Final: Richard "Daddy" Love

Richard "Daddy" Love, the head organizer of the Singer Song Writers of Norman, started developing his musical talents over 30 years ago when he decided talking to girls would be a lot easier with the company of a guitar. Still playing today, Love has inspired and educated many local musicians in Norman through his weekly open mic nights with SWAN. He enjoys the fulfillment of seeing new musicians learn and progress as they learn new techniques and become more comfortable in front of a live audience.

Christmas Music: Can it come too early?

Come December, most heads are filled with the idea of Christmas trees, twinkle lights, toy commercials, and more importantly Christmas Music…except for a few.

Meghan Macdonald, a Sociology junior at the University of Oklahoma reserves her stereo for her normal listening habits. Instead of Jingle Bells, it’s The Postal Service. Instead of Silent Night, it’s The Shins.

“I think Christmas songs become so overplayed throughout the month,” she said. “When I was a kid, Christmas shows and songs were reserved for at least two weeks before Christmas, but now they’re starting in mid November.”

Radio Station KMGL 104.1 in Oklahoma City begins playing an all Christmas music set list the Friday after Thanksgiving. Malls and departments stores begin their Christmas soundtrack before that, and stores like Wal-Mart, and Target begin setting out Christmas decorations and candy before that.

And that’s the way that Lyndon Parker likes it.

“I like to start the Christmas season off as soon as possible,” she said. “Christmas is only once a year so I want it to last as long as possible. I love it that you can listen in your car, and then listen in the mall, and then listen in the restaurant after the mall. I put my usual cds in storage for at least a couple months. That’s the way it should be.”

It seems that Christmas music is just a matter of preference. Some like it early and often and some like it short and sweet. Regardless of how much you enjoy it, there's no getting away from it. So you might as well just embrace it and be merry.

"Second Wind" for students

If you find yourself worn out after a day of work or studying, and you feel like you need a place you sit and relax with a cup of coffee, or even take in a little live music, then Second Wind Coffee Shop on Campus Corner has what you need.

Second Wind, a non-profit coffee shop that is affiliated with First Presbyterian Church next door, opened their doors for the first time last fall. Student volunteers work from noon to eleven daily to create an environment that can help ease their fellow student’s nerves.

Taylor Dees, who is in her third semester working at Second Wind, describes it as a place to come and relax.

“I like the community and I like the feeling,” she said. “I started coming to the bible study here first, and there was barista training not long after that and I decided to begin volunteering.”

The growing business is operated entirely by students from First Presbyterian Church. The Church owns the Second Wind building, and rents the site to the students for one dollar a month.

Because the business is non-profit, all of the drinks are sold on suggested donation. The consumer can choose to pay as much or as little as desired, which helps out those students who are on a limited budget.


Friday nights are reserved for local musical artists to showcase their talents. The shows are most often free, and deliver a variety of sounds, from folk, to indie, to country.

“We try to have an open mic night once a month, and then bands the rest of the time,” Dees said. “We have local artists and then we have a few artists that come form out of town. It’s really something for everyone.”

Because the shop is ran by students only, it will be closing it's doors this Thursday so the volunteers can take a break or return home from school. It will reopen at the beginning of the Spring semester.