The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 69

news powered by you jiorman PP" Community news published by The Oklahoman WHEN AND WHERE YOU NEED US. 10a.m.-7:30p.m. No Appointment Necessary. OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK! www.newsok.com VI Wednesday, November 21, 2007 Real-life inspiration my outreach reporter Tami Ik Althoff talthoff oklahoman.com Author makes literature fun Personalized stamps may send different message By Jennifer Griswold Staff Writer NORMAN "Have you ever been attacked by a pair of mutant underwear?" It's a question that doesn't faze Tom Birdseye. As the author of 18 children's books, including "Attack of the Mutant Underwear," Birdseye uses quirky episodes from his own life as ideas for his books.

When a Jefferson Elementary School student asked him last week about his personal experience with mutant underwear, he had to admit that was from his imagination. He's never really been attacked. "Have you?" he asked with a straight face, causing the group of second- and third-graders to burst into laughter. Birdseye, of Corvallis, visited schools in the Norman School District Nov. 5 through Friday.

There were a lot of interesting questions and some big laughs over the two weeks as he discussed his books and profession with students. His underlying message was serious though: reading and writing are important and can be fun. "When I was a kid, writing was not my BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN Children's book author Tom Birdseye visited several schools in the Norman School District during the past two weeks talking to students about the fun side of reading and writing. Students at Jefferson Elementary School listen to his presentation. favorite subject.

Recess was my favorite subject," he said. Later in life he learned writing could be fun. He just needed to follow the steps develop a good idea, work hard at writing and revising it, and enjoy the accomplishment of finishing. "I really like my job," he said. "I like what I do, but it's not easy.

It's challenging. It takes a lot of concentration. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but it's worth it." Many local and national authors visit the school system each year. By having guest authors talk to students, it brings See AUTHOR, Page 2 November 2007 Community Events Calendar Norman asks for aid to fix flood damage 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 3 4 5 6 7 8 NORMAN After writing about personalized postage stamps recently, I realized I had a problem. The idea was great, but which photo would I choose? Apparently, that's not the only thing I needed to worry about if I wanted to create my own postage stamps.

Pat in Norman called me last week and shared with me what happened to her in April when she tried to make stamps using a photo of her son and his bride-to-be. 'We were doing the rehearsal dinner, and I thought a personalized stamp on the invitations would be a nice touch," she said. Pat made the stamps and took them to the post office to be hand canceled so the cancellation wouldn't ruin the stamp. "Once it got thrown in with all the other mail, it still went through the machine, she said. "The cancellation was all across their face.

I asked the post office, and they said if all of the mail had stayed in Norman, it wouldn't have gone through the machine. Mail going anywhere out of Norman has to go through the machine and would get the machine cancellation. Pat said at least she kept a sample. "It looked wonderful when I did it, but it didn't turn out that way," she said. "I have my sample that looks beautiful, and that's it." In an e-mail, Christina in Pauls Valley wrote that she also jumped at the chance to create her own postage stamps.

"For several years now I've uploaded my own digital photos to Kodak for the printing of our family Christmas cards and realized that the addition of personalized stamps for those cards would really be neat," she wrote. "My out-of-town friends and family frequently tease me about the donkeys that we raise on our cattle and horse ranch, so I used a photo of my two favorite jacks and had the stamps printed. The stamps were beautiful. Christina prepared her cards, placed the stamps featuring a photo of Bob the gray See TAMI, Page 2 $2 million sought to build bridges, clear out brush 30-2 Musical theater: "Scrooge!" 8 p.m. Nov.

30 and 2 p.m. Dec. 1 and Dec. 2, Sooner Theatre, 101 Main St. Tickets $15, $20 and $25.

Additional performances Dec. 6 through Dec. 8. Call 321-9600 or go to www.soonertheatre.com. 1 Computer class registration: In person, 9.

a.m., Norman Public Library, 225 Webster Ave. Telephone registration begins at noon. Free. 701-2620. Avenue SW, just south of Main Street; Main between 48th Avenue and 36th Avenue NW, and 24th Avenue NW, north of Tecumseh Road.

No city or town in the state has ever asked for disaster relief money to clear clogged drainage channels, O'Leary said. "It's never been done in the state of Oklahoma, but we believe it qualifies. We think we have a good prospect of getting the funds," he said. The channels are clogged with downed trees and logs. The city does not have the manpower or money to clear them, O'Leary said.

"With federal assistance, we can do some contract labor and get them cleaned up," he said. On Aug. 17, the city received 7.6 inches of rain in a 12-hour period, with 6.6 inches of that occurring within a six-hour period, O'Leary said. Jane Glenn Cannon: 292-6111, jcannonoklahoman.com Bf1 By Jane Glenn Cannon Staff Writer NORMAN The city will apply for $2 million in federal disaster relief to rebuild three bridges and clear drainage channels clogged with debris from Aug. 17 flooding, officials said.

"Virtually every channel in the city is blocked. We are eligible for some relief and believe the cost of clearing these channels is recoverable," Public Works Director Shawn O'Leary said. Three bridges washed out in the Aug. 17 downpour have been repaired to make them functional, but all three need to be replaced, he said. O'Leary estimates cost of replacing the bridges at $1.3 million, and cost of clearing channels at $700,000.

The bridges to be replaced are at 48th 0 Upload it to NewsOK.com Publish your: IE) Your personal civic stories CI Your best photos gS Your thoughts and comments Healthplex construction moving along jjg By James S. Tyree Staff Writer NORMAN Construction on the Norman Regional Hospital Healthplex is progressing well enough hospital officials hope to have it open in the spring of 2009. Greg Terrell, Norman Regional Hospital senior vice president and chief operating officer, said that wasn't always the case. Earlier this year, the only activity to be seen at Tecumseh Road off Interstate 35 often was raindrops splashing on the site's tower-mounted cameras. "The weather has been perfect over the last few months," Terrell said.

"They've been pouring 15,000 feet of concrete every week." See HOSPITAL, Page 2 PHOTO PROVIDED Christina in Pauls Valley used this photo of her gray gelding named Bob and an unnamed paint jack to make a personalized postage stamp to go on her Christmas cards. No one noticed it was a personalized stamp. BY STEVE SISNEY, THE OKLAHOMAN Construction continues on Norman Regional Hospital's Healthplex campus at Tecumseh Road and Interstate 35. QUALITY AIR FUSNACE TUNPOP 12 Point Safety Check Heat Exchanger Thermostat Burners Electrical Pilot Light Gas Limits FLUE Sensors Air Flow FREE 1" Filter Motors FREES ESTIMATES Servicing Your Neighborhood For Over 30 Years second opinions frTTTTIlH UALITY ffe PLUMBING.