Beth Sanchez of Beth's Cakes - OKIE Magazine

NOVEMBER
2012
FREE
Southwest Oklahoma’s Monthly News and Entertainment Magazine
Beth Sanchez
of Beth’s Cakes
A Life Pre-Heated
by 360 Degrees
Man About
Town:
Guadalajara
Taqueria
Page 14
Happy
Birthday
Mickey
Mouse
Page 17
Western
Artist
Garners
Praise
Page 37

SHOP ORGANIC
Fresh produce includes different
varieties of apples, squash, carrots,
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Spices, snacks, cereals (hot and cold),
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Financial Advisor
1317 NW Sheridan Road
Lawton, OK 73505
580.357.3908
plwatson45906@wradvisors.com

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CONTENTS
MEMORIES OF YESTERYEAR
LUCILLE LIVED IN LAWTON
PAGE 15
FANTASY LEAGUES ALLOW WOMEN
TO DOMINATE ON THE FIELD
BY AMANDA HERRERA
PAGE 21
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
BY KEATON LAMLE
PAGE 30
SALTON SEA: A COLLECTION OF
SHORT STORIES
BY SARAH BREWER
PAGE 33
PROUD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBER
OKIE MAGAZINE IS A PROUD RECIPIENT OF
THE OKLAHOMA ARTS COUNCIL
2012 MEDIA IN THE ARTS AWARD
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 3

They were brighter than she
had ever dreamed they could be
and she had dreamed about them
since she was a little girl.
Standing on that street, far
from her home in
Oklahoma, Beth
Sanchez was bathed
in the brilliance of the
of Broadway. She had
made it to New York
City, but not in the way
she had always hoped,
and many years later
than she had once
planned.
While her eyes
illuminating landmarks
of the city that never
sleeps, her mind
of her life, and the
many sleepless nights
of her own.
Born in Ada,
Oklahoma, the daughter of a
Southern Baptist preacher, who
was also a singer, songwriter
and traveling musician, Sanchez
acquired her love for music at an
early age.
“I wanted to be a rock star,” she
stated without hesitation, when
asked about her dreams as a
child. But her childhood dreams
weren’t without obstacles.
When she was two years old,
her mother was diagnosed with
a rare form of neuroblastoma
cancer. So rare, in fact, that she
was only the 13th person at that
time to have been diagnosed
with this particular type of cancer,
labeled as an orphan cancer,
because it received very little
A Life Pre-Heated By 360 Degrees
attention or funding, compared to
others.
Sanchez’s mother was, at no
fault of her own, an inactive
mother in the sense of performing
typical motherly duties and,
while aggressive treatment of
her cancer was needed, it was
soon realized that the insurance
Michael and Beth Sanchez
wouldn’t cover the costs. This
resulted in her father spending
additional time on the road to earn
the money needed to not only pay
medical costs, but to simply feed
his family.
Against all odds, her mother
became the only person ever
diagnosed with this type of cancer
to survive, and remains cancer-
But the blessing of her mother’s
survival was not without cost.
The stress of battling a terminal
burden it created, put a strain
on Sanchez’s parent’s marriage,
resulting in their separation when
by Randy Pennington
she was in the second grade.
Another devastating side
her mother’s development of an
addiction to pain medication, a
certain detrimental element to
her lack of participation in her
children’s lives. “She was just
a body,” Sanchez recalls of her
mother during those troubling
years.
Sanchez found
herself being the
primary caretaker of
her younger brother
as she grew up, even
though her parents
reconciled, her father
continued to be on
the road most of the
time and her mother
struggled with her
addiction.
Still, Sanchez
managed to work hard
on her schoolwork,
and her music, and
by the time she was
ready to graduate high
school, had earned
an invitation to the
Juilliard School in New
York City. Things were starting to
look up for Beth Sanchez.
But the excitement didn’t last
long.
On the very day she graduated
high school, her parents
announced they were divorcing.
Her father left that same day to go
back on the road, and her mother
left, as well, both of them giving
the young Sanchez power of
attorney over her younger brother.
At eighteen, Beth Sanchez
found herself living on her own,
responsible for her 15-yearold
brother, and facing the fact
that she would not be attending
Juilliard, her life-long dream.
Within a year, her brother,
Landon, being a teenager, found
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 4

it restrictive to follow any rules
that Sanchez set forth, chose to
move in with their mother, a much
less “controlling” parent, given her
condition.
Sanchez was left alone,
working three jobs. “I worked
at a gas station, Golden Corral,
and for an insurance company,”
Sanchez recalls.
Even though she had little time
for herself, she soon found herself
in a relationship with a man who
was a drug dealer. This two-year
relationship resulted
in Sanchez abusing
drugs including
meth, cocaine,
LSD, marijuana,
mushrooms, and
“whatever was
available.”
When that
relationship ended,
Sanchez was at a
crossroads. She was
21-years-old, abusing
illegal substances,
and had no clear
direction. Being a
victim of circumstance
became a strange
blessing, Sanchez
recalls, explaining,
“When we broke up,
I realized it was hard
dating a dealer.
Realizing her dilemma, and
taking an hard look at her own life,
drug abuse had on her mother,
she made a conscious decision
to get clean and make an attempt
moved to Norman, Oklahoma. “I
had some friends there, and it
was closer to Purcell, where my
Grammy lived,” Sanchez stated.
“Grammy”, her mom’s mom,
had been a staple in her life
since she was little, and Sanchez
considered her one of the few
stable elements in her life.
Now twenty-two, Sanchez
dedicated herself to rebuilding
her life, working as many hours
as she could, waiting on tables at
a restaurant called the Country
Favorites. “Life’s about choices,”
she says, “and I chose to work my
Choosing to work so
much gave Sanchez some
independence, which helped
She had re-established her
relationship with her mother, and
still maintained a connection
The Sanchez Girls: Lilli, Gwyneth,
Emma and Selma.
to her father, although he had
remarried, had additional children,
and was concentrating on his new
life.
Being in a relationship was not
something Sanchez considered a
priority in her life at that time, but
all of that changed when she had
lunch with her mother one day at
an Italian restaurant.
During a conversation with
her mother, she found herself
stopping mid-sentence to say,
“That is the most handsome man
I have ever seen,” referring to one
of the waiters at the restaurant.
Her mother, turning to look at the
man, said, “You’re right.”
His name was Michael
Sanchez, and while it would be
weeks before he and Beth had
a conversation that involved
anything other than “I’ll have
water,” they continued to see
each other at the restaurant, a
favorite hangout for Beth and her
friends. Eventually, a friendship
developed, and it evolved into a
romantic relationship, and they
were married.
Michael’s job
transferred him to
Lawton, Oklahoma,
and since 2000
he and Beth have
made it their home.
Their lives have
changed since they
times, to be exact.
Lilli, 12, Manny, 11,
Emma, 9, Gwyneth,
8, Selma, 6, Nesta,
3, and the newest
addition, Rocco, 18
months, make up
the Sanchez family.
Having seven
children under one
roof, all pre-teens,
can be challenging,
to say the least.
But Beth Sanchez
is no stranger to challenges.
Between caring for the children,
homeschooling them, and taking
care of the home, there was little
time for any thought of a career
for her, or even a job outside the
home, even though having a large
Her desire to be a part of the
solution, a trait she had acquired
through necessity since she was
young, kept her seeking for any
opportunity which would allow her
to help. She never imagined it
would involve ovens and spatulas.
was a grilled cheese sandwich,”
Sanchez recalls, “and I never
even owned an ‘Easy Bake
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 5

