Terra Extraneus

Several months ago I launched a project to survey the 300+ blogs listed on the Blog Oklahoma blogroll. I set out alphabetically, and so far I have reviewed Sooner blogs from A to D. (Click the “Blogs: Oklahoma” category button for those reviews). At this rate, I won’t finish this project until well into the next decade.

One blog that has an obvious Sooner state connection that I see mentioned frequently on other blogs is Okiedoke. I decided to skip a few letters to find out what Okiedoke is all about.

Okiedoke (not Okiedokie) is written by Mike Hermes of Little Axe, Oklahoma. From its name, I was guessing Little Axe was deep in the Kiamichis of southeast Oklahoma. Actually, Little Axe is just 20 miles east of Norman on the eastern bank of Lake Thunderbird, out on the farthest fringe of the OKC metro area.

Like his friend over at Dustbury, Hermes is a prolific writer, cranking out about 70 posts a month. Archives go back to Dec 2003, although Hermes says Okiedoke began in July 2003. I read the last three months’ worth (that’s a lot of reading!).

Unlike Terra Extraneus and most other Oklahoma blogs, Okiedoke is actually primarily about Oklahoma, especially Oklahoma politics. In addition to his blog posts, Hermes throws in several bells and whistles which elevate his blog a few cuts above the rest:
• He maintains a helpful list of links to other Oklahoma-related sites.
• He provides an updated list of 2006 Oklahoma political candidates.
• He offers the “Oklahoma Election Propaganda Collection 2006,” featuring recent political TV ads and flyers.

In addition to writing his own Oklahoma blog, Hermes has volunteered himself to promote Sooner State blogging in other ways:
• He is the founder of the Okie Blog Awards, which named its first roll of best blogs in 2005 and is set for another round on Sep. 23, 2006.
• He is the ramrod behind the Okie Blogger Roundup, which will occur for the first time this year in Bricktown on the same September date.
• Hermes publishes his own weekly review of Oklahoma blogs, the “Okie Roundup,” every Saturday.

Politically, Hermes is a registered independent. His politics lean a bit to the left (something I’ve also been accused of), although Hermes denies it. As a true independent, he doesn’t mind praising and criticising politicians of both major parties. For example, he has mostly positive things to say about Sen. Tom Coburn (for championing fiscal responsibility), while he keeps a consistently skeptical eye on his own congressman, Rep. Tom Cole. “I’ll just as quickly mock an equus asinus as a pachydermata,” Hermes writes.

Hermes doesn’t reveal much personal information. He has mentioned a wife, daughter, and grandsons – but I haven’t figured out what he does to pay the rent. Hermes is not a native Okie; one post indicates he lived in Southern California before moving to Oklahoma in the late 1970s. He is in his 50s:

When does a person become a senior? I qualify for senior discounts at some places, but not all. I get AARP solicitations, but haven’t joined. I’m a grandfather, but probably not wise enough for one.

Be warned, sometimes Okiedoke is rough around the edges. Hermes has no distaste for the occasional profanity. Sometimes Hermes is funny; sometimes he is funny and vulgar; and sometimes he’s just vulgar. For example, when writing recently about a library worker accused of raping a 13-year-old girl, Hermes wrote, “I almost feel sorry for this horny Norman library employee” because there are so many “hot librarians” at the Norma library. Sorry, Mike, that’s not funny, that’s just sickening.

Hermes seems to have a love-hate relationship with his chosen state. He even has two categories on his blog called “Okie love” and “Okie hate.” He frequently refers to Oklahoma’s backward image as a state of “rednecks” and “hicks,” yet many times, his purpose in such references is to defend our state. Ironically, I would describe Okiedoke as a true Okie blog — reflecting both the good and the bad that is conveyed by that description.

Here at Terra Extraneus we are very interested in religion. Hermes has less to say in that forum, but he does reveal that he has attended church “countless times throughout [his] life.” By his own profession, however, he is more of a nature lover than a traditional Christian.

I don’t worship God at church. For I’ve attended countless times throughout my life, but have never been closer to Him than when outside in His garden. I was raised with an image of God as a suffering Christ hung on a cross. The image I have now is in the sun shining through the trees and the smile of a young child. In rain and in warmth. In a wren. I am truly blessed and sincerely humbled in His awe.

That’s a beautiful and well-written sentiment. But Mike, it’s not an either-or. The same Christ who died on that tree is the One who created the sun and the trees you admire. Your love of the Creation should only enhance your love for the Creator.

Despite some reservations mentioned above, I’m going to add Okiedoke to Terra Extraneus’ “Best of Okla. Blogs” list, for three reasons:
1. Hermes keeps a closer eye on Oklahoma news and views than I do, so I want the benefit of his observations on what’s happening in our state.
2. Hermes’ political comments are well-informed and worth reading. Here’s one example, an excellent report on the current state of Oklahoma public education.
3. I want to keep tabs on his weekly “Okie Roundup,” to get better acquainted with other good blogs written in this state.

* * * * * *

An additional feature on Okiedoke is the Oklahoma Partisan, a one-page newspaper that proudly admits that it runs fake news. Some of the material in the Partisan is the most offensive of anything to be found on Okiedoke, but some of it is pretty darn funny. Here are a few headlines I can reproduce for wholesome readers:
• “Republicans amend Bible to remove inconvenient passages. Golden Rule, Beatitudes among sections deemed incompatible with GOP agenda.”
• “Corporation Commission now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Devon Energy.”
• “Hobson explains frequent absences. ‘I’m Batman,’ says Senate President Pro Tempore.”
• “Henry sheepishly admits to blowing state budget surplus at Indian casino.”
• “Commissioners say new e-bribe system will speed up county operations.”
• “Kelly Ogle’s 2 cents worth every penny.”

The Oklahoma Partisan purports to be written by Gov. Jack Walton, which is a joke in itself. Walton was this state’s governor for 11 months in 1923, then was impeached for how he handled a confrontation with the Ku Klux Klan. Walton died in 1949, which makes his observations on current Oklahoma events particularly noteworthy.