Erin's Pics

"Find the Good in Everyone"

2009-01-21T18:51:00.003-06:00

There will always be someone in your life who brings you down, who will do anything to keep you there and takes cheap shots just because they can.

Today, I found myself in the most uncomfortable work situation I have ever been in. I've had the unfortunate "pleasure" of working with someone so extremely difficult for a year, and I can't find any solution to make things better, no matter which avenue I take.

It's situations like this that are the true test to character. I found my character comprimised today, at the expense of a coworker who lacks maturity and understanding, and can't grasp the concept of teamwork and basic communication.

I hate the feeling of not being understood, then looking like a crazy lunatic because the more I try to make my point (or explain my case), the crazier I appear.

It's hard to catch my breath - because this cycle continues to repeat itself - and this coworker continues to poke and prod.

I compare this situation to two siblings - one who calls names, kicks you under the dinner table, pinches you when mom's not looking, and finds any way to annoy you. And you take it - or attempt to ignore it, because you don't want to get in trouble for biting back, and you don't tell mom, because you don't want to be a tattle tale. But when you get bit for the 100th time, you finally bite back - and get scolded for biting your little sibling. And it doesn't matter that you've been tormented for months in every way possible, it's still your fault for biting back.

Sucks.

I'm ba-ack!

2008-11-09T13:19:00.003-06:00

Wowzers. Haven't written in 2 years. Great progress. (This one's for you, Carie! But you still need to call me.)

It's amazing how different life is from my last post - Dec. 2006. Of course, I always think about that concept - how drastically different things are from a year ago, two years ago, etc.

And I could never anticipate certain events, such as another heart-breaking split from someone you love(d), moving to another state, driving a sibling to the airport so they can live in a foreign country (indefinitely). You know, all the typical things that happen every year. At least it seems that way.

I'm turning 29 in....16 days? Damnit. Damnit damnit damnit. What the hell happened to my 20s?

Things I thought I'd accomplish in my 20s (and it's looking bleak for the last year to complete this list):
-study abroad (I've never been out of this country. Embarrassing.)

-work at a magazine (although I did intern at 2 magazines - but working for free doesn't count.)

-embark on a grand road trip - preferably in an old convertible with 3 other friends, who are all witty, adventurous, bold and have long hair that will blow in the wind. ok, long hair not needed.

-live in a super-chic condo in a super-chic city. (Chicago's as close as it's going to get at this point...and it's a little out of my writer/editor budget.)

-work my way into wearing a bikini on the beaches of Hawaii- (uhhh....whatever. let's move on.)

-never move back to Wisconsin (F*ck!)

Things I accomplished in my 20s that were never on the list:
-partied at the Bluegrass Festival in Telluride with my sister, 2 years in a row
-stood at the edge of the Grand Canyon at sunset
-had a boyfriend on a Valentine's Day
-started exercising
-celebrated New Years Eve in Times Square
-graduated college
-got my first "big girl" job (currently on my 2nd and 3rd)
-became a regular at various ski resorts in Colorado
-fell in love, and consequently had my heart broken
-developed life-long friendships
-drove my car, with U-Haul trailer attached, back to Wisconsin
-published in 3 magazines and 1 newspaper
-went horseback riding on a beach in California
-witnessed hundreds of hot air balloons rising over Steamboat at dawn
-slept in a tent at 10,000 feet
-bathed in the hot springs of Glenwood Springs, CO
-read books for fun
-took a road trip to Moab, UT by myself for a weekend
-watched my mother beat breast cancer
-realized that nothing is worth doing if you don't put your whole heart into it

So here's to turning 29, and starting a new list for the last year of my 20s (and updating my blog more than every 2 years)!

snow part II

2006-12-20T20:30:00.000-06:00

The start of the snow

2006-12-20T20:20:00.000-06:00

It's been a while....AN UPDATE!

2006-10-31T16:33:00.000-06:00

Most of you already know this, but I've been working for Rocky Mountain News since June. So far, so good. I have a fantastic view...staring right at the Capitol from the 10th floor in the heart of downtown Denver.