Oven’.” So she was somewhat
surprised when her mother-inlaw
gave her a cupcake pan she
had found at a garage sale, and
encouraged her to try baking.
While she was not a complete
stranger to a kitchen, having
young mouths to feed, Sanchez
nonetheless literally started from
scratch, in her baking
endeavors.
As was becoming
the tradition in
Sanchez’s life, each
time things began to
move in a positive
manner, much like the
yeast in a cake falling,
she found herself
facing obstacles. The
stresses of a large
challenges were
creating a strain on
her marriage, and
reached a point that
she loaded up her
children, and moved
to Grove, Oklahoma,
to stay with her father.
But, as in every other
aspect of her life, Beth Sanchez is
not a quitter.
Deciding they would make the
marriage work, Beth moved back
to Lawton and she and Michael
recommitted themselves to a life
together. “He’s my rock,” Beth
says of Michael. “There aren’t a
lot of men who would push and
encourage their wife to shine like
my husband has. If it weren’t for
him, I don’t know where I would
be. He gave me this life. He gave
me the family I hoped for.”
It was during this time that Beth
began experimenting with baked
goods, encouraged by a gift from
Michael. He had given her some
cookbooks, a rolling pin and
other accessories, along with two
Pandora beads: one for cupcakes,
and one for wedding cakes, a
symbol of their recommitment.
“He told me the cupcake bead
was to encourage me to get
better at something that he really
thought I had a knack for.”
Although she was enjoying her
new hobby, she also pursued it
with the same zeal and diligence
she had used in facing the
adversities of her life, which
meant if she was going to do it,
she was committed to doing it
right, and the best that she could.
The Sanchez Boys: Rocco, Manny,
and Nesta
In March of 2010 she felt
comfortable enough with her
creations to start a Facebook
page called Beth’s Cakes, so she
could post photographs of her
more unique baking creations.
Little did she know, she had just
turned up the heat on her hobby.
“People started ordering
almost immediately. Things got
hectic quickly, and in the fall of
2010, I found out I was pregnant
with Rocco.” Sanchez was
homeschooling her children at
the time, and with the pregnancy,
a decision had to be made as to
whether she would continue the
homeschooling, or the business,
as time would not allow for both.
She and Michael discussed it with
their children, and they decided
they would enroll the children in
public school and this would allow
Beth’s Cakes to continue.
Her success on the social
media network continued, and
with other local publicity, she
found herself, once again, up
against adversity. The Health
Department was knocking at her
door.
“I never realized what I was
doing was illegal,”
Sanchez remembers,
referring to the fact she
was selling her goods
from her home kitchen.
“We were just trying
to make enough to
buy a car seat for the
baby and buy formula.”
Nevertheless, Beth
Sanchez had committed
herself to doing
whatever she did, in the
right way. Beth’s Cakes
was on hold.
As if her life was being
written for a Hollywood
drama television show,
it was only a few days
later that she received
word that her beloved
Grammy had passed
break.
Her absence was noticed in
the social media world, as well
as by people who recognized her
from her Internet page, including
one of the nurses in the delivery
room when she was giving birth
everywhere who knew of Beth’s
Cakes,” she said, “and we began
to feel like we should try to make
a go of it”.
Following the birth of Rocco,
Beth and Michael took the money
from Michael’s 401k and invested
business venture. That venture
failed, even before it opened. “It
was a hard lesson learned,” stated
Beth.
Once again, Beth was faced
with giving up on another dream,
but deep in her heart, she knew
she had to continue somehow. “I
love my husband so much, and
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 6

I wanted to be able to help take
him,” Beth states. “Through it all,
he kept encouraging me.”
when they encountered a man
at their child’s cheerleading
practice who had access to a
commercial kitchen. In February
of 2012, Beth’s Cakes was back
in business.
During this same time,
Sanchez received a call from
a casting agency who had
received her information which
was submitted for consideration
for a baking reality show. She
had been called the year before,
but never made it past the video
stage of the competition. This
time, she was invited to a casting
call in person and arrangements
York City in July.
“My husband is such a great
supporter. He drove me to
the airport along with all of our
headed to the dentist for a root
canal,” Beth recalls. Although she
wasn’t cast in this particular show,
she was blessed to have realized
her life-long dream of standing on
Broadway.
Today, Beth’s Cakes Facebook
page has over 4,000 followers in
20 countries, with a weekly total
reach of between 5,000 to 13,000
people, with a potential total reach
of over 1 million people. But the
social media page fails to tell the
story of Beth Sanchez.
She has known adversity from
a very young age, and has been
the victim of bad circumstances
on many occasions. She has
survived seeing her mother battle
cancer, her parent’s divorce, her
mother’s struggle with addictive
Beth with her children.
pain medication, her lost dream
of attending Juilliard, a strained
marriage of her own, a failed
business, and endured two years
of drug abuse. She has every
excuse in the world to be bitter
and justify why life isn’t fair.
You’ll never hear excuses from
Beth Sanchez. She understands
that while life isn’t always easy
for her, it wasn’t always easy for
her parents, either. She learned
valuable lessons from her parents
and the struggle they went
through: never quit, never give
up on a dream, and if you have
faith, good will come. She blames
no one for her place in life or
the adversity she’s faced. She’s
always managed to look for the
icing on the cake.
“My favorite bible verse is
Romans 8:28,” Beth says, “It was
my daddy’s favorite and it was
his father’s favorite. When my
grandpa was dying, daddy asked
him why it was his favorite, and he
said, ‘ Because it’s true’.”
Romans 8:28 And we know
that all things work together for
good to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according to his purpose. (King
James Version).
At the time of this writing, Beth
housing the commercial
kitchen she uses is being
another location soon or
temporarily shut down
Beth’s Cakes. “A door will
open,” she says. “God will
provide. I believe with all my
heart that if we will faithfully
use the gifts we are given
and give God the glory, He
will continue to bless the
Sanchez family.”
To the people who stood
around her on that New
York City street, she was
just another tourist; a visitor
who was in awe of the bright
Apple.
Little did they know that
she was in awe of so much more
than the glitz and glamour of this
far-away place she had dreamed
of as a child. She was in awe
of the magic of life, and how
unforeseen forces, and seemingly
unfair circumstances, can lead
one toward dreams they weren’t
even aware of, or could never
have imagined. Her life had made
a 360 degree turn around from
where it could have been on many
occasions.
Staring at the lights of
Broadway, Beth Sanchez couldn’t
help but wonder how her life
had made it here when she was
eighteen-- but Juilliard doesn’t
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 7

Community News
3rd Annual Fishing for Food
The trout season opens at Lake
Helen at Elmer Thomas Park
on November 17th, 2012.
It’s also the 3rd Annual Fishing
for Food.
Fishermen and women are
asked to bring a canned food or
non-perishable food item and enjoy
“It’s a fun event, for the whole
family, its open to the entire
other prizes to give away,” says
Councilman Michael Tenis, “the
pounds of food for the Food Bank,
in addition we have raised over
several hundred hundred dollars,
with about 1500 participants over
the past couple of years.”
Trout Fishing Day of Fun will be
Saturday, November 17th, 2012 at
Lake Helen in Elmer Thomas Park
from 8-noon.
All local citizens are invited out
No permits required for this date
and time.
the local Lawton Food Bank.
For more information contact the
Department of Parks & Recreation
at 580.581.3400
Lawton Pro Musica Celebrating 10th Anniversary Season
Lawton Pro Musica will celebrate
its 10th Anniversary season in
2012-2013.
Lawton Pro Musica was formed
in the spring of 2003 by a group
of friends who loved to sing. After
seeing a need for a professional
chorus, Nancy Willoughby
called other musicians in town
who agreed to be a part of the
June 10, 2003. There were more
than 100 people in that audience
and the concert was received with
great enthusiasm.
Lawton Pro Musica was
incorporated in 2004 and received
is governed by a board of directors
and supported with donations or
memberships. Lawton Pro Musica
is a member group of Arts for All.
Nancy Willoughby has continued
as conductor since 2003 with Yiuka
Chan Spannagel as the current
pianist. The group consists of 12-16
singers residing in area cities and
representing many occupations
including teachers, ministers,
lawyers, and military personnel.
Many of the singers have music
degrees and all are experienced in
classical choral work.
Throughout its history Pro
Musica has based its repertoire on
a broad base of choral classics,
opera choruses, popular and
Broadway music, and vocal jazz
thus providing variety for both
singers and audiences. It has also
become a tradition to invite the
audience to sing along on several
songs during each concert.
Lawton ProMusica will present
its 10th Anniversary Holiday
Concert on December 4th, 2012,
at 7 p.m. The concert will be held at
First Presbyterian Church, located
at 13th and A Avenue in Lawton.
Concert goers will experience
the glory and majesty of the holiday
season as they listen to beautiful
choral music featuring many songs
sung in past ProMusica Holiday
Concerts. There will be carols
both ancient and modern, songs
of warmth, love, and family, and
familiar songs for everyone to sing
together.
Choral selections will include
Gloria by John Rutter; African
Noel by Andre Thomas; Gloria by
Jackson Berkey; Carols from the
Southwest by Conrad Susa; Glory
Hallelujah to the Newborn King by
Rosephanye Powell; Somewhere
in My Memory by John Williams
(from Home Alone); and Gloria by
Antonio Vivaldi.
Visit www.lawtonpromusica.
org or like Lawton ProMusica on
Facebook.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 8

