Since I claim that this blog is partly about Austin, I would be remiss if I didn't mention some of the major events that have been going on. First of all this weekend is the Austin City Limits music festival. The festival is only about 6 months old but is already quite a big event. Thousands of people from all over the country flock down here and bake in the Zilker park heat after being coated with a layer of dust from the nearby soccer fields. CornyT and I went to the first year but the prices increased with the popularity and we have been less and less interested in dehydrating ourselves in the name of music. However, it is still an Austin phenomenon. Not quite as crazy as the SXSW but getting there I think. They probably started this festival because it is impossible to go to the actual ACL tapings. Apparently, they announce when the tickets will be distributed on a local station and if you are lucky to hear when and where the tickets will be given out and you actually get one it is still unlikely you will get in because they give more tickets than they have room and it is a first come, first serve thing.
The other event this weekend is much sadder. The former governor Anne Richards passed away this week and her memorial service is being held at a city park and she is laying in state in the capitol. Regardless of politics this woman's life long goal to empower minorities and women is inspiring to me. She has started a young woman's leadership school here in Austin and was one of the first leaders in Texas to appoint women and minorities to government positions. She once said that she didn't not want her tombstone to read (I may not have the quote completely right) "She kept a clean house" but instead to read "She gave people opportunity in government." I greatly admire the nerve it must have taken to enter politics during a time when women were not as welcome in politics. Especially, in a state like Texas. I am sure it would have been a lot easier to take the easy path of "keeping the clean house."
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