Dr. Cindy Ross: The Wakita Effect
Transcription
Dr. Cindy Ross: The Wakita Effect
February 2011 FREE Southwest Oklahoma’s Monthly News and Entertainment Magazine Cameron University President Dr. Cindy Ross: The Wakita Effect Small Town Values Lead to Big Changes Paint the Town Black and Gold Cameron Aggie Spirit & Pride on the Rise INSIDE: Beth Sanchez: Cake Artisan • Mortimor • Much More! MAGAZINE Vol. 4, Issue 3 — February 2011 OKIE MAGAZINE P.O. Box 7953 Lawton, Oklahoma 73506 Phone 580.536.9500 Email [email protected] Web www.okiemagazine.com PUBLISHERS Indie Michaels Chuck Morgan MANAGING EDITOR Indie Michaels [email protected] COPY EDITOR Angela Schertle Dr. Christopher O. Keller ADVERTISING SALES [email protected] CONTENTS CAMERON UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT DR. CINDY ROSS: THE WAKITA EFFECT SMALL TOWN VALUES LEAD TO BIG CHANGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 5 PAINT THE TOWN BLACK AND GOLD CAMERON AGGIE SPIRIT & PRIDE ON THE RISE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .PAGE 8 BETH SANCHEZ: CAKE ARTISAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . PAGE 9 DESIGN TEAM Kate Catlin Indie Michaels Justin Williamson PHOTOGRAPHERS Anna Roberts Freeze Frame Photography Audie Clark Event Photographer STAFF WRITERS Jeremy Bigelow J. Craig Jim Joplin Teri McGrath Jody Meier Amy Merchant Solitaire Merrill Tina Nickell Levi Pennington Randy Pennington Rachel Rhoades Aaron Rudolph Anika Sa Angela Schertle Becky Smith-Gallops READ OKIE MAGAZINE ONLINE AT OKIEMAGAZINE.COM VISIT US ON THE WEB: FACEBOOK.COM/OKIEMAGAZINE MYSPACE.COM/READOKIE TWITTER.COM/OKIEMAGAZINE FEEDBACK? COMMENTS? PRESS RELEASES? 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Let us help you find the unique marketing mix that helps your small to midsized business grow. 580.919.5339 Visit us on Twitter twitter.com/ okiemagazine Page 4 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE Cameron University President DR. CINDY ROSS: THE WAKITA EFFECT Small Town Values Lead to Big Changes The campus of Cameron Junior College was alive with activity in 1950. On a typical day, the Hell Hounds would practice their routines for the upcoming pep rally, students would move to and from the recently constructed classroom buildings, and the new ROTC unit would assemble and practice their maneuvers. Cameron President C. Vernon Howell had been a successful legislator, farmer, businessman and Navy veteran, before taking on the role of CU’s President in 1947. Howell likely believed Cameron was a great junior college, and despite the improvements he was instrumental in making, he probably hoped the best was yet to come. He may have wondered at times during his presidency, “What will Cameron be like 50 to 60 years from now?” Little did he know that during the early years of his presidency, in the small town of Wakita, Oklahoma a young girl who would come to share a great passion and dynamic vision for Cameron and lead it into its second century was just starting her life. Dr. Cynthia S. (Cindy) Ross was one of three daughters born to hard-working parents living in the quaint town of Wakita, Oklahoma. A small community of only 500 people, Wakita in the 1950’s oered the staples of Oklahoma rural living: starry nights, fresh air, hard-working citizens with values and ethics, and neighbors who treated you like family. Life was simple, yet busy, for Cindy and her family, as her father and grandfather ran the local Phillips 66 service station. She and her older sister would walk to and from school, and during lunchtime, they would walk to their grandmother’s house for lunch. And every Sunday found Cindy next to her grandmother at the Wakita Baptist Church. Her dad’s strong work ethic didn’t go unnoticed by Cindy, and she decided when she was only 15 that she was ready for a fulltime summer job. Her family had moved to Medford by that time, and even though it was a town almost twice the size of Wakita, it oered little in the form of employment opportunities, especially for a teenager girl. The local nursing home seemed her only option. Assuming the duties of a nurse’s aide at such a young age were, by Cindy’s own admission, dicult. But she had accepted the summer job, while being clueless as to the requirements and duties, as were her parents. “The work was hard and unpleasant,” she recalls, recounting the days she spent bathing, feeding, changing beds, and caring for the elderly residents. The hours were long and she soon found herself missing out on social activities with her friends, causing her to reconsider her decision to take a summer job. “When I told Daddy that I wanted to quit, I learned a lifetime lesson,” she stated. “He told me I was not quitting; that I had made a commitment to work at the nursing home that summer, and I would work every scheduled hour.” And she did…for the next four summers. Her years spent working at the Medford Nursing Home had exposed her to the challenges of the elderly and disabled, many alone and without family members nearby. While her rst experiences with death in a real sense came from working at the nursing home, Cindy’s grandmother helped her to understand the need to honor those who have touched our lives and cherish their memories by taking her to the Wakita Cemetery, where they would place owers on the graves of loved ones. Ross describes her feelings about the Wakita cemetery [email protected] OKIE MAGAZINE Continued on page 7 www.okiemagazine.com Page 5 Dr. Cindy Ross ...continued from page 5 in the chapter she wrote in the book “Voices From the Heartland.” “I still visit the cemetery today,” Cindy recalls, “and I remember how my grandmother’s stories about the names on those tombstones brought their memories to life.” There would come a time in Cindy’s life when she would nd herself once again caring for the elderly, this time her own parents and her grandmother, as she experienced their passing in the span of only a few short years. Upon graduation from Medford High School, Cindy found herself experiencing higher education for the rst time, attending Oklahoma State University. Cindy left college after one year as she got married and went to work, again as a nurse’s aid in a nursing home. It would be seven years before she returned to a university, the longest absence from higher education in her adult life. In 1978, Cindy returned to Stillwater and took a job at Oklahoma State University. Throughout her employment with OSU, Cindy continued to pursue her own academic achievements, earning bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. Leaders in any eld become great by being exemplary in their tasks, and the lessons about commitment and responsibility she learned as a teenager proved not to be wasted on Dr. Cindy Ross, a testament to the values instilled in her by her parents and grandmother. She had numerous positions at OSU, nishing as Director of Academic Aairs Administration and a faculty member in the Department of Educational Administration and Higher Education. She gained a keen insight into the viewpoints of not only university administrators and faculty, but students as well. Her duties were diverse and allowed her interaction with the student body on a regular basis, an experience which would prove to be very benecial in her later career as a university President. In 1990, she joined the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education as Associate Vice Chancellor, a job that gave Dr. Ross the unique responsibilities for State System academic policy: its development, revisions, administration, and interpretation, as well as heavy involvement in research studies and the coordination of teacher preparedness in the state of Oklahoma. Her excellence in this position earned her the promotion to Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Aairs, a position which serves as the chief academic ocer for the State System and reports to the Chancellor. This position earned Dr. Ross valuable experience in the provision of leadership for all academic degree programs, projects and responsibilities contained in the State Regents’ charges, knowledge that would prove to be very benecial as she reached for the next rung on her ladder of success. “I never aspired to be the president of a university,” Dr. Ross states, although a review of her experiences and work history could lead one to believe it was a blueprint for the job. “I saw the great potential that Cameron University OKIE MAGAZINE had, and the diversity it exemplied,” she adds, explaining her reasons for applying for the position she’s held since 2002. “I saw Cameron’s Centennial year approaching, and felt it was a great opportunity to promote a great institution.” The list of initiatives created by Dr. Ross since her Presidency of Cameron University began speaks volumes about her ability to utilize her past experience and academic knowledge, in conjunction with her values and ethics, to bring a university, and community, together to promote higher education. In addition to bringing notoriety to CU with an impressive Centennial Observance, she has shown her understanding of the need to always set higher standards, not only personally, but for the University, as well. Among her many accomplishments at CU have been overseeing the largest three-year private fundraising campaign of any regional university in the history of the state of Oklahoma, implementing increased standards to recruit and retain faculty, and guiding Cameron through its decennial reaccreditation process by the Higher Learning Commission. Dr. Ross’s development and construction of the Center for Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies (CETES) showed her commitment to the community and the need for economic development, as well as the expansion of the CETES Conference Center with funding provided by the City of Lawton’s Capital Improvement Program and a federal grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. She