The Sounding of Two Canons

Usually we bloggers are completely out of the loop when it comes to all things Live Midland, but we learned yesterday that this website is soon to get a new blogger, one who we believe will do a fantastic job.  She is very involved around town, and she is also very enthusiastic about this project.  She told us the good news yesterday, and the plan is she could be set up as early as next week.  Her blog will be replacing Laura’s “Downtown Junkie,” which is a good thing because, though Laura was only supposed to be a temporary blogger for a month or two in the beginning (October 2008), she blogged for almost an entire year regardless.  Believe it or not, it’s not easy to recruit people to sign up to be volunteer bloggers!  We think this new writer is going to be great at letting readers know what is going on around Midland, and Downtown especially.  Can’t wait for her to begin next week…..  WELCOME to the team!!!   C&C

April 16, 2010, 6:00 pm

Midland College

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.

Anyone can participate in Relay For Life. Friends, families, neighbors, classmates, sports teams, etc., can form their own teams. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay.

The only requirement to participate in Relay For Life is the $10 registration/commitment fee (per person) that is due upon registration. After that, anything you can raise through individual, team, or online fundraising is graciously accepted. It is recommended that each participant to set a personal goal to raise $100. If you raise more, that’s even better. Even if you do not raise $100, you are still welcome to participate.

This event is very near and dear to our family, as my brother, Michael Canon, is a 28 year survivor of brain cancer.  Without the help of the American Cancer Society and other organizations dedicated to winning the battle with cancer, we would not have the joy of today watching our brother take an active role in giving back to the support community that helped to save his life.  Every year Michael participates and raises money for this wonderful cause, and we are so proud of him.  Please, if you do not wish to participate, there are many ways to give your time/resources to this very worthy cause.  Thank you for any help!  - Chris

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=24155 

Things are looking up for March!  The Young Professionals of Midland are having their annual Membership Party/St. Patrick’s Day celebration this Friday night, March 19th on the enclosed patio at “The Bar,” featuring a Hosted Bar from 7:00 to 10:00 (or 11) p.m.  Every year this is a very successful and well-attended event for YPM, so if you’re interested in joining, networking, or making friends, you should join in the festivities this Friday night!!!

Anyone who has made the 30-minute drive to Odessa lately or driven to the airport has noticed a very tall and sweeping structure coming out of the desert, almost exactly between Midland and Odessa that you just can’t miss.  For those of you who are wondering what that structure is going to be, it is to become our new state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center, a great example of what the two cities can accomplish when they work together.

This may shock all of our readers, but Midland and Odessa, the home of Friday Night Lights, are not necessarily places known for their commitment to the arts.  But like most stereotypes, looks can be deceiving.  I know from personal experience that the music education I received growing up here was top notch, and I have no reason to believe that years later it does not remain so to this day.  I know that in Midland alone we have the impressive Midland-Odessa Symphony & Chorale, Midland Community Theatre, Arts Assembly of Midland, Midland Arts Association, Museum of the Southwest, the Midland Festival Ballet, not to mention various dance studios, local bands, and the improv groups who perform at the Yucca Theatre.  Midland herself is the home to two world-famous and accomplished opera singers (Susan Graham and Heather Johnson Watts).  Every year, Midlanders can look forward to the Celebration of the Arts, Septemberfest, Midland City Limits, and the Summer Lawn Concerts at the Museum.  Just 3 weeks ago we went to a museum exhibit gallery opening here, something I never quite managed to get around to doing when living in D.C., or Houston, or Austin.  That’s not to even mention what Midland’s neighboring area and West Texas towns have given to the world: Buddy Holly, Bob Wills, Roy Orbison, just to name a few; the art communities of Alpine and Marfa; the fantastic Globe Theatre replica in Odessa.  We even count, just among our own Midland friends, a fantastic writer, an accomplished photographer, and a talented painter.

Unfortunately, while uninformed and ignorant stereotypes will always be a part of life, finally we West Texans will be able to show the world that yes, we do care about the arts, and we are proud of it.  Thanks to those people who have made this Performing Arts Center a reality, and we are looking forward to 2012. 

