Graduation

Calling him out

Our local paper has a motto, If you don't want it printed, don't let it happen. 

Basically, if you don't want people to know about what you're doing, you shouldn't be doing it.

I'm amazed at people who are found out for doing bad and then have the nerve to get mad at the person they blame for letting the cat out of the bag.  I mean, c'mon.

Years ago, I had a guy get mad at me, stop speaking to me for over six months, because I unknowingly let one of his girlfriends (later to become his ex-wife) know that contrary to what he was telling her (how was I supposed to know and even if I knew, so what?), he was still seeing another one of his girlfriends.  Umm, you're stepping out and lying about it but you're mad at me?

Of course, this here is a bit different because it's hardly inadvertent.  I know that I'm putting something out there that someone likely won't want me sharing.  And I'm doing it anyhow.  Again, if you don't want people to know about it, . . .

To his credit, Rachel's dad, upon my request, sent a monthly check to help defray Rachel's expenses.  Now, he didn't send what I asked for, the amount never changed in over 15 years and it was less than a court would have set but the check did come every month.  Until this past February.  Please note that Rachel's 18th birthday was at the end of January.  So, boom, that's it.  All parental responsibility ends the second the child turns 18, right?

In another example of stellar parenting, Rachel just found out today that her father will not be attending her high school graduation.  And she only found out today because she finally worked up the nerve to call him to ask.  This after he promised last August that he'd be there.

I apologized to Rachel the other day for my poor choices.  She wants/needs to ask him if he'll be helping with college and doesn't know how to approach him.  I don't even know how to begin to help her with that one.

I'm just sayin' . . .

Prom

Jeffrey's Steakhouse

When I saw the ad for Jeffrey's Steakhouse in the paper, I was excited that there might be another nice dining choice in Moab, especially after our last, not-so-good meal at Zax. I figured from the ad that they were trying to be upscale so I realized that it would probably be a bit pricier than Zax and the Moab Brewery but every once in a while that can be ok.

Only not in this situation.  It was pricier alright, it just wasn't ok.

A dry, stringy 8 oz filet for $30.  A so-so New York strip for $37.  A $6 up charge for a salad substitution that was only a $1 more on the menu.

To be fair, the calamari appetizer was good, light and crunchy with a tasty crushed tomato dipping sauce.  And the beefsteak tomato salad (the one with the $6 upcharge) was quite yummy, with a high quality balsamic vinaigrette drizzled over chunks of bleu cheese.  The decor was well done and the ambience inviting.

But the service was very slow and the food not worth the cost.

Energy snacks

It has been my experience that energy snacks suck.  In their attempts to be healthy, they have failed miserably to be tasty. And don't even talk to me about the consistency.  Energy bars, energy gel, yuck.  Give me a Snickers bar (although they don't do heat too well, do they?).

Well, I'm happy to report that the energy snack people may actually be figuring taste and consistency out.  This past weekend, we stumbled upon several winners.

First, there's Clif Shot Bloks.  They're rather like square gummy bears.  I recommend Strawberry, Mountain Berry and Black Cherry in that order.

Next, Clif Luna Sport Moon Energy Chews.  These are crescent moon shaped energy chews (again, think gummy bears but bigger).  I liked the blueberry.

But my favorite by far are the PowerBar Raspberry Gel Blast Energy Chews.  Chewier than the Shot Bloks or Moon Chews with a sweet/tart raspberry burst, these little guys rock.  Yum.  

They all make energy snacking during physical activity a much more pleasant experience.  

And, no, I didn't get any sort of remuneration for touting these products.  Not even free samples, although I guess you can get free samples of my favorite directly from PowerBar.  I haven't tried it so I don't know the details.

Seriously? What makes you think I'd support that?

I don't think it's any secret that I'm an Obama fan.  I don't think it's any secret that I support the healthcare reform bill.  

So, why, oh why, would Citizens United, that conservative, hypocritical organization that battled to overturn campaign fundraising limits, think that I would support them in their latest quest to repeal the healthcare reform bill by suing the Obama administration in an attempt to get in front of the Supreme Court again?

