Fishing in "Norf" Dakota

Wow, what a lot of corn...And I'm not talking about the title of my entry. (Ok, maybe I am talking a little bit about that...)

My sister, father and I went on a fishing trip to Devils Lake, N.D., this last week. We left on a Wednesday afternoon, drove for two days (only about eight hours a day) and arrived at Devils Lake late Thursday evening. We drove up Interstate 29, which runs along the border of Kansas/Missouri, Nebraska/Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota/Minnesota. Other than when I went with the choir on our senior trip to Colorado and we drove through the boring state of Kansas, I never truly appreciated how beautiful and interesting our part of the country was.

At first, I really enjoyed the fields of corn. But after two solid hours of corn, wheat and soy bean fields, I was ready to cry from all the corn. Even when we took a break at a gas station, I opened the door to the car, and --AHH!-- corn was laying right next to the car. I swear it followed me everywhere I went! I was slightly freaked out.

The fishing began Friday morning. We had to meet our guide at 7:30 a.m., which was super early feeling after being stuck in a car for two days. Our guide was this really nice man named Jason. He actually owned the guide company, but we did not confirm this info (I had my suspicions from the first day, however) until Sunday, our last day. He was fairly quiet, which suited our family well, since we all talk non-stop.

Being out on the boat was amazing! The lake was beautiful, filled with natural minerals that caused foam to float along on the top of the water. It vaguely reminded me of the ocean, except on a much smaller scale. I caught my first ever Walleye that day, and caught the most fish of Dad, Molly and myself. The second day was worse. I didn't catch any fish that day, and we had to come in early because a storm was coming in. The last day was probably the day we caught the most fish, but it was the hottest. I thought that I was going to pass out from the heat. I drank about 5 bottle of water and was completely and totally ready to go in when we did.

I think I need to devote a paragraph to the process of cutting the fish. I felt that it was necessary for me to watch this being done since I had caught the fish. First, they cut the fish on one side, and then they cut it on the other side. But, it's way more complicated than that. I can't and won't go into further detail, because it would be too difficult and too gross. The thing that traumatized me the most, however, was the grinder. After you cut away all of the parts of the fish that you don't eat, you put them into this machine that grinds everything down. It was absolutely disturbing. The sound, smell and look of everything...ugh! Anyway, enough of that.

North Dakota has about the, pardon my french, shittiest restaurants ever. The first night we ate at a bar. It was free, but it was gross. So the second night we decided to eat in the hotel room. We had a fish fry. That was the best meal we ate while we were there, and Dad had to cook it! The last night we tried to eat at KFC, but that was a disaster. The girl in the drive-thru window sounded like she was either about to cry or like she was stoned out of her mind. But that we could have handled. It was the fact that at 6:30 p.m. they were out of dark meat and macaroni and cheese. So then we ventured on over to Hardee's. I LOVE Hardee's and we don't have one anywhere around here anymore. So, it took them forever because they were out of mushrooms or something. But they gave us free cookies for having to wait, and everything tasted great. On the morning when we left, we drove through Hardee's to get breakfast, and I had to change my order from a biscuit to a croissant because they were out of biscuits at 7:30 in the morning. These people were fricking crazy!

We left Monday to drive home. Boy howdy, 18 hours in the car in one day sure was a long trip. So I drove for Dad for a while so that he could take a nap. I, of course, drove through the torrential down pours and construction, while Dad got to drive through the beautiful weather and construction-free roads. Then we came to Kansas City. Oh, Kansas City, how you stress my dad so. Mom warned me before the trip that Dad gets lost every time he drives through Kansas City. This trip was no exception. I drove through Kansas City on the way up. Well, Dad drove through on the way home. As he realized he was lost, the swearing began. Molly, who sat in the backseat the whole time despite my offers (just so she could hold it over my head for guilt-tripping purposes), was cracking up. I was getting irritated because Dad tried to blame it on me, even though he didn't go the way I suggested. But we did make it through somehow.

After we had dinner, I drove again. It was nighttime, and I drove so that Dad could take a nap, which he didn't. It's ok, I don't mind to drive, but by the time we got to the part of the drive I know like the back of my hand, Dad said, "I think I'll take over now." I should have said no.

