As part of my always ongoing efforts at self-improvement, I decided to quit my whining and write a post on things I actually like about Oklahoma City. Sadly, when I began making a simple list of said things on which to build said blog post, I found I was unable to populate it. After I wrote down

1) The people are friendly.

I was at a complete loss for a number 2. After a couple of weeks lying on the gold chrome and wood-grain formica table here in my place of exile apartment, the list was still pretty much just a note, a reminder of an unfinished chore. So I decided to expand my area of reconnaissance to include the entire state; Saturday I hopped on the scoot and went in search of a better Oklahoma.

I found it in Tulsa at the Philbrook Museum of Art. I went there to see the outstanding collection of Native American art I read about in the book Visions and Voices, but I also checked out everything else they had; French, English, Italian, American, African and Asian. Some really good stuff. I particularly liked this French painting, even bought a saddlebag-size print of it. The original is large and strikingly life-like, the girl's face immediately brought to mind my oldest daughter about to say something smart-alecky.

I actually wound up spending a good deal of time admiring the museum's building and grounds. The museum itself was the mansion of oilman Waite Phillips, built in 1927, some 72 rooms, many of them huge, with arched or coffered ceilings 16 feet or more in height. I didn't actually tour the 23 acres of gardens, I'm saving that for some time when I can come back and bring the missus, but I saw enough from the mansion's massive windows to know it's absolutely beautiful. It is an awe-striking place, even now. It's hard to imagine what an incredible display of wealth it must have been 80 years ago not only to build it, but to give it away 11 years later.