Leaving on a Jet Plane…

In a couple of days I leave for a relaxing trip to China. I’m sure I’ll be bringing back a whole host of blog topics, but I wanted to take a brief moment to talk about how I was able to make this trip. You see, folks like to knock the Texas State Alumni Association around for “doing nothing” for its membership, but that is simply not the case. Sure, there is PLENTY of room for improvement, but it is up to you as an alumnus to get things out of it. I’ve never had trouble receiving meeting announcements from the San Marcos chapter and I know others, like Houston, are active as well. I’m usually good for a couple of phone calls from the Association each year, which is about how I like it. But back to the topic of China…

The Texas State Alumni Association organizes an international trip every year for Bobcats, working through an agency that is, you guessed it, partially owned by a Bobcat. Through group rates, etc., my wife and I will be able to visit China for about 60% of what it would have cost to book everything ourselves, pay for lodging & food, etc. In addition, the group leader will organize meetings with Chinese businesses for any Bobcats interested in doing business overseas with them. Not only that, I’ll be on an airplane for 13 hours with 40 other Bobcats! I’ve got a feeling this means 40 new friends that I otherwise would not have made were it not for the Alumni Association. My neighbor is also going on the trip, taking along her daughter and future Bobcat. Beijing… Shanghai… I’m sure I’ll have plenty of fodder for the next round of blogs when I return on the 28th. Perhaps we’ll see a blog about how for a communist totalitarian dictatorship, China has gotten awfully good at capitalism. In the meantime, I’ll be searching for the best picture of Chairman Mao to take some kind of humorous picture in front of, just for our conservative friends here on Bobcatfans!

Perhaps me being out of the country will help the fortunes of our Bobcat football team. Let’s hope.

Upcoming blog topics:

City election political hot topic: what can/should San Marcos do for veterans?

Growth of Texas State and higher profile athletic programs: what that could mean for the city’s profile and economy

Dare I say it… a multi-part series discussing the now-vacant Springtown Mall?

Development beat: what cool projects are just around the river bend?

Chance Sparks

chance@bobcatfans.com