Who the heck is Lucille?
You have to wait. That’s the
rest of the story.
Depending on who is
telling the story or when,
Lucille was born in San
Antonio, Texas, on March
23, 1905 or 1906 or 1908.
The 1910 census shows her
didn’t start recording births
until 1908. For reasons
known only to her, Lucille
used 1908 as the date of
her birth in later years. One
thing I can state positively;
Lucille was born.
Lucille’s father, Thomas
LeSueur, left her mother,
Anna Bell Johnson, about
the time of Lucille’s birth
and Anna Bell brought
her baby to Lawton,
Oklahoma, Again, there is
some confusion about the
year.
On Fourth Street across
the alley from the old
City Hall was the Ramsey
Building, which contained hotel
Drug, and the Ramsey Opera
House which usually had traveling
Vaudeville shows.
The Opera House was operated
by Mr. Henry J. Cassin whom Anna
Bell married at some point. They
lived at 910 D Avenue in a small but
nice house which is still standing.
Lucille, who preferred to be
called Billie by her friends and
playmates, whom she entertained
by producing her own shows. She
loved to dance and drew some of
her shows from what she had seen
at the Opera House.
Across the street was a boy at
least ten years older than Lucille
named Don Blanding. Not a
playmate, Don has importance to
Lucille’s story for a special reason.
One day she was playing and got in
Memories of Yesteryear:
Lucille Lived in Lawton
the path of
a speeding
car. Don
told of
heroically
making
a football
tackle on
the little girl
to remove
her from
danger.
On
another
occasion,
Lucille cut her foot badly and Don
carried her home to be cared for.
Don Blanding became known later
as The Vagabond Poet and was
involved in directing some short
For varied reasons, depending
on the teller of the story, the family
moved to Kansas City about 1916
where the family split up and Lucille
before being placed in St. Agnes
Catholic boarding school where
she eventually had to work for her
keep.
Lucille never lost her desire to
dance and entertain and, with all
odds against her, she became a
top Hollywood star named Joan
Crawford.
In the 1930s Lucille/Joan
happened to meet an old
acquaintance, Don Blanding, and
by Arlie D. Wood
asked him, “Do you know you once
saved my life.” She asked Don for
a poem.
The Little Girl Across the
Street
by Don Blanding
She was just the little girl who
lived across the street, All legs
and curl and great big eyes and
restless dancing feet,
As vivid as a humming bird, As
bright and swift and gay, A child
who played at make believe
throughout the livelong day.
With tattered old lace curtains
and a battered feather fan, She
swept and preened as “actress”
with grubby snub nosed clan
Of neighborhood kids for
audience enchanted with the
play, A prairie Bernhardt for a
while and then she went away.
We missed her on the little
street, her laughter and her fun
Until the dull years blurred her
name as years have ever done.
A great premiere in
Hollywood…the lights, the crowd
the cars, The frenzied noise of
greeting to the famous movie
stars,
The jewels, the lace, the
ermine coats, the ballyhoo
and cries, The peacock
women’s promenade, the bright
mascaraed eyes…
The excited whisper as a
limousine draws near’ “Oh, look,
It’s Joan, It’s Joan It’s Joan” on
every side I hear
The chatter, gossip,
envy,sighs, conjectures, wonder,
praise, As memory races back
to early prairie days,
The little girl across the
street… the funny child I knew
Who dared to dream her
splendid dreams
And make her dreams come
true.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 9

NOVEMBER 2012
calendar of events
Community
NOVEMBER 3
54th Annual Lawton BPW Fashion Show
Provides scholarlships for young women to attend Cameron
University or Great Plains Technical
Lawton Country Club
11 a.m.
580.695.6659
NOVEMBER 6
Huntington’s Disease Support Group
1st Tuesday of each month
Westminster Presbyterian Church
7 p.m.
NOVEMBER 9
J. Roy Dunning Children’s Shelter Breakfast
Fundraiser
Golden Corral, Lawton
6:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.
NOVEMBER 17
Lake Helen Trout Fishing
Bring a canned good for Lawton Food Bank
Elmer Thomas Park, Lawton
8 a.m.
580.581.3400
Area Events
NOVEMBER 5
Christmas on the Chisholm Trail
Chisholm Trail Heritage Center, Duncan
For groups, schools, families and individuals.
Pre-registration 580.252.6692
November 5 - December 14
Taste of Home Cooking School/Show
Simmons Center, Duncan
3:30 p.m.
580.255.1350
NOVEMBER 8
Making Sense of Civil War
Lawton Public Library
6:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker: Lance Janda, PhD
580.581.3450
NOVEMBER 15
Lunch Bag Lecture
Leslie Powell Gallery, Lawton
12:15 p.m.
Christine Young: Middle Aged Mom Meets Middle East
580.357.9526
NOVEMBER 17
Humane Society Adopt-a-Thon
Pet Sense, Cache Road, Lawton
November 17 - 18
Please come out and adopt your new best friend and make
Lavender Valley Acres Fall Open House
Lavender Valley Acres, Apache
Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
580.588.2855
Holiday GIFTS n’ GLITZ
Duncan Chamber of Commerce, Duncan
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
580.255.3644
Main Street Duncan Holiday Stroll
Mainstreet Duncan, OK
5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
580-252-8696
Holiday in the Park Parade
6th & Ferris to Elmer Thomas Park 3rd Street Entrance
6:30 p.m.
Holiday in the Park
Elmer Thomas Park, Lawton
6 p.m.
Through January 5, 2013
NOVEMBER 20
20th Annual Chickasha Festival of Light
Shannon Springs Park, Chickasha
6 p.m.
November 20 - December 31
Health and Wellness
NOVEMBER 10
Dash Thru Cache, 5K & One Mile Fun Run
Cache First United Methodist Church
580.429.3323
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 10

ROAR (Reach Out and Run) 5K
Halliburton Stadium, Duncan
8:30 a.m.
580.255.0467
10th Annual Health Fair
Rose Hill Church of Christ, 1405 SW Tennessee, Lawton
10 a.m.
580.483.7798
NOVEMBER 17
18th Annual Frost Ya Fanny 5K
Museum of the Great Plains
5 p.m.
580.581.3400
Local Flavor
NOVEMBER 10
Fall Foliage Walk
Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, West of Lawton
November 10 & 17, 10 a.m.
Reservations 580.429.2151
NOVEMBER 16
Fall Classic Hog Conference
Stephens County Fairgrounds, Duncan
November 16 - 19, 7:30 a.m.
765.463.3594
NOVEMBER 22
Rising Stars Calf Roping
Stephens County Fairgrounds, Duncan
November 22 - 25
479.462.7275
NOVEMBER 24
OK Palomino Horse Show
Grady County Fairground, Chickasha
405.933.0897
NOVEMBER 30
Wichita Mountains Classic Steer & Heifer Show
Great Plains Coliseum, Lawton
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
580.355.3541
Art & Crafts
NOVEMBER 2
St. Paul’s Annual Art Show
St. Paul United Methodist Church, Lawton
Friday, 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.,
Sunday, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
580.355.5757
NOVEMBER 3
City Art Walk 2012
Leslie Powell Gallery and Museum of the Great Plains, Lawton
6 p.m.
580.357.9526 or 580.581.3460
NOVEMBER 9
Fine Art Holiday Show 2012
Stephens County Fairgrounds
Friday, 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday, 10 p.m. - 5 p.m.,
Sunday, 1p.m. - 4 p.m.
580.252.7488
NOVEMBER 16
Craft Harvest
Great Pains Coliseum, Lawton
Friday, Saturday & Sunday
580.357.5694
Craft and Quilt Show
Grady County Fairgrounds, Chickasha
Friday & Saturday
405.224.2216
NOVEMBER 17
Loom Beading Workshop with Eleanor McDaniel
Museum of the Great Plains
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
580.581.3460
Arts for All Gala
Great Plains Coliseum
7 p.m.
580.248.5384
Hide Tipi Making Workshop with Jimmy Arterberry
Museum of the Great Plains
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
580.581.3460
NOVEMBER 26
Young Artist’s Reception
McMahon Auditorium, Lawton
5 p.m.
580.581.3470
Film
NOVEMBER 11
Comanche Nation College Film Festival
Comanche Nation College, 1608 SW 9th St, Lawton
580.591.0203
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 11

calendar of events
NOVEMBER 16
Magic Lantern Film Society
Cameron University, CETES Conference Center, Room B
7:30 p.m.
Days of Being Wild
www.cameron.edu/magiclantern
NOVEMBER 30
Magic Lantern Film Society
Cameron University, CETES Conference Center, Room B
7:30 p.m.
The Bank Dick
www.cameron.edu/magiclantern
Music
NOVEMBER 29
A Jazz Christmas
With David Anderson and Friends
McMahon Auditorium, Lawton
7 p.m.
580.531.5043
Concert Choir Holiday Concert
Te Ata Auditorium, USAO, Chickasha
7:30 p.m.
405.574.1298
Theatre
NOVEMBER 2
Quilters
Blue Moon Productions, Centenary United Methodist, Lawton
November 2, 3, 9, 10. Dinner 7 p.m., Show 8 p.m.
580.591.6730
NOVEMBER 15
Table Manners
Cameron University Theatre, Lawton
November 15, 16, 17, 7:30 p.m., November 18, 2 p.m.
580.581.2478
I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning
Duncan Little Theatre, Duncan Golf and Country Club
Ballroom, Duncan
November 15, 16, 17, 7:30 p.m
580.467.0299