He took a winding, twisting, curving road home, while I would have taken a much straighter road home. I tried to sleep, since I had an orthodontist appointment at 8 the next morning, but couldn't. Dad was taking those sharp curves at about 50 mph, I SWEAR! Finally, I just sat up and started glaring at everybody. I was so pissed. But we made it home in one piece.

When I walked into the house, Mom took one look at me and told me to go to bed.

I thoroughly enjoyed our trip, but am glad that I don't have to go on one any time in the near future, just for the sheer exhaustion of driving and eating at crappy restaurants and being scarred for life by the fish grinder. "Norf" Dakota was fun, but I sure do love Oklahoma, with its non-corn-having fields.

Harry Potter Review! (as printed previously in The Northeastern)

From beginning to end, the latest installment of the Harry Potter series is filled with excitement, mystery and laughter.
The sixth of seven books was released Saturday, July 16. Fans across the world gathered at bookstores to collect their copy and begin poring over the first paragraphs. J.K. Rowling, the author of the acclaimed children's series, writes a compelling story about the main character's sixth year at the magical school of Hogwarts.
As Harry has grown, so has Rowling's writing with its ability to connect with readers.
Despite 30 chapters and 652 pages, this book is a quick read, making it accessible to readers of different levels. Although the series began as a children's fantasy, the story has transcended age, with each installment growing in the level of difficulty of readability and maturity of subject matter. This allows college students to enjoy Rowling's story.

(For those who have not read the book yet, beware - some spoilers lie ahead.)

Although mention has been made in previous books of how the magical community deals with the non-magical, or "muggle," society, this novel directly addresses the issue. The first chapter begins with the introduction of the "muggle" minister of ENgland. This scene offers a connection to reality with a humorous twist and the introduction of new characters. It is also the perfect way to recap the existing situation from the previous novel.
This book contains several events that fans have come to expect, including a trip to Diagon Alley, Quidditch matches and the introduction of a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Each of the main characters, Harry and his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, focus on thier personal lives, and romance plays an important role in the development of their personalities.
Harry and his classmates find themselves immersed in difficult classes this schoolyear, including harder levels of typical lessons and workshops on apparating. They also learn more about growing up, including making decisions about future careers.
Throughout the day-to-day activities of the students, Harry must also face learning more about his past and the similarities to the past of Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents when he was 1 year old. It also becomes apparent in the novel that the war against Voldemort is not going well. Casualties are mentioned throughout the book with the appearance that no success has been made in capturing followers of Voldemort, or Death Eaters.
This novel derives its title from an important figure in the book, the self-proclaimed Half-Blood Prince. In discovering this character, Harry learns much while facing danger. Rowling, as usual, builds the suspense of finding out who this person is and does not fail her audience with this shocking twist.

(Spoilers will not appear in the rest of this article.)

Unlike the most previous book, Harry seems more mature and whines much less. This creates a lighter feeling in the book, despite the ongoing battle between good and evil. Yet, it is Harry's personality that leads the book and its characters into the story that Rowling has written.
Rowling has mastered mixing the realities of the regular world and the intiruge of the fantasy world. It is believable becuase of what the characters experience and how they react. Despite the strangeness of any situation they are put in, the characters remain normal, with their personality mirroring that of average children their age.
Throughout the series, the struggle between good and evil is a strong theme, lying underneath all of the stories of each book. What sets this apart from normal stories is its clear emphasis that love is what separates these two.
Rowling has outdone herself in this latest part of the seven book series. Both fans of the series and those who have never read the book will enjoy it, and leave the book with the feeling that anything is possible.

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Review

Here at long last is my promised "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" review!

Where do I begin? I thoroughly enjoyed this film. As always, Tim Burton, the director, creates a unique world for the audience. The beautiful set design of this movie gives a magical touch to the story. The combined talents of the production team allow the audience to be swept away by Burton's imagination, while doing so in a way that does not show the work behind the beauty. This design referred to the feeling of another Burton film, "Edward Scissorhands," with texture and color used next to unique-looking structural elements (I noticed similarities between Edward's castle and Wonka's factory).

