If the grass is always greener on the other side, then The Dirt Doctor (a.k.a Howard Garrett) must always be on the other side. Listen to his talk show The Natural Way Sunday mornings on WBAP and marvel at the man's ability to talk about dirt for four hours straight--he's never at a loss for words or without concerned gardeners calling in to learn the latest tricks of the organic gardening trade. Is your Bermuda grass looking spotty and turning yellow? Then ask The Dirt Doctor about what you can spray on it to make it lush and green again. Are fire ants about to carry your house off its foundation? Garrett keeps abreast of all the latest potions to keep all sorts of critters away. And the best thing about his remedies is that they're all chemical-free and environmentally friendly. Garrett will conduct seminars throughout the third annual House & Organic Gardening Show. The expo features seminars, demonstrations and vendors peddling everything from decks and pools to cooking utensils and irrigation systems. But you'd better believe that when The Dirt Doctor is on the podium the green thumb devotees will be hanging on his every word. Also appearing Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. is Doug Wilson, one of the makeover madmen from TLC's Trading Spaces. The event takes place Friday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Arlington Convention Center, 1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington. Admission is $7.50 for adults and $4.50 for children. Visit www.showtechnology.com or www.dirtdoctor.com. --Jay Webb
Boxing Days
2/2
Like boxing? Like watching one guy kick the living shit out of another guy? Yeah, me, too. There's nothing better than a good fight. To that end, you might check out the annual Golden Gloves boxing tournament to be held at Gilley's from February 2 through February 5. Winners of the city and regional event go on to the national tournament where the likes of Evander Holyfield, Floyd Patterson, Joe Frazier, Roy Jones Jr., Muhammad Ali and others first got their start. Preliminaries are 7 p.m. Monday through Wednesday with finals Thursday at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for general admission, $10 for floor, $15 for ringside and $20 for VIP. Gilley's is located at 1135 S. Lamar. Call 214-421-2021. --John Gonzalez
Ahoy Matey
1/30
From your first plastic tugboat to your varsity rowing days, you've always had a hankering for life on the water. People call you Admiral Joe. You sleep with your tackle box under your pillow. Your friends staged an intervention once you began eating fish sticks and Cap'n Crunch at every meal. So, Joe, you'll be glad to know that the 49th Annual Dallas Winter Boat Show features more than 900 varieties of watercraft, plus jet skis and gear for marine activities. Free seminars and door prizes are worth the admission price--$7 for adults, $3 for children--and Dodge dealers offer discount tickets. Visit Dallas Market Hall, 2100 N. Stemmons Freeway, from January 30 to February 8. Call 469-549-0673. --Michelle Martinez
Pick Up the Pace
1/31
I'm not crazy about walking, which probably has to do with the fact that I get winded walking up the stairs. My friends tell me that I need to exercise more, but if I were going to walk, it would be for something like the MDA Great Walk and Wheel. The event, a one-mile loop, will begin at the Grapevine Mills Mall and will benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Registration starts Saturday at 7:30 a.m. at the Stockyard Food Court in the mall. There is no entry fee for the event, but organizers ask that you raise $62--the amount of one minute of research. Pre-walk activities include face painting and musical entertainment. Call 972-480-0070. --John Gonzalez