TRAVELOK.COM
GREATPLAINSCOUNTRY.COM

Just
west of the
intersection
of SW 11th
Street and
Park Ave in
Lawton, OK
one of the
best-kept
secrets in
Lawton.
The
smallish
building may
not look like
much, but
inside you’ll
food that
hospitality.
I’ll be honest, when I was driving
in from 11th and Lee just two blocks
north and turned in where I saw the
doesn’t look promising.” But, once
I looked slightly west of the empty
service station parking lot to the
sign, I was breathing a little easier.
There were just a few cars in
the parking lot, but since I didn’t
arrive until a little after 7:30 p.m. I
didn’t think much of it. I’d obviously
missed the Thursday evening
dinner rush.
Stepping inside, I found a
small, but spacious, dining area
complimented by wood siding
walls, tastefully adorned with
Mexican decor. When I was
greeted with a warm “Hola”, I had a
feeling this was going to be a good
experience.
Guadalajara Taqueria
A Fiesta for Your Taste Buds
As with most Mexican
restaurants, shortly after arriving
at my table I was munching on
chips and salsa while I perused the
everything from a variety of tacos,
tostadas, and tortas to burritos,
enchiladas, and fajitas can be
found on this menu.
They even serve breakfast (from
7 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.). I settled on
the Enchiladas Rancheras which
came with one beef, one chicken,
and one cheese enchilada covered
in ranchero sauce, served with rice
and beans – with ice tea to drink.
(By the way, they serve horchata
which is one of my favorite nonalcoholic
Mexican drinks, but that
will have to be for another visit.)
For starters, the salsa was fresh,
enough heat. It didn’t take long for
my dinner to arrive and I was just
as pleased with the enchiladas as
the salsa. The cheese and beef
enchiladas were tasty, but I feel
I have to talk about the chicken
enchilada; I’ve never really been a
fan of the chicken enchilada. Don’t
get me wrong, I love chicken, but
they just aren’t my thing. That could
change when I visit the Taqueria
again. I can honestly say that their
chicken enchilada is better than
most; I mean, I’m actually looking
forward to having another. All of
the enchiladas were served with
a generous amount of ranchero
sauce, and smothered in melted
cheese. The rice was
standard Mexican rice,
but with the addition of
corn, which was pretty
good.
It seems I’m not the
only fan of Guadalajara
Taqueria; the restaurant
has a 4.5 out of 5 star
rating on yelp.com and
a 5 star/96% approval
rating on urbanspoon.
com. A quick scan of the
websites tells me that the
tacos should be the next
thing I try.
One of the reviews mentioned
that the food is the most authentic
Mexican food the person had eaten
since they visited Brownsville, TX.
I would have to agree. If you’re
looking for Tex-Mex, you might
want to visit Cache Road, but if
you’re looking for superb, authentic
Mexican food you need to check
out Guadalajara Taqueria. The best
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 14

There is no place for women in
football.
For years, women have heard
or experienced this mentality.
Thenotion has been reinforced by
the historical ban
of women from
competing in the
sport.The modern
lingerie league
is an exception;
but, let’s faces it,
is not the same
as the NFL on
many levels. For
decades, women
with interest in
football have
been taught the
only place they
belongis on the
sidelines wearing
a cheerleading
uniform.
Nowadays, ESPN has
female anchors, analysts and
commentators. And, there is no
question that football stadiums are
just as enthralled in the game as
the men next to them.
Although many of these
stereotypes have been demolished,
the fact remains that women still
they?
Fantasy football is not just
an internet game for fans that is
Fantasy Leagues Allow Women
to Dominate on the Field by Amanda Herrera
women to participate in football in
ways never experienced by their
gender.
Because success in fantasy
leagues is dependent on familiarity
with NFL players, researching
projections and stats and a whole
lot of luck, it virtually levels the
Okay, women are not actually
suiting up and going to battle on the
can join a fantasy league and
experience the game in more ways
than just watching a few games on
TV on Sunday afternoons.
Beth Sanchez, a Lawton
resident and player of fantasy
women who enjoy NFL football and
have never before participated in a
fantasy league.
“My biggest piece of advice is to
do your homework,” she said.
“Read stats. Keep yourself
updated on injuries and bye weeks.
You don’t want to play someone
who is benched
Keep in mind the
weather, location
of the game and
follow the personal
information that
might be available
about your players.
Did their wife just
have a baby?
Were they recently
arrested? How far
did they have to
travel to play? You
know, things that
might keep you
from your game.
They’re people, too.”
Sanchez said it’s also important
to choose the right league in which
to participate.
“I’d suggest that women and
league, Sanchez said.“A fantasy
football league that is unorganized
can be frustrating and it’s supposed
to be fun.”
Karen Maddox is a local woman
who grew up with two older
brothers. She said she’s enjoyed
professional football and followed it
nearly her entire life. This year, she
time.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 15

Expires 12/31/2012
8232 State Hwy. 17, Elgin
23975 State Hwy. 49, Medicine Park
629 SW C Avenue, Lawton
4005 West Gore, Lawton
Dede Armes
Residential Mortgage
Specialist
NMLS#867175

“I only hope that
we never lose sight of
one thing – that it was
all stared by a mouse.”
Those words were
famously spoken by Walt
Disney at Disneyland in
Anaheim, CA on October
27, 1954. It may be true
that the Disney franchise
and its kingdoms wouldn’t
be where they are now
without the unfathomable
popularity of a little
mouse, but we can
thank Charles Mintz of
Universal Studios for that.
Let me explain.
In the spring of 1928,
the series Oswald the
Lucky Rabbit, an early creation
designed by Walt Disney for Mintz
was going strong when Disney
asked for an increase in budget.
Mintz instead told Disney that
he was cutting his budget by 20
percent and, thinking he had
Disney over a barrel, reminded
Disney that he owned the rights
to the character. To add insult
to injury, Mintz revealed that he
had signed a number of Disney’s
current employees to his new
contract. Angry, Disney refused the
cartoons that he contractually owed
Mintz.
After being betrayed by the
former employees, and having
to learn the lesson the hard way
about owning all rights to the
characters his company produced,
he was determined to develop a
new character that would be bigger
and better than Oswald the Lucky
Rabbit. Disney asked his lead
artist, Ub Iwerks, to start drawing
up new character ideas. Various
animals, such and dogs and cats,
were produced, but Disney didn’t
Finally, Disney found inspiration in
Happy Birthday Mickey Mouse by Jim Joplin
Walt and his many
Mickeys.
an old friend;
Disney used his
old pet mouse
from when he
was a child
on the farm.
Hugh Harmon
was asked to
draw some
sketches of a
mouse around
a photograph
be astounded.
So, why all of the “Mickey”
talk? Well, this month marks the
appearance, “Steamboat Willie.”
way: Disney utilized a new means
of soundtracking by using clicks
that allowed the background
music, the whistling, and the voice
of Mickey to sync up correctly.
By the by, “Steamboat” was not
of Walt Disney
himself. These
sketches
were used
as inspiration
for Iwerks
to create a
new mouse
character for Disney. Walt and Roy Disney with Mickey Mouse and a
“Mortimer Mouse”
special Academy Award.
had been the name thought up
by Disney, but his wife, Lillian, seen in “Plane Crazy” on May 15,
convinced him to change it, and 1928 and his second short “The
ultimately Mickey Mouse was born.
Iwerks designed Mickey’s body was seen by the public because
using circles because it made
the character simple to animate. Disney, the man and the company,
Mickey’s circular design is most
noticeable in his ears, which in of Mickey on November 18, 1928
traditional animation, always as his birthday, even though it is
appear circular no matter which
way Mickey was facing. The appearance.
reasons were two-fold: This made I’ve done a little looking and
Mickey easily recognizable, and it doesn’t appear that there is
the two smaller circles on the anything special going on this year
for Mickey’s birthday, but there
personal trademark. Even now, the seems to be a little talk already
symbol is often used by the Disney going on for next year’s 85th
Company to represent Mickey. celebration. Keep your eyes peeled
When you have a few hours to and maybe you can get a head start
waste, I suggest searching “hidden on next year.
mickey” on Google and get ready to
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 17

OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 18

Check out our selection of
Flours/Sweeteners/Mixes
We have Quality Meats &
Produce, plus everything
you need for your
Special Dietary Needs
810 SW C Avenue
Lawton, OK
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 19

VENDORS
5 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Laugh Out Loud Community Rooms
6720 Quannah Parker Trailway, Lawton, Oklahoma
An evening of shopping, fashion, pampering, food, entertainment, and fun!
Admission is free.
Visit us on Facebook or call 580.536.9500 for more information.
Body by Vi
Simply Fun Playologist
The Pink Zebra Salon
Silpada Jewelry
Rhinestone Razor
It Works
Pampered Chef
Arbonne
Green Lion Gift Baskets
Cathy Nail Spa
Be Creative
Katie Farnsworth
Thirty-One
Paparazzi Accessories
Avon
Mary Kay Cosmetics
Close to My Heart
Azuli Skye Jewelry
Herbalife
Waddell & Reed
Vault Denim
Lavender Valley Acres
The Growing Tree Home Daycare
Glitter & Bling
Beauticontrol
Lean 2 Metal Art
Lawton Heritage Compounding
Pharmacy
Health Food Center
Brickhouse Cardio Club
Dr. Brett Warn, DDS
Platt College
Mayor’s Commission on the Status
of Women
STAGE:
5 p.m. - 6 p.m. Brickhouse Cardio
Club Demonstration
6 p.m. -7 p.m. Maurices Fashion
Show
7 p.m. - 8 p.m. Belly Dancing
8 p.m. - 9 p.m. Music by Amanda
Kidd and Company
FOOD:
The Bent Fork Catering
Tastefully Simple
Beth’s Cakes

Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving Day,
traditionally the beginning of the Christmas shopping
season. On this day, most major retailers open
In recent years shoppers have become increasingly
more unruly, pinning employees against stacks
of merchandise and sometimes even resorting to
violence while trying to grab up bargains. People have
used pepper spray
on other shoppers,
stabbed volunteers
and even threatened to
shoot other shoppers
waiting in line. In 2008,
a WalMart emplyee was
trampled and killed by
shoppers rushing the
entrance of the store.
OKIE has asked
Mortimor to help readers
with suggestions on how
to stay safe during the
insanity.
The man in line
waiting for the doors
to open and wearing
the cape and mask is
probably going to do
more harm than good.
How to Stay Safe
During Black Friday Shopping
The guy behind
you in line who keeps asking, “Does this smell like
chloroform to you?” is only trying to get your place in
line.
That lady that arrived with three kids, all wearing
football helmets-- avoid being near her when the doors
open--following her in only sounds good in theory.
Don’t count on that 5’6”, 140 lb. security guard
for your safety. It’s 38 degrees and he’s sweating
Don’t be so quick to call everybody else waiting in
by Mortimor Oullouitious Snerkleschwartz
line, ‘stupid.’ You’ve been here six hours so you can get
a chance at buying that special limited edition doll for
your child, who will spend more time enjoying the box it
came in than the doll itself.
Sure it’s safe. Over 2,000 people, unsupervised, in
the dark, no metal detectors or security to speak of, all
planning on going through a 48 square foot opening at
It should not
be ignored that
Oklahoma’s “open
exaclty 23 days before
Black Friday.
The lady wearing
the neck brace in
the wheelchair, with
the oxygen tank,
who secured a place
in handicapped
parking and the front
of the line may be
miraculously cured of
all her ailments when
the lock is turned on
that store door.
Probation,
protective orders
and house-arrest
ankle bracelets mean
nothing to the person
intent on getting the 52” plasma television for an
unbelievable price. Be careful.
You’ll make more money if you stand safely to the
side and video the massacre. The news wire services
will pay you top dollar for the story.
If your strategy for getting the best deals on Black
Friday involves recruiting a team of retired “special ops”
people you should maybe stick to homemade gifts.
Seal Team Six turned down the same mission.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 21

Lawton’s Premier Dog and Cat Headquarters
A huge selection for your furry friends
Leashes, collars, and tags!
A variety of food for all diets!
Baked goods and snacks!
Toys and accessories galore!
Grooming for all breeds and
styles!
1302 NW 47th Street
580.536.5505
A Wicked Web Design is a Lawton,
Oklahoma family-owned, web
development company, committed to
developing web sites that meet your
needs and the needs of your business.
We Are Your Wicked Easy Solution.
Call 580.514.2227 for your free
consultation
staff@AWickedWebDesign.com
www.AWickedWebDesign.com
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 22

Make reservations now for holiday
boarding, so your “pets can stay while you
go play” at Camp Creekside!
5220 NW Cache Road
Lawton, OK
Phone 580.351.0581 Fax 580.351.6929
Monday - Friday: 8a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday:
8:00-12:00
Closed Sunday
cahpets@yahoo.com
Find us on the web at www.cahpets.net
MEET
MEESHA
PET OF THE MONTH
MEESHA - F, Mixed Breed, approximately
4 months old. She is Alpha dominant and
doesn’t like other dogs in her food bowl.
She is housebroken and loves to lay on
your lap while you watch TV. She is current
with her shots and she is spayed. If you are
interested in adopting her, please contact
Josh at 937.407.1247.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 23

The Domestic Diva
Transcending the Turkey Sandwich
Southwestern Turkey
Soup
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked
turkey
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled
tomatoes
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green
chile peppers
2 roma (plum) tomatoes,
chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado - peeled, pitted and
diced
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack
In a large pot over medium heat,
combine turkey, broth, canned
tomatoes, green chiles, fresh
tomatoes, onion, garlic, and
lime juice. Season with cayenne,
cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring
to a boil, then reduce heat, and
simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in avocado and cilantro,
and simmer 15 to 20 minutes,
until slightly thickened. Spoon
into serving bowls, and top with
shredded cheese.
Turkey Pot Pie
1 can of mixed vegetables
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 can (10-3/4 ounces)
condensed golden mushroom
soup, undiluted
Pastry for double-crust pie (9
inches)
1 tablespoon milk
In a large resealable plastic
shake to coat. Add turkey, soup,
and mixed vegetables; mix well.
Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom
crust. Add turkey mixture. Roll
slits in pastry. Brush with milk.
Cover edges loosely with foil.
Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes
or until golden brown. Serve
warm.
The Pilgrim Hoagie
1 hoagie roll
2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
6-8 ounces leftover turkey, sliced
2 slices of white American
cheese
Mayo/Dijon Mustard
Layer the ingredients on the
hoagie. Wrap hoagies in foil
and heat in 350 degrees F. oven
until cheese is melted, about 15
minutes.
Sweet Leftover Turkey
Salad
4 cups cooked chopped turkey
kernels
1/2 cup raisins
2 small apples, cored and
diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 lemon, juiced
In a salad bowl, combine the
apples, mayonnaise, salt, and
lemon juice; mix well. Refrigerate
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 24

Blackened Voodoo - Dixie
Brewing Co.
I’ll be honest, I’ve had this before,
but many many moons ago back
let’s face it, it’s a pretty cool label
and wanted to give it a go again.
Pours a clear, reddish brown with
left quick but settled to a thin cap
with decent lacing. Aromas are
very faint, some caramel and
roast. Tastes open surprisingly on
the sweeter side than expected
toasted grains, very slow creeping
of bitterness but there’s no hops
presence at all. Mild carbonation
makes for easy drinking. Not bad.
Ace Hard Pumpkin Cider
- California Cider Co.
CHEERS!
A Beverage and Cigar Experience by Travis Storck
I was holding out for an actual
pumpkin ale I really wanted to
try, but couldn’t get my hands
on, so went with this for a bit
recommendation of one of the
guys at my favorite package
store. Pours a crystal clear,
pale, honey gold. Being a cider,
I wouldn’t expect any head so
there was none, though it is quite
is very faint. Flavors starts with
a wash of juicy sweetness that’s
followed by waves of allspice and
cinnamon. Pumpkin creeps up
spices take over. Overall, I quite
enjoyed this as a great seasonal
alternative.
Pinot Noir - Cupcake
Vineyards
Dark ruby in color, thin viscosity.
Aromas are faint with some spice
and berry. As the label would
imply, I am getting some cherry
and currants, and the spice, but
very faint, as well as a hint of
smoke or char. Juicy, though a bit
on the thinner side than I’d like,
little alcohol burn in the back.
Finishes dry. Not a bad pinot
overall to be honest for the $10
range, but I have had better (and
worse...).
Siglo Limited Reserve IV
- Altadis
The cigar’s appearance is
smooth, nice construction, with
minimal veining in the wrapper.
The pre-light draw was good and
not too restrictive. Was easily lit
and began a consistent, even
burn. Flavors started out quite
slightly earthy, roasted nuts,
almost creamy, some faint pepper
spice with a good amount of
smoke in the draw. By the second
third the cigar began to lose the
creaminess and roast, bringing a
touch of bitterness and a peppery
bite was creeping in. The last third
was much less remarkable as the
bitterness took over. Some slight
burn issues after the halfway
point. It began as a great smoke
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 25

