Me, Myself, and My Home
Possibly the most important thing to know about me is that I am just a simple country kid that feels stranded in a sea of concrete here in Norman! I live on a ranch so far removed from other people I have to drive five miles to visit my closest neighbor and 45 minutes to buy a jug of milk. The clear skies and endless fields are an open and free haven for me compared to the night skies polluted with the lights of the city and the expanse of concrete. Possibly even more important than my dislike of the concrete jungle is the lack of having my dog, named Link, here in town!
I ain't the biggest fan of big cities, but I have a goal while that brought me here to OU: to improve my home. My hometown is so small it isn't on most maps, unsurprising considering there are only 300 people who live there (299 when I'm in Norman)! As is a major problem with most small communities in Oklahoma, the schools don't get the support they need to make quality education readily available to their students. Growing up I saw dozens of students struggling in a school system which was incapable of providing them with the support they needed to be successful. Seeing this happen to so many students helped me find my passion for helping students. I came to OU so that I could become equipped to go back home and try and make a difference as an educator in a school which has long since given up hope.
I am studying Letters here at OU not only because I love the subject material associated with this program, but also because it is typically representative of the subjects least well taught in rural Oklahoma schools. When schools face budget cuts it is always the humanities programs which are hit first. Oftentimes, humanities teachers are replaced with coaches who, while assuredly well-intentioned, are dividing their time between a subject they were not prepared for and the administration of their teams. The ones who suffer most in this exchange are students and I want to try and return home to stop this in Prue (my hometown school district). I am also seeking a Master's degree in History Education so that I may gain enough knowledge to hopefully help not only struggling students but also the struggling teachers of these drowning school districts.
Finishing on a slightly less serious and more personal note: I am an avid musician (having been playing guitar 15 years and learning bass, mandolin, and piano in the intervening period), hobbyist chef (I am best at baking pastries but am starting to expand my repertoire into other areas), and legitimately a cowboy (I have worked on the ranch for the past seven years and have ran the gambit of cowboy activities from branding cattle to building fence to chasing obstinate heifers across a field like an absolute fool!).
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ReplyDeleteHi Reid,
ReplyDeleteI am a city boy born and raised but I feel with you that living away from people has its highlights. I would definitely live way out in the country like you do if I could and still maintain my way of life, but that just doesn't happen. I have always had a casual interest in country living, especially farming which was sparked by a game called Farming Simulator where you manage a farm and grow crops. But I bet you and others would be puzzled at the fact that one thing on my bucket list is to drive a combine harvester.
I am sorry to hear about the state of your school district, but I am glad that there are people like you selfless enough to dedicate their lives to teaching, and I hope achieve your dreams of changing your school district for the better.
Hi Reid! I myself am from a small town, though mine has more than 300! As much as I try to hide my country accent it just seems to come out of me. My mother is a school secretary at Noble, OK and when the budget cuts came her paycheck suffered so I relate to your poor school district. You better believe I was at the capitol protesting! I also grew up around cattle and did my fair share of chasing them down, though I was on a horse. I wish you the best with your goals in life and hope to read more from you in this class!
ReplyDeleteHi Reid!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is from the DFW area, I never would have thought Norman was a concrete city! But that just shows how different we were raised! A town of 300 people? You must have known everyone! My highschool graduating class was about 1400 people, so I always saw new people in my grade everyday.
I really hope you are able to help your community out though. All it takes is one person to make a change and I hope that person is you! Best of luck!
Hi Reid, I’m a city boy so I always wondered what it would be like to live out in the country. I feel as if it would be quite peaceful to get away from all the large buildings and noise of the city. I really hope that you will be able to help out your community and improve the education system in your area, even if it’s just by a little.
ReplyDeleteHey Reid!
ReplyDeleteAs a city boy, it is cool to get to read about your life as a country boy and growing up working on a ranch, since that reminds me of my dad. He still tells me stories about growing up in a very small Oklahoman town and waking up early to handle the land. I never really considered Norman as a sea of concrete because in my mind that's more like NYC, but reading your blog showed me that that is all comparitive to where you were raised! Best of luck this semester and in the future!
Hi Reid! That's so awesome that you enjoy the country lifestyle so much! My parents bought a 6-acre hobby farm back when I was in high school, so I know what you mean about the beauty of wide open skies (although I'm sure our little homestead is nothing compared to your cattle ranch!). I love that you have such a clear idea of what you want to do after you complete your education, and how selfless your plan is. I hope you really do get that chance to make a difference in rural Oklahoma education!
