Once again, it’s time for the Okie Blog Awards. Ah, such a wonderful event. I have enjoyed getting to know a number of different Okie bloggers thanks to these awards. Since most of my early years in the blogging world were spent reading a variety of A-listers and my exposure to some of the lesser known, better blogs was really limited, I’m really thankful that the awards were put together. A small way to honor some talented writers.

Click here to submit your nominations!

Remember, you can only nominate if you are an Oklahoma blogger. Sorry folks! You should just…move See the link for all the rules.

My Christmas gift to you: me, telling the Christmas story to my grandparents, aunt, and uncle. It’s basically me making a lot of excuses, stalling for time, and thinking of things as I go along.

‘Assault draws more questions‘…umm, yeah! So there’s this guy and he gets into some sort of kerfuffle with this girl and she hits him in the head, yada yada, and apparently cuts off part of his finger with a “tool.” Then it gets interesting.

“He said that his finger wasn’t completely cut off; that it was hanging by a little bit,” officer Jerry Kraft stated in a filed report.

In an apparent moment of panic the man claims he tore the rest of his finger off and threw it into the toilet. He quickly changed his mind and retrieved the piece before making the decision to have an ambulance crew transport him to the hospital.

What?!

It’s good, seriously. Kevin will even drink it. This is saying a lot because I always have him test my drinks to make sure they are sugar-free (since I am no longer capable of telling the difference) and he always cringes and says “yes” except for with this, he’ll drink it.

Oh, and Mom or any other family that is still looking for gift ideas for me (people are not happy that I’m saying “get me something from my wedding registry”)–I WANT THIS:

Yes, an AeroGarden. Go ahead and laugh if you want, but when you have a belly full of my delicious food you will be glad you bought it.

Yesterday, I put up my little white tree.

She knows she’s gorgeous.

This weekend has really been one of thanksgiving. There are a lot of reasons to be thankful, but one in particular for me was getting a letter in the mail on Wednesday that I wasn’t expecting for another month. It was from the Oklahoma State Department of Education and it was my acceptance letter into the Alternative Teacher Certification program. Basically what that means is that I already have a regular degree and that I will be working toward finishing a few courses and exams so that I will have full certification to teach in Oklahoma. I cannot tell you what a blessing it was to get this news in the mail on that day. I am struggling in some areas and that is just what I needed to hear.

And on that note I would also like to say that if you don’t have something positive or supportive to say about me teaching, shut your face. I heard enough of it this weekend from someone and I am done with that.

Now, some links for this Sunday!

• I hope to have a household like this someday.
• “Next we’ll find out that Martha Wayne, Bruce’s mom, didn’t die either, and she sent herself forward in time to become Selina Kyle, the Catwoman. On the other hand, forget I said that. Morrison may go back to writing the title someday and it now seems likely he wouldn’t understand it’s a joke.”
• iProd: The kind of fun country kids have with PawPaw’s cattle prod. You didn’t hear that from me.
• Kevin! Look! Chicken coop!
• If you weren’t already aware, most people are jerks.
• “There’s the belief*, certainly in some quarters, that people haven’t embraced Jesus Christ as their personal savior that they’re going to hell…That’s just not part of my religious makeup.” – Barack H. Obama. Good to know.
• He isn’t running a country, he’s hiding in a closet.
• Fried pies, yum. Next to donuts, that would be the first thing I’d go for on a high-carb day.

*Romans 10:13 & 14 – for “WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

Hope you enjoy my little link roundup here. Still working on my Pumpkin Spice blend coffee. I love low-carbing. Why? Two words: WHIPPED. CREAM.

Kevin and I are off to look at couches this evening at *cue organ music that makes you think of death and hades* Mathis Brothers. I have a reason for the music and I will tell you later. Suffice to say the ONLY reason I am going back is because I harassed no less than 15 people at that store until I got a $100 gift card.

THEN. We’re going to the mall and I’m going to spend a Sephora gift card. And honestly? Probably another hundred dollars of my own. Gah. I’m hopeless in there. And THEN we’re eating at The Cheesecake Factory for my belated birthday date.

And somewhere in there we’re picking up our engagement photos!

