Top Ten Tuesday

With my trip to Lubbock coming up this weekend, I can’t help but have visions of prairie dogs dance in my head. For those of you that don’t know, Lubbock and I have a history that dates back way before I even attended my first class at Tech. Many of you know that my mother lives there, but actually there is more. See, my grandfather that raised me, grew up in Petersburg, a small town right outside of Lubbock. I grew up listening to stories about “out West” and even made the trip for the annual “Petersburg’s Days.” So, Lubbock has a special place in my heart for more than just obvious reasons. The main reason I chose Texas Tech was because to my paternal grandfather and great-grandmother, Texas Tech was better than Harvard and Lubbock was their idea of desert paradise.


Lubbock is hard to explain to people who have never experienced it. Yes, it may not be close to much, and it’s a bit flat, but once you experience the true L-B-K, the appreciation you gain is overwhelming.


This week I dedicate my top ten to Lubbock and some of the many memories it’s given me. A lot of firsts in my life happened because of Lubbock, so this week enjoy

Top Ten Firsts Thanks to Lubbock…

10. First solo flight- The first time I ever flew on an airplane by myself was to visit my mom in Lubbock. I was 13, I think, and I made the long (45 minute) flight from Dallas Love Field to the Lubbock International Airport. I will never forget looking down and thinking the ground looked like a patch work quilt.
9. First Minor League Sporting Event- That same trip to visit my mom, I went to a Lubbock Crickets baseball game. The Crickets are no longer a baseball club, and I have hated crickets since thanks to the mascot.
8. First Major Concert- My mom took me to see Aerosmith at the United Spirit Arena in college. Sadly, that was my first concert that didn’t take place in a rodeo arena.
7. First Heartbreak- Oh the misery or at least I thought it was. Junior year in college, I had my heart truly broken for the first time. I learned so much from that experience. I learned there are two people and not just myself, in a relationship. I learned you have to compromise and not be a b**** (I’m just using the same verbiage as him). I also learned, you can bounce back ten times better.
6. First Charging of the Field- Texas Tech surprisingly defeated the Oklahoma Sooners in 2007. Thanks to the victory, I was able to participate in a celebration I had only witnessed on TV. Yeah, I might of hesitated a bit, but that doesn't matter!
5. First Drivers License-Yep, I got my driver’s license on my 16th birthday at the Department of Transportation office in Lubbock. I didn’t have my car yet, so my first memories of driving on my own were in my mom’s old Mercury that was about the same length of a football field. It was so pimp!
4. First Visit to a Nightclub(one of many firsts rolled into one)- When a college classmate invited me out one night, I was excited. I had never been to a nightclub and was excited to get to dance on an actual dance floor. Well, we go to a club called Luxor, which also made the event my first trip to a Gay Nightclub. Turned out we had a blast just dancing and not worrying about a thing, until the night also turned into the first time I was hit on someone of the same sex. Oh boy, that was night of many firsts, not all appreciated.
3. First Car Accident- It had to happen at some point.
2. First Job-My first job was actually at a Baskin Robbins ice cream shop in Lubbock. It only lasted about 3 weeks, and I hated going home with stick fingers and sore forearms, but it’s where I learned the true meaning of work. I had my first real boss and I quickly learned, they don’t really care if you don’t like working on Saturday’s or not.
1. First Real Pet Owner Experience-Even though we had family dogs, I had never had a dog of my own until I moved to Lubbock. A wiener dog had been left at my mom’s house by my uncle when he moved to Houston. It was love at first sight for me, and Doc has never left my side since!

Thank you Lubbock for many firsts, memories and what’s yet to come!
 Can’t wait to see all my family and friends in Lubbock soon!