Denver Fair

Having not been to a fair since I was a kid, I did not know what to expect when Tiff said she wanted to go to this. It was pretty great though. Unlike my previously held notions, it held quite a contemporary vibe too. There were lots of bike themed items, tattoos, a few great mohawks, and lots of local, renewable ideas for urban homesteading.

Plus if  groups like Devo and the Colorado Steampunks were there, you knew it would not bet just another redneck hang out.

Happy Birthday Pop

Says It All Today for Me

Bookstore Brutes

I am constantly amazed at people. They fascinate me. There is a Borders Bookstore near where I work and I have ducked in a few times recently to grab some going out of business bargains. Dressed for my job (shirt and tie), apparently many of their customers believe I am staff and constantly are asking me for help. At first it was amusing, but then people began getting rude when I told them I didn't work there. One man even responded by stating, "you're useless." So glad he was looking for the art section.

What amazes me is how ridiculous these people are acting. They are virtually looting and mostly void of manners. Had I actually been an employee there, it may have been a good time for people to be a little nicer. One they are getting a sale price and two, the employees will soon be looking for new jobs. That sucks no matter where you previously worked right now. I suppose I also wanted to believe people at a bookstore might be a shade more civilized. When the man that barraged me with "hey, hey, hey" till I put my friend (on the phone) on hold only to ask if the Harry Potter poster he had pulled from the display was for sale directly under the "everything must go" sign, I realized I am potentially too ideological at times.

Good Day

Morning run. Full day of work. Rain drenched drive home, miscalculating when to get the top up on the Jeep. Great food. Freelance design. Go to bed.

All in all, a decent way to spend a day.

Tired Run-on Thoughts

Weary and ready to crash but enjoying the run-on thoughts of having finished considerable good work over the last several days. It feels good to be genuinely hungary and genuinely tired at the end of each day. Perhaps it's odd to a degree to enjoy the natural like this, but none the less it feels good like the soreness of muscles well worked. To me that is satisfying.

Happy Birthday Monkey

You make me so proud!

I love you!

Pausing

I am trying to get back to a simpler view on things. With the recent huge events in life over the last year or so, I am often reminding myself now to stay in the moment. That is good advice always for me, but as of late it has felt vital. To do so, I am trying to take in my surroundings often and really take note what is happening. Earlier when I was out driving, I had to smile when I realized how nice the sun felt on my arms. It's sometimes as simple as that.

Finding the Plot

We went to see Chris Botti last night at the Denver botanic Gardens as part of their summer concert series. It was fantastic. Not only was the music wonderful, the trumpet was superb and the atmosphere delightful. The band backing Mr. Botti was as much fun to watch and tremendously gifted to listen to.

At one point a reference was made to an English phrase, "losing the plot." It struck me how accurate his idea was that good  music can help you find you way again when that happens. I love that there is always a way back.

True Friends

Weary and grateful for my good friends. It feels good to me to know there are some people I will always help. It takes the decision out of the equation. To me that is the loyalty my good friends have.

Simple Consideration

I was enjoying my 4 miler this morning despite the rising temps and relentless sun. It just felt good to feel the wind on the legs and arms, the sun on the face, and smell the trees and grass. My wife and dogs were at home and had made me smile many times already this morning. My family is always exciting to be around. It just was one of those mornings that I stopped and really looked at what I had and was staggered by gratitude. Seriously, given my natural inclinations I should not be this fortunate. I am truly grateful for the moments I get to pause and appreciate.

Predawn Dash

Lake Michigan

Got up way early today to get my 5 mile training run in before work. It was fantastic getting out before the sun was up. In Chicago, I would marvel at how quiet the city was at that time. Here, it was the same but the big difference was the crispness in the air. It felt damn good.

Team Effort

It feels good to be married. I love it. My wife is seriously my best friend. That helps considerably given we keep choosing paths we have never tread before, like buying a house. It helps to trust the person next to you. With that there also comes a variety of opportunities to learn some patience and open mindedness. I am grateful I am not as bull headed as I once was, but am ever hopeful to make my stubborn streaks shorter.

Hot or Cold?

I am without a doubt a winter kind of guy. Snow, ice, blizzards all sound pretty ok by me. My type is far and away the quieter of the two sides and in general you will always hear how wonderful it is when the sun is shining and it's hot outside. If that were true, to me LA would be the happiest place on Earth and they would have never built air conditioned casinos in Vegas. Yet I digress...

What I find curious is what people do to get through their tough season, whether it be hot or cold. Personally, I tend to recall my Texan upbringing and utilize that slower tempo. Everything is a little more steady and even tempo. I also accept that regardless of the activity, I will probably be sweating in short order and to drink a lot of water.

How about you?

DIY or Professionally

With a new house there seems to be new projects that have never before been on my list. Things like landscaping are now tasks I must debate on Do It Yourself or hire someone. There is a familiar nagging desire to do it all myself because I want to know I can. However, the scope and number of things needed are significant enough, I know I will get to do quite a bit regardless.

