The Longmont Files: Day 4 A New Snoozy Day

Morning Party People!   
    I find I’m sleeping in more and more over this past week, maybe this vacation is starting to set in. Who knows, all I can tell at this point is that Jennie’s family are super great and I’m having a lot of fun in ways that don’t involve video games,liquor or the internet. Yes it boggles my mind as well.
    Yesterday was a much happier day as it didn’t involve any religious services or over priced bistros. To be honest all I did yesterday was sleep, my body hasn’t acclimated to this altitude just yet so breathing tended to get kind of difficult which is why I stayed in bed most of the day. It sucks really, knowing there’s a whole city out there to get to know but all I could do is sleep. At least I had Jennie to snuggle with.
    When we did venture out of the house we went to the market to get some supplies for tonights dinner. I’m excited about it as we’re making gluten free pizza which is one of my specialties. I forget the name of the store we were in but it was the same as Fry’s back in AZ. The biggest difference was over here the store was chock full of white people. It’s so funny to me when I get nervous about that. I guess working with so many cultures and people that when I’m around only one I think something ominous is approaching. Damn liberals must have gotten to me.
    One of the biggest trips for me has been one of the things I’ve been trying not to write about. Jennie’s niece and nephew as well as their parents. These kids are so smart and so nice and wonderful and yet they are raised in a manner that is so foreign to me that I still find it a little jarring. Now keep in mind that there is nothing wrong with this family or how they run it, nothing at all. I think in my mind they way I was raised is the only logical way to raise a kid, pure ego right? That’s what I’m finding anyways. I was raised by a fairly strict Mexican upbringing. If you don’t know what that is , it’s very similar to how any lower class family raises their kids only when your mom gets pissed she swears in Spanish.
    There was a lot of ridicule in our house, a lot of love mind you but there was a lot of harshness to go with it. I guess my parents thought that this world is a tough place so they wanted their kids to be equally tough. This meant a lot of tough love, stern gazes telling us to take the pain of whatever was hurting us, to make are hearts like ice when we needed them to be. I wont say that these traits haven't helped me in this life but now I think I might have lost something along the way.
    What I see in this house are two parents that dedicate their lives to loving these kids. They love so openly and with out apology or shyness thats it’s a little overwhelming for me to see. I’m just not used to seeing it. So where does that leave me? With a lot of questions thats where!
    I think I need to open my heart and mind , to what? To love and forgiveness, forgiveness of being vulnerable, forgiveness for caring  and a forgiveness for all the things I keep hidden about how I feel about this world.
    If anything I’m grateful for seeing a new way to do things, a new way to live, a new way to love. Today would have been Jennie’s Moms birthday. Sadly she passed a way over a year ago. I know this is going to be a tough day for her, I’m going to be there for her as much as I can and with a little luck, just a bit more so.
    Till next time Party People ,
    Keep on a Chooglin!

The Longmont Files: Trading Places with an Ugly Me

Morning Party People!
    I’m writing at the crack of 11:00am here in the pretty town of Longmont CO.
Hey did you know I’m a bigot? Neither did I to be honest but then I went to a church service yesterday.
    Perhaps bigot is too strong of a term but I definitely was not as happy as the other people who were in attendance. I found myself being somewhat of a Faith Snob to be honest. While everyone one was singing with their hands in the air and eyes closed with huge smile on their face I couldn’t help but feel it was forced. That’s a horrible thing to say and I don’t like admitting it. I mean if it works for them and they believe they’re happy what should I feel anything but happy for them?
    Maybe it’s because I lack the spirit if Christ? Maybe I’m a lost sheep who needs a shepherd so I could back and rejoice in the glory of the lord and spend eternity worshiping and serving his majesty....did I even mention I was raised in this?
    This is going to sound so blasphemous and un-patriotic that I feel I should warn most of you. When most pastors talk to me about how Jesus died on a cross I get the same feeling in my gut as when an war veteran tells me he fought for my freedom. I’m not saying they didn’t but I need to look at their actions a bit more closely before I just take it at face value. something tells me that we as a people are far to giving of respect to all sorts or the wrong things.
    so yeah I’m still a bit wound up over yesterday, I think I need to meditate on these feeling a bit more before I write any further. So onto another topic!
    We went to see Richard Marx in concert last night. Granted this wasn’t my idea but I can honestly say that yes I had a good time. I’ve never been a big fan of his music but this guy can defiantly put on a great show. Jennie had a blast and all was well.
    That was until we stopped at a market to get some snacks and I said I was going to get some smokes. Jennie politely opposed this purchase in the kindest most encouraging manner, of to which I got all silent and ass-like. I don’t know everything but I do know when I should keep quiet so I don’t say something I know I’d regret. I apologized once we got home of course and all was well.
    There was one more part of the evening where we went out to eat in a nice posh restaurant and I’d love to tell you about them but fuck those dicks and their over priced,under portioned, and needlessly over spiced menu. Fuck’em hard
    So today we’ll be trying to think of something to add to the thanksgiving dinner while fighting off my nicotine withdrawals. If I can find a gluten free phyllo I think we’ll be in business!
    I know I sound pretty bitchy right now, its because I hate all this uncertainty in my life right now, then again patience is what life seems to want me to learn . I’ll be very happy once this lesson is learned as so will most of the people in my life. Thanks for being there by the way.

