I probably should not tell this story…but I’m deep into the rum celebrating, and just can’t help it.
Once upon a time, the head choral job at Texas Tech came open. My mentor is a TTech alum, and he called me–asking me to apply. “I can really advocate for you if you want this job” he told me.
I thought it over. TTech had one of the legendary college choirs back in the 60’s and 70’s…and have always been VERY good. But as Mary and I discussed it…we decided that if I took the job I would be happy literally when I was rehearsing or conducting a concert. The rest of the time…I’d be in Lubbock Texas…and we just couldn’t see leaving CHARLESTON for Lubbock. Fayetteville? I’d have come running. (that’s a story for another day…). To Lubbock? Nope.
Hope that doesn’t offend anyone. My wife is an Irish girl raised in Beaumont TX of all places. I worked in Houston in my 20’s. MD Anderson treated Mary the first time. I have nothing against Texas (well I do have some things…but not the time nor place).
But leave Paradise in Charleston for Lubbock and TTech? Nope.
I have no idea why I am even telling this personal story. I am just SO HAPPY we took down the Red Raiders. “Git your guns up??” Nope. You’re out of ammo TT fans.
Just say no to Lubbock. I have a friend who shows dogs with me. She posted on FB about the game when we found out that we were playing them. I just said “Guns down.”
These past 3 years, I have been doing a fair amount of work in the Lubbock area and can say I have enjoyed it. I have especially enjoyed the people. But then my career has been in Agriculture and that is a strong area, and a good market for me. I have found the people to be just great.
When we were in the SWC, I always liked Tech. Still do. Always respected them, but never had that feeling that I did for most of the other TX schools (esp. one who got beat last night by yet another TX school).
Not sure about living there, but I can promise I have lived in far worse places.
Lubbock is part of my territory now and I’ve been out there a couple of times. Nice people. But I agree with the OP in that there doesn’t seem like there is much to do.
A few weeks I told the story about my lone trip to Lubbock. Looked out the window of the plane as we were landing at the airport and immediately didn’t like it (the biggest hill in town was a freeway offramp), and my time in town didn’t change that. Also that I noticed immediately that the main advertisers in the Avalanche-Journal sports section, which I had to read every day to get info for our football coaches, was strip clubs. No, I didn’t visit any of the strip clubs. Left Jones Stadium, went right back to the airport and got outta Dodge.
There are not many tumble weeds in the Lubbock area. Of course there are many species plants that spread their seeds by forming an abscission layer in the fall that breaks and are moved by the wind. Some can move several miles. Probably the one most think about is Russian thistle and their are two types of those in CO alone. Plants which this method are generally very prolific seed producers and very successfully propagated.
Probably more than any one ever wanted to know about this group of weeds.
Lubbock was always a problem city for our company. Just never able to get the kind of folks that worked hard and cared. About 3 years prior to retiring we hired a young lady as our local representative who has turned out to be tremendous. Turned around our entire sales business there. Her husband is a big cotton farmer. Having been raised in Pine Bluff (cotton country) I could talk just a bit of farming with her. This gal played golf in college and hit’s her drives over 250. And she loves Lubbock. Of coarse I loved Pine Bluff until I lived in the real world.
Well…I have literally never been to Lubbock. So I have nothing bad to say about the city. My story is simply that I could probably have gotten the choral gig there…but other than my mentor EVERYONE I know was like “Rob, we know you…you will hate Lubbock. Why would you even consider leavig Charleston for Lubbock? Don’t be an idiot!”