On July 4 I got into a four-car accident on one of the major highways in town. I was on my way to the fireworks at Invesco Field (free tix, too!) and out of no where, a truck plows into a Honda, which then hit me (and is now trapped in between me and the truck). I break away from the accident while the Honda attempts to pull to the side of the highway and gets smashed by a mini van. Remarkably, no one was injured. The Honda was a total mess. I'm surprised people walked out of that car alive! For the next four weeks I am driving a sweet rental car, then a pile of shit truck that I thought was going to tip over whenever I turned the corner. Good times.

In September I made it home to Green Bay for a quick visit.

During October I was making plans to move out of my ghetto apartment into a house. I will be moving the weekend before Thanksgiving into the basement of a house of a family I babysit for. They are not just any family I sit for. Anyone that welcomes me into their home with a drink is considered a friend.

Stay tuned for more.....

2006-05-01T20:47:00.000-05:00

View from the top.

Thanks for the flowers Mom & Dad! They were beautiful!

I'm so sad.....they're so happy

2006-04-26T21:13:00.000-05:00

Look at what I missed on the cruise...... :(

When's the next vacation? I'm so sorry I missed it!

Celestial Massage

2006-04-26T21:12:00.000-05:00

Janey Bell is a certified and licensed massage therapist rejuvenating her clients at Celestial Massage, a small business located in Denver. Having finished the 670-hour certification program from the Colorado School of Healing Arts in Lakewood, she now spends her time helping others find a balance in their lives through massage therapy. Bell was a former lawyer who decided it was too much stress saying, “I’ve always wanted to help others. Massage was and is a way to reduce others’ stress, as well as my own.”
Bell has found serenity in her new career and seeing her clients benefit from their sessions only reinforces her decision of the new path she’s taken. “Reduction of stress is one of the main benefits for me,” she says. “I also get an opportunity to serve others in a nurturing, yet therapeutic way; reduce their stress, help with chronic pain and conditions and help them get to a more balanced state.”
Her typical clients come from all walks of life. Bell creates a custom massage for each client varying the pressure, intensity and technique depending on their needs. “We’ve worked with athletes, those suffering from chronic pain and fibromyalgia, people with cancer, elderly folks and those that just need to relax and rejuvenate,” she says.
Bell has at least five days of scheduled massages a week, “so it’s a big part of my life,” she says. “But it also allows me to have a flexible schedule, so I have time to train for triathlons and to do yoga and just have downtime.” Not to worry, she also receives massages with other therapists whom she trades services with. “I end up getting a massage about once a week, which helps keep me feeling good, centered and balanced.”
She’s been practicing massage therapy for more than seven years and runs the business out of her home with her husband, who’s also a massage therapist. They have two treatment spaces so they can do two separate sessions simultaneously. Looking to the future, Bell’s wish is to see Celestial Massage and her clientele grow, “which will allow us to keep our prices low and offer excellent service to our clients.”
Her services include a 60 minute massage for $55, 90 minutes for $75, LaStone therapy for $75, Ear candling for $40 and also pet massage which prices vary depending on travel time and length of the session. Types of massages and services offered are Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Neuromuscular Therapy, Reiki/Healing Touch, Applied Kinesiology, Aromatherapy, and Myofascial Release. Massage by appointment only, Celestial Massage, (303)-477-2780, celestialmassage.com.

I'm losing my mind

2006-04-18T00:20:00.000-05:00

Most of you already know how much school is stressing me out lately. Well, this entry will prove just how nutty I am. I have been walking around in a foggy haze for the last few months...just going through the motions of school, internship, life in general without even thinking about what's happening around me....until now. Today at a red light, I turned off my engine. I don't know what I was doing! But when I stopped, I just shut everything down and didn't realize it until the light turned green and I couldn't understand why my car wouldn't budge when I pushed the gas.
My friend Karla and I exchange a lot of e-mails throughout the week. Tonight she e-mailed me about Friday night plans....here's our exchange which she requested go into my blog:

