Cabin fever

So I 've had a busy week. And stressful. Lots of deadlines, lots of anxious clients. Many late nights laying awake wondering if I am going to meet my deadlines. And the snow. Mucho snow. Mucho cold temperatures. My driveway is a sheet of ice. Slicker than snot, I'm telling ya. These many reasons combined to keep me indoors this week. But that changed today.

Today we drove up to Cripple Creek to get out of the city. And we thought WE had snow! The mountains were buried in over 3 feet of snow. Powdery snow. I tried to make a snowball and it wouldn't form. That's not much fun. Anyway, here's a few photos:

So I finished Barack Obama's book, "The Audacity of Hope" this morning. Great book. Great man. I am very excited to see where this campaign leads. I am hopeful that enough people are ready for a change. He has good ideas and he's smart and funny and seems honest and genuine. I am ready for the Republicans to take a hike. As my 93-year old Auntie said last night, "I hope there aren't any more Bushes that are planning to run for office." Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised if ole Jeb poked his head out one year, but I'm very hopeful he will see his shadow and the Bush White House legacy ends with Dubya. I think it's time to elect our first African American president.

As I grow older, I am beginning to become more aware of some annoying habits I have. For some reason, I am getting on my own nerves. It's this humming thing. Anyone who knows me well knows I hum constantly. I mean CONSTANTLY. And even I'm starting to get sick of it. But it's like this weird vocal thing...I can't relax unless my vocal chords are vibrating. The past few days I've really noticed it. I remember the only time anyone has ever called me on it was my friend Brett. It was a weird moment anyway: I was sitting on his couch next to him, watching him on television as he guest starred on Cold Case. It is very weird to watch someone on TV while they are right next to you. And so, I'm humming to myself. He is not around me very much, so apparently this annoyed the fire out of him.

"What are you doing?" he said in a loud voice. I cut my eyes over to him. "Nothing," I said. But I figured I had been humming.
"You're humming!"
"I am?"
"Yes. Stop it."
"Okay."

And so lately I know how he feels. But the thing is, I can't stop it. and that annoys me even more. Once in a while, when we are watching television together, Jan starts humming some greatly annoying song from the 80s, like Lou Reed, just to see if I will pick up on it and start humming it also. And it always works. Next thing I know, she's over on the couch laughing because she made me start humming a different song. She uses this technique if she really hates the song I am currently humming. I will hum anything: Hallmark jungles, the last song that was playing on iTunes before I switched it off, TV theme songs. I am an equal opportunity hummer. And it's really starting to piss me off.

Well, that's all I have to say about that.

In Honor of Sundance

This week the Sundance Film Festival kicks off in Park City, Utah. I was not very into "indie" films until a little thing called NetFlix came along. Now I can't seem to get enough of them. Indie films can say what they want to say because they are not under the thumb of a big studio with a big budget. You won't see special effects and car chases and bombs going off in most indie films. What you WILL see are slices of everyday life: the heartbreaks, the brutal honesty, the small moments that change your life forever. The bigger name movie stars who act in these films are there because the script is great, not because the money is good. But you'll discover some of the best unknown actors in the world in these types of films.

Jan has the Independent Film Channel, which I'm beginning to believe is a very legitimate reason to switch to DirecTV. Tonight we watched A Slipping-Down Life with Guy Pearce. It was really good. Other movies I've fallen in love with from NetFlix are:

Off the Map with Sam Elliot
You Can Count on Me with Mark Ruffalo
The Upside of Anger hilarious movie with Kevin Costner and Joan Allen
Maria Full of Grace
The Motorcycle Diaries

I also just finished watching Little Miss Sunshine this weekend. It was also very good and is rumored to receive an Oscar nomination tomorrow. If I were to ever write a script, it would be decidedly "indie" in nature...no big suspense, thrillers or mysteries...just interesting characters living everyday life.

Goodbye Wilma

My neighbor Wilma the Fat Cat passed away yesterday. She will be missed by everyone who knew her, with the possible exception of Scooter, who was terrified of her constant swipes and hisses. Wilma was a lovable but cantankerous 14-year old and is survived by her mommie Jan and numerous catnip toys and fur tufts. Godspeed Wilma.

Baby it's cold outside

This is what 6 degrees looks like:


Balanced Rock, Garden of the Gods


Rocks in Garden of the Gods. Jan hit me in the back of the head with a snowball as I took this shot.


More Garden of the Gods.


