I took several photos on my recent visit to the Fred Jones Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma campus.  The museum is larger than it seems from the outside, and I kept finding staircases to more floors (There is an elevator, as well.).  I think I finally determined that there are four levels, but through the art, there are hundreds of stories (See what I did there?).

There is a large gallery containing art from the Southwest (USA), which slows down the visitor with the opportunity to see some historical and cultural context, as well as the chance to appreciate the artistic abilities of some old souls.

This demon horse with the fiery eyes bucks up intimidatingly as a visitor approaches (Actually, it is permanently in that position.).  This sculpture seems decidedly out of place among some of the older pieces.

Some of the displays are markedly more modern than others.  The woman (left) has horse heads for legs, but don't ask me to explain why (Obviously I know, but it's not my job to interpret the art for you.).

Next, we're on to the selections that are displayed on the walls in the Southwest galleries.  Some of these made me think and wonder more than others, so I took pictures of them and their display cards so I could study them closer at home.

The first, Father Sky and Mother Earth has some symbolism to the culture, but challenged me to ponder the creation of our universe and specifically our planet.  It amazes me that so many cultures have reached into their imaginations to explain Creation to their children.  Perhaps it is hereditary curiosity to cause people to search for God.

Another, much older, painting was more literal.  Titled Hopi Snake Dance, this.  Painted from experience, this is a piece that depicts ancient ritual.  I was taken aback by the depiction of the dancers carrying the snakes, some even in their mouths as they round the bluff.  It is, again, an intimidating image that puts the viewer into a frightening situation, especially if one is afraid of snakes.

I suppose mankind has long sought dominion over even the most dangerous of creatures.  From a Biblical perspective, that must mean that we even conquer the serpent who tempted the first humans to sin.

I really enjoyed standing at Canyon Country for a couple of minutes.  This piece is only 30 years old and in more of a "pop" style, but its larger size makes it stand out.  It would not be as effective at a smaller size and maintain its sense of the scale of the canyons and bluffs depicted.

I encouraged myself to internalize the gentle strength of a shepherd as he guards his sheep and keeps them together.  This is an important role in any society - a noble effort to protect those who need protection.

For my last morning at Disney World, I packed everything up and checked my luggage with the concierge at the resort.  After a last walk around, I took some time for a cheeseburger and some fries.  With some hours before the bus ride to the airport, I couldn't just kill time doing the same things.

So I took another walk - this time on the sidewalk to the Magic Kingdom.  This sidewalk is fairly new and very comfortable, though I don't think I would feel the same way coming back at the end of a day.  This sidewalk skirts the lake and gives a nice view of the Grand Floridian.

It's a nice little stroll that also passes under the monorail .

I was on the lookout for wildlife, especially wanting to find an alligator or giant snake monster, but I had to settle for just enjoying the peace of the gentle stroll.

Would you like to know where this trail ended?  Exactly where the signs said - to the entrance of the Magic Kingdom.  There was no reason to enter the park, so I took a couple of pictures.  This was the gateway to "the happiest place on earth".  I hung out for a few minutes, watching people as they approached the glory they anticipated.

The airport at Orlando was a crowded mess, with a hectic TSA line, full waiting areas, and delayed flights.  My flight was delayed so a tire could be changed.  That put my connecting flight in Chicago in danger, which would mean I would overnight in the airport.​

Thankfully, the pilot put the pedal to the floor and we made it earlier than predicted.  It still took a fast sprint through one concourse and into another to get to my next flight - with 15 minutes to spare.  Finally, I was headed home to the family!

The first time I went to Disney's Hollywood Studios, it was known as Disney/MGM Studios was on my honeymoon almost 31 years ago.  The park had just opened for the first year, and we fell in love with it.  We especially enjoyed the street characters who harkened back to the Golden Age of Hollywood movie-making.

Back then, the park was all about making movies, complete with a backlot tour with a glimpse into a soundstage, movie vehicles and structures, and a presentation about disaster special effects.  We also liked the Foley soundstage show and things that surrounded it, but that, too, has given way to a theater where they just show another cartoon.  The big signature ride, The Great Movie Ride has been transformed into a ride with a bunch of projection screens, and is basically a ride through Mickey cartoon (Don't get me started on the new look for Mickey and the gang!).  That ride does not even fit the setting of the iconic Grauman's Chinese Theater.  It seems that much of what our group with the 50 Teachers Celebration learned about theme park design, last month, was lost in the design and planning of Hollywood Studios.

