Monthly Archives: May 2014

Arts Against the Odds – Protest and Performance

Hey! Look who was downtown today at City Hall!

Heather and Logan opposing ~~cutting~~ eliminating Clark Theater from the city budget.

Heather and Logan were not alone. There was a bunch of kids there enthusiastically exercising their right of free speech. They were spirited and loud and very enthusiastic and very polite. I loved it.

Their parents were there and they were getting into it also. It was a great vibe going on. They were there because there was a city council meeting tonight to discuss the Mayor’s proposed budget that involves closing the theater. Found out all about it here.

KTUL.com – Tulsa, Oklahoma – News, Weather

(Of course some of us more cynical people are wondering why we are just rocking along and then all the sudden we need to cut about 200 jobs to balance the budget.)

And so what do you think happened after the rally? Well I’ll tell you what theater kids do, they perform. Many of the protestors hurried on down to Henthorne Performing Arts Center for a recital.

Some of the kids did various improv skits. They were great and they were funny, of course.

Logan wasn’t in the improv part of the recital he recited a monologue that he had been working on for some time.

All the kids did great, get up there and take a bow guys! We are proud of all of you!

Save Henthorne PAC Clark Theater Facebook Site

Skywatch Friday – Lobby View

On a nice, cool, breezy, sunny day last week I was walking around downtown taking pics. The bottom level of one of the tallest buildings in Tulsa, the BOK Tower, has some huge arched windows on the ground floor and I took this shot. It has kind of grown on me. I don’t know why, maybe it is the flag or the steeple with the cross on it, the clouds, I don’t know but here it is.

Skywatch Friday

First Ride of the Season

Saturday was a glorious day. Sunny, cool, breezy, and dry. At All-Star Therapy Group, Logan got to ride out across the pasture and through the woods for the first time this year. Of course I came along to document the event.

The new green of Spring is great. Everything is very lush right now right now in northeastern Oklahoma. As one heads west it dries out quickly and there have been several big grass fires not too far away.

But on Saturday we were just enjoying the riding and walking through the pasture and woods.

When was the last time you went on a walk through the woods?

Our World – Life on the River

Last Friday afternoon the family went to the Blue Rose on the Arkansas to have a late lunch.

Fresh from my brush with skin cancer I had my SPF50 and fancy hat on.

Heather was coordinating things and making things happen while still looking great.

And Logan, he was wanting to know when his burger was going to show up. I kept wondering why he wasn’t in school.

Here is mine, burger, bacon, blue cheese. Yeah baby, and I didn’t share.

And a couple of adult malted beverages. Don’t worry about Logan he had a soft drink.

Such was the scene on the first real sunny, really warm day of the year last week. It felt really good to be warm and in the sun right on the river.

What did you do on your first real sunny, really warm day of the year?

Our World Tuesday

Arts Against the Odds in Tulsa

I don’t generally do advocacy type things but a situation has come up here in Tulsa that has hit near and dear to our family’s heart. So I beg your pardon as I tell you about this.

On my humble blog I have reported son Logan’s performances at Tulsa’s Clark Theater. He has mainly done Improv Comedy but has also participated in some of their summer programs.

Logan and all sorts of other kids also in two age groups participate in the Clark Theater programs. Besides the Improv groups Clark puts on several productions for kids of various ages. The facility at Henthorne Park also has Heller Theater which is for adults.

Late last week though we all found out about Wide Ranging Cuts to the city supported arts programs. The Mayor faced with a 4% shortfall in the city budget is proposing to not just cut back the arts programs. He plans on eliminating them. So the parents and others associated with Clark and the other arts programs in the city are trying to figure out what to do.

The kids though, they have already started. They have a facebook page going, Save Henthorne PAC Theater, and have used their performing skills to make some videos and posters. There is also talk of meeting outside City Hall Monday at 4 PM to display their posters.

Post by Hannah Grace.

Post by Save Henthorne PAC Clark Theater.

Post by Juliette Cat.

Post by Save Henthorne PAC Clark Theater.

Post by Juliette Cat.

So I am not sure what the Bates family is going to do but we know somebody who has been through this before. The worlds greatest MIL, Nana, fought for funding for the arts in the schools of Antlers, Oklahoma back in 1977. She won that battle and got a plaque that she still has.

The plaque was presented to her by the Lieutenant Governor of the State, George Nigh.

So, I don’t know what we can do, but we are going to do it. Because we have Nana on our side. How can we lose? I’ll tell you one thing about Nana. You don’t want to be on her bad side. Nope, that is not a good thing.

How are the Arts doing where you live? Don’t take your government support for granted. Next time you contact your city councilperson, Mayor, Governor, legislator, or whomever let them know how much you support the arts and that you expect them to support the arts also.

If you happen to live in Tulsa check out the City Council web site. You can get on there, find out who your Council Person is and send them a polite notice on how you feel. Check out the Mayor’s web site. Politely let him know how you feel about things.

I’ll be giving updates on this situation.

Proposed budget calls for closing Henthorne

Scavenger Hunt Sunday – Small Good Shapes Edition

On My Feet

I have two entries today. Above is my coworker’s feet. He had a little mishap at home. Ouch is what I say. He is fully recovered by now I’ll report.