I got a fund raising phone call from Citizens United and Dick Morris and by the end of it, I was laughing at the poor woman.  It was typical offensive Republican speak (with a little Dick Morris book selling tangent), asking me if I agreed with Obama's efforts to socialize healthcare, destroy the military and other imagined horrors.  I told the woman that, while her scripted question was offensive, pejorative and ridiculous, I wholeheartedly agreed with Obama's efforts thus far.

I must be on some list. It must be the same list that resulted in my invitation to the McCain rally in Grand Junction just prior to the 2008 election.  I have no idea how I would have ended up on such a list.

Either that or they're so misinformed as to think that everyone who figures out how to afford to live in Aspen must be a die-hard Republican who supports their twisted agenda.

Omens

Sometimes omens portend bad things.  Sometimes omens are meaningless.  Happily, last weekend was the latter.

Even before we left Aspen for Moab on Friday, we experienced a discouraging setback involving a carport and bikes on a roof rack.  I won't be saying anything more about that episode other to say that we picked ourselves up, dusted ourselves off and soldiered on.

Given that we were leaving Aspen in search of spring, we experienced a second discouraging omen as we traveled west into weather much like that we had just left.  

Refusing to bow to negativity, we continued on to our hotel in Moab whereupon we were handed keys for Rm 313.  Really?

But I'm pleased to report that all of these omens, these signs, were completely innocuous.  Two warm (but not too warm), sunny (with episodically pleasing shade clouds) days, one bike ride and one hike later, we headed home having had a very nice visit with spring.

Blogging

It appears that a large number of people only blog on weekdays.  I struggle for inspiration and time on the weekdays.  They must be blogging from work, about work or instead of work.  Me, I've got too much work to be able to do that.

Likewise, I get the feeling that weekends for a lot of people are computer free zones.  For me, the weekend is a great opportunity to catch up on all the 'net stuff that I've had to ignore during the week.

We've been focusing on the positive here so in that vein, I'll share with you a recent internet find, one of those guys who only posts on the weekdays, 1000 Awesome Things.  He's got some fun insights and since he's only on #521, it'll keep you occupied going backward and forward.

Off-season hours

The following is a list provided by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association (which I poached from the Aspen Daily News) that details which restaurants and bars that are open and closed for the spring off-season.   