A lot has changed in three decades, and now the park really seems unorganized.  It's not at all about making movies anymore, and the fact that there is really no shade can make for a miserable visit.  The park seems to dead end in a number of places, and many of the shops are closed.  Maybe that's a result of the pandemic, but I didn't notice the same issue at the other parks.

I did circle back to do the original Star Wars ride, Star Tours, which has been revamped and improved since my other visits, but that was enough for me.  It's not even in the Star Wars portion of the park.

Then I stumbled, completely by exploration, on another Star Wars feature, on the opposite end of the park.  This was a little museum with models of some of the vehicles used in the franchise, including a land speeder that I presume was screen used.  No one else was around this area, and it was not on the app map, so why was it here?

Other Pixar films were also recognized, such as a Cars attraction, which sits adjacent to the famous Rock-and-Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith. It's as if the powers-that-be just closed their eyes and pointed randomly at a park map to decide where to include this, and there is no rhyme or reason to the location.

One might think The Incredibles would be terrific fodder for an attraction, but the only think I spotted was this gate to a backstage area.  There was hardly even any merchandise for sale branded to these superhero movies.​

Finally, I stumbled into some treasure, and I know it doesn't attract money by the truckloads, but it was something to see.  It is a smallish building marked "Walt Disney Presents", and most people find it completely by accident and do not intend to spend any time in there at all.

It was air conditioned, though, and it finally brought me back to a bygone era.  It is a peek into the Disney archives, and I think some of the artifacts inside are worth me appreciating.  I wish there were more.

I was especially enamored by Walt Disney's second grade desk, complete with his initials carved into the work surface.  Also here was original Silly Symphonies sketch and a scale model of Marceline, Missouri, upon which Main Street USA is based.  He is a famous Missourian, you know.

There wasn't much more for me to do, and I had a $200 gift card burning a hole in my pocket, but I did get to appreciate some cement impressions left in front of the Chinese Theater and in another location.

The other location has sentimental value for me, as my wife and I enjoyed sitting there 31 years ago to see the brand.  When we dated, one of our favorite movies was the then-new Beauty and the Beast, and now we were getting to see a live version of the show.  A few years later, we attended the live on-the-road performance of the Broadway version.  We even built the set, repaired costumes, and dressed actors for a later touring production.

On the Saturday of Disney's 50 Teachers Celebration, I made it to Animal Kingdom.  I didn't like the Avatar movie for its violence and overarching preaching about climate change, but I wanted to see the area that Disney was building last time my family visited.  The Pandora area boasts two ride features - a 3D flying simulation and a floating dark ride.

This is one area where Disney demonstrates its embrace of the latest technology.

The Asian area (above and left) - and the African area (at the bottom of this article have some large walk-through features where animals are on display in natural, "ancient" environments.  The park is linked with a river system so boats can deliver a different kind of entertainment, one form of which is a new kite show, with kites pulled behind personal water craft.  Another area of the park is basically a parking lot carnival themed to cheap dinosaur rides.  One larger attraction is a jeep ride through the dinosaurs before they were extinct.

The African area is beautifully-themed piece of land, where the buildings look very real.  If not for the tourists, I might be a little bit scared.  This is where a guest could stand in line for the safari ride.

My morning was well-spent in this park, photographing the environment.  I bought a Mickey Bar earlier, but I needed something more substantial before heading out to hop to another park in the afternoon.  Food is pretty expensive, but I found a simple pizza slice to tide me over for a while.

Pride of Oklahoma
There have been some uphill battles for our daughter, but, slowly and surely, the young lady is recovering from those battles.  On June 10, I drove her to Norman, Oklahoma, so she could participate in her first actual college class.

Recently, she received word that she qualified to be in the marching band at the University of Oklahoma.  Securing a position onto The Pride of Oklahoma is not an easy achievement, but there I was, dropping her off at the Catlett Music Center with the intention of leaving her there for a six our band orientation/practice session.

This aspiring Music Education major was thrilled to meet other first-year members, section leaders, and directors during the day, and she was on Cloud Nine when it was all over, anticipating the hard work and the fellowship that comes along with being a part of such a prestigious group.  It's definitely not an easy path to follow, but at least it is a path of her choosing, this time, and we wish her the best as she begins the regular school year at OU in August.

​Green Valley Bible Camp
Then, during the same evening, I received a text from a friend, telling me that our son expressed a desire to be baptized at camp.  Our family takes such a desire very seriously, understanding Scripture's instruction to submit to immersion to contact the blood of Jesus' sacrifice and to receive the forgiveness of sins.

