East Texas was represented in March Madness. The Stephen F. Austin State University Lumberjacks put Nacogdoches, often referred to as “Nac-o-nowhere” on the map on a national level. The school may not be from Tyler but it’s only about 90 minutes away and many residents of Tyler, including myself, attended SFA.

As an alumnus of SFA, it was a blast to watch and I felt proud, like I was part of something big as the world was watching, first becoming aware of what many East Texans were already aware of and as head coach Brad Underwood stated, this team will be back.

It’s already impressive enough to make the NCAA Tournament, but to win in the style they did was extremely impressive. As a No. 14 seed, the Lumberjacks upset No.3 seeded West Virginia in the first round. They then moved onto the second round for a chance to play in the Sweet 16, but fell short to Notre Dame by one point, or heck, less than one second, on a tip that, frankly, I have no idea how it went in. I guess that’s just the luck of the Irish.

I will be curious to see where Underwood ends up next year. I would love to see him stay with SFA but when you bring a program to the NCAA Tournament in each of your first three years, other bigger schools will come knocking. If he does leave, I’m thankful for what he has helped this team do and if not, great. Either way, here’s to hoping SFA makes another appearance in 2017.

A couple of weeks back my wife and I went on “Staycation” in Dallas. One of the stops we made that weekend was at a little hole in the wall antiquarian book store called Rosedale Rare Books. It was one of the smallest old bookstores I’ve ever visited (and I’ve been in quite a few), but it was also the most surprising.

The store was attached to an antique firearms shop Called Jackson Armory. Really the book store is simply one small room to right of the entrance door of the Armory. When I first walked in I was underwhelmed to say the least. But my disappointment gave way to resignation. We had already driven about twenty minutes from where we had stayed in Plano, so I decided the trip warranted a quick perusal. The library behind the glass contained any number of literary treasures, some dating back to the sixteenth century. As I continued to look I found more and more. Volumes by American generals and English poets. The longer I browsed the more the store revealed its treasures. I coveted an old edition of John Bunyan, but it exceeded what I could realistically afford to pay. I discovered memoirs of Military leaders and presidents. But many were parts of larger sets. Ultimately I settled on a modestly priced biography of Governor Morris, written by one of my heroes, Theodore Roosevelt.

This Bookstore was a really great stop. The prices were pretty high but that’s not surprising given the merchandise. In recent years, book collecting has become very fashionable and so have the prices. Books that collectors used to be able to obtain for a song at a garage sale or book fair, now command more money because people assume that age equals value. It does not. The mere fact that a volume is either a first edition or printed a hundred years ago is not a guarantee of value. All this being said I wouldn’t expect a high end shop like Rosedale to be cheap. And while it was a bit rich for me, I did find something for under twenty dollars. But even for visitors who don’t make any purchases, Rosedale Rare Books is a really interesting stop. Don’t be put off the small space. I recommend taking a few extra minutes a letting the books come to you. What you put into this visit is definitely what you’ll get out of it.

Almost a year ago I wrote an article for this directory entitled; “Adult Preschool and the Death of Healthy Shame.” It was on a new and disturbing trend in which seemingly normal, healthy adults choose to pay an obscene amount of money to participate in activities like finger painting, playing dress- up, and taking naps. Well now there’s an even creepier trend embracing dysfunction. They’re called cuddle parties and no, it’s not what you think… but I have no idea why or how it’s not what you think.

The cuddle party participants (and it is my deepest hope never to have to use those words again), are presumably the same type of folks who would attend an adult preschool. The group making the most news in recent weeks is based (which is probably too militaristic sounding for these people) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The MN “chapter,” meets monthly, at the cost of twenty dollars a head mind you. Evidently they spread out blankets and approach each other asking permission to touch… [oh lord, I think I’m going to be sick… sorry… ok I’m back.] So anyway couples or pairs or groups or whatever, begin the process of cuddling… [breath…] only after receiving permission. By the end of the night the attendees take part in an activity they call the “silverware drawer.” This activity, (I can’t say the name again) involves laying on the floor entangled with the other members of this ad hoc pajama party, all of whom are potentially strangers. How is any of this in any way safe or healthy?! Where I to envision any way on earth or in hell that I were forced to attend something like this, (and I can’t) it would be impossible for me to get through the entire experience without striking someone!

The “Facilitator” claims that while all of this sounds potentially sexual, it’s actually not. It’s merely the hang- ups of society that impose those impressions on an otherwise basic human need for contact. Isn’t that essentially the same argument used to justify so- called recreational nudity?

But it gets worse. I’ve seen no less than two stories in the last couple of months, about college co-eds who get paid up to eighty dollars an hour to cuddle with strangers. In each case the woman in question insists that her services are not in fact sexual and they go out of their way to prevent misunderstandings… How?!… Never mind. If anyone out there wants to give me fifty bucks for a purely platonic hug, let me know. I think we can probably work something out. Better yet, you want a hug something? get a pet, a stuffed animal or even a pillow! Or try seeking out an actual healthy human relationship!

All of this goes to illustrate the disconnected, uncommitted and generally confused nature of our society. Chesterton taught us to be open to everything is to be open to nothing. When all relationships are intimate none of them are. Our society is dying of thirst in the middle of an oasis. Love, physical and otherwise, is not a commodity to be exchanged. All this fake affection simply can’t take the place of the genuine article.

I don’t usually, or ever, really, for that matter get political in my writing. Heck I I know very little about politics but is this presidential election a joke? Especially with Donald Trump on the stage, I keep expecting one, if not all of them, to eventually look into the camera and say, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night.”

That hasn’t happened yet though and I’m not sure if it will but I will still expect some type of punch line.

The presidential race is a joke but it’s not funny. It’s more like a long drown out story of one disaster of after another. There are many cringe-worthy moments of yelling at each other and calling each other names. I’m not convinced I haven’t heard Trump turn to Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio and say, “You are a liar. Liar, liar, pants on fire.”

At any rate, the time is now for those who haven’t cast their votes to do so. As bad as this joke is, it’s sad to think people are buying in hook line and sinker. It’s clear to me that people don’t want a true leader. They want a celebrity. It’s someone “new” in the political field who is known in the pop culture world and that’s all some people need to hear to make up their minds.

Yeah, it’s scary because he’s not going to make America great again.