Jay Freels

@1990TracyRose @TracesofTexas It’s not a store it’s an HEB

@TracesofTexas You wrote a novel about going to a store?

My goodness. I was just at my local H-E-B. It was an absolute madhouse. It's never a good sign when you have to park in the next parking lot over. Approaching the store, I felt a keen sense of dread, envisioning the sea of humanity, the carts blocking the aisles, the cacophony of sound. And for the first five minutes, it felt like a life and death struggle with forces of mighty chaos. But then I thought of @raywylie 's admonition: "the days in which I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations, I have good days." I realized that I was fighting the vibe, and it was so unnecessary. So I looked again. There was a kid, smiling at me, uncertain what to make of my tall, lanky body and catastrophic white hair. The shelves were full and people were talking about recipes and what they needed. I heard somebody say "we need to get the stuff for green bean casserole." And I thought of that dish, that wonderful dish that (blessedly) only appears once a year but, when it does appear, marks occasions filled with laughter and wine and, now, memories of friends and family long gone. Then I thought of the suffering in the world --- the real suffering --- and felt bad for having mentally complained, initially, about there being so many people in a place of such abundance. There are people on the planet facing desperate situations --- heck, people in North Carolina facing Thanksgiving without their homes --- and I'm frustrated because I can't find artichoke hearts? Then, when I checked out Robin, my checker, was wearing a pin indicating that she'd been at HEB for 37 years and my bagger had one on indicating that he'd been there for 16 years. I talked to Robin as she was whipping those groceries through the scanner and I said "37 years ... have you been a checker all that time?" She said that she'd worked in the bakery and also stocked shelves at night but that she likes being a checker because "that's where the action is" and because she "likes meeting the people." I smiled. She wished me a happy Thanksgiving, as did the bagger, James. I was halfway out the store when James tapped me on the shoulder and said "you almost left your jalapenos on the counter." Holy cow ... I'd have been mad if I'd got all the way home and realized that one of the key ingredients for my jalapeno-orange cranberry sauce was missing. But I didn't, because James noticed them still in the bagging area and tracked me down. As I was wheeling my cart out around and thought "You're with your people. There are your people." I got back to my car, loaded up nine bags of groceries, got in, noticed what a beautiful day it is, cranked up the Ray Wylie Hubbard, and drove away. It's all about perspective. Thank you Robin and thank you, James and H-E-B and Ray Wylie Hubbard and all of the wonderful Texans who've contributed so much to this page and ... well, y'all get the picture.

@MrSteveMatchett 30 years… a good reason to read again

Reasonably sure Life in the Fast Lane was published thirty years ago, and has never been out of print since then… I might be wrong. [Bender tells me I’m not wrong.]

@MercedesAMGF1 A good reason to read it yet again!

Presenting Inside Mercedes F1: Life in the Fast Lane 📖 The book documenting life inside our team, both at home in Brackley and on the road at the racetracks of the world is out and available to buy now! Here's what you can expect 👇

@TheBishF1 First F1 race I ever saw live on TV in the US

#OnThisDay in ’69 the #CanadianGP generated 2 #AnorakFacts: (1) Johnny Servoz-Gavin became the only driver to score an #F1 point in a 4wd car (Matra MS84; pic); (2) Al Pease (Eagle T1G) became the only F1 driver to be disqualified for driving too slowly. Jacky Ickx (Brabham) won.

@GearboxGirl @dsceditor And here in Texas it was 50/50

@dsceditor At least it wasn’t poojoe

America - we need to talk!! @peugeotsport

@Gracro5 I was there. Two of my favorites of the 70s, the Sex Pistols, and that taco place on the corner there 😀

Sid Vicious outside Taliesyn Ballroom, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, 1978. 📸 Bob Gruen

@NickTandyR Good job Felix!

Felix Tandy, MightE Bambino kart English Champion 2024 🏆 VERY proud mum and dad, he drove amazingly all weekend. As did all the little drivers #fastfelix

@Richard_Kadrey Who knew!

Straight from Henry Rollins (though I don't know why Strummer is playing the bass)

@bruces You must have been to HEB

@EvilMopacATX All set to disagree and then read it…. You’re not wrong

My latest Pulizer-caliber Substack post just dropped, urgently asking, then answering, the question... Does Austin Suck Now? evilmopacatx.substack.com/p/does-austin-…

Join me in experiencing the future of decentralization on the @Shardeum Sphinx betanet! Get 15 #SHM now: faucet-sphinx.shardeum.org My address is: 0x8f53fe72Ce0E8abcCD9FF9158a17c1246bba9786

@EvilMopacATX 100 percent!

HEB Butter Tortillas

@GreatDismal Starting at the beginning!

Anything by Ned Beauman. From The Teleportation Accident, his first, to Venomous Lumpsucker, his latest.

The GoP in Texas has been in power since 1995, 27 years. All of their ads are saying "vote for us so we can fix everything that is broken in Texas". Again, they have been in power for 27 years had have fixed ZERO.

@Richard_Kadrey Of course and document the trip

I have a ticket for World Fantasy Con, but I don't have a room or a flight. Should I just do a really stupid commando mission, grab any room I can find and go anyway?

Wordle 286 5/6 🟩🟨⬜⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Wordle 283 2/6 🟩⬜🟩⬜⬜ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

We blew our winning streak 😭 Wordle 282 X/6 ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜ 🟨🟩🟩⬜⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 First miss

@GregButcher_ Everyone I follow took till the last line today, except for 1 who got it in 3…. About to try

😒 Wordle 282 6/6 🟨⬜⬜⬜⬜ ⬜🟩⬜🟩⬜ ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 ⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