Where I Don't Even Mention Wikus' LEGENDARY GOLD Jeans

Urban Dare
Whew, that was some intense computer searching I did yesterday.  I have no idea how to live my life with the internet.  I would have been absolutely useless to my Urban Dare team if there wasn't the amazing search engine called Google.  The internet is how I fool people in to thinking I'm smart.  The first four clues I was able to answer in less than 3 minutes (add some time for crappy cell connections that led to a lot of "Huh, what did you just say? What about your VD?").

1. Paraphrased clue: Some kid did something really stupid and there is an annual award that is given out for such stupid actions (it was windy outside, so I really only got blah blah blah, and had to ask my coworker to repeat herself, and she summarized the story to stupid kid and annual award); go to the establishment named after this  yearly award and take a picture.  That was easy and Google was not needed: Darwin awards.  Used Google to find if there was any Darwin establishment in town, and right near the start point of the race was a Darwin's Pub.  Go me.
2. Next was take a picture with the person who said, "Do not call for black power or green power. Call for brain power." Sounded vaguely familiar, but why tax my brain and try to recall from what ever deep dark recess of my mind who that is.  Quick search got me to Barbara Jordan (which I should have known immediately--that fireplug of a lady!). My coworker started muttering about a Barbara Jordan statue being installed recently.  Well, it was almost a year ago actually, but yes, there she is on the UT campus.  That's one heck of a walk from downtown--they had to use the crappy bus service.
3. Then some more blah blah blah clue that talked about some kid being given a Brownie Kodak camera during a trip to Yosemite park, and was famous for his black-and-white photography.  I didn't quite catch the whole thing, but it had to be Ansel Adams.  It didn't take long for me to find an Adams Park just north of the Barbara Jordan statue.  Who knows what they had to do in the park--my job was just to get them to find the location.
4. Next clue was to take a picture of yourself with a VW painted like a Saints helmet.  "Saint?  As in religion?"  Audible sigh, "No, Saint as in the New Orleans football team."  "Oh, uh, really?"  Obviously I had no idea about this stuff, but again, simple Google search.  They had to be way back down south and west to get to that sucker.  I was really happy to be the brains behind the operation and not  having to run all over the damn place.  
5. This is the one that knocked me on my ass, and left me punching holes in my brain, and calling on Wikus and Fink-Nottle for assistance.  Sadly, we all failed and never came up with the answer (however, my team ended up getting help from some other teams, so eventually got it, but not soon enough).  The clue was to take a picture with the SPIRIT OF LEARNING.  Oh god, the searches for that.  Nothing.  Two hours worth of nothing.  I refused to give up.  I kept looking and trying to put together very lame ideas to make it work.  Ends up there is a statue in front of the Teachers Retirement System that is called The Spirit of Learning.  Guess what?  That is no where online, and I have no idea how anyone figured it out unless they were just visiting every statue in town.  
6. The last question was a bit hard, but I managed to figure it out after about 10 minutes.  It was LOOK for the spear--mural ad.  Not a very good clue to Google; or, at least not in the way I use Google.  Ended up if you just type in "look for the spear" you'll find what you want.  Problem was no concrete address but the Frost building in the background made the mural pretty easy to find.

I'll find out tomorrow what other things they had to do, since finding various landmarks and taking pictures in front of them wasn't the only point of the race.  I believer there were dares involved, but what they were, I have no idea.  I was too busy spending the whole race trying to find the answer to clue #5.  Looking around online, I found examples from other cities, and they pretty much axed any ideas I had of actually being on a team.  "Go to X comedy club, get up on stage and do charades."  "Take pictures of yourself with a stranger in scrubs."  Ugh.  I'd rather not, thank you.


It seems I got my team in to second place.  Their daughters actually won the race. Update: Miscommunication, the kids came in 20th and my coworker came in 31st or 32nd. My coworker is very very attached to her children, and I wouldn't be surprised if she actually assisted them.  I play to win, and don't take kindly to hand outs like that!  Anyway, ends up there is a Great Urban Race they want me to help out with on March 27th.  I loved every minute of yesterday, even when I couldn't figure out what the fuck the SPIRIT OF LEARNING was.  The jokes about why the Bob Bullock Museum and LBJ Library could not possibly be it, was entertaining enough.


For amusing transportation news, our commuter rail is set to start running on March 22nd.  This is pretty much high hilarity for Wikus.  It is probably going to end up being this huge boondoggle that will set back public transportation efforts in town many decades.  Texans are very attached to their cars (that includes me).  Wikus doesn't have a car, and I have to keep reminding him that he is not the target audience for this rail.  It is for people who live in the suburbs and work downtown.  Though, none of them would consider walking very far from the train, nor take a bus to get to anywhere from there, so not sure who will really end up using the train.  There is a stop near me--technically I could use the train to go downtown, get drunk, then come back home.  Too bad it only runs during rush hour, and not at all in the afternoon or at night past 6pm.  Sigh.


This train was supposed to start running over a year ago, so it is really amusing when they announce a new start date.  They obviously know it is shit if they are opening it the week after SXSW.  


There's a long IM of Wikus and I chatting about the futility of the commuter train, and the obnoxiously priced monthly pass ($70!  Boston doesn't even charge that much, and you can get to so many more places using their public transpo).  I won't pain you with the conversation, but the best part was when Wikus said, "Ghossssssssssssssst train!"  So true.