Since this got removed from my actual story in print, I will say it here.

Noodling is basically one big ‘That’s What She Said” Joke.

Ah! Ok, I can breathe now.

Seriously though, when I got a hold of the noodlers that fellow intern Zach Gray and I would be following around, I couldn’t even imagine what would be in store for us for the weekend. I’ve  been to the Okie Noodling Tournament in Paul’s Valley before, but to now be in cahoots with two guys who are allowing us to go watch the process of catching these river (and lake) monsters, I was more than just your average excited.

Zach and I met Tell and Chris in the parking lot of Mazzio’s Pizza in Stillwater, and we set off toward lake McMurtry in Payne County. Arriving just before 7 p.m., which was the start of the actual alloted time for the tournament, Zach and I climbed into the boat set off with Tell across the lake just as the sun was starting to set.

The actual process of getting in the water with thousands of dollars in camera equipment was much, much trickier.

With no water protective housing to aid us except for a camera that wasn’t producing the pictures Zach wanted, we both used the strategy of keeping one hand dry and praying to God that the tricky lakes of Oklahoma didn’t surprise us with some massive drop off.

Only once did things get hairy and that happened when I tripped over a fishing line that was left from a previous fool… but thankfully I had four feet of monopod to hoist the camera into the air while I took in too large of a gulp of tasty Canadian River.

No fish were caught the first night we went out, which was a real shame as the light was beautiful and the water felt great. Upon our return to shore, we struck up a deal with Tell that we would meet him and Chris the next morning in the hopes that we would find an unlucky fish or two along the Canadian River.

The whole experience was amazing and while I was riding in the boat under a setting sun with way too many people in it, all I could think about was how lucky I am to be in this funny profession of journalism where I can go and hang with guys that just like to have a good time and stick their hands in holes so catfish will bite them… seriously they want to do this!

Noodle on noodlers.

From writing about the documentary made about imprisoned soldier Michael Behenna, to covering the deadCENTER film festival and seeing the crazy awesome Troll Hunter, to traveling to Lone Wolf, Oklahoma and becoming engulfed in the artistic goodness of Quartz Mountain.

But this week especially, the workload has been turned up and the stories are flowing in. I have been writing or working on eight stories this week and I’m absolutely loving every one of them.

One of the week’s highlight was attending the OKC Summer Classic Dog Show on Thursday and getting to interview people who are completely obsessed with their pooch. You have never heard the word bitch used so casually as you do at a dog show.

http://www.newsok.com/article/3581775

Slightly unrelated to work but still happened this week was my experience getting to see Doug Benson at the OKC performing arts center. He and Graham Elwood were so stinking funny and the whole atmosphere was pretty spectacular, especially Elwood’s rendition of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA.”

I don’t get much of a break for the Fourth of July, but I’m going to make every attempt to blow something up and watch Independence Day. Because nothing says I love America more than Will Smith punching aliens in the dome.

WELCOME TO ERF!!!

Happy Fourth everyone!

Stillwater’s Other Lives apparently impressed Mates of State when they opened for the group during a show in Norman this past spring.

Other Lives is set to open nine shows for the San Francisco native Mates of State, starting with a show in Columbus, Ohio in October.

For a full list of shows with Mates of State, click here.

Those shows will come after the band plays six shows with Indie Folker Bon Iver in September.

Other Lives released its second album, Tamer Animals, on May 10 and so far has drawn positive reviews from music sites Pitchfork and Paste Magazine.

Plus, the band made perhaps one of the greatest music videos in the history of music videos that take place in space… (Probably only edged out by Michael Jackson’s Scream video. You just can’t beat Pong in space.)

The parallels I found in Harry Potter could only be described as magical (sorry to be lame, but it’s true.) and the fact that I was reading a book could also be considered some form of sorcery as I was much more inclined then to sit around and play Playstation (Crash Bandicoot for life!).

But as I opened up the book with that red tinted cover with a picture of a peculiar looking boy riding a broomstick with his broken glasses and messy hair, I was blown away by the sheer entertainment of word on paper. The immersion into a ridiculous world where pictures moved in newspapers, where giants existed (and half-giants; you’re my boy Hagrid!), a world of flying broomsticks, spellbooks and huge fire breathing dragons; I was hooked.

It was announced this morning at 7 a.m. ( and yes I set an alarm so I could watch the announcement because I’m a huge, lame 23-year-old nerd) the revealing of J.K. Rowling’s newest project Pottermore!

Rowling starts off the video by telling everyone how passionate Harry Potter fans are and how she hopes the love affair will spread to a new generation with this new project.

“Thirteen years after the first Harry Potter book was published, I am still astonished and delighted at the response the stories have met,” she began.

Rowling said the introduction of Pottermore will be an “online reading experience unlike any other.” Pottermore users will be able to choose a username and be sorted into a Hogwarts house, as well as upload drawings, comments and other feedback.

I AM SO STOKED!!! Can I make it into Gryffindor? Or will I be embarrassed and sent to Hufflepuff?

Photo of my girlfriend and I at the Deathly Hallows book release. She was the Woming Willow and I was being womped.

Probably Hufflepuff

Rowling went on to say that she will also be releasing content that she has been hoarding for years, which makes me think that this could be the release of the much anticipated Harry Potter encyclopedia.

“The digital generation will be able to enjoy a safe and unique online reading experience built upon the work,” said Rowling. The site will be an “exclusive place to purchase digital audio books and, for the first time, e-books of the series.”

The website won’t go live until October, but Rowling said a few lucky fans will get a chance to get an early sneak pick and help by giving their input on what they want to see out of Pottermore.

I practically crushed my rememberall in excitement for this site! Alright, gotta go re read all the books for the 34th time in preparation.

Watch this video and visit Pottermore!

Looking for something awesome to do on a Tuesday night?

Then gallop on over to the Conservatory tonight and catch Horse Thief  open up for J Roddy Walston & The Business.
Horse Thief is made up of students from the Academy of Contemporary Music of The University of Central Oklahoma. Originally from Denton, Texas, Horse Thief then moved to OKC to attend ACM @ UCO and has since been playing around the state as well as SXSW and Norman Music Fest (Where they were unceremoniously kicked off stage by a terrible venue operator).Plus, their song Warrior is awesome!

http://horsethiefrock.bandcamp.com/track/warrior

Go see Horse Thief tonight at the Conservatory, doors open at 6 p.m. and the cover is $12.

Jim Hanon took home the award at the deadCENTER Film Festival for “Best Oklahoma Film” for his documentary “Little Town of Bethlehem.”

The film tries to shed a new light on the centuries old Israeli Palestinian conflict by talking to three men, Sami Awad a Palestinian Christian, Ahmad Al’ Azzeh a Palestinian Muslim and Yonatan Shapira, an Israeli Jew who have all taken a pledge of nonviolence to help end the fighting.

Hanon, who is based in Oklahoma, talked after his film ended about the struggles that went in to making his documentary and the importance he sees in the message of his three characters.

“Every situation you saw in the movie, I was in there,” Hanon said. “So I was tear gassed and other different things and I have made a lot of different films but I was never afraid while making a film until this one.”

They know the history, and so they know unless something changes that history is going to continue to repeat itself. They have been fighting forever but these guys are starting to look and say they don’t want their children to inherit this so they are trying to change it.”

-Adam Kemp