Okie Sister

Look A Tree!

I’ve said before that sometimes I see things a little differently than other people. While driving through the Wildlife Refuge recently, I had to stop and snap a shot of this tree for my younger brother.

While some of you may just see a tree, I’m sure he will agree with me when I visualize one of these guys:

   

Crow T Robot and Tom Servo from MST3K.

The Bird Man

Someone asked me about the artist that my husband took photos of recently. Arvel Bird is a classically trained violinist. His music reflects his Native American culture; many songs are about animal totems. He also plays Celtic fiddle to honor the Scottish side of his family.
We are getting some really interesting entertainment in our town these days. Support your local festivals and events. (I took the photo of him above.)

Here’s a video bio about him.

Kid Saves Politics?

Hey, you’ve got your Entertainers in my Politics!
No, you’ve got your Politics in my Entertainment!

The “great philosopher” Kid Rock commented on CMT Insider recently on the concept of keeping his thoughts to himself when it comes to politics.
"I truly believe that people like myself, who are in a position of entertainers in the limelight, should keep their mouth shut on politics," he noted. "Because at the end of the day, let me tell you what I 'm good at: I'm good at writing songs and singing. What I'm not educated in is the field of political science. And so for me to be sharing my views and influencing people of who I think they should be voting for ... I think would be very irresponsible on my part. So I'll just keep my mouth shut on that."
He further suggests that political candidates might be better off to avoid close connections to those in the entertainment business.
"I think celebrity endorsements hurt politicians," he said. "Because as soon as somebody comes out for a politician, especially in Hollywood, when they all go, 'I'm voting for this guy!' -- I go, 'That's not who I'm voting for!'”

Man, you know I hate to agree with "the Kid" on anything.

Why exactly do entertainers think that the country gives a collective crap about their political views? Their opinions hold no greater weight than the Average Joe living on my street. But these blow-hard egomaniacs think that their "popularity" somehow makes them an expert on political matters. Shut up already, and just act or sing or whatever it is you do for your chosen profession. Yes, you have the right to free speech. But if I’ve shelled out my hard earned money to be entertained and instead I am forced to hear political rhetoric, I’m going to be upset. If I want to hear political opinions, I’ll go to a rally, not a concert. What a turn off!

I read the headline this week, Emmy’s Post Worst Ratings Ever. Well, duh. Three reasons for that: the award show is boring, few watch the shows that are nominated, and actors make political statements instead of acceptance speeches.

I can’t watch award shows anymore because these entertainers have lost my respect. And obviously, I’m not the only one who feels this way. The same goes for news outlets. When did they switch from reporting the news, to reporters giving their biased opinions? "News" used to mean reporting facts, now it’s so slanted.

And before you get me wrong, I’m turned off by anyone who is too far Left or Right.
Only when people are open minded and can meet in the middle, is progress made. When you live so far out on the fringe, you miss all that can be accomplished through cooperation and working together for the common good.

Hey, we are more alike than we are different. Everyone I know wants the following things: to provide for their families, work that gives them a sense of accomplishment, quality education for their children, access to the best medical care available, and security from outside threats. Let’s focus on our similarities, not our differences.

 

No Class

Watching the coverage recently of hurricane Ike down in the Gulf, made we wonder yet again about the sanity of the news media. I still don't understand why these programs make their reporters stand out in the rain and swirling debris to give us the storm story. It seems really stupid.

I was searching my blog for a favorite video clip and realized that I had put it in an email and not online. Does anyone remember the show "The Class"? It was a terrific comedy program that used to air right after "How I Met Your Mother". I still can’t believe it was cancelled after only one season. Again, nobody asked me. Those Hollywood nimrods wouldn’t know a good show if it ... well, you know. Anyway, watch and enjoy. Repeat.

Don't shoot me, I'm the Cameraman

I have to brag about my husband because he’s too humble to toot his own horn. I think he is an amazing photographer.

He told me years ago that he used to enjoy taking pictures and at one time had turned an area of his house into a dark room. This was back in the 80’s before he and I were married. I had only seen a couple of black and whites that he shot during that time. They were very good, but I had no idea what photography meant to him or what he was capable of creating with the lens.

The reason he stopped taking pictures was because of the money that would need to be invested in equipment to further advance his "hobby." Instead of spending money on himself, he quit photography all together. If he couldn’t achieve the shot that he visualized in his mind, he wasn’t interested in anything less.

Cut to this year, when he finally invested in a new digital camera. Not a point and shoot, but a real camera with whistles and bells. Actually it has settings, but I don’t know what they all do, so it might as well be bells. He bought this camera to enhance the photos he was taking and posting in his blog. These days he’s not blogging, but he does post a photo to his gallery on a daily basis.