Altough this film may be compared to previous films, including the original telling of Roald Dahl's children's tale, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," it is as original as any Burton film. Johnny Depp joins the cast for his fourth role in a Burton film as the childish chocolateer, Willy Wonka. Depp brings to this performance what he brings to any; a deep understanding of the character's motivation. His actions, facial expressions, pattern of speech - everything is unusal and special to the individual he is playing. If you do not like over-the-top performances, this is not a movie to see. Depp's overbearing presence when he is on screen can not be ignored. However, it is pleasurable to watch a man working at the height of his ability in a craft that seems to have been designed for him. A particular favorite part of mine is a line that Depp delivers: "Everything here is eatable. I'm eatable, but that my children is called cannibalism and it is frowned upon in most societies."

Five children were cast to play the lucky kids who get to venture into Wonka's factory. Each child did a great job, although some kids were overshadowed by the performances of their parents. Despite an eerie resemblance, Annasophia Robb, who played Violet Beauregarde, was, in my opinion, outshadowed by Missi Pyle, who played her mother. Charlie was portrayed by the innocent looking Freddie Highmore, who worked previously with Depp in "Finding Neverland." While Highmore did not have all of the spunk that the original Charlie, he possessed sweetness that rivaled that of Wonka's chocolate.

This version of Charlie's adventure in the factory includes information that was not included in the first film version or Dahl's book. Background is given on Wonka's childhood that audiences will find explanatory for the behavior of the candyman. The audience is also allowed to find out the history of the oompa loompas, which are all portrayed by the same man, Deep Roy. The oompa loompa songs are much improved, with each number a different type of music. Roy wears many costumes and does all the dancing in the fantastical numbers, written and sang by Danny Elfman, a favorite of Burton. Although the broadway-style productions are less creepy than the original film, they still offer moral lessons about each child's vice.

I thouroughly enjoyed the experience of watching this film. At points I was moved to tears, and at other points I laughed ridiculously loud. My brother sat next to me, and we, being the big film snobs that we are, both agreed that it was done exceptionally well and is well worth the time and money spent. I recommend this film to candylovers, children and adults that are young-at-heart.

Decorating and Organizing the Office

This week marked an important milestorne in my workplace. I had the pleasure of going through the office and organizing it. For those of my readers who know me (which is pretty much all of them), they should know that this is a big deal for me. I love to organize when I'm at work. Home is a different story, but that is not the subject of my blog entry for today. My belief is that everything at work has a place, and things should be kept in their place for easy access.

I believe this obsession started when I was working at the movie theater. Judy Bizzle is an extremely clean person. Part of her thing is that everything at work had a place. I liked that idea because no matter who came in to work, they would not have a difficult time finding things, since everything was in its place. I started to organize my cash register in a similar way; all bills facing the same direction and placed from in increasing order (direction depended on which side I was working on). The next step in my insanity was labeling everything. I love to make labels. I used to spend my free time creating signs in concession ("CASH ONLY," "Cleaning Sink," "Sanitizing Sink," "Please Keep Doors Shut At All Times," etc.). Eventually, everyone I worked with got disgusted with my signs and protested by taking them down or defacing them. :-(

So I have transfered this obsession from job to job. Recently my boss told me that I could organize all the desks at this office. It was only a matter of time until I did it anyway. So on Monday, I began the process. I stayed at work until 6:30 that night, but man did I feel satisfied when I got home. The clutter was cleared off of each desk, and drawers were emptied so that they could actually be used! What a novel idea! I threw away tons of crap that wasn't needed. And more importantly, I put necessary office supplies in each desk that were needed (what kind of a newspaper office doesn't have pens and paper at every desk?!?!).

On top of all the organizing, I got to decorate some of the desk space. I brought in a picture of me and my dad at an OU football game last year, a democratic donkey Beanie Baby and some other random stuff. It finally feels more like an office to me. Or maybe I should say that it feels more like my office. Bwah-ha-ha! It is my evil plan to take over the newspaper office! All those in my way, watch out! Just kidding...or am I?

Chewing Gum is Really Gross. Chewing Gum I Hate the Most.

I just read an article on the internet talking about the comparisons that can be made between Johnny Depp's performance in "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and Micheal Jackson. I'm sorry, but anyone who can compare the two is just plain crazy! Okay, maybe they're not as crazy as I think.

