Clay profile picture

Clay

The race goes not only to the swift nor the battle only to the strong---but that's a good way to bet

About Me

I'm 37 years old, married with two kids and gainfully employed. My name means "of the earth" which is kind of cool since I am (a) a farmer and rancher and (b) I also work part time for the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts. (These are the folks who turned back the dust bowl and keep working to protect our natural resources through voluntary, locally-led means). My wife is the one who got me started on this sight. She is Samonia the Autumn Belle chick. I like Oklahoma State University athletics (my alma-mater) and am interested agricultural and rural issues (especially those dealing ag policy, trade and conservation) as well as spiritial and religious stuff. I'm also interested in current events, international news and native american issues as well as having an interest in the unusual and unexplained. My sister-in-law America (the hip Cherokee artist and bike messanger extrodinair) is also on this site and I guess got us all started on myspace.

My Interests

Politics,current events, kids, unexplained stuff, spirituality (especially dealing with my faith-I'm a Methodist by the way) the environment, agriculture (I am a farmer/rancher) and anything dealing with the outdoors. I am a real history buff and love to keep up with current events. As I mentioned earlier, I am a die-hard Oklahoma State University Cowboys fan and love college athletics.

I'd like to meet:

All kinds of folks, especially people interested in agriculture, the environment, current events (both domestic and international), things spiritial, History, unexplained activity and quotes from history and movies. Actually I just want to meet other folks playing around with this spot on the internet.

Music:

You name it I listen to it.

Movies:

Signs, Raiders of the Lost Ark, the lord of the rings, the chronicles of Narnia, Spiderman and all the other superhero flicks, and Westerns. I mentioned signs but basically anything by M. Night Shyamalam (I think that's how he spells his name) or Alfred Hitchcock. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Patton, Tombstone and most John Wayne movies are on the list too. Do I even have to mention Star Wars, Independance Day and the star trek movies?

Television:

The Daily Show, the Colbert Report, Ghost Hunters, Smallville and supernatural. Most of the other stuff I like are re-runs (x-file,star trek--love star trek--gunsmoke, mash, etc.)

Books:

I just finished reading The coming Economic Collapse (a book about what happens if oil gets over $100 a barrel) The Audacity of Hope (Sen. Obama's book), The Faiths of the Founding Fathers (a book about the religious beliefs of the founders of the U.S. based on the historical record, not on what some in politics say) and Fiasco (a book about the mistakes made in the lead up to the war in Iraq and the mistakes made during the occupation). I am currently reading the Authentic Adam Smith (about Adam Smith of course), and Water Wars (a book about the water challanges of the 21st Century). I love books on history including biorgraphies like John Adams, Thedore Rex, Founding Brothers and Truman. I like some fiction and I enjoy books about current events. Basically anything about history, current events or anything by J R R Tolken or C.S. Lewis are at the top of the list. The Harry Potter books are pretty darn good too. Big Hugh, a book about Hugh Hammond Bennett, is also a must read.

Heroes:

Jesus,Will Rogers, Hugh Hammond Bennett (the father of soil conservaiton, who you really ought to look up on the internet since he saved the middle of the United states from the Dust Bowl-the greatest man-made ecological disaster of modern times). Thomas Jefferson, Harry Truman, Glenn English (former U.S. Congressman) Robert E. Lee (he freed his slaves before the Civil War and gave everything up because he felt he couldn't turn his back on his home state), George Washington, My Dad (smartest guy I will ever know), my Mom (she has put up with dad for 50 years), my grandparents, George Patton (damn good General with some of the best qoutes ever) and everybody who has served our country.

My Blog

I got tagged, so here goes nothing......

I got tagged to blog about 7 things about me----------so here it goes 1. I like to weld and work with metal.  I am pretty good at it and while I still do it mainly to work on farm equipment, I do...
Posted by Clay on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 04:58:00 PST

Isn't time we start paying more attention to our natural resources?

Another weekend in Rural Oklahoma and my thoughts are once again drifting to things in Washington (and in this case Oklahoma City). For those of you who don't know this, Oklahoma (and much of the West...
Posted by Clay on Sun, 28 Jan 2007 10:47:00 PST

Congress, the lack of leadership in our country, and snow.

It's a snowy day here in Oklahoma.  As I set here killing time between the mornings work (feeding cattle in the snow and breaking ice) and making lunch for my two kids, my thoughts keep turning t...
Posted by Clay on Sat, 20 Jan 2007 10:22:00 PST

life is like a rollercoaster

I once heard that life is like a box of chocolates.  For me I think life is like a rollercoaster----let me explain, I seem to go through a lot of hills and valleys in my life.  I know that i...
Posted by Clay on Sun, 07 Jan 2007 07:55:00 PST

Biofuels

  Biofuels seems to be the buzzword of the day.  Just mention ethanol or biodiesel and the conversation soon turns to talk of corn, our dependence on foreign oil and government programs that...
Posted by Clay on Fri, 08 Dec 2006 08:07:00 PST

Environment/Conservation

Oklahoma is facing what many are calling the worst drought since the dust bowl.  Weather this is true or not, Oklahoma and most of the southern plains are in a major dry cycle.  Every day br...
Posted by Clay on Sun, 03 Dec 2006 08:24:00 PST

random thoughts

Ya know, some days I can't get it straight------should I be pissed off or sad? Have you ever had one of those days when you feel unappreciated?   Let me explain,  I love what I do for ...
Posted by Clay on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 09:50:00 PST

Blog .3-we are cursed to repeat history. Why? We're stupid.

Two of my favorite quotes are "While history may not repeat itself,  past events sure as hell run parallel with today," and "Someone trying to plan for tomorrow with out a knowledge of the p...
Posted by Clay on Mon, 03 Apr 2006 06:04:00 PST

Blog . 2

Yuck.  It's been a bad day.  Have you ever had a day when everything seemed to go wrong (or at least nothing went right)?   That was today. Does negative energy feed on itself?&nbs...
Posted by Clay on Thu, 23 Mar 2006 07:23:00 PST

First blog on the world

This is my first attempt at blogging, so if it's a little rough, I apologize (actually I don't but I should be somewhat polite). It's a rainy, cold day here in Oklahoma.  That means it is a GREAT...
Posted by Clay on Sun, 19 Mar 2006 10:06:00 PST