420 Friendly

I am sitting in a Starbucks in the Denver suburb of Littleton on a Friday morning as I write this column, drinking a chai tea latte. The place is packed both inside and out with at least 10 cars lined up in the drive thru lane. Starbucks is an interesting phenomenon. Fifty years ago most folks would have thought you were crazy if you said a company that sold primarily only coffee at a few bucks a pop would become a worldwide powerhouse of a company! It makes me think of a business trip I  took to the east coast with my then boss where we went into a bakery shop that only sold cupcakes. There I had hands down the best red velvet cupcake ever!! When we left the store my boss said it (the business) will never make it. I said oh I think it will, and reminded him of the Starbucks story. And I was right, because today there are a number of cupcake only shops here in Denver and other cities and even a few national cupcake store chains.

One of the things I missed while living in a small town was the sheer volume and variety of restaurants, stores and and businesses. After being gone from the Denver area for almost a year, it’s been interesting to see the new businesses that have popped up in familiar neighborhoods. One of the most noticeable additions have been the medical marijuana shops that are sprinkled throughout the area. Their visibility to me was strengthened when I was surfing craigslist on the Internet for a place to live. If you’re not familiar with craigslist it’s similar to tradio where you can buy and sell things and also look for housing. In craigslist’s rooms for rent section I noticed some ads said their homes or apartments were 420 friendly. I was stumped. What could this mean? My vivid imagination went a little crazy! I asked my Facebook friends and sure enough one friend piped up immediately saying it meant Mary Jane friendly! Mystery solved. I have to say given the rather large number of 420 friendly abodes on cragislist it appears Denverites have quite a few medical problems requiring a marijuana prescription.

Rocky Mountain High

This blog was published as my column in the May 7th Devils Lake Journal, where I previously worked as a reporter/writer.

It’s Friday as I write this column, and I just arrived back in the Denver metro area last night. It was a two-day journey with an overnight pit stop in Pierre, SD. I drove back in my 20-year old purple Honda Civic, aptly named Barney all those years ago when I purchased him in the Washington, D.C, area. It turns out Barney did indeed have one more trip back to CO in him. Now let’s hope he lasts at least a while longer until I find gainful employment.

The drive back was fairly uneventful. Kit kat Jenni is a great traveling companion, although there wasn’t much space for her as Barney was jam packed. The most stressful part of the journey was worrying about getting busted for my expired Colorado tags, especially after Fast Eddie said “I can’t believe you’re going to drive back to CO that way” (i.e., expired tags). So why expired? Since I was driving a different vehicle most of the time I lived in DL, I didn’t get ND tags on Barney. I had eventually planned on selling him which never happened, especially once he got buried in the snow in the back yard. As it turns out my contraband car tags and I managed to traverse four state evading the law, following which I breathed a sigh of relief when Barney and I finally drove up to my friend’s house where I am staying.

Someone at the Journal said if I continued writing my column after I returned to CO, maybe it should be named re-adjusting to life in the big city. So what are my initial thoughts on my first day? I am once again enjoying the ever changing beauty of the spectacular Rocky Mountains visible from everywhere throughout the metro area. The grass is a brilliant green with some flowers blooming, including tulips. I appreciate seeing the diverse array of shops and restaurants, and have already dined at one of my Colorado favorites, Tokyo Joes. And I am writing this from one of my favorite libraries in the region that has a vast plethora of job hunting and other resources.

So here I am back in Colorado after a year in North Dakota. The time went by so fast! I joked on Facebook recently that the first morning I woke up in Colorado I had strange dream last night that I had spent the last year working in my hometown for the local newspaper. And guess who was next to me when I woke up? Bob Newhart of course!

Facebook – Love it or hate it?

Following is my column, which appeared in the Tuesday, March 5th edition of the Devils Lake Journal. Although I recently left my job as a reporter/writer at the Journal, I continue to provide them with a weekly column. Writing the column continues to be one of the favorite parts of my week!

I have to admit I was a little slow to the table when it came to using and embracing Facebook. But so many people gushed about it. It’s so much fun! You’ll just love it! You HAVE to try it!

I actually signed up for FB my mistake. I think it was my niece Mallory who sent me one of my first friend requests. Not really knowing much about FB, I thought sure why not, after all my niece is young and hip, and clicked yes. Then I started exploring FB and began to enjoy reading people’s funny comments and viewing pics and all that FB has to offer.

However, over time I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with the medium. I I won’t name any names but sometimes I think people share just a wee bit too information for my liking, but then again, I don’t have to read what people post if I don’t want to. Plus there is always the option of unfriending. I’ve never unfriended anyone, but I have blocked a few people. Again no names mentioned. I think I’ve been unfriended twice. I’m not sure why. Maybe I babbled on too much about some silly thing, at least for these unfriendly unfrienders.
Another bad thing about FB is it can be addictive. Some people call it Crackbook. I find it to be that way at times. Once I post something I find myself checking it constantly to see if the little red globe appears indicating I’ve had a response. I get a little thrill when it does and just like a mouse in a drug experiment I keep coming back for more. Between that and getting involved in witty banter exchanges and viewing friend’s exotic vacation pics it can eat up a lot of time. Consequently, some people often take a leave of absence from FB. In fact, some FBers give it up for Lent.

Not everyone is an FB fan. One of my siblings thinks its dumb. One friend said of FB – I just don’t get it. Some just flat out refuse to even check it out People often think the anti-FB sentiment is a generational thing, however, it’s not always just older folks who are opposed to FB. Fast Eddie and my mom both use it. One of my former co-workers who is now retired uses it and she has more friends than I do. That’s one of the great things about FB. It’s a wonderful way to stay in touch with former co-workers, at least those that you liked. In the pre-FB era how many times when people leave a job, saying let’s stay in touch, let’s have lunch, etc., etc., and then they never talked to the people again. It’s also a great way to renew friendships, including old classmates. You can’t beat reigniting that special high school bond that is still so strong after all these years.

So here you go. A whole column about FB. I think when Betty White hosted Saturday Night Live, which was the result of an FB campaign, she said she thought FB sounded like a colassal waste of time, But then again, it got her on Saturday Night Live at the ripe old age of 89. I wouldn’t call that a waste.

A Taste of Spring: Adjusting to Life in My Hometown

(My weekly column that appears in the Devils Lake Journal newspaper.)

If you read Louise’s recent column you know that I recently began a new adventure in my journey of adjusting to life in my hometown in the form of a new job.

Change can be good, but also stressful. I am no stranger to change, but it’s safe to say that the biggest change that has challenged me as an adult has been moving back to my hometown of Devils Lake, ND! Up until now the largest life change I experienced was moving from Denver to Washington, DC, some 20 years ago, when Denver was a far smaller city than it is now. I still remember a few things that first struck me when I moved to our nation’s capital all those years ago – the sheer increase in the volume of traffic compared to Denver, how fast and sometimes recklessly drivers drove and how some people seemed to be so rude, at least compared to friendly Midwest standards. Another thing that struck and shocked me was the homeless people on nearly every street in downtown DC. After awhile I sadly became at times almost immune to their presence, as did others. I’ll never forget having lunch outside one hot summer day with my co-workers in a DC park. A homeless man bundled head to toe in winter gear was pushing a shopping cart down the street and singing at the top of his lungs while brandishing a broom in the air. No one paid him the slightest bit of attention.

Needless to say the streets of Devils Lake aren’t dotted with homeless people, and as for the drivers, well I do question some driver’s actions every now and again. As for the people, for the most part I think the entire state of North Dakota contains overall some pretty friendly folks, although there is usually one cranky pants in any given pocket of people.

Fast Eddie/Pops in his garden last summer. I am ready for warmer weather!

I can’t end this column without a little bit of talk about winter. A couple of Saturdays ago the temperature was in the 30s, maybe even close to 40. It made me positively giddy. I think I actually yelped. I was so filled with elation I wanted to do cartwheels down the slushy streets and sing at the top of my lungs. Once I calmed down I took a peek at the March calendar. The first day of spring is Wed., March 20 , so only 20 some days away. Not that I’m counting. Actually I think I will. It seems to me the first day of spring should be a state holiday here in North Dakota. Maybe I should start working on that.

The Times They Are a Changing

Greetings blog readers and Happy Valentines Day! Many of you on Facebook know that I recently accepted a new position here in Devils Lake, N.D.. I enjoyed my reporting job at the Journal, however I couldn’t pass up a position offered to me at the Dakota Precision Ag Center at Lake Region State College. Precision ag is hotter than hot in the ag world and the center recently received two grants totaling more than $3 million.  The director Paul Gunderson, along with another new hire, an intern and myself will implement this grant and its new programs over the next couple of years. If you want to know more about the center, visit http://dakotaprecisionagcenter.com

The Journal was sad to see me go and in a way I was sad to go! They were such a great group of folks to work with and I will miss them. My boss/editor Louise actually dressed head to toe in black on my last day! Of course part of that might be that she is driving the ship alone for awhile as the sports guy made an unexpected departure. The great thing for me is that I will help them out from time to time and, at least for the time being, continue to write and have my column published in the Journal. I also have a standing invitation from the Journal’s composing department manager (whose husband just happens to be the chief of police ) to join she and Louise each Thursday night for dinner/supper at Jo’s lovely home!

Even though I am excited about my new position at the college (although at the moment somewhat stressed out adjusting to a new job), if I had my druthers the job would be located in a larger town in ND, like Fargo or Grand Forks, or even better back in my other home state of Colorado or at least in a warmer clime. However, spring isn’t far away and for now I need to throw myself into this position with all my gusto and muster and see where it takes me!

So as a twist on a line from the movie “All About Eve” fasten your seat belts people and let’s hope it’s not a bumpy ride!

Fishing the Ice: Adjusting to Life in My Hometown

(Following is my column, which appeared in the Tues., Jan. 29th edition of the Devils Lake Journal http://www.devilslakejournal.com/ where I am a reporter/writer. For more info about my hometown of Devils Lake, North Dakota, visit http://www.devilslakend.com/)

Fast Eddie/Pops used to take my sis Julie and I fishing when we were little girls. He didn’t yet have any little boys to take fishing, but I like to think he would of taken us anyway. His buddies would fish with us too, or maybe it was the other way around – my sis and I fishing with him and his buddies. Family friend Don D. still likes to tell a fishing tale some 40 plus years later about my sister accidentally, after being buzzed by a bee, throwing my Dad’s brand spankin’ new fishing rod into the water! I actually don’t recall the incident, but I’m sure it’s true because my sis always was a bit of a troublemaker. What I remember most about those fishing trips is being squeamish about the worms or leeches or whatever creepy crawlies we used as bait, which maybe explains why I am to this day such a bugaphob.

I don’t recall ice fishing with Fast Eddie and his pals, but I do remember going ice fishing with my Grandpa Jager. Although I enjoyed being with my Grandpa I remember thinking it was kind of boring compared to warm weather fishing. I can’t remember if he had an ice house or not, but I remember going ice fishing with some guy pals who did. If my memory serves me right there seemed to be a lot more beer drinking and card playing than fishing! Last weekend was the 29th annual Devils Lake Volunteer Ice Fishing Tournament. This tournament wasn’t held when I was growing up here. From what I’m told its a very popular annual event, drawing about 5,000 fishermen. That’s quite a draw for a town of some 7,000. Last week I was looking at pics in the paper from last year’s tournament when an ad caught my eye advertising minnow races at a local watering hole. Minnow races? I’ve never heard of such a thing. How does that work? I picture a bunch of minnows being labeled somehow in a bag with rowdy bar patrons placing their bets on the wiggliest minnows. Then they all get dumped on the counter and race toward the end.

That’s probably not how it works, but it’s fun to imagine how it might! Over the weekend, my sister-in-law and teacher enlightened me about minnow racing, and it’s really nothing like my vivid imagination pictured! I didn’t attend the weekend fishing tournament, however, I saw lots of photos and it looked like a phenomenal tournout. Since I am trying to embrace winter, maybe I should give ice fishing another shot all these years later! I’ve heard ice houses are not as rustic as they used to be and some are actually quite fancy.

To Church or Not to Church: Adjusting to Life in My Hometown

(Following is my column, which appeared in the Tues., Jan. 22nd edition of the Devils Lake Journal http://www.devilslakejournal.com/ where I am a reporter/writer. For more info about my hometown of Devils Lake, North Dakota, visit http://www.devilslakend.com/)

 One thing I haven’t done much of since returning to Devils Lake last spring is go to church. The few times I have gone I’ve attended my parent’s church, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, where Fast Eddie/Pops works part time as a custodian.

Growing up in Devils Lake, our family belonged to St. Olaf Lutheran Church, where I attended Sunday School and was confirmed. My best friend belonged to the Catholic church and I thought it was cool that she could go to church on Saturday night. Sometimes I would go with her, but my mom said I still had to go to our church on Sunday, because I guess Saturday night with the Catholics didn’t count.
As an adult, I haven’t always been un-churched. In fact, I’ve had two long-term affiliations with churches. In D.C., I belonged for about six years to a Lutheran church in one of the Virginia burbs that was led by a husband and wife pastor team. They both had very different styles of preaching, which helped mix things up on Sunday – and Saturday night – services. In Denver, I was a member of another Lutheran church for many years, until the church gave the pastor the boot. That’s right. It happens, and more often than it should. However, as the title of an article on our church page said last week “Is everyone at your church nice.” Apparently not. The move was controversial and about half the church members left, including myself, to join Pastor Dave who started a community church. I still consider myself a member of that church and I miss it, including Pastor Dave, who I think gives some of the best sermons on the planet.
I’m not really sure why I haven’t churched up. Part of it might be that my schedule during the week is crazy busy, and it’s nice, especially since I am not a morning person, to be a little lazy on the weekend and not have to get dressed up. Of course now days people don’t get dressed up like they used to go to church. Lots of people wear jeans to church, which was unheard of back in the day. It wasn’t that many years ago when I wore jeans to church for the first time, and I felt almost sinful. Some people even wear shorts to church, but I don’t think I could ever do that!
However, the fact of the matter is that if I wanted to go to church I would. Not wanting to get dressed up on the weekend is a thinly disguised excuse, and not a very good one at that. The thing about going to church, or really anything for that matter, including fitness or losing weight (maybe that should be the topic for next week) is if it’s something you really want to do or be part of your life, you’ll do it.

Update: I said to our editor Louise earlier this week that since this column was published I was surprised I hadn’t heard from any reader encouraging me to go to church and wanting to save my soul. Well it happened yesterday! I got a nice chatty card from a member of St. Olaf church inviting me to the 11:00 a.m. service and even wondering if I might want to sing in the choir. Too funny!