Well, I was late coming in so I was back by the door...which means that I was the first one out when it was over. I was directed to an adjacent hallway where I saw this:
Right after I snapped that pic, two people came out of the dining area and worried aloud that they hadn't set everything out yet. I tell ya, folks, if you were to begin at the near end and taste everything on that table til you got to the far end, you had more than a meal. Take my word for it--it was necessary to skip stuff, which was a shame because it was unusual fare right down to the pfeffernusse.
This was the end of today, and I have videos from today and the past few to post, and processing each will take time...so...if you're interested in the local customs (and I know my friends abroad will be) keep checking back for new video postings. Posting 'em all will take me a while, believe me. I am going to apologize in advance for any videos that seem to move around a lot. In most cases I'm either avoiding a shot which includes other people taking videos/people moving around during a performance and that sort of thing.
Okay, just got an interesting question about how I've been talking more about the guys than the gals. You can boil it down to this: in the state of Oklahoma, I've got next to nada in common with the gals around here. With them, it's all about gossip and neighborhood soap operas, and I can't stand either one of those. On top of that, Okies as a rule have an 18th century concept of the "proper place" for each gender (except on ranches) and I violate that on a daily basis. When I first moved here, went to my first yard sale and attempted to buy a long-handle axe, some idjit guy piped up and proclaimed that to be a man tool. I looked him up and down, looked the axe up and down, and proclaimed that the axe didn't have any balls. Yeah, he backed off.
You get the picture.
Kicking off the holiday season in Enid are the open house events held by banks. One of those was the mayor's bank (that's his day job) which featured Enid High's Show Choir, but they were in everyday street clothes and the place was still packed. The best place I could set up was, well, not an optimum angle. But when Enid High put on its show, the Show Choir reprised their bank performance in full performance dress, and I'll post both versions. Eventually. Stand by.
Next, here's the Show Choir at the CNB (Mayor Shewey's) bank, performing "It's Cold Outside"...
...and then we have the stage production...
Next is a vid of a remarkable Enid keyboardist who also plays at Enid High presentations, but the last time he did perform, his name wasn't on the programme, and that's unfortunate. Although I've heard him numerous times, like on First Fridays downtown, I never got his name. The most accurate way to describe him is a smooth keyboard talent with special needs. The word "handicapped", in my view, is a terrible misrepresentation of this gentleman.
The Enid Public Library's event was billed as a fundraiser, so there were no freebies--not even photos with Santa, who looked rather lonely the entire time I was there. I got out my camera and stated that there was a difference between a photo and a video. Well, there was a cheery chorus of kids up ion the 2nd floor mezzanine, but no traditional carols for them at all. They were just rockin' it out up there. Below is their rendition of "Do You Know Blitzen?"
The real Santa Claus in Enid actually looks more like this guy...
This pic wasn't taken in Enid. It was taken in Covington (about 20 minutes out of Enid), at the Covington Historical Society building, where there was an event for retired and other veterans.
They had some interesting old-time artifacts on display...
Beep beep.
That's a peeler.
The Google Plus community is awesome! What's surprising is how quickly the "Auto" part of that page operates. If I were to do this same thing with what I've got to work with, it would have taken me the better part of a half hour to get it just right. I wonder what software they were using to make it that automatic.
Next, the Big Blue Band, in its various sections. Absolutely THE best of Enid High, in the state and among 3 (or 4, sometimes) states in the region via the Tristate festival.
Yup--Richard. Enid Symphony Orchestra director Doug Newell was, too. This is the church he goes to. I shot the back of his head pretty good in the next vid. After this intro, the ringers made a grand entrance while "Christmas Bells Are Ringing" was sung, and then they were explained...
Next--La Boheme Act I Finale...
...and unfortunately the first few words of the next vid got clipped, alas. "On the first day after Christmas, my true love and I had a fight..."
The following is from the Mennonite Grace Church, and as I mentioned earlier, I got in a tad late...
Later, a gal was handing out small candle sticks...
...and then...
...back to school for 6th graders...
...and there's more. I plan on posting the videos near the appropriate programme images. In the meantime, enjoy a performance of Doc Bryant and Kyle Dillingham staged last year. Doc Bryant said he played with one of the Dorsey big bands and I forget which (Jimmy's or Tommy's). When I asked him if he knew another Dorsey alum by the name of Sy Gordon, he said that he didn't. Both Sy Gordon and Doc Bryant are horn players, so whichever Dorsey band they played in couldn't have been the same one. I met Sy at a thrift shop in Mesa AZ and can attest that he's a helluva wiry, spry guy even at his age. Anyhoo, still uploading stuff, so please stay tuned.
The autofocus still sucks, and I try to nudge the thing by looking at the dancers, but alas and alack, it's not good. The music's still great and both Doc and Kyle are still amazing. Close your eyes if you have to, sit back and just enjoy the tunes.
Blue Skies--
Below, from Emerson school...
What follows is the 6th grade band performance of "My Dreidel"...which somebody at the front office didn't know how to spell or something...
And then there's Go Big Santa, which is a Christmasized version of Go Big Blue, the band theme...
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