2024 Through the Looking Glass

The year 2024 has seemingly both dragged on and flown by in a manner of absolute craziness. One of the things that happened to me early on was getting my job at Oklahoma Today—which sometimes is still hard to believe is real. Oklahoma Today brought many new adventures into my 2024, and it’s only been ten months.

Shortly after starting in February, I was tasked with planning a trip to my hometown of Anadarko to show my fellow editors around local style. We kicked off the trip with a tour of the fire department, where my dad recently retired from being Chief. Next, we stopped for lunch at my favorite diner, The Soda Fountain Eatery, before finishing off the day with some downtown shopping and a stop in the park to see the peacocks.

A salad and roll from The Soda Fountain Eatery in Anadarko. Photo by Kiersten Stone

In March, I attended the ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the new Expedition Africa expansion at the Oklahoma City Zoo so I could write my first Oklahoma Today story, which you can read in the July/August 2024 issue. The Zoo has been a favorite of mine ever since I was a kid. My family typically visits zoos while on vacation, and ours is most definitely impressive in comparison.

Meeting the giraffes at Expedition Africa in the Oklahoma City Zoo. Photo by Kiersten Stone

As April rolled in, I hopped in the car with several other OKT team members and road tripped for the day down to Beavers Bend State Park to catch the eclipse. It was my first time visiting Beavers Bend, and it was just as beautiful as the pictures I'd ever seen of it made it look. While traveling, though, we had to keep an eye on the weather, as rain and heavy clouds were moving in. We thought about changing course but ultimately decided to stick with our plan and hope for the best. Y’all, when I say it paid off, I mean it paid off. The clouds parted just minutes before the eclipse started, and we were able to watch the entire thing happen in an area of 100 percent coverage. What a trip.

Watching the celestial wonder unfold in southeastern Oklahoma

Fast forwarding a bit to June, museums were hot on my radar. Factory Obscura opened the temporary installment Time Slip: Tomorrow, Now, & Back Again which was full of futuristic fun and creative uses of color. Closely following behind my slip into time was my trip back to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art for Edith Head: Hollywood’s Costume Designer. To stand among such iconic articles of clothing was nothing short of astonishing—not to mention the Oscar statuettes. OKCMOA never ceases to amaze me, and I’m already planning my next trip back for the current exhibit of Pablo Picasso’s prints.

The Edith Head exhibit at Oklahoma City Museum of Art put unforgettable costumes on display. Photo by Kiersten Stone

I kicked it off the autumn with a cozy overnight stay in Medicine Park, another favorite which you can read about in the November/December 2024 issue, and the start of my state parks visits at Great Plains State Park for an upcoming feature story (keep your eyes peeled for the March/April 2025 Adventure Issue). I went to several other parks as well—Lake Wister State Park and Sequoyah Bay State Park—which were stunning as the weather cooled off and the leaves began to change.

Views from Mount Scott near Lawton remain undefeated. Photo by Kiersten Stone

Anyway, that’s my highlight reel of working at Oklahoma Today in 2024. Looking back, I couldn’t be more grateful for this job and the opportunities it has granted me. Hopefully, this lookback gives all you readers ideas for how to add some adventure into your 2025, because I know it made a great starting point for me.

Written By

Kiersten Stone

Just a small town girl living out her city dreams, Kiersten Stone is the Research Editor for Oklahoma Today. Stone previously worked at a local newspaper and at her university’s student news organization before coming to work at the magazine. She loves the Sooner State and all it offers, from the city to the outdoors and the wildlife.