39 Degrees Lounge at Sky Hotel    Closed April 12-May 30
Ajax Tavern    Open
Asie    Open, no lunch Saturdays and Sundays
Aspen Brewery    Open
Bad Billy’s     Open
Bentley’s    Open
Big Wrap    Closed April 24-May 16 (Enjoy the beach, Babs!)
Boogie’s Diner    Open, closed one week in May
Brexi    Closed April 12-May10
Brunelleschi’s Dome Pizza    Open
Butcher’s Block    Open, closed Mother’s Day
Cache Cache    Closed April 10 -May 27
Campo de Fiori    Open
Cantina    Closed April 12 - 19
Caribou Club    Closed April 11-June 10
Domino’s    Open
Double Dog Pub    Closed permanently (Such a loss!)
Elevation    Open
Ellina    Closed until the first week of June
Elkhorn Bar and Grill    Closed April 5-June
Escape at Explorer    Open for lunch only
Frank Thirion French Pastry Café    Open
Garnish Café at Aspen Club    Closed April 10 to end of May
Gisella    Closed April 25 - May 27
Grape Bar    ?
Hickory House    
Open, closed Monday and Tuesday
Highlands Pizza Co.    
Open Thursday through Sunday. Open 7 days/week by May 15
Hunter Bar    Open
Il Mulino    Open Tuesday through Saturday
Ink Coffee    Open
Jacob’s Corner Hotel Jerome    Closed April 19 -May 6
J Bar at the Hotel Jerome    Closed April 19 -May 6
Jimmy’s    Open
Johnny McGuire’s Deli    Open
Jour De Fete    Open
Kenichi    Open
Krabloonik    Closed April 11-mid June
L’Hostaria    Closed Sunday and Monday
La Palapa    Closed April 12-mid May
Little Annie’s    Open
Little Nell (Montagna)    
Closed April 12-May 20, begin serving breakfast only April 30
Little Ollie’s    Open
Louis’ Swiss Pastry    Open
Lulu Wilson    
Open, closed Sundays and Mondays
Main Street Bakery & Café    
Closed last week of April, first week of May
Matsuhisa    Closed April 11-12
Mezzaluna    Open, closed Sunday’s in May
Mustang    Closed Sunday and Monday
N9NE Steakhouse    
Open Tuesday through Saturday in April; May ?
New York Pizza    Open
Pacifica    Closed April 4 to early June
Paradise Bakery    Open
Parallell 15    Open
Peaches    Open, closed Sundays
Pine Creek Cookhouse    Closed April 5-mid June
Pinons    Closed April 11-June 4
Plato’s at Aspen Meadows    Closed April 12 -May 3
Poppycocks    Open
Red Mountain Grill     Open
Rustique    Open, closed Sunday and Monday
Sabra’s Deli    
Open, closed Sundays until mid-May
Sage    Open with bar menu only
Social    Closed April 11-May 27
Specialty Foods of Aspen    Closed Sundays April and May
Starbucks    Open (not what the barista at Starbucks told me)
Steak Pit    Closed permanently (so sad)
Su Casa    
Closed Sunday and Monday in April, then May 2-20
Syzygy    Closed April 4 -June 11
Takah Sushi    Closed April 11-May 27 (I already have reservations for May 29!)
Taster’s    Open
The Restaurant at the St. Regis    
Open Thursday through Sunday
Toppers    Closed permanently (I'll miss their mushroom pizza)
Ute City    Open
Victoria’s Espresso & Wine Bar    Open (but when will they be serving wine again?)
Wienerstube    
Open breakfast and lunch daily; dinner Wednesday through Saturday
Wild Fig    
Open, closed Sundays and Mondays
Willow Creek Bistro at Aspen Highlands    
Closed April 4 for dinner until first week of June
Woody Creek Tavern    Open
Zane’s Tavern    Closed April 13-20
Zocalito    Open

Effect

As I get older, I come across random examples of the lasting impact people can have on each other, often with regards to the most seemingly insignificant things.  We all, often unintentionally, leave our marks, sometimes in the most unexpected ways.  I realize that, for many, this is hardly news but I've been ruminating on it lately.

Yesterday morning, when reminded to brush her teeth, Rachel made a special trip upstairs to my bathroom because she likes my toothpaste better.  This is a relatively new development.  For years, I've had to buy her her own toothpaste because she didn't want to use mine.  My toothpaste?  I started using it 20 years ago, having been introduced to it by her father when he and I were dating.  Do you think he had any clue at that point that twenty years later, his own daughter would be using the same brand having arrived at it in this roundabout way?

It goes both ways too.  One of my mother's mainstay dishes when I was growing up was ground beef and gravy.  Imagine spaghetti but with macaroni instead of spaghetti and mushroom gravy instead of tomato sauce.  Easy and yummy.  It's now one of Rachel's favorite meals.  I introduced Rachel's dad to my childhood meal some twenty years ago and now Rachel reports that it's part of her step-mother's repetoire.  Did my mom ever imagine?

Growing up, every Thanksgiving, we made Pumpkin Spice Cake.  I then introduced my co-workers here in Colorado to it.  One of my co-workers, who has since moved out of the area, particularly liked the recipe and adopted it as one of her staples. Who knows where it's going from there.

Rachel likes Popeye's biscuits because of one of my college boyfriends who she's never met.

Steve knows who Kate Bush is because of Jessica, the girl who lived next door to me in college in Leonard Hall at American University.

Not only do we leave lasting marks on those whose lives we pass through but often they pass those effects on to others.  Makes me wonder what other unintended effects I'm carrying around with me.  What other things that are fully integrated into my day to day life are the result of people who have passed through my life and the people who have passed through theirs?

Freaky, man.

This week's PostSecret favorite

My new car - Not

I had been playing with the idea of replacing my 12 year old car . . .

until I got Rachel's financial aid award letter from Columbia College Chicago which informed me that I've been awarded the opportunity to purchase the equivalent of a new car every year for the next 4 years.

