It's been a while since I've had the opportunity to take some sunset photos, but this evening we had a really nice sunset. And I was able to take all of the pictures from my balcony. Here is one of the shots.
I'm always a little worried when I take pictures from my balcony. I'm worried that the people in the condos across the way will think that I'm taking pictures of them. But so far the cops haven't knocked on my door, so I suppose I'm OK.
Current mood: relaxed
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Josh Gracin "Brass Bed"
Current drink: Simonassi 2007 Malbec
So...the McCain/Palin campaign have spent much of the past few weeks talking about average American folks out there in the country. Joe six pack, Joe the plumber, hockey moms, soccer moms, real Americans, patriotic Americans. Um, so how many "real" Americans spend $150,000 in one month on a new wardrobe? I honestly don't think I've spent that much money on clothes in my lifetime. (Alcohol, maybe, but not clothes.) It's no wonder the words "middle class" aren't in the McCain/Palin vocabulary, because most middle class folks can't exactly drop $150,000 on clothes. These "real Americans" are the people who are losing their jobs and homes, the people who see their finance swirling down the toilet, the once successful people who are now forced to pick up food stamps. But McCain and Palin are just like you and me, right, and Obama is nothing but a liberal elitist, right? The Republican campaign gets more and more pathetic and disgusting every day, and, like many people out there in the world, I'm getting sick of it. I'm getting even more sick of the gullible saps who fall for everything (i.e. lies and hypocrisies) that comes out of McCain's and Palin's mouth.
I'm trying to think of what I would do with $150,000, other than sharing it with my family. Maybe take a trip to Greece and Italy. Or maybe I'll by that bottle of Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac that I've been dreaming about. But I don't have $150,000, so I'll have to settle with drinking Remy Martin VSOP Cognac in my little Boulder apartment. And, you know what, I'm fine with that. Sarah Palin can have her expensive wardrobe. I have character and integrity and a soul, and I think that might count for more in the long run!
Current mood: annoyed, but content
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Faith Hill "Beautiful"
Current drink: Remy Martin VSOP Cognac (I'm breaking my I-can-only-drink-expensive-cognac-on-the-weekends rule because I'm drinking tonight in honor of my rebellion against Sarah Palin and the wingnuts)
In typical Colorado fashion seasons can change on a dime. This weekend the weather was warm and sunny. Today that all changed rather dramatically. This morning was somewhat cold, but there was a thin layer of fog hanging around the Flatirons but you could tell that a bigger storm was brewing. I have to admit that I was distracted for most of the day and had a hard time focusing on work because I was watching the clouds building and drifting over the mountains. They were dark and ominous. I love clouds like that, but in general I think that I am obsessed with and mesmerized by clouds. In the afternoon we had a downpour of rain and some strong gusts of wind. After a twenty minute storm, the skies opened up and it was sunny again. About two hours later, more dark clouds were building over the mountains. And when I left the office, it was really cold.
As I was driving home I was still distracted by the clouds. I should probably focus on driving, but it was too beautiful. Plus the drive home, even by itself without all of the beautiful ominous clouds, is just gorgeous. I drive on a little two-lane road that passes some old farmlands. Most of the road is lined by trees, and right now the trees still have their fall colors. So the trees are red and gold and yellow, and while there are still a lot of leaves on the trees, there are also a lot of leaves that have fallen on the road. I don't know how else to describe it, and you probably have to see it to believe it, but it literally feels like you're driving through a postcard. It's stunning.
So, needless to say, it's been a lovely evening. I voted, and I'm feeling optimistic and energized about the election. And I enjoyed a lovely drive home. It's been a nice evening so far.
Current mood: optimistic, relaxed, generally good
Current music: Loreena McKennitt An Ancient Muse
Current drink: Terra Barossa 2007 Shiraz
In Colorado this election we're allowed to vote early and to vote by mail. So today I dropped off my ballot. Wahoo! Ready for change!
