Day 91: Rocky Mountain High

I can't begin to describe what a gorgeous morning it was this morning.  We went out on our first hike of the season and even though we're still in March it felt like summer.  We got kind of an early start and it felt like we had the whole mountain to ourselves, at least for a little while.  Today's hike was up at NCAR, in Boulder.  It's such a great place.  So many trails.  Sophie was in absolute heaven.  She loves the outdoors.  We're so looking forward to more adventures this season.  We missed out on a lot of hiking last year but I'm figuring that given we had such a mild winter we should be in line for nice long spring and summer seasons.  

Anyone in the area up for a hike, give us a call!

Day 90: Good Advice...

"Do one thing every day that scares you."

Eleanor Roosevelt

If you aren't doing that, to some degree, then I'd argue you're not living.  If you're consistently living in your comfort zone then I'd argue you're living in a prison.  I"m not saying you need to swim with sharks or dangle from the north face of K2, but you need to be pushing yourself, extending your reach, embrace a little discomfort that moves you through life and introduces you to a new version of you.  Perhaps you need to change the way you live in a relationship, like learning to talk/share your thoughts and ideas or better yet, LISTEN!  Perhaps you need to push yourself a little harder at the gym.  Maybe instead of ruling your household with an iron fist, trying letting those around you grow and mature into the blessings God intended them to be.  Not all things that scare you are life threatening but they are usually life altering.  

Being a little scared doesn't mean you need to be incapacitated.  It means you need to be more in tune to your senses.  Bathe in the mental, emotional and spiritual sensations that will cascade over you as you take a step beyond the life you've always known.  Look forward to the challenges that lay before you and take solace in the fact that no matter what the outcome you will achieve a higher, greater self.  So be a little scared and grow.

Day 89: Travel and the final disappointment

I know I've been talking a lot about travel lately but I'll try to make this my last travel entry for a while.

I just completed another business trip to the East Coast.  The first leg home from Boston was mostly uneventful.  Yeah, it was an O-dark-30 flight connecting through Dallas.  I did discover that there's a direct flight from Boston to Denver, on American, that leaves later in the morning and still arrives in the early afternoon.  Note to self, next time book that flight.  Even though I didn't swing an upgrade, one flight attendant gave me a free headset and another comp'd me a Bailey's and Coffee.  Even at 50 I still have the charm.  Just call my Roger Sterling. 

The next leg I was not so fortunate.  Didn't try for the upgrade.  Really didn't make sense since there was no meal and it's a relatively short flight.  I had exit row so I figured I was pretty much set.  Let me tell you, as quickly as the travel gods giveth, they just as quickly take away.  As I'm sitting in my seat watching folks shuffle by, this pretty young thing says "excuse me, that's my seat next to you".  Now understand I almost always get stuck sitting next to crotchety old businessmen.  But now I'm thinking for the next hour and 45 minutes I get to sit next to a little hottie!  But no sooner does my inner voice yell, "YIPPIE!", a strapping young man says to me, "Excuse me, sir (man I hate that), but would you mind trading seats with me so I can sit next to my girlfriend?"  Damn, stymied in my hour of glory.  Oh well, being the wonderful, good natured guy that I am I said "sure, not a problem".  I figured I'll still be sitting in an exit row seat.  Unfortunately that seat was next to an incredibly large Orc (think Lord of the Rings).  I glanced over at Mr. Wonderful and caught a little smirk and a look that was almost apologetic.  He thanked me several times and even offered to buy me a drink.  I'm sure my facial expression adequately conveyed my ultimate frustration.

Oh well, let's make the best of it, I thought.  Hey, I like to think I'm not all that judgmental.  Ok, I may have entertained a few negative thoughts but quickly righted my thinking and convinced myself this was a pretty decent fellow who I'm sure is not happy with his current condition and is probably more uncomfortable than I am.  Yeah, that idea immediately started to slip away when it became brutally apparent this guy misplaced his bar of soap in the shower this morning.  Ok, that's fine.  I can manage.  But there's more...