But, hey, at least the interest rate on the college loans is fixed at the low rate of 7.9%.

For a new car, I'd only have to pay, what, 0% interest?

What is that?

I'm about to expose, yet again, my lack of cred.

Unavoidable really, as I've basically never been cool.  Too nerdy to be cool.

Twice in the last 12 hours, I've seen a guy on TV lick the first two fingers of his hand and then smooth his eyebrows.  Last night, it was Finn on Glee and this morning, Jon Stewart whilst interviewing John O'Hara on Tuesday night's Daily Show.

Twice in 12 hours?  Now, I'm intrigued.  Is this some cultural reference to which I'm completely oblivious?  So I google it.

And, best that I can find, after admittedly superficial research, is that it dates back at least to Ian Ziering on 90210:

lelio

2006-06-01 01:28:04 AM

The proper way to lick one's eyebrows was shown by Steve on 90210. To do it you
* make the "hook-em" sign with your right hand
* touch the insides of those fingers to your tongue
* put your fingers up to your eyebrows closest to your nose
* push your hand to your face, splaying out your fingers and spreading the saliva

/ the more you know

I did also discover that, according to at least one source, licking your pinky and brushing it across your eyebrow in Lebanon indicates that you're a homosexual.

I'm still thinking that I'm missing something . . .

I would have replaced it.

I'm thankful for bags with tags.

A week ago when Rachel left for her Experiential Education trip, someone told her to put a name tag on her carry on bag. A bit of overkill, I thought but given Rachel's distractability, probably a good idea. Hah! Little did I know. In this case, it wasn't Rachel's distractability we had to worry about.

When we met Rachel at the train on Saturday, it was a rather chaotic scene. She jumped off the train, came and gave us all hugs, handed me her bag (yes, I said, handed me her bag) and dove into the chaos of unloading all the bikes and duffel bags from the luggage car of the train. In the process of unboxing her bike, I set her bag down, right there, right where I couldn't miss it, right where I wouldn't forget it.

We ran an errand in Glenwood, drove the 45 miles back to Aspen, unloaded the car and Rachel asked me for her bag. The one with her book and her pretzels and . . . her iPod. The one I had left sitting on the train platform 45 miles away.

"Mom! How could you?! I made it the whole trip without losing anything! Someone's going to steal it!"

Well, nothing we could do about it at that point, except wait until school on Monday and hope that one of the teachers noticed it, picked it up and rescued it.

Which, thanks to the name tag, is exactly what happened. Phew!

But, I would have replaced her iPod, the one she bought with her own money. If I had had to. I'm sure glad I didn't have to.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Boomerang

In the late 70s, just before a ski trip to Aspen, my Rossignol skis were stolen out of our garage in Illinois.  My parents replaced the stolen skis for me with a pair of Dynastar 195 cm Dynasofts.  I skied those skis for almost 20 years.

When I moved to Aspen in 1999, I immediately replaced my outdated skis with a pair of the newfangled "parabolic" skis.  The Dynastars languished in the gear shed for a while, finally making their way to the dumpster 7 or 8 years ago.

Fast forward to this past Sunday.  I'm hanging out at the Aspen Highlands Closing Day Party taking in the crazy scene.  All sorts of people in costumes and crazy get ups.  I keep seeing one girl with a shot ski wandering around.

A shot ski?  That's a ski with a number of shot glasses attached to it.  The idea is that you line people up and they all simultaneously do shots by tipping the ski.  

About the fourth or fifth time I see the girl with the shot ski, I take a good look at the ski.  I casually mention to my friend that I used to ski a ski just like that one.  Mine was about that long but it had my name on it (that's what we did in Illinois when we bought skis.  I got the stolen Rossignols back because of just that little detail).  So I wander closer to the girl with the shot ski and . . .

It's got my name on it.  I say to the girl, "That's my old ski."  And after carding me (no lie), calling all her friends over, taking pictures and figuring out where the ski has been for the past many years (in the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club gear room), she generously gave it to me. (Not at all what I expected.)

Mom & Dad, aren't you thrilled to see what's become of the ski you bought me?