Coming in November
to the
Lawton - Fort Sill Art
Council
November 14 – Art building open for free style 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
November 15 – Board and General Meeting with Juanita Pahdopony demonstrating
her 3-D art. She is an incredible Comanche Artist with national recognition.
November 15 - City of Lawton Parade (features the LFSACfloat). Meeting at 4 p.m.
to decorate. Call Claudia Tasca for details.
November 16 – Solo Art Show- Candace Glydwell “Holding Honesty”
The Lawton-Fort Sill Art Council’s mission is to promote the appreciation,
enjoyment, education and distribution of the visual arts with the Lawton-
Fort Sill community.
LFSAC meets every third Thursday of the month for a General Meeting at
7:00 pm to include an artist demonstration and /or lecture. Refreshments are
provided. The demo is FREE and open to the public. Hand-on workshops the
first Friday of every month for LFSAC members from 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
1701 Ferris Ave
Lawton, OK
580.591.0454
www.lfsac.org
http://www.facebook.com/
lawtonfortsillartcouncil

Place a digit from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so every row, every
column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
Solution on page 35
Lean 2 Welding & Metal Art
by Brian Parks
Custom welding and metal
artwork done to your exact
Satisfaction guaranteed!
www.facebook.com/readokie
H.C. King Center
1705 NW 20th Street
Lawton, OK 73507
580.581.3481
twist on the traditional vendor expo!
Win quality vendor items/services for
MERE QUARTERS!
Saturday, December 1, 2012
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.- Drawing promptly at 2:30
MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN
For more information contact
quartermanialawton@yahoo.com
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 27

The Daughter of Dawn: Restored to Glory
When the
Oklahoma
Historical
Society
discovered
“The
Daughter of
Dawn,” an
historic silent
the summer
of 1920 in
the Wichita
Mountains
near Lawton with a cast made
entirely of Comanche and Kiowa
Indians, it took measures to restore
imagery to its former glory, but
it also recognized the need for
a score that would represent its
drama, emotions, and meaning.
The Oklahoma Historical
Society commissioned Comanche
composer Dr. David Yeagely to
hunt scenes and hand-to-hand
Oklahoma City University Orchestra
to perform the score.
Such projects might prompt
some musicians to research the
but Dr. Yeagely preferred a pure
approach instead.
“I refused to give myself that
kind of orientation. I have seen
be clean,” Dr. Yeagely said. “I took a
phenomenological approach to this
generate its own power. Do not
bring any impositions into it.”
Dr. Yeagely said he proceeded
with the project by timing each
a stopwatch and matched moods
to melodies, but he was averse to
shifting the sounds too swiftly. He
also developed the theme for the
titular character with the imagery of
her name in
mind.
“You
feel what is
being felt by
looking and
following
the story
and having
in your own
emotions
and vicarious
participation,”
said Dr.
Yeagely.
“You have
to become
a character,
and this
is why I
selected
themes for
characters.
The Indian
Flute is
exclusive
to Daughter of Dawn; when she
appears, this is what you hear.”
In the beginning, Dr. Yeagely
heard other concepts for the
amended them in order to convey
the correct feelings.
the rising of the sun,” Dr. Yeagely
said. “Interestingly, in the beginning
score, I had the Hollywood mindset.
it was boom, big orchestra and big
excitement. Moving forward, as I
was writing other parts, I thought
‘this is the wrong way to begin.’
This is about dawn, and dawn does
not begin with a bang.”
He then started anew by
selecting instrumentation that
evokes the same feelings the
steady sunrise brings.
by Sarah Brewer
night, and we are awakening the
sun. So, how do you do that? With
a noisemaker. I selected the rattle
rather than the drum. The rattle
is the noisemaker, and the bass
and cello is the deep, rigorous
awakening out of the darkness. But
then the music calms down, and
technique on the violin there that
was shimmering and glittering. The
dawn begins,”
Dr. Yeagely
said.
However,
Dr. Yeagely
made the
decision not
imbue his work
with historical
songs still
sung among
the Comanche
and Kiowa
people; the
score does not
resonate with the sounds that are
inherent in Native American music.
“One thing I do not do is use
traditional Indian rhythms or songs.
To me, those are sacred. Lots of
people would have expected to
hear powwow drums, but I was
hired as a symphonic composer
and the music through which I
auditioned was symphonic music,”
Dr. Yeagely said. “You will not hear
was a conscious decision on my
part.”
Dr. Yeagely likened his score to
bare bones, but his collaboration
with the student instrumentalists
in the Oklahoma City University
Orchestra essentially breathes new
lost forever.
Photos courtesy of Oklahoma
Historical Society.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 28

Reel
The holidays are upon us and
here in the Reel World that means
it’s time for my list of “Must See
Holiday Films.” Five movies that
warm your heart, tickle your funny
bone, and maybe even bring out
a tear or two. Without further ado,
let’s get to the list:
1. “The Family Stone” (2005;
PG13)
It has a
star studded
cast (Diane
Keaton, Craig
T. Nelson,
Claire Danes,
Sarah
Jessica
Parker,
Dermot
Mulroney,
Brian White,
Tyrone Giordano, Luke Wilson, and
Rachel McAdams) and pothole
laden plot dealing with issues such
as gay adoption, dealing with future
in-laws, drug use, broken promises,
cancer, all while celebrating a
Christmas which will be the last one
for the entire family to be together.
When I mentioned your heart,
your funny bone, and
your tears, this
one puts all
three into
play. Watch
this one
with your
entire family
to remind
yourselves
just how normal
you are, and to remind
you why you will always love each
other.
2. “Christmas Vacation” (1989;
PG13)
The second of the Vacation
movies brought us all back home.
Even if the only thing we had to
celebrate was the “Fruit of the
Month Club.”
Must See Holiday Films
World
The Griswolds are hosting the
entire family including Clark’s
parents, Ellen’s parents, his Uncle
Louis and (not all there) Aunt
Bethany, and the holiday wouldn’t
be the same with the ill-mannered
cousin-in-law Eddie, along with his
new trailer.
In preparation, Clark has
installed over 20,000 lights, but
who could have imagined that the
Christmas turkey would burst, Aunt
Bethany’s cat would chew on the
tree lights, and Uncle Louis would
burn down the tree? It’s a laugh a
minute with the Griswolds, so your
funny bone should get a good work
out.
3. “How the Grinch Stole
Christmas” (2000;PG)
Although
in the 1966
version, I’m
partial to the
Jim Carrey
version. The
does a great job bringing the Grinch
to life, and local-boy, Ron Howard,
does a great job directing.
We all know the story so I won’t
say, this movie will tickle your funny
bone and is sure to melt even the
smallest Grinch hearts who watch
this show.
4. “The Polar Express” (2004;
PG)
Tom Hanks,
Chris Coppola,
and Michael
Jeter lend
their voices to
this animated
feature which
dares you to
believe.
The story
is simple:
A doubting
boy takes a magical journey on
Christmas Eve aboard a train
headed to the North Pole.
be asking yourself if the producers
intended the characters to look so
much like the actors voicing them.
The answer would be a resounding,
with the actors acting then they
were “re-skinned” using a digital
animation process. All of the
children’s roles were acted by
adults with oversized props to get
the movements right.
5. “A Christmas Carol” (2009;
PG)
The
classic tale of
“A Christmas
Carol”
has been
brought to
life numerous
times. One of
my favorites
is actually
“Mickey’s
Christmas Carol” as well as the
made for TV version starring Patrick
Stewart. There’s even a musical
version that stars Kelsey Grammer,
but for the purpose of this list it has
to be Jim Carrey’s animated version
from 2009.
This is one of the most trueto-the-book
versions of Charles
Dickens’ classic novel. It’s another
cockles of your heart, even if you’ve
season.
Get the family together, pop
some microwave popcorn, and
during this Christmas season. After
all, during this time of the year, time
spent with family, friends, and those
you love is what is most important.
Until next time, I’ll see you at the
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 29