Winter clothing: About this time last weekend, I was talking about the change of seasons, and how winter was just around the corner. On the advice of a very lovely friend, I went on a shopping spree to reward myself for all of my hard work these past few months and to buy some more winter clothes. In spite of living in Colorado for about six years, I didn't own that many sweaters. I'm also really picky when it comes to sweaters. For one, my body tends to run on the cold side so I get cold easily. And, yes, because of this I sometimes ask myself why I moved to Colorado from Southern California! But, nevertheless, I'm here and I get cold. So because of my tendency to get cold, I need sweaters that actually keep you warm, sweaters with some weight. Sweaters that are really thin and light usually don't cut it for me. They might be soft and pretty and more suited for the fall or early spring, but in the dead of winter I need something warmer. Then there is the issue of lambs wool. I once bought a sweater, one that was heavy and warm, and it was made of lamb's wool. Well, it kept me warm, but it made me all itchy. Then there is also the issue of the "plunging" neckline sweaters. Maybe it's a personal preference, but I'd rather not expose my boobs and cleavage to the elements. I prefer v-neck sweaters, but not ones that practically reach my navel.
So this is why I don't own many sweaters, but I was determined and went on a mission to find the "perfect" sweater. And I have to say that I was really successful. I found three v-neck sweaters with the proper amount of "plunge" in the V. One was heavier and really warm; the other two were a bit lighter, but still warm. And I found two other sweaters that are a little sportier. So all in all, it was a successful shopping trip.
Weather: I was able to wear my sweaters earlier this week, because it was still chilly. Now it's the weekend, and it's 78 degrees. Should expect this from Colorado.
Vacations: With the holidays quickly approaching, I decided to buy my plane tickets home for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I wanted to buy things early to get a good price...well, as good as you can get these days. I also wanted to lock my vacation days in at work. Last year, my Christmas vacation was shorter than usual because I came back early to send some books to press. The to press dates ended up moving, and I was a little upset, but that's what happens sometimes. Anyway, this year I've put my foot down and vowed (to myself and anyone who would listen) that I wasn't going to let work dictate or control my vacation. I'm going away, damn it, and nothing and no one is going to stop me! So there!
Current mood: warm
Current music: iTunes on shuffle–Tori Amos "Bouncing off Clouds"
Current drink: Barq's Root Beer
The seasons are certainly starting to change here in Colorado. The leaves on the trees outside my apartment are all yellow. And when I've been waking up in the morning, I notice that it feels colder and colder, and the sun seems to be rising later and later. A few nights ago I was in bed and noticed that the heater clicked on. There was that familiar dusty smell for a few minutes and finally some warmth.
Now that I'm in a bigger apartment, I notice that it tends to be a colder apartment. Obviously there are more places for the air to go, and it's not like the small contained space like my old apartment. But, then again, my old apartment tended to be really cold, too. That had less to do with the size and more to do with the limited heater. In my current place, I have central heat and air, so the heat and air actually goes into all rooms. At my old place, the heater only vented out to the living room, so it essentially heated only the living room and every other room (all one and a half of them) was cold. It was also an old and odd heater, too. I think that it essentially worked by striking some miniature flint and steel together to create a small fire in the wall. As much as I loved my old place, one of the things I didn't like about it was the heating in the winter. But now I finally have central heating. I don't crank up the heat because I don't want an astronomical heating bill, but at least every room can be warm when I want it to be.
This is supposed to be a cold, rainy, and possibly snowy weekend. This reminds me that I need to get another ice scraper for my car. And maybe I need some new gloves, too. And maybe a few more sweaters...
Apparently John McCain knows that his campaign is going down the toilet and apparently he knows that he isn't very popular. What else could explain the fact that the women in his life are turning into the "attack dogs" to go after Obama. Sarah Palin has been doing her dirty work, and now Cindy McCain is getting into the act. I was really hoping that she would remain classy and stay above the fray. But unfortunately she has to stoop to a level far below what she is probably worth, all in an effort to try to save her husband's campaign. It's sad, really. Well sort of.
And I have to admit, when I saw this photo of her on a news story on the Web, my thoughts shifted to another somewhat unpleasant individual...
Ok. That was really, really mean of me. I'm probably going to hell for this, but it still made me laugh.