achieved the largest freshman class and enrollment in the University’s history, and has maintained record enrollment growth. Her commitment to making a Cameron education aordable has resulted in CU ranking, for three consecutive years, in the top three universities out of 572 nationwide with Cameron students graduating with the lowest debt, 65 percent of which graduate without any debt. Her inuence can be seen in the transformation of the CU campus, with more than $55 million worth of completed construction projects, including the McMahon Centennial Complex and the beautiful Bentley Gardens, making Cameron an attractive, yet functional, learning institution. If unfamiliar with Dr. Ross and Cameron University, one might expect the driving force behind these, and many other, impressive changes to Cameron University in the last 8-1/2 years to be a large and imposing gure, rm and hard-handed. In contrast, Dr. Ross, at only 5’3” tall, soft-spoken and kind, exudes only grace and humility in response to any accolades for her achievements. With a warm smile, she says, “I give all the credit for our success to the faculty, sta, students and the community.” She is a woman of purpose and passion, who seeks no time to promote herself, only the university which she feels Continued on page 8 www.okiemagazine.com Page 7 Paint the Town Black and Gold Cameron Aggie Spirit & Pride on the Rise By Anika La Shawn Sa Sta Writer Paint the Town Black and Gold is a student-led initiative designed to build the community support of Cameron University. “The idea is to further connect and partner with the Lawton-Fort Sill community,” said Zeak Naifeh, Director of Student Activities at Cameron University. “We have over 100 businesses that support Cameron.” The concept of Paint the Town began as an idea of the Student Government Association in the Spring semester of 2008. Once a week a group of students are sent out into the community to introduce Cameron University and welcome all new businesses in the Lawton-Fort Sill area. The students take welcome packets to new businesses, and after the initial contact they Dr. Cindy Ross ...continued from page 7 blessed to have the opportunity to lead. “The students at Cameron can experience quality academics and a full collegiate experience,” she says … a true statement that Dr. Ross has earned the right to promote. Ironically, she doesn’t consider herself a visionary, yet developed the rst campus master plan in over 20 years, and her strategic plan involves making Cameron University the “University of Choice” for Southwest Oklahoma. She’s well on her way. With the passion that she has for Cameron University, and her commitment to its success, it is easy to imagine Dr. Ross standing on the balcony of the new McMahon Centennial Complex, looking out across campus, and wondering what Cameron will look like in another 50 to 60 years. And it’s possible that C. Vernon Howell will be standing there with her…smiling. Page 8 www.okiemagazine.com follow-up with the business owners. “Our first customer or client was the Lawton-Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce. When we welcome businesses we’re asking for support and recognition. We don’t ask for donations, we’re not fund raising… we’re friend raising.” Naifeh said. “It’s about networking with the Lawton-Fort Sill community, and based on interactions and feedback, many businesses are supportive.” Naifeh has been Director of Student Activities at Cameron for five years, and during its run, Paint the Town Black and Gold has been very successful. He said, “Many businesses are willing to help out and get involved. For a community of 100,000 people, Lawton-Fort Sill is a tight knit community.” Students spend the time networking and affiliating new businesses with Cameron University. The main student organization involved in Paint the Town Black and Gold is the Student Government Association, other groups involved are Programming Activities Council, Student Housing Association, and Presidents Leaders University Scholars. The primary goals of Paint the Town Black and Gold are: to increase the visibility of Cameron University in our community; to encourage and enhance support of and involvement in activities at Cameron University; and to Promote Aggie spirit among faculty, staff, students, alumni, and the Lawton-Fort Sill community. They have definitely reached their goals, and then some. Paint the Town Black and Gold has helped Cameron University become more visible, and has growing support from Lawton-Fort Sill and the surrounding communities. To show your Aggie pride, and become a supporter of Paint the Town Black and Gold contact: Zeak Naifeh, Director of Student Activities Cameron University 2800 W. Gore Boulevard, Lawton, OK 73505 (580) 581-2217 [email protected] www.cameron.edu/paintthetown OKIE MAGAZINE Beth Sanchez: Cake Artisan Photography by freeze frame photography Some artists use paints and a brush. Some use clay. Beth Sanchez works with cake and icing. From high-style wedding cakes, to whimsical children’s cakes and “masculine” cakes, her designs are unique and crafted with an eye for minute detail. She’s used chopped raisins to represent tobacco in a snuff can and made cotton candy look like feathers. Each cake is an artistic achievement. Beth’s cakes are made in flavors such as strawberry buttermilk, Italian crème, butter pecan and German chocolate. And while tasty flavors make them a favorite at any party, it’s not just about how they taste. These cakes are fun, funky and fabulous, but they are not her only creations. She also makes decorated cookies and cupcakes that are so decadently iced that you would swear you were about to bite into a real hydrangea. Sanchez has six children ranging in age from 2 to 10 and one on the way, so you might wonder where she gets the time to create these baked works of art. She credits her husband, Michael, for helping her get it all done. “He is super amazing,” she says. I visited with Beth recently at a cake tasting where I was able to sample a divine piece of Italian crème cake and meet two of her best helpers, her daughter Lilli and her son Manny. She told me how she had watched her grandmother cook. OKIE MAGAZINE “She would just toss in a ‘pinch’ of this and a ‘handful’ of that without measuring anything and still come out with a perfect dish,” Sanchez recalled. She remains in awe of her grandmother’s skills today. Five years ago she became fed up with ordering birthday cakes for her children that didn’t come out the way she wanted and then being treated rudely if she complained. Already a good cook and inspired by her grandmother, Beth was encouraged by her husband to start making the children’s birthday cakes herself. In 2010, a friend asked her to make a birthday cake for his wife. Not knowing exactly what to make and never having worked with fondant (a creamy sugar paste used to top cakes), Beth came up with the idea of making a Starbucks mug. The cake was a hit and friends and family were demanding more. Soon the one cake shaped like a Starbucks mug had launched Beth into a bustling pastime of cake making, and area cake lovers were swooning with happiness over her artistic delights. “The positive response has been amazing,” she says. “My Facebook page has over 2,000 fans!” Right now she is busily working on goodies for Christmas parties at schools and workplaces and juggling her own family’s holiday plans. Soon, the arrival of baby number 7 may force her to slow down for a bit, but nothing can stop Beth Sanchez from making her mark in the world of artisan cakes. You may contact Beth Sanchez by email at [email protected]. www.okiemagazine.com Page 9 The Progress of Endurance By Anika La Shawn Sa Sta Writer The horrors of slavery, the cruelty of Jim Crow Laws, racism, discrimination, and segregation is a stark reality of the many injustices African-Americans have had to endure. With such a negative history, it’s important to note the incredible strides that have been made, and they must be magnied. The progress of perseverance, the strength to overcome, the will to move on, the hope for equality and justice for all despite race, creed, or skin color, has proven human endurance. The journey from the chains and shackles of masters, beatings, and lynching has been long. The road from separate drinking fountains, schools, sitting on the back of the bus, going thru back entrances, side doors, and being called “colored” seemed never-ending to some. Yet hope prevailed, the desire to be free to serve in the United States Armed Forces, to obtain a quality education, or to acquire a higher education, Page 10 www.okiemagazine.com the longing for justice and equality was a force to be reckoned with. It caused a movement, and an outcry for “liberty and justice for all.” The overwhelming battles for equality and the quest for freedom are a poignant reminders, and a sure testament to the determination of African-Americans to be liberated from segregation, to overcome racism and hatred. The many challenges that came about due to desegregation, is further validation of the strength of a people, the hope of a race, and the might of perseverance. As we observe Black History Month, we must always remember where the journey began. Let us not forget the lives lost, or the cost of freedom and liberation: blood, sweat, tears, time, strength, and will. Freedom has a price and it’s steep. Always remember the heritage of our legacy, the hope, the promise, and the challenge of unity and equality. As we take a look back at where we were then, we must be grateful for where we are now. As we glance back in time, look how far we have come. OKIE MAGAZINE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY: WWW.ONLINESCHOOLS.ORG OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 11 National Weatherman’s Day Thursday, February 5 is National Weatherman’s Day, commemorating the birth of John Jeffries in 1744. Jeffries, one of America’s first weather observers, began taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774 and he took the first balloon observation in 1784. This is a day to recognize the men and women who collectively provide Americans with the best weather, water, and climate forecasts and warning services of any nation. Meet our local “weather nerds” from KSWO, channel 7 - David Baxley and Justin Rudicel. Also celebrating Austin Bowling, weekend weather guy at KSWO. David Baxley I attend Skywarn training every year with the National Weather Service. I’ll be honest, I’d rather be inside communicating to viewers to be safe rather than being out in the eld in the elements. Favorite junk food? Cheesecake! Can I also count sweet tea? Your favorite actor/actress? Mario Lopez Song #7 on your mp3 player? Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars Your lucky number? 27 Your favorite program on KSWO? Dancing With the Stars – OH WAIT. I’m sorry, that’s the program I cover up during severe weather and irrate women call me! Nevermind! Ideal date night? A nice dinner to talk, go for ice cream afterwards, and maybe a weather movie? David Baxley serves as Chief Meteorologist for 7 News, joining KSWO-TV in July 2008. You can watch his forecasts weeknights and anytime severe weather threatens the region. He is extremely happy to be in Texoma doing what he loves most - watching the skies and keeping viewers safe from storms. What made you want to be a weatherman? When I was about ve years old, a tornado touched down less than one mile from my house during the middle of the night. I was the only one in my family who happened to wake up and hear the “roar” of the tornado. I asked my mom (when I eventually woke her up after it was all over) why a train had come close to the house. She said, “that was a tornado!” I was hooked after that! Last book you read? Joel Osteen – “It’s Your Time” Last movie you watched? The Hangover What do you collect? Miniature lighthouses and cool calendars. You wouldn’t ever catch me skydiving or bungee jumping! I just can’t make myself get rid of a 1995 t-shirt from community college – it’s so comfortable! Austin Bowling What excites you about the weather? The excitement is to know that mother nature will do whatever she wants; my job is to hopefully prepare people for what’s to come! What is the worst weather condition you have been part of? Ice Storm of 2010, but the Blizzard on Christmas Eve 2009 was a close second! Are you a stormchaser? I have been in the past. Page 12 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE justin rudicel records Highest world temp: 136° F / 58° C, Al Aziziyah, Libya, 13 September, 1922 Justin Rudicel, Monte Brown & Lindsay Vocht - The new Good Morning Texoma crew. Highest USA temperature: 134° F / 56.7° C, Death Valley, California, 10 July, 1913 Lowest world temperature: -128.6°F / -89.6°C, Vostok Station, Antarctica, 21 July 1983--without windchill. Lowest world temperature in inhabited area: -90.4° F / -68° C, Oymyakon, Siberia (pop. 4,000), 6 February, 1933 and also at Verkhoyansk, Siberia, 3 January, 1885. Lowest USA temperature: -79.8° F / -62.1° C, Prospect Creek, Alaska, 23 January, 1971. A native of Indianapolis, Justin Rudicel graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Meteorology and Climatology. He also has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Tourism, Conventions and Event Management from Indiana University. Justin is an active member of the American Meteorological Society and an active Skywarn storm spotter. Are you a stormchaser? Been chasing for the National Weather Service since I was 17. Favorite junk food? Hot Tamales, Chips & Salsa Favorite actor/actress? Daniel Craig & Reese Witherspoon (Wonder if she’ll marry me?) Song #7 on your mp3 player? U2Elevation Lucky number? 13 Favorite program on Channel 7? Wipe Out What made you want to be a weatherman? Trying to predict and learn about the weather Ideal date night? Dinner & Putt-Putt. I like fun dates What excites you about the weather? Ever changing and the force that Mother Nature can have. Last movie you watched? Twister on Blu-Ray What is the worst weather condition you have been part of? Been ½ mile from the tornado with Baseball size hail falling within 200 yds away in a wheat flood while winds were blowing over 60 mph. FUN WEATHER FACTS Last book you read? Weathering the Storm What do you collect? Weather books. You wouldn’t ever catch me bungee jumping. I am not a fan of seafood. The summer of 1995 was so hot that at the end of August, methane emitted within big bales of freshly-cut hay in Missouri began spontaneously combusting. The amount of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface is 6,000 times the amount of energy used by all human beings worldwide. The total amount of fossil fuel used by humans since the Only two states have record highs no start of civilization is equivalent to less greater than 100 degrees. These are Alaska and Hawaii. than 30 days of sunshine. OKIE MAGAZINE Tree crickets are called the poor man’s thermometer because temperature directly aects their rate of activity. Count the number of chirps a cricket makes in 15 seconds, then add 37. The sum will be very close to the outside temperature! www.okiemagazine.com Page 13 Page 14 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE Want To Get Dumped This Valentine’s Day? Buy These Gifts! By Valerie Lalli Sta Writer Valentine’s Day: The most romantic, love filled, vomit inducing day of the year and I just adore it! Ha! Okay not so much. However, with that being said, I respect what it stands for. I can appreciate someone wanting to show their affection towards the one person (In some cases more than one… shame on you) who occupies their heart. You show that person how much you care by giving him/her gifts or doing sweet gestures. I especially love the receiving gifts part. Do not judge me. A sweet gesture is nice and all but seriously sweet gestures can be done any day of the year and should be given freely without being prompted by a special occasion. So when a holiday comes around that gift giving is appropriate, I am all for it! If you are a bad gift giver however (You know who you are. The ones who gave gift certificates for a hug, fake roses from the dollar store, and the lovely ever popular red cellophane cheap box of chocolates last year), than this could make or break the occasion for your special someone. Nothing will end the romantic night quicker than lingerie that is two sizes too big or small, a CD compilation of your favorite show tunes to your manly man, or an exercise video. So before you wait until the last minute to run and grab your sweetie the one gift that is intended to be an expression of your love from the Just for Giggles store, allow me to give you a few pointers on what is not a great gift idea on this day of love. I know, I know, we are all fantastic gift givers in our own way. I am sure there is someone out there that would totally appreciate a Sex for Dummies book or a gift certificate for an oil change. I am going to go out on a limb here nevertheless, and say more often than not those will not get you laid. More like get you dumped. Girls, if they have not asked for your picture or even if they did a picture of you in a pink frame is not a good gift. Now if you get them a gift that is made of awesome(like season tickets to their favorite sports team, big screen TV, OKIE MAGAZINE or a trip to the destination of their choice) then sure, go ahead and throw that picture in there with it. But if the gift isn’t that cool or better, the picture is a no-go. There is not a single thing sweet or sexy about the bathroom so try to avoid any and all products that would make you think of one. Just think about it. We all could use some exercise but Valentine’s Day is not the right time to give your sweetie the gift of a gym membership. That is unless of course you liked sleeping alone? The guy’s will disagree with me but video games are bad ideas! If you want your guys to spend hours glued to the television or forget that you even exist for days on end then sure. Don’t get all huffy however when you want his attention but can’t get it. That is your own fault. A few quick no-no’s are cheap wine, cleaning supplies, and porn. I shouldn’t have to explain those. If you can avoid these items and just take a little extra time to plan ahead and really put some thought into your gift, you will have a Valentine’s Day or night you will not soon forget. Just remember the number one worst thing you can give is nothing. No matter what she says, if you dismiss the holiday all together, you will be sleeping on the sofa. I, myself, would have you sleeping on the park bench down the street. Go ahead and buy the expensive wine and make reservations at the nice restaurant. Take a shower and shave off that facial hair. Splurge and get the real roses instead of the fake ones from Quick Mart. Order him that Microbrew of the Month Club membership he has been drooling for or give in and let him has his man cave at home. You love them, right? If you have a chance to make your special person happy, do it. Even if all the mushy cards, kissing noises, and stuffed bears have you running for the nearest toilet to stick your head into, one night will not kill you. On the upside at least you will have an entire year to recover from all of the pink horror. Best wishes to all of you searching for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift and here’s hoping no one ends up on the couch…Or the park bench. www.okiemagazine.com Page 15 Monday, February 7th Tuesday, February 8th Mountain Boomers Hiking Club 9am to 11am Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Enjoy a relaxing guided hike with other baby boomers More info: 580-429-2199 Magic 95 Fitness Revolution Monthly Event 8am to 1pm Central Mall Register to join the Magic 95 Fitness Revolution Enter to win free prizes Get a free T-shirt while supplies last Visit with fitness-related vendors Saturday, February 12th Sunday, February 20th Have a Heart Zumbathon! 