Being from Oklahoma has always given me a sense of pride. Oklahoma is one of the few places that many people only hear about in certain contexts but it has been home for the majority of my life. The amazing sunsets, one entertaining basketball team and who could forget the all resounding musical are some of the best things from my home state. Some of the things that draw me back over breaks from school allow me to relax and have numerous good times especially on a budget. 1. Thunder Basketball. Once one of the worst teams in basketball, the Thunder have made an immense turn-around over the last couple of years. I once thought the Thunder would never come off the ground, especially when they originally were the Seattle Sonics. After last year, however, I wasn't the only one eating my words. After a gruesome fight to the finish playoff season, the Thunder was seen against the Miami Heat and LeBron James in the NBA Finals. Unfortunately the Thunder lost but with the Olympics approaching and 3 Thunder players on the Team with LeBron, Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook and James Harden showed their prowess on the court to bring home the US gold medal.

2. Country Music. Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood are some of the biggest names in country music. All grown in Oklahoma. While these three are not the only ones, many singers have accumulated in Oklahoma's history. While country music is not the most attentive entertainment, it happens to suit the state quite well. We know that we might not have the entire world at our feet but we know that we can make do with what we have. The tone of country music gives a great understanding of multiple lives with a great sense of positivity through the hardships. But don't let the twang fool you. We aren't just a bunch of rednecks that have horses, tractors and trucks lying around.

3. The Murrah Bombing. Many people don't realize how similar the Murrah bombing was to September 11. Before the twin towers fell, the Murrah bombing was one of the biggest terrorist attacks our country had faced in 1995. Not only was it a terrorist attack, the culprit, Timothy McVeigh, was a boy from our own backyard. The Kansas native set off a bomb outside the federal building and a nearby YMCA. The memorial that is now built in the Murrah buildings honor is one of the main attractions for the city's guests. The memorial also created a museum so others can fully understand the consequences of McViegh's decisions.

4. Miss America. Well on a happy and beautiful note former Miss Oklahomas have caused a stir in the last few years when in 2007, Miss Oklahoma was announced as Miss America for the 2 consecutive year. The Miss America titles have been awarded to Miss Oklahoma 6 times and is one of 3 states to back to back winners of the Miss America title.

5. Astronauts. Many people don't realize how often Oklahomans have gone into space. Oklahoma has the record for most astronauts taken into space by NASA and with the cancellation of space transportation, it is likely to stay that way. I believe we have had about 6 people who have worked with space aviation or gone to space.

I know many more well known facts about Oklahoma but the unexpected are always more entertaining, in my opinion. Hope everyone learned something!