This has been a wonderful weekend. And, to make it even better, it was a three-day weekend for me. I decided to take the day off on Friday because it's been a while since I've taken time off, and I needed a break. I spent Saturday with my best friend, Julie, who is here with her two kids and visiting the rest of her family. We met at Chautauqua park and went on a hike around the Flatirons. The weather was perfect and it was a beautiful day for a hike. As the kids ran up the hill (I wish I had that kind of energy), we followed and talked and caught up on what we're doing in our lives. We took a route different from my usual route because there was a lot of activity on the mountain. Apparently some guy was trying to climb one of the Flatirons without any safety ropes and he fell and broke his leg. So the mountain was crawling with crews from the Boulder Fire Department, Rocky Mountain Fire Department, and Rocky Mountain Rescue. Maybe, just maybe, he learned a lesson and it's probably good that it came with a lot of pain! Next time use some ropes, dude. But I digress...
After our hike, we came to my apartment so that I could show it off, then we went to Pearl Street and had lunch at Mountain Sun. We ate yummy burgers and drank their always-wonderful beer. After lunch we just wandered around Pearl Street. After that, we drove up to Loveland and had dinner with her family. It was a great day! It was just wonderful to spend the day with a really good friend. But now I'm sad because she's gone and I miss her already. But it was a wonderful weekend.
So today, the day of the Vice Presidential Debates, McCain made an announcement that he would be giving up on the state of Michigan. Because Obama is leading in the polling in Michigan, the McCain campaign thinks that it is not worth spending the money on a state that he will presumably lose. Are you kidding me? This is the bastard—oops, candidate—who for months has been saying that he puts country first? And he is giving up on Michigan? The state of blue-collar workers? The state where the auto industry is failing? The state where unemployment is high? And he's abandoning them because they are not worth the money? Just more proof that he doesn't care about the middle class. And McCain accuses Obama of playing politics and of partisanship and not caring about the people? What a first-class idiot!
Well, my baking adventure seemed to be a success. People in the food club seemed to like my mini cinnamon rolls, and a few people asked for the recipe. So I take that as a success.
Current mood: relaxed
Current music: iTunes on shuffle—Maroon 5 "Harder to Breathe"
Current drink: coffee
Is this lady for real? Or is it a Saturday Night Live skit? This woman has no idea what she is talking about. Could she possibly be dumber than George Bush?
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Reminds me of a certain commercial..."No Katie, I don't know anything about politics or foreign policy, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night..." If somehow, someway McCain and Palin get elected, I'm moving to Amsterdam!
As I might have mentioned before, I'm part of the Special Treats Club at work. This is a little—actually pretty big—group of co-workers who like to cook and who especially like to eat. So every Friday, two people bring in treats to share. The last time I had to bring in treats, I brought in my, now famous, baklava bars. Prior to that, I never really baked at all, but it ended up being a success. Tomorrow is my turn to bring in treats, so I thought I'd try another baked good, and on this menu are Mini Cinnamon Rolls.
I used some premade dough courtesy of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls. I followed all of the directions and rolled everything out and cut everything up into mini rolls. Well, the prebaked rolls were about the size of a quarter or silver dollar, and I started to panic. Even with two batches, I was beginning to think that I would have to make another two more to have enough to feed everyone in the club. But after looking through the oven window, I was comforted to know that the cinnamon rolls were growing. Whew! Yes, I really am that dumb. But pasta is my thing, and I really don't know what the heck happens when you put a baked good in the oven.
They are still in the oven and my apartment is starting to smell like cinnamon. Hopefully they taste as good as they smell!
While tidying up around my "office" at home, I stumbled across a newsletter that comes with my energy bill. There was one mini-article about copper, and it mentioned that stealing copper has become a really big "business" lately. It said that because of the price increase for copper, people are taking even greater risks at trying to get their hands on it. People have been trying to steal copper from electric equipment including switch cabinets, transformers, and utility poles. According to the article, these crimes can result in power outages, fires, and explosions. (That would be a bad thing.) It can also result in serious injury and even death to the criminal (that would be a good thing), so the energy company encourages people who witness such crimes to call 911. Or you can throw a bucket of water on the crook while he/she has his/her hand on a live wire, which is what I would be tempted to do, provided it doesn't result in the loss of power to my home. But maybe that's just me...