ReplyDeleteHello again, Reid. You seem to have a narrative voice and a personal voice when writing. That's awesome that you manage both. You seem like a multi-faceted person. Do people normally associate cowboys with mastery in history? Maybe you're trailblazing. Good luck with bringing education to the children!
ReplyDeleteI think you win for the most story-ful introduction title, Reid: who is this concrete-cocooned cowboy? and when will he escape this cocoon to be out on the range again??? I live in a very rural location and during the pandemic I've turned into an even more extreme hermit. The Internet is my gateway to the digital world, and as for the physical world: trees suit me just fine. I am a fan of trees. And of dogs! Your Link looks like such a sweetie. We do not have a dog right now, but our next door neighbor's dog is available for hugs and cuteness of all kinds; he's very glad to have people home in the neighborhood all the time during the pandemic.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am so glad to meet a future teacher! I'm actually finishing up my last semester of teaching at OU because I want to create a second career writing teaching materials for people to use (in school and outside of school too) based on all this microfiction and tiny tales, etc. etc. I'm just getting started with all that, and I will be so curious for any ideas and suggestions you might have, especially as you are a future teacher! I've taught at OU for 20 years now and it has been a fantastic adventure, and I am also excited about going in a new direction to play a new kind of role (a useful one I hope) in the world of teaching and learning. :-)
Howdy Reid!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Dallas myself, but I can definitely relate to your distaste for cities and love of the countryside. I spent most of my weekends, summers, and winters growing up working on a ranch in central Texas as part of Boy Scouts, though I definitely can't call myself a bona fide cowboy like yourself (I mostly did stuff along the lines of building fences and clearing invasive trees, only animals I had much work with were goats). I really admire what you're doing trying to help your hometown, and I wish you the best of luck finishing up your letters degree and getting your masters!
PS: your dog certainly does look like the best there has been!
Hi Reid,
ReplyDeleteWow, your introduction was inspiring! I don't know if you've heard of Nuyaka, Oklahoma, but it's probably about an hour and a half from Prue (I wish I knew where that was before but I looked it up). My family has land out there, and while our house was in the suburbs, it was most definitely my second home. My (few) neighbors out there faced the same problems you described, and I think it's incredible that you're so passionate about implementing change!
Hey Reid,
ReplyDeleteYour introduction was very moving. I am from Oklahoma and some of family lives in the smaller parts so I've witnessed a class of 300 graduation. I would definitely say Norman is a step away from the country life. That's really cool that you like to cook, if i had more free time that's something I would like to take up. Looking forward to reading your stories!
Hi, again Reid. I love the look of your blog first of all. I totally get the coming from a small town to Norman, my hometown is not as small as yours though! I really admire that you came to OU so that you can get the education and go back to be an educator in your hometown! I can see just how passionate you are about that!.
ReplyDeleteHey Reid! The origin of your passion for wanting to go into education was really interesting and moving to read about. It's nice to hear that you like baking. I also enjoy baking, but it's usually a toss of the coin whether the dish turns out edible. I'm assuming you have better luck with your pastries!
ReplyDeleteHowdy again Reid! Just stopping by to reply to your comment on my intro. To answer your first question, that's actually the exact reason why I love cast iron cooking so much: I learned how to cook on cast iron while out camping before I actually learned how to cook otherwise. Concerning your question about the anthropology department here at OU, I can say for certain that it's definitely worth taking a class or two if you have the chance. Three years in and I have yet to have a course I didn't enjoy. Additionally, the anthropology faculty are all not only extremely knowledgeable, but extremely helpful as well and often go out of their way to help their students succeed. If you have any questions about specific classes you were looking at taking, just shoot them my way and I'll do my best to answer them.
ReplyDeleteHi Reid! This was a great inro. I always thought I was from a small town (I graduated with 90 people), but you have me beat by a long shot. Your dog is so adorable, I have a mini aussie who is full of energy and loves the outdoors. If you ever need a break from all the concrete in Norman, you should drive 20 mins to lake thunderbird and that should give you more of a country vibe!
ReplyDeleteHey Reid,
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration about smaller schools not getting enough funds for proper education. I went to an elementary school that was like this and my mom has been teaching at the Middle/High School for 25 years. I’m not sure if your school was set up to where the 6th-12th graders were all in one building, but I think that’s a little messed up. Small towns can’t help it though and I admire your support and determination to help improve your hometown’s school system. I wish you well in the future and good luck on the rest of your journey.