Elections are hard. Most of us
are gearing up to vote right now,
bringing to the table beliefs about
the nature of reality and the right
way to run a democratic society. Few
of us would ever suggest that our
political ideologies are 100% airtight,
absolutely correct.
Most of us are willing to admit
the possibility of there being at least
some error in our thinking on politics.
Self examination is hard, and each of
task.
That’s why you need me. I’ve
been watching for years, and feel
that I have more than enough data
to tell you exactly what is wrong with
each of you. I will be generalizing,
but that is to be expected. Here
is some constructive criticism.
REPUBLICANS: You’ll always be
disappointed in culture because,
unless you exclusively follow Ted
Nugent and Dennis Miller, you
opinions echoed in the arts or
mainstream media. This isn’t good or
bad. It just is.
Ditch the persecution complex,
admit that though the country may
is not actually going to hell in a handbasket.
You say you take political cues
from the Bible? Jesus Christ never
acted like a paranoid revolutionary
who compulsively needed to control
government with a moral majority in
order to keep it from “corrupting” him
or his people, and that government
actually did mean him harm and
eventually killed him.
I think that if your party can stop its
crazier members from saying sexist
things and declaring war on anything
that moves, then there is hope for the
GOP.
The 80s are over. Karl Rove isn’t
testing well with younger viewers.
Young people these days mostly like
you if you seem nice. That’s it.
DEMOCRATS: First, drop the “Demo.”
Constructive Criticism
An Election Breakdown
Studies indicate that millennials react
negatively to multisyllabic labels, so
let’s just go with “Crats” from now on.
Or even “The Cratz.” Think of it as
your version of “GOP.”
Also tolerance necessarily
extends to those with intolerant
viewpoints. This country was
founded on the right to disassociate,
so your party’s big wigs probably
need to not legislate against private
organizations (chicken restaurants,
scouting troupes) that make attempts
at mixing business and religion.
Persecuting people for their beliefs
almost never looks good historically.
Acceptable alternatives would be
to either boycott these organizations,
or if you must continue to take your
pages out of Jerry Falwell’s 1990s
playbook. Encourage your LGBT
clever names.
Also, lets see if we can’t get
that spending problem under
control. If the Bush administration
is “unpatriotic” for increasing the
national debt by $4 trillion in 8 years
(which they are), then mathematically
speaking, Barack Obama and his
cronies are 3 1/3 times as unpatriotic
for increasing it by $5 trillion in 3
years. Just something to chew on.
LIBERTARIANS: Always remember
this: You are partially right, but you
are also crazy. This is why people
duck into bathrooms when they see
you coming from across the mall.
by Keaton Lamle
for you to tell which part of you is
doing the speaking: The “correct”
part or the “crazy” part. Try to gauge
by the facial expressions of those
listening. Unless of course, like most
Libertarians you only hang out with
other Libertarians (which seems
impossible, but always turns out to
be the case) who are undoubtedly
nodding vigorously.
15 YEAR OLD COMMUNISTS:
What are you even doing?
We already have a century full of
evidence that this doesn’t work.
I’m surprised you even exist. No
girl wants to talk about “das uberbau”
at Starbucks, and you don’t have
enough life experience to really be
very interesting about anything you
didn’t read about.
Prognosis: Without a cool car high
school is probably going to be a long
four years for you.
ANARCHISTS: You should be
excluded from all positive and
reformative political discourse for
the same reasons that would bar
Richard Dawkins from ever teaching
the New Testament at my church.
When the only thing you have to say
on a subject is that, “It shouldn’t exist”
have already made an educated
decision to feel otherwise. I’m as
hesitant to classify this a political
opinion as I am to call atheism a
religion.
FASCISTS: This is America. You will
never be able to vote for no more
voting.
This country is lazier than I thought.
issues, put an end to a century long
search for national consensus, and
told multiple groups of people I have
never met exactly what is wrong
with their worldview. It took 3 cups
if the rest of this country were as
thoughtful and humble as I am, we
would have never gotten into this
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 30

The Governor’s Arts Awards is an annual event recognizing individuals and organizations
whose efforts have impacted the arts in their communities or throughout the state.
First awarded in 1975, the awards are presented by the Governor during a special ceremony
at the State Capitol.
The Media in the Arts Award is given to an individual member of the media or media
outlet that demonstrates commitment to the arts in Oklahoma documented through public
awareness, support, fairness, initiative, creativity and professionalism in reporting.
Honorees are:
KOSU Radio, Stillwater
OKIE Magazine, Lawton
RSU Public TV, Claremore
Join us for the 37th Annual Governor’s Arts Awards ceremony, Thursday,
November 8 at 4 p.m. in the fourth floor rotunda of the state Capitol as
Governor Mary Fallin honors this year’s recipients. The event is free and open
to the public. A reception with light refreshments will be held in the first floor
rotunda following the ceremony.
DJ’s Bait Shop
and
Rowdy Rascals
HOG DAY
Saturday,
November 3
$5 All You Can Eat
Breakfast
7 a.m.
Bike Rally/Dice Run
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Live Music from
Brown Stone Cooter
Killers, Six Gun
Roosters, WaYslde
All proceeds get
Oklahoma children
to Shriner’s Hospital
For more information, call
580.704.9356 or 580.588.2121
The Cajun
Peddler
1930 NW
Ferris
Suite 15
580.591.2832
The
Cajun
Peddler
A Little Bit of the Cajun
Country Right Here in
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We have ZAPPS
Chips, Cajun Coffee,
Seasonings, Sauces,
Etc.
We Do Special Orders!
Open Noon - 6 p.m.
Monday - Saturday
Come in and shop
for a spell!
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 31

Salton Sea: A Collection of Short Stories
George McCormick
references a derelict
landscape with the title
of his debut short-story
collection, “Salton Sea,”
but shared geographies
and sensibilities inhabit
this work and lure the
reader closer to inspect its
resident characters.
While the name of
his work comes from an
inland sea where the
Colorado River breached
shallow desert in in
California over a century
ago, McCormick sets the
other memorable stories
contained in “Salton Sea”
in contemporary times and
places them in other states
Oklahoma, Montana and
Idaho.
McCormick explained how
seeing submerged ruins that
populate the “Salton Sea” in
Southern California in the 1980s
fascinated him and formed the
idea for one story included in his
published work.
“It was this weird place when I
see the ruins of these old hotels
and things,” McCormick said. “Over
the years, I would travel through
there and thought it was such a
strange place. First of all, I liked the
sound of it, and secondly, I thought
it would be a very interesting setting
to have a story,” McCormick said. “I
like the idea of location and place
as a metaphor.”
These sustained metaphors
serve his stories well, especially
since his characters seem to be
drowning due to the vicissitudes of
their lives: They work dead endjobs
and deal with deteriorating
relationships, but carry on and try
Author George McCormick
leading their lives with dignity. In
the titular story, the narrator admits
his marriage dissolving with the
landscape.
When surveying the area that
surrounds the hotel where the
couple once honeymooned, the
narrator describes his hatred for
his wife a “bitter river spilling its
water,” and the algae below the
water are “cumulus, bloody forms
just under the surface.” These
conceits course through each story
in “Salton Sea,” and these details
breathe vibrancy back into a barren
landscape.
McCormick described how
his work shows his preference
for writing about the past, but the
author is averse to reminiscing
about the better days of bygone
eras.
by Sarah Brewer
but the stories that
people tend to really
person narratives that are
grounded in realism and
the world as we see it right
now,” McCormick said. “I
but I do not want to be
trapped in nostalgia.”
Instead of clinging to
and longing for the past,
McCormick allows certain
sensibilities to surface
elsewhere in his work,
and each story crests
with disappointment and
desolation. Sensory
language rushes in and
softens the prose that
surrounds the harsh
situations and emotions the
narrator endure when his
lover leaves him when she leaves
town in another story entitled “You
Are Going to be a Good Man.” He
thinks, “In the best possible version
of things that will not happen,
she will call and cry tonight. But,
the sooner all that won’t happen
happens, the closer I am to the
black and necessary despair I
know is coming. A black despair as
long and white as winter.”
Characters often leave each
other for other opportunities in
“Salton Sea,” but, like the tides,
what returns is a beautiful, aching
poignancy.
Thus far, “Salton Sea” has won
the 2011 Noemi Book Award for
Fiction. One story in the book,
entitled “The Mexican,” won the
PEN/O. Henry Award for 2013.
McCormick evokes an essence
inherent in American literature
authored by both John Steinbeck
and Cormac McCarthy, but his
straightforward storytelling leaves
much more beyond its surface.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page32

