Let It Snow, Let It Snow (But Just In the Mountains, Please)

One of the big reasons we moved to Denver is its proximity to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. This winter, Julia and I have been taking advantage of this, using our five mountain Colorado Pass to spend most weekends blissfully snowboarding. In support of our hobby, we even decided to rent a mountain house in Silverthorne with a bunch of people Julia found on Craigslist. Already this has saved us a lot of money and time (compared to getting hotel rooms or fighting I-70 traffic to and from Denver during peak hours).

I unfortunately had to take a couple weeks off, due to breaking my rib during an epic faceplant on Keystone, but I am almost back to normal. Julia and I took off from work Friday to take a trip to Vail, where we undertook the arduous journey to the snowboarding oasis known as Blue Sky Basin. It took us almost two hours to get there from the mountain base at Lionshead Village - there were surprisingly long lines for a weekday - but it was worth it. The vastness and sheer fun of the runs makes Blue Sky a destination we will definitely revisit (but only when we get an early enough start). I told Julia I felt like I was in a surreal snowboarding video game for most of the day.

I unfortunately forgot to bring my mini camera for the Vail trip, but I do have a few photos up from some of our previous snowboarding trips. As the season progresses, I will hopefully add more pictures to that gallery.

Obama Signs Stimulus Package... One Mile from our House!

I took this camera phone picture today on our way to work, as we turned from Montview Blvd. onto Colorado Blvd. There's not a whole lot to see, but notice the black SUV parked at the blockaded entrance to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. It happens to contain a Secret Service agent - we know this because we saw her leap out of the vehicle and vigorously accost a car that was trying to enter the parking lot (She was decked out in a black suit and sunglasses, just as you might expect!).

Of course President Obama was here in Denver to sign the American Investment and Recovery Act today, but I thought it was pretty cool that he was literally performing this historic task in our neighborhood.

It's a New Day for America!

Julia and I woke up to the sweet, sweet sound of our radio alarm - something I would normally never say - but this time it was playing NPR's live coverage of the Presidential Inauguration, with the San Francisco boys' choir singing God Bless America. What a great mood that put us into!

Though I am now at work, I am watching the Inauguration on CNN's live webcast. It is awe-inspiring to view the sea of people, covering the entirety of the D.C. Mall, waving and cheering in the freezing morning cold. Julia and I couldn't be more proud of our new president, and most of all proud of our country for choosing change over fear, hope over cynicism, and service over selfishness.

I couldn't resist attaching a blurry photo of our honorary embossed invitation to the Inauguration that we received, completely by surprise, from the Presidential Inauguration Committee. While we are not traveling to Washington D.C., we will definitely be framing this beautiful piece of history. Today is a great day for America and indeed the world. Remember where you are, what you're seeing, what you're hearing, and savor it - this is the change we've been waiting
for!

Still Gators at heart

Even though we moved from the humid swamplands of Florida to the dry, mile high air of Colorado, Julia and I remain proud Gators (her through education and employer, and me as a UF UNIX administrator for a number of years). Tonight of course is the BCS championship football game, and we are looking forward to watching it at Jackson's, a large and fun sports bar where Rocky Mountain Gators hang out on game day, hopefully with one or more of our expatriate Gainesvillian friends.

Go Gators and destroy those pathetic Sooners! Incidentally I looked up today exactly what is a sooner, and it's just not very cool.

Happy 2009 from Arizona!

Happy New Year everybody! Even though we consider ourselves proud Coloradans, Julia and I decided to be adventurous and spend our Christmas and New Year's week on a trip to Arizona, in which neither of us has spent extended time before.

We climbed the Grand Canyon, explored the eerily beautiful Mojave Desert, hiked along the beautiful trails in scenic Sedona, and witnessed some awesome animals in the Phoenix Zoo (you haven't lived until you've seen the multicolored splendor of a baboon's ass!). To top things off we spent New Year's eve in a festive block party on Tempe's Mill Avenue, meeting some cool new friends and seeing Styx (yes they are still alive, and their big 80s hair hasn't changed a bit) kick off 2009 in classic rock and roll fashion.

Julia has posted her photo album of our trip. I have posted my pictures too, grouped by days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, though I use a pretty cheap and simple camera that only stores 26 pictures and can't handle low light conditions (but it is extremely portable, fun, and convenient, which is why I carry it around).

We hope you had a fun and safe New Year's, and let's all have a 2009 full of adventure, goodwill, and a sensible work/life balance!

Change From a Fuzzy Distance

One of the most exciting things I experienced during this election season was the chance to see Barack Obama, up close, in a Pueblo rally.

I took the day off from work to drive a couple hours south to this Colorado town in which we had never previously spent time. I was surprised at how... gosh darned All-American it was. I drove past the high school with its football team practicing, with smokestacks from struggling factories silhouetted in the distance. It was a scene straight out of Friday Night Lights.

The rally itself took place in a honest to god State Fair, where I could see people of all ages, races, and backgrounds streaming in to see our next president (we hoped!). Everyone waiting in the long line to the rally was excited, and I made friendly conversation with a smart, politically active woman who worked in Boulder and a good natured kid wearing a Chuck Norris T shirt who went to the local high school. It was inspiring to be around all this great energy, and when we finally got to see Obama, walking to the podium just meters in front of us, the whole fairground practically shook from the cheering and excitement.

Unfortunately Julia couldn't come to the rally, but I did take a bunch of pictures, which I have posted to my new photo album site (by the way I definitely recommend using Google's free Picassa application to organize and host your photos on the web - it's really convenient, and again, free!). My pictures aren't very good, and they can't capture the feeling of actually being there, but I do attempt to inject some narration via the captions.

Thank you Colorado...

... for contributing to Obama's commanding victory, and for playing a leading role in the Democratic redrawing of the electoral map in the Mountain West. For that matter, Julia and I are proud of our former home, Florida, for going Blue - something I didn't think would happen in my lifetime.

Last night clearly marked a turning point in American history, and we feel privileged to have been a part of it. It reaffirms my faith in the intelligence and higher expectations of American voters today. As evidenced by last night's results, we respond positively to a candidate who speaks to us as an adult, and who treats complex issues with the respect and intelligent analysis that they deserve. We reject - resoundingly - a campaign that simplifies issues into "us vs. them" and tries to persuade us through fear and xenophobia.

Julia and I ate dinner at Sengers on the Fax, a classy but casual restaurant traditionally frequented by yuppy Democrats such as ourselves ;). We drank Miller lite while cheering along with the other patrons, every time Wolf Blitzer would announce another Democratic victory on the large screen TVs. Afterward we crossed the street to the hipster hangout Rockbar, which morphed into "Barackbar" for one night. They set up chairs for viewing CNN while serving free Heinekens to people wearing Obama gear. Everyone was in high spirits, even the Sarah Palin-costumed cross dresser we sat next to (she stayed in character, chiding us every time we cheered Obama).

When Barack came out to give his beautiful and moving victory speech, there was hardly a dry eye in the crowded room. When he was done, the DJ lay down some appropriately Obama-themed dance grooves, to which everyone was more than happy to shake their booties. It was a great way to share our enthusiasm with like-minded Democrats and the perfect way to release some steam after a seemingly interminable and nail-biting general election.