The Oklahoma Sky

There has always been something so captivating to me about the sky.  I am completely fascinated by it.  As far as skies go, the Oklahoma sky is truly a masterpiece.  Wether is be a sunrise, or sunset, or just a starry night, the sky in Oklahoma never disappoints.

I am a person that finds great peace in the sky.  There is something about it that makes my heart feel at ease.  Morning drives as the sun rises, or evening walks at Lake Hefner to watch the sunset, are things that allow me to stop and be appreciative for the life I live, and the blessings I have a received.

The sky speaks for itself.  

KCH

Thunder Up

Going to an Oklahoma City Thunder game is like a right of passage to truly achieve the title of "Oklahoman".  When it comes to college football, fan support feels like a nation divided (I suppose in this case it would be a pan shaped state divided.) However, in my mind support of the Thunder is one of the things that unites the people of Oklahoma.

To the left, are a few photos of my right of passage ceremony.  Also known as my very first Thunder game.  The second I walked into the Chesapeake Energy Arena, I instantly felt the energy (that was not initially intended to be a play on words, but I decided to stick with it) There was something so exciting about sitting in the nose bleed section with some friends, and observing the excitement amongst the audience.  It honestly didn't matter where we were sitting.  It was just a blast to be apart of such a high energy "cultural experience" if you will.

I basically became a super fan after going to my first Thunder game.  I have been to several other NBA games before, but never truly followed a team.  Now that I reside in good ole OKC, it's safe to say that the thunder is my team.

KCH

Learning about blogging

There have been a lot of things I have learned about blogging, since starting this process.  In just a few short months, I can see how much I've learned about the blog world.

For one thing, I never truly knew how huge the world of blogging truly is.  For example, I never would have thought that I could potentially become a professional blogger.  How cool is it to think that writing about something intriguing  to someone else could potentially provide me an income! I don't know about you, but that is definitely something that I think is pretty cool. 

My blog has changed a lot through out the semester.  I feel like every time I publish something on my blog, I go back and make changes at least three or four times.  There is always something to make it a little better.  

I've learned a lot about making an emphasis on your blog.  Whether it be through an intriguing introductory sentence, or through strategic punctuation.  exclamation points aren't the only way to convey a point.  

Blogging is huge for my major.  It is gradually becoming more and more implemented into the news industry.  Certain mendia conglomerates have created blogs where they have certain corespondents blog.  It is another way for the media to reach an audience.  

Blogging in this class has affected me greatly.  It has forced me to do a great deal of thinking.  I have to think about what might be interesting in my life for other people to read about.  It has also been a great creative outlet for me. It is really interesting to think about all of the difference between my previous lifestyle in Northern Virginia, and my new life in Oklahoma.   

The most important lesson I've learned in this class is probably about being creative, and reaching an audience.  If I want to make any kind of impact with my writing, it is important for me to think about how I can convey a message in a creative way, and keep the audiences attention.

KCH

I Could Be A Professional Blogger?

Have you ever had the desire to become your own boss? The idea of being

your own boss is something that many people find quite appealing. In today’s

society, that idea is no longer far from reach. People all over the nation are finding

ways to be self-employed.

Social media is already wildly popular, and many people are finding ways to

be paid for their creative personal online works. In recent years, professional

blogging has become more and more of a career phenomenon. People from all over

the world are turning their personal blogs involving hobbies or travel into their

career.

Perhaps there is a common misconception when it comes to being your own

boss, especially in the world of professional blogging. It’s quite possible that people

assume that professional bloggers spend all day in their pajamas, drinking coffee,

and occasionally jotting down a few thoughts for their blogs. If you have plans of

making your hobby into a professional career, it will require a lot of skill, knowledge

and time.

Successful blogs obviously need creative and interesting content, as well as

good writing. However, there are many other traits and skills professional bloggers

need in order for them to be successful. These things include search engine

optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, and management skills. It is

also important to insure that your blog includes good grammar, and a

representation of some knowledge of photo editing.