This was another long, busy week at work, and all day on Friday I was looking forward to the weekend and planning what I would be doing. I had grand intentions to go on a bunch of hikes this weekend, but my plans didn't exactly fall into place. For the past week I've been having headaches that have been lingering and not going away. I never get sick with colds or the flu, but I do have frequent (and nasty) headaches. They usually come on at times when I'm most stressed, and because stress and tension have been somewhat high lately, I've been getting headaches more frequently. On Wednesday I actually had to leave work early because I was feeling so bad. The headache alone was bad enough, but then I started to feel light headed and nauseated, so I thought it would be better to either faint or throw up at home rather than at work. I felt a little better on Thursday and Friday, but the headache came back on Saturday—it's common for my body to completely shut down when I'm resting—so instead of hiking on Saturday, I rested or slept for most of the day. My headache is better today, and I mostly feel tired and achy, but at least I'm not as bad as I was. I guess I'll be saving my hike for another day.
Current mood: tired and achy
Current music: iTunes on shuffle - Loreena McKennitt "The Lady of Shalott"
Current drink: orange juice
This week at work were very fortunate to get our little bonuses for the year. I was very excited about it until I opened it up and was reminded that bonuses are subject to federal and state taxes. So about 40 percent went back to the government. Yipee! I suppose I can't complain too much because I'm very fortunate to have a job in the first place and this (heavily) taxed bonus is a lot more than some people are getting right now. So I should (and I do) feel blessed.
However... It is too bad I'm not the CEO of one of these big corporations that is collapsing in the latest economic crisis and financial meltdown. Those idiots seem to be getting multimillion dollar severance packages just for running a company into the ground. I highly doubt that the people who have lost their jobs or the people who have lost their homes are weeping for these CEOs. They walk away with millions of dollars, the government bails out the companies they left behind, and most likely the "regular" people of the world will pay more taxes to fix everything. Something doesn't seem right about this picture...
Current mood: happy and bitter
Current music: iTunes on shuffle - David Gray "This Year's Love"
Current drink: soy milk - something healthy before I pour a glass of brandy
Stubbornness: With Hurricane Ike approaching the Gulf Coast, many people were given mandatory evacuation orders. They were told to leave because this hurricane could be one of the worst in history. However, many people insisted on staying behind to "ride out the storm" or to protect their homes and belongings. I've been watching the news this morning and there is one report that some of the people who stayed behind are now trapped because the roads or bridges are washed out. They most likely don't have power and the phone lines are probably down. So there were reports that these people were standing on their roofs trying to flag for help. Part of me feels sorry for them, but another part of me doesn't. They made the choice to stay when they could have evacuated. And now other people will have to put their lives at risk to rescue these people. All for stubbornness and, quite frankly, stupidity.
Shallowness: For the past few weeks, I've been wondering why so many people seem to be crazy about Sarah Palin. I just don't like her. For one, she is a hunter, and I just don't like hunting. I just don't see why it is considered a "sport." If the animals had weapons, then it would be a level playing field. But they don't have weapons. And when the animals are shot and killed it's usually when they are doing what comes naturally to them—looking for food, looking for water, or just wandering about. They are just minding their own business, so to speak, but apparently in the minds of some people they still have the right to shoot these animals. And the bigger cowards and lazier of the hunters shoot animals from helicopters.
But that is a digression to what I title "shallowness." As I've said, I've been wondering why people are crazy about Palin. It occurred to me that people are crazy about her because in general the American public is shallow and everything is based on how you look. Palin has that girl next door, homecoming/beauty queen, class president, librarian, "hockey mom" look about her. She might be inexperience and ill-informed on what is going on in the world outside Alaska, but she's pretty and that's all that matters. She has power (as governor), she's sassy and feisty, she's challenging the boys, but she does it with a cute little smile and laugh that some women just seem to love and admire. She is totally clueless and classless, but people don't seem to care. But my theory is that if Sarah Palin looked like Janet Reno, she would not be getting this kind of reception, because I have a feeling that if she did, women (because let's face it most women are catty) and the media would be ripping her apart and tearing her down. Instead of being cute and sassy and feisty, she would be considered rude, bossy, pushy, and butch and mannish. It's maddening and frustrating for people who are smart. But Let's face it, there are a lot of stupid and shallow people out there in the word. Let's just hope they don't ruin the election for the rest of us!
