Cherry Creek Arts Festival

I made my semi decade visit to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. I went to the first few Cherry Creek Arts Festivals and enjoyed it. It seems like every year I end up scheduling something else during the weekend of the festival or on vacation so it is a treat for me to be able to make it to the festival. I probably make it out there every four or five years. I would like to attend every year.

The festival encompasses seven or eight blocks in Cherry Creek north of the Cherry Creek Mall. There are over two hundred artists with booths set up to display their work as well as food vendors & musicians. I enjoy walking around and looking at Artwork which I cannot afford but would love to have in my home. I enjoy seeing art displayed by many different vendors in one area as it helps me to think about how I evaluate art in a way which makes selecting pieces for my possession as well as what I appreciate in art easier to assess and understand. After attending this year’s festival I understand where my rain day slush fund money could come in handy and why it should be a few thousand dollars.

Upset & Angry Gen Xer's

I read an article today about how Generation X, in the USA, has been hit hard by many economic & social events over their lives that reinforce their depression, disdain and anger with their lot in life. I fall into the Generation X category and I rarely reflect on my situation but it seemed appropriate to reflect on. I also work in Human Resources and see people competing for jobs and view the process by which companies select individuals for jobs.

On one hand as I think about my career which has not changed much and how I have not been able to make anything happen with any writing or acting I relate to the angst & frustration of my generation. But on the other hand as I think about the hundred applicants applying for an administrative assistant job at my company and realize it will be offered to one person and not the ninety nine others who applied. A friend of mine is out of work and looking for a job and as we have met to discuss jobs he has talked about all the things he is doing to keep himself busy and all his job leads. It can be tough to find work. As I think about searching for a job and my friend I realize how very grateful I am to have a job & be productive and work in an environment with good people.

I have made the conscious choice not to go to graduate school or not to take job offers and not to move around much at my company. At times these choices were made due to life events and at times they were driven by comfort or keeping the status quo during stressful periods of life. I know of people who have taken risks and lost out and others who have taken risks and succeeded. While we cannot know how the future turns out all we can do is plan and act.

While chatting with a childhood friend a few months ago, I asked him if he had imagined his life would turn out as it has (The friend I was speaking with, has finished college, employed in his chosen field, gotten married, bought a house and has kids). He responded he has gotten to where he is in life without much planning and now that he has a wife and kids he is trying to change how he approaches life, he realizes a need to be better at planning. As I think about life and all the things beyond our control and in our control I realize I should be like my friend. I should focus on planning.

Joyous memories from the lightrail

Riding the light rail is not so bad except for all the odd characters I meet for a few minutes while riding home from work. One day I was next to someone who smelled like skunk, another day I was sitting next to a girl who smelled like marijuana, another day I was next to a guy who smelled like sweat & salami. Today there was a guy who refused to sit down, he stood and spent the entire ride wandering the length of the train car. He look discombobulated, constantly starring and fidgeting while refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He smelled like a port o potty and judging by how people on the train urged him to be careful or changed seats when he came near them, was making an impression on many people. He did not try to talk to people or touch anyone but he was making people nervous. I thought he was high and kept on eye on him just in case he started to act up but after six or seven stops he got off the light rail.

So far it has been a good time, who knows what I may see tomorrow!

Movie Review: Star Trek

I saw the new Star Trek Movie and I recommend it! It is similar to the first movie with each crew member having their own story which is developed well enough you understand each character & they are interesting to watch. The crew once again is portrayed as outmatched and unprepared for the journey before them as they struggle against all odds to complete their mission. The special effects are amazing, the adventures & hijinks of the crew never get dull. I thought this one had many awe inspiring moments but it is not the type of movie that has to be viewed on the big screen. It could be something to rent and watch at home but either way I recommend it if you are looking for an entertaining, adventure themed summer block buster.

Exploring in Lakewood: Addenbrooke Park

I have gotten out of my habit of exploring Lakewood so tonight I wanted over to Addendum Park. It is a small Park on Kipling south of Alameda that is tucked away and could missed if one blinks while driving by it. I had gone there earlier this year or late last year to snow shoe through the park after it had snowed as the park has large snow drifts everywhere. I have never been to the park when it was not covered in snow.