It is really important to take your time as you enter into a career in

professional blogging. Take your time, and make sure that you are going about

everything in a manner that will lead you to success. For example, you should

ensure that you have a back of plan for income before you solely rely on your

blogging career.

There are many people that are taking this leap into self-employment in the

blogging world. With some preparation and hard work, you are completely capable

of being able to create an income from your blog, and earning the title “Professional

Blogger”

KCH

Boomer Sooner

There is something so magical about watching college football on a Saturday.  Whether it be on the couch at home, or in a stadium full of painted up college kids, and outrageous fans, game days are the best days. I suppose that is definitely a matter of opinion.  To my family however, OU football is everything.

Living in Northern Virginia for my family, meant ten agonizingly long years of less magical OU football Saturdays.  For one thing, the east coast time zone isn't the greatest.  They are an hour ahead of Oklahoma, which obviously means that football games were broadcast later.

My family tends to go all out on game day.  My mom makes all kinda of finger foods, like buffalo chicken wontons, wings, sliders...etc. We have a lot of extended family that also live in Oklahoma.  Now that we have relocated, everyone comes to our house on game day.  It's usually pretty wild.

As I have stated in previous posts, I've moved around quite a few times.  One major thing i've notices is the way Oklahomans rally around their football. Whether it be OU or OSU, they're fans are incredibly passionate.  It is incredibly less likely for you to find as many over the top UVA and Virginia Tech fans.

KCH

Sitting Still

Here are some interesting questions for you:

• Have you ever put your car in park because you were sitting in the same place for so long? 

Okay, maybe that one wasn't crazy enough. 

• Have you ever have to bounce in the seat of your car because your butt was numb from sitting in the same position for so long? 
• Have you ever made friends with people next to you on the highway? 
• Have you ever kicked your feet up on the dashboard of your car while on on the highway, in attempt to get comfortable?

If you have answered no to any of these questions, then you're probably not from the DC area.  

One of my favorite things to hear oklahomans complain about is traffic.  There is absolutely no comparison between traffic in Northern Virginia and Oklahoma.  When you live in Virginia, simple plans like going to the movies our out to dinner require strategic planning just because of how horrific the highway traffic is.  You can almost guarantee that if you are on 1-95 around rush hour it will take you a minimum of an extra hour and half to get home.

We should be honest though.  Traffic is the spawn of satan.  No matter what part of the world you are driving in.

Lets compare pictures of Oklahoma and Northern Virginia highways, shall we!

On you're left we have a lovely picture of a clear Oklahoma highway.  It's hard for this little east coast girl to see that picture, and not get giddy and excited to drive! My Northern Virginia traffic on the other hand, makes me wish I never got my drivers license.

This is one thing that makes me thankful for the DC to OKC life.

KCH 

Local Brews

One thing that has truly amazed me about Oklahoma City, is the amount of local coffee shops.  I am a person who very much appreciates a good cup of coffee.  As I'm sure you could imagine, I absolutely love this fact!

I have two friends named Jacob and Danielle, who have dedicated themselves to educating me on all of the local brews.  We often meet up at various coffee shops around town.  The first time I go to a new coffee shop, I tend to be a tad hesitant with my order.  I usual get something that is very basic, an unlikely for a barista to mess up.  An example of this would be some sort of Mocha, or a caramel latte.  Yeah, I'm not that cool when it comes to my coffee selections. However, with friends that are particularly coffee cultured, I've found my taste buds are either becoming more sophisticated, or I am becoming more adventurous.  That is most definitely up for debate.

Taste bud maturity is definitely a good thing.  As long as the sweets portion always remains the same.  I absolutely love a good pastry.  I recently had the most life changing lemon bar.  I mean, it was absolutely phenomenal.  The zest of lemon and the texture of the crust, coupled with the dainty sprinkling of powdered sugar makes for one very happy tummy.

KCH