5pm to 7pm Cameron University Fitness Center More info: cameron.edu or 580-581-6725 The DRH Sprint Triathlon 300 meter swim, 8 mile bike ride and 3 mile run More info: drhhealthfoundation.org Page 16 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE F b February is i the h month h off love, l and d Valentine’s Day is a special day when you and the one you love can get out of the house and go out on the town. This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Monday, so why not push everything back to the 19th and avoid some of the crowds? Plan to spend a quiet evening at home on the 14th (I would suggest giving your signicant other something special on this day—or you might be dining alone on the 19th.) As for the 19th, I’ve got a great night out on the town planned for the two of you. First, you’ll need owers. Okay, maybe “need” is a strong word, but it’s a nice gesture. I suggest getting something other than roses. Roses are nice, but if your partner’s favorite is something other than roses, you can make them feel extra special by giving them their favorite. By doing a little research and planning ahead, you can make this an over-the-top evening—and you’ll show them how special they are. Next, we’ll need to think about dinner. As romantic as cooking for someone can be, I suggest going out. If you go out, there are no dishes to worry about, and you don’t have to spend the evening in the kitchen getting everything ready. Let someone else deal with that. Go out and enjoy each other’s company. As luck would have it, Lawton has a veritable smorgasbord of restaurant choices to t a variety of budgets. Regardless of how much you want to spend on your Valentine, I have a few suggestions: • Rinie’s, located on Homestead Dr. just south of Cache Road, oers ne dining and romantic ambiance. You can choose to sit in the bar, where you’ll nd a quieter atmosphere, or dine in the main dining room and enjoy live music. Either way, you’re sure to have an enjoyable evening with excellent food, and wide variety of wines, and service that cannot be beat. scrumptious i choices, h i along l with i h llower prices. You’ll still nd great service, and a pleasing atmosphere – not to mention what has to be the best steak in town. About Town Valentine’s Night On The Town • You may remember the Red River Southwest Chop House from one of my earlier stories. What you may not know is that since that time, the Chop House has revised their menu, adding many more OKIE MAGAZINE • If you’re on more of a budget, you might try the new Texas Roadhouse. They sear the surface of their steaks before putting them on the grill, and the outcome is a steak so juicy, you won’t even need steak sauce. • If you’re in the mood for Italian, I suggest Bianco’s, a Lawton institution. When you go, make sure to get a salad, made with their home-made Italian dressing, and I suggest you try their pizza. It’s amazing! • If an Asian fare is more to your liking, check out Kobe on West Cache Road. Their hibachi is not only delicious, but also quite entertaining, and it’s the best place in town for sushi. Now that you’ve lled your stomachs, and enjoyed some great company, your next stop should be the McMahon Auditorium for the Lawton Philharmonic concert, “Dance!” This particular performance is part of a three part series of concerts. Dance! is this year’s musical outreach performance, and it has helped the Orchestra fulll their desire for community involvement. Local dance students will be performing their own choreography live with the orchestra; so not only do you get to hear some beautiful music, but you’ll also be seeing a local ballet concert. It’s like getting two great performances for the price of one. Ticket prices range from $30 to $45, and the Orchestra is making tickets available to students at reduced rate of $5. Because of the community’s involvement, I would suggest purchasing your tickets well in advance by calling 580.531.5043 between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. to make reservations, and order tickets. As you can see, a night on the town can include ne dining as well as a little culture, and you didn’t even have to leave town. I’ve done the hard part by doing the leg work and nding suggestions for your big night. Now, all you need to do is make it happen. With love… www.okiemagazine.com Page 17 Valentine’s Dance At the South Star Dance Academy As we celebrate the most romantic day of the year Friday, February 11 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Free Salsa / Merengue dance Lesson Great music, lot of fun, refreshments provided Tickets: $10 per person or $16 for couple 201 C Ave Suite B Lawton OK, 73507 For more information call (580) 699-5222 or (706) 718-5315 Where Love is in the air, you need to be there. Page 18 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2011 calendar of events 3rd Annual Storytelling Festival February 4, 6:30 p.m. Duncan Senior Citizen Center, Duncan Sam McMichael, Professional Storyteller 580.255.6902 Oklahoma Art Guild Seeks Entries for “Oklahoma Friendly 2011” National Juried Show 14th Annual Polar Bear Plunge February 5, 2 p.m. Medicine Park 580.529.2825 Nye Library Book Club February 6, 2 p.m. Nye Library, Fort Sill Discussion: Blink by Ted Dekker 580.442.3806 Be My Valentine Dinner and Dance February 11, 6:30 p.m. Simmons Center, Duncan 580.252.2900 x 238 Valentine’s Dance At the South Star Dance Academy Friday, February 11 8:00 pm.m. to 11:00 p.m. Free Salsa / Merengue Dance lesson For more information call 706-718-5315 or e-mail www. [email protected] Poetry Reading February 12, 7 p.m. Leslie Powell Gallery, Lawton Dr. John G. Morris, Unwritten Histories: Poems to Love 580.357.9526 Valentine’s Dinner and Dance February 12, 7:00 p.m. Best Western Hotel & Convention Center, Lawton 580.353.0200 Let’s Talk About it Oklahoma February 15, 6:30 p.m. Lawton Public Library, Lawton “In Country” with Dr. Jennifer Kidney 580.581.3450 Lunch Bag Lecture February 17, 12:15 p.m. Leslie Powell Gallery, Lawton Maestro Jon Kalbeisch, Dance! Lawton Creates a Ballet 580.357.9526 For the Love of Quilts: Kickin’ Up Our Heels, 20th Anniversary Quilt Show February 18 - 19, 10 a.m. Great Plains Coliseum Annex, Lawton OKIE MAGAZINE The Oklahoma Art Guild would like to invite artists nationwide, over 18 and working in all visual media, to submit entries for our national juried exhibition. ‘Oklahoma Friendly 2011’ is set to open at the IAO Gallery, 706 W. Sheridan, Oklahoma City on Friday, March 18, 2011. This exhibition will be on display, March 18 through April 9. Artists interested in entering this exhibition must submit their art no later than February 20, 2011. For all entry details and guidelines, visit www.okartguild.com/. Online Entry Deadline: February 20, 2011 Acceptance Notification: March 1, 2011 Enter at: http://www.okartguild.com Inquiries: [email protected] Contact: Annalisa Campbell The jury panel will consist of four art professionals from the Oklahoma arts community and curator of awards, Nancy P Anderson. Nancy is the Executive Director and Curator of the Leslie Powell Foundation and Gallery in Lawton, Oklahoma since March 1989. Over $4,000 in cash, purchase, and artistic awards will be available. Nancy P Anderson will choose final Awards from a mixture of media in five categories, plus “Best of Show” and the “Pioneer Spirit” awards for artistic innovation. Annalisa Campbell, president of the Oklahoma Art Guild noted, “This exhibit continues to grow in the number and diversity of entries. The variety of media and the breadth of styles exemplify the inviting and friendly nature of our state. This will be an art exhibit that everyone can enjoy.” The Oklahoma Art Guild (OAG) is committed to the promotion of creativity, education, and the advancement of the visual arts. This non-profit organization was founded in 1954 and continues to provide support and encouragement to Oklahoma artists. OAG membership is open to professional and amateur artists of all media, students, art enthusiasts and patrons of the visual arts. The Oklahoma Art Guild’s mission is sponsored in part by the Oklahoma Arts and Humanities Council. For more information visit www.okartguild.com www.okiemagazine.com Page 19 FEBRUARY 2011 calendar of events FILM Magic Lantern Film Society: In the Heat of the Night February 4, 7:30 p.m. CETES Conference Center B, Cameron University, Lawton 580.581.2491 Magic Lantern Film Society: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House February 18, 7:30 p.m. CETES Conference Center B, Cameron University, Lawton 580.581.2491 ART Arts for All Luncheon February 4, 12 p.m. McMahon Centennial Complex Cameron University, Lawton Speaker, Dr. James Brock Children’s Art Studio: Working in 3-D Enroll through February 5 For children in grades 3 – 6. 