The life of a writer is never dull. This page is dedicated to the significant events, fun, and detours along my journey.
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After the months of 2010 flew past being filled with an adventure and blessing each day, November and December seemed determined to outshine them all.
November saw my official induction into the Toastmasters family. My icebreaker speech to fellow club members was heartfelt, and it marked the first in a series of ten “stories” I hope to tell. And so my journey as an oral storyteller begins.
What would November be without faith, family, food, and Squanto?
Thanksgiving served its traditional yummies, the dinner itself rolled out completely gluten free, almost 100% natural or organic, and not a speck of white sugar. Yes, there are other substances just as sweet.
There was little time to digest Thanksgiving dinner as my parents and I loaded up on Friday and drove to Durant, Oklahoma, for the Sixth Annual Choctaw Casino Pow Wow. We were privileged to stay at the Choctaw Tower, and did we feel like hicks. But anyway.
The sound of slot machines as we tried to find the food court started spinning my head. But we made it out alive and just as rich as when we entered.
The Lobby
The real work began early Saturday morning, meeting with the staff putting on this huge event. We staked out our front row seats, with camera and tripod, behind a drum group and two steps from the main floor. We were set for what turned into a fifteen hour day, minus the hour catnap at the hotel.
It took awhile to get my bearings as this was our first Pow Wow. But it wasn’t long before I was interviewing vendors, dancers, coordinators, and anyone else who wanted to talk about the pow wow experience. I was even blessed to visit with Choctaw Assistant Chief Gary Batton. But that’s another story – to be told in the article spinoffs.
I’m saving the poetic descriptions for my articles, but I’ll just say this: We’ll be back next year, Lord willing.
Not to be outdone, December showed out in full lights and a breathless schedule. Our home turned into a Christmas Wonderland:
