The Message Forum is an ongoing dialogue among classmates. The goal is to encourage friendly interaction, including interaction among classmates who really didn't know each other. Experience on the site has revealed that certain topics tend to cause friction and hard feelings, especially politics and religion. 

Although politics and religion are not completely off-limits, classmates are asked to be positive in their posts and not to be too repetitive or allow a dialog to degenerate into an argument. 

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Response" button to add your entry to the forum.

Jim Bedwell

Chief Toenails,

By the way, it's hard to understand how Wayne would think Jesus is studying at A&M, since we both know the evidence is SO SCANTY that Our Savior has EVER set foot there (along with Austin of course)! But Tech, where you & my brother graduated? I'm still not sure He or His Father have ever been there either?!?!?! Wait a minute, Cordell was there for a while. OK, that's good. At least what you told me yesterday privately could probably be agreed upon universally however, namely, that no good thing EVER came out of the place called College Station. C'MON, MAN!

Chief Bedpost

Jim Bedwell

As William Thacker said in "Notting Hill":

"Classic....................classic................" - this is only 44 seconds long

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

Hollis,

I haven't watched any bridal videos lately, since there are no young ladies in my family getting married at present, but I did see some about ten yrs. ago, when my daughter was shopping around.  I agree that some of the dresses are beautiful and WAY too expensive, while some others are the type that are "gag ya" types, and some are downright disgustingly trashy for a young blushing bride to wear.  Those must be the type some would wear in a Las Vegas cheap-o "chapel."   Some of them look like they might be designed by "Fredericks's of Hollywood!"  Remember that store?  Is it still around?  I remember seeing the wedding dress of the mother of that little girl named Boo Boo, or something like that.  Honey Boo Boo!  That was the girl's name!   The family actually had a TV show that I caught sight of one time, and tried to understand for about 4 minutes, before I switched channels.  Anyway, the mother was getting married to, I guess, Honey BB's father, in a camoflage fabric wedding ensemble, which was pretty darn weird, but actually kinda funny, I'll have to admit!  Her bridesmaids were also dressed in camoflage dresses to match.  It really was a hoot to see the wedding photos!  Certainly creative for whoever the seamstress was of these lovely gowns!!  I can't imagine the gigantic headache the lady had to endure while working and measuring these loud-mouthed women!  HA!

I also like to watch the stories on YouTube of the animal rescues, since I enjoy seeing the poor disease-ridden babies become healthy again!  I do SO appreciate the good hearts of the people who will pick up these little munchkins, bring them home, and nurse them back to health!  They are angelic beings, I believe, and I would do the same if my husband would allow it, but he won't!   Maybe once in a while he would, but mostly he just says those critters need to be euthanized & put out of their misery.  I disagree and tell him he is a Scrooge (!) and that "God will get you for that!"

David Cordell

Bob,

Funny that you mentioned Father Ketchum. Martha and I visited with Jimmy Baker's mother today, and she mentioned Father Ketchum, who was the assistant and wasn't there that long, as I remember. I liked him. He was a very mild mannered man. 

The Bakers belonged to Transfiguration back in the day, but Mrs. Baker now belongs to a "Reformed Episcopal" church, which I think is an Anglican church, not too far from her house. They use the old Book of Common Prayer, which works for me, especially since I prefer Rite 1, but we are stuck in Rite 2

Mrs. Baker also told a story of Jimmy as an acolyte. Someone, may have been Alan Joyce, made faces at Jimmy from the front pew while Jimmy was supposed to being seated silently. Mrs. Baker said that Jimmy cracked up and Father Niles, who was the rector, got very angry.

Hollis Carolyn Heyn

David:  I remember attending  a baptism at Transfiguration or whatever it was called when it was over on Greenville Avenue.  Probably around 1959.  Father Niles was the priest during the 60's and 70's, right?  Do you have any particular rememberances and impressions of him?

Janalu:  I admit to watching two or three episodes of Honey BB.  I was intriqued by their picking up and enjoying cooking up road kill.  I felt sorry for Mama June's paramour who was nicknamed Honey Bear (?).  She treated him poorly.  I liked the middle sisters better than Honey BB.  They seemed like they had the most common sense of that crowd which might not be saying that much.  

