An Agricultural Paradise: farmers, wheat dander, and … rattlesnakes?
I knew traveling roughly 1600 miles to a different state would set forth new challenges for me as a photojournalist. I’m in a different place- different climate, different weather, different terrain, different people and strangely, different animals.
A few weeks ago I traveled southwest Oklahoma with reporter Bryan Painter in search of wheat harvesters. I’m lucky I enjoy the open road and cruising down highways because we decided to look for the harvesters the day after Oklahoma had some heavy rainfall. Wheat harvesting is a very particular craft- the wheat needs to be dry and crackling like that popping noise one hears after pouring milk on their Rice Crispy cereal according to Brian. The day we decided to go out, none of the farmers were risking harvesting their already lower than average wheat supply. So we kept driving south.
As the day rolled along and the driving became more routine, we were almost to the border of Texas near the Red River in Olustee, Oklahoma before we found our farmers. A father and his son were confident enough to begin harvesting around 5 p.m. when the wheat already had enough time to dry out during the long, hot day after the rain from the day before.
In Montana, where I am from, I have witnessed farming practices several times before, from small family garlic farms to large grass-fed cattle ranches, but I have never been in the heart of true agriculture country so I was excited to see such heavy, colossal columbine tractors rip through the fields. After introducing ourselves to the farmers I decided to take my cameras to the end of the gated field and get a wide picture of the situation. I had seen the shot coming in and wanted to get it before the sun sunk deeper into the horizon.
While setting up my video camera and taking a few shots I had in mind I saw Brian making his way toward me. Thinking he was coming to tell me to move so the tractors could start doing their job I quickly tried to shoot some video of the wheat slowly moving with the wind before the tractors took it all away. Brian had a different report to give me. At first he asked me what kind of shoes I was wearing, which I found odd, but I just told him I was wearing my hiking boots because my editor warned me the landscape was going to be a wee bit different than city streets and carpeted floors. Brian looked relieved and preceded to tell me I was in a Rattlesnake-infested wheat field. There are rattlesnakes in Montana, but it has never been anything to worry about when perusing in nature. Brian looked a little concerned, but I told him I would be just a few more minutes. As adamant as I was about shooting wheat blowing in the wind, my mind started to vear to serpentine reptilesr popping their chilling heads out of unseen holes in the ground and biting me with their venomous-filled fangs. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to get out of there.
I try not to let things like that ever get to me, but the more somethings wraps its eerie-self around my brain, the harder it is for me to concentrate on why I am there in the first place. The last thing I want is to have to be sent to an Oklahoma City emergency room for a totally new set of adventures, and bills…
ALBUM OF THE DAY: Alexi Murdoch “Four Songs”
Please give this a listen. Alexi Murdoch, whose songs make up most of the soundtrack for the incredibly decent film “Away We Go,” is a wonderful artist. It’s like listening to Jack Johnson but you have a 30 percent better chance of staying awake to hear it.
The saddest story ever told
Photo by: AP
No one should sorry for me when they read this.
I am generally an uncool person, but good things sometimes happen to everybody. For example, I was accidentally blessed with a very cool present last year. The iPhone had been out for a few months and somehow my mother put her name in a box and got drawn as a winner of the first generation iPhone. She’s generally terrified of technology more advanced than a game of Tetris, so I was presented with the iPhone.
When I held the phone I felt twice as interesting and twenty times as snobby as a Sharper Image store. That’s a good feeling because all I had to do was pull the phone out of my pocket and look bored. Automatically people would react to the phone. There was nothing to it.
However, that’s changed so much lately. The 3G came out, and I was mildly fazed. I thought Apple would be done releasing new things for a few years, but then today Apple releases the 3G S. It’s so slightly different that I need it more than anything.
I watched the 3G S commercial last night, looked at my now horribly dated phone and gave it a terrible, cold stare. I wanted to throw it over my backyard fence and forget about how it crossed me.
Don’t bother calling me to cheer me up because I use my phone as a coaster now.
TOP FIVE reasons why “Year One” is doomed
5. Seeing loin clothes isn’t as funny as saying loin clothes.
4. Cavemen are only entertaining for roughly 30 seconds. My evidence is every Geico commercial ever made. Did you ever sit at your TV and say, “Hmmm… very interesting. More please.”
3. Ringo Starr
2. Beck might sue Michael Cera for glaring similarities.
PHOTOS BY: fireworksandmash.com (top) and AP (bottom)
1. Dinosaurs are just more interesting.
Experience leads to learning
With experience, you gain more knowledge but also realize you have much more to learn. Yesterday was one of those days for me. As an intern for the Oklahoma Publishing Company, we are asked to participate in the Oklahoma City Greater Grads program. We sit, we eat free food, while people from Oklahoma City talk about how great Oklahoma City is as a community.
At first, everything was going as normal. A man was at the front, talking about the history of the Oklahoma City political scene. After our food was distributed, the intern (not from OPUBCO) sitting in front of me started choking. At first, the table was unsure if he was sick or if he were choking. When we realized it was the latter, the table was divided between how we should help. My first instinct was to grab someone to help him. Luckily, the person sitting next to him knew the heimlich maneuver.
It was at that moment that I realized, I should probably learn the heimlich maneuver for future reference. By the way, the culprit of his choking fit was a piece of broccoli.
ALBUM OF THE DAY: Black Moth Super Rainbow “Eating Us”
Photo courtesy: MySpace
No one does psychedelic better than Black Moth Super Rainbow, who have toured with the Flaming Lips. Listening to Black Moth is like being stuck in an elevator and the music inside is programmed by the Wizard of Oz. Give it a listen.
Yesterday’s AotD: http://tiny.cc/tinymasters
TRAILER WATCH: “It Might Get Loud”
Jack White, the Edge and Jimmy Page star in a movie about being loud. I think Hollywood might be listening to my prayers. Now, can I please have a movie where Alec Baldwin, Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones share film narration tips? I want it named “This Might Be Easy to Listen to.” Check out the trailer nonetheless.
Also, here are some alternate titles for the film.
“Look Out My Hears Are Bleeding”
“Where the Loud Things Are”
“Stop, Rock and Roll: The Story of Loud Sounds”
Lollapalooza schedule announced
Check out the schedule here. Also worth mentioning is that Stillwater native Other Lives will be performing this year. Look at how happy they look.
PHOTO BY: Darren Ankenman
ALBUM OF THE DAY: Tiny Masters of Today “Skeletons”
Photo courtesy of MySpace
Two Brooklyn siblings, Ivan (15) and Ada (13), make some interesting noise rock. It’s messy, but it’s proof that little people can do big, noisy things.
A breakdown of Michael Cera characters
Photo by: AP
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard someone say, “I don’t like that comedian because he plays the same character over and over.”
That’s never ever the case with comedians. Their roles might seem similar, but I assure you they are extraordinarily varied. You just need a quasi-trained eye. Take a look.
Today’s example is MICHAEL CERA.
Arrested Development” He lovingly played a shy geek.
Superbad” He played a lovely geek that was shy.
Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist” He played a shy geek in love.
Year One” He played a caveman.
Now that’s versatility.
***REVISION***
Juno” He played a shy geek who loved.