I am glad I was able to explore and see the park at night. It is a nice park that can one can walk around for twenty or thirty minutes and still not see all of the park. It is about a third the size of Sloan lake with a much tinier lake, more of a pond, but it is nice to walk around at night. I probably prefer Sloan lake although Addenbrooke Park is a great place to go to if I want to have a twenty or thirty minute walk in a park close to home.

Caribou coffee

I have been hanging out at Caribou Coffee frequently over the last two weeks. One opened in Lakewood near the Colorado Mills so it is not far from me. I enjoy the quiet atmosphere at that store as it is that type of quiet which is relaxing and almost soothing. The decorating is not great but it is not crowded. The Caribou Coffee downtown has much nicer décor but it is just loud enough it is difficult to relax or rest.

My search for the perfect cup of coffee & the perfect coffee shop continue!

Quiet bar in Wash Park

Lately I have spent my Friday nights in playing online games or watching movies and tonight I just could not do it. I really wanted to get out and hangout at a restaurant or Grill. Tonight I met a friend my church Pathways to hang out at a Wash Park bar, The Handlebar Grill. It is a fun place that is not too loud. The customers are a young crowd and all seem like decent people.

We played music video bingo after dinner. I noticed they have two ski ball machines in the bar with copious TV screens offering a variety of sports & TV shows. Despite the music & talking the bar is surprisingly quiet, which I have come to appreciate in my older age. The potato fries were amazing and I hope to return to try the Quinoa, it looked delicious. I may return on a night they host a Texas Holdem tournament since I enjoy that better than trivia night.

If you are in the Wash Park area, I recommend The Handlebar Grill.

UFC 162

I am a mixed martial arts fan, specifically the UFC, and tonight was a crazy paperview to watch. One of the most revered fighters, touted as one of the all time greats, Anderson Silva was knocked out tonight. The bar I was in erupted into cheering when Anderson was knocked out by Chris Weidman (Chris is an American fighter so it makes sense the crowd in the bar would cheer for him). I was never a fan of Anderson Silva but he never loses and no one could beat him. It is like he can never lose so in a way I felt like I was watching history being made. Maybe not like the day JFK was shot or when MLK made his speeches but it is a historic day in some respects.

Actually it is just a historic day for the world of martial arts & the UFC.

Ankle Update

I rolled my ankle late April while training for a 10-k race. I had been resting quite a bit and trying to rehabilitate it but I kept injuring it which would end up delaying my recovery. For a while it seemed like I would injure the ankle every week and it would take a week to recover so I felt like I would never fully recover as long as I was injuring my self. It took a couple weeks for me to strengthen my ankle enough that if I hurt it I would not re injure it.

I stepped on it while turning a corner couple weeks ago and the first thing I thought was "That was the worst way to step on it and in a few minutes I will be in pain, there will be swelling, and I probably just hurt my ankle really bad". A few minutes later I was delighted to discover I had no pain, no swelling, and no problems walking. Over the last couple weeks I have progressed to using elastic bands for strengthening exercises and toe raises. I hope to move to exercises involving balance with in the next couple of weeks.

Six years I had an awful sprain with this ankle. I had sprained it and did not do anything to rehabilitate my ankle. Then a year later I sprained that same ankle and it had swollen up to the size of a football. The doctor though I would not walk again but with help from a physical therapist and trying to move it & walk on it every day here I am six years later walking around. Since I sprained it again that last sentence should read here I am, six years later walking around and hurting myself.

Movie Review: Fast & the Furious Six

What can I say about Fast six that has not been said? The action is amazing, the chase scenes take it up a couple notches, and the story has enough twists you can’t figure out the ending before it happens. It also keeps the story interesting which I like because as a film viewer I am engaged in the movie! I have been a fan of this franchise for a long time and enjoy most of the movies they have put out. Fast six reminded me of Fast five which I enjoyed so if you enjoyed Fast Five then you may like latest installment of this series. I do say latest as the ending does leave it open for a seventh movie! Considering these films are pulling down over a half a billion dollars you can bet we will continue to see a few more before the series ends.

My recommendation...GO SEE FAST SIX!!