"The Family of Man"in black and white

If you haven't gone to see the impressive black and white photo exhibit "Reconsidering the Family of Man" at  "Artspace at untitled" in Oklahoma City, you're missing out on an internationally significant show.

At the repeated  urging of photographer, friend and colleague Mark Zimmerman I drove down and saw it yesterday. I forgot to ask how many of these photos are up, all with human subjects, from around the world, but it's extensive and moving.

It's up until May 27 and it's free at this non-profit organization in an old building with lots of open space. www.artspaceatuntitled.org

There are a few familiar names up, and most you've never heard of unless you're a photo expert like Zimmerman http://markwzimmerman.com/  and any other graduates of our program.

The famous ones? One by Ansel Adams, one by Georgia O'Keeffe, one by Arnold Newman. One by Barry Goldwater (Yes, he was a photographer too). Here they are, taken with an iPhone, so go see them in really great quality yourself (Interestingly, Director Jon Burris  says the next exhibition will be international also, of cell-phone photos). Can't wait. Most of these photos are from the PSA, the Photographic Society of America. www.psa-photo.org

Ansel Adams

George O'keeffe

Arnold Newman of Picasso

Barry Goldwater, titled "Church"

Looking out the door of TAP you see Oklahoma City and the Devon tower.

And SandRidge building, in Thunder playoff season

You just know I had to throw in Simon and Garfunkel, from one version of "Kodachrome""...everything looks better in black and white."

Saladicious

Eating Well Cobb Salad, a la Susan, tonight's dinner!

No weak coffee, please

“Don’t knock our coffee. You may be old and weak yourself some day.”

That printed sign hung on the wall behind the counter of the All Nite Café in Comanche, Oklahoma.

Sign in the home of daughter and son-in-law, Dr.
and Mrs. Todd Bell, he a champion coffee drinker too.

Long before statehood, Rock Island changed trains crews there, and kept the café on Main Street in business. It was owned by ancestors of mine, who first moved to “The Nation” (Indian Nation) from Texas.

My grandfather soon followed his relatives to the little red clay town in south-southwest Oklahoma, located on the still fresh ruts of the Chisholm Trail. He owned a grocery story, sold coffee, and painting houses for a living.

And coffee’s been on the burner and in my genes ever since.

Granddad always drank coffee in the mornings, after he’d put on a white shirt and tie and lit his first Camel.

Dad and Mom drank coffee for as long as I can ever remember. When I was a kid, the Jewel Tea man’s truck used to pull up in front of our house on the outskirts of Fort Worth, and they’d buy strong coffee with chicory from New Orleans. Later, when visitors like my Uncle Mike would come visit, they’d stay up all night talking, having eggs and bacon and coffee well after midnight.

I started drinking it as a teenager. It developed into an addiction during all-night college cram sessions and in working on newspapers at all hours of the day and night.

Now that I’m getting close to being old and weak, I’m trying to cut back—not quit mind you—just limit myself to less than three pots a day—no matter what time of day. That's part of the price of being a journalist. Put out a weekly newspaper like we did at the Waurika News-Democrat, and you have to have coffee all Tuesday night long.

But when I do get old and weak, you can be assured—as the folks who know me will tell you—my coffee won’t ever be old and weak. It’ll be strong, 24 hours a day. And like me, no fancy stuff, or sweetened or weakened with milk. Just straight, thank you.

It's not by accident I like the rap song, "Black Coffee, No Sugar, No Cream," and that we have more coffee mugs than ever needed.

When I die, they wont have to embalm me—my veins will be full of caffeine.

The folks in the All Nite Café in Comanche, Oklahoma,  100 years ago, would understand.

Bad press

"If it weren't for bad luck, we'd have no luck at all."
--Hee Haw

Makes me think of all the bad press the press is getting these days. I'm not talking about Murdoch and Fox--that's obscene.  I mean all the reports on the "death of journalism."

Yesterday was this inaccurate journalism about one in seven newspapers being digital. Sloppy reporting and editing. Didn't give total numbers of newspapers, didn't say what kind--daily, weekly or monthly. Nor paid or unpaid. You'd get an F for this kind of reporting in a decent class.
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/one-seven-us-newspapers-now-digital-survey-165454733.html

Then there was an earlier report saying a reporter's job was the fifth worst in the country in terms of future and pay.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/04/10/the-best-and-worst-jobs-for-2012/

And I admit, there are fewer jobs, and the pay isn't terrific. I sometimes think newspapers and broadcast are their own worst enemies for the low pay they think they can get away with. If they can't pay a living wage, and keep cutting content, and thereby losing audience, and advertising, then they do deserve to die. Years ago I wrote an article for Editor and Publisher about one of my graduates making less as the editor of the Chickasha newspaper than beginning milkers at Braum's dairy.

I had an artist at the art festival, who looked intelligent, tell me journalism was dead after I told him I was a journalism prof.

No it's not. Digital is challenging and revitalizing journalism, but, there's more to the story. I have a love-hate relationship with journalism. I understand why students and ex-students seek other jobs.

But American journalism is far too diverse to lump into one category and declare extinct. There are jobs, and benefits, and a future, no matter what "they say."

So here's a positive link, from Forbes, about being a reporter as the best job ever.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2012/04/16/forget-that-survey-heres-why-journalism-is-the-best-job-ever/

Poetry winners

Winners of the National Poetry Month giveaway, two poetry books from Mongrel Empire Press are Karen J. Weyant of Pennyslvania and Dee Richardson of Oklahoma.

Thanks to all who responded. Other entrants were from Texas, Georgia, California, The Philippines and some places I can't figure out.

Thanks for entering.