Luck of the Irish

Heading to Dublin... don't mind if I do.   :)

on the run

This weekend I went for my first run since I blew out my ankle. It has been two months and I've been shying away partly because I've been lazy, and partly because I'm just a but gun-shy. I didn't want to go for a run just to find out that I couldn't do it. Well... I can! I went for a verrry slow 3 mile run and my ankle held up just fine. I got nervous on the gravel patches and I'm sure I'll stick to flat, even surfaces for a while, but it felt good! The next day my ankle was a bit sore, but nothing compare to the rest of my body (amazing how quickly I got out of running shape)!

I realized I missed quite a few things about running. Being outdoors. Singing along to my iPod. When you hit that gait that just feels natural. Don't get me wrong, I am by no means a natural runner and it will never be easy for me, nor will it be meditative, as some runners claim. Hard to meditate when sweat is dripping in your eyes and you are breathing like a Clydesdale. But maybe that is just me!

I also love people-watching while running. And this weekend was especially good at the park across the street because it was the site of the 2nd annual slip and slide party, put on by a bar of some sort, I assume. The beats were provided by DJ Bananahammock (no joke) - not exactly my type of music... I closed my windows. I did stop by to take a few photos, but I didn't participate. (1. Because I was alone and that would have been weird.  2. Because I didn't want to be around a sea of 19 year-old girls in bikinis slathered in baby oil. I will keep my distance, thank you very much.)

I think I WILL have to go sledding there this winter, however :)

Much love from the Rockies!

Missing these kiddos. I can't believe that Alex starts second grade and Ella is in kindergarden!

Good luck at your first day of school, Alex and Ella! And don't worry Abby-Gabby, you'll get to go along soon enough :)

the 'hood

Just a few photos of a lazy weekend in my neighborhood...

Walking back over the highlands bridge after checking out the farmer's market (not to impressed. $6.00 for a dozen eggs? But really, it might be worth it.)

 A stop at REI on the way back. They are putting out the skis - GAAAH!

I like living near the aquarium - perhaps due to Zoo nostalgia :)

The view from the top of my hill heading into town

I also love living near the amusement park! I can always hear people shrieking as I head out for a run. Something about watching roller coasters that just makes you smile

I like that my neighborhood is a little rough around the edges. Not pretentious. But I also like how they are working to improve it and make it a more family-friendly place. Hence live Irish music in the park right across the street. Yes, please!

In addition to wandering around this weekend, I also got to see Book of Mormon (thanks, Mike!) at the Denver Performing Arts Center. I was expecting it to be funny as humor is the big draw, but I wasn't expecting the music and dancing to be so good! I was impressed on all fronts - funny jokes? check. offensive comments? check. fabulous choreography? check. catchy tunes? check! I've been singing this one in my head all day...



Heeeeeelllllllo   :)

This is my job.

These past few weeks have been CRA-zy. Much of this is due to my group of 45 students who are going to study at Korea University. They are.... interesting. All of this has happened in the last week:

• Student e-mails to tell me he has now found his own place to live in Korea and he wants a refund for his dorm room. I say, no, there is no refund available if you change the week before your program starts. Said student then decides that he'll sub-let his dorm room on Facebook to make a little extra money. (ummm, no.) He graciously offered to accept $1200, even though he had already paid $1500 for his dorm for the semester. (Are you allowed to sublet your dorm room at home? No. So guess what, you can't do it in Korea, either.)
• Student calls me from the airport. She missed her first flight from LA to Seattle ("because there was traffic" In LA? Shocking!) The airline said it was $300 to get her on the next flight. She didn't want to pay that, so she called to tell me she thought she would just cancel her entire program. (Sweetie, at this point it will cost you much more than $300 to cancel your program. And I'm sure your parents will be quite happy that they took out another loan for you to NOT study abroad.)
• Student calls to tell me that she had absolutely no idea how much this program would actually cost, and there is no way she can afford to go. (And you realized this two weeks before your flight leaves?) She asks, isn't there any way to reduce the cost of the program? Because you know, it is just really too expensive for her. (Are you allowed to negotiate your tuition at home? No. So guess what, you can't do it overseas, either.)
• We lost a student. For an entire day. Well, we didn't really lose her, but last we knew her flight was delayed out of Chicago, and then she didn't show up in Korea. Turns out she had to spend one night in Beijing and she showed up the next day. But still, cause for a few anxious hours. 

