Tulsa, OK

I love photography because it's the closest thing to the one superpower I would want if I could have one superpower, the ability to read people's mind. Growing up I would try telepathy to will confessions. When it would work, more than less surprisingly, it scared the bejesus out of me so I stopped doing it. And bless those early mates that suffered the insufferable, "What are you thinking of?" (Are you cringing? 'Cause I'm effin' cringing admitting that.) Eventually, to the relief of my future mates, I noticed photography for what it really is.

This photograph isn't telling of a place, nor of my thoughts as to why I snapped the image in the first place, but I hope my photograph relays that there was a thought before the snap. The minute the breeze gusted, and the second it blew his tie and he bowed his head, as if a formal greeting but more to keep his Panama hat on, I mused, "That's Tulsa to a T". Well, Tulsa when it was known as the "Oil Capital of the World" in the 20's or "America's Most Beautiful City" in the 50's. And if the wind didn't billow suddenly, my "T' would've seemed like mockery in Tornado Alley.

I'm not telling you all this to win brownie points. Whether or not it's intentional, I feel like that happens too often when artists explain their work. Rather, I'm trying to detail another thing I love about photography and often debated, luck.

Oh, how lucky Tulsa is with black gold (aka oil) coursing through her lands. Oil tycoons and barons of the Roaring 20's gussied her up in Art Deco architecture (in fact the city has the largest concentration outside of New York City and Miami) The same wealth kept her afloat through the Great Depression, during the 1980's oil glut however, it was too much of a good thing.

Nowadays she's a lot like other mid-sized cities across the U.S., in the midst of a revitalization. Downtown doesn't feel like a downtown and development is sprawling, making her new identity still abstract. Thankfully, the lord is her shepherd through this valley of death. Quite literally because of Oral Roberts University, founded by the televangelist himself. For the sake of America before beige behemoths, let's pray Tulsa's Vision 2025 plan doesn't include measures to demolish her history nor her individuality. 'Cause we all need to stand next to clasped hands in prayer larger than trees every once in awhile, no? This heathen on her way to New Orleans certainly did :)

Length of Stay

1/2 a day

Docking Index

      

Seven anchors. I have a hunch it's going to be on some "Most Livable/Friendly/Affordable Cities in America" list in the coming years. Personally, the Jetson like campus at Oral Roberts University won me over (geek alert) since returning to school is Plan B.