- In Texas we have this law, that I think is quite silly, called the top 10% law. If you've read this blog for a while, you may be familiar with it. In a nutshell, every public high school graduate in the top 10% of their class is automatically accepted into any/every public Texas college. It's aim was to help underserved populations get into college. All fine and dandy. What it really does, in my opinion, is admit kids from schools that can't/aren't properly preparing them into really hard schools like UT. These kids are set up for failure. They don't know how to study. They've never seen an AP class. And kids from academically challenging high schools who are not in the top 10% but who are well prepared can't get in. Those kids often leave the state for good schools which does not keep our talent local. (Hmm was I one of those kids? Yes.) About 75% of UT students are currently admitted under this law. But it's up for review! (Read the Statesman article) With the revisions only 50% of a public Texas college would be filled by top 10%ers, starting with the top percent and working down until 50% is filled. The other 50% would be admitted the old fashioned way - a combo of class rank, SAT scores, leadership, extra-curriculars etc. I am pumped. I hope the revisions pass!
- When I was in college my friends could count on me for a few things NO MATTER WHAT. One was that I would enjoy eating chips and salsa. It was like the Cheryl thing. Every get together included tortilla chips and salsa. Well some things don't change. I craved chips, salsa and guacamole (expanding my horizons obviously) like nothing else when I left work today. And let me tell you, chips, salsa, guac and a margarita have never tasted soooo good. See, clearly, I was meant to live in Texas.
- I started to think about one bullet point and it led me to this one. Snobbery. I'm going to go out on a limb with this and say, it ain't all bad. Really. Say you think your college is the best, the most awesome. Some would call it pride, others would call it snobbiness. Of course you think its the best one; its the one you picked! Call it what you like but thinking your choice was the best choice, is OK with me.
- Leads me to this: Houston. I know some snobs (and hey its ok) who think Houston is way down on the list. They think, depending on their subject of snobbery, that New England is way better; that California is way better; that Austin is way better. But I'm here to tell you, Houston is all right. Now granted, I chose to live in Austin. I like Austin, its got rivers and lakes, its politically liberal, its a university town. I'm totally into it. I'm a bit of an Austin snob perhaps (God knows I am a Texas snob). But Houston ain't all bad. Good people live in Houston - my parents and Grandma for example. They basically rock. And the seafood there, especially shrimp, is delicious and fresh. I'll also bet Houston sends more people to outerspace than your town, heck more than even your whole state. Take that! And as Charlie Gibson reported tonight on the world news, Houston does OK during a recession. We've got oil, high tech and lots of stuff to help us be nice and diverse. (Uh oh see that, I am assuming a Houston identity by switching to the first person.) We've also got cheap housing which means our prices didn't have far to fall. I'm just saying, Houston is OK. It may be a fat city, it may have pollution but its got some pros too and as a grown up Houstonian, I feel the need to defend my hometown. So Houston, consider yourself defended.
- Going public. I recently added my blog to a feed on Facebook. Now I've realized how much more public I am. That's all. I'm super public now so I can't say anything else.
- Babies! I have a baby; she is furry and has four legs. But my cousin, Becca, is about to have a real baby. As I said to her via Facebook "little baby little baby come out come out where ever you are!" It's like a darn game of hide-and-go-seek with that baby! Come on out already! We want to meet you little baby!
That's all.
PS Houston also has the BEST RODEO EVER.
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