Now as I said, I'm trying hard not to be judgmental.  I definitely know that being severely overweight is a danger to one's health and deep down inside I'm sure this gentleman is feeling pretty bad about himself.  It really has to be a tough situation.  Heck, I didn't even really mind that he made no effort to share the armrest and it didn't really bother me all that much as he kinda spilled over into my seat.  But as I was trying to project these positive thoughts towards this fellow, I see him reach down to grab his bag.  I'm thinking he's going to pull out his laptop or iPad.  Well, not unless that iPad looks like a huge bag of beef jerky.  He tore that thing open as if he hadn't seen food in a week.  Within no time the bag was empty and as he balled up the now empty jerky package with one hand he was pulling out a container of mixed nuts in the other.  I just so happened to notice it was an eight serving container.!  Wow, wonder what happened to the other seven fellows.  He went after those nuts with the same frenzied vengeance that he did with the jerky.  I have to admit, I did chuckled a bit to myself when the flight attendant came up to take our drink order and he ordered a Diet Coke.  Hey, guess you make concessions where you can.

So, other than spending the better part of the flight breathing through my mouth and leaning completely over into the aisle way, getting slammed by the refreshment cart and a few old ladies, I managed to arrive safe and sound in beautiful Colorado.  Hey, after reading that stuff about JetBlue, I'm just thrilled our pilot didn't try to lawn dart the plane into the Boulder Flatirons.

Here's to another successful trip.  Now, let's open that bottle of wine!

Cheers! 

PS - the photos above were all taken at either Boston Logan or DFW.  Some of you may recognize them.

Day 88: Old Town...

I suppose one of these days when I travel to "Boston" I'll actually spend time in the city.  Whenever I go to New England I'm usually in the Waltham, Billerica area.  When folks ask me where I'm going, it's easier to say "Boston" since most everyone knows Boston.  When I say "Billerica" I get looks as if lobsters are crawling out of my ears.  It goes without saying there are tons of photo ops in the great city of Boston.  But there's just as much if not more in all the towns and hamlets that surround Boston. 

One of the things I look forward to the most is traveling on the tattered, nearly single lane roads that pitch and yaw through a maze of ominous trees, rolling countryside and old villages.  Nature obvioulsy dictated where the roads went as opposed to most towns where roads are cut in straight lines, regardless of the landmark.  I will warn you, if you have any difficulty in navigation, you'll most definitely get lost traveling around the New England area.  There's no left or right turns.  Everything is veer this way, bend that way.  Really gotta pay attention.  "Siri, where the hell am I?"

I suppose it's an East Coast thing but there is so much history every where you turn.  You look at some of these small towns and I suspect they've changed very little over the last 200 years with the exception of a few paved roads and a new roof or two.  There are historical landmarks all over the place.  "Paul Revere's horse dropped a duece here.", "Bunch of Brits got bitch-slapped here" or "A Bosox fan committed suicide here" (that was before they won their first World Series).  I love it.  So much character.  So much charm.  I never get tired of this area.

So when you come to Boston, by all means visit Boston Commons.  Go to a Sox game.  And if you really want to go touristy, check out Cheers (Bull & Finch is the real name, it's the one you see on TV).  But if you really want to experience the Boston area, visit the outline towns.  You won't be disappointed. 

By the way, does that house look creepy or what?  :-)

Day 87: Knock knock knock...Penny...Knock knock knock...Penny... Knock knock knock... Penny

Sorry, I couldn't resist.  Had dinner tonight at the Cheesecake Factory.  Kinda bummed that I didn't see Penny or Bernadette.  And the uniforms are nothing like the one's on the TV show.  The conversation may not of have included theoretical physics but there was some techie banter.  Ok, not so much by me but it was as close to a Big Bang night as it would get. 

I forgot that the Cheesecake Factory is a pretty good restaurant.  The menu is frickin' huge.  If you can't find anything to eat, you aren't hungry.  I took these pics while I was waiting for a friend to show up.  Pretty interesting architecture.  Man, I do like my iPhone.  Well, hopefully I'll take something more interesting tomorrow.  We'll see what the day has to offer up. 

Day 86: More Adventures in Travel...

Back on the road again.  Now for those that travel little or none at all, here's a little insight into the "perks" of travel that George Clooney conveniently ignored in the movie "Up in the Air".  Just a few things.  I could actually write an entire book (without pictures, mind you) on the joy that is air travel.

