Big Tex, Fried Foods and ME!

<click here for video>

We interrupt your irregularly unscheduled programming of Fitness Friday to bring you this important announcement...I am running for public office. Wait, no I'm not. But I AM in the running to be a judge for the Big Tex Choice Awards at the Great State Fair of Texas.

As you know, we have The Sparks Agency Fair Day at work every year. We take the day off work and head to the State Fair. We start the day with a Fletcher's Corny Dog, eaten at the feet of Big Tex, of course. Then, we make our way around the fairgrounds, seeking out the current year's fried food finalists, and judging for ourselves whether we agree with the Best Tasting and Most Creative selections. 

For the past five or six years, I've been trying to figure out how to become a judge for the Big Tex Choice Awards. I've been told that 'they' select judges who are local celebrities. Previous judges have been Mike Hashimoto & Jacquielynn Floyd, from the Dallas Morning News, Corby Davidson & Donovan Lewis, from The Ticket, and Representative Eric Johnson and Andrea Rega (I don't even know who she is!). Those people are celebrities?...pshh. I'll have you know, I've been on Animal Planet (with Speed Bump), on Texas Country Reporter (I met Muffin from Peppermint Place once) and in a car dealership commercial (Randall Noe Ford/Dodge). I'm about 3 1/2 minutes into my 15 minutes of fame. I'm not sure why I'm not "celebrity" enough. 

Not to worry, though. All that makes no difference now. For the 10-year anniversary of the Big Tex Choice Awards, the State Fair is opening the judging table for a citizen, for a fan of the fried food, for a friend of the fair, for --- ME! Well, almost me, anyway.

I need your help. To enter the contest, I submitted a 60 second video explaining why I will be the best judge for the Big Tex Choice Awards. I've been selected as a finalist, and now State Fair Fans (YOU!) have an opportunity to cast your vote for your favorite video (MINE!) and decide who will be representing fairgoers (ME!) on the judging panel. Voting is open between 9:00am on August 15 and 5:00pm on August 18. As they say, vote early and vote often (or at least as often as they'll let you). 

Click here for a link to watch the video and vote now!

It's a short video - they only gave me 60 seconds. I'll tell ya, a minute is a LONG time to do jump squats, but not nearly enough time to list all the reasons why I should be a judge. Here are some that fell on the cutting room floor...

• Not only am I a Native Texan, I grew up in Oak Cliff (where fried food was the only kind of food there was.)
• When the fried choices dwindled on the menu, my parents wisely moved us to East Texas, where fried will never die. 
• Prior knowledge of the layout of Fair Park leads to a near-perfect route, culminating in a ride back on the Texas SkyWay.
• The Butter Sculpture has included Armadillos.
• I cried (real tears, even) when Big Tex caught on fire.
• I fully support Go Texan (and have t-shirts to prove it).
• The Sparks Agency Fair Day includes an open invitation to all our friends to meet us at Big Tex to get the day started.
• I am awestruck by the Texas Star.
• I've made a pilgrimage to Kerens, Texas, the birthplace of Big Tex.
• I've met Miss Fernie, the brilliant mind that brought the Funnel Cake to the Great State Fair of Texas.
• Celebrities are not the only people who know good food when they taste it.
• I know where to buy Shiner Bock for the fewest number of coupons.
• I make sure to ride the Dentzel Carousel every year. 
• I know where the Dodge Mechanical Bull is located. 
• I once rode the DART rail to The Sparks Agency Fair Day.
• I am a TEXpert.

If you haven't already watched the video, go now. Hurry! And vote. 

