Despite the fact I often refer to Oklahoma as godforsaken….I actually love Oklahoma. I do. I bleed crimson and actually am a memeber of both the UCO and Oklahoma State alumni associations as a graduate of both.
When the Sooners come out of that tunnel in both football and basketball it’s literally like a drug for me. I admit it is. I still bounce off the walls.
I’m currently working on a history Masters degree of sorts with OU through my own program with the iconic history professor Dr. Rufus Fears. A teacher perhaps even better than the iconic Juanita Elijah from the English department of John Marshall high school.
I plan at some point to be a contributor to the OU mens’ baseball and basketball programs through their NIL program.
But what I’m saying here on the award winning okcthunerground.com…… I actually love Oklahoma and its 77 counties. This state has more beautiful lakes, rivers, streams and ponds than I’ve ever been able to hike and fish.
Here’s what I’m doing as a Stage 4 cancer survivor…in memory and honor of my fishing mentor, Joe Carter, Sr. and this isn’t a Bucket List. It’s more of Mike J in his closing years making sure he fishes the Top 50 lakes and rivers per John Gifford and his wonderful book–Oklahoma Sportfishing… I’m making sure I’ve explored and fished every locale he’s written about in his incredible book.
And I’m loving it so much in fact I’m exploring lakes even he didn’t cover in his book. Yesterday… in the morning I scouted Lake Konawa in the morning for a trip I want to take in November when I go fishing for big stripers and hybrid bass in the warm waters near the OG&E plant. Then yesterday afternoon..I took the ‘esteemed’ Air Force General Francis Augustus with me to Lake Okemah for a beautiful afternoon excursion.
He didn’t fish. He’s not into fishing. But he did do some much needed meditation…while I caught some small bluegill on light tackle and unfortunately caught a snapping turtle as well. I didn’t bass fish yesterday. I wasn’t like really focused being that I was with a non-fisherman. My ‘A’ game wasn’t there.
Sometimes it just go likes that. But the beauty of these lakes in Oklaoma makes me ‘almost’ forget these people in rural Oklahoma are going to vote for Donald Trump a third time.
But here’s the thing….when I’m out here in rural Oklahoma on these trips–I keep my thoughts on the pathetic Donald Trump to myself because the fact of the matter is if it weren’t for Trump… I meld beautifully with these people.
In fact…I’ve become friends with this dude in Seminole named Big Ray who might in fact at some point become a podcast partner with me of sorts. Go figure. We both agree…our first guest should be James Carvell.
What a beautiful place Oklahoma could be if these rural Oklahoma people would just let the Trump bullshit fade away.
Love, peace, and tranquilty.
Mike J