The Twin Hypodermics, Houston TX

This was the view from my hotel window Saturday morning as I got ready to be an exhibitor at a conference in the Medical Center of Houston TX. This "landmark" building is where lots of medicine is practiced by some of the finest doctors in the country. (and where some of the finest sales people try to sell products to those fine doctors, I might add)



I took the photos with my mobile phone, not the regular camera. It just seemed like a shot waiting to be taken, kind of like the Space Needle in San Antonio on a previous post. You can see the reflection of the hotel in the glass walls.

In the early 80's when I lived in Houston and peddled my wares in that building, it was affectionately known by friends as the "Twin Hypodermics." I think it is obvious why we called it that. To this day, when I see it, I can't help thinking those words and smiling. I guess it doesn't take much to keep me amused...

Thanks again for stopping by!

Mike Z

The Old House at Seward Junction

I have passed this delapidated house, or barn, many times as we drove up to Copperas Cove to visit the kids and grandkids. I have often thought it looked like a good subject for a photo. People pass these relics (for lack of a better term) every day and probably never give a thought to the history in the structure.

Another photo of the house

Jan likes this view better


Times change, lives change, and the places we live change. Sometimes our places are abandoned as we move up or move on. I wish I knew who lived here, and why it is still standing in this place along Hwy 183. I will probably never know, but it is fun to think about it.

More later dear readers,

Mike Z

My friend Gordon H added a great sky background and improved the photo nicely. I have to learn how to do that! Thanks Gordon.

Note 10/2010: Sorry to say, but "progress" has taken it's toll on this old house in Seward Junction. The expansion of Highway 183 has reduced the house to a pile of rotten wood. Pretty soon even that will be gone....

Not many will mourn the loss, but I have noticed on my travels lately that I've been looking for other old houses or barns that have similar appeal to this one. Maybe you'll see more in future posts?

Pelicans on the Bayou St John

First post on the 'Memories in quite a while. I shot these photos in New Orleans about a month ago (that long?? time sure flies...) at the Jackson Day Race on a very cold morning with the temperature at about 21degrees F. Our family had a reunion of sorts to celebrate the 103rd running.

Some of you may know that the pelican is the State Bird of Louisiana. A pelican with 3 chicks is on the state flag. This was the closest to pelicans I had been in quite a while, so I snapped a few shots and these were the best of the lot.

pelican on the Bayou St John

The pelican staring at me over its back in the photo below is the same one that is in the photo above. I really felt sorry for them if they were as cold as I was that morning.

pelican family

Ok so the photo below is not a pelican, it's a heron. He was fishing in one of the ponds around the New Orleans Museum of Art. We passed it as we "raced" along (actually walked, more on that in a later post).

heron

I apologize again for this short note. I have been so busy (darn Facebook!) but I didn't want too long to pass before I got back to this blog. I hope to be back more often in coming weeks.

Thanks for stopping by,

Mike Z

Space Needle in San Antonio

Last December I worked a convention in San Antonio, and stayed at the Hotel Del Palacio on the Riverwalk. The Tower of the Americas, commonly called the Space Needle, dominated the view outside my room. I have always been intrigued by the Needle, but have never ridden the glass elevator to the restaurant at the top. Jan and her family had gone to the Hemisfair in 1968, but she remembers very little of the event.

On his website, the Texas Explorer, George Hosek writes "Standing 750 feet it's one of the tallest freestanding buildings in the United States, 67 feet taller than the Washington Monument and 87 feet taller than the Seattle Space Needle." It is now part of Hemisfair Park, and is a tourist must-see in downtown San Antonio. Please read his article, it gives a lot of information about the needle and the area.

I was also interested in the Wikipedia article on the Hemisfair in 1968. In the article it says that "HemisFair '68 was the first officially designated world's fair (or international exposition) held in the southwestern United States. San Antonio, Texas hosted the fair from April 6 through October 6, 1968."

I hope you enjoy the photo. And I hope your New Year is the best ever!

Best regards,

Mike Z