Send him my farewells for the  evening just to see what he has in store for me tomorrow. 

Different day, different locations, different people….same pattern, same routine, same city

‘Eatsie Boys’

Brewery tour at ‘8th Wonder Brewery’

‘Frank’s Pizza’

‘Eleanor Tinsley Park’

‘The Pass & Provisions’

‘House of Blues’

‘Koagie Hots’

‘Double Trouble’

He wraps his city with loops and freeways,

He knows it takes time to get to places,

He has an average commute of 27 minutes anywhere,

He understands that a few cities are bigger than him,

He laughs when others complain about driving places, 

His writings on bridges says “Remüv Hate” and “Be Someone”,

Powerful words that every resident witnesses each and every day,

Powerful words to give Houstonians a sense of pride,

Powerful words THAT give Houstonians a sense of pride,

Powerful words…

Trill

Famously used term by Bun B and Pimp C…RIP

“Concert Against Hate”

Bun B performs with the Houston Symphony 

Thug

A word that underlies a racial term,

A word that the city doesn’t find harmful,

A word used in a rapper’s name

“Slim Thug Brings That #BossLife To City Hall”

Feb. 25, 2014…A proclamation celebrating involvement in the community, officially making this day Slim Thug Day in the City of Houston 

“Houston, Houston, Houston”

“This is how they made me, Houston, Texas Baby”

“Perhaps we’ll meet again, on some sin-infested street corner in Houston, Texas”

“Man, Houston’s the town…Man, whatever you do, Don’t leave Third Ward out”

“If you ever go to Houston better walk right”

“Bright Lights, Houston is hot tonight”

“Houston is filled with promise”

Home

The first section describes Houston and gives the readers little known facts about the city. The nicknames came through time as different trends around the city began. I put in the drug names because when people hear Houston, that comes to mind. I made Houston a Man, a representation of a father for me since I have lived there my entire life. This five adjectives I wrote down are from a mural that is painted on a building in downtown. I then go on to put down a few activities that I do over a two day period when I am home. Most of the time I am out exploring the city and finding new ways to entertain myself so I can show other what they are missing, because the one thing I hate is when people blame a city for their mishaps. The city has a lot to offer and a lot of people don't see that because the city is so large. I had to put the driving time it takes to get around the city and what to expect when you expect to drive around the city. I used Slim Thug and Bun B as examples because they do tremendous work for Houston and I believe the set a standard for what it means to be a Houstonian and how to represent the city. The lyrics are just from songs that have mentioned Houston or have some sort of tie-in with Houston. I am from Houston and absolutely love my city. I plan on moving back after I am done with school and plan on visiting a lot. I would like for other people to visit and just see how a big city operates. The people and the atmosphere are different and it can be both a humbling and overwhelming experience when trying to take in all of it at once.

Songs in order of lyrics...

Dean Martin ‘Houston’

Beyonce ‘Run The World’

ZZ Top ‘Heaven, Hell, or Houston’

Juke Boy Bonner ‘Houston, the Action Town’

Bob Dylan ‘If You Ever Go To Houston’

Igg Pop ‘Houston is Hot Tonight’

R.E.M. ‘Houston’

Scott County

Sunrise over the countryside and suburbs. Birds singing in the trees. Families starting their day. Kids waiting for the bus, high schoolers speeding by. Adults off to Toyota, commute to the bigger cities, start work in the local/ smaller businesses.

 Little bits of traffic jams. Waiting impatiently and cussing out the others, but never honking because we was raised better than that. Looking out the window to see diversity. Red neck jacked up trucks, Camry cars bumpin to some R&B, conservatives quietly waiting to get started with their day.

Skipping out for lunch because the teachers do not notice. Lunch traffic with Toyota in the little growing town. Maybe evening skipping out on afternoon classes because no attendance is taken and don’t feel like waiting behind the sea of yellow.

Friday night football or basketball games. Parents, high school teens, middle schoolers, elementary kids, friends and family all decked out in red. Biggest band in state, heck, we got the biggest school in state. Dominating sports and priding ourselves as cardinals. Afterwards get cheap food and cruise around looking for something to get into.

Saturday nights you’re sure to find red neck row not causing too much trouble at The Wal-Mart. Worst case scenario in this town we’ll get a warning since we know the cops.

Ambitions are there. In some cases... You live for graduation. You live stay in the middle class town. You live to be the proud farmer and country boy. You live for Toyota. You live for some type of college. You live to get out of this little growing town. You live through the motions. You live to dream big.

We all are friends, or “friends”. Waving to those we know, even some we don’t. Enjoying summer nights fishing with friends. Social groups intertwine and for that night we are all one together. Enjoying parties at a barn or house. For that one night we are all one group. Living for the moment. Living for the future. Living for a good time.

Diversity is what I see. It is what we see. So many walks of life connected by some common institution. Little town, growing city. This is my hometown.

Sunsets in beautiful pinks and oranges over the hills of Kentucky. Sippin on a sweet tea. This is my hometown.

This is the view of an older teenager looking at life in Scott County Kentucky. Each section represents a new category or explanation of my hometown. It is very diverse when you really get to analyze what is going on. I used a lot of my personal views about what I think about my hometown and views or the lives of the people I grew up with. I tried to use images of more what happens with the people of the town rather than what happens on the outside that everyone can see. The bolded words are aspects that everyone from Georgetown knows about the county or are common images for the town. 

Gregory

4 am the rooster crows

 and dogs wine and scratch.

                                             Coffee gurgling as coffee steam fills the air. A cold brisk morning wind fights with the smell of the coffee as the dogs are let out.

Buzz, buzz. Hey mickey you’re so fine you blow my mind hey mickey.

Make the bed,

put on uniform,

comb hair,

 put on deodorant,

head to the bathroom.

Looking in the mirror tired eyes look at me, 

with my eyes I see hair combed in complete darkness with hair in every direction on my head. So I think, who cares.

Hot water fills the sink as I wet my tooth brush for the toothpaste. Done.

Out the door I go.

Getting into the car as I put my name badge on and start the car I head down the road to the local grocery.

The roads are empty as I travel with only drunks and truck drivers on the road.

Oddly enough being tired makes me a morning person. Walking into work I say hello to all of the familiar faces as I walk to the employee’s break room. Hanging my coat and putting up my lunch box is the daily routine.

“What lane am I on today?”

“12” "

Want to count my drawer first, I’m on audit”

“you’re not on audit today.”

"Are you sure, I’m always on audit.”

Turning on my light and signing on to my register to help the first needy customer.

“Hi how are you?" 

"Did you find everything okay?"

"Do you have any coupons?"

"Thank you and have a great day.”  

Over and over... and over... and over... and over... and over... and over, well

about 300 times in a shift.

When the day is said and done I hurry home to see my family, make dinner, and do homework simply to wake up and do it all over again.

Actions speak louder than words from the ones I love from hugs to feet rubs I know I am appreciated.

The day comes to a close and off to sleep I go.

4am the rooster crows.

This is about a character named Gregory his characteristics is a mix between people who live in my house.  My goal with this story is illustrate a normal person in this household with not one quality over powering another. One important characteristic of Gregory is something that everyone in this household had learned is that you earn what you work for and family holds you together.