Just had to share

Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you! (I am also a big fan of your genes.)  :-P Love, Rachel Bielinski (Darling Daughter)

Mome,

Hey, look up! I just spelled Mom wrong.  Anyway . . . after living with Clark for 5 months and visiting a house with 5 cats, you would appreciate this card.  Plus, it's your day,  you are entitled to, you know, presents and pampering and stuff (I am sure Prince Rupert would agree).  Speaking of which, for a cat he has remarkable puppy dog eyes.  Thank you for all the fun opportunities you give me.  I love you (more than I love TV. *gasp* I know you thought that was impossible, right?)  Just so you know, you are not allowed to die.  I love you too much.  Love, Rachel <3

Mom,

Although I have not been through some of these situations yet, the same sentiment applies.  You are always there for me, no matter what I do, which is good 'cause I can be really really annoying.  You always give me what I need, even and especially when what I want and what I need are 2 different things.  You have taught me so much.  I am an independent self-sufficient person because that's what you showed  by example.  I love being around you (even if you do insult my music) and I can never wait to get home and tell you about my day or the new thing I am excited about.  On that note, thank  you for listening to me babble about movies and TV and supporting my dreams.  You have always done that, made me feel that I could do anything if I worked hard enough.  You made me feel safe because you have been the one constant throughout my life.  I have never had fear that you were going to accept me, no matter what.  We are so different.  You are linear, logical and organized, whereas I am random, spastic and saying my room looks like a nuke went off is putting it nicely.  But even when I am driving you crazy, you love me and I know it.  We have a relationship that Rory and Lorelai would envy and I am so glad.  On days when the world is against me, you are on my side and that means the world.  I love the hugs you give and cuddling with you.  I love making you laugh and smile.  I love that you love me and all my glaring faults.  But most of all, I love you, all of you: your joy about weird things like the census, how good you are at answering the phone like nothing is wrong, your long brown hair, your style, your headaches and hoarding tendencies, I love it all.  I have friends who hate their mothers but they love you.  You are the best mom ever and so good to me.  I want to wish you a happy birthday and inform you that you are not allowed to die.  Without you, I would fall apart, I can't even imagine that.  Happy Birthday!!   I hope you had a great day and know there are many more to come.  Love, Rachel

Leaving town

Leaving town during on season is always tough. There's no way to do it without missing something fun.
Rachel and I are going to California for spring break and it's going to be great. But while we're gone, I'll be missing Blitzenbanger, the Core Party, Vampire Weekend, Barrage, the Hollywood Stones and most of Stacey and Jeremy's visit, just to name a few.
It's a nice dilemma to have, though. Yep, living here doesn't suck.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Have I ever mentioned

that I'm a freak?

It's simply silly how excited I am that I got my census form today.

Rachel started telling me about some celebrity who did a PSA for completing the census.  I don't need any PSA.  

I want to be counted.

I completed the census in approximately 45 seconds and then wondered where my sticker is.  I think there should be a sticker for completing the census like there is for voting. 

Rachel says there might be some website online where I can register for a census sticker.  I'm going to go check.  Right now.

Feelin' nostalgic

A couple of weeks ago, Steve and I were listening to Sirius 70s on 7 on our way up to ski at Snowmass when they played The Partridge Family's I Think I Love You.  I then had a little parking lot moment (think NPR's Driveway Moments) in which I remembered every word of a song that I haven't heard in something like 30+ years.

This past Saturday, I was working with my iPod on shuffle when Neil Diamond's version of He Ain't Heavy ...He's My Brother shuffled on through and made me miss the Osmonds' version.

In a somebody stop me compulsion due to a complete lack of willpower,  iTunes' ease of purchase and its Genius recommendations, I am now the somewhat sheepish owner of the following music:

Come On Get Happy - The Partridge Family

I Think I Love You - The Partridge Family

Point Me in the Direction of Albuquerque - The Partridge Family

I Can Feel Your Heartbeat - The Partridge Family

One Bad Apple - The Osmonds

He Ain't Heavy ... He's My Brother - The Osmonds

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves - Cher

Indian Reservation - Paul Revere and the Raiders

and Helen Reddy's Greatest Hits (including such mainstays as I Am Woman, I Don't Know How to Love Him, Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress), Delta Dawn and Angie Baby).

