tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45415768075470966392024-03-13T22:49:52.892-07:00The Recovering ExpatWhen the six-year vacation is over ... turn out the lights?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-66317197220496898512012-05-16T22:22:00.001-07:002012-05-16T22:24:07.017-07:00Final analysis: prognosis for re-pats poorFor anyone who's still subscribed to this blog, I've decided to bid "recovery" adieu and start anew. Really, the whole idea of being a "recovering expat" was quite overambitious. Now that I realize there's no recovering, I'm starting over again as a Relapsed Expat. No, I haven't completely given up on American life, but I must admit I'm really looking forward to leaving again this summer.<br />
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So I'll be chronicle-ing my relapse right mee-ah. Hope you'll visit!<br />
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<a href="http://relapsedexpat.blogspot.com/">http://relapsedexpat.blogspot.com/</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-70972240378339610942011-04-15T07:04:00.000-07:002011-04-15T07:57:28.921-07:00So ** Grin ** How Do You Like Living in America?I should probably write more on here about returning to America. That's the purpose of this blog, right?<br /><br />Frankly, for the first eight months, I was in deep shock, so I couldn't really comment intelligently.<br /><br />I do feel like I'm finally getting some distance.<br /><br />I see signs of life: building my business actively, unpacking a few of those boxes from my shipment, making new friends.<br /><br />So how do I like it here?<br /><br />Interestingly, now that I'm going on more dates and meeting new people, this subject comes up a lot.<br /><br />When people ask, I'm usually pretty honest. Sometimes, I feel like I should have nicer, more Pollyanna-ish things to say (especially on a date), but when I operate that way, I start to get really annoyed and want to strangle myself.<br /><br />So I'm pretty honest. My answers to the 10 most common questions:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. So. Are you happy to be back?</span><br /><br />No.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. What did you miss most about the US when you were away?</span><br /><br />After the first two years away? Not much. Family and certain people.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. What do you think about Fort Collins?</span><br /><br />So small. So young. So ... white. I'm used to a city of 20 million people. What I'm used to doesn't even exist in the States. Though L.A. might be close.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Where do you see yourself in a few years?</span><br /><br />I'd like to split my time between Asia and the US.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Do you want to move back to Asia for good?</span><br /><br />Hell no. It's absolute torture coming back when you've been away a few years. I really don't want to go through this again.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. If it's so great there, why'd you come back here? </span><br /><br />Temporary insanity (just kidding). After six years, I was really looking forward to hanging out with family and old friends, and that's been great. I also thought it would be easier to execute a career change, but I think that part would have been just as easy (and less expensive) if I'd stayed in Asia.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Don't you like having good food again?</span><br /><br />The food in Asia is better and cheaper. And it gets delivered to your door. And someone cooks it for you. And then someone does the dishes for you.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Don't you like having TV?</span><br /><br />They have English TV in Asia. Which would be great if I ever watched TV.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. Why don't you talk about it more?</span><br /><br />If you've seen as many pairs of eyes glaze over in your life as I have ...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">10. What's the best thing about being back here?</span><br /><br />**sound of chirping crickets**<br /><br />###<br /><br />The question that rarely gets asked but that I actually like to answer is ...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So what do you miss most about Asia?</span><br /><br />I could talk for hours. But see #9 on eyes glazing over.<br /><br />###<br /><br />So there it is. Status update at 10 months stateside. Maybe I'll answer all those questions in six months again and see what's changed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-55125982474251364742011-04-05T15:14:00.000-07:002011-04-05T15:46:28.097-07:00I Survived Cold Calling -- And So Will YouSo for folks in the copy/commercial writing biz (which is where I get the bulk of my income), cold calling (a.k.a. calling total strangers on the phone without an introduction) is considered one of the fastest ways to build your client list.<br /><br />According to Peter Bowerman (author of "The Well-Fed Writer," an awesome book I highly recommend if you're trying to break into this area), making about 1,000 cold calls at start-up should have your business running along pretty smoothly.<br /><br />One problem -- it's absolutely terrifying! Which is why despite knowing this, I've waited nine months to attempt it.<br /><br />See the little ticker on the right? Did you notice how it's been at "0" since January? That's me being a cold-calling wimp.<br /><br />After a busy first quarter, I finally ran out of work this week, so I bit the bullet and started my 25-a-day, two-month cold calling program. <br /><br />And you know what? It wasn't all that terrible. It even had fun and interesting moments. And while we'll see what happens in the next few weeks, so far it seems like a great way to connect with people who hire freelancers -- fast.