I love a good kitten or cat rescue video as well.  

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

David and Hollis,

Believe it or not, I too attended the Transfiguration church.  It was with Cathy Burrows.  She would invite me to spend the night on a Saturday and insist I go with her to church the next morning.  She took good care of me and helped me dress appropriately, lace covering of my hair, an essential, which I lacked.  She supplied the neccessary accessory explaining to me that it was required.  Why?, I asked.  She told me it was because a woman's hair is her crowning glory.  So I looked in the mirror of her bedroom on Hughes Lane while she was showing me how to wear it and wondered how my hair was in any way, a crown.  It was a limp, less than stylish, dishwater blonde.  I refused to wear curlers at night, as was the style in those days.  I preferred sleep to fashion.  I also detested the teasing necessary to achieve the look of the day.  I did it sometimes and regretted it, once I tried to comb it.  So we went and we sat in the back, I insisted, so as not to draw attention to me, I was shy and felt out of place there.  Her mother would drop us off as I recall.  The whole service was quite overwhelming and completely out of my ability to understand.  Cathy was sweet, caring and never pushy toward me about it.  She I would sometimes talk of the differences between our beliefs with regard to religion.  She accepted and loved me with all of her heart and never once did she try to persuade me one way or the other.  I too repected her immensely.  She carried her faith with her to the end of her days.  She was a member of the Episcopalian church in Victoria.  The last service I attended with her was her funeral there. 

Steve Keene

David,

I had a dream about a Fallen Eagles Ceremony.  Tommy and Lance had passed on a few years before and I had passed on that year.  Steve Partlow was officiating when my name came up.  He asked the small crowd to take a few minutes and if anyone had anything nice they could say about me, please speak up.  There was an ackward silence that lasted what seemed like minutes.  "Anyone"? Partlow pleaded.  Finally a hand raised way in the back.  "Some of his running buddies were worse," the hand owner conceded.

David Cordell

Sandra, I have always been impressed by your comments about Cathy Burrows and your friendship with her.

Steve, I'm trying to figure out which of your running buddies could be worse!!

Hollis, I'll get back to you about Transfiguration details.

Bob, here's an unfortunately undated photo that I suspect my mother took. It is at a Richardson Symphony event, and all four ladies were from Transfiguration. You probably recognize Mildred Shea, Doug's  mother. June Jones had two sons who were older than us (Jack and Ronnie), and a daughter (Susan) who was three or four years younger. Mrs. Fekety, who looks like she was just goosed, was the mother of Peter Fekety, who was a year behind us. Her husband Art drove a red Austin-Healy 3000 and was a buyer for Nieman-Marcus. The fourth lady is Father Ketchum's wife, whom I don't actually remember. I am trying to find out how long Father Ketchum was at Transfiguration.

Wayne Gary

David,

Boy is that picture dated and a sign of the times.  All of the women are Mrs. (Husbands name).  Does not give the woman's name.

Steve Keene

David,

Sorry it took so long to answer your earlier question about me telling true stories.   I have found that when I write non-fiction on the forum, I alienate half the class.  Therefore, I write fiction inspired by true events and it seems to keep the criticism down to an acceptable level.  Currently in my spare time, I am writing an Independent's history of the oil business in Texas a la Larry McMurtry.  Maybe I am inspired by my new operations in Archer City, Texas as I sit on a wellsite and contemplate Cybil Shepherd in the Last Picture Show, realizing I am Ben Johnson.  I still have fond dreams of Joey Heatherington in the mattress commercials, too.

It is funny how Archer City had a resurgence with oil prices and Texas notoriety tourism.  It has since dried up and blown away again as the older fields were abandoned.  I am slipping in like the third wave as oil and gas prices spike due to government interference.

Steve Keene

Hollis,

Brilliant Mr. Tesla Thomas and his family are gung ho on the electric Tesla EVs.  I have a question.  What is a Tesla going to look like when you remove the carpet, the headliner, the plastic dash, the safety glass, the door seals. the brake pads, the hoses, the air conditioning, the speakers, the stereo and the bumpers?  All those things have components made from oil.  In fact, you cannot even put in a lithium battery without a plastic housing made of oil byproducts.

