Dan Roark

Kelley as Auntie Em (center)

Anyone that knows me, knows that when things get weird, I’m apt to look up and say “Auntie Em, Auntie Em.” Mainly because I would feel pretty damn stupid clicking my heels. Neither of which proves to be very effective. Things still get weird.

That said, wouldn’t you figure that my granddaughter, Kelley Strockbine, would play Auntie Em in The Wizard of Oz at her school, Homestead Elementary on Saturday, May 5. Encore Kids is a company that teaches acting to elementary students in schools which lack the resources.

Kelley also played one of the Lullaby League Munchkins and part of an Ensemble. All the kids did a very good job. The sound could have been louder, but everyone got the gist of it. After all, we’ve heard the story. It was a cute interpretation.

The Lion was a substitute from another school. The girl that played the lion at Homestead woke up with appendicitis and had to be rushed to the hospital. By show time at 4:30 p.m. (I understood why it was that late on a Saturday, but still wasn’t real pleased), she no longer had her appendix and was doing well.

As I said, it was a cute interpretation of the Wizard of Oz. All the children did a very good job. And kudos to Encore Kids for helping to keep arts in the elementary schools.

Cast of Oz

Peace be with you.

The TexasSelectRadio.com Songwriter series hosted by Shaun Outen and Dan Roark at Raphael’s Mexican Restaurant was on the patio and the weather was good, as was the music and food.

JP Campbell

JP Campbell

Don Wall

Don Wall

Dan Roark

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself – give your day a boost. Look where they’re playing and go see them in person and support live music. Songwriters, message Dan or Shaun to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The first TexasSelectRadio.com Songwriters Series show that I, Dan Roark, hosted on Sunday at Malarkey’s Tavern began to go awry on Saturday. Cyndy and I were at the EarthX event at Fair Park. On the way back to Fair Park Station I hit a slick spot on the wet walkway and went tumbling. Damn the concrete came up fast!

As if that wasn’t enough, I slid along the pavement. Not only did I fall on my knee, but the slid took skin off of two places on my right hand. It was that part of the pavement at Fair Park that looks like it has hundreds of pebbles glued to it – double-whammy.

With effort I stood up and waited for the tremendous pain

Terry Bloss

in my knee to subside enough to be able to limp. We started walking again when I realized I had sprained my left wrist. Then I saw the blood dripping from my right hand in two places. With the napkins Cyndy had I managed to get the blood to stop to a point. After washing my hand off and putting on bandaids when we arrived home, I checked to see if I could still play guitar. It hurt, but I could play with the pain.

[Due to time constraints, we move ahead in the game.]

When I woke up on Sunday, I was sore in places I had not previously known existed. A software issue meant I couldn’t stream the show live. I had planned to record it anyway, but had to adjust my method at the last minute. One of the performers had a migraine and couldn’t make it. One other person I hadn’t

John Mason

heard back from at show time. But John Mason and Terry Bloss were there at showtime. Rob Case was on the way.

I started the show a little after 2 p.m. I played for a little over half an hour when I was through playing with the pain. Terry Bloss followed me. John Mason took the stage next, and Rob Case closed out the show. All three performers went above and beyond, playing longer sets than they had planned – covering the missing performers and my inability to play again due to soreness and pain.

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself. It will be time well spent. Also see where they are playing live so you can go see them play and support live music. Contact me if you

Rob Casef

would like to play on future TexasSelectRadio.com live radio shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The first TexasSelectRadio.com Texas Songwriter Series hosted by Shaun Outen and Dan Roark at the Wyndham Garden Dallas North hotel in the lobby bar was an interesting evening in a unique venue with some good music. Shaun opened the show.

Shaun Outen

Rae Marks

Rae Marks

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Jeff Stachowski

Jeff Stachowski

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

It was a great show. Follow the links and listen to their music for yourself – you will not regret it. Make a note of when they play, go hear them, and support live music. Songwriters, message Dan or Shaun to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

Let’s make no mistake – most Mondays suck. Since it is the first of the week for everybody, everyone wants to share their particular suckiness with the rest of the world. I’d like to say that it’s hard to blame them because it’s their job, but I can’t.

There is a guy that mows yards on our block. And other places I’m sure, but that is not of my concern. Over the years, he has changed days. First on Wednesdays, then on Tuesdays, now, as you would figure, Monday. He could have even started with Thursday, but I’ve slept way too many nights since then.

He has also varied times – from annoying to pain in the ass. Almost always before noon. I understand (a little) when it gets up into the 90s on a regular basis. But it’s still cooler now and I wish he would take that into account.

