Reznet

Unforgettable experiences

It's been almost three months since I left Alaska and my entire summer has been spent in and around South Dakota. Every weekend I have done something different and experienced something new, whether it's understanding that the Mall of America parking is ridiculous on Saturdays or finding out correct AP-style on court stories. 

Overall, I've come to realize that change is good. It has been an unforgettable summer that rivals my best ones from the past.

Should I stay or should I go?

I’m debating on whether or not to stay in South Dakota for a semester of schooling at the U. It’s free you know.

Staying on top of time 

By Charles Pulliam

We have been here for nearly three weeks now, but it seems longer for me.

I know everyone well, I have my favorite places to go eat and I have the places where I enjoy just relaxing. Its almost like home, but how can that be in such a short time?

Maybe minutes are actually hours or days might be weeks.

Maybe three weeks here has almost been three months.

My time here has gone by quickly. It is deadline time now.

Maybe time has flipped the other way around and hours are minutes. 

Movie, dinner, and a test

By Charles Pulliam

Saturday topped off a another great weekend. We checked out a water park, played some paint ball and kept the sunburn coming. That night, I switched up the dinner and a movie theme. My creativity placed the movie first then the dinner; another big step in orginality for me.

We went to "Ocean's 13" and indulged in some butter-drenched, slightly burned popcorn. Each bite seemed like it hurt to eat, but it was there, so we ate it.

AIJI speakers

By Charles Pulliam

June 12 marked the halfway point for the American Indian Journalism Institute’s summer program here in Vermillion.

In that time period, not including our daily instructors, we have had five unique journalists give speeches and offer advice.

An incredible conversation was the result of meeting them. I gave my own label to them on how they made me feel.

Most Inspirational: Carl Juste, three time Pulitzer Prize finalist for photography...

Driving through three states

By Charles Pulliam

Being from Alaska, I took advantage of how the highway is set up on a June 10 road trip to Des Moines, Iowa.

I’ve never been to any mid-west states until I arrived last week. On the drive Sunday, we went through a section of highway where South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa intersect.

The intersection allowed me to be in three states in one.

In my life-long quest to visit all the states in the U.S., I checked Nebraska off my list.

Trying to contact Sinbad
By Charles Pulliam

David “Sinbad” Adkins, an actor and stand-up comedian, was unavailable for comment June 7.

Adkins was one of the many examples of how Wikipedia anonymous publishers can defame others, according to a speech from John Seigenthaler.

Getting in contact with the 51-year-old Adkins was a difficult process.

He is a member of several celebrity agencies. I called two of them with dead ends.

I left a message with a request for an interview with one of Adkins' helpers. It wasn't even his assistant, though.

Storm Watch
By Charles Pulliam

On June 6, here in Vermillion, there was a tornado warning.

High gusts throughout the day tossed trees back and forth, snapping off branches and littering the ground with twigs and leaves.

High winds are common for me, coming from Alaska, but an actual tornado is unheard of. All the movies and books I’ve read about storms were going through my mind like a vivid slide show.

To my disappointment, no tornado came, no sirens sounded and no evacuations were necessary.

My first tornado watch ended without any excitement or danger.

First story at AIJIBy Charles Pulliam

Jacquelyne Taurianen’s journey to the American Indian Journalism Institute’s summer program started from Detroit Metro Airport on June 2.

“The two people I was sitting next to (on the plane) were kind of funny at first,” Taurianen said, “But it just became more and more awkward.”

She boarded a plane to Minneapolis with a connecting flight to Sioux Falls, S.D. that followed. Her final destination was Vermillion, S.D.

She is a first time AIJI student from Clinton Township, Mich.