Hi Reid!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who grew up in Norman, it's surprising how much your discussion of the state of public education in rural Oklahoma resonated with me. Norman hasn't been hit quite as hard when it comes to supporting education as rural areas have been, but they're still part of the public school system in Oklahoma which obviously is not the best. That said, I've been hyper-aware of the benefits of going to school in Norman compared to other school districts. So, I find it really admirable that you'd like to do what you can to improve education in your hometown! I'd also like to be an educator at some point, and as a philosophy major have also thought that many students could benefit from more engagement with the humanities. Also, Link is absolutely adorable!
Thanks for sharing your story.
Hi Reid!
ReplyDeleteThis was probably one of the most interesting introductions I've read so far! I feel like I've never come across anyone who was actually from a small town where you have to drive far for literally everything, but it sounds like you are the epitome of small town! I really like the idea that you kind of broke away from that and are attending a HUGE university. I can't wait to read your stories for this class!
Hi Reid!
ReplyDeleteReading introductions like yours always remind me that I don’t come from as small of a town as I think! I’m from Bridge Creek, which has been admittedly getting bigger over the years. We’re finally on the weather maps now! (Though that’s because we’re right in the middle of tornado alley.) I remember my first day on campus was a bit overwhelming. Coming from a high school with only 4 hallways, the sprawling campus grounds of OU were a real upgrade! I’m also majoring in Letters, though mine is not for nearly as cool of a purpose. I hope you’re able to help better humanities education in small towns, I was definitely a bit lacking in those fields in my smaller high school.
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI was born in New York City and later we relocated to Oklahoma City. So I have lived the city life for the most part. However, I completely get wanting a life out of cities. There is this sense of peace, quiet, and not a rush to run and outcompete everyone around you. In the cities time flies by so fast and you barely have enough time to do everything you want. I also joined Ou to change my life around. I do it for me and for my family. So I completely get where your coming from and wanting to make a difference. I wish you the best of luck and it's nice meeting you1
Hi Reid!
ReplyDeleteI have definitely heard about your hometown. However, I can't recall where it is. Your dog is adorable and I am sorry you aren't able to see Link often.
I think it is wonderful that you plan on bringing positive change to your community! Keep up the good work!
Reid,
ReplyDeleteI love to spend time out in the country, so I think it's really cool you live out there! That's crazy that your town only has 300 people in it. My graduating class in high school had 600 people, so I can't even imagine. I think it's so cool that you have been inspired to go back and help your community. I have a lot of respect for you for that, and I think that is so amazing. Nice to meet you!
Hi Reid, nice to meet you! I don't think I've ever met everyone from a town as small as 300 people. It seems like most people I meet from small towns want to get out, so I think it's really cool that you want to go back to Prue to make a difference. Your passion for improving education in your town really comes through in this post, so I think you'll be really successful. Also, your dog is so cute!
ReplyDeleteHi Reid! I am also from a small town and my dad was a teacher there before he moved to Norman recently. I totally understand schools cutting the budget for humanities things! My dad is a band director and has gotten so many budget cuts over the years. It is so sad to see such a decline in the arts. I hope you are having a great semester! I am sure you are looking forward to summer so that you can see your dog!
ReplyDeleteHi Reid! A 45 minute drive for milk seems insane, and a 5 mile distance between you and your neighbor seems like quite the isolation box! It's nice that you're able to enjoy living in the open air. As much as I like being around people, it's nice to head into nature and catch a break from the clutter sometimes.
ReplyDeleteHey, dude. I haven't written a story in weeks for this class. That's crazy. A part of me wishes I was already done with this class. The other part wants to write one last story! I think quite a few people are already finished because I don't see them commenting anymore. You seem dedicated to writing. I think this is the third time I've commented on your introduction post.
ReplyDeleteHi Reid! I am also from a small town! I'm from East Tennessee and I get hating the concrete jungle, trust me. I miss seeing green things and being able to be out somewhere where I don't hear cars and sirens all night long. But I try to visit as much as I can. I also totally get wanting to help the school district there. Especially with the Humanities courses. Small towns do not have a lot of funding so a lot gets cut in schools that shouldn't. It's cool that your a musician too! I've always wanted to learn how to play an instrument but have never gotten the opportunity. Anyways, hope you have a good reast oft he semester and a good summer!
ReplyDelete