580.581.3470 Decadent Evening of Art & Chocolate February 5, 7 p.m. Home of Ralph & Brenda McDaniel, Duncan Tickets $5, to benet Habitat for Humanity 580.656.7676 Drawing Classes (FREE!) Every rst Thursday Lawton Fort Sill Art Council, 17th and Ferris, Lawton 580.678.6248 MUSIC Romantic Evening with ETA3 Classic Chamber Music February 12, 7:30 p.m. Lawton Country Club, Lawton 580.531.5043 Dance! Presented by Lawton Philharmonic Orchestra February 19, 8 p.m. McMahon Auditorium, Lawton 580.531.5043 Plumber Family Country Music Concert February 19, 7 p.m. Duncan High School Auditorium, Duncan 580.656.1920 CU/Lawton Community Band & CU/Lawton Civic Chorale Spring Concert February 27, 3 p.m. Cameron University Theatre, Lawton Page 20 www.okiemagazine.com 816-699-3900 5112 W. Gore Blvd. Now accepting new patients. OKIE Magazine is YOUR community publication. Submit your press releases and/or group events to [email protected]. OKIE MAGAZINE Lawton Arts & Humanities 2011 International Festival This year’s 32nd annual International Festival will be held September 23, 24, & 25. If you are interested in being a 2011 sponsor, food or sales vendor, community performer, or volunteer, please call the Arts & Humanities Division. In addition, all multi-cultural clubs and organizations are invited to join no matter where you live. Festival meetings are held at the Lawton Public Library at 6 pm on the 1st Tuesday of each month and are open to the public. For more information please contact: Lawton Arts & Humanities (580) 581-3470/581-3471 Website: www.cityof.lawton.ok.us/lahc/if 2nd Annual City of Lawton Children ’s Art Fair Plans are underway for the 2nd Annual City of Lawton Children’s Art Fair. The fair is scheduled for Saturday, April 30th from 11a-2pm in Bridge Park . The fair will include both art on exhibit and an interactive component. Original artwork from K-5th graders will be on exhibit. A call for entries will be released prior to the fair. Interactive art on site will include sidewalk chalk, musical instruments and more. American Band Music Festival This summer, Lawton will host the 2nd Annual American Band Music Festival in Elmer Thomas Park during the first weekend of July. Planning for the festival is currently underway; a call for bands will soon be released. The American Band Music Festival provides a family friendly event for the community and provides local musicians a venue to showcase their talents. Youth Services Coordinator City of Lawton 1405 S. 11th Lawton, OK 73501 (580) 581-3400 [email protected] Children’s Art Studio Spring 2010 Working in 3-D!! For children in grades 3, 4, 5 & 6 Enroll now, limited space available! *Deadline-February 4 Children will receive instruction in Art, Vocabulary, Appreciation, Drawing, and 3-D Art with a real art exhibit of their works at the McMahon Memorial Auditorium at the end of the class. Cost is $30 and includes supplies and mid-morning snacks. A few scholarships are available on a first come/first served basis. Classes will be held on Saturdays from February 5-March 12, from 9-noon at the Old Town Hall/Carnegie Library located at 5th and B Ave. in Lawton. This program is sponsored by the Lawton Arts & Humanities Council, Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, McMahon Auditorium Authority, and Lawton Public Schools. For more information, please call the Lawton Arts & Humanities Division at 581-3470 or 581-3471. For those interested in participating as a contestant, planning committee member or event volunteer please contact: Melissa Mayfield at 580-581-3400 FEBRUARY 2011 calendar of events and Project Proto Judy: Local Mammoth Dig. Ongoing 580.581.3460 Duncan Library Art Exhibit February 1 – 28, open during library hours Community Fine Arts Center, Duncan 580.252.4160 Page 22 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE ZELBST, HOLMES & BUTLER OKLAHOMA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS • No Fees Unless You Win! • Over 50 Years of Experience • Free Consultations Zelbst, Holmes & Butler • 411 SW 6 th Street • Lawton, OK 73501 • www.zelbst.com 580-248-4844 • 800-952-4844 Zelbst, Holmes & Butler serve Oklahoma City, Lawton, Edmond,www.okiemagazine.com Norman and all the United States. OKIE MAGAZINE Page 23 Working back to back in providing you world class service! OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Each office is independently owned and operated. Page 24 ! Bentley Greb ERA Johnny Owens Residential 2202 NW Ferris Ave. Lawton, OK 73507 [email protected] Build your new home on a lot wtih a beautiful view and exclusive location. We have lots available in Hummingbird Estates on the Golf Course, Kimber Ridge for views of Mount Scott, and land for sale on Deyo (will subdivide). Mobile: (580) 583-8027 707 SW Normandy Eisenhower Village. $139,000 3 bed 2.5 bath. Great West side location, Area Pool, walking track, playground. 1900 sq.ft. 2110 Hoover $64,900 3 bed 1 bath. Excellent Redo! Everything is sparkling clean and new! Close to Ft. Sill. 305 NW 40th St. 3 bed 1.5 bath. A flashy complete redo! Stainless steel appliances, custom backsplash, vessel sinks, and much more! 3103 NE Kingsbriar $165,000 3 bed 2 Bath. Desirable east side neighborhood. Sunroom and bonus room, hot tub. 2,100 sq. ft. 256 Landon Lane $240,000 Beautiful home on 2.5 acres. Formal dining or second living area. Gas fireplace, full sprinkler system, pantry. Great spacious floor plan with 3+ baths. Just minutes to Apache Gate. 6402 SE Bishop Road $189,900 4 bedrooms 2 bath. Granite, Stainless Steel appliances, White picket size fence. Sits on 2½ acres. • Purchase or refinance • VA/ FHA/ and Conventional Loan Specialist • Pre-qualify and Browse Online at Web-http://firstmortgageco.com/johnmayhue John Mayhue Mortgage Loan Officer Page 25 1416 NW Sheridan Rd Lawton, OK 73505 [email protected] www.okiemagazine.com Mobile: (580) 678-6128 Freedom It's not about loans...it's about lives. It's not about files...it's about famililes. It's not about credit...it's about caring. It's not about mortgages...it's about giving more. OKIE MAGAZINE Museum of the Great Plains Race and Identity of the Lawton-Fort Sill Community By Anika La Shawn Sa Sta Writer This February, the Museum of the Great Plains is honoring Black History Month by spotlighting the 1940’s & 1950’s. They will feature an exhibit titled “Race and Identity of the Lawton-Fort Sill Community” that will focus on the African-American soldiers in the LawtonFort Sill community during World War II. Over 12 million Americans served in the Armed Forces during the war, and about one million of those serving were African-Americans. In 1940, the Army had only ve black ocers, three were Chaplains. Throughout most of the war, African-Americans were segregated into allblack units and restricted to non-combat duties. The exhibit will examine closely the plight AfricanAmerican soldiers and their return home from the war. African-American soldiers have served at Fort Sill since its creation, helping build the post, and winning renown as Bualo Soldiers during the wars against the Plains Indians. The museum will also highlight the bravery, and the many specialized areas of the African-American soldiers. Due to the Army’s segregation policy, AfricanAmerican troops belonged to the Fourth Colored Detachment. When the troop buildup for World War II began, incoming African-American troops trained in the 349th Training Squadron. The exhibit will reect on the integration of the African-American soldiers on Fort Sill in the late 1940’s when President Truman issued Executive Order 9981. The order declared that “there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all person in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.” Though the order was in place, it took until 1953 for the majority of the Army units to integrate. The museum will also highlight local schools in the Lawton-Fort Sill community. During the 1940’s & 50’s schools, such as Dunbar and Douglass, were all-black schools. The exhibit will examine how the 1954 Supreme Court ruling to strike down segregation in Brown v. Board of Education aected the Lawton-Fort Sill Community. When the Supreme Court declared, “Separate is inherently unequal,” school districts across the country were told they must desegregate “with all deliberate action.” The Lawton Public School administration moved swiftly to comply, and adopted a “freedom of choice” plan. This exhibit will surely enlighten you. Black History Month Museum of the Great Plains Race and Identity of the Lawton-Fort Sill Community Exhibit will open January 29 and run thru March 13. For more information you may contact: The Museum of the Great Plains 601 NW Ferris Avenue Lawton, OK 73507 (580) 581-3460 Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm Sunday 1pm-5pm www.museumgreatplains.org OKIE Magazine is YOUR community publication. Submit your press releases and/or group events to [email protected]. Page 26 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE LEWIS Call Donna 580.284.3580 OKIE Magazine is YOUR community publication. Submit your Das Bratwurst Haus press releases and/or “NEW & IMPROVED” group eventsSOON! to editor@ COMING okiemangazine.com. RoundRockCabins.com Call 580-678-9024 176 West Lake Drive in Medicine Park Warehouse Furniture and Auction Service 4 11 S W M c K i n l e y Lawton, Oklahoma Monday Night Auctions 5 8 0 - 3 5 5 - 8 8 4 7 Visit our new office at 1516 SW Sheridan Road. Amy Merchant 580.919.5339 Metal framing - Fencing - Drywall Acoustic Ceilings - Other Services Michael Taylor - Owner 580-353-1678 stonegateservicesllc.com Read OKIE Magazine online at www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 27 The Poet, Ai, Found a Home in Oklahoma By Aaron Rudolph Sta Writer The poet, Ai, was well-known for her writing. She was often invited to read her poetry at college campuses across the country. She died on March 20, 2010, and her death affected many poets and poetry readers. In Oklahoma, many knew her personally as a friend, professor, or colleague. She taught at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. Ai’s name is one she chose herself; she legally changed her name. Of her name, Ai stated, “Ai is the only name by which I wish, and indeed, should be known.” It is a Japanese word meaning “love”. Ai found out as a teenager that her father was someone she had never met and that he was Japanese. Because of this she felt that her name no longer represented her accurately. She took an interest in the Japanese language, majoring in it at college. She also received a Master of Finer Arts degree in Creative Writing at the University of California-Irvine. Ai was often labeled as an African-American poet only, but she made it clear that she could not be easily defined. In addition to having Japanese ancestry from her father, she also claimed African-American, Cheyenne, Comanche, Choctaw-Chickasaw, and Irish heritages. She became familiar with her Japanese side after learning about her father, but she also felt connected to