Busy Month

I've been on the road a lot this month some for work and some for fun. Rosia and I went to Assateuge Island to see the wild horses that live on the beach. It was a great way to relax. We took a boat tour and saw several wild horses but the photos didn't come out.

When Rosia was in town we also spent some time just buming around the city.

I also went with Rosia to a conference in Copper Mountain, CO. Another great way change of scenery.

The rest of this month has been a big giant blur. I wasn't in Denver for the contention but I was in Houston, Louisville, Charlotte, Biscoe, and Lafayette.

I def could have spent more time in Houston. Houston is a huge city with a lot to do. While I spent most of my time there working I did indulge in some really good BBQ, Mexican and Chili. I mean I was in Texas after all what choice did I have?

Lafayette is a nice town. This past year I've spent a lot of time in Baton Rouge & New Orleans and while Lafayette is a much smaller city then those two it def still has lot of charms.

Being back in Louisville, even if it was only for a couple of days was a great reminder to me of what a cool city it. Louisville (and Kansas City for this matter) maybe two of the most over looked cities around. They just have such a rich culture, diversity and high quality of life.

I don't have much to say about my time in Charlotte. I hadn't been there in about a year or so it was nice to swing through. I wish I had had more though so I could have headed east and visited my grandparents, but I'll have plenty of time in Nov.

Back to My Roots

Last week I got to go down to Miami for work. I loved it!!! Granted I was only there for two days and I worked 95% of the time I was there it was still a great place to visit!

Please forgive me too these pics don't even begin to portray how beautiful the city is. I couldn't get over all the color and palm trees everywhere. Miami is definitely one of a kind.











My Dad's side of the family is also from Miami so it was nice to see where he grew up and where my Grandparents used to live.

I got a great deal on the hotel room I was staying in too. $52 bucks a night in the heart of south beach! What a deal, the room was very cool and trendy.



Miami is famous for its night life and I can see why. I would never cook if I lived there because there are just so many tempting places to eat!

You also never really know what you'll see walking down Ocean Dr. A lot of the outfits were to racey for this blog, so I thought I'd show some pics of a couple guys just wondering the street with their pet snakes. I saw a bunch of people doing this and only got the pics of these two.

4th of July

Comments to come shortly...



Walking down the boulder creek and we came across a rope swing.


Things you def don't see in DC a composting and recycling stop!

Us in front of the Boulder resivor.

Me in front of Elderado Springs before a swim.


More things you def dont see in DC a bear proof trash can.

Boulder book store is the best bookstore and coffee shop in town.

Elderado Springs without me messing up the pic.


Rosia outside of the farmers market


just relaxing enjoying the view!

Living the Dream!

Last month I did something I haven’t done since college…no its not what you think, I stayed at one job for more then a year! I know it doesn’t sounds like a particularly impressive accomplishment, but for me and my line of work it is rare.

While I’m not going to get into the details here, I’m a political fundraiser and I’ve spent the last several years working on political campaigns all over the country. I absolutely love it even though there is certainly a lot of instability in it.

18 months ago I never would have planned this for myself. I really just want to say how lucky and thankful I am for having this job for over a year. No, it’s not perfect, but it’s perfect for me. Not only has it constantly fed my travel addiction, but it has challenged me to grow as a person and professional (I use this term loosely).

While I never let on that I know, the people I work with are incredibly talented! I don’t always like them either, but they push me and keep me on my toes.

I also see the impact of our work right away. The nice part about fundraising is you can tell if it’s working pretty quickly, either the money’s coming in or it isn’t no waiting till Election Day to find out how you’re doing.

While I still have no idea what I’m going to, or would like to do after Nov. I wanted to take this brief moment and just appreciate the gift I’ve been given. Having worked a number of jobs that didn’t fit I should celebrate the ones that really do!



PS
We also get tons of free food leftover from fundraisers!

Sorry Blog!

Like the rest of my personal life, I’ve neglected you the past month and a half. I don’t talk about my work life here, but I will say it’s been crazy busy in the best possible way.

On another note, since Feb., I’ve been doing this little experiment were I wanted to see if I would be happy getting around town without a car. Needless to say, it’s been such a success that last week I officially got ride of my car all together!

I figure the amount of money I’m saving on insurance, tickets and gas will probably be enough for me and my whole family to retire. Mom you can stop working now!

DC is ranked the most walkable city in the country and for good reason. I walk to work and can take the Metro most places I need to go. There is something really nice about being able to walk or take the train every where I want to go. It lets you get a much closer view of the city and a greater appreciation for it.

For example, the first night of my experiment I watched a group of high school guys try to pick up a group of high school girls while waiting for the train. It didn’t go very well and security was almost called. You almost never get to watch that kind of real life drama from your car.

DC can also be a very small town too. I can’t tell you how many times I run into people I know on the train and its always a welcomed surprise.

Victory is mine!

So I've had this song stuck in my head for over a year! The video is a little gross, but its a great song. The band is from Denver and I used to hear it on the radio, but I couldn't remember the name of it. Anyway check it out!

Spring in DC

You can tell when its spring in DC because the protesters come out in full force. From March to Oct. the streets of DC get flooded with all kinds of people with something to say.

For the most part I’m all for the freedom of speech aspects of a good protest. Lord knows we’ve got enough serious issues in our country right now that people should be protesting. Having said that the first protest I saw this year was a real disappointment.

About 100 people gathered today to protest the church of Scientology. Now, I’m no fan of this religion, but of the 100 things that piss me off… excuse me, that need to be fixed it doesn’t even make the list.

Louisiana Trip

So I was in LA for a few days and had a great time. The food was great. I tried alligator meat for the firs time and had more then my share of po-boy sandwiches and red beans and rice.

I was in Baton Rouge mostly, which after Katrina is now the largest city in LA. I did spend a few hours in New Orleans and instead of just waiting at the airport I went out and took some pics of the two sides of New Orleans.

I first went through the lower 9th ward to see the flood damage for myself. I originally didn’t plan on going down, but Rosia suggested I go and I’m glad she did. It’s been several years now and I was shocked at how much damage was still there. I didn’t get any good pics of it, but what got me the most was the spray paint markings that was still on the majority of houses. These were the markings left from the rescue efforts letting people know if bodies had been found. A number of houses also listed pets that had also been found.

Some parts of the 9th had a fair amount of people around and I felt bad taking these pics in front of them because I didn’t want them to think I was mocking them. Other streets I went to I couldn’t find a single house there that hadn’t been abandon.

I moved on the French quarter. The French quarter was as beautiful as ever except for how empty it felt. Here I was visiting the week of Mardi Gras and the streets weren’t even half fill of people.



I still had a great time soaking in all the city has to offer. The architecture, the city layout and the diversity of shops and people all give the feeling of a European city (not that I would know cause I’ve never been). I would have happily stayed for several more days to enjoy all the food and music of the city, but I’m glad I got at least a few hours in.

PS

The super dome should be torn down or burned. I can't imagine people going back there for games.