I remember the day I saw Dad's new 2005 Mustang for the first time; he had driven down from Topeka, Kansas to visit Mom. Although they were divorced (and had been for a little while by then) acceptance was tough for him, which meant frequent visits. He had bought my Ford Focus a few months … Continue reading Built for the Road Ahead
Good Morning, 2015. It's good to finally meet you. The last year has been incredible for me. I traveled thousands of miles, shared many warm moments with family and friends, and smiled so frequently that the darker times are greatly diminished in my memory. It's the year I decided that getting married again was something I really … Continue reading Road Trips and Renewal
I left the house this morning with two items on my agenda: get a bunch of stamps for our wedding 'Save the Date' mailers and take a short drive southeast to see about a bridge I'd tried to visit this summer. When I'm behind the wheel, though, it's easy to say, "It's just a LITTLE farther … Continue reading One Things Leads to Another
Today, I finally made good on a promise I made to myself a few years ago. My father's family is from Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It's a town of a little over 3,000 people and the county seat. The grand Osage County courthouse sits atop a hill, overlooking the rest of town. It's also the home of the … Continue reading Sally’s
When I first returned home from traveling, my focus was on sharing Tulsa with the rest of the world. As I became familiar with my home town, I noticed that I was sharing it with people that lived here, too. I was amazed at how much my photography was appreciated by those that had lived … Continue reading Bridges Between People
Earlier this week, I started watching the cult classic TV Show 'Twin Peaks'. My friends have talked about this show in high regard for years, but I'd never made the effort to sit down and watch it. It was created and guided by the eccentric David Lynch, whose body of work is a twisted map of the strange … Continue reading The Isolation of Grief
I woke up this morning with an itch to hit the road. This itch had been nagging at me since the middle of last week, when a Facebook friend posted a photo of an old filling station in Webb City, Missouri and mentioned it was going to be restored soon. I'm all for restoration of … Continue reading From Halltown to Commerce
Last night, I introduced Samantha to the classic coming-of-age film, 'Stand By Me'. She loved it, as she has come to love King's characterization across several novels now. Particularly, she enjoyed how the four boys were realized, calling out Jerry O'Connell's character as the 'goody two shoes' all the way. As I sat and thought about … Continue reading No Trespassing
Yesterday, I asked Samantha to marry me. We've been dating for ten months (as of this coming Friday, anyway) and I felt it was time. Never in my life have I felt more simpatico with someone. She supports me, comforts me, encourages me, challenges me, and makes me a better person every day. Not only … Continue reading The Proposal
After my whirlwind 48 hours in New Mexico, it was time to drive the car in an easterly direction back home. Typically, I like to take different roads when I'm driving BACK somewhere, but given the long distance and my compressed timeframe (I had to be back at work at 8:00 AM Tuesday!) I knew … Continue reading The Drive Home
Rhys' Pieces 