Curmudgetante Podcast

It’s time to start my Army career Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It’s another semester of academically limping through my courses and being completely oblivious to the very red flags in my relationship with the girl and her family. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s back catalog episodes, we visit a unique northern Nevada celebration, and jump forward to my last month’s in Carson City. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

I’d be remiss not to go back and include some of my favorite memories from my brother-in-law’s visits to College Station. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

High school’s wrapping up, but not before I piss off the faculty and find a girlfriend the week after I join the Army. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

I was very fortunate in the Texas A&M Theatre department to be surrounded by some of the most talented set, lighting, and sound  designers, costumers, prop masters, and stage managers I’d ever met. Their tireless work to make me look good really paid off, until I opened my mouth and started “acting.” Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It’s early 1982, and I’m a senior in high school. In episode 40 “Shock and Meh” I’m sharing the news that I’ve joined the Army with my classmates and co-workers to mixed reactions. And in episode 41—“Unorthodox, but effective” I finally learn how to ski. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

In the fall of 1987, a wondrous thing happened in the Theatre Arts Department at Texas A&M. I met Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Charles Gordone and his partner Susan. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It’s the fall of 1981 and winter of 1982, and in episode 38 - “Edge of the cliff” I’m very excited about one upping an inappropriate high school tradition with some questionable behavior of my own. And in episode 39 - “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the time”, I finally make an irrevocable decision about my immediate future. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It’s summer 1987. The girl and I have landed in Tonopah to spend the summer living with my parents and working to squirrel away money for our sophomore year at Texas A&M. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s back catalog episodes, it’s the early 1980’s and I’m a senior in high school. In episode 36-“Show time!” I get my first job working inside! And episode 37-“Delay. Delay. Delay.” Some decisions are easier to make than others. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It took no time for me to get sucked into the mystery and intrigue of a secret admirer. Was it one of the girls in the theater department I was crushing on, who was secretly crushing back? Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It’s the early 1980’s and in episode 34-“Zero R Value”, I’m unwittingly pushing my luck with beer and gravity. And in episode 35-“Out of My League”, My my baseball playing has reached its peak. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It’s early fall 1986. I’m at Texas A&M and  the balance between academics and my extracurricular activities is seriously out of whack. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

We’re almost caught up on the time line. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

My parents looked as hopeful as they could for their little boy who was once again moving away. This time to squander his college money on a degree that could best be described as a boondoggle. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s back catalog episodes, chronology continues to unravel and we’re jumping from the early 1970’s to 1976. In episode 30, “Homestead”, we learn the origin of our family compound. In episode 31, “Gravity, part I”, it’s the winter of 1976 and I’m getting a painful lesson in riding my bike in the snow. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

Apparently, handling the casino’s money, I needed to not have a criminal record. If you’ll recall from the three-part series, “Unemployable in Louisville”, I did have a criminal record in Kentucky. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

In today’s back catalog episodes, our chronology starts to break down and we’re jumping from 1978 back to 1977. In episode 28, “I’d have to be in better shape just to be out of shape”, it’s the summer before high school starts and I’m determined to play freshman football. In episode 29, “White slips”, we jump back to 1977 and my time on the bus to and from junior high school, and particularly veng...

The day I’d been looking forward to since that first really good screaming at in basic training had finally arrived, and I was living it. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

I never had much of an attention span. I could focus just long enough to half-ass my way through whatever I was supposed to be doing. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

It was sublime sitting on top of the 557 armored carrier after being up all night, watching the sky go from black to dark blue to a reddish-pink. I remember turning to my buddy and saying, as much for him as for myself, “If you remember nothing else about our time together, remember this.” Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

Not wanting to really get in trouble, I slid out the lock long enough to swing open the hasp, and opened the door a jar. It wasn’t as important for me to lock him in his office as it was for him to know this scenario was a real possibility. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

Considering how I really didn’t like being in the Army, but I signed my name and committed to 48 months of active duty and would see my time out honorably, it was always going to be a hard no on the reenlistment. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe

I’m a 7th grader in junior high school, trying to fit in by blending in. Get full access to Curmudgetante at curmudgetante.substack.com/subscribe