Terminal restrooms - Now how is it that this great nation of ours was able to harness such ingenuity and intellectual power to send men to the moon yet they can't seem to create an automatic toilet flusher that can tell the difference between a person sitting down or standing up?  The last thing I'm looking for when I go to the bathroom is a "surprise".  You know I just recently received an affectionate little reminder from my doctor that because I've crossed over the 50 barrier I'm in line for my first ever colonoscopy.  Oh goodie!  (Should make for an interesting blog entry).  Any who, after my wake up call in the stall, I'm thinking I'm pretty much good to go.  Thanks anyway, Doc.

Food - I was chatting with my daughter the other day about the perils of travel.  She commented on how disgusting it is when people bring food on the plane.  Can you blame them?  The alternative is to refinance your home in order to get a nice, stale packet of nuts to go along with a glass of wine that makes "Two Buck Chuck" tastes like a well aged Bordeaux.  I never really thought much about folks bringing on food until today.  The gal sitting next to me apparently bought her lunch from "Kung Poo House of Week Old Sushi".  Not sure what was worse... the smell of her "food" or the taste of bile in my mouth.  Jury is still out on that one. 

Luggage - Oh, and here's a piece of legistlation I plan on pushing through.  If you have "carry on" that you can't lift or carry, then check it.  IT'S NOT CARRY ON!  Hey, I've helped my fair share of elderly folks or Hobbit-sized women with their bags.  But come on.  When you have to spray your bag with cooking oil in order to squeeze it into the overhead space, also requiring a forklift to get your bag of essentials off the ground, you need to charter a shipping company to lug your crap.  I'd prefer to get to where I need to go without waiting for you and your damn bags.  Oh, and a side note, if you're sitting in row 23 don't store your bags above row 13!  One of these days I'm going to put my good nature aside and tell the flight attendant your bag is making a ticking noise. 

Now in all fairness there can be some cool experiences when traveling.  As a matter of fact Gale Sayers was on my flight today.  Frickin' Gale Sayers!  How cool is that?  The man looks like he could take a snap and bust a 60 yard run.  I wanted to tell him he was great in "Brian's Song" but I wanted to respect his privacy.  :-)  But I did manage to throw a hellacious block on a woman in a wheelchair, clearing the way for Gale to get to his seat untouched. Of course everyone cheered even though I'm the one that made the block.  Why the TSA folks got all Shawshank on me is a mystery. 

But at least when I make it to my hotel room there's usually a little treat waiting for me.  Looking forward to a successful and quick business trip.  And if that doesn't work out, I'll load up on Mimosas on the trip back. 
 

Day 85: New Beginnings

Another Spring like day today. Even though I woke up pretty sore and tired from yesterday's hike up Quandary I couldn't help wanting to get out and work on the yard. Ok, let me be honest. It was mostly Julie's doing but anyone that knows me knows I'm a complete pushover when it comes to a woman's charm. Just ask my wife or my daughters. It's my Kryptonite, I tell ya.

This little bugger I thought was a goner after this past winter. I think we got this sapling from one of the scouting programs as part of a donation, late last summer. Being the green thumb I'm not I left this poor guy in his little, purple container out in the cold and snow. Just a few weeks ago his little arms were all brown and spindly. Kinda like the the old gals of the OC. But to my surprise just a week ago little green buds started to appear. I guess you can say a little water and sun are like nature's Botox. In honor of this new beginning I upgraded his dwelling to a nice, big wine barrel, sans the wine. Johnny don't share wine. :-)

So here's to new beginnings and a bright future for all! Cheers!

Day 84: Quandary Peak

My first 14er of the season is in the books.  Quandary Peak was one of many of the Colorado 14ers I was yet to summit.

What a gorgeous day for a hike.  Pretty damn chilly first thing in the morning.  I actually had to strip down in the front seat of my car to put on my thermals.  Shades of a desperate teenager trying to get lucky.  Once all my clothing and gear was set, I met up with my hiking partner, Noel, and made our way up to the trail head.  THANK YOU for the use of your husband's microspikes.  I would've been lost, hell, buried in snow without them.  My buddy Jim assured me that Quandary was a nice, gradual incline all the way to the summit.  I suspect we have differing opinions of "gradual".

