Good Friends

There is something wonderful about getting to see good friends you don't see often. You know, the type of friends that even when you have not been in the same room for months, the conversation picks up where it left off and suddenly you can't quite remember what the date is? Those are the friendships I am truly grateful for. There are a few in my life. It reminds me how some of the most important relationships I have can not be tracked via an online network or even by record of call history. Some of the people that mean most to me, don't even enter my day to day life all that often. None the less, when there is an opportunity to connect, it never fails to show me how each of them has helped influence me, even just a little, to where I am today. That's pretty damn cool.

Airports

As is tradition, I am sitting here at Denver International Airport with Stupie on the mind. It's a quick trip to help a friend. If ever there was a place more in need of the purpose of this blog (something about obvious), the airport is it. It was my first time to get full body scanned and second time to have my coffee cup wisked away for further scanning. I don't fault the gung-ho TSA Agents for enforcing the rules but man are they getting crazy. The world thinks our airline security measures are a joke. Aside from reaction policies like taking off shoes after one idiot tried igniting his, I have never heard how these measures could have prevented previous terrorist attacks. The illusion of safety is important I realize, but so is some common sense. As it turned out the courage of good people to do the right thing was our best allie when bad guys did what bad guys do. I wonder often if the real bad guys would even be troubled by our airport security? I only hope the good guys aren't.

Good Saturday Morning

Sometimes the simple things make for a great day. After relatively fighting the world around me most of yesterday, it just felt good to wake up on a chilly, overcast day to my wonderful wife and endearing Westies. I took the dogs out for a walk in the crunchy snow and then enjoyed a cup of coffee with Tiff on the balcony. The air is fresh and not bitter and actually kinda refreshing. Then came the dogs favorite game, me chasing them around the apartment trying to catch them. Maggie thinks it's the best, but Estes likes to be caught and loved on some. All in all a great morning and a nice reminder how good life can be when I am not mentally wrestling with everything.

Have a Fun Friday

Just think, this could have been you.

Ah, the Windy Windy

To all my friends in Chicago, surviving the arctic conditions, please stay warm. I was catching up on the news of the tremendous storm and the unusual disaster of Lake Shore Drive becoming a literal parking lot as it hit. The spirit of the city seemed to resound as I was reading about residents braving their way to the frozen cars to deliver food and water from close by homes. That was the Chicago I grew to love and appreciate. The additional reports on the emergency crews working hard also reminded me of how well the city comes together. Then I got to "official comments" from city officials like, "To those who were “very inconvenienced,” Raymond Orozco, chief of staff to Mayor Richard M. Daley, issued an apology, but would not single out anything in particular that the city might have done differently." It reminds me again of the most tiresome aspect of Chicago... its leaders. I wonder if Daily actually just sold off the snow removal equipment along with the Chicago Skyway or the parking meters and just didn't tell anyone about it.

Foodcourt

The foodcourt. What a facinating display of culture. By that, I don't mean the Taco Bell is my Latino influence, but of American culture. We have so much as a country, but the food court seems an awesome place to take in what we are doing with our bounty. Just the way people behave there can be rivetting. I watched teens doing what teens do, older couples holding hands, and several stroller watchers exersizing the gammut of taking care of children. Then there's me, reluctantly participating because I didn't want to pack a lunch today. I'm seeing all this life because I forgot a distraction (iPod, book , etc.). Consequently I get to watch the free show and try to just take it in and not judge. I was one of those teens doing what they do and hope to be holding my wifes hand when we are older too. Think I'll pack my lunch though tomorrow.

Icy Priorities

At the moment, according to the weather report, it is a -32 windchill. Most of Denver is shut down. So far as I know the Doll House is still open, which is not a shocker. What does seem strange is to imagine who would brave this cold for anything nonessential. It begs the question, what are the priorities out there? I almost got out of the whole thing when my Jeep almost did not turn over. Hopefully more people chose wisely today, there is not much worth risking this weather for.