Miscellaneous

[byronebula]

Not sure if this is much of an idea. . . I did read that part which said the topic name should be "relevant" and "specific". . . But i just wasn't sure whether everything really needs a specific thread . . . i.e. I couldn't think of where to post general/not so important questions. . . Like the one i have now:

Is anyone on the forum from the Oklohoma area, (wild west, apparently). . . I just met a brother this evening (here in South Africa) named Joseph, from West Edmon congregation. He came down here a few years ago for the international convention. . . That's where he met a sister from a local congregation. . . The two just got married recently. . . Nice couple. . . Wondering if anyone here knows who i'm speaking of. . .

I guess this thread could be used for other general/miscellaneous questions or posts, if necessary. . . ? Thanks though.

[leannsmarie]

I'm from the Oklahoma area but I'm no where near Edmond which is close to Oklahoma City. OKC is in the middle of our state and I'm in the North Eastern part. Actually, he wouldn't have been in our circuit. I'm not sure if he would even have been in our District when he still lived here, to tell the truth.

As for the Wild West? That is a very general term more appropriate for anything west of the Mississippi River from the 1800's until the early 1900's regardless of which state. That's because many of the states in that area had not received statehood yet and the whole area was relatively lawless.

[byronebula]

I'm from the Oklahoma area but I'm no where near Edmond which is close to Oklahoma City. OKC is in the middle of our state and I'm in the North Eastern part. Actually, he wouldn't have been in our circuit. I'm not sure if he would even have been in our District when he still lived here, to tell the truth.

As for the Wild West? That is a very general term more appropriate for anything west of the Mississippi River from the 1800's until the early 1900's regardless of which state. That's because many of the states in that area had not received statehood yet and the whole area was relatively lawless.

Gee . . I must get a map, Oklahoma must be quite a big place. . In fact, he does still live up there, he's just come down with his wife who moved up with him, to visit. I think i might have used the wrong term, (wild west). . . But he said that if ever i wanted to see cowboys and red-indians wielding lassos, that would be the place to go. . . Lol. . Thanks for the info though!. .

[leannsmarie]

Hahaha!

I have to laugh.

I am Native American by birth and we don't 'wield lasso's'. Oklahoma has many Native American tribes and any who would 'wield lasso's' are probably doing so only for the tourists who don't know any better.

Cowboys we do have but they are of two kinds. Just for show (you can tell by how clean and new looking their boots are) or the real deal which work hard running or working on ranches (Their boots are worn and/or dirty.) Many rural residents have cattle and/or horses and the ability to lasso is important to their livelihood. Rodeo's are fairly common as well. Regardless of whether a cowboy (or cowgirl!) is real or a fake, they come in many colors and races. They may be black, Hispanic, Caucasian or American Indian or a even mixed race. It doesn't matter much to us, really. Just like in Jehovah's organization, we are a well diversified group here in our area.

All that aside, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma of which I am a card-carrying member, is the second largest Native American tribe and just in case any readers would like to know more about Cherokee culture, I'm putting a link to the tribe's website which contains some general information.

http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/Information/General/Default.aspx

[Dages]

I am Native American by birth and we don't 'wield lasso's'.

Sister, I am disappoint !

I love these cliché.

All you american brothers and sisters are not fat like 300 pounds with CocaCola and Mac Donald ?

[leannsmarie]

Aww. I am sorry to disappoint you, dear brother. You may have your cliché of the cowboy if you wish.

As for the 300lb fat people with McDonald's and CocaCola, well they do exist in many places but it seems more so among the less educated and those less financially well off. I am not saying all poor are like this but there definitely is a trend toward obesity among those less able to afford good nutrition and/or less knowledgeable about what good nutrition is.

What is even sadder is that there are more and more hungry people and children going without food because of this terrible economy in the United States. Definitely a sign of the times in which we are living.

[GrumpysWife]

Leann, Do you live anywhere near Newcastle, OK? That is where one of my sons live.

[Dages]

I was kidding right...

where is my camembert ? and my tour eiffel ? oops !

[Musky]

I am Native American by birth and we don't 'wield lasso's'.

Sister, I am disappoint !

I love these cliché.

All you american brothers and sisters are not fat like 300 pounds with CocaCola and Mac Donald ?

Yes, just like all French women have hairy legs and underarms! LOL

[Mrs. Musky]

I am Native American by birth and we don't 'wield lasso's'.