several American Indian tribes. She spent her childhood living in several different cities throughout the west, but as an adult settling in Oklahoma, she felt connected to the land and the people living on it. Ai had family from Oklahoma and she related to those tribes she had familial connections to, including the Comanche. Oklahoma afforded her that comfortability, to feel like she was not still constantly on the move, isolated from everyone. In addition to her skill with poetry, Ai was known for being eccentric. As a student at two different schools, I heard stories of Ai that were fascinating, intriguing, and often funny, yet difficult sometimes to believe. Other writers who were in town to present their work would Page 28 www.okiemagazine.com share personal stories of Ai. Poet Stephen Dunn wrote a poem in which he includes an anecdote about how his college would not write a check to her because they insisted that her name was too short and that it had to be at least four characters long. One writer spoke of her forthrightness, her unwillingness to censor herself, even if other were uncomfortable. She sometimes took long car trips to get to readings, as she did to read at the school in Texas where my friends and I anxiously awaited her five years ago. Because of an emergency in Stillwater, she never came. Though I never heard her read in person, I still had her poems to reread and explore. Of course, discussing the personality or characteristics of a writer isn’t really necessary or relevant to discussing that writer’s work. But to speak of Ai as eccentric or unwilling to bend a hard truth, is to preface the nature of her poems as well. Ai won the National Book Award in 1999 for Vice: New and Selected Poems. Her next book, Dread, published in 2003, also received critical praise for its honest, unapologetic tone in poems about abuse, loss, and grief. In that book, Ai offers poems from the point-of-view of several women who deal with tragedies. One character copes with loss of loved ones in a situation much like the 9/11 tragedy while other women in the collection must come to terms with being victims of sexual abuse. In all these poems, Ai skillfully uses a combination of compassion and outrage in order to accurately depict the horror, guilt, and shame felt by the women in these poems. I assigned the book to poetry students and as a class, they agreed that though the poems were emotionally difficult to read, they were glad to have read them and were now aware of perspectives that are not often shared or expressed. Though Ai was known internationally for her writing, she decided to claim Oklahoma as home and like many Okies, lived in other places before landing in this state. In Oklahoma, teaching at OSU, she wrote much of her published work. Her name is also synonymous with the creative writing program at OSU. To what degree, the state influenced her writing will probably be debated by literary scholars in the coming years. OKIE MAGAZINE We want photos of your dog or cat! If we select your pet, you win your choice of a complimentary grooming service or a pet portrait. Send your photos to editor@ okiemagazine.com for consideration. Lori E. Gee, DVM Where Pets Are Family LOST or FOUND pets scanned for chips anytime at NO charge! Pet Tip of the Month: Dog’s ears, feet and tail are highly susceptible to frostbite, so limit their time outdoors. Don’t forget to check water bowls during freezing temperatures. Monday - Friday: 8:00 - 5:30 Saturday: 8:00 - 12:00 Office hours by Appointment 5220 NW Cache Rd. Lawton, OK 73505 Phone: 580/351-0581 Fax: 580/351-6929 Email: [email protected] creeksideanimalhospitalonline.com OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 29 SPELL To watch a band called SPELL, one can only be breathless with the intensity of their performances. They live up to their name as the fans jam to their music in awe. SPELL draws the fans in with their magnetism, charisma, and unadulterated talent. Though the band has experienced changes over the last four years, SPELL is still playing with magic that drew them together. This band is not going away anytime soon. Wil Jones and Tracy Stove-Austin are the original members of the band, and continue to play a variety of music from blues rock to country to modern rock, and everything in between. Talking with the band members over the past year, a fan would learn that one of their favorite groups is a band named Tool. SPELL likes to encourage the audience to participate in songs that draw fans in closer. I once asked how they decided on the name SPELL. Jones said, “when I rst played with Tracy it was magic. It was like she had cast a spell on me.” His nickname for her is nightingale, and they continue to cast a SPELL on the fans throughout Oklahoma and northern Texas. Wil Jones, originally from Altus, Oklahoma is currently the lead guitarist for the band. Tracy Stover-Austin, originally from Lawton, Oklahoma, is currently the lead singer for the band and has been singing for many years. SPELL not only loves to play, but they love their fans. Their goal is OKIE MAGAZINE to perform for the fans and to give back to the community. Over the last couple of years, SPELL has performed at benets such as Toys for Tots and the COPS and Kids picnic. What inuences SPELL to play with the power, love, and rawness is what inuences them? Their greatest inuence is life. SPELL has been together for almost four years and is still going strong. As long as they can play, they will continue to play for their fans, friends, and family. One quote on their Facebook fan is, “until it is time to play again.” They practice several times a week at the back of a local music store in Lawton, Oklahoma. For more information about SPELL, check out their MYSPACE and Facebook fan pages or contact their booking agent at spelltheband@gmail. com. www.okiemagazine.com Page 31 Love is a 4-Letter Word By Becky Smith Gallops Sta Writer If you are oended by obscenity, you should stop reading right here because I’m about to say a very dirty four-letter-word. LOVE. There, I said it. You may be thinking: what is so bad about that word? On the surface, nothing. I love my children, parents, friends—I even love my dogs. What I do not love is the world we live in, which tells me that I can’t be happy without the love of a “good man.” Just turn on the radio where you can listen to Bon Jovi crooning, “What do you got if you ain’t got love?” Apparently the answer is nothing. Thanks Jon. I think that love might be just the teensiest little bit overrated. Since time began, poets have written odes to it and singers have sung of its glories and heartaches. Women in love want everyone they know to be in love too, which has resulted in some of the worst blind dates ever. Let’s say you happen to make peace with the fact that you are currently unattached. Don’t worry, that won’t last. If you don’t already feel bad about being alone, let the card and candy companies help you out. Valentine’s Day is upon us and the population will soon be inundated with reminders to shower their beloved with gifts to mark Page 32 www.okiemagazine.com the occasion. That’s great, unless of course you don’t have a beloved. Then you just buy that 10 pound box of chocolates and eat it alone in front of the DVD player while watching Love Story and The Way We Were. If you aren’t sobbing while watching the movies, you will be the next time you step on the scale. There is nothing wrong with being alone. Some people prefer it, and some just do better that way. Sometimes folks need a chance to clear their head, get in touch with themselves or just enjoy being one without being part of a twosome. You’ve heard Three Dog Night telling you that “one is the loneliest number?” They lie. Going to a restaurant or a movie alone probably isn’t at the top of anyone’s list of fun things to do, but that’s what friends are for. They are there to support you through the rough times and keep you company when you are lonely…and go to the movies with you when you are dateless. At home you can always use your “me time” to reect on life and other misadventures, blog, repaint your bathroom or eat a gallon of ice cream. Love. Highly overrated. Hard to live without. OKIE MAGAZINE In Honor of SINGLE AWARENESS MONTH “REASONS WHY YOU’RE PROBABLY STILL SINGLE” By Mortimor Oullouitious Snerkleschwartz You spend too much time hanging out with the other 13 personalities you have. That shrine in your living room, complete with burning candles, dedicated to Ted Bundy. Your social life revolves around who you meet at the unemployment oce. Deodorant hasn’t been on your shopping list since 1984. You try to make a good impression on the rst date by showing o your extensive scalpel collection. That ankle monitor limits your ability to choose a nice restaurant for your dates. You’ve never made a mistake… you’re always right…and you never apologize…ever. Your parents don’t allow you to have guests in their basement. You refuse to date anyone who can’t make it to level 40 of World of Warcraft. Two words: bunk beds. OKIE MAGAZINE Inviting your signicant other to meet your parents involves a background check and full bodycavity searches… just to get into the prison on visiting day. Your poisonous snake collection. Typing your name into a Google search results in being directed to the state’s “Fugitives from Justice” website. All of your dates have to be approved by the Court… as a condition of your parole. You insist on wearing your lucky “Who Farted?” cap on all your dates. www.okiemagazine.com Every outt you own has been ‘bedazzled’. Page 33 Qu t H “Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.” Louis P. De Gouy, Chef Roasted Sweet Potato Soup 3 pounds sweet potatoes 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 celery stalk, sliced 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and thinly sliced 6 cups water 2 tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper Heat oven to 400F degrees. Prick the potatoes with fork, place on baking sheet, and roast until tender (approx. 