• This is a hilarious idea for a wedding. And only slightly creepy for my brother who was always scared to death by my dad whenever he made a change to his facial hair. Now, myself, I was scared of Granny’s wise men in the living room. The one with the black beard and crazy eyes freaked me out.
• I don’t about you, but that’s what I did on my birthday.
• My hometown (Elmore City, Oklahoma) has been experiencing a rash in cattle shootings. That raises some concern for me, but, I’m sorry, not quite as much as when the local devil worshipers were cutting one leg off a cow and leaving it to bleed to death. I dunno. Something about that doesn’t set well with me.
• Speaking of sawed off limbs…”7th Human Foot Washes Ashore on Canadian Coast.” I have watched enough crime dramas on TV to know that you have to study the tides before throwing stuff like that in the ocean. Seriously. So either this dude (statistics say it’s probably a dude*) knows what he’s doing and wants people to find these feet OR he’s an idiot.
• Please press charges. She could be your grandmother, folks.
• Note to self: hold your breath when you visit California. But seriously, there’s probably more than one reason to do that.
• “Rino Season Is Now Open“–Obey the spirit of the wild. I think (if it’s still on the air) Ted Nugent’s show on the Outdoor Network (?) is probably the only one my dad refuses to watch. It doesn’t matter how entertaining it may be, Dad can spot crazy from a mile away. Through a Leupold scope, most likely.
• If you aren’t listening to The Grizzly Bear Egg Cafe, you should be. I’m not sure why I tune in, since I know next to nothing about comic books, wrestling, and half the stuff they talk about…but it’s great.
• Uhh…this is funny. “Yeah, I know gays have been treated like crap over the years – but they were never slaves – unless it was requested in a Craigslist ad.” *ducks behind couch*
• Kevin and I have already discussed this and we are going to have one in our own home whenever we have children. Thank you, Redneck Diva!
• Go buy some Christmas gifts! I link to this because it features something that makes me laugh, too: the “Nuddle” or “Snuggie” whatever you want to call it. The blanket with sleeves that makes you look like a monk.>
• The Friar looks to the future and tells us what the next four years will be like.
• You know what I have to say? Get over it. Like I told Nume over at Kick the Anthill, “I watched my dad bleed and clean turkeys hanging from my swingset outside my bedroom window by the light of the November moon.” And look how I turned out.
• Picking this up the next time I’m at the newstand! Yay, French Toast Girl!
• Oh my goodness…yes.
  

  Everytime I hear about the Twilight series it makes me want to edit the Wikipedia page on vampires and remove the word “blood”.

  “Although many different cultures have been found to have myths of vampirism, it seems one defining factor is that all vampires suck blood”

  But I am trying to have grace since some of my loved ones are OBSESSED. Sigh. This holiday season could be really difficult. Forget not talking politics, let’s not talk Twilight.

• It’s sweater weather!
• “It’s simple, really: the real purpose of this mass gathering is not to witness history–but to pick up co-eds. The fact is, there has never been a better wing man on the planet than Obama. With his amazing ability to unify everyone under a feel-good notion that you’re totally awesome and everything’s going to be peachy keen – he’s like a human version of an ecstasy pill. If you’re for Obama, suddenly making out with someone else whose for Obama is totally okay!”
• At least there is someone who is standing firm and not swaying like a reed. Good for you, Fr. Jay Scott Newman.
• Brits at their best–what the stones don’t say. Thank you to those who have gone before us.

*Statistics produced by my brain.

In an effort to reduce the amount of “stuff” in my house, I’m still on the same bag of coffee. It’s good, but I’m eager for the day that I find it empty and have to buy another variety. Hmm…reason to drink more?

A few things for you this morning.

Norman residents:

• The Norman Public Library is looking for donations for their annual book sale. They are accepting good quality used books, audio and video tapes, CDs, DVDs, records, computer programs, and prints. You can drop off your donations at the circulation desk at 225 N. Webster. The sale will be held Oct. 25-27.

Other things:

• Chris at My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy covers the local fair (not my local fair, but one of the many wonderful ones going on this time of the year)
• Cindy over at Maternal Maddness gives us some tips on a few free samples (I love ‘em!)
• Numenorean weaves the wonderful tale of How the Tiny Conservative Elves Bestowed Beautiful Gifts on Her Lawn…or how she got her free Inhofe yard sign. Woohoo! I got mine, too!

Oh yes, I did.

My mom called me this afternoon and asked, “What size shirt do you wear?” “Small,” I replied, biting my tongue to keep from saying anything else. You see, Mom and Dad were at the Great State Fair of Oooook-lahoma! and I was a little worried that I was about to end up with a crocheted blouse with a glow-in-the-dark wolf ironed-on to the front. Oh how wrong I was. My mother, she knows me.

And she sure enough raised me Right.

(Cross-posted to Kick the Anthill)

i live kinda close to norman high, so in the late summer and fall i get to hear the marching band start practice early, early in the morning. and it’s not the least bit unpleasant. it reminds me of home and of high school, of old friends and the dew on the grass on the football field. chilly october/november evenings, sitting in the stands, watching the purple and white fly across the field. i close my eyes and hope that i never forget what it was like to be seventeen. no matter how very Janis Ian* the situation may have seemed to me at the time, my last two years of high school were the best.

*

I have a friend visiting from New York in a couple of weeks. Already have a number of things planned out (Pops!, Chickasaw Recreation Area, Oklahoma City Memorial, OU, etc.), but I was wondering if any of you might suggest something? Thanks!

Have I told you that I’m on a quest to watch movies made in Oklahoma? Yeah, I am. And I’m watching one tonight. Four Sheets to the Wind. I’ll be posting a review about it soon. There’s a great line at the beginning.

Once in a while, something great happens in Oklahoma. Not often, but once in a while.