Grocery shopping update, West Texas Hispanic Newspaper

After returning from the land of hula dancers and lots of body art the house was empty of edible food. So, I got the list ready and made my way to the grocery store around 10:00 a.m. in the morning. Since I had never gone at this time of day it was a new experience and I found the shoppers during this time of day very different from those at say 8:00 p.m. First, 95% were all women and they had a focus in their eye that reminded me of the eye of the Tiger concept in dedicated athletes. In other words, get the hell out of my way, I am on a mission. Second, these women were all very good looking and it was as if they had been in a beauty contest just recently or they were heading to one right after checking out. Third, they knew their way around in the store and please don't get in their way or you would lose at least one arm or maybe you left leg. So, I stayed out of their way but also used my dark sunglasses, look at them concept, without them knowing, even though I know they did know. Fact is I am sure they would be disappointed if someone wasn't looking, so why not me. At any rate this created a new challenge, now I have to find the stuff I had on my list and look at good looking women all in the same breath. Honestly, this is not an easy task and I am sure it took me at least 30 minutes longer to shop and check out than normal. But, someone has to do it and I do it well. Now to the check out. This particular store has some very well trained check out people and they evidently put them through some kind of "get to know your customer" routine. For me it is really just bag my groceries, check me out, take my money and let me go. But, this guy was so sharp not only did he ask if I found everything I was shopping for but he also noticed I had a golfing pullover jacket on. This led him to ask if I had been playing golf this morning and if I did what did I shoot. Well, now this is getting a little too personal for me and I am ready to hit the road with my new bags of groceries, not talk about golf. I did tell him that no I didn't play today, but didn't tell him I had only played once this year. Then I would have to explain that I am a triathlete and that requires a lot of training, then I would have to answer the always question, "have you done the Ironman or next on the list is have you ever done the Buffalo Springs triathlon?" This would of course require an answer that would take far longer than I want to stand at the checkout, I just want out buddy please run that bar code through your scanner and let me out of here. Then the question comes up, do you want paper or plastic? Well I always go for plastic simply because they are easier to carry and you can carry more bags at one time. Since I have to climb one flight of stairs to our living area in the house I only want to make one trip. But, of course I can't go on and on about this to the bag guy, so I just say "plastic." Now I know that is not good for the environment but it is not good for my disposition to have to climb my stairs more than once. So, it is a trade out and I promise not to bury the plastic. Then there is the conversation you have with the guy(not the same guy who checks or bags)who takes your bags of groceries out to you automobile. Now, for some reason this guy knew I rode bikes and he also rides bikes, which led to more conversation on riding bicycles. For a while I thought I would spend enough time in this place to be eligible for a 401 K, but then it happened. The carry out guy put the last plastic bag of groceries in my Explorer and I was released from the parking lot. What an experience!! From what I learned I will not go back at 10:00 a.m. in the morning again, no matter how good looking the women are, simply because the employees are just too perky and all I want to do is complete my list and get the hell out of dodge.

While doing some vitamin shopping, in another store on another day, I noticed that the West Texas Hispanic Newspaper was available(free of charge). You know like the Thrifty Nickel type paper that lays in little bins and sits out so that you will stub you toe on them if you don't take one. At any rate I picked one up out of curiosity simply because it was in English. Yea, that English, you know the forgotten language of the United States of America and still the first language, but sometimes I wonder. It says on the front page that it has been serving our community since 1979, silly me and this is the first time I have seen it. Well it was amusing to read since 95% of it was in English. I wonder how the Hispanics can read their newspaper when it is in English and throughout our land we offer everything in English/Spanish. You know the drill, you do one of those automated calls and they give you options on the language, 1 for English(I always utter under my breath, what other language would I want, I am in America and I don't speak any other language) 2 for Spanish, etc. I did dig through this rag and found some Spanish, of course I couldn't understand it because I don't speak Spanish. All of my schooling has been in English so I just naturally throw in a little West Texas stuff with my English and I sound like a foreigner. Please note, not Texas Hill Country foreigner like LBJ, but West Texas foreigner. A BIG DIFFERENCE, THANK YOU!!! I did notice that contrary to the main rag of the city, The Lubbock Avalanche Journal, this paper had no knifings,shootings, rapings, fights, or other disorders associated with the rowdy crowds of our area, just good wholesome family stuff. I did notice that one story was headlined, HIV/AIDS in Latino Community has reached crisis proportions, as reported by the Center of Latino Health services. So, it was not all fluff and some gore! Since it was free I have no beef, and I even feel more informed.

Today was swim day at the Texas Tech Aquatic center. I went in the early afternoon and got my 1600 yards in and feel primed for the World 70.3 Championship in Clearwater, FL, November 11th. Yea, you swimmers out there are saying, "what's the big deal, 1600 is my warm up." Well you are right but I am not truly a swimmer, just simply an athlete who swims because the sport of triathlon ususally requires that I do so to complete the triangle. Since I define triathlon as the "evolution of synergistic motion" I must do all three in succession to accommodate this definition.

So much thinking for a Friday afternoon, now on to something more important, two stepping in some sleazy country and western bar, with lots of smoke and adult beverages!!

greerman