Have you seen the previews for this movie? I don't blame anyone for saying that Wonka is creepy in this film. As my mother has said, "He looks like a girl." And I kind of agree. But aren't we all forgetting the original version of the film?

I love the first version. I'll never forget getting to see it at the Westby in Tulsa. (A shout-out goes to my brother for orchestrating that event. I love ya bro!) I also need to mention the fact that I watched it a bajillion (yeah, great word) times at home. Although it is worth noting that I really started to enjoy the film as I got older. It think that it scared me too much when I was younger, which brings me to my next point.

Who the hell can tell me that they were scared or at least freaked out a little bit during the boat ride scene? I'm sorry, but the image of all the children and their parents flying through the tunnel, with giant bugs and chicken heads being cut off on the walls around them, accompanied with the eerie song Wonka sings, ending with him shouting...AHH! It scares me now to think about it. Another part of the movie that didn't scare me personally but gave a lot of people I know the heebie-jeebies is the presence of oompa-loompas. I never saw them as threatening but as a general reminder to behave.

Before I continue on to the discussion of the new version of the film, I would like to acknowledge the man himself, Willy Wonka. Gene Wilder does a fantastic job in the role, playing the line between the lovable candyman and the eccentric recluse. At the end of the movie, when he lays his hand on the never-ending gobstopper before grabbing Charlie and taking him to the glass elevator, I am always moved by the emotion Wilder puts into his reaction. He seems overwhelmed at the action of the little boy who inherits his factory. It's just a varied range of his abilities and a fabulous performance.

Now, back to my main gripe. I don't understand how anyone can compare Wonka to Jacko. First of all, I see the comparison of creepy white guys (haha, I made the most original Micheal Jackson joke ever - sarcasm highly intended). But other than that, I don't get it. Micheal Jackson is a recluse, but that is because he is sick. Wonka, on the other hand, is a recluse because he works all the time. I don't see Jackson putting out any new music here lately! Jackson loves children (so much that he allows them to sleep in bed with him - I didn't say anything that he didn't admit to!). Wonka secretly loves children, but only the good ones. He thinks that most children are brats, hence all the crazy punishments that they each get for their different vices. Last, but not least, while both men may be creepy, Willy Wonka has shown time and time again (or maybe that was just the million times I watched the movie) that he has a great sense of humor. I don't think that Jackson has a sense of humor. He just seems sad.

So, I still look forward to seeing this film. I'm sure that I will write a review of the movie.

Oh yeah. I LOVE adding pictures on here. You can expect to see a lot more of that. Gotta go back to grading papers now.

Whistle While You Work...(whistling sounds)

Ahh, the nice Fourth of July break is over. Class and work have resumed, and my hectic schedule has started stressing me out all over again. Aside from the death of a Bahai friend, the break was very enjoyable. I found myself doing nothing all weekend long (ok, I won't lie...it was all week long). After a fabulous shopping trip on Friday, Mom, Molly and I watched the entire first season of "Charmed" on DVD. (On a side note, I just love TV shows on DVD. There is no waiting for the next episode to air a week later, and you can catch up on a show quickly, before certain details may be revealed.) The Fourth itself was interesting. In the afternoon, a lovely funeral ceremony was held in Stillwater for the Bahai friend. In the evening, Dad and I put on the annual Turner Fireworks Extravaganza! (I feel like the exclamation point is needed to provide emphasis) for Mom, Molly and Aaron Lee Eversole (a friend of the family). It was really fun. Because I love fireworks, the Fourth of July has been my favorite holiday for quite a while. This year Dad and I (and Molly, sort of) decided that since we have the new location on Sandy Circle, with a large portion of open space, that we could buy more aerials than we normally do. We had a lot of fun, and there were no injuries this year (unlike some past years). Unfortunately, all the excitement that comes along with the Fourth of July fell on a Monday this year. So, I was forced to go back to school and work the next day. Man, was I exhausted yesterday. I'm still pretty tired today, but I'm adjusting back into my usual schedule gradually. Anyway, Mom and I are getting ready to go scope out a possible new table for the pool house. I hope that it works out well, because I'm ready for the pool house to be emersed in its tiki theme. After the replacement of the red bar with the cute tiki bar and the paint job I will be doing on the bathroom, it should really start to turn around. I'll post updates on the redecoration project of the pool house.