I am surprised that Tommy has worked so hard to get a copy of the Best of Punography film.  That film is made of oil, you know.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Steve,

I will jump in here and answer the oil/plastics question you posed for Hollis.  There is enough plastic to recycle and produce most anything for the next hundred or possibly two hundred years.  We just have to gather the stuff up (there is a pile the size of Texas in the Pacific) and recycle it.  Mine plastic trash, a new industry!

Jim Bedwell

DEFUND THE POLITICIANS

Why? Jesus wept.

Jim Bedwell

Sandra,

I've recycled since the 70's. It just makes sense to me. I've heard arguments against doing any of it, but I guess that's one of my few remaining liberal viewpoints. Especially with metals and other non-renewables, why wouldn't we? I just hate to see things go to waste, like our former constitutional republic. Although I actually didn't mind Dillard's chemistry class going to waste...

Wayne Gary

Lance,

If you are still planning on taking a cruise in December you will need to get your Covid vaccine.

 This is for US departures.  Europe has different protacalls.

Updated September 3, 2021

Your health and safety are our highest priorities.
Our 2021 cruises are available for guests who have ALL of the following:

• Received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise
• Proof of vaccination
• Proof of a negative, medically observed, viral COVID-19 test (PCR or antigen).
Cruises departing through September 12, 2021, ALL guests will be required to produce a negative test result taken within 3 days of their embarkation.
Cruises departing September 13 through December 31, 2021, in accordance with CDC directives, ALL guests will be required to produce a negative test result taken within 2 days of their embarkation. 

Jim Bedwell

Chief Toenails,

I was FLABBERGASTED that ANYBODY had ANYTHING positive to say at that funeral!!! Obviously a dream as you related and not reality. I'm going to have to take a break here for a bit to recover my senses after THAT mother of all cognitive dissonances however!!! WHOA, NELLY!!

OK, I'm back and that only took about 30 minutes. WHEW!

On a lark I drove to Archer City over 10 years ago when I was last in DFW. The place looked almost the same except for all the cars in the "downtown" area plus I saw no wind machines which additionally made the deserted place look even more desolate in the movie (locals told me about the wind machines - as if they needed them there!!). Where the cafe was in "The Last Picture Show" had been turned into 1 of FOUR bookstores then owned by the late Larry McMurtry in downtown Archer City. WEIRD!!! I read that he sold off all the books in 3 of those 4 stores not too long after that, but maybe 1 still exists, or did until he died? Dunno.

Also, next to where the pool hall was in the movie, was where THE downtown cafe was 10+ years ago. The strange thing about that was that one of the waitresses, I SWEAR, was the spitting image of the working-class Eileen Brennan waitress-character in the movie!!!! The only difference was that she had BEAUTIFUL light brown eyes as opposed to the late Eileen's BEAUTIFUL blue ones (can you tell I'm hetero?). If you saw the Eileen character in wardrobe and this young woman waitress next to each other, you would have no problem believing they were in the same nuclear family, or even fraternal twins - eye color would rule out identical ones, right?

I had Jeff Bridges autograph a VHS copy of "The Last Picture Show" behind the BEST Portland venue for autographs, the Aladdin Theater, as he was doing a music show after his Oscar-winning movie performance. Jeff laughed when he saw what I wanted him to sign, but he did listen to the new-waitress-in-Archer-City story with no comment. And what a SWEETHEART of a guy he was!!! I can see how he's been married in awful Hollywood to the same woman for all these years, his only wife. I had heard he was back in Archer City for some reason after I met him so I wondered then if he went by the cafe to see if any waitress there matched my description.

Also my brother knew somebody at Tech from Archer City (I'm not sure I approve of home/education location decisions in that nuclear family!! hahahahaha!!!). I'll have to get more info from him about that unfortunate person.

Oh, and Chief, don't worry about it but rather go ahead with the non-fiction - so many have told me this privately that I can with full confidence relate to you the unanimous opinion of our class - nobody likes you anyway so you're really not risking any further alienation. Always trying to help am I !!!!!

Chief Bedpost, cognizant of Half Way Hill plus GREAT cemetery in Archer City (and they say there's nothing to do there! hah!)

