Well, guys, it surely is good to be working in Tulsa again. I am right in the middle of downtown and even though I have spent a lot of time in Tulsa in recent years, I haven’t really been downtown that much. Even when I worked here 25+ years ago, it was not downtown. John David, do you remember when you were about 4 years old and we were over here – not sure why – but we were in one of the office buildings and you didn’t get off the elevator with me and rode all the way to the top by yourself? You loved it – I was scared to death when I realized the door was closing and you were still inside!!!!
Anyway, I stopped in Muskogee and had dinner with my parents yesterday and then got to the hotel just before dark. Downtown Tulsa doesn’t appear to be going through as much revitalization as many cities are. It was kind of dead – but then it was a Sunday evening. The hotel is right next to the Tulsa Performing Arts Center and the ballet is in season so where was some action there. I had taken my great-nieces there a couple of years ago to see THE NUTCRACKER. Wasn’t impressed with the ballet company at all, but right now they are performing CARMINA BURANA which is one of my favorite ballets, so I will probably see it while I’m here. I believe in giving restaurants, performers, and men at least one second chance.
The hotel (Crowne Plaza) is dated and shabby. I’m not real impressed with it, but am going to stay a few blocks away at the Doubletree next week and will decide which is the better. When I got here last night, they did not have a paper so I actually had to get back in my car and drive a couple of miles to get one. Closest was 15th and Lewis. Those of you who know anything about Tulsa know that is north Tulsa (as is downtown) and not the best of neighborhoods. Kind of like parts of East Dallas (which is where I live so I am not being snobbish when I say it’s not a good part of town). But, I like inner city neighborhoods where there is a lot of character – not like the boring, dull suburbs!!! Driving to get the paper, I was on old Route 66 – Cyndee, I passed a little art deco shopping complex on 11th street – can’t remember the name of it – but it looked interesting – we’ll have to check it out.
I got a couple of blocks away and realized that I had left my cell phone at the hotel. At first that was a bit alarming, but I said to myself, “Self, you are being foolish. You lived the first 45 years of your life without a cell phone – surely you can go 2 miles and 20 minutes without panicking!!!”
The building I’m working in, the Williams Center, is right across the street from the hotel and the tallest building in downtown. It is designed just like the WTC in New York…..and by the same architect. I was telling a friend that the other day and he thought it was a little unnerving to be someplace like that on 9/11. I pooh - poohed that idea, but this morning at the hotel, I was watching the replay of 9/11 on TV and looking out the window across to the building I would be in today and it did seem a little eerie. But all is well – I made it safely through security and up to the 38th floor with no panic attack or anything (not that I would know what a panic attack is like.) I’ve got a beautiful view of the river from my office.
Well, gotta get to bed. This is going to be a “burn the midnight oil” kind of project.
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