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<em>I have some exciting news. I'd like to introduce TDT's first-ever columnist, Kelly Kinkaid. <a href="http://www.kellyology.net/">Kelly writes Kellyology.net</a>, a blog about life in Oklahoma, motherhood and the general stuff of life, and she's a founding member of <a href="http://www.therhok.com/">The Real Housewives of Oklahoma</a>. She'll join us here at TDT as The Southie. </em>

<em>What's a Southie, you ask? Here's the technical definition: <strong>Southie</strong>, n. A Tulsan who lives, works and plays south of Interstate 44.</em>

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<em>What folks from every other part of this town of very geographically and culturally (and otherwise) distinct districts actually mean when they use the term: <strong>Southie</strong>, n. A suburbanite-esque, SUV-driving Tulsan who spends Saturday mornings at his/her kids' soccer games, Saturday afternoons shopping at strip malls and Saturday nights at big-box movieplexes. The Southie avoids driving north of Interstate 44 like the plague from the seventh circle of you-know-where. But when they do, they drive the wrong way down one-way streets and complain about "the lack of parking space." It's hilarious. </em><em>
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<em>But we love them anyway. They're Tulsans with quirks, just like me - just like the rest of us.</em>
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Kelly will write here about the culture of this geographic part of Tulsa, as well as the growing amount of hip, unique and exciting stuff to do in Southtown, as it's been called. Welcome, Kelly!</em>
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For a while now Tasha and I have been debating on where the line between midtown Tulsa and south Tulsa exists. Tasha likes to play it old school and says that the line is I-44. But, as someone who lives out south and sees the tremendous growth that is happening there, I believe that the old established line of 51st Street has recently and clearly moved to 71st Street.

Clearly.

<a name="more"></a>However, I’m betting there are many readers out there who strongly disagree with both of us. You see, for some Tulsa natives, there are two types of people: Midtowners and Southies. None of the members of these groups want to be categorized as members of the other, and the members of each group have their own reasons for thinking that their way of life is superior.

For as deliberately as some people pick their spouses, some Tulsans pick their homes according to their estimation of where the imaginary boundary line lies that separates midtown from southtown.

Tasha, technically a Southie by geography (just barely!) but a general Tulsan at heart, asked me, her token Southie friend, to help by occasionally writing about south Tulsa happenings. I am more than happy to oblige.

Wanting to do south Tulsa and the 'burbs justice, I thought long and hard about what fun Southie happening I wanted to showcase first.

I finally decided to head to Jenks to visit <a href="http://www.louiesgrillandbar.com/">an Oklahoma-based restaurant chain, Louie’s Grill and Bar</a>.
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There, <a href="http://www.liveeventtrivia.com/Welcome.html">one of Tulsa’s own, Josh Ritchey, creator of Live Event Trivia</a>, puts on a fun evening of trivia every Wednesday night at 8pm.

The Wednesday evening I went, I sat with a a few of the members of <a href="http://www.therhok.com/">The Real Housewives of Oklahoma</a>, and we had a fantastic time. We ordered drinks and food (the margaritas were quite tasty), and settled in to destroy the packed house of trivia players that had come to play the great game of trivia that only Josh could put together.
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Unfortunately, we had a small issue with saying our answers out loud - too loudly.
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Needless to say, we ended up losing to the group next to us. They were obviously cheating, riding on our lack of discretion. But, we had a good time anyway, laughing, taxing our brains with questions like "Name the names of the members of the following bands:  N-Sync, New Kids on the Block, The Beatles and The Monkees," and enjoying the discussions that only well-made drinks, good company, and good trivia can bring.
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From this Southie to the rest of Tulsa, I hope to see you there next time.
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Though then, I'll bring a muzzle for the louder singers in our group.

<strong>Live Events Trivia at Louie's in Jenks</strong>
When: Every Wednesday at 8pm
Where: Louie's in Jenks, 813 East A Street (96th Street Bridge, across the river)