After an easy circuit through the evergreens we were quickly above the timberline where things got interesting.  What started out as a pretty chilly hike soon warmed up and I was dripping sweat like a leaky faucet I recently tried to install.  Several wardrobe changes later and I finally managed to find the right attire to keep me sufficiently warm yet cool.

One thing about 14ers, and hiking in general, is that there's always something new to learn.  Today was no different.  Back when I was a flatlander running marathons in California, it was easy to drink and run at the same time.  Simple technique of holding your breath while you drink.  Funny thing about doing that while you hike above 10,000 feet elevation.  You damn near pass out, I come to find.  Ok, minor adjustment.  Another fun fact... when you see patches of pristine snow, there's an excellent chance it's exceptionally deep and not likely to bear the weight of 6'4" male frame.  I became intimately familiar with the term "post holing".  Nothing like strolling along, without a care in the world, enjoying God's great canvas only to sink like the Titanic.  "I'll never let go, Jack!"  Yeah, whatever.

Oh, by the way, I'm going to see if I can change the name for Quandary Peak to "Mount Smidge".  When I asked Noel how much farther (keep in mind because the ascent was so step, you couldn't see the summit), she assured me it was "just a smidge".  A "smidge", What the hell is that?  Another 30 + minutes going straight up into the blue abyss?  I guess "smidge" really applied to those mountain goats  that walked along with us.  Amazing how those animals can just hop around from one rock to another and then scurry up the mountain as effortlessly as a bird soars through the air.  I do so admire those animals.

Well, we eventually made it to the top.  It was a spectacular view.  There were a number of other hikers up there and it was great to powwow with them, sharing stories and snacks.  Many photo ops were had.  You'll see many of those on Facebook. Met lots of new and interesting people.  Hikers really are a special breed.  Many that I've met are very down to earth.  No pretense, no ego.  Just a mutual respect for nature and shared experiences.

After 20 to 30 minutes on the summit it was time to head down the mountain.  With warming temps, more "post holing" was in order.  One interesting side note, I tried glissading down parts of the mountain.  For those of you who don't know, it's basically sliding on your ass, usually with an ice ax to slow yourself.  Well, I didn't need an ice ax.  Turns out my big, fat ass serves quite well as a break.  So get this, as I continued down the mountain, on my feet, I hear someone whistling up behind me.  I turn to see a man waving his hand.  For some reason I immediately checked my left cargo pocket to discover that I've lost my iPhone, again.  Lucky for me it was found, again.  Now if I can only translate that luck into the purchase of lottery tickets.  Perhaps I have a magical iPhone.  :-)

Once we got to the timberline all the hikers scrambled in different directions, like roaches.  Everyone seemed to think they had the right route back to the trail head.  To wrap this up, suffice to say we did quite a bit of bushwacking until we finally stumbled upon the row of cars and our ride home.  It was truly a magnificent day.  I wish you all could experience something like a 14er.  The physical challenge followed by the incredible reward of such an awe-inspiring view.  Not sure my images do justice for what I experienced but I'll keep hiking and I'll keep photographing.

Day 83: Gear Up!!

Tomorrow morning I'm heading out to do my first 14er of the season - Quandry Peak!  Some of the feedback I've gotten from other experienced hikers is that this is an "easy" hike.  I won't be so bold to make that assumption.  Regardless if it's class 1 or class 4, any time you're above the timberline among God's great creations, you proceed with caution.  I'll have my camera at the ready so I'm hopeful to capture some interesting shots.  Not so ambitious that I would attempt this hike in the dark in order to get a nice sunrise picture.  Maybe next time.  I figure since this is my first time attempting Quandry I'd prefer to see where I'm going.

So I'll check and double check my gear.  Safe bet I'll still forget something.  I figure as long as I have food, water and my camera I can suffer through anything else.  I'll have the hot tub and cold brew waiting for me as part of my recovery when I get home. :-)

Wagooooons, HOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Day 82: Chantilly Lace

Today I'm going to take the opportunity to plug my new favorite local business, Chantilly Lace.  It's an INCREDIBLE bake shop and I can't emphasize "incredible" enough.  Owned and operated by Christina and Chantel, they make cupcakes that make angels cry.  A little dramatic?  Guess you haven't had one of their cupcakes yet.  They provided the cupcakes for my 50th birthday and we literally had to fight over the few remaining when we got home.  Of course, being the alpha male in this household I quickly cowered to my wife and daughters but I still managed to get one for myself. 
If you are looking for something special for a birthday, office party or severe late night sweet tooth you have to check out Chantilly Lace.  Visit them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clbakeshop?ref=ts) or their web site (www.clbakeshop.com).  Tell them I sent you!  They'll probably say "Who?" 

