Showcase Houston All Star Game 2016

After the high school basketball state champs were crowned and the nets from the basketball rings (big shout Ted Cruz) were cut down, the off-season commenced. This includes many all star games and showcases across the country that recognizes the accomplishments of great players from the season that just ended. One of those games was Showcase Houston. The North vs. South showdown included players from all over the city and scores on both sides that eclipsed 100 points. Ken Busby of Elkins went home with the MVP honors. But yeah, check out these photos!

Matt Manalo - Artist

I met Matt at some random networking event where he was trying to convince "investors" to "invest" in his product. I use quotes here because I was one of the "investors" and the money that I was to invest was in the form of a few tickets that had been given to me at the door upon entrance to the venue. While talking to Matt about his product, I learned that he was a real, live, breathing, I-do-this-or-a-living, artist.

I hit up Matt because I wanted to take his portrait and photograph him while he worked. It was pretty cool stuff. He even has a tiny assistant that demands payment in the form of milk. Big shout to Mr. Manalo and his son...it was a pleasure.

A Couple of Stories on Religion for The Atlantic

I had the opportunity to work on a couple of stories about religion here in Texas for The Atlantic. The first was a story about a group of cheerleaders in Kountze who successfully sued for the right to make and display posters and banners with bible scriptures on them. The second was about the Jewish community here in Houston in a neighborhood called Meyerland. I definitely knew of Meyerland but had no idea it was home to Houston's largest Jewish community. I'll let you read the articles here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/kountze-cheerleaders-free-speech-religion-banners-football/476892/

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/03/orthodox-judaism-millennials/476118/

Big shout to Emily and Emma from The Atlantic, Keke and Tonya for your time, the Traxlers for letting me wander around your store and Josh and Alicia for allowing me into your home during the Havdalah ceremony!

I met this guy at a car wash in Kountze. His name is Jeremy and he pulled up with a mouth full of gold blasting country music. He showed up to vacuum and wipe down his 1997 Buick. We chopped it up for a bit and then I had to meet the Moffetts at the courthouse. Big shout.