I have now made not one but two Genius playlists, one based on I Think I Love You and one based on I Am Woman . . .

1000th post

and I almost missed it.

Logged on to see if I was going to flesh out one of my draft posts waiting in the wings or if some new inspiration was going to strike me when I just happened to notice that my post count is 999.

Then the dilemma became whether I was going to write a substantive post and simply mention that it was the 1000th post or whether I was going to write a fluff post solely about how this was the 1000th post.

Guess I opted for the latter . . .

Oh yeah!

So psyched that daylight savings time starts tomorrow.  As someone who gets off work at 6 pm each day, I very much enjoy the extra hour of daylight in the evening.  Well worth the trade-off of darker early mornings.

It makes me happy just thinking about it.

Scary stuff - new credit card statements

Is any one else freaked out by the new credit card statements?  I mean, did I really need to see in stark black and white that it'll take approximately  twenty two lifetimes to pay off my credit card debt if I only make the minimum payment each month? 

I'm kinda a fan of the ostrich approach myself.

What I don't know can't hurt me.

This week's PostSecret favorite

I'm a bad person

I got a disabled guy fired from a volunteer job.  Well, sorta.  He helped.

I feel badly.  Really, I do.

I've been attending a series of events at a local theater and have been very dismayed at the noise level coming from the seats behind me.  At multiple events . . .

At one event, someone was sitting back there clipping his fingernails.

Yes, clipping his fingernails.  And judging by the number of clicks, he must have an outrageous number of fingers.

At another event, there was a nearly constant crinkling and rustling of some sort of candy or chip wrapper coming from the same location.  It was never ending and completely distracting.

My companion and I were besides ourselves.  We just couldn't attend another event like this.  So we decided that we had to ask the management to speak to the culprit.

I made it very clear to management that we weren't complaining, just requesting that someone let him know how noisy he was being and ask him to stop. 

Not quite how it worked out . . .

To my chagrin, our request turned out to be the last straw.  As a manager, I completely understand reaching the end of your rope with an employee, etc.  There are only so many times you can go to someone asking for improvement.  After a while, you understand that it's a losing proposition.

I just had no intention, in this situation, of being the one who added that final straw to the camel's back . . .

You CAN get here from there

Per the Aspen Snowmass and Colorado Mountain Express websites (I particularly like the train option):

Travelers to Aspen/Snowmass have Numerous Options during Temporary Interstate Closure

Crews Working Now to Reopen I-70 after Rockslide

Alternate Routes to Aspen/Snowmass The recent rockslide on I-70 in Glenwood Canyon has temporarily limited access to Aspen/Snowmass from the east via the interstate; however travelers still have many options to get to the resort via air and ground routes. Crews are working on the highway now and could reopen two lanes within a day or two. Colorado Department of Transportation will be providing updates frequently as they make progress on reopening the route. Please check the C-DOT website for the latest conditions. More than half of the winter visitors to Aspen/Snowmass arrive directly into Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) and are unaffected by the incident. Travelers coming to the resort through Denver International Airport, Eagle County Airport or via I-70 from the east have many options. Air Access Currently there are seats available on flights into Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. Air travelers can reroute their flight or add a leg by contacting their airline or travel agent. Travelers who had planned to drive from Denver can book seats on these flights directly in to the resort, and arrive just three miles from downtown Aspen and six miles form Snowmass Village. Most hotels in the resort have free transportation to and from the airport. Visitors can also reroute flights into the following airports: Grand Junction Walker Field (GJT):   124 miles from ASE (2 hours via I-70 west), served by American, Delta, United, U.S. Air & Allegiant Montrose County Airport (MTJ):  135 miles from ASE (3 hours over McClure Pass), served by American, Continental, Delta & United Yampa Valley Regional Airport (HDN):  174 miles from ASE (3 hours via Rifle/Craig), served by American, Continental, Delta & United Gunnison County Airport (GUC):  199 miles from ASE (4 ½ hours via Montrose), served by American, Delta & United Ground Access Access to Aspen/Snowmass is still possible from both the east and west via shuttle services, rental cars and Amtrak. The trip is currently six hours from Eagle (287 miles) and seven and a half hours form Denver (379 miles). Amtrak runs regularly scheduled train service from Denver’s Union Station to Glenwood Springs (only 45 minutes from Aspen/Snowmass). Trains depart daily at 8:05 a.m. and arrive in Glenwood at 1:53 p.m. and tickets are just $39 one way. The daily train from Glenwood to Denver departs at 12:50 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 7:18 p.m. There are shuttle services, taxi, rental cars and public bus options available for the 40 mile trip between Glenwood Springs and Aspen/Snowmass. Passengers may take a shuttle services or taxi from Denver International Airport to Union Station.