Since he’s gotten that camera, we’ve taken many drives around town and the surrounding countryside just to take pictures. This has been a wonderful way to spend time together. We have shared side splitting laughs on these outings. He’s also the official photographer now for all family get-togethers. He’s quickly becoming known as "the guy with the camera." Acquaintances have seen the photos on his website and a couple have even made requests to have a picture taken at some special event around town.

This month, two exciting things happened.
First, he was asked to donate some photos for a local art auction. How cool is that? His work is hanging next to other local artists’ paintings and prints. The proceeds from the silent auction will be donated to the local United Way.
Second, some shots he took of musician Arvel Bird performing here in town have made their way back to Mr. Bird. Bird wants to be able to use the images, so a license agreement is in the works. I’m so proud.

I wrote a while back about following your bliss. "Do what you love and then find a way to make a living at it."
Honey, are you listening?

Wa-ter Me-ter

It’s so rare these days to turn on the television and actually see something funny. Something that makes you laugh out loud and about fall out of your chair.

So, thank you local news for your informative reporting of the city council’s decision to replace all the old, antiquated water meters with new, updated models.

When you cut to a video clip of an alley to show us the “water” meters, it really made my day.

Usually one has to turn to America’s Funniest Home Videos and see someone get hit in the privates for such entertainment value.

However, Okie Sister likes to educate and elucidate as well as ramble and ruminate. So I offer you the following.

The metal objects in the alley with numbers and arrows are gas meters.

The metal and glass meter mounted on the back of your house measures your electrical usage.

And finally, if you open the cover in your front yard and look in the hole in the ground, you will see the water meter.

Now, back to you, Jan.

Can You Believe It?

So, I’ve had this country tune stuck in my head for the past two weeks or so. It’s one of those songs that you catch yourself humming all day, "Do You Believe Me Now" by Jimmy Wayne.
Jimmy Wayne Baker’s life reads like a sad country song. His dad left, his mom was in prison, he lived on the streets, and then he turned it all around.

 

Another song I’m enjoying is "Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It." I had no idea that the person singing it was Darius Rucker, former lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish. Here’s another Pop\Rock musician who’s Gone Country.
Could it have been that Burger King Singing Cowboy gig that set him on this new country path?

 

Does this blog make me look fat?

Are you self conscious? Are you comfortable in your own skin?
What makes some people self conscious and other people are able to let it all hang out?
And when I say hang out...I mean hang out.

    

Obviously the girl in this photo wanted to have a fun day in the sun more than she was worried about what other people might think about her. Plus, this is a rural area where it is not so easy to just go to the local store and buy a large size bathing suit. Once you reach about size 16, your choices are limited or nonexistent. This is unfair considering the fact that so many more people are moving into the obese category.

I admire this girl guts, because I fall into the self conscious group of people. I don't even own a bathing suit right now.

Why?

I was born with a disjointed hip. I had to have surgery to be able to walk. Back in the old days...after surgery you were placed in a cast and later were fitted with ugly metal leg braces. As a result of surgery I was left with scars on one leg. The surgeon who performed my operation was new to this task and did not do a good job stitching me up.

By the time I graduated grade school, I was already labeled a tomboy. Not that I wasn’t feminine or didn’t like to do girlie things. I was given this title simply because I wore jeans all the time. I didn’t like the way my leg looked, so I covered it up, even during the hot Oklahoma summers. This pant wearing behavior has continued throughout most of my life.

After I was married, I was much less concerned about being judged by others for how I looked. I felt I had someone who accepted me just the way I was, scars and all.

These days, I’m more concerned about saying stupid things when I open my big mouth. Have you heard this saying?
"A closed mouth gathers no foot."

Honestly if it hadn’t been scars, I would probably have found something else to be self conscious about. For the majority of my young adult life, I weighed 120 pounds. Now, I’m a little rounder around the middle. I lost 30 pounds last years, but have since gained part of that back. As soon as I stopped cooking and started eating out again, the weight started coming back. Add to that, the fact that I’m not able to walk very much these days. This is because of discomfort in that same hip.

I recently had an MRI, but don’t have the results back yet. Will another hip surgery be in my future? Everyone says that a new hip will change my life for the better. But for the little girl in me who had to wear braces on her legs, there is a whole psychological aspect to it. Scars are not always on the outside.

If surgery does happen, while they have me unconscious, maybe they could do a little extra work.
“With a nip, nip here and a lift, lift there. Here a nip, there a nip. Everywhere a nip, nip….”
“E I E I Owe”

Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs

Do you pay attention to your surroundings?

If not, you might just miss an important sign.

Present

I'm here!

In the moment. Breathing. Enjoying. Counting my blessings.

   

  "Hi Granny"

   "Could you put that paci 
   back in my mounth please?"

 

 

   (click on picture to enlarge)