I like to learn something new every day. It makes me feel like I
accomplished something, even if I just sat around on the couch all
day watching Sports Center on ESPN.
I like to learn something new every day. It makes me feel like I accomplished something, even if I just sat around on the couch all day watching Sports Center on ESPN.
For example, watching ESPN teaches me that there must be an audience for lumberjacking, bowling, cheerleading championships and “celebrity” ski competitions.
Just taking the time to read Thursday’s Free Lance taught me a lot about our town.
I learned about the six new members of San Benito High School ‘Baler Hall of Fame. I already knew Allen Dunn, since he did his best to teach me geometry during my time as a ‘Baler. Mr. Dunn was a good teacher and is deserving of his acclaim. I’m glad to know I was taught by a hall-of-famer, even if I still can’t tell the difference between an isosceles triangle and a hypotenuse. I blame myself for that. I can’t count (a math pun!) how many times the Pythagorean Theorem would have gotten me out of trouble. Oh well, live and learn.
I was glad to see current SBHS teachers Juan Robledo and Randy Logue among the inductees. Few teachers are as dedicated to their students and their school as this pair.
Lower on the front page, I learned that I am missing part of my left arm (or at least that’s how it looked in my picture previewing this column). I thought something felt funny this week. I’d better get that checked.
Inside the paper, I learned that some people are worse procrastinators than I am. They haven’t filed their taxes yet and I’ve already gotten my refund. OK, I’ve already spent my refund, but at least I got it, all right?
In the Community Bulletin, I found out that I could visit San Justo Reservoir this month and get “trout lessons by Johnny” and “bass lessons by Ken.” Maybe I should offer “goldfish lessons by Adam,” since I’ve kept alive a fish my son won at the San Benito County Fair four years ago. Normally, those things die before you hit Tres Pinos on the way home, so I must be doing something right. The key to longevity? Don’t forget to feed the fish. It’s amazing how effective that strategy is.
Elsewhere in the bulletin, I was struck by the irony of the all-you-can-eat crab feed notice right next to the Second Harvest Food Bank’s plea to help fight hunger. Hopefully, locals will see fit to help both causes, as the annual feed benefits local youth programs and the food bank benefits those who can’t afford a crab feed.
In the police blotter – which (admit it) you know you read to see if your neighbors got into any trouble – I learned that someone stole a “live rabbit” and some “rims.” Were they targeting the rabbit and happened upon the rims, or vice versa? Could notorious rabbit-hater Elmer Fudd be involved? Police won’t say. Sounds like a CSI episode, Hollister style.
The State page taught me that egg production is down in California. I unwittingly helped the shortage on Thursday afternoon by having minced ham and scrambled eggs at the Ding-A-Ling Cafe. I am sorry, and I will try to do my part to conserve, but the eggs were good with that side of pancakes and a strawberry shake.
Speaking of energy drinks, the paper taught me that yet another Hollister resident is launching an energy drink, Half Time. Tony Castro joins Hollister native Michelle Haworth – creator of Cheetah – as part of the unofficial highest per-capita concentrations of energy drink creators on the Central Coast, if not all of California.
Now we’re famous for earthquakes, biker events, and energy drinks. Who says there’s nothing shaking in Hollister?
Adam Breen teaches journalism and yearbook at San Benito High School. He is former editor of The Free Lance.