ACROSS
1. Value
10. What a person is called
14. 3-banded armadillo
15. Colored part of an eye
16. Is endebted to
17. Discourage
18. Air force heroes
19. Mountain pool
20. Sow
22. Small island
23. Egg cells
24. Specialty
26. Full of complexities
30. Parental brother
32. Product of bees
33. Self-employed person
37. Rectum
38. Operatic solos
39. Tiny sphere
40. Part of the Bible
42. African antelope
43. Mountain crest
44. Record player
45. Reject
47. Comes after Mi and Fah
48. Box
49. Loyalty
57. Rude person
58. Transparent
59. Portent
60. Not short
61. Ancient Greek marketplace
62. Whip mark
63. Type of sword
64. Territories
DOWN
1. Dry riverbed
2. Not closed
3. Rodents
4. Tall woody plant
5. Congruity
6. Tropical vine
7. Killer whale
8. Weight loss plan
9. Colognes
10. Pronounced
11. Flooded
12. European blackbird
13. Feudal worker
21. Old World vine
25. Sick
26. Not this
27. Sharpen
28. Burden
29. Diner
30. Pee
Solution on page 35
31. Tidy
33. Fuss
34. Close
35. Walking stick
36. Cocoyam
38. Willing to comply
41. Arrive (abbrev.)
42. Honorable
44. Soak
45. Foam
46. Discussion group
47. Twilled fabric
48. Put away
50. Coil
51. Solitary
52. Aquatic plant
53. A noble gas
54. Credit or playing
55. Historical periods
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page33

A man in a red and white plaid
shirt sits atop a broad tan horse
with muscles protruding. His
beaten cowboy hat sits low on his
He tightly clinches a pair of reins
in his left hand and a lasso in his
right. The lines in his weathered
neck speak his age. The horse
and the man work in unison to rein
in a head of livestock with a mind
of its own.
All of these details can be
observed upon a simple glance of
one of Tyler Crow’s paintings.
The young man only recently
graduated from Apache High
School in 2007, but has already
made a name for himself as a
western artist. Admirers of his
work expect him to go far. Still, he
remains modest.
“With the good Lord willing, I
hope to continue to paint and get
better and better everyday,” he said.
His website spins the tale of a
young boy with a fascination for
horses, one that stayed with him
through high school. Known as the
guy who always had a pencil in his
hand, Crow’s natural artistic talent
Tyler Crow
Young Western Artist Gaining Praise by Amanda Herrera
won him participation in a summer
painting workshop where it was
further honed.
His collection now consists of
vibrant oils that intricately depict
western scenes, mostly of cowboys
in ranch settings. His charcoals are
as brilliantly detailed, leaving color
to the imagination. However, none
of the people in Crow’s paintings
He often takes trips to ranches
in places like Wagoner, OK and
Madison, TX to gain the inspiration
for his artwork.
“It’s a blessing that I get to know
each of the people I paint,” Crow
said.
He sometimes photographs the
subjects and then paints them,
but also does linear sketches and
paints subjects live freehand as
well.
With his art centered on all
things cowboy, Crow has gained
a unique perspective on what the
term really means to him.
“A good cowboy is someone
like my dad or grandpa,” he said.
“A cowboy
is someone
who takes
pride in what
they stand
for, is a
good family
person, and
has God in
their heart.”
Crow
recently
received
the People’s
Choice
Award at
the Bosque
Arts Classic
and Small
Works, Great
Wonders.
Two
pieces of
his work will be featured beginning
Nov. 16 in the upcoming “Small
Works, Great Wonders” winter
art sale at the National Cowboy
and Western Heritage Museum in
Oklahoma City.
For more information on this
talented young western artist, visit
www.tylercrow.com.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page34

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Candles, Bulk
Herbs, Essential
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Dragons, Gargoyles,
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OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page35

Las Güeritas
by Jordan Godlewski
Las Güeritas is a shared love of creating between two
artisans, Crystal Mitchell and Teresa Mendenhall.
Mitchell and Mendenhall both started creating art as
a therapeutic tool that helps them stay in touch with
their artistic side despite both of them being full-time
working mothers.
“Las Güeritas’ inspiration is primarily based in the
traditional Mexican Dia de Los Muertos shrines
and sugar skulls,” Mitchell said. “American culture
encourages us to get over the death of our loved ones
as quickly as possible because mortality is a subject that
makes people uncomfortable.”
Both artists are share how they are fascinated and
inspired by Dia de los Muertos.
“Dia de los Muertos honors the life of the deceased with
food, drinks and other mementos to remember them in
a way that is more of a celebration than a funeral which
we find fascinating,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell and Mendenhall both recall creating art at an
early age only to join together to create Las Güeritas.
“We have both been creative from an early age,”
Mitchell said. “Teresa remembers putting together
Halloween costumes and I remember hot gluing
buttons to my Valentine’s Day boxes. We have recently
collaborated our creative efforts over the last six
months.”
Find more photos online at www.OKIEMagazine.com
or www.lasgueritas.com
Crystal Mitchell and Teresa Mendenhall.
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 36

OKIE Magazine is available in print, online,
and coming soon through your speakers.
The radio companion to our print publication
will host interviews with your local favorites
including musicians, artists, community
leaders, and possibly your next door
neighbor.
Look for details on our Facebook page
facebook.com/readokie
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 37

English-language album since 2006, blends her
personal ethnocentric take on pop music with the
mainstream production which elevated her to fame.
Consequently, this previously winning formula has
meager sales.
Furtado is known for
writing or co-writing her
own songs, the sole
exception being “Bajo Otra
Luz” from her successful
Spanish-language album
Mi Plan. In little more than
a decade, the Canadian
songbird from Victoria,
BC has explored various
factions of pop, including
adult contemporary,
electronica, R&B, and
world music.
Her debut album Woah,
mainstream, following up
with an acclaimed remix
of “Get Ur Freak On” with
Missy Elliott. Sophomore
her third album Loose,
produced by Timbaland,
more than compensated
for it with multiple charttopping
singles internationally. With her last English
that she failed to score another home run.
Both of the album’s lead singles, “Big Hoops (Bigger
the Better)” and “Parking Lot,” were produced by the
legendary Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins. “Big Hoops,”
Nations dancers, charted highest in the UK at No. 14;
it only reached the top thirty of the Canadian Hot 100
and failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. “Parking
media, has become her second single to fail to chart
on the Hot 100.
What gives? While maintaining her artistic integrity,
The Spirit Indestructible is at times as inaccessible as
Folklore though channeling the marketability of Loose.
On an unrelated note, this album has found its greatest
success within German-speaking Europe: it peaked at
No. 3 in Germany and Switzerland and No. 8 in Austria.
The title track, doubling as the opening track, is
a perfect example of Furtado’s brand. It begins in a
vaguely nostalgic, simple keyboard melody. Then
equivalent of an audio blockbuster.
Singles aside, the
majority of The Spirit
Indestructible languishes
in mellow territory, with
themes of nostalgia,
Nearly all of the tracks
could be used as
background music for
television dramas made
for young adults, but
remain mostly forgettable.
The deluxe edition
features extra tracks
which strengthen the
album. “Hold Up” goes
harder than anything
Furtado has done
before, while “Be OK”
featuring Dylan Murray
is the obvious choice
for what could be a
successful single on adult
contemporary radio. The
remainder of the bonus
tracks builds upon the
album, most of which could have easily remained on
the album proper.
The greatest weakness Furtado faces in the current
marketplace is that, like Morrissey, she has produced
more of the same with her sound while subtly updating
her image, most notably with an updated personal
logo. This is by no means a complaint; what she
does, she does well, with none of her contemporaries
coming near her organic talent.
shameless dance-pop is reaching its expiration date,
while folk music and quiet storm R&B patiently await
their comebacks as heralded by acts like Mumford &
Sons and The Weeknd. Nelly Furtado bridges the nonexistent
gaps of these trends, touching on the qualities
of all while never sounding disingenuous. This concept
would be refreshing were it not stale.
Taylor B, an Army Brat via Fort Sill, is still waiting for
“My Love Grows Deeper Pt. 2.”
OKIE MAGAZINE www.okiemagazine.com Page 38

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