Category Archives: Texarkana

Mercury Direct

Posted on May 17, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

It’s that time of the year again. School’s out, temps are up, and the planet of communication has stopped all its retrograde nonsense, hopefully in time to keep me from crossing ALL the lines at work. Also, post Derby Day … Continue reading →

Posted in End of the World, Goal setting, Graduation, karma, Texarkana, Texas, weather, Writing | Tagged 4/20, April 20, Bourbon, Dalai Laura, Daylight Saving time, dictator of the free world, Kentucky Derby, key lime pie, Labor Day, Lauritarian, Lauritarian party, limeade, Mercury direct, Mercury retrograde, presidential election, seersucker, standard time, stop the madness, Superbowl Sunday, Taco Bell Tuesday, tequila, whipped cream vodka | 1 Comment

Catching up with the former ‘Noble’ Lumpkin

Posted on January 14, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

The last we heard from Coy he was unable to attend the secret meeting of the 43rd annual convention of the Grand Mystic Royal Order of the Nobles of the Alibaba Temple of the Shrine because his motorcycle was stuck … Continue reading →

Posted in Arkansas, Authors, music, Texarkana, urban legend, Writing | Tagged 43rd annual convention, AR, Billy Bob Thornton, conduct unbecoming, Coy, Harley Davidson, Illustrious Potentate, Nashville, no-tell motel, Noble Lumpkin, pillar of the community, Ray Stevens, Shriners' Convention, Slingblade, Western Sizzlin' | Leave a comment

The Mysterious Case of the Missing Funny Bone

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Laura Alford, PhD

My sense of humor is AWOL. It may have absconded on the Generals’ Highway between King’s Canyon and Sequoia National Forests at about 6,666 feet (give or take a few inches.) It could be that similar to the cartilage in … Continue reading →

Posted in accounting, Education, Texarkana, Texas, weather | Tagged 110 degrees, 6666 feet elevation, Dory, east texas, funny bone, Generals' Highway, King's Canyon, moving, mystery, ransom, scary roads, sense of humor, Sequoia National Forest, standup economist, summer | Leave a comment

Everything You See on the Internet is NOT True.

Posted on October 16, 2022 by Laura Alford, PhD

First of all, I need to state that when Louisiana College economics professor Bruce Cofer told me that TANSTAAFL (there ain’t no such thing as a free lunch), I believed him. The confounding issue is that I also grew up … Continue reading →

Posted in accounting, flying, Goal setting, Texarkana, Texas, urban legend | Tagged Amtrak, Biltmore, china, crystal, economics, iced tea, JP Morgan, linen tablecloths, Louisiana College, luxury, Pineville, private rail car, robber baron, silver spoon, TANSTAAFL, Vanderbilt, velvet draperies | 7 Comments

Safe Spaces

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Laura Alford, PhD

After watching all the hurricane Ian footage, I’m incredibly grateful to be living several hundred miles inland. Granted, Texarkana is right next door to Tornado Alley and is smack dab in the middle of the Ice Storm Corridor bounded by … Continue reading →

Posted in Continuouse Improvement, Politics, Texarkana, Texas, weather, Writing | Tagged Arkansas, Bob Hope, Coastal living, contentious, drug lords, hijab, Hurrican Ian, hurricane Ida, ice corridor, immigrants, interstate 20, interstate 30, Iran, Jimmy Buffet, Joy, Khalil Gibran, Laughter the best medicine, Laughter through tears, macro-aggressions, micro-aggressions, Middle East, migrant farm workers, non-toxic, Of Joy and Sorrow, poetry, Reader's Digest, songs, sorrow, spirit, Steel Magnolias, Texarkana, Texas, thanksgiving, The Prophet, Tornado Alley, Truvy, USO, VIetname | 2 Comments

Cooked Carrots

Posted on September 2, 2022 by Laura Alford, PhD

Not trying to stir up any controversy here, but I don’t like cooked carrots, not even when disguised as a moist, spicy cake with cream cheese icing by well-meaning grandmothers. They’re probably #5 on my most disliked list. Coming in … Continue reading →

Posted in karma, Politics, Texarkana, Texas | Tagged 2024 Presidential Candidate, baked sweet potatoes, beer, Bourbon, candied sweet potatoes, carrot cake, cooked carrots, Dalai Laura, daylight savings time, Dr. Seuss, Eagles, election, grandma, Green Eggs and Ham, Lauritarian party, left lane, libertarian, Life's been good to me so far, marshmallows, moist, Mrs. Nona Bobo, raisins, Sam I Am, slow drivers, southern, spicy, sweet potato fries, sweet potato pie, sweet potatoes, Texas, try anything twice, yams | Leave a comment

Truckstop Tequila

Posted on August 4, 2022 by Laura Alford, PhD

Howdy from Texarkana, Texas! We’re mostly moved in, but not moved out, and haven’t hung anything up on the walls. The internet works all day, every day, unless the electricity is out. (That’s happened only once due to strain on … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY Project, family, Home Improvement, Saving Money, Texarkana, Texas, Writing | Tagged Clase Azul Reposado, DIY, El Camino Real, I-49, King's Highway, lamps, lampshades, moving, tequila, Texas, truckstop | Leave a comment

The InterNOT

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Laura Alford, PhD

Internet connectivity is essential for working at home. Where are my files? Dropbox (hint: it’s online, and I need the internet). What about co-author meetings? Zoom (hint: it’s online, and I need the internet). How about the latest version of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Continuouse Improvement, Louisiana, technology, Texarkana, Texas, Writing | Tagged 2 out of 3 ain't bad, California, Carolyn Sills Combo, co-author, DropBox, economic utility, electricity, Elon Musk, email, I am disappoint, indifference curves, internet, interNOT, LA, Meatloaf, meeting, my neighbor burns trash, Natchitoches, neighbors, preferences, Queen Elizabeth, Queen's jubille, StarLink, Texarkana, Texas, That Doughnut song, Western Swing, wireless, work from home, Zoom | Leave a comment