I WROTE:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Claire154@aol.com
To: karlaindenver@hotmail.com
Subject: friday
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2006 00:59:11 EDT

hey chickee,

laurie will be in town from steamboat, and we were talking about doing something. come with! i don't know what we're doing......maybe drinks downtown...who knows. neither of us could think of anything tonight. she wants to go see that bodyworld exhibit at the museum, but i think i would throw up looking at that stuff. she's a little disappointed in me... :(

i'm no fun lately, because i have no money and because i am in the "final semester, i'm graduating and don't really give a shit about anything" mood. i've been pigging out on junk food, too. a lot of it! i can't wait until school is done. it's sucking the life out of me. i can watch like 7 hours of straight tv, and not even realize i've been sitting that long! i didn't do ANYTHING on saturday or sunday. i didn't take a shower until like 1:45am on sat night/sun morning. i didn't even leave my damn apt! i ate a whole box of crunch 'n munch in the last 24 hours! what the hell is wrong with me!!!???!!!!???

alright, nuff said.

so yeah.....friday night. whatever. i'm totally in the mood for sitting at a bonfire and drinking a beer or four. man...i wish i knew people that had bonfires. actually, i want to go camping.

okay...i need to end this, before i ramble on about other jankity topics. i hope you're laughing at my craziness, not thinking that i am insane. this too shall pass!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KARLA'S REPLY:

ok, i want you to add that last email to your blog and go back and read it in a few days. cracked me up. yeah, you're a little nuts, but that's why i love ya. it's totally ok to be freaking out about your last weeks at school. no worries. keep smokin the wookie rock sista!

we can do whatever you want on friday night. we should do something that'll get your mind off of school. we could sit at barnes and noble and read gossip magazines or go have drinks or see another movie? whudeva...

i'll be thinking about you... crazy lady.

Friends

2006-04-09T16:28:00.000-05:00

I have a video camera that has seen recorded a few adventures with me and my friends. One particular video that has gotten a lot of publicity is the "camping video". My friends Matt, Tom, Jill and I took a little excursion to Aspen a few summers ago and the video camera provided much entertainment.
Well, a few weeks ago Laurie and Jill were over at my apartment and somehow the "camping video" came up in conversation. So of course, we HAVE to watch it AGAIN. Laurie never had the privilege of seeing this visual delight, so Jill and I amused her (but mostly ourselves).

There is nothing scandalous about the video. Clothing is worn at all times and there are no drunken charades that will continue to haunt any of us. Mainly, it's us acting like idiots...telling stupid campfire jokes, the occasional story and plenty of wise cracks and dirty looks between us. There is even a long segment of Tom sneaking into Jill's tent to capture just how loud she snores! It may not sound (or look) the least bit funny to those who weren't there, but every time the four of us see it, it's the most hilarious thing.

So after Laurie, Jill and I finished with the camping video, I popped in a few miscellaneous videos that were in the video bag. I was amazed to find out that I still had videos of my first trip to Colorado with Andy (Aug. 2001), our first Thanksgiving out here that we spent with friends whom I no longer have contact with and a birthday video that I made for Andy with all his friends and family from Wisconsin giving him their best wishes.
Seeing these tapes sparked random memories and feelings that I had completely forgot about. Jill turned to me and said "Isn't it weird to think that those people played an important role in your life at that time, and now you don't even know where they are?"
This question has constantly been on my mind for the last month. My initial response to her was "Yes", and then the wheels in my head started to turn.

Jill's question has made me think of the friendships and relationships I've had over the last 4 years (since I've moved to Colorado). Since I have no family that I spend any quality time with out here (a great uncle and some older cousins whom I'm not close to), my friends have been my family. So why is it that certain people who had meant so much to me 3 years ago, aren't active in my life now?

We have friends that fulfill certain needs at specific moments in our life. "Friends are the family you make", so there's no absolute commitment to them. Some people come into our life to teach us something, and I believe that once we are done learning from them, we move on and someone new enters our world.

I am saddened at times thinking about the people in my life whom I considered to be a huge influence on me at some point in my life and realizing that we will (most likely) never speak again. But even through all the bad times, I still emerge learning a valuable lesson from them. After a while, I tend to forget about the bad times and only remember the good, because that's what friendship is all about--having some laughs, sharing some great stories and making memories, regardless of how long you remain friends.

Those Crazy Kids!

2006-03-29T20:02:00.000-06:00

The Williams Family holiday card for 2006.
ps. That's not a real gun

God...is that you?

2006-03-29T11:34:00.000-06:00

Last week was spring break, and of course my parents felt the need to check in on the progress of my homework. Here's a sign my dad sent me.....

