Houses of the rich and tasteless

Things are still slow for me on the acupuncture front, so I've been helping a friend who has a company that cleans new constructions when they're completed for showings or for move in. It involves lots of damp dusting, scraping and scrubbing paint, plaster, etc off of surfaces that they never should have dripped on - cleaning up the mess the building crew leaves behind.

So we were in a house today in the Crestmoor neighborhood, replacing what was probably a lovely modest mid century bungalow on a good parcel of land. This house, which I imagine will list for a minimum of $4 mil, could easily fit at least 2 (maybe 3?) of the apartments in which my parents raised 3 daughters, but not wisely. It also seems to be a repository for all of their leftover building supplies - a mish mash of woods, tiles and granites that are not necessarily in synch with each other. The closets in the master suite are large with plenty of shelves and half length hanging space, but very little full length hanging space. The master bath tiling is freezing under foot with no evidence of a floor heating system (if you're going that far, you may as well heat the tiles that will likely be ice cold even when it's 90 out). The whole layout seems like it's space for the sake of having it as opposed to using it creatively and wisely, a waster of resources really. The decorator seems to have a fetish for odd and disconcerting shades of brown. This is the kind of home that has a utility bill that would dwarf my significant, for Denver, rent. The question now is, can this company sell this house (it is not a custom build but a company design that they are now putting on the market)? My gut tells me this may well end up one of the homes that is putting Colorado at the top of the list in foreclosures within a couple of years.

What a waste.

Tapped out

completely.

I was given a tool on how to rethink procrastination. Instead of procrastinating on the usual matters, procrastinate on the time wasters (like this?) and the things that keep from what I want to do.

Easier said than done, especially when just flat out worn out.

I realize that for much of my life I really pushed myself, always trying to have the accomplishments beyond realistic time to have them. Every few years I'd wear out and need to take a break and just sit and veg. Which is how I've spent much of my 30s. It's not that I don't want to accomplish my goals. I feel as if I've forgotten the 16 year old who was the only volunteer ever at Odysey House, who befriended people who would help to help her get a start in the music business while still in high school. Over 20 years later the know how is there, but the energy to power it?

music and silence

We take for granted the presence of any/all of our senses. I don't think anyone who has all 5 can imagine what it's like to lose, or to have never had, one or more of the senses.

A friend, who before this weekend was more of an acquaintance, and I spent much of the early part of the bus and train trip comparing notes on our favorite bands. For both of us, it was the first time in Denver that either had met someone else who was an 80s college radio type and he was as jealous as I of the friends back in NYC who were going to see Mitch Easter and the dBs that night.

As we watched the sky turn deep blue from the vantage point of one of the raised viewing cars we had a crash course in the politics and nature of deaf culture from the sign language interpreters. One was telling us about taking a blind and deaf person on a tour of the mint just days earlier - telling us about the nature of describing space in terms of the senses that the person does have. It's interesting to realize the difference between a deaf person who is part of a hearing family versus a multigenerational deaf family.

What would it be like, to not only not have a particular sense but to have never had it - to not know what it would be like TO have it versus missing it after having had it. If I had to give up a sense, how would I choose? I think many people would choose taste or smell, but I don't think anyone really considers those valuable until they're lost, even temporarily such as when one has a cold. Just another one of those variables that it's hard to wrap the brain around; not having the music, the sun setting over the Rocky Mountains, the view of the Golden Horn at all hours of the day and night from the Hali Hotel, the taste and sound combos of many great dinners in Istanbul . . . not the thing I really want to have to consider. The thought tangent that makes me appreciative.

Adventures with a Democratic inauguration

It pays to volunteer for these things. Why? Face time. I have a grand idea, and now there are people with my business card in their pockets who can help me realize it.

I also got my sugar addicted hands on one of the chocolate tea cup desserts. Yummy, especially accompanied by red wine.

Then came the thank you for spending our time managing traffic flow Friday night; the volunteers got to come along on the whistle stop rail tour from Greeley to Pueblo.

In near zero temps we were bused (got to sit behind the Fighting Dem from CD 5 Jay Fawcett) from Invesco Field to Greeley, then loaded onto the train. The train was just warm enough to be comfortable, not too warm to regret the tights under the jeans and the multiple shirts, especially with the addition of Colorado style political swag thru the course of the day (fleece blankets and vests with Colorado Promise 2007 logos). I hung out with people ranging from Ritter siblings (one of whom explained why Greeley is always colder than the rest of the front range/NE plains area) to campaign employees to other volunteers to friends and family of the first lady who loved the hand painted jeans of Tiffany's I was wearing. Moving from the back to the front raised viewing car for the Denver-Colorado Springs leg, we had a couple of rail employees answering every question we had and then some, discussing the feasability and logistics of a front range commuter line, explaining the different trains and maximum speeds they can reach, trading stories of the legendery train routes rail nuts travel in order to ride.

We were fed, watered, boozed, sugared as the trip went on. The swag was passed out in intervals, causing us to act like greedy little children with each new goodie (the vests were prompltly donned, the cookies gobbled down with more bottles of Fat Tire and glasses of merlot and cocktails as the sun set). We had multiple trips up and down the length of the train by the governor himself, offering up photos ops and thrashing his voice.

We arrived in Pueblo way late, and gobbled down dinner (yet more food, as if we hadn't had enough, but we ate as if we hadn't) listened to a shortened series of speeches and boarded our buses back up to Denver (not sure if they had the fireworks desplay or not, we didn't see it)- seats laid out with Pueblo salsa to add to our haul and a temperature reading of 4 degrees according to the LED sign at the Marriott. Arrived back at Invesco field to our cars only 45 minutes late, but still nearly 15 hours after the day started.

And this morning? It's amazing how hanging out and overindulging for a day has made me feel as if I've been beaten up. This evening? Other than a quick foray this afternoon for yet more food someone else cooked, I've barely left my chaise.

'08 convention

is DENVER"S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

taking futon and floor space reservations as of now, first come first serve. I expect to not be working from home by then, so if you have an air mattress to put on my hardwood floors, there's plenty of space.

Optimism

I left Portland, OR for Denver 3 days after election day 1998. When I went to sleep election night, it was looking like Gail Schottler was going to wint he gubenatorial race, when I woke up 6 hours later, Bill Owens had won. Big bummer.

Today Bill Ritter was sworn in. Other than my first month here, this is the first time I've been living in a democratic governor state since my arrival. The possibilities are tantalizing - the changes will be slow by I don't have any doubt that they will come (needle exchange, anything to combat the myriad of new unnamed hepatitis strains my guys at the drop in have).

Having met Ritter's eldest son a few times and his second son once for less than 5 minutes on election day only to have him point right at me on the recieving line and say I remember you, when I had my turn with the governor I told him if he raises Colorado half as well as his kids, we're in good shape.

Even with the snow, these are optimistic days indeed.