Whew. Y’all. March kinda sucked. (I mean, the whole Charlie Sheen thing? I bet President Bartlet is PISSED.) But April is looking up.
As before, I won’t apologize for my absence. But I did miss you all and hope that you missed me too.
And for those you who didn’t, I give you this. (the real fun starts at 1:20.)
Can you really hate anyone who give you videos of baby penguin tickles? (And if that didn’t make you smile, go away. We cannot be friends.)
I am currently in a Starbucks in Oklahoma. OKLAHOMA, Y’ALL. I feel a need to tone my accent down lest they find me out and then set me alight.
Jethro keeps tempting fate by wearing his Aggie hat. But it’s deer camo, so no one notices. (I know. I married a man who does not hunt but wears a deer camo hat. My 25 year old self would be HORRIFIED. My 31 year old self isn’t too pleased either, actually.)
Jethro’s family has a farm here (well, a small ranch really) and we’ll probably move up here eventually. And raise tiny Okies.
And although it is pretty up here and I really want my kids to grow up near family, the Dallas-girl in me wakes up occasionally and goes, “NOOOOOOOOO!!!!”
So help me out, y’all. Who knows anything about Oklahoma? Tell me something nice about it. Who can give me good reasons to move to a state with lots of dust, crazy wind, cracked out OU fans and NO EFFING KATE SPADE STORE??
(…I mean, no Kate Spade. Jiminy Christmas, what kind of heathen country is he moving me to?!?)
Kind of a Mess 
Haha I follow fake Pres. Bartlet on twitter, and when the whole Charlie Sheen shit erupted, he was tweeting, “I don’t understand why everyone wants me to comment on this Charlie Sheen thing.” LOL. It was postmodern genius.
Anyway, yes, I did miss you, but yes, I will give you that March was a crazy-ass month.
I am not sure I could do Oklahoma, but then again I don’t think I could handle Dallas, either. As much as I bitch about the weather, I’m a NYer at heart. 🙂
I did miss you!
Glad to know it wasn’t anything too treacherous keeping you from us. Although Oklahoma, wow…makes me feel like a city slicker here in Ohio 🙂
Kerry! Not helping, missy! 🙂
Oh my goodness, that penguin video literally made me laugh out loud! I had no idea that penguins made noises like that or that they were ticklish! That is the best video ever. 😀
That penguin was enjoying that just a little “too” much if you ask me… 😛
That’s just TERRIBLE.
And funny.
Oklahoma…the Pioneer Woman lives there. That’s about all I got. And I guess it’s not *too* far from Dallas. Truly disappointing that they don’t have any Kate Spade shops in the entire state, though.
Any chance you could convince him to have a ranch in Texas? 😉
See, we wouldn’t even have the ranch. We’re just be near the ranch…though they do have a stocked pond that I got to fish in for the first time.
But they have bison nearby. BISON… It’s weird.
I actually had the same exact reaction when informed, at the age of 11, that we were moving to Oklahoma from western New York- but now, I love it. I live in Arkansas now (I know, not too far away, right?) but spent my junior high and high school years in Tahlequah, OK. I don’t know what part of the state his family’s ranch is in, but northeastern OK can actually be really lovely- lots of trees and rivers and such. Also, there are lots of shopping opportunities in Tulsa and Oklahoma City!
The reality, I think, is that the people make the experience you have of a place. So, just move wherever you need to and find awesome people to connect to. 😉
Oh, and the penguin video was adorable. Ten points!
I’m not TRULY hating it, but…20 minutes just to get to Starbucks? My materialistic heart weeps.
missed you so much! sorry march sucked!
the video didn’t work for me, says “removed by user” or something. hum.
I had a friend move to OK City for work, for like a year, and he ended up having fun I think. OK City has some charm. I mean his apartment building’s name was “Deep Deuce” so how bad can it be?? hee. I would be sad that when I visit my sister in Dallas, I would not be able to hang out with you, BUT I’m sure you would make your own fun over there in OK.
I KNOW, stupid Youtubes. I’m updating the link, so try again in a bit.
We’ll be fairly close to OKC, but closer to Norman. Although, I might need to live in a complex called “Deep Deuce.” That’s a one in a lifetime opportunity.
And if you come to the D, I’ll make a trip there even if I’m in the heathen country.
yayyy it worked OMG that was cute!! and I will give you plenty of notice ahead of any and all future trips to Dallas so you can plan accordingly. 🙂 🙂
Now I want a baby penguin!
I think where you are has a lot to do with your attitude. If you take the approach of “I have my cute husband and cute babies and extended family, I’ll find some like minded friends and be all set to explore this place” you’ll be fine. Although full disclosure, I blame where I live for turning us from an outdoorsy couple to homebodies. But it is not the place, we could still be outdoorsy, it just takes more effort. If you are willing to put in the effort, you can make (almost) anywhere work.
I missed you! I’m sorry March sucked for you. (Insert here a* kicking for March and hugs for you.)
I had the same video issues as d-day. Perhaps the user was jealous of people enjoying her/his penguin?
I have no advice about OK other than the Pioneer Woman gave up LA for it, so it must be livable.
On the moving-somewhere-for-your-family issue…girl!
I left a wonderful job, friends, and happy life in ND to move to GA for my fiance. He has partial custody of his kids and couldn’t move farther away from them; we couldn’t live apart; I moved. I’m a Plains girl. I’m a winter girl. I’m a country girl. I now live just outside Athens, Georgia: hilly, hot, and crowded. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it, because I have my man and his (he calls them our…aww!) kids. You can make OK work for you.