Scooter, christening virgin snow.

And here's a couple of MySpace photos especially for Jen :)

So this is the new year...

"The New Year" by Death Cab for Cutie

I can't believe it's already half way through January of 2007. My year ended and began with much drama and comedy.

I had a great holiday in Texas that was extended due to Colorado blizzards and torrential ran and tornadoes in Dallas. Attempted to pass through airport security with a 6-inch serrated camping knife in my backpack. That was interesting. Had the same conversation with my 89-year old mother every day for 2 weeks (it's hell to get old). Hung out with my awesome niece and nephew and my sister and her husband. Drank many MANY Coke and Bourbons. Ate an impressive amount of snickerdoodles. Enjoyed some quality book and iPod time out by the pool under the shade of palm trees while my friends in Colorado were hunkered down for the third blizzard in 2 months. Saw my second family for an entire day and was reminded how much I miss them when I leave. I also saw Louisiana family I hadn't seen in 8 years. Very nice.

When I attempted to return to Colorado I spent 7 hours in Houstin Hobby airport, watching my flight get cancelled over and over due to bad weather in Dallas and when my plane finally pulled away from the gate after hours of waiting, I wasn't on it. Sigh. Yeah, I missed it. DOH!

Caught the next plane, sat on it for an hour and a half. Too bad we were on the ground the whole time. It was finally also cancelled. I thought my luggage had disappered into the wild blue yonder on my missed flight but it was actually stuck on the runway, unable to depart due to DFW Airport grounding all flights. At 5:45 p.m., after 7 hours in the airport, I got my luggage off the plane and called my family to come get me. So, I delayed the flight until after the first of the year.

This allowed me to spend New Year's Eve amongst family for the first tme in 7 years. Ate more snickerdoodles. Drank some more. We toasted the new year out by the pool at midnight while the neighbors rushed out into their back yard with noisemakers and we all yelled together as the countdown reached midnight. Good fun.

When I finally left, I had a great visit with my pal in Dallas, where we imbibed some Cosmopolitans before heading to my favorite restaurant on the planet, Uncle Julios. Two margaritas, some nachos and a platter of fajitas later, we realized in our slightly tipsy state, that my flight left in one hour and we were about 20 minutes from the airport. However, at the last minute we decided to drive 10 minutes out of the way to get Swensen's Swiss Orange Chip ice cream, which I haven't had in forever. We drove to Parker and Park, where we thought it was, and it wasn't there. Then we remembered it was Coit and Park. Ten more minutes away. My friend assured me I would get to the airport in time. I was getting a little panicked as she weaved through traffic and accelerated through yellow lights.

We got to the intersection and it had turned into a Sushi place. Dejected, we zoomed across the intersection to head to the airport when I spotted Swensens on the other side of the intersection. The alcohol had apparently affected my ability to talk coherently, so I just rapped my knuckles on the window, gesticulated wildy and yelled "hey hey HEY!" She made a u-turn and we raced into Swensen's explaining I had a plane to catch in what was now 30 minutes. We proclaimed our orders and the lady reached into the bucket that holds the creamy cold goodness that is Swiss Orange Chip only to discover it empty.

So much to risk, so little payoff.

With little time to throw a fit or complain about how unfair life is, we jumped back in the car and raced across town to the airport. I was now 20 minutes away from takeoff and I knew I was going to miss my second plane of the trip when my friend's cell phone, on alert for American Airlines Status Alert phone calls, rang. It was American Airlines calling to say my flight had been delayed. So, we obeyed most traffic laws the rest of the way and even had time to sit in the airport for more visiting. My plane was delayed 2 hours and once I arrived home I had to wait 50 minutes for my luggage.

My friend picked me up with Scooter in the car and I was covered in frenzied doggie kisses for about 45 seconds and then he layed (laid? lay? I never learned that) down on the backseat and was soon snoring.

Now I’m getting back into the swing of things…I have mucho work to do and plenty of time in which to do it, as I’m not out and about much these days since it’s 3 freakin’ degrees outside with 8 inches of snow and ice. I haven’t retrieved my mail in 3 days because I fear for my life going down my steep driveway. Gotta love Colorado.

Sorry I have not been posting much…I was appropriately chastised by multiple parties and I made a promise that I would make a more concentrated effort to contribute to the world of blogging.

I will attempt to think of some topics that will be blog material. I’ll post soon. I promise.

No, I mean that.

PS. Happy Birthday Madge! I miss you.