Day 81: Does it still mean something to you?

I wonder if many folks look at the flag with the same reverence and awe as we did as children.  Every morning we stood at attention at our desks in school, hand over our hearts, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.  Just minutes before we were playing grab-ass with our friends, teasing the shy girl with the big glasses, getting punched in the arm by the class bully.  But when the teacher barked out the command to stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance, we all fell in line.  We may not have been as respectful as we should have been but there was always something about that flag that made us stand and take notice.  We take much for granted these days and we're overzealous in our efforts not to impose discipline or to show respect for our country.  We're in difficult times now but let's not forget that this country and this flag are much bigger than the men and women who hold office in our federal and local governments.  Let's remember we're Americans first and if we make this country a priority, as we've done for over two hundred years, we will continue to prevail.

Day 80: Daffodils...

"...For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils."

William Wordsworth

Day 79: First day of the next 50...

Not a bad way to start out my next 50 years (yeah, we'll see).  Captured this walking home from the auto garage.  Nothing like taking your car in the day after your birthday to get it serviced for a "strange hum" sound.  Not what I had planned on spending my b-day money but we'll wait to see what the verdict is.  But no complaints here.  It's a gorgeous day, I have my family with me and life is good!  :-)

Day 78: Happy Birthday!

What a day!  Heck, what a couple of days this birthday has been.  Had an awesome time at Fox & Hound last night.  My amazing wife put on such a fun party.  It was so great to see so many friends and family.  I hate to admit this about myself but I was kinda nervous leading up to the party.  Yeah, I was a little concerned about cost and there are times I can get a little overwhelmed by crowds but everything worked out so far beyond my wildest dreams.  I haven't laughed and played like that in so long.  I'm so thankful to have so many beautiful souls in my life (that includes all of you that couldn't make it to the party).  You are all such treasures!

Wish I could've had my sisters there with me.  One of these days we'll all be together.  And Mom and Dad, here's to you, for giving it one more try to have that son you wanted.  :-)  Hope I've been able to live up to your expectations.  I love you so much!

On to the next 50!

Day 77: Westminster Sunrise...

As many times before, what I intended and what I got were two entirely different things but as always it all worked out for the best.  Thought I would give night photography a shot but was late getting out of the house this morning.  By the time I got to my location the sky started to brighten and it was only 20 minutes before the sunrise.  Oh well, a quick relocation, a few adjustments to my settings and I was ready for the day to start.  Would've been nice to have a few more clouds, as there were the past few days but it's still pretty amazing to see that big orange/yellow ball creep up over the horizon.

Heard some coyotes howling nearby.  Thankfully no run-ins... Whew!

Day 76: First Dog Daze of Spring

Looks like someone is enjoying her first spring day in the backyard. Had a pretty mild winter this year so I suspect there will be a lot of lazy summer days on the patio.

Day 75: Morning pano

Been having some pretty gorgeous mornings, even from this old neighborhood.  I need to find some other vantage points to get these great sunrises.  Given the sun comes up earlier now I can probably get to other locations before it's time to check in for work.

Day 74: Fundamentals...

I have to admit for years I've shied away from tattoos.  Figured only toothless bikers or folks with very low self-esteem had them.  Yeah, I was a pretty judgmental guy back in the day.  But I'll be honest I did admire some of the imaginative designs.  And there were times I entertained the idea of getting one but I recall the older guys, who got tattoos in their 20s, now in their 50's and 60's, have seen those magnificent pieces of artwork turn into green and blue warshak ink blots.
 
But now I'm turning 50 and I've had a lot of time to reflect on and assess the experiences of my life and for some reason it seemed like the appropriate time to get some body art.  So.... what to choose.  No arm bands, not funky looking dragons or half-naked women.  It had to be something with some personal meaning.  What came to me were words.  Or perhaps, virtues.  Over the years I've tried to define myself as one thing or another.  From high school to now, I've adorned my personality with a lot of different "titles" - father, husband, military officer, marathoner, etc.  But there is something more fundamental that defines me and I would suspect, defines a great many of you as well.  

