Oklahoma's Tom Wort (21) reacts after hitting Florida's Clint Trickett (9) during a college football game between the University of Oklahoma (OU) and Florida State (FSU) at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

I learned more than I thought possible about  blimps and zeppelins during an assignment earlier this week with Staff Writer Matt Dinger. We got a close look at the Farmers Airship as it visited Oklahoma City as part of history’s longest zeppelin tour. You can read Matt’s story by clicking here.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t seen some of the other photo galleries we’ve publish in the last week, follow some of these links. Bryan Terry turned in some nice pictures from the OU Sooners’ game against Florida State. We’ve been out to the Oklahoma State Fair a few times and if you still haven’t seen pictures from Oklahoma State’s game against Tulsa then click here.

A crew member walks toward The Farmers Airship after it landed at Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City on Monday, September 19, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

OSU's Justin Blackmon (81) is stopped after a catch by Alan Dock (11) and Marco Nelson (20) of TU in the first quarter during a college football game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys (OSU) and the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane (TU) at H.A. Chapman Stadium in Tulsa, Okla., Sunday morning, Sept. 18, 2011. Photo by Nate Billings, The Oklahoman

Nita Haynie, a client at the Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled, laughs as she is wheeled under a limbo stick by Joy Woods during a Luau for clients and their parents or care-givers at the Oklahoma Oklahoma Foundation for the Disabled in Oklahoma City on Wednesday, September 21, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

The Coalgate band marches during band day at the 2011 Oklahoma State Fair at State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, OK, Monday, Sept. 19, 2011. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton

 …

Cheryl Bulmer gets a hug from a wrestler before a match by members of Sooner World Class Wrestling at the historic Yale Theater in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in south Oklahoma City on Saturday, July 23, 2011. Bulmer's son Dallas Bulmer, who wrestled under the name Crisstopher "The Freakshow" Crow, died in a car accident on June 22, 2011. Saturday's show was the third of three tribute shows dedicated to Bulmer. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

This was going to be Dallas Bulmer’s night. They’d planned it for months. Bulmer’s character Crisstopher “The Freakshow” Crow was supposed to take the spotlight during a cage match at the end of a show by Sooner World Class Wresting. Instead, his friends gathered around the ring for a ten-bell salute as they started the third of three tribute matches dedicated to him.

Dallas Bulmer was killed in a car wreck on June 22, 2011. He was 21 years old.

“We’re going to put on the show that we think he would want to see,” said Dallas’ brother Brandan Bulmer, who wrestles under the name Drake Gallows. Brandan and two of his brother’s friends talked about Dallas and Saturday night’s show as they stood outside the historic Yale Theater in the Capitol Hill neighborhood south of downtown Oklahoma City.

“It’s not just a show that he would be proud of… He would expect no less,” said Brandan.  “We’re gonna (expletive) bust ass today just because I know that’s what he would do.”

The lights above the ring and the room full of people only intensified the sweltering, relentless heat inside the old theater. After a Battle Royal to start the show, wrestlers spilled out into the alley behind the theater to sit in the evening shade. As the metal doors to the alley swung open, Drake Gallows and two other wrestlers talked about what they’d do in the upcoming cage match. Chants from the crowd drifted into the alley: “Freakshow, Freakshow, Freakshow…”

Brandan Bulmer, who wrestles under the name "Drake Gallows" poses between matches during a show by members of Sooner World Class Wrestling on Saturday, July 23, 2011. Bulmer's brother Dallas Bulmer, who wrestled under the name Crisstopher "The Freakshow" Crow, died in a car accident on June 22, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Brandan Bulmer, who wrestles under the name "Drake Gallows," talks with other wrestlers, including Eric Torres (left) who wrestles under the name "Rick Russo." They critique their show and plan the next match during a show by members of Sooner World Class Wrestling on Saturday, July 23, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Brandan Bulmer, who wrestles under the name "Drake Gallows" (right) flips Kevin Mowery, who portrays wrestler Kevin Sanchez, over the rings during a show by members of Sooner World Class Wrestling. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton…

The mob dance was organized by the YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City to post on the “Let’s Make Ellen our #1 Thunder Girl” Facebook page. Thunder Girls taught the crowd a dance routine that goes with a Thunder song. If I hadn’t been there and seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have thought you could teach several hundred fans of all shapes and sizes a dance routine in 30 minutes, but they did. I was amazed at how in synch everyone became in such a short time. Great team work!

