Hiking, camping canoeing, art, antiques, pets, friends, volleyball, raquettball, watching sports, especially FOOTBALL, rugby, soccer, baseball and basketball. I like watching football games with my friends. I like pets, especially strange creatures.
Music
I have very diverse musical taste. I grew up in the 70s, so of course classic rock is at the top of my list, especially BOSTON, Eagles, Credence and as much as I hate to admit, yes, I loved and still love disco.
Movies
Too many to name, I can watch a really lame movie and enjoy it, especially if I'm with my kids.
One of my favorite movies is "Sister Act" and "Sister Act II." This is my favorite scene from II. I want this song played at my funeral because it embodies how I see God, JOYFUL and has a redemption theme that strikes a chord with me! Listen to the words, embrace them and try to listen to another Hell fire and damnation speech at church again.
Maybe I'm caught in some kind of time warp, but I have very fond memories of all the late night trips we took to Tulsa to join in the fun at the midnight showings of the Rocky Horry Picture Show. We did all the crazy stuff and went down and did the Time Warp.
Television
I love the oldies
Brady Bunch
Partridge Family
I Dream of Jeanie
but I have a special place in my heart for Elizabeth Montgomery as Bewitched
(did anyone besides me notice all the witches names end in an "A"? I also love to watch documentaries and nature programming on PBS (Gads, does that sound boring, but I yam what I yam).
Books
I don't read books, too long, too boring, too contrived. I like to read articles from magazines. I like my information compact. I read Nat'l Geographic, Science, U.S. News, Time, People, and lots of newspapers.
Heroes
This will probably sound trite, but I'm not a hero worshipper. I believe people make contributions and applaud them for it, but everyone has faults and when we put someone on a pedistal, they are destined to fall or get knocked off.
Northeastern State University
Tahlequah, OK
Graduated: 1981
Student status: Alumni
Major: Biology (zoology emphasis)
Minor: Chemistry and Botony
Clubs: BETA BETA BETA Biological Honor Society, Native American Student Assoc.
1977 to 1981
Tahlequah Hs
Tahlequah, OK
Graduated: 1977
Student status: Alumni
Degree: High School Diploma
Major: Just getting through it
Minor: survival
Clubs: Spanish Club
1976 to 1977
Stilwell Hs
Stilwell, OK
Graduated: N/A
Student status: Alumni
Degree: None
Clubs: Native American Student Assoc.
1973 to 1976
David I'm about to head to Tahlequah and see my parents, my son and new grandson. We are gonna eat some Charlies Chicken!!! Posted at 2:01 PM Jun 21 view more
About me: Just a regular guy doing guy stuff. If you wanna know more about you, you gotta spend some time to get to know me.
There are certain songs from my childhood that reverberate through my pshyche and anytime I hear them, I'm taken back to a specific place and time. One such song is "Cherokee Nation" by Paul Revere and the Raiders. I was riding a school bus, forced to stand while all the white children sat, and a girl was listening to a little transistor radio and this song came on. While most people see the song as corny, as a ten-year-old Cherokee boy dumped in a sea of white kids, the song brought me strength, pride in my heritage and hope. Regardless of how others may feel about the song, I still treasure the way it made me feel.
Another song that impacted me was "Halfbreed" by Cher. While I dispute that she is a Cherokee, her song had a resonance with me because I am mixed race, half white, half Cherokee. While I did not endure too many indignaties from either of my families, I always felt as if I was not accepted by either race. While there was racism directed toward me by some whites because I was Indian, most of the issues surrounding my ethnic insecurity arose out of my own self-doubt. It was not until I was in college and I met Cherokees who had no idea of what being a Cherokee meant, that I came to appreciate how much Cherokee culture had been shared with me by the full bloods I was raised around and how completely my mother had abandoned her white culture to create a Cherokee household for her husband and children. Because so many Cherokees shared their knowledge and culture with me, I endeavor daily to do the same for others.
I don't see myself as an outlaw of my tribe, but sometimes I'm described that way by those who weild the power of our tribal government. When Wilma Mankiller spoke out against this song, claiming it was racist, I stood up against her. I find nothing racist in the song and in fact, see it as a tribute to Indian culture and our need for survival, even when we stray from the path established for us by Creator. Our identity as Cherokees will sustain us, even when its put on the back shelf.
Oh, I just love the song "Cherokee Fiddle." Its a great song to dance to and it reminds me of all the fiddle playing Cherokee men I met as a young boy. And I am reminded of my gr-gr aunt Francis Holt Woody. She was a full blood Cherokee, played the fiddle, unusual for Cherokee women, and died near the age of 100. She was nearly blind in her old age, but was able to walk me across a rockstrewn pasture to show me the grave of her father Mose Holt, located in a tiny wooded cemetery in the center of the field. You can see a pic of Mose Holt in my acestors album. Francis had the original tintype the portrait I have was drawn from.
When I got divorced it took a terrible toll on me. I'm not discounting the impact it had on my entire family, it was devastating for everyone and I am so happy that everyone has come out of it stronger. I was near death, starving myself, losing weight and suffering from many stress induced ailments following my divorce. Many people tried to talk to me, but it just wasn't getting through. I just didn't think I wanted to live. But slowly, as I began to realize that what I had lost never really belonged to me and my family was healing and needed for me to heal too, I began to follow. This song by Leann Rimes, "One Way Ticket," actually helped me past the hump of recovering. I heard the song at midnight, Dec. 31st, 1998 and within an hour of hearing it was feeling better and making plans, something I had not done in months. I'm always amazed how music can have such an impact.
When I was in the 9th grade I had the worst crush resulting in unrequited love. The song, "When Will I See You Again" was popular on the radio and expressed my sentiments exactly. Everytime I hear this song I'm taken back to that moment when I was told my feelings were not returned.
And here is some Cherokee singing for your enjoyment.
Who I'd like to meet: I can think of no pop culture people I want to meet. I wanted to meet Carl Sagan, but he is now dead. I wish I could go back in time and meet some of my ancestors, if for no other reason than to ask them some of the important questions that seem to haunt us in the present. I'm really looking forward to meeting my grandchildren, when my kids finally get married and have some. My daughter recently got engaged, so far so good. My son has his first serious girlfriend. Her name is Sarah Hawk and she is from a very respected Cherokee-Shawnee/Sioux family. They are big in the intertribal powwow arena and JW is getting his first taste of the inner workings of the powwow trail. She is a beautiful and very culturally aware young woman. And attending college.
Well hey, my daughter just got married on April 5th. Here is a picture taken by my cousin Paula from Austin:
cool man. Wish I could, I've been so busy when I come down to Tulsa. I have to divy up my time with my daughter, gf, and her kids I typically dont go out. If we do its a date. So works good? Where you working now?
I see the old blood thing is going again on the forum!!!!SMILE *&*^%^@#$##**&&*.Thats my opinion and I am sticking to it.SMILE anyway all the sticks and stone hurt my ego.SMILE.
