Maureen Williams was one of my Mom's best friends when they were in high school.  When I was fifteen, Maureen married a local TV and radio personality, Danny Williams.  At the time, Mary Hart ( of Entertainment Tonight ) was co-host of his daily tv-show. 

Maureen invited a bunch of us to attend the Oklahoma History Museum's unveiling of one of Danny's original costumes for a sci-fi and cartoon show for kids from the 50's which he hosted as 3-D Danny, back in the 1950's.  This show actually outdid The Mickey Mouse Club in the ratings. 

This was the first time I'd seen the museum.  It's very nice.  I'll have to go back and tour it, perhaps when I have out-of-town company ( hint hint ).  The ceremony was amusing.  Danny was in good form.  There were several local TV and radio personalities there -- Ronny Kay, Mike Turpin, Burns Hargis, and Danny's former co-host Kerry Robertson. Maureen was as lovely as ever! 

Lt. Gov. Mary Fallin spoke, as well.  I like her.  She has MY vote. 

Afterward, my folks and I ate at Cheevers.  I'd never heard of it.   I'll have to go back when I'm not giving up dairy fat and sugar for Lent!  ^_^ 

Phyllis, Fabian and her mother Ruth and I went to see "The End of the Spear", today.  Afterward, we went to the Zoo to look at the birds.

Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, Ed McCully, Pete Fleming, Roger Youderian, Rachel Saint and Elisabeth Elliot have been my heroes for over twenty years.  It means so much to see their story being given the respect and humanity it deserves.  Not only their motives and hearts are put on display, but significant treatment has been given to the psychology and personhood of the Auca Indians, as well.  "The End of the Spear"  is beautifully-crafted and profoundly moving.   I can't recommend this film highly enough.  It was so much more than I had been led to expect. 

Thanksgiving was fine, I indulged my usual gluttony ( hey, I don't drink, smoke or do drugs -- I gOtta have SUM'n ).  My family ( against my better nature ) has taken to eating the meal at Dad's club, which makes me very uncomfortable -- forcing others to work on a holiday.  I'd make the whole meal myself, but no one is interested in that. 

Saturday, I finally went to the Narrative Art of the 19th c.  exhibit at the OKC Art Museum.  It was quite nice.  There were several really well-known paintings, including Lawrence Alma-Tadema's  "A Reading by Homer".  Works from the 1800s are among my most favorite.  Discovered several artists who were either new to me or with whom I was only vaguely familiar: 

-- Jean-Leon Gerome -- Jules-Joseph Lefebvre -- Arthur Hughes
-- Daniel Maclise -- John Anster Fitzgerald -- Charles Hunt
-- Edmund John Gregory -- William Powell Frith -- Joseph Conrad
-- Victor Marais-Milton -- Daniel Ridgeway Knight -- Emile Munier
-- Adrien Moreau -- Leon Augustin Lhermitte -- Julien Dupre
-- Richard Redgrave -- Louis Marie de Schryver -- Jean Beraud

There was a really intricate and lovely painting of Salome by Georges Antoine Rochegrosse.  Here is a scan of the postcard.  You'll get an idea of how amazing it was, but this really can't do any sort of justice to his skill and aesthetics: 


Another of my favorites was a painting by Jehan Georges Vibert, depicting the capture of Gulliver by the Lilliputians.  Astonishingly good.  Really tragic that I don't have a picture of that one.  Here is a link to one of his other paintings.  You'll get an idea of the charm of his work: http://www.albrightknox.org/ArtStart/Vibert.html 

I was already ruined for most modern art ( the technical term being 'crap' ) before viewing the exhibit, but the comparison did cement my feelings.  I'm completely unapologetic.  The paintings preceding Picasso, most of the Impressionists and ( dare I say it ) Van Gogh are marvels of expertise, intelligence, aesthetics and the ability to provoke an appropriate emotional response.  Don't waste your breath trying to convince me otherwise.  Them folks knew what they was a-doin.