If you’re not familiar with the show, Bobby Flay—one of my least favorite Iron Chefs and Food Network personalities—seeks out someone who is a relatively famous for a certain dish, takes a week to come up with his version of their specialty (usually containing his trademark outlandish spices and in all probability utilizing a grill), surprises them when they have typically been led to believe that the Food Network is taping them for some other reason, and challenges them to a “throwdown,” wherein they each prepare the dish and have it evaluated by two judges.

Aside from coming across as a total egomaniac—you know, mastering someone’s specialty in one short week—Bobby Flay also comes off as a horrible chef on this show. I have yet to see the judges select his creation as a winner. Sure, it’s some exposure for a few amateur chefs, but you’d think his win/loss ratio might humble Flay the next time he rolls into town under false pretenses to take on someone on their own turf and with their specialty. Then again, maybe I’m just a nut.

I spotted the problem right away. I very thoughtfully emailed him to let him know he’s doing it wrong.

Yes friends, increased hair growth is just another of the myriad positive side affects of being a WynnBlog reader and a WynnCast listener. Learn it well.

The cure? White (clear) vinegar. Pour a bit in a small juice glass. Then knock it back like a shot (not that I have ever done a shot). It’ll knock the wind out of you, that’s for certain, but I have never had it fail to cure a case of the hiccups, regardless of how relentless they are.

Go forth and be brave.

The bulk of the week was spent lying around like third base, which we needed. We stayed at the Big Cedar Wilderness Club (a time-share next to the Big Cedar Lodge). The accommodations were beautiful, we got to use all the Big Cedar amenities, and we got a great deal renting it from an owner.

We also ran around town a bit. We hit the new Branson Landing, which is new and clean…and in large part, Woodland Hills Mall outside. I have been hearing everyone cry for a Branson Landing in Tulsa for the last couple years, and my question is Why? I’m not opposed to river development, but we can do better than the Branson Landing. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice and clean and pretty. The water/fire shows are cool, too. But it was very generic. I saw very few stores that were not part of a chain. We ate at Garfields. We visited Bass Pro, and Lids, and Yankee Candle, and Rockie Mountain Chocolate, and Bath and Body Works, etc. I guess what I am saying is that there wasn’t much Branson to the Branson Landing. You literally could have picked it up and plunked it down in any other city, and nothing would be out of place or not fit in. I’m a little sad we didn’t spend some time exploring the historic parts of the city, and we will next time.

We, of course, did hit Silver Dollar City (and I bought Season passes, which is why we have to make at least one more trip this year). It’s the beginning of their season, so they aren’t open everyday. I had a real Clark Griswold feeling when we pulled up to the park on Wednesday and the sign said “Closed Today.” Fortunately, we made it inside the park on Thursday, without kidnapping a security guard at BB gunpoint.

I hadn’t been since I was a little kid, and it was fun. I mean, let’s be honest, in large part it’s a huge gift shop that they charge admission to, but it’s still cool, and they have their marketing down pat. Jeane loved the glass blowing and we bought a couple very nice pieces. We rode a couple rides, and Jeane picked an oyster which had a size 7 pearl in it! We bought some apple butter, and ate a funnel cake. Just a relaxing day being a Branson tourist. Asleep at the Wheel will be at the Silver Dollar City Amphitheater in September, so that may be when we return.

Around town, we visited the Hollywood Wax museum, which was pretty good. They have some proportion issues with some of their exhibits where the heads are way too huge for the bodies or visa versa. On the other hand, some models were very good.

We also visited the Titanic museum, which was excellent. You get to touch what a real glacier feels like, see many artifacts from the ship, see a scale reproduction of a third-class cabin (which was quite elegant for third-class travel at the time), see a reproduction of the Marconi room, walk up the Grand Staircase, see video from the underwater discovery of the wreckage, tap out Morse Code, sit in a lifeboat, and see how long you can keep your hand in 28-degree water (the temperature of the Ocean that night). It was a great time.

All in all, we had a great time, and it was wonderful to see our friends. I even taught my friend how to make perfect sausage gravy.

But now, we’re back home and back to work. There’s a lot going on for me right now, so the posting may be sporadic for he next week.

And to quickly update some stories the WynnBlog has been following:

While I was gone, comments on the post regarding the latest Joe Wiley lawsuit (Goff v. Huckill, Wiley, et. al.) were very busy. I can also report that last week, President Wiley and President-Designate Rice called a meeting of Huckill’s department and announced that Sheree Huckill and Penny Pricer are resigning. It is also reported that the Department of Education, which was recently on campus to audit the Trio program, has not yet released its report, which will be public, and has asked for further documentation.

As far as the lawsuit itself, court documents since I last reported include a response to RSU’s motion to dismiss for lack or service and failure to state a claim, which includes my affidavit regarding service of President Wiley in the previous Fellman case as an exhibit. Goff contends that service is good and that Wiley and Company have a history of avoiding service. Goff further argues that if service is deemed not to have been perfected, that dismissal is not the proper remedy. RSU has responded asking that the exhibits be stricken and the case dismissed. I’ll update you when there is more, and especially when the judge rules on the motions.

There’s nothing new in the Tywone Parks case that I know of. The next thing down the pike is the issue preliminary hearing on April 29.

And, lastly, the Oklahoma Supreme Court reversed themselves on their recent decision regarding redaction of personal information from court filings and ending online access to court documents. Bully for them. I’d still look for changes, but they may do a little study of the issue before their next order.

I’ve been in a little bit of a blue funk lately. I have had several high-stress projects due, and I am again fighting sinus crud. All that, combined with the current state of the political campaigns, can be a little disheartening.

Then, I was cleaning out some of our DVDs and CDs today and found the Ray Steven’s Box Set I bought a while back.

When I was in high school I was Ray’s biggest fan. Like, I had all the cassettes, and I knew all the lyrics. My 9th grade graduation trip was to see him live at his theater in Branson. And it was so awesome. Candy-apple red piano. Clyde the Camel on the carpet.

So, anyway, I stuck the CD in, and all I can say is I am in a much better mood tonight. As I sat listening to some old favorites and laughing my head off, I was struck that I haven’t really laughed good and hard in a while. So, I am recommitting myself to laughter.

Seriously, how can you hear “Jeremiah Peabody’s Polyunsaturated, Quick-Dissolving, Fast-Acting, Pleasant-Tasting, Little Green and Purple Pills” and not feel better? Or “Juanita and the Kids.”

Have a laugh folks! We all need it. Sir Winston said, “A joke is a very serious thing.”

Way down yonder in the Indian nation,

Tulsa’s favorite radio station,

K-V-O-O!

One of my favorite (though short-lived) TV shows was a spin-off of BJ & the Bear. I am writing, of course, of The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo. I wish copies of this show were available.

I was searching youtube and I came across this great video of Merle Haggard and the Texas Playboys at the Grand Ole Opry. Dolly Parton introduces them, and–despite the video editor’s misspellings of Merl and Opera–the Boys sound great with Merle, as they start with the signature, “The Texas Playboys are on the air!”

We get a little of the Texas Playboys Theme (“We’re the Texas Playboys from the Lonestar state”), Ida Red, Faded Love, Roly Poly, and San Antonio Rose with Merle’s remarks in between. He introduces Johnny Lee Wills in the beginning then does a Bob-style spoken introduction of Johnny Gimble and Herb Remington during the performance.

There are a lot of us Bob Wills fans who never actually got to see the Boys play. This video is a great opportunity to see them in action. Looks like a real workout to me!