Penguin haters. I fixed it though, try again!
And if I really didn’t want to move there, we wouldn’t. But even though I’m for it (and it won’t be for a while….) I still am a Texas girl at heart and to leave it makes me want to beat things with sticks, sometimes….
And PW’s ranch is like 600 times the size of our ranch. I’ve seen her kitchen, I’d give up my CHILDREN for that kitchen.
I lived in Norman for four years while I went to college, and I loooved it there. I think as long as you’re in one of (or near one of) the big 3 (Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman), it’s a pretty good place to live. At least in Norman/OKC, there was always something going on… but in the more rural areas, I don’t know what there is to do. Cow tipping?
See, this is what I needed, an endorsment of Norman! If we move, I’ll be counting on you to give me insider tips….
I don’t know if this is your thing but…Southern Oklahoma serves as a winter base for about five travelling circuses. The real deal with animals, tents, new-town-everyday-movements. Circus folk (not to be confused with Carnie folk) are pretty fun and are great at shopping through the mail for anything from trapeze rigging, tiger feed and Ann Taylor threads. They could probably offer advice on the Kate Spade dilemma.
This is amazing. I’m sold.
Regarding the Kate Spade dilemma – please go sign up for emails from her website! They have several times a year where they do sample sales or additional amounts off of sale prices and you can get some great deals at those times. I know it doesn’t compete with having a real life store to go in, but maybe it can be an ok substitute? Also, sometimes I have dreams of moving to a farm or ranch but I don’t know if I can really pull myself away from the city life…
Oh, I do get their emails. They’re wonderful, lovely, colorful emails. Every one fills me with joy….
born and raised in oklahoma here! i agree with your shopping dilemma entirely – we also lack crate & barrel’s and h&m. oh wait, you wanted to know why you SHOULD want to live here. i agree with the earlier comment that as long as you’re close to one of the big 3 cities, there will be something going on. norman has one of the best bubble tea shops – i may have made 2 hour trips there just for tea some weekends. and honestly, i think oklahomans are some of the nicest people in the world! my boyfriend is in the military and we talk to couples who have lived all over the world and ended up back in oklahoma because of the people. but i should warn you, oklahoma drivers can NOT merge…at all or even a little. (sigh)
We drove through Norman and OKC to look at cars and almost died several times. I do not understand their exits and WHAT IS WITH THE TWO-WAY FEEDER ROADS?
not ONLY was he wearing an aggie hat? don’t get me started…alyssa….don’t defend it! but it was camo!? alyssa!!! there are so many problems with that sentence for me as a Chicagoan. i’ve only NEVER seen someone in camo and not wanted to punch them in the face to prove I could see them. yeah. pass it on…no camo aggie hat when we double date.
Done and done. I really really hate that hat.
But the Aggie hat in general? I have one too. I was against it at first, but we’re an Aggie family now, can’t help it. (Did I tell you we did the War Hymn at our wedding? My SFA friends and New York/Guyana family were so confused….)
The penguin video isn’t working for me either. Tear.
I don’t know what to tell you lady. I live in Fargo and there is nothing here and I hate it. I want out. So make sure OK is a place you could settle in before you pack up and move there. I miss the city. So desperately.
I fixed it now, there is penguin happiness to be had.
You poor thing. If it helps, the city kinda blows. I have sirens near my house on a daily basis, the sky is only blue when I’m about 15 miles outside of town, the traffic makes you want to slit your wrists and there’s tons of shopping but it’s all overpiced. Plus, you live in Fargo, so you can say it with that neat accent and not look like a twit. (Helpful? Maybe?)
Yup. Missed.
Ummm…Oklahoma. My aunt and uncle lived there when I was younger. And moved quickly. To rural South Dakota. That was a move up. 🙂
If there’s family and you are completely willing to own the choice by the time you make it, go for it. It was a long time for me to decide buying a house in Ohio was okay with me.
You’re exactly right. Once we decide, I’ll own it. Now? It’s equal parts, “YAY!” and “Seriously?” I think I need more visits. And more shopping excursions to deem it worth it….
I’m a member of the Cincinnati Zoo (holla!). And I’m pretty sure I’m going to have to spend a bit more time in the penguin house. But I don’t think you can hear them through that damn glass– gah! They’re ruining my fun.
Oh man…. sweet little penguin! Although, I do feel like I need to sit down with everyone who has been watching this little guy and have a talk about the birds and the bees. I’ve worked with penguins before, in particular a friendly little guy named Turbo down at his colony in Argentina (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Turbo-the-Penguin/71671468560) who also, well, loves people.
So this little one is not so much being tickled, but is “flipper-patting” the person’s arm, which is something penguins do to ask their lady friend to make babies with them, and to help the penguin get balanced and do his thing.
I don’t know if you have seen “Encounters at the end of the world”, but the part about penguins gets me every time. Hertzog asks the penguin researcher if he has seen any penguins that are insane, and well, this clip always makes me cry, because it makes me think of Turbo! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7kdDeGXUjI) Penguins like Turbo probably fall into this category of a little bit crazy, in that they love people, and want to be around people, and aren’t wooing lady penguins and making more babies. What I’m trying to say is, don’t think of the “tickling” as something gross, but just know that this penguin maybe just is a little bit confused, and maybe a little bit in love with these awesome zookeepers who work so hard to help him!
http://www.thepioneerwoman.com. The blog that made me want to live in OK. Seriously, if you haven’t already read it then go read it right now…especially the older entries (and the Black Heels to Tractor Wheels stories…she loves shoes too:)
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