Transition

2006-03-28T18:33:00.000-06:00

I’ve heard the term “Quarterlife Crisis” before, and I even own a book by that title, but I feel like I am finally experiencing it. It’s not something that I’ve looked forward to, or even thought possible, but welcome to my world.
I’m not the typical college about-to-be graduate. I’m 26 and finally getting my Bachelor’s degree in May. I took a break from school after my sophomore year and decided to move to Colorado from Wisconsin. In the last four years I’ve worked a full time job, skied more runs than some people do in a lifetime, met some fabulous people and am now finishing college. But with everything that I’ve experienced in this state, nothing makes me more nervous than graduating. I’ve been a student for so many years that the thought of not enrolling in classes in the fall makes me a little anxious. Questions fill my head, “Did I just experience my last spring break? Will I get a job when I graduate? What will I do this summer without an internship?” I haven’t lived the stereotypical college life that includes living in the dorms for at least a year (I only lasted one semester), spring break where my four closest girlfriends and I pack a tiny car with enough luggage to last us a month and head to Florida for the week. I have only been to a few Frat parties and I will regret for the rest of my life not studying abroad for a semester.
But I do have life experience that some of my fellow graduates may not have. I now understand what I’m capable of, what I will not tolerate and what is worth worrying about. I’ve made a life for myself in a state where I didn’t know anybody except the boyfriend I moved out here with. Nothing was more intimidating than my first night in Colorado, standing on my porch overlooking the city and realizing that only one person in the whole city knows my name. I witnessed my mom battle breast cancer and win. I stood by a few friends that I’ve known since elementary school while they got married. I made toasts at their weddings and now I’m standing by one of them again while she struggles with divorce. I’ve corresponded with another friend who is living in Morocco for the Peace Corps and I’ve watched a few of my friends with their newborn children. I’ve also had some great travels for a college student.
Even with all the uncertainty that comes with graduating school, sending out resumes in hopes that someone will hire me, and waiting to discover my next big adventure, I can rest easy with the experiences I’ve had in my life so far. I may not know what I’m doing in four months, but I feel great about where I’ve been in the last four years. If my past is any indication of how I will handle my future, I know that everything will be fine.

Ski Train

2006-03-27T19:56:00.000-06:00

Dad came out to visit in the beginning of March. Here are some pics from the ski train on our way home from Winterpark.

Lowry Town Center

2006-03-21T02:52:00.000-06:00

My eyes start to glaze over as I approach another cute little community that has popped up in Denver for that young thirty-something who drives a Volkswagen Jetta toting their yellow lab in the back seat. But I’m quickly surprised when I drive through Lowry Town Center and discover the quaint neighborhood nestled just outside of the downtown hustle and bustle. There’s only one Starbuck’s, which is located inside the Albertson’s grocery store, and the only other commercialized businesses I find are Q-doba, Peaberry, Cost Cutters, the Delectable Egg and Pei Wei. The other 31 shops located along the four-block “Main Street” are small, independent businesses that cater to the some 10,000 residents that live within a one-mile radius.
In all the charm of this pedestrian friendly layout, the locals seem to take advantage of a lazy Sunday morning and stroll from shop to shop with a folded Sunday paper under their arm accompanied by a Peaberry coffee cup in one hand and restraining their dog with the other. This quiet community makes me feel like I have just been transformed into the 1950s where Sundays were reserved for meeting with family and friends to catch up on the latest gossip and sit on the front porch and watch the world go by. Some people wave to each other from across the street while others gather on the sidewalk to discuss world news and “the kids”. I feel like an outsider not knowing anyone’s names or being able to recognize the children running into Timbuk Toys.
I’m waiting for some pack of teenagers to speed through the 20 mph zone with their stereo screeching and hysterical laughter bursting from inside the car to disrupt this peaceful morning on this seemingly perfect community, but I am disappointed. Not only do the residents here have everything they need at Lowry Town Center, they also have the perfect playground for their trendy dinner dates, stroller walks with their children and coffee breaks at a table for two big enough for their laptop, newspaper and favorite book.
I interrupt one java guzzling local on the street to question her if my visit to this small city escape is real. She assures me it is with a quick smile and deep breath.
“It’s like a little town,” Karla Schultz, 29, said. “It’s like living in a vacation land. It’s so economically friendly and I don’t have to drive to get all my necessities.”
She tells me that this is her favorite place to live in Denver after a few years of renting apartments and houses in Capital Hill and Washington Park. Since she spends her week working full time downtown, she welcomes this neighborhood with open arms and sighs of relief. She has lived here for three years in the Grand Lowry Lofts, which are conveniently one block away from the heart of “Main Street.”
After my stroll along the street making mental notes of all the shops here, I begin to think of excuses to come back. “Should I bring my bike to Pedal Pushers Cyclery for that much needed fix-up? Are there any upcoming baby showers that would give me a good reason to shop in studio bini? I wonder if the margaritas at Salty Rita's are worth driving across town for on a hot summer night.”
I find my way back to my car and I realize I’m a little hesitant to leave. I don’t want to fight for a parking spot downtown, not to mention all the traffic. I leave wondering when I will be one of those young thirty-something’s driving a Volkswagen Jetta with a yellow lab in the back seat who has just found the easy going life located just far enough outside the city, but not quite in the suburbs.

Mini-mizing

2006-03-19T21:55:00.000-06:00

My apartment porch faces the parking lot and while I was hanging out there last night, a Mini Cooper pulls up. A girl gets out of her mini car with her mini dog and it got me thinking about how un-mini our lives are as Americans.

I live in a "big" state....big city, big cars, big scenery, big adventure and big choices. I also live in a country where most of the people living here have a problem with big consumption.

When I saw this car pull into the lot I thought, "What purpose is there for a Mini in Colorado? She can't take it into the mountains, she can't move very much in that car and she certainly can't fit any sporting equipment in the back."

In a land where SUVs, big flat-screen TVs, big homes, big vacations and big credit card bills rule, my mindset is stuck on how much space and material things I can consume. I don't do this consciously, but I still do it. I'm a college student and I don't work so I can concentrate on my homework and internship, so spending large quantities of money on clothes, drinks, accessories, plane tickets, food and fun with friends is absolutely ridiculous, but it still happens.

I also read an article in "People" magazine last night about this woman who gave up all un-necessary consumption for one year. She gave up going out to eat with friends, buying mascara, new socks and even certain items at the grocery store. No new clothes, no gym membership, no new books and no trips to the movies. She did keep olives on the "must have" list--maybe for those emergency martinis she'd need after she realized the insane journey she just embarked on. But after reading the horror list of the things she gave up, she described how much money she saved, how she and her husband didn't argue once about money and how they came to appreciate the "simple things in life".

Then I began to think of all the un-necessary things I have in my life. I don't want to consider myself as someone that is constantly on the track of "what else can I buy?" but I am. I pull out the ads from the Sunday paper and look at all the things I could potentially buy but don't need.

I'm not sure I'll ever go on a year hiatus from buying mascara, but it has made me realize the power of not buying on impulse. There are things that will keep my attention if I don't buy that new DVD or new shirt. After all, I live in a state with big scenery and all I have to do to enjoy it is walk out my door which doesn't cost a thing.

Seventeen magazine

2006-03-19T20:36:00.000-06:00

My assignment for a class was to choose a magazine and pitch a story idea to them for a future issue. "Any magazine?" I ask. "Yes, any magazine." I immediately think of writing for Seventeen magazine, a publication which I devoured in high school. I couldn't wait to get home from school and see my new magazine waiting for me in the mailbox. How I loved to flip to the department where a high school was randomly chosen in the U.S. and the students adorned the pages with their trendy clothes, mohawk hair styles and piercings I didn't know existed. Growing up in a small Midwest town, I was not exposed to much variety, especially kids my own age who had the freedom of expression without harassment from others.

So when I ran through the grocery store on my way to school yesterday to buy the latest copy of Seventeen, I was quickly disappointed when I discovered my beloved high school department had been replaced with articles on losing your virginity, the latest make-tips and fashionable clothes that I like (at the age of 26).

Sometime in the last 10 years, teenagers have gone from fairly innocent to sky-rocketing past 16 into their mid 20's. Why is a teen magazine displaying clothes for "The Office"? Why do the ads feature girls with more make-up on to disguise their youthful look and make me believe I'm looking at a girl my age?

