Dreamy Yurt Expedition

I spy Chase

As I expected, the sweater party was a hit.  There was food, white elephants, and some horrific photo shoots to be enjoyed by all.  Since I didn't bring my camera all yall better get posting!  In the mean time I will tide you over with these pre-party beauties.

wait for it

wait for it

There it is . . .

Merry Christmas!!!

***Please note that the name of this sweater is "Cobra Crossing" - found it here.  It's Christy's crush's website.  Can I please come see her with you some time?  I love her more and more every time I come across her.

As for my original objective in writing this post - Ugly Sweater Parties.  I'm straight up stealing this article from this awesome blog that I have been stalking lately.  Any who, it turns out I'm not the only one who has been noticing the uncountable "ugly sweater" parties going on this Christmas in particular.  I'm not saying I'm above it by any means!  I'm proudly attending one this weekend and I can't wait to get ugly for it.  I'm pretty sure I like purposefully getting ugly almost as much, ok ok, more than I like trying to get "pretty", but any way, it's a good point.

(If you followed all of this you get a cyber gold star)

npr music

How have I never looked into this?

If you're like me and you spend hours in front of your computer being a genius and producing amazing things and you're sick of your playlist on itunes, your station on pandora, and talk radio - check out npr's music web page.

Currently I'm making my way through "All Songs Considered; Listeners Picks of the Year".  So far there has been music from Conner Oberst's new album, M. Ward & Zooey Deschanel's folk album (didn't even know they put one out), and Girl Talk - forgive me for my lameness if everyone knows about this fantastic resource.  Otherwise reap my net-surfing benefits!

Other shows I want to check out after NPR Listners Picks of the Year

Ray Lamontagne's Studio Sessions: Among Friends

Holiday Music from All Songs Considered

Best African Music of 2008

Latest and greatest quote from my friend Diego.  Anyone who wants to go bowling with the Diego crew is invited.  It will be a par - tay

Don't forget to contact me at (XXX) XXX-XXXX cell, or XXX-XXXX - home, to let me know so we can go and have lots of Fun, okay.  we eat pizza and Bread-Sticks while we bowl, all right.  

Thanks for Reminding me, you are such a wonderful Friend i ever had in my life.  you are my Guardian Angel, or course.

The computer camera was a smash hit at the family party with the young'ns.  Jack Charlie and I took about 35 pictures and 11 videos in the last 20 min. they were at the house tonight.  

teletubby sunshine baby
Jack got a little serious when I started up the "effects" - he wasn't a big fan of the distorting ones.  But as you can see from the vid below the mirror effect was a hit.

It's the small things in our family I guess

Oh baby baby . . .

Consider them bought-ten. Craigslist is my friend. Now I only need everything else besides the skis. Donations welcome.

Sincerely,

me

Very Cool

If you have a minuet check it out . . .

Hungry Zimbabwe

(I'm still struggling with posting youtube some how.)

Raising Arizona

Arguably the best movie ever created - and it's on hulu!

7:15-8:18 is pure gold.  Thank you Liz for introducing me back in '97

Rachel's Challenge

I went to a lecture tonight about this girl who went to Columbine High School - the same time I was in high school actually - and she was the first to be shot by the boys who shot the school up in '98.  Anyway, her family has put together this organization and lectures.  It was really amazing.  I wish everyone in Salt Lake could have been there.  I think what stands out most about the whole thing is the compassion given, whether to the boys who did the shootings or others in her life.  It's an awesome message in a time with a lot of finger pointing.  Who created what problems, who's to blame.  It's a nice counterpoint to the meanness that goes around.

Now I can't say that the graphic design is the best (not like that matters, but this stuff stands out to me), but the concept of all of this is really nice, and a lot of the information about it can be found on the web site www.rachelschallenge.com.

Venus & Jupiter

Has anyone else noticed the amazing stars and moon scenario that's been going on? Got some amazing views of it over the weekend in the desert and turns out it's Venus (larger lower one) and Jupiter. Plus the moon has been pretty sweet too. Here's to being a nerd!

Martinez Design Project

Leslie Martinez was introduced to me by my old room mate Caroline.  They studied together at Cooper Union in NYC.