Muligan

I am saying here and now that I would like a do over on this morning. I got up and out and ran my 10 mile training run. It was hot and sunny the entire way, but good. For some reason though, I have turned a darker corner once home and oddly seem crabby. That bugs, so I am announcing here to you my four readers I will, as Bob Newhart would advise, stop it.

Here's to starting anew, even after a couple hours.

Happy Photo Friday

One Less Thing

I tend to think entire to do lists should be finished quickly. My old all or nothing attitude. However, there seems to be a strong arguement for the hare approach too. Slowly, things are getting ticked off the list, at least faster than they are going on. Progress I suppose.

Color Me Tippi

I have had some unusual things happen out running now, but today was straight up Hitchcock. I was attacked by a bird for an entire block. While I used to think the people in The Birds were not reacting all that smart every time I watched it, I now understand that I too would react by yelling and waving my arms around like an excited Muppet

Your welcome neighbors.

Rest Days

Setting some small boundaries is tough at times for me. I have been nursing an ankle that in my amateur medical assessment seem bruised. It is just tender as all get out to the touch. I am also now in the official training period for my fall marathon. The program I follow provides for three rest days a week.

Having embraced daily running, that has been less easy to follow. None the less I do want the minor aches and pains to be relieved, so I am attempting to sit out a day or two a week to help with this. I am sure when the running starts to excede 30 miles a week again, I will have less trouble doing so (I think).

Projects

I have a lengthy list of projects for the new house. It is daunting to say the least. I am attempting to whittle off a couple at a time. Today's project, finish painting the stairwell and be done with the ladder on the stairs routine.

Here's hoping to knock off that from the list.

Bike Blues

So, at long last Tiff and I hauled our bikes to the bike shop to get them ideally fixed and more likely diagnosed. Both bikes had significant work needed. In fact when mine was up on the pedestal and the rear wheel was spun, it looked like the tire was going t wobble off. The verdict was that there was enough repair work to warrant looking at another bike. I am torn here. I would love a nice, new, working bike. However, I am in serious love with this bike for nothing more than sentiment. It has some nice features, but on the whole it has seen better days.


What to do, what to do? I don't really want to part with my great steel frame Bridgeport, but I don't want a busted bike I can't fix around either. Just because I now have space, I don't want it filled with sentimental clutter. We'll see what happens. Tiff and I are planning a trip to a bike shop in Ft. Collins soon. Who knows, I may fall in bike love there.

Don't Be That Guy

Is it just me or do you find yourself often thinking, "what the hell am I doing?" There seems so many times lately where I see how I want to react or be and run screaming towards a less desirable reaction. I want so badly to be more patient, to want less, to be more reasonable. So often though I find myself defending pointless positions and snapping before listening. It's good to have an ideal, but it haunts me sometimes too.

Friday I'm in Love

Good Food

Tiff and I are always trying to figure out how to eat better and not sacrifice enjoying it. We signed up for a CSA this year and are now playing the race the produce game. Tiff will come home every week with a wonderful bag of locally grown greens and we have to figure out how to use it before it either goes bad or gets buried by the next weeks haul

It has been going pretty well and I have to say Tiff has done an amazing job keeping us moving through the weekly harvests. tonight she prepared a simple stir-fry that utilized many of our veggies. While the taste is not so dramatic, the effects of such freshness are very noticable. The food quite simply is better. It's amazing to me how improving the quality of the food I eat can has such a noticable effect throughout my life.

Why?

From time to time, it pays to ask that little question. Hell, it's not even a question. It's a word. Yet it does so much when thrown in the mix. It has prevented me moving on and other times it has finally released me. Tonight, not sure which side of that coin it is, but I am saying why? Either freedom or more hamster wheel await me.

You Got the Look

I am heading out for an audition here shortly. It took a shade longer to get dressed than anticipated as I suddenly got stuck looking at my clothes trying to figure out what looked like "guy that would work in his clothes." I would work in most of my clothes, but couldn't decide what conveyed that. It amuses me the consideration it takes getting dressed for an audition. You generally buy your clothes as they please you in some way, not to produce certain looks. None the less, every time an audition comes up, I get to put together some new look.

It really is that fear from high school that they are judging what you are wearing. Heh.

Happy Birthday

Morning fog.

It helps sometimes to just get quiet. The coffee is brewing and I am about to jump in the shower to race off to work. In my mind, vague images of my dreams last night colide with plans for the day. It's a good time to take a breath and get quiet.

Kinda Kinder

Malls are more than a little odd to me. I attempt to deny working at one, but someone tarnished my favorite delivery subs reputation recently, so I am braving the food court. This is one  wierd place to try and grab a bite. rougher still if ou are mostly vegetarian. None the less, the last thing I need is to contemplate how different I may be from those around me. My paradox is to love all, even if I don't like  them. That's where it' harder and what truly makes a man.

Odd in That Good Way

I just received a freelance design job. This morning I went to settle in on the couch and open up Photoshop to begin when it hit me, I have an office in my house. This strange, little room had virtually zero draw for me till this moment. Now I am pausing mid design to check in this ye faithful Stupie fans to report, this is od, but good. It's interesting when something in life just seems to fall into the right place.