Traffic

On the way home from Rapid City, I didn't see a car for miles, but the traffic I did see was this little scene. Cows is crazy!

notes from around the rez

A few things I see around here remind me of Mississippi, for better or worse. Every sign along the road has been filled with bullets, nothing better to do. In other news, I got a hat at the Wall Drug.






What I learned this week:

1. Assume you'll be driving at least 45 miles to get anywhere
2. Always have your camera. ALWAYS
3. Kids like bubble gum more than tootsie rolls
4. Being the minority takes getting used to
5. Most kids dress alike, and look like normal kids but their each dealing with way different stuff

Happy Ash Wednesday. I hope everyone enjoyed Mardi Gras. Mine consisted of ice cream, french fries, drinks, Quentin Tarantino, getting stuck in the mud and faceplanting in a puddle of muddy melted ice. Not bad.

Happy (late) Valentine's Day

this was the best Valentine's Day of my lrrrfffee. I had a wonderful weekend wich included, (but is not limited to): driving 7 hours to suprise Bob, making 150 Valentines for my students, shoveling a long driveway, buying chocolates, watching "28 Days Later," drunken brawls, shopping at the mall for the first time in forever, breakfast at the Diner and Lisa's and various parties.

Thanks for the memorable weekend, peeps and homies.

Going viral

I applied for this New York Times contest and it was asked to post a video application. I don't know anything about video, and I was embarrassed to do this, but I did. Here's what I came up with.

100 possessions

So I've been downsizing lately. I came across a website dedicated to people looking to downsize their lives to 100 possessions. You're supposed to list the items you can't live without first, like the stuff you would cry over losing in a fire) and go from there.

My list so far:
1. "Famous Original Country Hits" record
2. "Arlo Guthrie and Pete Seeger Live at Carnegie Hall" record (these are just records that I worry I couldn't get in iTunes if I knew how to use it)
3. scanner-camera
4. Dr. Who the tortoise
5. Manky
6. Bowling pin lamp
7. Bible
8. Rosary
9. Print of my grandma's house made by Abby
10. Cat Stevens' "Very Young and Early Songs" record
11. Dan the elephant
12. Vicksburg courthouse postcard
13. Cowboy boots
14. Macbook
15. Digital camera
16. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X"
17. "Cash" by Johnny Cash
18. The autobiography of Woody Guthrie
19. The best of erotic comics of 2008. (I never called myself perfect)
20. The flower tapestry that hangs over my bed
21. Record player
22. Andy Griffith DVDs
23. Twilight Zone DVDs
24. Martian Manhunter action figure
25. Wolverine t-shirt
26. "Goodnight, Little Alien"
27. Various mixes made by Bob and Abby
28. Remains of Bess the green couch.

Add a handful of clothes, a library card and the Internet to that list and I'm pretty set. I do have to admit, although I will be getting rid of a lot of stuff this next year, I plan on keeping my record collection in tact. For awhile I thought I could part with them, bite the bullet and get an ipod. Sorry, it's just not going to happen. I'll have to make room in my tiny house, tipi, trailer, or wherever for them.

I am going to start photographing these items and explaining their significance on the blog.

Sanka

A naturally decaffeinated blend of the world's finest coffees, so you can drink as much as you want, whenever you want. Enjoy cup after cup of Sanka.


This is the defenition of an impulse buy. For those of you who don't know I am an avid watcher of the "Andy Griffith Show" and the DVDs have the original sponsor spots. Sanka and Grape Nuts are the two big ones.

I did not realize that Sanka was still produced, so when I saw it at the store the other day, I grabbed it. Too bad I don't drink coffee.

I'll leave you with this...



I appreciate it, and good night.

Parmelee Part two: the cemetery

I was driving around yesterday and saw a church down a dirt road. Behind it was this cemetery. The name on the cemetery was tragic because two of the teenagers who recently committed suicide were buried there. I wasn't sure if I felt comfortable publishing these, but that's what I saw, and that's what has happened here.

Because this isn't necessarily a journalism blog, I decided to take the name off the grave. I don't have photoshop, so I did the best I could. What do you think? Publish the photo as is, or remove the name? I'm looking for input.

Parmelee Part One: The Town

This is considered the most struggling town on the reservation, along with St. Francis. All of the housing is from the federal government, there is no grocery store, school, nowhere to go and nothing to do.

A few of my students live here... you can sometimes tell.

My first powwow

I had a great time at my first powwow. It was the founder's day celebration for Sinte Gleska Universtiy, so I went along with one of the Jesuits. I wish took pictures of the little kids when they were dancing, but I forgot I had a camera until the end.

It was definitely a weird sight. I saw some of my students, I saw some folks from around the mission, and they were all decked out it these cool costumes. In a place where there is really nothing going right, and nothing worth celebrating, there sure are some ood parties.

Sunset over Mission, SD

It's almost too easy to get a shot of a beautiful sunset out here because it sets in every direction, stretching out to the horizon.

The only three photos I took from the entire Superbowl party

Notive the "O" has been shot out of the sign...

George (my new roommate) was only allowed to eat one.


Fuck the Steelers.