I begin to have flashbacks of my teen years, when I went to high school in whatever ratty pair of jeans I could find laying on my floor and the typical oversized sweatshirt and my Old Skool Vans. Then I remember the girls who showed up to school with their high heels click-clacking down the hallway, perfectly matching their mini skirt and tube top.
This makes me realize the girls haven't changed a bit. It's the media that has changed. It seems there's more promotion over beauty than brains. There are more ads featuring make-up and hot clothing designers in Seventeen than articles on "Getting Into College" or "How to Make a Difference in Someone's Life".

I would like to think I am past the impressionable age when I don't compare myself to the emaciated models in the magazines anymore. I'd like to believe that I have more self-esteem than I did in high school. I have wonderful friends, great grades in school and am on my way to a professional career. I have seen and done enough in my short 26 years that I am grateful for who I have become since my lonely teen years. I understand what's important in life and what people don't think twice about.

When my sister started her freshman year at U-Minnesota, I told her not to discount anyone she meets. "Who can't use another friend?" I leave ringing in her ears. Once you get to college, no one cares if you were prom queen or what you wore to class. It's not important that you dated the quarterback or never got asked to a dance. I believe that college is this wonderful transition into the real world in more ways than just cramming for exams or crashing the biggest Frat party.
I'd like to think that my "worldly, mature advice" on the real world would help those girls who are struggling through high school. I'd like to save them time, drama and confusion they are facing with the article I'd like to include in their favorite magazine.

After my class dismissed, I sadly put away my new copy of Seventeen in my bag. I don't know what I'm more disappointed in, the fact that my old love has changed beyond my recognition, or that the advice I'd like to give young girls won't be accepted among the sex stories, celebrity gossip and mini skirt ads.

Music

2006-03-19T20:34:00.000-06:00

When I hear a song on the radio, it may evoke certain memories...good, bad, romantic or downright emotional where I get extremely angry or sad (three years later, I still cannot listen to Fleetwood Mac's "Say You Will" after I listened to it repeatedly during the summer my boyfriend and I had a horrendous break-up). But for the most part, I love listening to music that brings back any memory. I enjoy being transformed to a time in my life that I may not normally think of on a daily basis.

The joy of spending so much time in my car is that I get to listen to a lot of music. I have two large books of CDs plus random CD cases strewn about my car from random trips to Best Buy or Second Spin. The trouble with having the extensive variety of music in my car is that I tend to forget about what I own.

So today when I got to my car after my morning class, I decided it was time to change out the discs in my visor. I stumbled upon an old CD that I bought in high school and was instantly taken back to when I was 16, lying on my bed contemplating life. "Automatic for the People" by REM used to be my listening obsession. Of course, my depressive taste in music only fed my depressive state of mind in high school.

Listening to this CD on the way home from school today, I immediately remembered the clothes I used to wear, my crusty pair of Birkenstocks that never left my feet, and the places I used to drive to on Friday nights with my friend Kate. I remember the feelings I had about certain issues that were important in my life when I had no "real world" problems to worry about, days at my job in a hospital kitchen and the food fights that would ensue when our supervisors weren't looking. I would to listen to this CD while driving the 70 short miles to my friend Emily's house to de-stress over the weekend, and I would listen to this CD with my friend Becky when we were making plans to move to New York City the minute we graduated high school.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I have the tendancy to push "replay" on any new CD I get. I do this with all my CDs. The minute I open them and put them in my CD player, I have it on repeat for atleast two weeks. If the CD is so wonderful and I haven't gotten sick of it, then it stays in rotation for about three months until I find new music to obsess over. Some of my friends don't understand this weird quirk. Some of them tell me that if I wouldn't keep the same CD on repeat for a month, I wouldn't want to chuck it out the window when I've had my fill. But here's my rationalization; many of us take pictures to remember certain moments in our lives, while others keep a journal (or a blog), but I keep my memories stored in my CDs.