You can't get there from here

 

from ColoradoDOT on Twitpic

A photo of the rockslide on I70 in Glenwood Canyon which occurred around midnight last night.  I70  is closed indefinitely.  Steve drove through the canyon at about 5 pm yesterday.  To get from Aspen to Denver when I70 and Independence Pass are closed adds about 5 hours to a 4 hour road trip.  But, to Amtrak's relief, since the train tracks through Glenwood Canyon are on the other side of the river from the highway and the rock slide, the tracks were unaffected by the rock slide and  the trains between Glenwood Springs are still running.

Fifteen years later

Listening to NPR's All Things Considered this evening, specifically the story about the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and remembering my letter to the editor which appeared in Time Magazine 15 years ago on September 4, 1995:

ACKNOWLEDGING BLACK STRENGTH LANCE MORROW PROPOSES AN EXCELLENT idea: a national museum memorializing slavery, freedom and black energies [ESSAY, Aug. 14]. If we can have the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which, at least in part, celebrates the Jews' ability to persevere, why not a museum that acknowledges the strength and perseverance of blacks in the face of slavery? Interestingly, writer Walt Harrington notes in his book Crossings that Colonial Williamsburg until 1979 ignored the place of slavery. He states that in Williamsburg the decision to include slaves and slavery in the depiction of colonial life has had just that beneficial, healing effect to which Morrow refers. BRIDGET BIELINSKI Arlington Heights, Illinois

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,983397-3,00.html#ixzz0hS11mNTA

PostSecret favorite

 

I haven't shared one of these in a while.  This one's for Susie who's constantly trying to find a way around the censors . . .

Don't say anything

If you don't have anything nice to say . . .

This is going to be a very short post.  

Hoping for some real laughs, Steve and I went to see Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad and Good for the Jews tonight at the Wheeler Opera House.  

We laughed a few times for real and a few more times because we wanted it to be funny but mostly we just wished it would be funny or wondered when it was going to get funny.

Food Carts

Aspen is woefully lacking in the late night dining department.

Don't think that you can go to a 7 pm  play and grab a bite afterwards.  Virtually no one will still be serving.  And even if technically they are, the staff will make you feel very guilty for daring to come in so late.

There are a couple of options like New York Pizza which stay open until the wee hours and do a brisk business.  But, pizza does get old. (I know, heresy!)

The historic Popcorn Wagon, which filled a late night niche, was closed for renovation, destroyed, re-opened for a short time with limited hours and now lies dark.

Recently, the Aspen City Council has been considering whether to allow for food carts on the pedestrian malls, part of the effort to revitalize the downtown core.  I think it's an awesome idea.  The restauranteurs? Not so much.

They have a point.  They pay outrageous rents.  They have high overhead.

But I guess I'm just not very sympathetic.  And it appears that I'm not alone.  The Aspen Times is conducting a poll and as of yesterday afternoon, a whopping 66% of respondents were in favor of the food carts. 

EatAspen is also conducting a similar poll on its Facebook page through a Facebook application, PollDaddy, but since I'm Facebook application averse, I didn't vote in that one.

A venerable community institution

has annoyed me.

In actuality, it ended up doing me a favor and saving me some money.  But, it started out by annoying me.

Admittedly, not hard to do.