Tania Way-Garcia, left, and Ashlee Paul practice the dance moves during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

The crowd practices the dance steps during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Girls with Ellen on their shirts learn the dance steps during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

The crowd practices the dance steps during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Leah Sparks learns the dance steps with an Ellen mask on her head during a Thunder mob dance to send to Ellen DeGeneres at Hafer Park in Edmond Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

A lot of energy and fun! To see more photos click here.

To watch video of the mob dance click here.

Go Thunder!

-Doug Hoke…

Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Corey Patterson reaches for a bouncing ball hit for a double by Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Friday, May 6, 2011. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

I looked through Merlin this morning for pictures from around the United States and the world. There’s been plenty happening since May 1, including Osama Bin Laden’s death, tornadoes and storms in the South and fighting continues in Libya.

A little bit closer to home, The Thunder won in Memphis on Monday night. Check Alternate Crop late tomorrow night for pictures from game 5 in their NBA playoff series against the Memphis Grizzlies. You can also see galleries by Staff Photographers at The Oklahoman by clicking here.

Iness Martez, left, of Newark, N.J., sells American flags at ground zero following the announcement of the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, Monday, May 2, 2011, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Rebel fighters celebrate after coming back from the front line against Moammar Gadhafi's forces, in Ajdabiya, Libya, Monday, May 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

Canadian popstar Justin Bieber takes his glasses off during his "My World Tour" concert in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday May 10, 2011. Bieber is in the country for a one-night concert. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Jimmy Talley looks over the destroyed home of his brother, David, and sister-in-law, Katherine, on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, in Vilonia, Ark. Both David and Katherine Talley were killed when a tornado hit Vilonia. The couple had taken shelter in a metal utility building, but they died when the building was blown across a pond. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Thabo Sefolosha, of Switzerland, left, guard Russell Westbrook (0) and James Harden, right, celebrate after beating the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series on Tuesday, May 10, 2011, in Memphis, Tenn. Oklahoma City won 133-123 in triple overtime. (AP Photo/Lance Murphey)

-John Clanton…

After looking back over the week, there was a very fun moment that I was able to witness. On the cold Tuesday March 29th night at the Bricktown Ballpark where the Oklahoma City Redhawks were playing an exhibition game against the Houston Astros. Baseball fan Mitchell Walser had put together a plan to take his girlfriend Heather Carlquist by complete surprise.

It was late in the game and the Redhawks were having fun with the fans by spotlighting couples with the ‘Kiss Cam’ to broadcast them on the outfield monitor. The fun was wrapping up when the camera targeted Mitchell and Heather as the last couple to give each other a kiss. Mitchell calmly gave Heather a kiss, stood her up, led her to the center isle, and to her surprise Mitchell got down a one knee and asked Heather the big question. In Heather’s reaction, all she could do was smile ear to ear and cover her face in her hands as she was presented the ring.

Heather Carlquist reacts as she is surprised with a marriage proposal by boyfriend Mitchell Walser during the exhibition game between the Redhawks and the Houston Astros at the Bricktown Ballpark on Tuesday, March, 29, 2011, in Oklahoma City, Okla. Photo by Chris Landsberger, The Oklahoman

By the way she did say yes! Congrats to Mitchell and Heather.
-Chris Landsberger…

Tierney James (center), who performs as Eva Aphrodisia, gets into her costume with other dancers before a recent show at the Prohibition Room in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. James is a member of the 7 Deadly Sins Burlesque Revue in Oklahoma City. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

In a hallway south of the Prohibition Room, Merry Ann Moan opens a suitcase packed with handmade pasties, sparkling, sequined bras and high heels as she gets dressed for a show. For Merry, who’s real name is Merry McGinnis, an interest in burlesque dancing evolved from the belly dancing she’d done as a kid. Moving back to Oklahoma after college in California, she joined the now-defunct group Dust Bowl Dolls before helping to start 7 Deadly Sins Burlesque Revue in Oklahoma City. “I like the idea that I can re-define my own sexuality,” says McGinnis, a former auto mechanic who once made a bra out of a pair of working headlights. “I like having something different, where people learn to see women as more than just objects.”

Tierney James, who dances under the stage name Eva Aphrodisia, sits on the floor next to her black, ostrich feather fans, cutting pieces of tape that will keep her pasties in place during the show.  She talks about the misconceptions people have of the dancers—they’re not intelligent, they need money, or they need male approval. “We don’t really make any money, we do it solely because we want to be doing it, and all that we’re putting out there (on stage) is what we want to put out there and there’s no other pressures to influence what we do.”

