Category Archives: walking

A Long Time Ago, When the Sun Shined

Earlier this week, when the son still shined, I took a little longer walk than usual. I mean you have to when the sun is shining right?

I’m sure glad that I took that walk that was a little longer than usual because the sun decided to go on a New Year’s Holiday.

It may have gone to Hawaii or I don’t know where. I just know that it is not in Oklahoma. It has been cold, wet, and miserable here. So I hadn’t got out to take any other pics.

But, I sure am glad that I took a little extra time that day to enjoy the sun. I’m not sure it is coming back.

A Tour of Downtown Tulsa, Cold Freezing Weather Edition

This is the old Cities Service Company headquarters here in Tulsa. Remember Cities Service? At one time they were one of the largest oil companies in the world. Well, an outmoded cost structure and Boone Pickens took care of that so they ended up being part of Occidental Petroleum. Oxy as they are called is completely out of Tulsa now.

I went for a walk today, taking pics. On real cold days like this not too many office workers are out and about. It’s construction guys and homeless guys and gals. I don’t know about you but I get really tired getting asked for spare change. I got hit up just before I took this pic. Tulsa has the most polite panhandlers I’ve ever encountered. My heart goes out to them but not my cash. Sorry if you think less of me. I mean I don’t go out at noon because I have a lot of cash and don’t know what to do about it.

I used to walk to the downtown library every day when I didn’t have anything else going on. They closed the main library under the guise of renovating the building. Of course they don’t have the money to renovate yet so I guess that… well I don’t have any idea what the plan is. So they have opened a temporary satellite library on the edge of downtown in an old Safeway grocery store. It is all flash and dash with nice tables and chairs and a technology center and a few books. The books are displayed like they would be in a book store. A small bookstore at that, with not much of a selection. Still they have free wi-fi so I can play Words with Friends and check out Instagram and all that other stuff that the gas company doesn’t pay me to do on their time and bandwidth.

It is kind of a rough crowd at the Librarium. At the Central Library the security was relatively non obstrusive and you had actual families in the building. Not very many families at the Librarium but you get one or two security guards. I’m supportive on the library system but I am not happy with the Librarium. I wouldn’t take my family there.

What do you do at lunch? Do you feel comfortable in your local library?

Going on a Walk with the Kid

Sunday was a great day. I knew that I was going to be watching a lot of football and I wanted to get outside. Before the games started. Actually I dvr’d the games. Who watches games in real time any more? I dragged Logan along with me. He hates to be seen in public with his Dad now days. I don’t blame him.

We went to Lafortune Park here in Tulsa. It’s a big, combination county park and golf course and tennis complex, and library, and gardens (kind of) with a high school campus in South Tulsa. It has a nice walking track all the way around it and makes for a three mile loop. I’ve run it and walked it hundreds of times in our 22 years here in Tulsa. I love it.

In addition to the tennis players we saw golfers.

And trees, Tulsa has lots of trees. I practiced using the backlighting setting on my camera. I’m in my bare tree mode now days. Happens every winter.

We saw some playgrounds. This is a Y playground across the road from Lafortune Park. The park has some nice playgrounds that were loaded with kids. I’m not really into taking pictures of other people’s kids. Some parents don’t like you doing that and I’m totally okay with them not liking it. So I don’t generally do it.

We saw some water features and bridges on the par three course.

And another bare tree.

I love this moose. He has the most comical look on his face. Why does Lafortune Park have a moose sculpture? If you find out tell me and then we’ll both know.

And a duck pond. They all moved away from me. I don’t blame them. Nobody was cooperating on Sunday.

And a swimming pool Notice the orange hazard fencing. Safety first folks! Some safety person probably required the fencing to go up.

And then more golfers. I had to tell son that it is impolite, but very funny, to yell, “You the MAN!!” when somebody hits the ball. Unless its your boss or a customer, then you say “OH My Gawd! Bob, look how far that went! Look at that thing go” Just make sure that he or she doesn’t whiff it. It comes across a sarcasm then.

Then we come across some manly machinery. Or semi manly anyway. That is like the smallest trackhoe I’ve ever seen.

And a bull dozer and a front end loader. Have I ever told you that I love construction equipment of all kinds?

When we end, he asks in that deep booming voice that he’s getting “Can we go to Game Stop and get a points card.” Whatever a points card is. Something to do with video games. You download “content” with it he tells me. What’s content. I’m such a burden to the young man.

So, what did you do Sunday before the games?