Till next time Party People
Keep on a Chooglin!

The Longmont Files: Day 2 Leaving track Marx

Good Morning Party People!
    Another day in the Mile Hi Suburb here in Longmont Colorado. I’m having a blast hanging with my sweetie and her family. We all did a little sight seeing when we went to downtown Denver and had lunch at a great restaurant whose names escapes me but thats ok seeing as who the hell cares...really?
    The restaurant itself was pretty interesting as it sat about 100 people and was privately owned, all I could think of was if I were ever forced to work back as a manager that would be the kind of business I would like to run.
    We walked around for a little bit after that, I felt a little bad because our hosts didn’t know what to show us but then again we had no idea  what to see. After a bit we gave up seeing anything that would make us go WHOA(Joey Lawrnce) WHOA!
    However on the way back we did see something pretty special. Chris (Jennie’s brother in law) was pointing out a lot of the downtown landmarks as Sam(Jennie’s 7 year old nephew) asked question after question in case I missed any. I was a little preoccupied as my Sis was texting me about how her cat scratched my cat in the eye. As Sis and I were trying to find a solution and Chris was showing me the city I saw something truly great, a strip club followed by a seedy bar.
    We were getting into an artsy part of the city. I think we were on Collifax or something but the neighborhood was full of tattoo parlors  and coffee shops with the side streets being jammed with huge Victorian style homes. This part of town had some character, this said welcome to me.
    As we passed by these cozy three storied homes I imagined myself looking out of every window. What would it feel like inside? Where would we put my studio? What would it feel like to unlock the front door and walk in on a Sunday afternoon?    
    Could this be a new home? Could this be a new life? What would I be leaving behind?
    So now there are a lot of new questions that need answers but at least what I have now is some time to figure things out. It’s a cross between knowing the difference what is new and exciting and what’s good for us.
    That was yesterday, today is going to be interesting, we’re going to church and later tonight we’re going to a Richard Marx concert...yes I love Jennie that much =P
    I’ll try and put some pics up tomorrow,till next time Party People
    Keep on a Chooglin!

The Longmont Files Day 1:The Journey Begins

Hello Party People! I’m writing from the desk of a cozy basement just north of Denver Colorado. That’s right, I’m on vacation with my sweetie! We’re here to see the sights and visit with her family and in someways maybe see if I would be interested in moving here. I’m not so sure about the last part but I’m more than willing to be convinced.
    I love airports but only in the most sarcastic sense of the word “love”. We flew out of Mesa Gateway which is very much a smaller airport than Sky Harbor. They didn’t have a food court but more two sandwich stands on either end of the concourse. The one on our side was a paradise bakery so we thought we were in luck. We go up to the counter and I notice that there is a stark look of fear on the staff, everyone seems like a bunch of puppies with their tails between their legs. I’ve seen this look before, it usually involves one bitch of a manag- and there she was!
    She stool about 5’8, not super tall by any means but taller than most of the girls who worked there. She was somewhere between 26 and 30 years old but her scowl seemed much older. Perhaps she inherited it from a sadistic old woman of German decent. Her eyes were an icy blue that only showed any warmth at sight of tears. Her hair was wound up tight in a perm that was traditionally reserved for women who are frantically fighting the closet door that will one day open wether they want it to or not. Clearly this world we live in was a punching bag through the icy blue gaze of this woman who longed for the days of team sports and an limitless future that didn’t include asking people if they wanted an extra cookie.
    We approached the counter to put in the order, the teller was asking the  right questions with the red shirted hawk looking over her shoulder yet the teller flinched when she asked if we wanted to upsize on our drinks. We hesitated for a moment and the hawk swooped down from her perch to let us know what’s what.
    “22 or 32 oz and I charge for refills!”
    Clearly she was in charge. I asked for a 22 oz but with no ice. For those of you who don’t know, asking for no ice in the food biz is a subtle way of telling the workers, “I won’t let you cheat me out of soda with your devious ice!” If anything that’s how she took it, which was good because that’s how I meant it ^^
    That was the extent of the actual trip, now I’m in the basement of Jennie’s sisters house looking up through the grates and seeing the glimpses of such a beautiful blue sky. I can’t wait to see what this week has in store for Jennie and me. I know we’re going to a Richard Marx concert this weekend, yes I love her that much.

Till next time Party People
Keep on a Chooglin!