Between students upset about not receiving their transcripts ("If you don't get it to me by Monday I'm just screwed!"), students upset about visa issues ("The wrong wording on my visa letter is causing this delay and I might miss my flight"), and parents upset that I didn't answer their e-mails in less than 3-hours ("I hadn't heard back from you so I just e-mailed everyone else in the organization. I thought you might be out of town."), it has been tough to keep motivation these past few weeks. 

Luckily, these past two days we had our GlobaLinks Alumni Ambassador team in the office for training. These are students that studied abroad with us last term, and are going to speak to students on our behalf. It was refreshing to meet them, to hear their stories, to hear their heart-felt thanks yous, and to see how their time abroad has truly changed their lives. It is hard to only hear the bad stuff - especially at a time when students are very sure that the world is coming to and end and that YOU are the reason why. (And by you, I mean me.)  It is nice to hear the good stuff.

the brother i never wanted

I'm lucky enough to have truly fantastic friends from all walks in life. But there's only one person with whom I can have entire conversations consisting of nothing but Dumb and Dumber quotes, inappropriate comments, and flat-chested jokes (at my expense, of course). Only one person who raided a garage sale with me on the way home from the bar one night in college (I mean really, who leaves their garage sale things out over night in a college town? We only took tupperware, I promise, and just because it fit so nicely on our heads.) Only one person who kindly refers to me as "the sister he never wanted". Right back attcha, Jeremy, you're the brother I never wanted, too.

Brother-I-never-wanted and his lovely wife made a stop in Denver on Friday night on their way to the mountains. It was so great to see him and to confirm that no matter how much time has passed, there are some things that truly never change. His wife Brandi is just fantastic and it was great to be able to spend more time with her, also. I can only imagine what she puts up with on a daily basis!

Mr. & Mrs. Sonnenmoser (yes, that is an intentional crazy eye)

sightseeing the next day

On Saturday I met some friends at a brewery by my place as Denver Beer Company celebrated it's 1-year anniversary with a block party. Lots of people showed up to celebrate, so many in fact, that we decided to get the heck out of the crowd and find someplace quieter. So we took our small crew and headed out to a bar that had less people, a lovely little patio, and always-entertaining erotic photo hunt. Sarah and I take erotic photo hunt quite seriously. Don't stand over our shoulders if you're not going to help, people. I mean, really.

Watching the rain come in

finally!

The aftermath. Yes, it is photo-filtered, but it looked almost this bright, I swear :)

Watching the closing ceremonies makes me homesick for London. For all my Mountbattens out there: cause after aaaaaaaallllllllll, you're my wonder waaaaalllllllllllll

Much love from the Rockies!

Touche

Just as I was throwing myself a pity party for working late, I pulled up to the stop sign and saw this:

A reminder that even during the rough days, life is good. Now if only those Korea University students would take a chill pill and let me enjoy life outside of Westminster a bit more :)

Guess I'll just move my next checker.

Birthday, BBQ, and... crab?

This weekend was a long-overdue catch up with my favorite Denver ladies. We went out to belatedly celebrate start of my 29th year, and there just so happened to be a BBQ fest in town. Perfect timing.

Just samplin' some ribs

Why yes, that is a fountain of BBQ sauce. I thought the porta-potty background also added to the ambiance

Such fun people!

Sarah and Gary doing a little people watching. Sarah - what's that in your hair?

Love them. 

This week is training week at work, so all of our out-of-towners are in Denver for the week. The festivities (?) kicked off with a Cajun boil on Sunday night, and Becky challenged me to a crab-eating contest. Or maybe I challenged her. Neither here nor there, the important thing is, we at a LOT of crab. I think our coworkers were impressed. And by impressed, I mean disgusted.

Becky in action!

I broke two plastic forks. This is before we began using an empty beer bottle to just smash the crab legs open. It is all about being resourceful, people. 

Who won?? Still tbd, you be the judge. We are holding the one (tiny) remaining crab leg which was the contest prize. Which, at this point, neither one of us really wanted to eat it. 

...and then Krista found my camera.

Pretty sweet coworkers :)

Jed, do you have the seafood sweats?

I feel like it had been a long time since I had a fun weekend in Denver with friends! Work has been all-consuming, but it is great to remember that I have such a fantastic support network here. Ladies that can always bring a smile to my face with quasi-inappropriate comments about plastic surgery, discussions about in-the-nude roasted chicken, and "do you want me to just call him for you?" dating advice. Worth every penny of that DU education :)

Much love from the Rockies!