Weekend Reflections – Christmas Eve Walk

Weekend Reflections

A Sunny Saturday on the Arkansas River

We are having a another sunny pleasant weekend in Tulsa. Son and I decided to go for a little walk on the Arkansas River near downtown.

We have some bigass trees in the River Parks. Son is going to tell on me for using the word bigass.

We saw the crane being used to build the new One Place tower downtown. The crane is supposed to be 325 feet tall. Hmmm, I was going to link to their web site but they don’t have one. Hmmm… Should I make one for them?

We saw a flag flying in the breeze and some fishermen in the river just below a low water dam. Hmmm… (Is that irritating you?) I’m afraid for their safety is all.

We saw a homeless campsite. Usually they are more discreet than this. What a way to live.

We saw some wilted flowers in a tree planted as a memorial. I’ve come across lots of things like this in my running, walking, hiking, geocaching, activities. Lots of sadness out there.

This is the plaque next to the tree. I googled the name. The only hit I got that come closest to being appropos was a businessman in his late 20″s who was murdered in the New York City area back in the 80’s. Lots of mystery out there.

I was taking a picture of the trees and the sky. I know, I lust too much after bare naked trees. This time one of the squirrel’s nest moved.

I didn’t have my good camera with me and of course no tripod but I think that the squirrel’s nest is actually an eagle of some kind. Maybe a bald eagle? (But probably a hawk of some sort.)

I’m not really sure. He got tired and flew off.

We ambled through the rest of our walk. We took our time as we looked here there and everywhere. We were a little tired. I’m participating with my friend Baloney’s Perfect Pairings today with the following verse.

The LORD is the everlasting God,
   the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
   and his understanding no one can fathom.
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
   and increases the power of the weak.
³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
   and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
   will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
   they will run and not grow weary,
   they will walk and not be faint.

(Isaih 40:28-31) NIV (Thanks Bible Gateway!)

Christmas, Firemen, Exotic Dancers, and Fun in Downtown Tulsa

It’s been a while since I’ve shared what is going on in downtown Tulsa. So grab your coat and put on your hat and lets go.

First, Winterfest, not much going on at noon but in the evening they have ice skating and hot chocolate.

The ice rink is problematical. Sometimes they have trouble with keeping the ice frozen especially when it is windy. The operators of the rink say that the wind is a problem because the air friction with the ice creates heat that melts the ice. HAH!! Wrong. As a licensed professional chemical engineer I’d tell them that the air temperature is higher than the ice temperature so the air cools and the ice warms. The wind accelerates this. We call this convective heat transfer. If the sun is shining and warming the ice. That is called radiative heat transfer.

Lots of construction going on these days. One of my customers is building their own building. SHUDDER, I hope they make it. Building our own building in the energy business is risky. They are a conservative well managed company

The old and the new. The Midcontinent Building is in the distance. Built back in the 20’s when Tulsa’s energy industry was wheeling and dealing. Of course the black buildings in the foreground are modern. They are also the headquarters for Samson. A family owned oil company that recently sold itself to Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts (“KKR”) for $7.2 Billion. Reportedly the second biggest buyout in the USA this year. Wheeling and dealing is still going on in Tulsa. Just think shale oil and gas.

Next, a monument to Tulsa Firemen. I had to kind of study this a little bit. The guy in front is from the early 20th century the guy in back in contemporary. Tulsa firemen (and firemen the world over are awesome.)

Right around the corner is Tulsa’s monument to exotic dancers. Yeah, that what it looks like to me anyway. I don’t know why they are so close to the firemen.

Salvation Army bell ringers. Haven’t seen them in years downtown.

In what I think is the outstanding idea of the year is popup shops. Several local merchants have set up temporary stores in a couple of the old art deco buildings. They sell lots of cool stuff much of it handmade locally. I love it, love it, love it. They are going to be open until December 30.

If nothing else check out the the lobby of the Philcade building. Host to many of the popups. The downtown deco building owners are very proud of their properties. They encourage photography and some of them have fact sheets the guards will give you. I love that generosity of spirit.

Know something else. My favorite Christmas decorations are wreaths. There, you guys now everything about me.

Hey look it’s Occupy Tulsa. Occupying looks like boring stuff to me. I don’t know how they are doing overhauling our financial system but they stay busy with general assemblies, working groups, and facebook updates. I have never seen them use the weird hand signals they use to facilitate consensus during their meetings. I guess they don’t need them when the five of them get together.

Last stop the cake shop across the street from the office. I love what people are doing with cake design these days.

YogisDen.us

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