Blue in a world of red.

"I want this to be informal," he said with jarring volume, sound waves rolling across the Macs and accompanying blue-lit faces. Green stripes, bright enough to hint at a mischievous streak, zipped across his black tie. Kurt Hochenauer, author of the blog Okie Funk, spoke to our blogging class today, partly because he writes a successful blog, and partly because Dr. Clark went to India.

Seeming to me the height of academic journalism, he explained how, after a ten-year journalism stint, he got his doctorate in English. "I felt it was really shallow," he said of journalism. Hochenauer started Okie Funk in 2004 to represent political diversity in Oklahoma.

"I just realized....that Oklahoma needed more liberal voices. I really wanted to do a counter to the Oklahoma's editorial page," he said with striking honesty. He wanted "to frame news in a liberal and progressive way." As an opinionated Democrat in a Republican state, Hochenauer has taken his share of criticism for his views.

"I've had personal attacks....I had physical threats," he said. But blogging provides both an outlet for his political voice and a motivation for regular writing. One downside of Okie Funk, however, lies in the lack of new political movements in Oklahoma.

"I've been writing about the same things for a long, long time," Hochenauer said ruefully. "I do it just trying to change things here."

He pointed out a recent post. "I was actually just sitting in my recliner with my laptop. It keeps my mind going," he said, slurring his words in mockery of old age,"and that's what's important. And the medicine."


I took this picture surreptitiously, like a creeper.

As far as the issues extend, Hochenauer supports free parking as a benefit for faculty, Brad Henry for UCO president and designated smoking areas (all the important issues). Oh, and the guns on campus issue: "Guns on campus - I'm against it," he said simply enough. I'm not planning on packing heat anytime soon, so as a May graduate, my opinion feels fluid at best.

Hochenauer said times look tough for "people who are tied to the newspaper in romantic ways - 'I just love the feel of newspapers in my hands.' I think it's an exciting time in journalism."

When I asked what advice for blogging he would give, he said, in this post, "I would write about the decline of newspaper, the continuing domination of internet-related journalism." I found myself more interested in writing about Hochenauer than reflecting on the overtalked topic of the death of journalism as we know it.  I think he enjoyed the class, and we certainly did.

"He said you were a talkative bunch - and you are."

Embarrassingly awesome, and also true.

On Saturday night, for the first time in my life I experienced the existential awkwardness of a high school dance - at the age of 21.

Although homeschool groups in OKC often gather together to have formal events (usually dances if you're nondenominational, banquets if you're Baptist), I preferred to wear skinny jeans, listen to Death Cab for Cutie and be alone in high school.

I mean, I still wear skinny jeans and listen to Death Cab, but I'm less alone now?

I don't regret avoiding these events in high school, but as a white Anglo-Saxon formerly homeschooled college senior, I think I enjoyed watching Anadarko High School's Winter Ball more than most of the students enjoyed attending it. Very few of them actually danced, apart from the Cha Cha Slide and Thriller.
At one point, a huge crowd migrated from their vestigial positions along the walls to populate the dance floor, gathering around one central attraction.

"What's going on?" I asked one of my high school friends, who had invited Jaime and me to prove the existence of her super cool college buddies (ha).

"Oh, they're all watching the black girls dance," she said. C'est la vie.

One sophomore sidled up to us, introduced himself, and asked our age. When Jaime and I told him, he exclaimed, "Oh! I don't have a shot, then?"

Glittery Toms with tea-length purple dresses dominated the clothing scene, inspiring in my heart gladness that all my Toms have worn out and for once, maybe I actually rode the fad before it jumped the shark.

Notorious for teen pregnancies, Anadarko High nevertheless boldly charged ahead with sexualized songs to which one "can only dance like a slut," as one high school boy casually told me. Brave New World, and all of that, I guess.

Altogether, I feel privileged to have experienced and observed the social awkwardness that is a high school dance, and doubly privileged to have experienced it in Anadarko.

Outside The Wire

 
Outside The Wire

In honor of my War Generations class (also taught by the inimitable Dr. Terry Clark), and also my own tangential experience with military culture (growing up next to Tinker Air Force Base and now close enough to Ft. Sill to make military friends), I'm following the "Outside the Wire" blog published by Army Times.

This post centers on Charles D. Whittington, Jr., a combat veteran suspended from his community college after writing a Hurt Locker-esque essay on the addictive nature of killing. "Killing is a drug to me," his essay boldly states.

And honestly, if someone read that essay aloud in my English class, I'd probably feel a little uncomfortable, too. But even more disturbing comes the realization that Whittington clearly attributes this addiction to his time spent in war and says he kept silent for three years about his problems. How many other veterans struggle with urges and emotions like these, remaining quiet out of fear of repercussions like those Whittington faces?

Winter Song.

A few things about snow weeks in rural Oklahoma:

Take late-night ATV rides in the snow at every opportunity.
Make snow ice cream.
Paint in the Lower East Lodge every day.
Don't panic when Walmart runs out of eggs and mostly everything else.
Snicker a little bit when Anadarko High School forgets to drip hot water through the pipes, remaining closed for repairs the whole week despite improving roads.
Do a little dance every time UCO texts you to tell you campus will be closed tomorrow.
Drink much green tea with honey.

Lastly, leave on Saturday to go skiing in New Mexico, thus missing class on Tuesday for a total of a week and half out of school. Sorry, Dr. Clark. My heart will miss all of you bloggers, and stuff.