Wayne Gary

Sandra,

Not all plastic can be recycled and there are products that has to be made from virgin plastic.  Also the pharmaceutical industry requires petroleum.

When we go all electric cars, who will pay for the homes to have the charging equipment. What about people who live in apartments and do not have assigned parking spaces how will they charge their cars. What about people who have to park on the street, How will they charge their cars?

Janalu Jeanes (Parchman)

David,

I remember Father Niles from your church because I visited there with Sally Sheets several times.  I also went there with Judy Soelter one Saturday morning, along with Virginia Hooter and Cindy Turner.  Judy had to be there for, I guess, a confirmation class or something similar, so we all just went along with her as friends, having spent the night at her house on Sherwood Dr.  We had stayed awake most of the night, so we were kinda fuzzy as to what was going on in the class.  The three of us were very impressed, I remember, with the kneelers you Episcopalians enjoy!   We three didn't have those in our Methodist Church but thought we should suggest them to our minister, Rev. Middlebrooks.  We noticed that your church has quite a few of the same hymns we sing at our church, and I remember my mother telling me that there are a number of similarities in the Methodist Church that are like the Episcopalian Church.  Some of our tenets are the same too.

To me, Father Niles seemed like a Catholic priest.  I guess it was the way he spoke, his mannerisms, and his robes, but I can't say that I was really that familiar with Catholic priests on balance, so what did I know really?  Not too much!

Also, abortion is not healthcare.  Abortion is murder.  Semantics used on this issue make American women appear to be ignorant.

Each child murdered after the spark of life begins at conception, has a beautiful soul in its core, and when that soul is murdered, it goes to Heaven, where it is cherished, nurtured, and loved forever.

Sandra Spieker (Ringo)

Wayne,

No one expects these changes overnight.  It took many years for us to transition from horse and buggy to gasoline transporation methods.  I realize not all plastics can be recycled.  We will find alternate methods of packaging, parts etc.  It will take time.  Who will pay? Right now who is paying to rebuild all of the homes, and businesses destroyed by the wildfires?  Who is paying for all the hospital costs for those who chose to forgo the vaccine?  Who is paying for the cleanup in Lousiana and the Eastern states after yet another hurrincane and flooding event?  Who will pay for crop failure due to excessive heat or drought?  Who will pay to re-engineer filling stations to plug in stations?  Who will benefit from the new technology?  Who will profit from recycled materials or pay for the engineering required to come up with alternative materials for the future?  Lots of questions with no easy answers.  What is clear is that we have to start somewhere, because to stagnate where we are now will cost us billions.

Jim Bedwell

Didn't know this. Is an avocado a vegetable or a fruit? It's a fruit, a kind of berry. Just learned that on FNC (where else?).

Also just learned there, if you're ever attacked by a clown? Go for the juggggular!

Jim Bedwell

Janalu,

I like what Jack Nicholson said. He was born to his unmarried "sister", who he later in the 1970's learned was his mother after both she and his grandmother had died.

He said words to the effect that if abortion had been legal when he was born, 1937, he likely never would have been born and he's enjoyed his life so much that he's pro-life. It's not a choice, it's a person, as you well know.

And yes, ALL murdered fetuses and babies, along with all other children who die for whatever reason before they have the opportunity to choose the Savior, end up in total bliss with Jesus -  I don't like initially the evil obviously involved in those aborted humans, but that's the KIND OF DIVERSITY I DO LOVE (innocent victims of blatant sin) in the TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS end result spiritually.

David Cordell

Steve,

We stopped in Archer City/Anarene15+ years ago on the way back to Lubbock. I wandered through McMurtry's book "stores" while the rest of my family fumed in the car, and while the car fumed since the air conditioner ran full-blast in the heat.

I did tell you that I had a solo (duo?) dinner with Larry McMurty in Austin, right? I chaired the Ideas and Issues Committee and we brought him to campus to give  speech. Believe it or not, I took him to a restaurant at Dobie Center. Not sure what I was thinking. He was probably insulted that we didn't go to someplace fancy, like in Archer City.

David Cordell

Hollis,

This is way more than you asked for. Sorry.