I came up with "Love", "Faith" and "Perseverance".  They are my triad, like Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  For me all things begin and end with Love.  It should define all of us.  Our motivations and actions should all come from a foundation of Love.  Love for one another, Love for our surroundings, Love for the life we have.  "Faith" was another obvious choice.  Whether Christian, Muslim or Jew or whatever, it seems obvious to me that we give ourselves to a higher order, that no matter what we face in life, good or bad, our Faith keeps us whole and connected.  "Perseverance" was my final choice and I would like to think it's probably the one true characteristic that defines me.  Perseverance, for me, is telling yourself that where you are now is NOT the finish line.  You may be in a rocky relationship, or having trouble at work or school.  Perhaps you're struggling with a goal of some kind.  No matter what the circumstance, this moment is NOT your finish line.  This is NOT the time to quit.  Persevere through those hardships because the greater glory that awaits you is down that road you're on. 

So, here's my bumper sticker.  Not quite "Baby On Board", but it certainly carries a message.

PS - Why Japanese symbols?  Because I lived there once, MANY years ago.  Why my left leg?  Because I'm left footed and it's the strongest of the two legs.  How did I choose the order of those words?  All things start with Love.  Faith is at our center.  Perseverance is down at the grind stone of our lives.

Day 73: Sophie...

I can just stare into those eyes all day.  Always makes me wonder what she's thinking.  Probably thinking, "get that damn camera out of my face, pie hole!"

Day 72: First Frap...

Think this is another indication that Spring is nearly here... first Frappucino of the season.  I'm sure there will be many more to come although I still prefer my hazelnut coffee.  Yeah, I know, I lack imagination.  Call me a creature of habit.  I tend to like the consistency and dependability of getting something I'll enjoy every time.  But I'm sure there will be times where I'll push that envelope and get a little hazelnut or even get really wacky and add a little vanilla to the Frap as well.  Better hold me back!  :-)

Cheers!

Day 71: Help!

Sometimes this is the only remedy...

Day 70: Liars!

The picture above is the happy ending to an otherwise "screw me" story.  The so-called "simple" project of renovating the guest bathroom was anything but.  Hey, when it comes to ripping stuff out I've got mad skills.  Unfortunately my creative skills leave something to be desired.  The promises of "it'll be cheap" and "it won't take long" were all fabrications intended to drive me insane.  Congratulations, mission accomplished!

The guys on HGTV always make household projects sound idiot simple.  Their partners in crime, the evil, vest wearing killer angels of Home Depot insist the project will only take an hour, tops!  Well, two days later the project has yet to be finished.  Of course on those house repair TV shows they never show the major obstacles like the drain blog being permanently stuck in the bathtub.  Or the spout that doesn't just unscrew from the wall.  Or how about the ugly old light fixture that was concealing a rather large hole in the wall that now requires a significant amount of patching.  And don't get me started with this "measure three times, cut once". crap  Whoever came up with that needs to die a slow, agonizing death from the thousands of people who've cut and cut again just to get a stupid piece of tile to fit.

Now I'll admit, I can let things get under my skin rather easily.  And I'm notorious for throwing fits over something that doesn't work even when I've followed the instructions to a "T".  I mean, come on.  I'm one of just a few guys that actually reads the instructions and when I do and it doesn't work out as expected, it's like I've been lied to.  Someone needs to pay for this transgression against all of mankind.  As Captain Pickard once said, "... I will make them pay for what they've done!

Thank God for my beautiful wife.  She knows me so well to just give me my space.  An occasional beer, a few words of encouragement and some well timed "I love you's" made the whole experience endurable.  I don't know how she tolerates me but I'm so glad she does.

Well, the project is nearly complete and it was time to call it a day.  It was nice to join Julie in the spa and just decompress after a busy day.  Tomorrow we finish up with the bathtub and that should be it.  Here's hoping the next project goes more smoothly.

Honey, better keep the beer and the ear plugs handy.

Day 69: Moon shot...