Sister' date=' I am disappoint ! I love these cliché. All you american brothers and sisters are not fat like 300 pounds with CocaCola and Mac Donald ? [/quote']

[leannsmarie]

Leann, Do you live anywhere near Newcastle, OK? That is where one of my sons live.

According to maps, Newcastle is south of Oklahoma City, just west of Norman. A travel estimate by Mapquest.com between where I live and where he lives is about three hours and eleven minutes and is more than 181 miles. I don't think that's very close, but that may just be me.

I'm about a county away from the Arkansas border.

[Dages]

Yes, just like all French women have hairy legs and underarms! LOL

lol !

How d'you know !?!

And we never have a shower... right ?

I love jokes about "cliché"

[GrumpysWife]

Yes, just like all French women have hairy legs and underarms! LOL

lol !

How d'you know !?!

And we never have a shower... right ?

I love jokes about "cliché"

My mother-in-law was French, and she had hairy legs and underarms, but I loved her anyway.

[byronebula]

Hahaha!

I have to laugh.

I am Native American by birth and we don't 'wield lasso's'. Oklahoma has many Native American tribes and any who would 'wield lasso's' are probably doing so only for the tourists who don't know any better.

Cowboys we do have but they are of two kinds. Just for show (you can tell by how clean and new looking their boots are) or the real deal which work hard running or working on ranches (Their boots are worn and/or dirty.) Many rural residents have cattle and/or horses and the ability to lasso is important to their livelihood. Rodeo's are fairly common as well. Regardless of whether a cowboy (or cowgirl!) is real or a fake, they come in many colors and races. They may be black, Hispanic, Caucasian or American Indian or a even mixed race. It doesn't matter much to us, really. Just like in Jehovah's organization, we are a well diversified group here in our area.

All that aside, the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma of which I am a card-carrying member, is the second largest Native American tribe and just in case any readers would like to know more about Cherokee culture, I'm putting a link to the tribe's website which contains some general information.

http://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/Information/General/Default.aspx

Wow!. . . Thanks for sharing that interesting insight on the diversified backgrounds and traditionally rooted customs in your state!. . . Very interesting. . . It was also interesting to learn of the Cherokee tribes, clans and traditions. . . Just how traditional do the locals get in your part of th world? With the modernization one society and the media oriented education, how has that affected the newer generations compared to the older relating to traditional values and customs?

Is such "traditional religion" popular too? Before coming into the truth, were such customs part of your belief system?. . . Thanks!

[leannsmarie]

Some of the older locals, especially the ones that live deep in the rural areas still practice the old traditions. Native American witchcraft is common here because there are still Medicine men & women. It is practiced along with so-called Christianity because the old-timers are usually either Baptist or Pentecostal. Cherokee stomp dances are held but these aren't the big publicized events but rather local and held deep in the woods. Therefore they are not open to the public but are more for families & friends. For being in the so-called Bible Belt it can be difficult to witness in these territories at times. Rural residents are often wary of outsiders.

The Cherokee language is in danger of dying out but the tribe works to educate the younger generation so that doesn't happen. They do this through their website, and through traditional style classes, both for children and at the local university. Some of the friends in the congregation know some Cherokee but don't need to use it much because for a long time, English was forced on the young ones under penalty of physical discipline in schools and so nearly all know English quite well. It is a sad truth that native speakers regardless of the language were forced to assimilate into the mainstream US culture in this manner.

Many Cherokee embrace technology quite well and even the Apple Inc. has developed an application for smartphones that uses the written language of the Cherokees. More information is in the articles below:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/12/cherokee-apple.html

http://www.cultofmac.com/cherokee-language-now-available-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch/61501

As for me, my Cherokee great-grandmother left Oklahoma for Oregon before World War 2. I was not raised around Cherokee culture at all and did not even know my heritage until I was in my teenage years. As a child of military parents, I got to travel all over the US and even lived in Great Britain for three years. It wasn't until I was in my late 20's that I arrived in Oklahoma, and I have been here since 1994.

[boodles]

I know some friends who are moving to Altus, Oklahoma in a few weeks. It's not near Edmond but do you want to try to find this brother? They might be in the same circuit?

[leannsmarie]

Who are you talking to, Elaine?

I sincerely hope its not me because Altus is way farther from me than Edmond already is and would take me five hours to get there!