What I Will and Won't Miss about Oklahoma [View All]

[fishwax]

It's pretty much official now that I'll be moving to Illinois for graduate school near the end of July. With that in mind, I've started reflecting on things, other than close friends, of course, that I will and won't miss when my 12 years in Oklahoma comes to a close.

I will miss the excitement generated when a large group of Oklahoma progressives and liberals come together. Sometimes it feels like we're such a minority here, that when we do gather in numbers we have a tremendous amount of energy. I remember how great it felt being in Gallagher Iba for the Democratic Primary Debate two years ago, seeing a few thousand Oklahomans give Dennis Kucinich repeated standing ovations.

I won't miss either of our Senators.

I will miss Norman on a home football Saturday.

I won't miss all the Keating/Watts/Largent/Inhofe/Nickles/Coburn, etc. stickers and signs that have dotted the home game crowds during every election year.

I will miss autumn in Norman, which seems to last for about five months.

I won't miss the occasional feeling that I need to watch what I say in political discussions as a matter of personal safety (not that it ever really stopped me).

I will miss the Oklahoma Gazette, even though it's not quite the paper it used to be.

I sure as hell won't miss the Oklahoman.

I will miss OU/Texas weekend.
I won't miss having to hear about the Dallas Cowboys all the time.

I will miss Bedlam football, basketball, wrestling, and bedlam baseball at the Brick. But I won't miss Stillwater. ;)

I will miss walking on OU's campus in the spring when they plant the flowers.

I won't miss the ease and disregard with which strangers or loose acquaintances have no problem dropping mildy racist or blatantly homophobic comments into casual conversation, since such opinions are widely acceptable here.

There's more that I'll think of as time comes near, I'm sure.

What would you miss?

What would you not miss?