Leslie graduated last spring and lucky for us she has gotten her web site up and running

She does a lot of these intricate folk art-ish pen drawings that are so beautifully detailed.  I wish I could have her talk me through each of them and what it all means.

Now she's making these rad hand painted tote bags too - you can check em out on her site

Deep Thoughts for a Thursday Night

I just started reading Grapes of Wrath.

"...but it's our land. We measured it and broke it up. We were born on it, and we got killed on it, died on it. Even if it's no good it's still ours. That's what makes it ours-being born on it, working it, dying on it. That makes ownership, not a paper with numbers on it.

We're sorry. It's not us. It's the monster. The bank is not like a man.

Yes, but the bank is only made of men.

No, your wrong there - quite wrong there. The bank is something else than men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it."

Just wanted to change the view for possible passers by . . . don't want to scare no one.

Old Color Photography

The Library of Congress has a flicker sight where they have an album of color images from rural America in the 1930's & 40's.  I think they're so beautiful.

Homesteader in Montana

Railroad in New Mexico

Farm near the Catskill Mountains in rural New York

Railroad in outside of Santa Fe

Bikrim

***I'm pretty sure the first time I saw this image I felt kind of weezy - so I won't blame you if you don't make it through this post.

I stole the pic from Mandy, which is only fair since I stole the concept from her too. Mandy went on about the magical "Bikrim" yoga while I was in Boulder so I thought I'd try it out myself. Having done it I have a whole new respect for Mandy and this creepy lady. That 110 degree heat doing yoga stuff is tough! I seriously thought I would pass out and that my heart would pound completely out of my chest - but then it didn't, and then I kind of liked it. Anyone in SLC should come join cause now I want more!

pS turns out tons of hot ski guys are into this if that's any insentive (and some amazing hard body chicks too, they're my idols)

Economic Down Turn

I just lost my first client due to the economic hard times to come.

"We love the work you have done, but we just aren't in a position to invest anymore into our home right now" - said client

I'm not afraid of living simply, I welcome it really - but unfortunately I invested in this little thing called MYSELF by going to expensive school. For the first time I'm starting to feel scared about what's to come. Eeek.

Ich liebe die Wüste

Sure wish I took this picture, but I didn't. I googled it instead since I didn't bring my camera. I was in the desert for the first time since I left for New York 2 years ago - well the Utah desert anyway and it was phenomenal.
This pic is from Snow Canyon where I attempted to watch Laura run her half marathon over the weekend. I met a German guy who volunteers for the forest service there and gets to park his RV for free because of it. Him and his wife will spend the winter at Snow Canyon and then "travel to Yellow Stone or some wheres in Montana". They live the life - can't wait till I live in an RV in a foreign country. One day, one day.

Noooooooo

Lindsay was telling me about all of these epic pieces of land that have recently opened up for drilling in Utah so i looked it up and it's true. Parts of the San Rafele Swell, a section just outside of canyon lands, parts of land that are along the Green River.
All places that I (and I'm sure many of you) would not want to sacrifice to the oil and gas companies - especially since it's seeming like pay offs to the companies that have supported Bush just a month before he is leaving office.
So sad, sure wish this was stuff I knew about BEFORE it was too late. These places are up for sale to lease in less than a month - not that I would know what to do anyway, but still I'm sad.
I just think - just because it MAY reduce gas prices now ( which I'd rather not be dependent on anyway) it will not solve our problems in the long run.
Should I turn into one of those crazies that camps out on the land hugging the trees until they get ripped off by some digging machine. i just may.
Read more here

Altonah

Today I rode up to my Grandpa's farm in Altonah, Utah with him and his friend Chris. 4 days out of the 5 day work week my grandpa (twice retired) goes into his law office in his suit and tie - ready to do who knows what, law stuff I suppose - but at least one day in his work week he heads 3 hours east to Altonah to work out at the farm with his buddies. A break from the computer, and phone calls for me as well - I decided to tag along and see what it is they do all day up there.
Looking towards the Uintas to the north - I don't know if it looks as cold as it was, but just think cold thoughts and you'll get it. Those snowy peaks in the distance lead to the King's Peak beyond.