Merry McGinnis, who dances as Merry Ann Moan, performs with 7 Deadly Sins Burlesque Revue at the Prohibition Room in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Tierney James, who performs as Eva Aphrodisia gets dressed before a recent show at the Prohibition Room in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. James is a member of the 7 Deadly Sins Burlesque Revue in Oklahoma City. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Tyler Rush, who performs as Panhandle Perle, performs during a show at the Prohibition Room in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Merry Ann Moan, Eva Aphrodisia and Panhandle Perle talk more about burlesque dancing in Oklahoma City in this audio slideshow. They will also be featured in Look at OKC, which is available for free at restaurants and bars in the Metro area starting on Wednesday, March 16, 2011.

-John Clanton…

The Amazing Boobzilla breathes fire during the Carnival of Cleavage sideshow, Friday, June 11, 2010, in Bricktown in Oklahoma City. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Two days ago I found an old fortune cookie in my coat pocket. The fortune inside said ‘under-promise and over deliver.’ Clearly, I could have used that advice before I started the ill-fated attempt to get 12 months of pictures written into blog posts late in December. So here we are in January looking at pictures from June of last year, but I’m determined to get through the Best of 2010 series. Most of the pictures in Best of 2010 deserve another look and in some cases, this is the first time they’ve ever been published.

There was a slideshow about Vietnam Veterans in June that you can watch by clicking here. And, of course, there’s the entire Best of 2010 gallery and the Best Sports photo gallery.

Ana Gonzalez (right) and a friend join hundreds of other participants as they watch a performance during a street show before the Oklahoma City Pride Parade on Sunday, June 27, 2010. Photo by John Clanton, The Oklahoman

Zachary English, 8, stands in the bed of a 1945 Ford fire truck during the LibertyFest car show on the University of Central Oklahoma campus in Edmond, Okla., Saturday, June 26, 2010. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman

Rylee Cook, 7, swims at Pelican Bay Aquatic Center, Saturday, June, 19, 2010, in Edmond, Okla. Photo by Sarah Phipps, The Oklahoman

Daniel Parker splashes water while sitting on his mailbox in front of his house in the Palo Verde Addition in Edmond, OK, after flood waters inundated a number of homes in the area, Monday, June 14, 2010. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

-John Clanton…

A 1952 Porsche 356 Cabriolet owned by Dr. Robert Wilson is the oldest surviving Porsche sold in America according to Porsche. It was rescued from a salvage yard and restored. Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Make no mistake, being a photographer for a newspaper is a great job, but most of the time we take photos for stories that, while interesting and challenging, are not by choice. Oct. 27 was different. There was an assignment I wanted to do. I mean REALLY wanted to do. The oldest Porsche sold in America, a 1952 Porsche Cabriolet.

As a life-long car enthusiast, there are few things I would rather do than photograph cars or talk about cars. I got the bug from my Dad. During my middle and high school years he bought, worked on and traded sports cars and I went along for the ride. At one point Dad had a yellow 1956 Porsche 356a with a sunroof, so that piqued my interest in Dr. Robert Wilson’s Porsche.

I love to explore the lines of the older cars that were built when the designers ruled, not the accountants and marketing teams. And this 356 is a jewel. Learning about the history of the car was exciting. To learn more, watch the video.

Hope you enjoy looking at the photos as much as I did taking them. To see a gallery click here

The front hood of a 1952 Porsche 356 Cabriolet owned by Dr. Robert Wilson is the oldest surviving Porsche sold in America according to Porsche. It was rescued from a salvage yard and restored. Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke…

What detail! Radiator cap on a 1927 Buick belonging to Randy Dekker at the LibertyFest Car Show on the campus of UCO Saturday, June 27, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

1955 Chevy Bel Air convertible belonging to Annette Myers at the LibertyFest Car Show on the campus of UCO Saturday, June 27, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

1955 Ford F-100 pick up belonging to Kathy Bernhardt at the LibertyFest Car Show on the campus of UCO Saturday, June 27, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

Donna and Brandon Krist look at an original, unrestored 1959 Chevy Impala Sport Coupe with 50,000 miles owned by Dennis and Sharon Doughty of Edmond at the LibertyFest Car Show on the campus of UCO Saturday, June 27, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

1962 Chevy Corvette at the LibertyFest Car Show on the campus of UCO Saturday, June 27, 2009. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

1966 Cord Repro belonging to Dale Williams at the LibertyFest Car Show on the campus of UCO Saturday, June 27, 2009. This car is number 37 of 97 built in Tulsa. Photo by Doug Hoke, The Oklahoman.

-Doug Hoke…

A girl dances in high heels during the opening of Coyote Ugly in Oklahoma City Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

Christina Clark, a bartender, smiles at a customer during the opening of Coyote Ugly in Oklahoma City Wednesday, June 24, 2009. Photo by Ashley McKee, The Oklahoman

- Ashley McKee…