There are times when I put in a CD from my past just to remember how far I've come over the last 10 years of my life. My music has been a constant while the world around me has changed. I have CDs to remember my angry days in high school, my first serious boyfriend, my college days in Milwaukee-living in a house with 12 other people, my two-day moving excursion from Wisconsin to Colorado through a blizzard that shut down the highways. I have CDs to remember the break-up with my first serious boyfriend, the transition in my life from being completely devastated to finding new friends and new joys to think about. I have CDs to remember moving into my own apartment (FINALLY!) and I will have a special new CD to obsess over when I finally graduate college. There will be road trips, exotic vacations, weddings, new relationships and new jobs in my future and for those memories, I can assure you there will be room for more CDs in my car visor.

Update

2006-03-16T17:57:00.000-06:00

This blog serves the purpose to update my family and friends on what's going on in my life. Welcome! I'm not sure how often I will get to post something new, but I hope it's enough to keep you interested.

There's been a lot of great news over the last few weeks and thought I would catch everyone up.

At the end of January one of my teachers nominated me for the Damon Runyon scholarship award. So I submitted copies of some of my articles that have been published in the school newspaper to John Ensslin who works at The Denver Post. There were other candidates from my school (Metropolitan State College of Denver) and five other colleges in Colorado that have Journalism programs. Last week John called and informed me that I won the scholarship for Metro (There is a scholarship winner for each school in Colorado). Along with some much needed cash, I also get a membership to the Denver Press Club http://www.denverpressclub.org.
This may not sound exciting to a non-journalist, but having a membership allows me to meet/connect/socialize/network with editors, reporters and publishers from newspapers and magazines nationwide. In fact, on March 25, I am attending a writing conference with the editors and reporters from Time magazine!
I will also be representing Metro State at the Damon Runyon awards banquet on April 7th. I will get to meet the Mayor of Denver (John Hickenlooper....yes, that's his real name) at the VIP reception before the awards ceremony! (No worries, I will have more pictures for you!)

I have also been asked to be a weekly columnist for my community newspaper. It's called "Your Hub" (for Lakewood, CO) and is inserted inside The Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News every Thursday. I can write on any subject that comes to mind and is printed with my picture. I have been a regular fixture for the last month.

Spring break is next week (March 20-26), and I will be attending another writing conference with Go World Travel magazine http://www.goworldtravel.com. This is a popular online magazine that has over 100,000 subscribers worldwide. Janna Graber is the founder/editor and she was kind enough to invite me to her house with her staff for an internal writing workship. We will be discussing how to freelance, research and write travel articles. Since this is what I want to do with my degree, I can't wait for this opportunity.

I am still interning for Colorado Homes & Lifestyles magazine http://www.coloradohomesandlifestyles.com. I will have my first article for them coming out in our May issue (to be released in about a month) and you will also be able to read my article online. It's been a great internship so far--making contacts with local businesses/designers/interior decorators and the who's who of really expensive taste in the Denver area. I've nicknamed this magazine "The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous in Denver". It's been a lot of fun being able to "play"online and find sleigh beds for $42,000 or chandeliers for $38,000 to publish in the magazine. I don't have a budget when it comes to finding the cool, new trends in home design.

Stay tuned to see pictures from the banquet and read some of my columns that have been featured in the paper.

Take care!

Skiing with Karla

2006-03-15T18:28:00.000-06:00

Karla and I went skiing at Winterpark/Mary Jane. She's holding a cracker in her hand--since the birds had no problem flying up and taking food from us!

Nikki and Vail

2006-03-15T18:24:00.000-06:00

Nikki came out to visit from Green Bay--went to Vail. She also bonded with Shelby!

Mountains

2006-03-15T18:18:00.000-06:00

Car buried in Steamboat....after the unbelievable amount of snow they've gotten this year--over 29 feet!

The rest of the mountain pics are from the drive back to Denver from Steamboat.

Night out with Jill and Karla baby

2006-03-15T18:10:00.000-06:00

Not really sure what's going on.....maybe too many drinks and I believe I was trying to see how long I could hold onto the wall after a lot of "encouragement" from Karla.....NICE! This was also the first time using my new digital camera out-and-about in Denver, needless to say, we were really camera-happy!

My two favorite people in Denver, Karla (left) and Jill....CUTE!

(Some) Christmas and New Year's pics!

2006-03-15T17:52:00.000-06:00

We were trying to take a family picture, and Katie's suggestion was for all of us to get under the tree! Good job dawg!!
Katie and her roommate Katie. YEAY FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE!
Still not the best, but an improvement over the "under the tree idea".