I could even live with all of that – having to do with mowing. But the leaf blowers drive me crazy. Forget that the only thing they do is blow. Forget the fact that, here in Farmers Branch anyway, it’s against city code. The grass doesn’t just magically disappear. It just goes somewhere else – including our yard.

I’ve paid attention to other instances around the neighborhood – they thankfully happen after I get up. I’ve come to the conclusion that they either have no clue how to operate a leaf blower, or they just want to make the homeowner think they’re working harder than they are. Either way, the dogs in the neighborhood – including our two – begin to loudly protest the sound of the leaf blowers.

Then when I got up, everybody and their uncle began to call, email, message, or text – preventing me from accomplishing anything else, including waking up. Like I say, some Mondays suck more than others.

Then I woke up this morning – on Tuesday – with a headache that hung around for most of the day. Do some Tuesdays suck more than others as well, or can I still blame that on Monday? I wonder.

Peace be with you.

I just can’t quit Thin Mints (insert your personal Girl Scout cookie choice). I certainly can’t “eat just one” as the saying goes. Usually, I barely hear about the cookies in time to buy any. Or one of our sons buys a few boxes and we get to share.

This year, I was determined to stock up. I was about to go into Walmart when they were starting to sell them. I bought four boxes of Thin Mints. I gave Cyndy a box, and I had a box, and I put two boxes back. It wasn’t but a couple of days or so when the first two were gone.

The next time I went into Walmart on a weekend, I bought four more boxes of Thin Mints. The last two boxes of the first four were going quickly. But now we had four boxes to spare. But, despite putting them in the freezer – out of sight and out of mind – they still were going. Not as quickly, but definitely steadily.

Then it began to be harder to find a sales location. The list of cookie sales sites on the Girl Scout website helped. One Saturday, I went to the wrong Half-Price books. The next Saturday, our son, Cameron, and I made another cookie run. This time I bought five boxes. Between the two of us, we bought them out of Thin Mints.

I put all five boxes in the freezer. I had seven boxes. I’m not sure how many Cameron had. So, to this point, Cyndy and I had gone through four boxes. That does not include the box my Mom gave us. Cyndy and I tried on another Saturday, but apparently they were out because no one was there.

I don’t know how long the remaining boxes will last. But once a box is open, its life is short. I know, though, that my question will not be answered again this year.

How many boxes would it take to last until next year? While I still don’t know, I do know that it is quite a few more boxes than just fourteen.

The other question I would like to know is – could I afford enough Thin Mints to last until next year?

Damn the Girl Scouts and their cookies!

Peace be with you.

The TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan show at Canucks in Lewisville on March 22nd was the last show due to owner cancellation. The performers on the show were:

Robbie Cleigh Marks

Robbie Cleigh Marks

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

Taylor Chicks (I was running sound and didn’t get a picture. Here they are at Stan’s Main Street in Frisco.)

Taylor Chicks

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Jason Gibson and Mark Burnaugh

Brett Cox

Brett Cox

Follow the links and hear their music for yourself. Notice when they are playing and go see them live to support live music. Keep an eye out for possible future Shaun and Dan shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

While it was the final TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan show, the radio show will continue to be hosted by Shaun at Stan’s Main Street. I will be playing at Malarkey’s Tavern on Wednesdays. Here were the performers for the show:

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen and Scott

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

Michael Franceus

Michael Franceus

Baylis Laramore

Baylis Laramore

Harold King

Harold King

Taylor Chicks

Taylor Chicks

Brett Cox

Brett Cox

Follow the links to hear their music for yourself. Make a note of when they’re playing so you can see them play live. Keep an eye out for possible future Shaun and Dan shows.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan Show at Canuck’s in Lewisville on Thursday, March 15.

Layne Elizabeth

Layne Elizabeth

Cat McGee

Cat McGee

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

Click on the links and hear their music for yourself. Notice when they are playing, go see them play, and support live music. If you are a songwriter and would like to be on the show, message Dan to be scheduled for a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.

The TexasSelectRadio.com Shaun and Dan Show at Stan’s Main Street in Frisco on Wednesday, March 14.

Dan Roark

Dan Roark

Shaun Outen

Shaun Outen

John Mason

John Mason

Jade Nickol

Jade Nickol

Jeff Stachowski

Jeff Stachowski

Red Neighbors

Red Neighbors

Follow the links so you can hear their music for yourself. Make a note of when they are playing, go see them play, and support live music. If you are a songwriter and would like to be on the show, message Dan to be on a future show.

Keep writing the songs that are in your heart.

Peace be with you.