Renewal (Sort Of)

Somehow, I find myself on the cusp of a birthday, yet another trip around ol’ Sol nearly complete. Perhaps that calls for contemplation beyond “Where does the time go?” but this year it instead (or maybe alongside) made me think, “Shoot. I need to renew my driver’s license.” We have a driver’s license office here […]

They Thought They’d Make a Park

My first of not-very-many activist poems got written in the 9-12 age range. I don’t remember if I used this as the title, but at least two of the lines were: “They thought they’d make a playground.” The “they” in this case, although I didn’t realize it at the time, was the City of Gunnison, […]

Travails with Pat’s: The Creede Edition

I almost had more travels to report to you today, but instead all I have for you is travails, hopefully with a happy ending. While I perhaps have given you an impression of the remoteness of Gunnison, we serve as the hub of even more remoteness: Crested Butte to the north and Lake City to […]

Travels With TL: Crested Butte Anew

Last week, Lynn called public health to see if she is among those for whom booster — although she has subsequently learned she is supposed to say “third shot” instead — shots are being recommended. Listening to only her side of the conversation with a nurse, the advice sounded rather circular, but the nurse must […]

Lucky Dogs

This is a true story. None of the names have been changed, because there is no innocent we need to protect. Once upon a time, not that long ago, but one superintendent and a different business manager ago (good thing, since now it’s my sister Tia), our school district hired a man named Cannon Leatherwood […]

Crested Butte Strong

Spoiler alert: This happened while many of us in the United States slept, but due to the time difference and people’s viewing habits, it won’t be shown on television until this evening. If you want to be surprised while you watch “live” this evening, you should just skip this. Or come back tomorrow. Crested Butte […]

The Inner Heat

An episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation called “The Inner Light” is one of my favorites, but now that I’m starting to live it, I’m not enjoying it nearly as much as when it was strictly theoretical. In this episode, Captain Picard is rendered unconscious on the bridge of his own ship by a […]

Prognostication

If my car window is stuck in the halfway position, and I think it’s half open and you think it’s half closed, which one of us is the pessimist? Actually, it doesn’t matter any more, because Randy fixed it for me on Friday. Now, this was after two rainstorms last week, both of which I […]

Lucky and Charming, No Matter What Some Think

Yesterday at work I was going through Kara’s e-mail inbox — her work inbox, where the invoices I need get sent, not that this was some low-level spyware scandal — when I came upon an offer I couldn’t refuse: Quickbooks wanted to pay me, in the form of an Amazon gift card of course, to […]

If It Ain’t Broke, It Ain’t TL’s

Kara, made of sterner stuff than I am, had an extremely social weekend: high-school reunion (I didn’t make it to any of mine), friends from Denver, dad from New Mexico, and mom and stepdad from Oregon. Saturday, while Kara was being a good member of her class and lining up to be in the parade, […]