40 minutes). Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onion, celery and apple. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Halve the potatoes, scoop out the esh and add to saucepan. Add water, salt and pepper. Cook until heated through. Puree the soup in saucepan using handheld blender. Add water, if necessary, to reach desired thickness. TexMex Corn & Bean Chowder Hamburger Soup 1 can of whole kernel corn - drain 1 can of creamed corn 1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes & green chilis) 1 can black beans - drain 1 cup chicken broth 1 clove garlic (minced) 1 chicken breast cooked and cubed Directions t for the cooking challenged in your house. Add all ingredients to pan and heat through. Serve with tortilla chips and warm tortillas. 1 lb ground beef or turkey 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup diced raw potatoes 1 cup sliced carrots 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 cup sliced celery 4 cup tomatoes ¼ cup rice 3 cup water 4 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. basil ¼ tsp. thyme 1 bay leaf Brown meat and onion, drain. Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Makes 9 cups. Page 34 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE Lola, our normal Domestic Diva, has taken the month o to prepare for the Big Game and something about a spa...I wonder if the “spa” is the same one that Lindsay Lohan goes to...either way, Edna is your guest Diva this month and while she is not as obnoxiously perfect as Lola, her standards are equally as high. Dear Readers, Some folks claim that vinegar is the most amazing invention for health, beauty and cleanliness. I thought this month I would pass along some uses for vinegar and you decide whether they work for you or not. • Keep dogs from scratching ears. Clean the inside of the ears with a soft cloth dipped in diluted vinegar. • Protect your pets from eas and mange. Add a few drops of vinegar to your pet’s drinking water. • Marinating meat in vinegar kills bacteria and tenderizes the meat. • Vinegar does wonders for hard water stains in the kitchen and bath areas. • Clean the scum and mildew and grossness from your bathroom with straight vinegar applied to surfaces. • Cut grease and odor on dishes by adding a tablespoon of vinegar to hot soapy water. • Scale sh more easily by rubbing with vinegar a few minutes before scaling. • Your rice will taste better with a little more u if you add a splash or two of vinegar to boiling water. • Clean the air by letting a pot of vinegar and water simmer on the stove. • For appetite control, a splash of vinegar on your foods will cut the hunger. • Cold season - relieve a cough by mixing 1/2 cup Apple Cider vinegar, 1/2 cup water, one tsp cayenne pepper, and 5 tsp honey. Take one tablespoon for coughing and another at bedtime. Ta-ta for now, Edna Need advice on your domestic situation? You can reach The Domestic Diva at [email protected] OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 35 happy hour happy hour Any size coffee just 92¢ Any size fountain drink just 92¢ 5 - 9 am Every Day! 5 - 9 pm Every Day! Page 36 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE ACROSS 1. A member of a Slavic people 5. Not him 8. Within 12. Slender woodwind instrument 13. Relating to an unborn child 15. Room barrier 16. Dry 17. Pertaining to modern day Persia 18. Initial wager 19. Plant inseminating 22. Chief Executive Officer 23. Beer 24. A wound made by cutting 26. Death 29. A Hindu banker 31. Facsimile 32. Until now (2 words) 34. Parts portrayed 1 2 3 4 12 13 16 17 19 6 7 14 26 24 28 31 32 36 37 41 30 39 43 35 40 44 47 48 50 45 49 51 53 61 25 34 38 46 11 22 29 33 42 10 15 21 27 9 18 23 52 8 20 54 62 65 36. Zulu warriors 38. Sea eagles 40. A sudden numbing dread 41. Small slender gulls 43. Model of excellence 45. No 46. Break away 48. More than enough 50. Identical 51. V 52. A potent estrogen 54. Indivisible 61. Murres 63. Branchlet 64. Crucifix 65. Support 66. US symbol 67. Prefix indicating “Within” 68. Anglo-Saxon slave 5 68 69. Sun god (Roman mythology) 70. View as DOWN 1. Used in bathing 2. A river in Spain 3. Churn 4. Chaos 5. Queen of the gods (Greek mythology) 6. French for “State” 7. Hindu princess 8. Actress ___ Lupino 9. Without a care 10. Carry 11. Chocolate cookie 13. Skillful handling of a 55 56 57 58 63 64 66 67 69 situation 14. Jargon 20. An ancient city in Asia Minor 21. Indian wild ox 25. An Anglo-Saxon minstrel 26. Ladies 27. The look on one’s face 28. Lofty nest 29. Having a sharp inclination 30. Pass along 31. Healthy 33. Finish 35. Clever 37. Native of South America 59 60 70 39. Collect discarded material 42. Trailer truck 44. A suggestive look 47. Compact 49. Approached 52. Fool 53. Goes astray 55. Resorts 56. Therefore 57. Tablet 58. Part of a skeleton 59. Ore deposit 60. Ancient Biblical kingdom 62. Gorilla Solution on page 32 OKIE Magazine is YOUR community publication. Submit your press releases and/or group events to [email protected]. OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 37 The Barbie doll has had 126 careers since 1959. Barbie has had an ever changing career history over the years including an airline attendant, a dentist, a doctor, a veterinarian, a racecar driver and now ... Come visit us on Facebook FACEBOOK.COM/OKIEMAGAZINE OKIE Magazine is YOUR By popular vote at Barbie.com, the 2010 winners and the newest careers for the “Barbie I can be...” series is the News Anchor Doll and the Computer Engineer Doll. community publication. Submit your press releases and/or group events to: [email protected]. To add to your collection, visit Barbie.com. Jessica “Trixy” Dunkle Trixy’s Red Light Entertainment Karaoke & DJ — All Occasions — Call & Book Today 580-574-3671 — [email protected] Appearing at: Randiddy's 1816 SW 11th - Fridays 9:30-1:30 Little Star 1116 NW Cache Rd - Fridays 9:30-1:30 He's Not Here 1806 SW 11th - Thurs 8-12 Sat 9-1 and Sun 3-7 Guys and Dolls Trixy's Red Light Karaoke Gong Show 4 SW Lee - October 15th - 8:30 signups Page 38 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE Crossword Solution S O A P E B R O D F A I M T E S D U P E E R R S R O I L B H E F E D I R L I N A A L E E M I S E X A S Y P I E R R N S I E C E D E S A M E S I N S I A S P O P E A N E S E T A T E N D E R G O R A L N I I N G G A S O U T R E S E A L P L E V E P A R I G L E L I N T O D O O R A N T E C E O S H C A R O L E S P A L L N A Y N T Y E A B L E R O O D E N D O D E E M Visit us on Twitter twitter.com/ okiemagazine OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 39 Reel World By Jim Joplin Sta Writer We’ve come a long way with 3D movies since the first film was presented in 3D back in 1915. But, one could ask if the use of 3D technology has become over-used. It seems like every other movie to come out these days is a RealD™ movie. Is the use of 3D technology being used to enhance the story or to enhance the presentation of that story? First, let’s look at where we’ve come from… The use of 3D in entertainment has been around since 1838 when Charles Wheatstone discovered stereograms. These first 3D depictions were viewed with a stereoscope, viewing picture postcards with two slightly skewed images. These stereograms were hugely Coming to Theaters in February Gnomeo and Juliet (PG) Feb. 11— The classic play by Shakespeare portrayed by garden gnomes looks like it will be a cute movie. Original music by Elton John. I Am Number Four (PG13) Feb. 18—SciFi/Action lm about an extraordinary teen, passing for a typical high school student, trying to elude a deadly enemy who is trying to kill him. Three have already been killed…he is Number Four. Directed by D.J. Caruso (Eagle Eye, Disturbia). Coming to DVD in February For Colored Girls (R) Feb. 8—Dramedy based popular for several decades to follow. Since 1939, View-Master has been a device used to view 3D images stored on a paper disk. The View-Master began as a substitute for postcards, allowing tourists to see attraction in 3D instead of the 2D postcards. It wasn’t until later that Disney helped the ViewMaster become popular with children. There was a resurgence in Viewmaster’s popularity when autostereograms began being produced by computers in the 1980s. Autostereogram images were printed as 2D images, where the 3D image could be seen when the viewer crossed or relaxed their eyes. One company who helped to make this hugely popular was Magic Eye™. The first film to use 3D technology was a compilation of shorts filmed by Edwin S. Porter and W.E. Waddell. It was presented using a technology called anaglyphic filming. For those of us who remember the red and blue 3D glasses, we’re more familiar with anaglyphic filing than you might think. Porter and Waddell’s film was done in red and green but used the same technology. In this process, the image is Continued on page 43 Page 40 www.okiemagazine.com on the play by Ntozake Shange. This movie is “a poet explanation of what it is to be of color and a female in this world.” Each of the women protract one of the characters represented in the collection of twenty poems, revealing dierent issues that impact women in general and women of color. It’s Kind of a Funny Story (PG13) Feb. 8 —Dramedy about a clinically depressed teenager who gets a new start after he checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward. Based on Ned Vizzini’s semi-autographical novel. Rolling Stone called this one of the “must see movies” of 2010. I whole heartedly agree. OKIE MAGAZINE For the cost of this You can feed families. The Lawton Food Bank 1405 W. 20th Street • Lawton, Oklahoma 580-353-7994 D N O L O N I R E M I Y A R K O X M Page 42 L A L A E M R E T S E C I E L S I L T O E I O O H L L L L D R E S O O T E E D D M G C A A P O R O M A N O V N E A N R F L D C M Y O A N G O R A L O E A T N N Y T H E F B W E A U O U Y T L E E E E I R C X O M N M N O