Wow, talking about dodging a bullet.  I got up early (4:25) this morning to take advantage of a clear sky in hopes of capturing a full, or at least near full, moon.  I originally planned on this spot near a local bank but after sitting there for a while and guess-timating where the moon would set, I realized there was going to be a ton of street lights that would distract from the setting of the moon.  So off I went...

I went back to another spot I used to capture a nice sunset and figured that would be my best bet.  Another very chilly morning but at least no wind.  Of course it wouldn't be a photo shoot without me forgetting something.  This time it was gloves.  Yeah, by the time I was done my hands were like blocks of ice.  I got the tripod set up, camera mounted and dialed in my settings for a few test shots (still had a few minutes before the moon neared the horizon).  Now some of you out there seem to think I know all kinds of stuff about photography.  I'm here to burst that bubble of yours.  After a few shots and frantically making all kinds of adjustments to my F-stop, ISO and shutter speeds, the best I could get was a nice, white blob.  WTH!!!  Ok, my language was a little stronger than that.  Panic started to set in.  I was not about to suffer through the cold two mornings in a row....

BING!  The light bulb went off in my head.  "To the iPhone, Batman!"  I quickly went to the browser and typed in "photograph the moon".  I've got to say I love my iPhone and I love my internet.  The first link was my lifeline.  The article had all the settings for capturing that nice, sharp, detailed image of the moon.  Funny, the author said, "shooting the moon is like taking a picture of a light bulb."  Using what you might guess to be the appropriate settings will only get you that lovely white blob I mentioned earlier.  The settings I needed where NOTHING that I would've anticipated.  Low ISO, small F-stop and fast shutter.  Wow, I was in another timezone on that one.  Thank goodness I found that in time to get the shot above.

Don't ever fall into the trap of thinking "you're all that."  I realize that for everything I know, there are three things I don't know.  But the bright side of that is there's so much more to learn which means more wonderful opportunities to experience the gratification of discovery.

So, here's to ignorance!

Day 68: Home Remedies..

I know lately I've been whining a bit over old age, stuff not working the way it should, taking days to recover from simple tasks.    My recent gripe is my lower back.  For the most part I'm ok if I'm constantly moving but once I stop, sit and then try to get moving again, I look like grumpy old man, trying to stand erect.  A different kind of "erect" problem, I might add.  I was told years ago by my doctor that I have this "degenerative condition" in my lower back and that eventually, regardless of what I do, I'll be looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  Well, I guess that time might not be far off.  But with every ailment, there's always some can't miss remedy that will, at least temporarily, provide some relief.  Maybe not the best combo but we'll see if this does the trick.  I'm always open to suggestions....

Day 67: Sick Day!

In my constant vigil to maintain work/life balance, I took advantage of a light work day to hit the slopes. Gorgeous day, good snow and a very light crowd. Perfect recipe for fun. Ready to get back to the salt mines but at least I have a smile on my face. :-)

Day 66: Spring cleaning...

I've already blogged about some of the color that's starting to make an appearance in our gardens.  Today my wife went, how do the French say, HAWG WILD in the backyard, raking, plucking, cutting, dumping all sorts of debris that was strewn across the backyard for the better part of winter.  After a few days of spring like weather, the snows parted which finally revealed a pretty nasty looking backyard, thanks in great part to three animals that inhabit our home.  Wow, I can tell you the garbage man won't be liking us so much come Monday morning.  Any way, it's great to see the yard slowly come back to life.  And thank you to my lovely honey for making it all happen. 

I think she deserves a couple of these....

Day 65: New Favorite App!

Julie just showed me this new app that she saw on Morning 9News.  It's called 360 Panorama.  For a whopping .99cents you can create some pretty slick panoramas on your iPhone.  After a few misfires I finally figured out how it worked and shot this in REI while I was doing some early B-day shopping.  :-)  You'll probably want to bring it back into Lightroom or some similar tool to clean up the framing as well as add your favorite enhancements.  For all my photography friends, add this to your pallet of photo tools.  You'll love it!

Day 64: Hills...