Why I Should Be a Judge at the Big Tex Choice Awards Video

Cast

MaryEllen Miller - MaryEllenMiller

Fork Guy on Left - Glenn Hillin

Fork Guy on Right - Sparky Sparks

Big Tex Awards Finalists Tasters - Swift Sparks III

                                                                      Melody Tarno

                                                                     Robin "Skinny" Reynolds

                                                                          Matt Loving

                                                                          Dave McConnell

                                                                                                              Sparky Sparks                                    

                                                                           Glenn Hillin

Lead Racing Armadillo - Speed Bump

Mascot Armadillo Racer - Raider Red

Director - Sparky Sparks

Writer(s) - Glenn Hillin, Sparky Sparks, MaryEllen Miller

Executive Producer - The Sparks Agency

Director of Photography- Glenn Hillin
Production Designer - Sparky Sparks
Costumes - Jan Sparks
Craft Services - Becka Brown
This video was made on location at The Sparks Agency, entirely during business hours. 
No armadillos were harmed during the filming of this video.
Characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are completely real, and any similarity to the name, character or history of any fictitious person is entirely coincidental and unintentional.

Thank you for your votes. 

With warm, deep fried regards, 

~ME:) 

I Had a Dream

I dream a lot, and I remember a lot of my dreams. The dreams are usually in color and are very vivid. Sometimes they're pretty fantastical, sometimes scary, sometimes really weird. But, every now and again, I have a dream that's just about normal stuff. That happened just the other night.  

In my dream, I was in the hallway of Martin Weiss Elementary, where I went to school from Kindergarten through 6th grade. (Some of you just smiled at that, because you remember that school. A couple of you probably grimaced, because I point it out every single time we go across that overpass from I-20 onto I-35.) Anyway, there I was, in the hallway near the stairwell that went up to the 4-6 grades, only I was me from now.  

As I walked toward that stairwell, I saw someone I know. In real life, this person is not someone who is in my circle of friends. In my dream she wasn't either. I'm reluctant to say I don't like her, because that just sounds mean. So, I'll say, she's not on my list of favorites. In my dream, she was crying. I didn't think about the fact that she's not my favorite, I only thought to make an attempt at some sort of comfort for her. So, I hugged her. Not just a pat on the back hug, but a real, honest-to-goodness, squeeze-you-tight, warm hug. And she hugged me back. She hugged me with the embrace of someone who really needed that hug. And she sobbed. We held that hug for a while.

After a moment, we released the embrace, she wiped her face and she thanked me. Then she said, "You give really great hugs. You really like hugging people, don't you?"  

I said to her, "Of course I do. It makes people feel better. It also makes me feel better. I get as much, maybe even more, from hugs as the person I'm hugging."

In my dream, I hugged her again. She wiped her tears and went on her way, and I went up the stairs and down the hall to a familiar classroom. And then, I woke up.  

I didn't think about the dream at all, until we were in church. During a children's moment, our pastor asked the kiddos what they could give someone, besides money, that could help someone. The kids came up with a few ideas, until they all agreed on one. They could give someone a hug. That would help someone and doesn't require anything. They even went out into the sanctury and hugged the congregation. That's when I remembered my dream. It all came flooding back to the front of my mind. Filling my thoughts with a memory of something that hadn't actually happened.    

As it turned out, the sermon was on Luke 6:38, "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."  

That's exactly what I said in my dream! When I give a hug, I get a hug in return. Sometimes, if I have my hands full, or there's a lot going on, I'll give a side hug. You guessed it...side hug in return. When it's a real hug, though, I get a real hug, often a pat on the back, and sometimes even a kiss on the cheek. A good measure, indeed!

A hug (noun) is a tight clasp with the arms; an embrace. To hug (verb) is to clasp tightly in the arms, especially with affection; to embrace; to cling firmly or fondly to - cherish; to keep close to; to cling together. Oh, but a hug is so much more! A hug is a greeting - hello, how are you, I'm happy to see you. A hug is a parting - goodbye, I'll see you later, I'm going to miss you. A hug is a celebration - you did it, we made it, I'm proud of you. A hug is a consolation - you did your best, I'm here, don't be afraid. A hug is a comfort - I understand, I'm sorry, I wish I could make it better.  

Now, I could cite some research about how hugs are really beneficial and reduce stress and lower blood pressure and boost the immune system, but I'm not sure I'm qualified for all that. Instead, I suggest that you go hug someone. I know it will make them feel better. I know it will make you feel better. Maybe that someone will be me. I give good hugs - in my dreams.  

Much love and hugs to you!
~ME:) 

Oh yeah...two nights later, I dreamed I had two belly buttons.