www.okiemagazine.com H K Y T R T E L L I U O B M A R L O A R R E O O L S D A L U D E P B M W T B P H E C M N W O D H T U O S V H E R E S A O A E O A A E O L L T L T W A B R H L S W D M T T I O W E K C Y L O A E U F I P A U E O R A S R L O T I C F M L S O N L S R R R R S A H R I F S B H M I M O E K H T O I U N L O C N I L S T E A E O O H D C E K L H S R A L P A C A M E L X A K I K M N E M O K K L C C P C L H N G R Alpaca Angora Bamboo Camel Cashmere Columbia Corriedale Cotton Dorset Hampshire Icelandic KerryHill Leicester Lincoln Longwool Merino Mohair Muskox Oxford Perendale Polwarth Rambouillet Romanov Romedale Romney Shetland Silk Southdown Suolk Targhee Teeswater Tunis Wensleydale Wool Solution on page 44 OKIE MAGAZINE Reel World...continued from page 40 duplicated and one is presented in a blue (or green) tint with a red tinted image shifted slightly and super-imposed on the blue. The effect wasn’t what the film makers had imagined and the film tanked. There wasn’t another 3D film made until 1922—and it had about the same amount of success as the first one. There wasn’t another Americanmade 3D film until 1951, when a short-lived 3D boom took place. During this boom, there were forty-five 3D films made— thirty-nine were made between January 1952 and December 1953. The 3D that we know today came from the Walt Disney Company when they brought us Chicken Little. In fact, Disney contacted the folks at RealD™ to make Chicken Little the best 3D that the world had seen…ever. To make the experience all that it could be, Disney collaborated with RealD™ to install new 3D digital projectors by Christie along with new silver screens in 82 theaters across the country. So, let’s go back to the original question: does the 3D effect enhance the story or the presentation? Well, obviously, the stories would be the same, whether it is in 3D or 2D. So, why have we gone 3D crazy? Two words: it’s cool! Yeah, that’s the gist of it. I’m positive that AVATAR would have been just as good if we had only seen it in 2D. In fact, I watched SAW VII (which was filmed in 3D instead of being converted from 2D like most films) and there were only two scenes that I thought would have been better in 3D. They added nothing to the story; they were just cool. I’m glad to see that theaters are started to give viewers the option of 3D and 2D for the 3D movies that are coming out. It’s not just because it saves me $3, but because I’m beginning to see that 3D isn’t always necessary. Will I continue to pay for 3D? Of course. I’m just happy that I’m given a choice. it’s Coming! k & Ba r r c o t S el k, c s o R k Ban d o o nF Law to Law ton Fo od Ban k www.rockstockandbarrels.com OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 43 Word Search Solution D N O L O N I R E M I Y A R K O X M L A L A E M R E T S E C I E L S I L T O E I O O H L L L L D R E S O O T E E D D M G C A A P O R O M A N O V N E A N R F L D C M Y O A N G O R A L O E A T N N Y T H E F B W E A U O U Y T L E E E E I R C X O M N M N O H K Y T R T E L L I U O B M A R L O A R R E O O L S D A L U D E P B M W T B P H E C M N W O D H T U O S V H E R E S A O A E O A A E O L L T L T W A B R H L S W D M T T I O W E K C Y L O A E U F I P A U E O R A S R L O T I C F M L S O N L S R R R R S A H R I F S B H M I M O E K H T O I U N L O C N I L S T E A E O O H D C E K L H S R A L P A C A M E L X A K I K M N E M O K K L C C P C L H N G R Solution 7 4 2 6 3 9 8 5 1 5 9 8 4 2 1 6 7 3 6 3 1 8 5 7 2 9 4 2 5 4 7 6 3 9 1 8 1 7 9 5 8 2 4 3 6 8 6 3 9 1 4 7 2 5 3 1 7 2 4 8 5 6 9 9 8 6 3 7 5 1 4 2 4 2 5 1 9 6 3 8 7 OKIE Magazine is YOUR community publication. Submit your press releases and/or group events to [email protected]. Page 44 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE Indie’s Mixtape a mishmash of music Listen. Love. Hate. Suggest. The Top 5 Selling Albums 2010 “Recovery”, Eminem . . . 3.4 million copies “Need You Now”, Lady Antebellum . . . 3.1 million copies “Speak Now”, Taylor Swift . . . 3 million copies “My World 2.0”, Justin Bieber . . . 2.3 million copies “The Gift”, Susan Boyle . . . 1.9 million copies Mini Bowling Pizza Buffet Military Night State-of -the-Art Game Room Book Your Birthday Parties Now! Delivery Available Laser Tag The Top 10 Singles for 2010 “California Gurls”, Katy Perry (featuring Snoop Dogg) . . . 4.4 million copies “Hey, Soul Sister”, Train . . . 4.3 million copies “Love the Way You Lie”, Eminem (featuring Rihanna) . . . 4.2 million copies “Dynamite”, Taio Cruz . . . 4.1 million copies “Airplanes”, B.o.B (featuring Hayley Williams) . . . 4 million copies “OMG”, Usher (featuring Will.I.Am) . . . 3.8 million copies “Not Afraid”, Eminem . . . 3.4 million copies “Just the Way You Are”, Bruno Mars . . . 3.3 million copies “Break Your Heart”, Taio Cruz (featuring Ludacris) . . . 3.2 million copies “Need You Now”, Lady Antebellum . . . 3.2 million copies TEXT Laugh Out Loud to 90210 for events & special promotional offers ARE YOU A GREAT PERFORMER? Come audition for a job you'll love! Call 536-4FUN for audition dates! OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 45 Confessions of an Audiophile By Amy Merchant Sta Writer Audiophile: I was set to write this month’s column about love songs. Valentine’s Day inspires more mix “tapes” and YouTube dedication videos than Twilight. When looking around to see what were some of the greatest love songs of all time, the unthinkable happened for me. I had a break up. A major break up. Suddenly I was skipping past “You Are So Beautiful To Me” and racing to the angry songs of unrequited love and heartache. Screw all those stupid songs! I hate Valentine’s Day! Let’s be angry! These were my new mantras. I decided to look into break up songs. Angry, sad, morose and vengeful break up songs. The kind you sing at karaoke when everyone but you, knows you have had one too many. Yup, those kinds of songs. So, the following songs, after careful consideration make up the best break up mix. If you need to tear this article out and put in your journal, there will be no judgment from me. Just mad props. You never know when you’ll need this. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight-The Postal Service. The opening track off of their EP, singer Ben Gibbard’s (Death Cab for Cutie) voice with harmonies from Jenny Lewis (Rilo Kiley) provide the perfect somber mood. Break up lyric: “I am finally seeing why I was the one worth leaving” Funhouse-Pink. With one of the most sung about break ups from Carey Hart, most people would have picked So What or Please Don’t Leave Me, but I think this song heavy on marital imagery deserves its due. Break up lyric: “I dance around this empty house, tear us down, throw you out” Sugar, We’re Going Down-Fall Out Boy. Not the biggest fan of Fall Out Boy, the first time I heard this song, I said “this is clever song writing. I love the line “Sugar, we’re going down swinging” but let’s face it the break up lyric is : “I’m just a notch in your bedpost, but you’re just a line in a song” Love Don’t Love Nobody-The Spinners. With a title like that and with one of the great R&B voices, Phillipe Wynne, at the helm, you know it’s time to grab your drink and hold your cigarette lighter in the air. Break up lyric: “It takes a fool to learn, Yes sir, That love don’t love nobody” You Give Love A Bad Name-Bon Jovi. Ahh, now we come to one of those karaoke songs. Your mascara is smudged, making you look like a cross between Ke$ha and Courtney Love. A few songs back someone sang “Before He Cheats” and so you did back to back to back Jaeger-Bombs and became inspired to turn in this ditty. You wake up to an email that says “So and So has tagged you in a video”. No break up lyric needed. I Loved You, So What-Ani DiFranco. This is a song that during a break up, can change your attitude. DiFranco displays some of her best songwriting here. Usually frenetic in her musicianship, she is much more mellow with the realization that the relationship is over. Break up lyric: (try the whole first chorus) “And who are you now?And who were you then? Like you thought somehow, You could just pretend, You could figure it all out, The mathematics of regret, So it takes two beers to remember, now, And five to forget I loved you so. Yeah I loved you, so what” Tyrone-Erykah Badu. Badu’s tribute to mooching men is, simply put, brilliant. This is the anthem for the fed up woman. Invite your girlfriends over, have cosmos and sing along. Break up lyric: “You betta call Tyrone...Hold on, but you can’t use my phone” Ain’t No Sunshine-Bill Withers. The gorgeous , mournful tone of Wither’s voice let’sus know, know, know, know that he is watching out of the window for her return. The long series of “I know’s”gets desperate at the end, proving that “this house just ain’t a home”. Tracks of My Tears-Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. Piercing eyes, a voice of silk and light years ahead of his peers in his songwriting skills, Smokey paints the image of someone trying to hold it together better than anyone. This classic song has been covered by almost every genre but the original never disappoints. Break up lyric: “My smile is my make up, I wear since my break up with you.” You Oughta Know-Alanis Morissette. The ultimate break up song. Morissette verbalizes what everyone else wants to say. Raw, visceral and perfect, this song is filled with so many great lines but if I had to choose one break up lyric that I shout while I driving, I would choose “‘Cause the joke that you laid in the bed That was me and I’m not gonna fade As soon as you close your eyes, and you know it” There you go, ten break up songs that will make all the difference...well they did for me. I just walked away from the last JaegerBomb. When your priorities about enjoying music goes beyond the norm. Like selling a car to buy a turntable. Page 46 www.okiemagazine.com OKIE MAGAZINE OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 47
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