Training for the Mt. Evans Ascent has been coming along nicely.  My miles have picked up, with times getting quicker, heart rate is lower.  Natalie continues to be the bane of my existence as well as my inspiration.  The cardio/fitness routines she's been dolling out have me ready to take on a new challenge.  Today was another step in my preparation.  Went into Boulder, to Chautauqua Park to start some hill training.  My goal for today was to "run" up Baseline road, up to Realization Point/parking lot.  I say "run" because it was really more an "airborne shuffle".  I started from the Chautauqua Park parking lot and made my way up Baseline.  It was certainly slow going, with VERY heavy winds and pretty damn cold.  Other than stopping once to take a picture and slowing down briefly to give the right of way to two deer, I was able to run all the way to the top without stopping.  The results from today's run gives me the confidence that I can handle the hills.  The real challenge will be the elevation.  Mt. Evans is twice the elevation of Baseline so how well I handle the lack of O2 will be key.  

Day 63: Mr. Ruck...

This handsome, energetic fellow is Ruck.  He's a four month old Cattle Dog mix (don't ask me what kind). He is so adorable.  Wish I had two of him.  Very windy, chilly day but he was quite the trooper.  More pics to follow on K9 Pawtography.  Check them out on Facebook.  https://www.facebook.com/k9pawtography  

Day 62: "Aaaaaafternoon Delight..."

Boy, you know you're getting old when your definition of "Afternoon Delight" is a non-fat vanilla latte.  I will say it was quite good.  :-)

Day 61: Sticks and Stones...

Most of us grew up singing the jingle "stick and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."  Powerful words that were intended to empower a young child to not sink to someone else's level over a war of words.  Sure, words can be hurtful but only if we allow them.  It's your choice.  Really, if someone wants to attack you verbally, screw 'em.  What's the point of dignifying their tirade by engaging in an exchange of "colorful metaphors"?  You can call me what you will.  I personally think nothing of you so hop on your pathetic, little soap box and have at it.  I've got more important things to do than to listen to you.

Alright, you're probably wondering what set me off.  I just read a story on the internet that said a number of people have expressed "outrage" over the ad for the upcoming season of "Mad Men".  It shows the character, Don Draper, falling from a building, supposedly reminiscent of the "falling man" image that was captured during the 9/11 attacks.  Mind you it's the same image that's been used by the TV show since it's inception in 2007.  Of course the whiners are saying it's insensitive to the survivors and families of the 9/11 victims.

At what point did we stop singing the "sticks and stones" song?  America was founded on the grit, thick skin, determination and guts of men and women who weren't affected by verbal (or in this case visual) attacks.  We've become a society of emotionally frail children.  We cry foul when we've had our feelings hurt.  Lawyers today are making a fortune on cases that really boil down to someone calling someone else a name.  No one stands up for themselves any more because they're not expected to.  We make concessions and excuses for all types of poor behavior and poor performance.  And instead of creating a society of compassionate and loving people, we've created this United Day Care Center of America consisting of whining, screaming children hell bent on immediate gratification.

Let's admit it, we've evolved into a nation of weak minded, weak willed babies suckling on the teat of entitlements.  Somehow we've become a society that believes all things come to us NOT from hard work but through entitlement. I'm here to tell you there is only one thing you're entitled to and that's the fundamental respect afforded to all living beings.  But respect as a person, as a leader, as pretty much anything MUST be earned.  Just because you've been on the job for the past five years doesn't entitle you to a promotion, let alone a raise.  Just because you show up to practice doesn't entitle you to any playing time on the field.  Not every kid plays.  Not every kid passes.  We've swung the pendulum so far the other way that we've become overly sensitive to every little feeling someone has.  You can't push the young people any more because their sense of self-worth may be affected so let's not keep score and let's not issue grades, and let's not establish levels of performance. 

Now if you've watched "Mad Men" you'll know it's pretty much an HR nightmare.  Sexual harassment, ethics violations, infringement on some basic civil rights.  I'm not saying we should go back to that era (although who wouldn't want Joan as their secretary?).  But if you watch, you'll see there are some characters that play the victim but more importantly there are others that have decided to rise above the office crap and make something of themselves.  It's that same determination that built the railroads, the same determination that sent men to the moon.  This isn't a problem that needs to be solved by a bunch of glad-handing, ass slapping politicians.  This is a problem that needs to be resolved by each and everyone of us.  Not him or her.  I mean YOU and ME!

Earn your keep.