There was a church on west side of Greenville Avenue just north of the RISD administration building, across from what later became First Baptist of Richardson. Really, it was a converted garage of a frame house. That was St. Margaret's. St. Margaret's bought the property at Custer and Greenleaf in the late fifties. The Bishop encouraged a merger of St. Margaret's with another small church -- St. Mark's -- that was completed in 1971. They were eventually renamed Church of the Epiphany, and it is now on Custer between Greenleaf and Ridgedale. (Didn't you live near there?)

I think we started at St. Margaret's in 1955 when we moved to Richardson from Abilene. My sister was baptized Roman Catholic shortly before the move. I think the move was also a move from Catholic to Episcopalian. Clearly, my mother decided that birth control was a good idea after she finally had a girl. (I'm pretty sure they were hoping that I would be a girl!) The priest at St. Margaret's was Father Vega, a Mexican who had been a Roman Catholic. (Before anyone chastises me for "Mexican", he was born in Guanajuato and wasn't a U.S. citizen until after we left.)

I assume that my parents didn't deem St. Margaret's to provide sufficient edification because in late 1957 they began attending the mission which became the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, transferring in February 1958.

I was an acolyte, trained by Bill Hensel, father of my classmate Marsha, on whom I had a bit of a crush. Later on I became lay reader, which was a bigger deal back then. I seriously considered the priesthood. I could have handled the preaching and the comforting, but I think I would have killed someone over parish politics. 

I think Transfiguration became an official parish with the completion of the Article of Conformity on January 11, 1959. At that time, Transfiguration's sanctuary was in a converted garage of a ranch-style house on the south side of Spring Valley, near the (former) dead end, a few hundred yards west of Hillcrest. An A-frame sanctuary was built in about 1961. After the sanctuary flooded  -- over the doorway -- the church was given the current property at the corner of Hillcrest and Spring Valley by Lindsay Embrey, after whom the engineering building at SMU is named. A  temporary sanctuary was built and was succeeded by the current edifice in 1970.

Yes, I knew Father Niles and his wife Elizabeth. He was a New Englander and a good man. After the flood, there was a big article in one of the Dallas papers that showed him in front of the church, helping to clean everything. He was a man of good humor, but he was not known for the quality of his sermons. I liked him, but he did one thing in the liturgy that bothered me every week -- he pronounced the "g" in the phrase "unfeignedly thankful". Apparently, he was pushed out sometime around 1980, landing in Dalhart -- not an upgrade for him. I was disappointed. The last time I saw him was at the 25th anniversary of Transfiguration when he was brought back for the celebration.

Father Niles was succeeded by an Englishman, Terrence Roper. Father Roper eventually moved up  to Philadelphia to become rector of the very upscale Church of the Holy Trinity on Rittenhouse Square. Martha and I were living near Philly and attended his installation. After he retired, he moved back to Dallas, and he sits next to the center aisle on the same pew at Transfiguration every Sunday. Every once in a while, he substitutes and gives a sermon, and I always enjoy them.

Below: The Article of Conformity. It is a terrible photo, but Father Niles's signature is on the top line, along with Mrs. (Elizabeth) Niles. The close-up shows my father's name in the left column with Melinda Nelson's father immediately below. To address Wayne's comment, note that Melinda's mother and my mother signed to the right of their respective husbands, using "Mrs." followed by their respective husband's name. (Sometime after my father died I listed my mother on something as Mrs. Fran Cordell, and she bristled at the notion.) I think classmate Kathy Houzvicka's mother is also shown. Doug Shea's parents were also signatories, along with Marsha Hensel's parents and others. I'm going to make a better photo for family records. 

Jim Bedwell

Chief Toenails,

I don't know what you're talking about with David C about telling true stories & I'm too lazy to check it out, but I don't care if you're lying or telling the truth, just keep posting. And you CAN TOTALLY TRUST ME on that other item - you can resume your non-fiction at your pleasure - you can't alienate people who hate you. You must know I could never lie to you about that.

Chief Bedpost

Jim Bedwell

What's the only food that doesn't spoil? honey

Which species NEVER cares for its young? snake

I miss L.M. Boyd

reminds me of the Twain quote:

"I believe I have no prejudices whatsover. All I need to know is that a man is a member of the human race, and then I know he couldn't be worse".