Speaking of work, these are what I wear during “National Cowboy Boots for non-Cowboys” day which happens every other Friday in case you were wondering. I live in Oklahoma and Boots and Guns are mandatory for every citizen. I haven’t got a gun yet but I do have the boots. If they kick me out for not having a gun will you take me in?

Shapes

Hey a Triangle is a shape right?

Les Pommes by Pablo Picasso – Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa

If you don’t like my Triangle how about my Picasso. Lots of shapes and colors here. You don’t think it is mine. Sure it is. I’ll sell it to you for $100 if you like. Pay me the money and then you will have to the Philbrook Museum to pick it up. Just walk up and take if off the wall. Tell’em Yogi sold it to you. They’ll help you out. No refunds!!

Little Things

How about a ladybug on a flower. I know that is one thing, not “Things.” Remember No Refunds!

Good

Smoked chicken quarters, that is what is good. I’ll sell you my Picasso but I’m keeping the chicken. Sorry.

Egg

Easter Eggs what else. Oh the prompt says “Egg” not “Eggs” you say. Okay just focus on the one you like best and ignore the rest. You can tell I negotiate for a living can’t you. I’m not any good at it but that is what I do.

Thanks for hanging with me on this week’s edition.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

Whines, Gripes, and Thankfulness this Week.

I’ve redone this post. I dashed the original post out this morning before we started our crazy Saturday. As I thought about it, I realized how selfish I am so I’ve redone it. I’m still selfish, just a little more thankful for my blessings than what I was this morning.

My Favorite Tree

It has been a frustrating week. I don’t know where to start.

First I guess is the botched execution that we had here in Oklahoma. A total fiasco from the word go and the condemned man was basically tortured to death. Many of my fellow Oklahoman’s think it was just deserts and it doesn’t bother them. There is a new line among some that executions are not supposed to be pain free. Aren’t we better than the ones we convict though? I don’t get it.

Our governor is investigating. She is a nice lady but she is going to run for re-election and she is scared to death of getting outflanked on the right.

You know something though? I’m thankful to live in Oklahoma. I have been here 28 years and I love the State and the People. They are the most generous, most down to earth people I have ever met. We’ll get through this execution fiasco.

My Favorite Tree’s Shadows

On another note, I went on a business day trip to Houston this week. Made my own reservations, messed it up, all my fault, so I ended up daisy chaining on standby back to Tulsa. Kind of stressful, but hey, I love Southwest Airlines. They may herd us like cattle but the employees are helpful.

I may have been a little stressed about getting home but I’m glad that I had great home and wonderful family to come home to at the end of my journey.

And I wasn’t being sarcastic about Southwest Airlines. They gently showed me my mistake and then went to work figuring out a way to get me home. What more could I ask for?

My Favorite Kid

Oh yes, we have to us OptumRx for our maintenance prescriptions. Their employees are nice but they don’t have much to work with. It took 20 minutes on the phone to get a new prescription going. I told them that it takes three weeks to get medicine to me. They denied it. So we went over the calendar.

Two days for a prescription to be entered into their system. Starting the day after they get it. So yesterday was the second, and so Tuesday the sixth they will have it in their system.

Then they call me to confirm that I want it. They call me the day after it is entered. So we are on the seventh.

Then seven to ten days to deliver. Starting the day after I confirm that I want it. So that is the eighth.

So I’ll get it maybe somewhere on the 15th to the 20th.

Yes, you are right OptumRx. It is only about two to two and a half weeks. I beg your pardon, I’m sorry.

You know, I’m just glad that I work for a company that provides insurance. I just have to do a little more planning on the online pharmacy thing. And the cost is ridiculously cheap. Three months worth of medicine for $11. Are you kidding me? Lots of people spend more than that per dose.

My Favorite Tempietto

This week wasn’t so bad, it was good. Next week will be better. I’m watching you OptumRx!!

What’s irritating you this week? What are you thankful for this week.

Weekend Reflections – Becoming Part of the Tempietto Scene

The most photographed structure in Tulsa has to be the Tempietto at the Philbrook Museum of Art. It is just gorgeous and I love it and love taking pictures of it even more. Last Saturday I was there and I was waiting for the above group to get the heck out of the way but they were obviously waiting on somebody to show up. Probably a blogger who got sidetracked by something they wanted to photograph or maybe even a geocacher who has lost sense of time. Or maybe they were the beginnings of a square dance flash mob Or you know, I don’t know.

Anyways, it struck me this group was kind of halfway colorful and I liked how their colors reflected in the water and I will immortalize them forever in the Yogi’s Den archives. At no cost to them of course.

By the way, yesterday was my 2000th post on this humble blog. I appreciate all of you. Thank you. I’m part of a big group of people who are the bright spots of the World Wide Web.

Weekend Reflections

Skywatch Friday – Spring Skies

Once a year the past several years our group at the Gas Company goes to a daytime game at ONEOK Field to see the Drillers play. We show up and eat some barbecue, drink iced tea, chat and watch the game. I like all that but I take my camera. It was a cool day but we had some great skies to go with the baseball game. What a combo.