After a quick ride from Russellville we arrived in Stillwater OK and the campus of Oklahoma State University, the Cowboys. Having graduated from the University of Nebraska I feel as if I'm in enemy territory. Not only is this our farthest stop west, it's by far our biggest college/university venue to date. We also have North Carolina State on deck in a few weeks. We're lodged at the
Atherton Hotel, an on-campus hotel which is pretty posh. This evening we performed Much Ado to a nice crowd of people at the Seretean Center Concert Hall, which is a recital hall holding about 500 people. Tomorrow we do an NEA matinee of Much Ado, and then an evening performance of R3. We also have our day off in Stillwater, which is good because there is a lot right around the edge of the campus (and from the looks of things the campus IS downtown Stillwater). Our other choice back in January was a day off in Pella IA, which is our next stop. Thank god Stillwater won out.As soon as we arrived Daniel and I had laundry duty, so we went to do the company laundry, accompanied by Kevin and Olivia. Kevin went to the Creative Lab home office, which is in Stillwater, to have his Zen player repaired. During our laundry session we also went over to a nearby Japanese restaurant and had some sushi. It was good, but not outstanding. You can bet your bottom dollar I will have a steak here in cattle country before I leave, though. Despite the fact that this is a college town, there isn't much open after 10:00 PM except the bars, so getting food has been problematical. There is a real nice fancy restaurant in the hotel called the Rancher, and that's where they served continental breakfast this morning, which was more than continental. It was eggs, bacon and hash browns, with coffee (which was weak) and orange juice, yogurts, breads, etc. Pretty nice, actually. I went down to the lobby not really dressed, thinking it was a standard continental breakfast, and when I walked into the Rancher I felt totally underdressed, as there must have been a dozen suits in there of one kind or another., having their power breakfast. Deans and the like. Yikes. A place like this makes me realize how small SUNY Fredonia really is; not only that, but the absurdity of calling Fredonia a "university" when placed next to OSU. OSU is a university; Fredonia is a college.
Today I did not do too much to fill the day up. I have a single this stop, and usually that allows a bit more freedom of movement. So I ate breakfast, got dressed and went out in search of better coffee. I found a place called The Third Place and got some coffee, but I have since found out there is a Daily Grind here (not the same as the Virginia chain) which has better coffee. I sat there, browsed the web and email, wrote some people, and set about writing more descriptions on my Flickr Photo Page, which I have been so negligent in doing. I hope to catch up on more of that tomorrow. A workout on the treadmill, a few phone calls, a short nap, and the show. That's the day.
I like the plains states. I was thinking about that as I sat in the van on the way to Stillwater, reading Proof and Amy Goodman's latest book The Exception to the Rulers, which Daniel bought and has lent me (we are both sort of addicted to the Democracy Now! podcasts). The first view of the prairie came at a truck stop at the beginning of the turnpike turning north towards Tulsa.
There was a field with a center pivot irrigation setup in it, and it brought me back to Nebraska days. I recall when I first moved to the midwest I didn't like it, but after three years I found it had grown on me, and I have a fondness for it whenever I return, almost as if there's a "home" sensation to it. I like the big skies, the wide-open vistas, and the people. The midwest somehow seems to have a genuine sense of living life to it that I find missing in the east sometimes, especially in the cities. Although I am not planning on it, I could retire to the midwest easily. Upstate NY has that same open feeling about it as well, which I like, but that sense of pioneer spirit is missing from NY. Upstate NY is more placid, more settled, while the plains states still strive to keep that rugged pioneer spirit going. Being someone who has always valued that sense of freedom, I think that's what attracts me about the plains states the most.Something else has seemed eerie to me lately as well, and that has been the almost total lack of winter for me. There was some little snow in Staunton in December, some snow during my two weeks home in January, but other than that I have not seen hardly any snow anywhere else; not in MN, IA, IL or any of the states we visited in January-February. We've had cold temps, but no snow.
In fact, yesterday it was at least 82 degrees in Stillwater when we arrived (today only 61 and rainy/cloudy). My seasonal bioclock is all screwed up due to this. I have to keep reminding myself in my head that it is only March 2, even though it feels like May down here. The lack of a winter is not too difficult to take, but it's still strange and eerie to me. I feel guilty as I look at weather reports from back in Dunkirk (where maybe 6" of snow fell today) and I can't imagine seeing that much snow. Of course, in the next week or so we head back to iowa and Wisconsin, where reality may slap us right back in the face, but then we go back south again, and by the end of March it's back to Staunton. Will I actually manage to escape a winter? I've suffered less from SAD this year because of it. Hhhmmmmmm......That sort of brings you up to date, actually. A lot less to write when you don't wait a week to catch up on the blog. I think everyone at this point feels happy and well. One thing is certain; we love the hotel! Guys back in Staunton - book this gig again! That's the word from the road. I might even have a chance to see the Cowboys play some Div1 baseball on Saturday if it doesn't rain. Spring training, the World Baseball Classic - things are coming alive! -TWL
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