I talked to the young man on the phone beforehand to see what he was thinking. He told me he was aware of some weak choices he has made, and he knew he needed to repent now. He was uncharacteristically solemn, and had been in tears with the realization.

This young man is always good for a surprise. He could not and would not wait until he got home from Bible camp, and that tells me he understands something about the urgency of baptism.  I would have liked to have been present, but I am not willing to deny anyone the urgency and the importance of being immersed for the forgiveness of his sins.

It was closing time at EPCOT, but that didn't mean we were finished.  In fact, we went back to our dinner venue where five desserts were prepared for us.  Naturally, I had to take all five, and I would have gone back for more, but I had a modicum of decorum in the moment.

​Charles Thomas, director of the Disney Imagination Campus, stood to deliver a final speech, telling us (again) how much his staff appreciates teachers.  He mentioned that many of them were at the verge of tears several times during the day.

One of the 50 teachers interrupted Mr. Thomas and asked if we could take a group picture.  It really was incredible that at no point did they think to do that earlier, but it played right into the plans for our park exit.  This part of the event was well-orchestrated.  To explain, I have to go back to the week before the trip to Orlando.

All of us had received an email about a "possible" extra event.  If we were interested, the message said to respond as such.  Most, if not all, of us did so, knowing that there was a new attraction opening on the evening of our special day.  The $500 million roller coaster, themed to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy was set to open to huge crowds, and there would be no way of getting onto it without a two hour (or longer) wait in line.

​But then, after dessert, with EPCOT closed, 50 teachers (many with families in tow) were headed toward Guardians of the Galaxy:  Cosmic Rewind. Some teachers commented that it was pretty cruel to make us pose in front of the ride building and then not enjoy the ride.  Would it really hurt them to push a button and let us enjoy the thing?  Of course, everything was not as it appeared, and the whole thing was a setup, complete with the disappointment of not being chosen.

In the preshow room, there were the typical Disney doors, announcing, Caution:  doors open toward you.  An audible proclamation also warned us to stay within the lighted circle on the floor.​

There is a whole story told in the preshow area, but the short of it is that a transporting device has been stolen by this giant overlord character, and we were bring recruited to keep him busy (in our individual pods) until the Guardians of the Galaxy could get there.

Lights flashed and lightning struck overhead to disrupt our transportation to the distant planet, but nothing happened.  As far as we knew, we were still at EPCOT, still on earth.  Or were we?

Looking back at the wall of doors that would take us to the boarding area for the ride, we were amazed that the it was completely gone.  Shortly, we would get on and lower the lap bars and be launched into something I can't even describe.

Somehow I was positioned in just the right place to have a ride with the main Imagineer, Zach Riddley (who had spoken to us earlier in the day about the design process, in the photo bottom, right).  Not everyone can say they rode this unbelievable ride on opening day, after closing, with the Imagineer who designed it!

The backward launch, the 80s music, the giant projection, the complete darkness, and the smooth, continuous sideways, straight-ahead, and backwards flight through the star field makes for a highly unique and thrilling experience.

On the way off, they handed me a fanny pack announcing the ride.  It was one more extra perk that wasn't necessary, but it would come in handy for me the following day.

All in all, this Friday was a full day of professional development and thrilling surprises.  We rode a late bus back to the resort with a satisfaction of having eaten well, having been entertained, having learned, and having been pampered with appreciation.

Find the misspelled word in each
of these pictures.  Write and correct each word on your paper.
​

​The rest of our morning was rounded out with parades - first a parade from Liberty Square, past Cinderella's Castle, and up Main Street USA.  It was interesting to see people lined up along both sides of the pavement, standing behind the rope lines, cheering for teachers.  It will forever be the time when I realized I represented more than myself at this event.  During the teacher parade, as grand marshalls for the regular fantasy parade to follow, I would be reminded that I represented all teachers as people would respectfully cheer, "We love teachers!" from the sidelines.

The next morning, our group was featured on Good Morning, America.  See if you can spot Yours Truly at that link, and then watch the five videos I swiped from other people who had families on the sidelines.  I promise, you won't get tired of the Peter Pan music (I Can Fly) that plays throughout.

Early one morning, I awoke on the property of Disney World and took a jaunty walk to the conference center to meet 49 other teachers from across the country.  All were here to participate in the 50 Teachers Celebration, beginning the day in the Magic Kingdom.

A special bus transported the group to a side gate that opened onto Main Street USA - with nary a tourist in sight.  That's right, it was a walk down Main Street USA without a crowd.