What the Shell

Forget recommitting to Elin: To show real change, Tiger Woods needs to commit to Houston

Tiger Woods

Photo by Keith Allison [https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/2311068586/]

If Tiger Woods truly wants to make anyone think he’s a changed man — if he wants his “announcement” to be perceived as anything more than begrudging damage control — he needs to do something crazy.

Something the old Tiger (the guy who could serve as the model for the Don Draper character in Mad Men) never would do in several lifetimes. Or three dozen affairs.

Tiger Woods needs to commit to playing golf in Houston.

Sure, it sounds trite and unimportant in the big scheme of Tiger’s troubles, the equivalent of someone caught in an avalanche dwelling on his Facebook status as a mountain of snow buries him. America’s housewives, TMZ followers, bored cubicle dwellers and casual sports fans are tuning into Tiger’s mea culpa on a workday afternoon to see him bleed.

They want visible remorse, a shaky voice and tears.

Judging by the way this farce of a media event was set up—no questions from reporters allowed and only a select, Tiger-friendly few allowed to even attend—the world’s No. 1 ranked golfer and worst-ranked husband will probably give it to them too.

And it will prove absolutely nothing. Except the fact that Tiger wants to play golf again.

Putting on an apology show under the same over-controlling terms Woods has always insisted on doesn’t signify any progress. If anything it reveals this allegedly reformed Tiger is just as manipulative as ever.

Jerks don’t change because they say they’ve changed. There needs to be action behind the words.

Now, committing to play in this year’s Shell Houston Open wouldn’t go anywhere in proving any future fidelity. That matter should be between Woods, his wife Elin and the National Enquirer, regardless.

The truth is Tiger hasn’t just been a monumental jerk to his Swedish bombshell. He’s been at least a medium-sized jerk to golf fans - and anyone who loves events like the Shell Open - for years as well.

The greatest golfer who ever lived - and make no mistake, Tiger still earns that title - is a lout of a dictator when it comes to where he plays the game. With the exception of those legacy-making majors and a few other high-profile events, Woods cherry picks tournaments at courses that fit his game and schedule.

If Tiger doesn’t love a course, if he isn’t certain he can dominate on it, if he doesn’t appreciate a tournament’s date, he avoids it like a germaphobe confronted with a service station bathroom.

This is why golf’s biggest star has never played Houston. Not once in 14 seasons as a pro. Tiger hates the Shell’s current date (the week before the Masters when he prefers to rest) and isn’t sure he likes Redstone Golf Club at all either.

So Houston golf fans are robbed of any chance to ever see Tiger Woods perform in their town. Can you imagine Rockets fans being denied the chance to ever watch Kobe Bryant or LeBron James? Or the Texans never getting a visit from Peyton Manning?

Of course not. Tiger didn’t set up the PGA Tour’s ridiculous independent contractor system that allows these city snubs of course. But he could strike a blow for change.

He could … (gasp!) actually reach out to fans, embrace the people who cheered his false image for years.

That’s what Tiger Woods committing to the Shell Open would be: A great, gigantic hug to true golf devotees. Woods being in Houston on April 1 when the Shell tees off would mean so much more to overworked assistant head pros, beleaguered tournament officials and golf-dependent charities everywhere—the people that should make up his true target audience—than anything he scripts in any announcement.

Tiger should embark on a goodwill tour of the PGA Tour stops he’s deemed second class by his year-after-year absence: the Harbour Towns and the Scottsdales. And it should start in Houston.

Houston is the 10th oldest tournament on the Tour’s schedule. It’s an NBC event. Golf legends like Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan have played in this town. Shell Tournament director Steve Timms has done everything but carry marquee players in on a throne (see Phil Mickelson playing Shell last year).

This is a tournament that deserves love.

Tiger needs to do more than sleep with Houston women (one of his alleged mistresses now works in the Galleria area). He needs to give back to golf and the cities who’ve always supported it.

Want to prove you’re a different, more humble, human, giving man?

Tiger Woods should commit to Houston. He should do something tangible that all those who love golf would immediately understand. Small sacrifices speak loudly.

Just don’t expect it to ever happen.

Which should tell you all about the superstar asking for forgiveness into a microphone.

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lost and found

Find only women authors on the shelves at this new Katy bookstore

Courtesy of The Lost Bookshop

The Lost Story Bookshop will feature various genres including fantasy, thriller, and romance.

A women-authors-only, independent bookstore is coming to Katy. The Lost Story Bookshop will celebrate its grand opening this Saturday, August 29.

Located at 1001 Avenue B, the all-genre bookstore’s mission is to center women’s voices, with their Instagram bio stating “If a woman didn’t write it … it’s not on the shelf,”.

The Lost Story Bookshop Owner and author Afton Seeser said she aims to spotlight women in various genres. The store will provide new and used books from both traditionally published authors and independent authors.

“I just love listening to women's stories…I’m really interested in women overall, just getting together, sharing their stories,” Seeser tells CultureMap.

This spotlight on various genres is highlighted in the store’s layout and unique location, a house, with areas separated and color-coded by genre. The combination fantasy and thriller room is purple, the general fiction room is a deep green, and the romance room is pink, Seeser explains. Walking into the store, it is primarily yellow with a few reading areas and writing tables.

Being located inside a house makes the bookstore a space where customers can really hang out, meet up, and host book clubs, Seeser says. This atmosphere is emphasised by the couches in the reading areas and bistro-style tables throughout the store.

As part of its goal to center women’s voices both on and off the page, The Lost Story will host events such as book clubs, literary themed nights, astrology-inspired events, holiday parties, and an ACOTAR 6 midnight release party.

Seeser emphasises that the The Lost Story is a place where all women are welcome to come, whether they are there to meet new friends, discover new authors, or just read in a quiet place.

“I feel like you can't ever have enough spaces for women to gather,“ Seeser says. “I want it to be … more than a bookshop and [a place] for lots of different groups of women to meet.”

The bookstore has already hosted local groups such as the Espresso Society, a Katy book and social club. The store itself has already hosted two evening markets before opening day that included numerous vendors. They also plan on hosting vendors at the store.

“I’m going to have bookish vendors come in and then sell their products,” Seeser noted. “I want to work with local artists too, local vendors, everybody, just because it really helps, you know, build community.”

To Seeser, the store’s mission to center women’s voices includes empowering women generally.

“If you're talking, you're meeting with different people … maybe you can be inspired by these other women on how they live their life and you’re … more ready to center yourself and just your life to overall I feel like get better just being around more women, and you just step into really, a more powerful version of yourself,” Seeser said.

“I just want women-centered talks everywhere,” Seeser said. “Getting together and realizing you can change your life if you watch another woman do that.”

Seeser also hopes to change lives in a small way through The Lost Story Bookshop’s year-round supply drive for young, single mothers and their children.

“I was 18 when I had my son, so I saw a lot of ways young women don't get help,” Seeser shares. “I just want to help as many people as I can because I know there were some people that helped me along the way — just change somebody's life really like [in] a small way.”

The Lost Story Bookshop’s opening day will be from 10 am-3 pm, followed by an evening market in the courtyard from 6-9 pm.

In regards to finding female friendships, Seeser said the key is putting yourself out there.

“There's no reason to hold back, but just be your full authentic self, and you'll just find your people,” Seeser says. “You'll find your community. The more you put yourself out there, the more you'll find who doesn't work for you. And I feel like it's all that sweeter and more special when you find the people that are for you.”

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