Life lessons:

• Wherever I am in the world, there’s going to be someone kind enough to help me out.
• I can be miles and miles from home and actually survive.
• Singing in the car is a great stress reliever. Eric Church’s “Springsteen” was a summer favorite.

Journalism lessons:

• I’m leaving this summer with a more conversational style of writing.
• As a journalist, I might have to dig through someone’s trash to find the facts.
• The story isn’t in my notes, it’s in my head.
• Compassion is important in journalism.

Random facts:

• Blue-green algae is toxic, especially to children and animals.
• Friday, Saturday and Sunday are the busiest days for 911 calls.
• The scissor-tailed flycatcher is Oklahoma’s state bird.

This is only a taste of what I’ve learned. If I listed everything, I’d be writing forever. I’ve enjoyed my time in Oklahoma and at the paper. I’m excited about what my future holds. Soon, I’ll be “Back Home Again in Indiana.”

RJ Young

Staff Writer

ryoung@opubco.com

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoman/NewsOK.com interns made their picks for the 2012 NBA Finals:

Bryce Arens: Thunder in seven.

Andrea Gicalone: Thunder in six.

Olivia Ingle: Thunder in five.

Arielle Retting: Thunder in seven.

Nasreen Iqbal: Thunder in six.

Celia Ampel: Thunder in six.

Li Lin: Thunder in five.

Joey Stipek: Heat in seven.

Carmen Forman: Thunder in five.

Kyle Fredrickson: Heat in six.

Taylor Eldridge: Heat in seven.

RJ Young: Heat in six.

Anthony Slater: Heat in six.

Connor Rohwer: Thunder in seven.

(This post will be updated as more interns weigh in.)

What say you?

– That Intern, RJ Young

So how did I end up at the free pizza place aka The Oklahoman? Took a nice drive down I-35  from my home of Omaha, NE. I’m a Husker living in the Sooner state. Due to the Nebraska-Oklahoma football rivalry that heated up over many decades, I thought I would take my fair share of ribbing from my OU colleagues. Truth is I have seen nothing but respect for Nebraska down here and in two short weeks I have developed a lot of respect for the state of Oklahoma and its people.

Oklahoma has a very similar make-up to Nebraska. The metro area of Oklahoma City is comparable to Omaha with it’s surrounding suburbs, a vibrant downtown area, and most noticeably fanatical sports fans. OU and OSU fans are diehards just like back home with NU. But there is one team that is solely OKC’s: the Thunder.

I jumped on the Thunder bandwagon when I got this internship and it has been a great ride. A spot in the NBA finals has seemed like a dream to fans here and it has been great to see a city unite behind a young, exciting team like the Thunder. I’m on the prowl for a Nick Collison T-shirt/jersey, because he is a Iowa farmboy who can dunk. Check out a young Collison at the McDonald’s All-American Dunk contest: Collison with a Cartwheel Dunk. Tried that dunk on a 5 foot rim once and totally nailed it. I’ll try it again if I get the jersey with a video of the results.

I’ve been Thundering Up with four intern girls that live in the same building as me. We are all out of staters and have enjoyed watching the games together. One is the really loud Westbrook lover girl, one is the Steve Kerrrr/O-K-C girl, one is the softball lover/my questions at work answer girl, and one is the too nice, but horrible with directions girl. They know who they are. I’m glad that we have formed an out-of-state Oklahoma family. They even invited me over for girls night once, an experience that answered the question guys have of what girl’s actually do on”girl’s night”. It was perhaps the most illuminating event of my life.

I’ll keep updating my journey as a Husker in Oklahoma and as the Jets Bart Scott so eloquently put I Can’t Wait to see what the rest of the summer brings.

ASA Hall of Fame Stadium view from my seat at the NCAA Women's College World Series on Monday, June 4, 2012.

My post is a continuation of Garett’s recent post about the NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

When I was first selected for an internship at The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City and the WCWS immediately popped into my head. I knew I would find a way to watch a few games at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium.

Although I no longer play softball, it was a part of my life for many years. I played T-ball and started playing softball more competitively at age 10. I played on various travel teams based out of Southern Indiana and pitched for my high school team. I toyed with the idea of playing in college, but wanted to put more focus on building a career.

I grew up watching series-greats, such as Jennie Finch with University of Arizona, Cat Osterman with University of Texas and University of Tennessee’s Monica Abbott. I made it a goal to play at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium, or to at least visit the place where softball history is made.

This past week, I visited the stadium and it was an experience that was a long time in the making. It was great to see so many fans packed into a softball stadium, considering softball doesn’t get much recognition where I’m from. I soaked in the atmosphere and can’t wait to cheer on University of Oklahoma this evening as they battle University of Alabama in game 3 of the WCWS championship series.

Go OU!

-Olivia Ingle

Ground-level ozone is created when specific chemicals interact with nitrogen and sunlight. The chemicals are created by: cars, buses, industry, utility companies, gas stations, print shops, paint stores, cleaners, and off-road equipment like planes, trains and construction and lawn and garden equipment. Dangerous levels of ground-level ozone can cause choking, coughing and stinging eyes. It can damage lung tissue, exacerbate respiratory disease, and could lead to respiratory infections. It is particularly dangerous to children and the elderly but all outdoor activity should be avoided.

CART, the public transportation in Norman, offers free transportation on Ozone Alert days. However, neither Metro Transit or City Link, OKC or Edmond public transportation, offer the same service. Taking advantage of public transportation often is just one way you can help prevent harmful amounts of ozone. Other options include gasing up at night, avoid idling in your vehicle, and avoid gas powered lawn equipment. For more tips visit the Get Square programs website.

Get Square is a really cool program sponsored by the Association of Central Oklahoma Governments or ACOG. This clean air campaign encourages individuals to adopt a way of life that would keep their square of air clean.