MAKE BEN FAIR

Saturday Jamie and I went to Dallas for the day. We were suppose to be getting some mattresses for the surf trip but it didn't work out. We ended up just shopping all day and ate dinner with my sister and Sean. While in Dallas, Jamie found us some new alarm clocks. I love alarm clocks... they can be really cool but the fear that is involved with getting a new clock is alittle overwhelming. What happens if I set the clock and it doesn't go off? What if the new ring tone doesn't wake me up? What if I set it wrong? All of these thoughts are running thru my head as I laid down to go to sleep Saturday night. After all Sunday is the one day a week that I really can't be late to work. So around 2am the phone rings...but we are sound asleep. I think that this is the new alarm going off and that it is time to get up. Sometime quickly after waking up I realize that it is the telephone ringing so I answer it. The lady on the phone says, "Hello Mr. Dudley, this is Terrell Alarm and the alarm at UBC has gone off, would you like to meet the police officer over there?" I told the lady that it was ok because my alarm had just gone off and I would be there in 30mins anyways. So I get up and go to the bathroom and then realize that if the sound I heard wasn't my alarm, if indeed it was the phone that it might not be time to take my shower yet... so I check the clock and sure enough it is only 2am. So I called the lady back and she said that the front door at the church had been broken and that I needed to go up there. So I went to the church to see what had happened. When I arrived there were two cops already there and they told me that a k-9 cop was on his way to search the building. They wanted to make sure that no one was still in the building. The cops also told me not to stand in front of the door for safety sake. So the k-9 showed up and they keep telling me to stand aside and then they all go into the building and search the place, however they leave me standing outside in the cold all alone and unprotected. I was like, "hey now...isn't someone suppose to protect me?" After searching the building they had me go look and see if anything was gone and at the time I couldn't find anything so they said, "well we will write this up as a misdemeanor and have a good night." So they leave me there at 2;30am in the middle of the lobby of UBC, which is located in the ghetto known as Waco Texas, all alone with a busted out front door. I was slightly confused as to what I was suppose to do at this point. So I decided that I would call a security company and hire a guard to come and stand post so I could go sleep. It took them an hour and a half to get to the church. So imagine me standing in the lobby with nothing more than a broom in my hand guarding the church. I was walking around pretty much scared out of my mind that the people would show back up to steal everything we own. I got enough courage to go outside and sweep up the glass. All of the sudden I hear tires screech and I freaked out. I ran inside the church and hide behind the curtains watching to see what was going on. There was a car that had pulled up to the intersection in front of the church, the lights were blinking red because it was so late and they almost ran the light. They must have been drunk because they sat there for at least 10 mins before they went ahead and ran the red light. It was pretty entertaining once I realized that I wasn't going to die. Fortunately UBC has an alarm so the bad guys didn't get much and we are all safe...

Sorry I haven't had time to blog lately... things have been very crazy. Last week was one of those great weeks in life, you know the kind I am talking about... where you get to do something that you really love, twice! Travis the band was passing thru Texas for the first time in three years. Well, I had to go see them in Austin and Dallas. Tuesday night we went with the Crowders and the show was in Austin. What a great day, went shopping and then ate at my favorite Mexican food place "Maudie's" Then we went to the show. They made me put the camera in the car so I didn't get any pics Tuesday but I did Thursday in Dallas. Thursdays show was equally amazing but shared with a different group. Thursday was with Harris, Logan and Nathan. Tom was suppose to go but tragically had to work late so Nathan took his spot last minute. The highlight of the concert was the song, "ALL I WANT TO DO IS ROCK" Each night as they played this song, the guitar player Andy would climb up on top of the speaker stacks and play the solo in the truest rock fashion! Check out this pic.. What an amazing show and afterwards I have a totally new appreciation for the latest cd 12 memories. I blogged earlier about the album not being up to par but it has grown on me, now after seeing the songs played live, unbelievable! That is truly a great album. There is one song called "the Beautiful Occupation" that just rocks and then my wife just loves the song called, "Somewhere Else" Doug the bass player plays the glockenspiel on this song... Travis music has so much melody, its just beautiful. Most bands these days have the Dave Matthews syndrome of kinda monotonal half way speaking singing the songs.. not Travis, they are all about the melody which I love! If you don't have any Travis albums or aren't familiar with them let me know and I can recommend some good songs to start with. cheers

ps. enjoy some more pics..