Ground broken on Wagner Noel Performing Arts Center

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2009/04/04/news/top_stories/performing_arts_center_groundbreaking.txt

http://www.utpb.edu/media-1/groundbreaking-for-wagner-noel-performing-arts-center/

As I was walking through the lobby of First National Bank of Midland today, I was greeted by a table set up by Honor Our Troops (or H.O.T.), an organization who sends care packages to our soldiers overseas.  If you’re like me, it’s one of those things that I’m always “meaning to do,” or “will do in the future.”  In any case, they asked if I wanted to send a care package for $25.00, and I promptly said yes.  It was so convenient!  They had the package ready to go, I wrote a handwritten thank you note to the soldier, and they gave me an ID bracelet to take home with the soldier’s name on it.  The contribution is still so miniscule (an understatement) in comparison to what these soldiers give for us every day.

I had heard of this organization before, as I believe I have seen them set up at the County Annex on A Street.  I was told they also have a full-time store in the Odessa mall, which I did not know before.

This organization is in Downtown Midland TODAY!  Just stop by the bank lobby (FNB of Midland) at lunch, it’s that building on the corner of Big Spring and Wall, across the street from Luigi’s.  What could be more convenient than that?  The man who started the organization is a father who began this effort to support his son, and the other sons and daughters who serve overseas.  Cheers to the two men I met this morning who are responsible for 10,000+ care packages being sent to our brave soldiers.  Truly amazing.  We can all hope to make that sort of difference in this world someday.

Honor Our Troops (Send care packages online!)

http://www.hot-honorourtroops.com/INDEX.html

Boy were we out of the loop on this one…. For months we were wondering when this Midland mainstay would re-open, and we finally quit asking our friend Natasha Brooks, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Brooks who have owned the Mr. Brooks Barbecue for 30 years in Downtown Midland. 

Natasha will always have a special place in both of our hearts.  As one of the first people I (Cory) met when I moved to Midland, she was constantly trying to set me up with a certain guy on a blind date and I always refused (“I know this guy Chris, he would be perfect for you….”)  Needless to say, she was right, and though we eventually met on our own she still takes credit for us meeting, and rightfully so.  HOWEVER, Natasha, you most definitely dropped the ball on keeping us updated on the restaurant’s reopening!  We read the great news on Monday in the paper, and I promptly called her and asked her, what good is it to know a famous Midland BBQ family if she is not going to keep us in the loop on these things???  Doesn’t she know we have a very important blog to write?  J  He he.  She said they actually opened a week earlier than they expected, and that OF COURSE she was going to call me and Chris and tell us about it.  All kidding aside, we are so pumped and excited for the Brooks family that they have recovered from the malicious fire that burned down their restaurant last August.  The arsonists were never caught, which is terribly disappointing, but we are hoping more security measures will be taken this time to prevent anything from happening to the beloved restaurant again.

And – MOST importantly — don’t worry, Mrs. Brooks’ enormously popular pies are back.  Settle down people, it’s all going to be okay. 

C&C

Back Cookin’ Again:

Mr. Brooks Barbecue opens today for first time since arson destroyed business

http://www.mywesttexas.com/articles/2010/03/07/news/top_stories/for_monday_brooks_barbecue_arson_fire_re-opening.txt#ixzz0hn971SWZ

Mr. Brooks Barbecue is located at 501 E. Texas Ave. and is open Monday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday night until 9 p.m.

We’re sure you’re wondering, why haven’t Cory & Chris posted lately? (At least we’re hoping you were wondering that).  The reason is, there has been nothing going on in Downtown Midland.  True Story!  Nothing, or very little.  When we were asked to blog as volunteers on this site, we agreed in the hopes of raising awareness for the many citizens who would like to see more in Downtown Midland.  We were also told that they really wanted us to be honest, and we always try to do so, while trying to remain optimistic as well.  In any case, we are sorry to report, there was nothing going on last weekend, or next weekend, or the weekend after that (that we know of) in Downtown Midland, which is unfortunate.  We wish there was.  However, being the optimists we are, we’ll just blame it on the fact that it is Spring Break next week, and we are hoping that that is the reason.  In any case, you may see us getting creative, and branching out into non-Downtown Midland, or Midland proper, this month of March (so as not to waste perfectly good blog space).  At least April looks more promising.

All is not lost, however, as Gary P. Nunn is performing at the end of the month at the annual Buckshot Bash Downtown at the Midland Center on Friday night, March 26^th.  Additionally, a great lineup was announced last week for the street concert at Celebration of the Arts (we do love when there are street concerts Downtown).  Performing in Centennial Plaza on Saturday night, May 15^th, will be Asleep at the Wheel and Stoney LaRue, with special guest Seth James (Celebration of the Arts 2010 is set for this year from May 14-16^th; Street Concert will be seating on plaza grounds, with stage on Wall Street).  Looking forward to it.

C&C