Current mood: "feisty" and unforgiving
Current music: iTunes on shuffle - New Order "True Faith"
Current drink: coffee
I woke up early this morning because I wanted to take a hike around Chautauqua Park and up into the Flatirons. I got to Chautauqua at about 9:30 and the parking lot was already full. The trails, though, were surprisingly quiet. I'd occasionally see people as they passed, but it wasn't crowded at all, and that made it really nice. I walked up the Chautauqua trail, then turned down the Bluebell-Baird trail. I then went halfway up the 2nd and 3rd Flatiron access trail. I didn't want to go all the way to the top, so I turned around and came back down. I then took the Mesa trail back to Chautauqua park.
It's been a while since I last hiked, so in the beginning I was pretty tired and out of breath, but then I started feeling better. I'm definitely not as young as I used to be. But I suppose if I hiked more often, I wouldn't be tired in the first place. So that's probably incentive to hike more often.
Another incentive to hike more often is because I just enjoyed myself. I took my time and enjoyed my surroundings. Some people hike purely for exercise or because they want to "conquer" nature. I hike to enjoy everything. I took my camera and got a lot of great pictures. I was also completely absorbed with everything around me and I was absorbed with myself. For the first time in a long time, I wasn't thinking about work or any of the other things that stress me out in life. I wasn't thinking about anything other than what would make a great picture. And I wasn't thinking about anyone other than myself. That, for me, is strange and rare!
Here are a few pictures from my hike. If you want to see more, you can click on the link to the left to see more pictures on my Flickr page.
On the Chautauqua Trail heading toward the Flatirons
Two deer. I took this with my zoom, but I was only about 10 yards away from them. They kept grazing and didn't seem to mind that I was standing there taking pictures of them.
Heading back to Chautauqua Park. The Flatirons. Notice the heart-shaped cloud!
So I woke up early today, a Sunday. For me and my standards, waking up at 7:30 on a Sunday is early. For normal people that time might be, well, normal. But I decided to wake up early because I want to go on a little hike. I might as well take advantage of the weather before the winter starts to hit. I'll be back later in the day, hopefully with stories and pictures.
So one of my co-workers, who is becoming a good and loyal friend, just told me that she had a dream that I was a school shooter. That's pretty disturbing, but the fact that it made me laugh probably makes it even more disturbing. I wonder what it all means, other than I'm probably slightly crazy...
Current mood: glad it's a sunny, pleasant day
Current music: iTunes on shuffle - Tori Amos "Raspberry Swirl"
Current drink: Barq's root beer
I woke up early today to carry out my plans to head up into the mountains to take some pictures at Boulder Falls. As I said before, I wanted to play around with my shutter speeds and aperture settings. I was hoping that if I got there early enough, the light in the canyon wouldn't be so harsh. I got there at about 10:00 and I guess I was a little too late. The sun just crept over the mountain and the light was shining directly in the canyon but the falls were hidden in a shadow. That made playing with my shutter speeds and aperture settings pretty difficult. Actually, it was a disaster. When you slow down the shutter speed, more light gets into the camera. Usually you can balance things out by increasing the aperture number (making the aperture smaller). My whole purpose for using a slow shutter speed was to try to get that silky effect that you see in some pictures of waterfalls. I tried to slow down my shutter speed and set the aperture at the highest setting (smallest opening), but too much light kept coming in. Everything was washed out and too bright. Sigh. I suppose that I need to get to the falls a whole lot earlier or much later in the afternoon when the sun isn't shining directly into the canyon.
Oh well. Here is the best of all of my efforts:
