Turkey.

Here are the pics from my trip to Turkey.

Welcome to my home part 2.

Welcome to my home part 1.

We love to fly and it show.

Becker.

Brian & Ellen's new Springer Spaniel & my Hoover.

Putting oneself out there.

Allow me to explain my absence.

I have found myself in one of life’s big ass ruts. This one’s a doosey too. I think I am sick of Denver. I know I am sick of my job. So, what is one to do? Should I change my job, my location or both? The fact that I still have not completed my degree is hindering my options. I have decided that I cannot leave Denver until I receive my degree. I feel like if I did leave Denver I may never complete my degree. I have made a tentative life decision... tentative is the key word here. I am going to work part time at the airline and increase my class load. In addition, I would like to get a part time job at a restaurant. After all, if I am going to open an ice cream parlor someday I should have some sort of experience with the industry. I guess my quarter life crisis has crested and now its decision time. I guess I will have to see how I feel tomorrow :-).

Boulder City, Chloride & Searchlight.

I was way overdue to visit with the grandparents in Boulder City, NV. Wednesday morning I flew down to Las Vegas. Fortunately, my parents had the same idea, so I got to see them as well. I had a really nice time visiting with family. After my arrival we all enjoyed breakfast at the community golf course. None of us golf, but the food is cheap and good. After a very satisfying breakfast we headed to Chloride, Arizona. Chloride is a little tiny town about 75 miles southeast of Las Vegas. It's named after the mineral in which they once mined there. Apparently, the city of Chloride lacks covinents prohibiting residence from displaying garbage in their yard as art. Ok, I kid you not... EVERY single yard had shit in it. It was way beyond a serious yard schluck situation.

Welcome to Chloride!

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This native has made a dream catcher of sorts out of garbage she has found in the desert.

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This is a stand for a movie camera that was used in the 1940's.

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Ahhh, someone built a mini Chloride but with less junk.

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Bath tub complete with tank.

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Bottles & Boots.

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The highlight of Chloride, however, was not the junky yards, but the amazing murals painted on the side of a cliff about 1.5 miles out of town. The road was recently washed out, so the murals can only be enjoyed by those of us who enjoy a quick hike through the desert. The up hill hike was well worth it. An artist by the name of Roy Purcell painted the murals 40 years ago but repainted them about 4 months ago. The colors are completely brilliant. After enjoying a couple of beers and some small town appetizers we headed back to Boulder City to relax and enjoy a piece of Costco Chocolate Cake.

Journey... Images from an inward search for self.

I hate snakes!

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My father is standing to the left. This gives you an idea of how large this mural is.

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On Thursday we headed south to Searchlight, NV. Searchlight is the hometown of senate majority leader Harry Reid. It was nice to see that the top democratic senator lives so humbly in small town Nevada.

I do enjoy a visit to the low desert, but I am happy to be back in the high desert.

A year older yet none the wiser.

On Thursday Mancini, Matt & Smay took me to dinner for my bday. I think I have found my new favorite restaurant in Denver, CO.... The Dish formally The Painted Bench. The food was amazing! The restaurant is in this old building with squeaky wood floors and old hydronic radiators. The owner, Lee, served us. It almost felt like we were at dinner party hosted by Lee in her home. The service was that personal. After dinner we went next door to the Horseshoe Bar. We played some pool and got our drink on. The bartender even let us bring Bailey in with us. After we left the bar I fell asleep on Smay's couch watching Grey's Anatomy.

OK, so all I really wanted to do for my birthday (on Friday) was to hit up First Friday Art Walk. I am not one of those people that makes a big production of a birthday ;-). I decided I would have a small cocktail party before the Art Walk. It was forecasted to be terribly cold. I thought the pre party would help keep everyone buzzed and warm during the art walk. It sort of worked. The art walk is so much better in the spring, summer or fall. After about five galleries we all decided to head back to my place and warm up. Half of the party guests called it a night. It was a nice calm before the storm. Around 9pm the party got rolling again. The special guests were Kenny and Aaron who flew in from Des Moines and Phoenix respectively. They had heard party, liqueur and Denver all in the same sentence and jumped on a plane. My little tiny apartment was packed with people. Around midnight Smay pointed out that we were running low on beer. Off to the Spot Bar we were. We all shuffled up the lane for a new venue. We finished the night off back at my place and called it a night(or early morning) around 4am.


mmmmmm birthday brownies.


Judy Benet & Gail.


Aaron & Mind.


Who left the damned freezer door open!?!

Marta

Eric

Eric has moved to Las Vegas. He hasn't sold/rented his apartment. There is still hope for all the ladies that he will return to Denver. I have been given the distinct task of watering his plant. The plants name is Marta. Marta is named after the girl that gave the plant to Eric. Marta likes my apartment.

Remodeled

The look and feel of my myspace theme.

Marcel being a dick.

Thank God! (A Top Chef review.)

Ilan Won!


Marcel Lost!

Remeber the good old days?

I was saddened to hear that the Hi-Dive will no longer be throwing their Wednesday night "Off the wall 80's Dance Party." Judy Benet introduced me to "80's night" back in the summer of 2005. Her and I were regulars there for a while. I brought a bunch of people in there to experience what I though was the best dancing in town hands down. Sad Sad news to start 2007 with.

Not Another Woodbury!

I have a very soft spot in my heart for my hometown, Woodbury, Minnesota, but its growing out of control... sort of like untrimmed pubic hair. This is an article from the January 14th St. Paul Pioneer Press.....

Aunt Jackie

My Aunt Jackie past away one week ago today after a very long and tough battle with Multiple Sclerosis. I flew home Friday afternoon to attend the service on Saturday evening. Despite the very unfortunate circumstances it was very nice to see a lot of my family that I never ever get to see. I saw my cousins (Jackie's children) whom I haven't seen in I don't know when... it's been years. It was a lovely and simple service. Jackie’s daughter, Colette, said some nice words followed by her (Jackie's) son, Keith, who gave a very thoughtful and beautiful speech. The reception was held at The Woodbury Health Care Center which is where Jackie lived for the past eleven years. It is also where my Grandma Ann resides. The ladies put together a very nice meal. They, of course, were all very concerned with not having enough food. In true Midwest fashion the amount of food was slightly ridiculous. Someone made 30 pounds of scalloped potatoes. That amount was on par with the amount of all the items served. I guess its true that people eat when they are sad. I got to enjoy the company of my cousins very boisterous 6 year old son, Austin. He took a liking to me because my name is so easy to spell.. P A T. I have promised my cousins that the next time I go home that we will have a cousin outing and leave all the old people at home. I informed my brother that he is in charge of this event. My only request is that we make reservations at some restaurant where we can sit at a big round table.

It was kind of weird to be back in Minnesota so quick. I landed on Friday afternoon, two weeks from when I had departed MSP to go back to Denver. That is the quickest I have returned to Minnesota since I moved away in 2001.

I had a enjoyable visit with my parents and brother. I also had the opportunity to enjoy breakfast with my old Scout Master, Bob Nelson. He is in his mid 80's and spends most of his free time traveling the world. So far his 2007 travel plans include... Costa Rica, Tasmania & Namibia and this has all been planned before summer. He is without a doubt one of the most interesting characters I have fortune to be friends with. I had the pleasure of running into Chris Stewart, one of my brothers close friends and an ex fellow boy scout. I also ran into this guy from high school named "egg." My brother, his friend Tom, and I enjoyed our Friday night by doing the old Minneapolis bar hop. I don't really remember where we went but we did play shuffle board at this red-neck Duluth themed dive bar and snort tobacco at some German Cafeteria Club. BTW... this snorting of tobacco... I guess it will be all the rage soon. We will see.

Ped... Sorry I didn't see you. I will make it up to you next time!!!

Great minds shop alike.

Judy Benet and I gave each other the same exact Mother Mary Flask for Christmas. It all started when we went to The Faint concert and we were all "We should have a flask." Well, now we do.

Merry Christmas Judy Benet

Only United could go to China.

United won the new China route authority. It was a semi heated battle between American, Continental, Northwest and United. I always thought United had a very good chance of winning the authority on the count that their proposed route was D.C.-Beijing, which is a very convenient route for the very same policy makers (DOT) who decide things like this. Oh the politics. This is kind of interesting. It's the DOT's report on its decision to grant UA the route authority.