So after our 3 hour drive (45 min break at the Daniel's Summit for breakfast) we meet up with Butch and start the day out in the kitchen of the old broken down house that sits on the property for "Coffee Break". This is held at precisely 10:30 a.m. any day they are working - whether at the farm or cabin. That orange "All-Pro" torch blower kept us toasty.

Grandpa and Butch discuss the order of business for the day. Turns out digging holes is the first item of business.
Looks easy, except to dig these holes you have to get out the giant bolders that are cemented into the clay earth. This is done with a 7' tall iron rod that you jamb down there. Butch is the king of breaking up these big boulders.
If you look very closely you can see the rain gutter that we also put up today. Old men teetering on ladders is a scary/comical sight. Finally they let me up there to finish it.


This is the barn built out of the wood saved from the original barn my grandpa used to have out in Draper before Draper turned into neighborhood ville.

End of the day - another coffee doughnut break.
Oops, cut Chris's head off on this one. He is a retired landscaper/engineer for Utah Power & Light - where he met my grandpa - where he spent the bulk of his career as a corporate lawyer for Utah Power & Light.
Chris is from a town I had never heard of west of Salt Lake near where the airport is now. He grew up out there, joined the national guard at 18 because "if he was going to be drafted he wanted it to be with people that he knew". One week later he was on a train to Oklahoma to start training. He later spent a whole year stomping around in the mountains of Korea. These are the conversations that make me want to hang out with these guys. They are pure gold.

Good bye farm. Time to go home.

Change

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

-Thomas Jefferson

Favorite quote picked up at Denver Museum:

"Things ain't what they used to be and probably never was."

-Will Rogers

Ain't that the truth.

Tag-ged

I've been tagged by my cousin Ashley!!
[This is a little complicated, so pay attention]

The instructions:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Here come the RaNdoMS:

1. If given the opportunity I can sleep for around 13 hours any given night

2. I work on construction sites often - and i love it. Today I watched these dudes installing windows and doors, and even though I didn't gawk out loud, I secretly was. Ya, take that.

3. I think this election is giving me anxiety. I feel bad for everyone involved and I wish people could just treat each other like people and were more respectful and positive about others that have a different opinion or different experience than them. Why always picking sides and being mean?

4. My room and work areas are so messy I despise myself for it - but despite this it's been like that for months - very pathetic.

5. My dog Max is for sure the my most dependable loyal friend I've ever had. I may be sending out a Christmas card with us on it this year. Watch for it.

6. My dream situation would be to live in a cool town/city near the nature and surrounded by friends and family that wanted to play all of the time and we could bike and hike and ski - and go to galleries, and go on road trips and . . . and . . . even if we were old and married and had kids we would still do it. That's all.


TAG-now you're it:
1. NEIL
2. Mandy
3. Sarah
4. Nanners
5. Lauren
6. Paige

YHO & ME

Latest project - Salt Lakes go to for local blogging (yourheartout.com) has started including me in the fun!

Here is the latest. Start asking questions! We need some more material!

CO

The players:

The Neil
Landscape Architect Extraordinaire
Rules the Boulder, Colorado with his bike
Shares his house and home with me!

Mandy

Happy, friendly, kindred adventure spirit
Recent transplant to the Boulder
Up for playing!

Morgans
Beautiful home
beautiful family
Peaceful, scenic, lovely life


(not pictured)

Others
Friendly friends and locally locals


What a lovely break to visit friends East of the Rockies. Unfortunately my camera hung out in my bag - pretty much the whole time, but that's usually a good sign.
I was having too much fun to worry about it.

Red Bull Soap Box races - ridiculous good time
at Red Rocks (this place is unreal, can't wait to go to a concert here one day)

My first Cycle cross race - loved it
(Just pretend this is a picture of Neil)
Would have loved it even more if I could be on a bike too. Races seem to have that effect on me - I always just want in on the action!

Hike and drive the mount-tains through small dreamy towns/ghost towns
(no images - no camera)

Visit to Sarah and family in the Land of Love and Fort Collins AND get to hang out with this beautiful happy baby

Ray La Montagne being beautifully emotive at the coolest auditorium at CU

Denver Museum that we had practically to oursleves

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm so lucky to know people like these that are willing to hang out with me
- and most of all to play!

and then guess who shows up?

The newest Denver resident - Mr. Dunham himself

Don't have too much fun without me Coloradoans - I'll be back