The Aspen Thrift Shop is an Aspen icon.  Untold numbers of volunteers donate untold numbers of hours to sifting through vast amounts of junk donated by the Aspen community.  I, myself, have donated many an item.  All proceeds are given back to the community.  It is all a very admirable and highly esteemed enterprise.

And yet . . .

Last week, I learned on Saturday morning that I would be attending a "ball"  that evening and like any self-respecting woman immediately decided that I didn't have anything to wear.  Oh, there were a few possibilities but really, nothing that seemed quite right.  So, I thought I'd drop by the thrift store just to see what they might have.  Upon perusing the $6 and up rack, I found two dresses with potential, neither of which had any sort of price tag.  

Having decided that I would take them both, decide in the privacy of my home which one would work the best and then donate them both back the next day, I went down to the cash register to pay.  

Here's where things began to go awry.  While I was waiting, there was an energetic discussion between several volunteers regarding what to charge for a necklace nicely displayed in the window.  With the customer standing right there, one volunteer arrived at the figure of $15, only to be adamantly overruled by the volunteer running the cash register who insisted on $25.  Hmmmm.

A couple of minutes later, it's my turn.  I handed the cashier my dresses, she held them up for scrutiny and said (remember, the sign on the rack said $6 and up), "Well, ok, let's see.  That'll be, um, $15 for this one and $25 for this one."

Startled, I looked at the sign prominently displayed which says, "NO BARGAINING!" and asked, "Um, how did you come up with those prices?"  After being told that it was based upon the quality and condition of the item, I remarked that it would be nice if items were marked so decisions based upon cost could be more easily made.  I then asked for a moment to think about it.

Now, I get that $40 is not a lot of money.  I get that the thrift store is a wonderful charity.  I get that the volunteers are volunteers and are doing the best they can.  I get that the rack said, "and up."  I object, however, to being made to feel that the price is determined by who the purchaser is, which is exactly how I felt.  Especially in a situation when I am clearly informed that I would be doing something wrong if I tried to negotiate a better price.

So, I decided to keep my $40.  And you know what?  I went home and found something eminently suitable hanging right there in my closet. 

The thrift store?  Well, they're out $40 and the opportunity to resell the dresses the very next day.  But, I will continue to gather up my discarded belongings and drop them off, as I always have.

15 TV Shows

This one comes courtesy of Susie. As always, tag yourself (and me) and I'll read yours!

Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen TV shows you've seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall. Tag 15 friends, including me because I'm interested in what shows my friends choose. (To do this, go to your Notes tab on your profile page, paste rules in a new note, cast your 15 picks, and tag people in the note -- upper right hand side.)"

My list, past and present, and very random:

1.  Speed Racer
2.  Starsky & Hutch
3.  ER
4.  Early Edition
5.  Touched by an Angel
6.  West Wing
7.  Studio 60
8.  Sports Night
9.  Heroes
10.  The Dick Van Dyke Show
11.  How the West Was Won
12.  The Pretender
13.  L.A. Law
14.  Glee
15.  General Hospital

What did you do this weekend?

Not my video but a fair representation of my weekend

Our friend, Kevin Connolly

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Kevin Connolly's 12/23/09 appearance on the Today Show.   Meredith Vieira ends by telling Kevin he's gorgeous.  Kevin will be competing in Winter X Games 14 at the end of this month here in Aspen. 

Recent movies

The lazy man's reviews:

Up in the Air - Yes

Sherlock Holmes - No

Avatar - Yes

Pirate Radio - Yes

It's Complicated - Yes

Behavior modification

Clark Kent the cat (kitten) is quite the evil kitty.  Having never had a cat, let alone a kitten, I have no idea if he is normal or possessed.

After listening to us complain about his behavior and seeing all of the scratches on our arms, hands, legs, faces (basically any exposed skin), friends and family have asked us when we are going to return him to the shelter.

Not likely but . . .

We are now the proud owners of 7 spray bottles filled with water which we seem to wield incessantly.  There's basically a spray bottle in every room.

The worst part is the unpredictability.  He's being all sweetness and light, cuddling and then all of the sudden, out come the fangs and the claws. 

He'll grow out of it, right?

Steve's painting

The Maroon Bells