<br /><br />I started out following the little "script" in the Well-Fed-Writer, but actually, after a few calls, I rewrote it so it was a bit less formal and better suited to my personality. That helped me relax a bit. <br /><br />The first few calls were terrifying. <br />After five, I took a little break to calm down. <br />After ten, I was still freaking out a little. <br />Around twenty, it started to feel like I had been doing this my whole life. <br />My nerves were totally gone by twenty-five.<br /><br />A few people said thanks but no thanks. Most were VERY nice. One was a little grumpy, but hey. I was often grumpy when I had a day job.<br /><br />A few said they rarely hire copywriters, but to send something for the file.<br /><br />A surprising number seemed quite enthusiastic and said to send over materials and follow up in a few days.<br /><br />At least two acted like they had been sitting around all their lives waiting for a copywriter to call (highly gratifying, and kind of amusing considering they hadn't even seen my stuff yet).<br /><br />No one yelled at me.<br /><br />No one asked what the hell a copywriter is.<br /><br />Though I tripped over my tongue a couple times, I didn't say anything too embarrassing.<br /><br />So I have a ton of resumes, clips and links to send out tomorrow. It's a great feeling to have the first day over with (which I'm assuming is probably going to be the hardest by far). <br /><br />It's only 4:00, but am having a delicious Dales Pale Ale now to reward self.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-24311703540336242432011-03-31T20:48:00.000-07:002011-04-01T21:53:02.240-07:00Fukushima: Why I'm not filling my root cellar with iodine pills just yetWell, today I went to the doctor and turns out I have a slightly enlarged thyroid.<br /><br />What, you say it's residual radiation from Fukushima? Should I rush out and buy iodine?<br /><br />Good grief, you too?<br /><br />Uh, no. Besides the fact that I have a cold (which is making all the glands in my neck puffy), the Centers for Disease Control has explicitly warned about the dangers of taking iodine unnecessarily. So if you're getting those panic-mongering spammy emails trying to sell you iodine tabs, report them to the FTC before you delete them.<br /><br />Since I haven't blogged for awhile (and since lack of PhD + relevant experience isn't stopping anyone else on the planet) thought I'd weigh in on the subject of radiation, and whether we should commence global freak out now, later or never.<br /><br />To tackle this, I'll rely on my undergraduate geology major and my extensive research for a novel I'm going to write someday.<br /><br />(As a side to the main action, one loopy character is horrifying her friends by writing an erotic romance novel about two doomed Chernobyl first-responders who decide to live it up before they start, er, disintegrating. Don't steal my idea.)<br /><br />I probably wouldn't feel the need to go crazy blogging about this, but seriously, if I see one more fearmongering, 3-day-late Tweet from the Drudge Report, I might lose it.<br /><br />Radioactivity detected in food!<br /><br />Radioactivity detected in milk!<br /><br />OMG, we broke the universe.<br /><br />Nah. Before you start hoarding iodine in your Nebraska root cellar, consider:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">#1 Everything is radioactive. Even you. </span><br /><br />Yup, you, your pristine little self. In fact, you give your own self a radiation dose of about 0.39 millisieverts per year, just from the radioactive potassium swimming around your body.<br /><br />Did you sleep next to anyone last night? If he/she was human, they're radioactive too. In fact, they exposed you to 0.0005 millisieverts of radiation (according to this <a href="http://xkcd.com/radiation/">handy chart</a> compiled on the fly by a couple reactor researchers. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Almost all the levels quoted below are directly from this chart</span>).<br /><br />While there's some anecdotal evidence that some of us are getting more radioactive than we used to be, we're talking very tiny amounts of the bad stuff. And statistically, in America <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_04.pdf">we continue to live longer</a>, despite having an increasing chemical load on our systems and one of the worst health care systems in the free world.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">#2 Like an earthquake, radiation exposure increases exponentially. But there's a wide spectrum that can be tolerated by the human body.</span><br /><br />Other things that are surprisingly radioactive:<br /><ul><li>Eating a banana (0.001 millisieverts)</li><li>Hanging around a more-radioactive-than-normal area like the Colorado Plateau for 1 day (.0012 millisieverts). Hey that may sound small, but over the course of a year, it adds up to a whopping 0.44 millisieverts. Still, we're not exactly glowing in the dark here.</li><li>Flying from NYC to LA (0.04 millisieverts). Preliminary studies of flight crews have failed to isolate an increased cancer risk.<br /></li><li>Living in a stone house (0.08 millisieverts/year)</li><li>Maximum external dose from 3-Mile Island (1 millisievert)</li><li>Mammogram (3 millisieverts)</li><li>Average yearly background dose (3.65 millisieverts, including medical procedures)</li><li>Chest CT Scan (5.8 millisieverts)</li></ul>So when the goofballs on the news are throwing stats at you like, radiation found in sea water or plutonium found in ground water, your question should always be, HOW MUCH?<br /><br />Because 10,000 times "normal" for the person sleeping next to you or Colorado is about 5 millisieverts, still less than one chest CT scan.<br /><br />Not that you want to get one of those every night of your life, but also not terrible when you consider that the maximum year dose for US radiation workers is 50 millisieverts and the smallest amount clearly linked to cancer/genetic damage is about 100 millisieverts/year.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />#3 Over time, environmental radiation might kill you -- if you hang out at one of three places on earth.</span><br /><br />If you hung out next to the Chernobyl reactor (encased in its ever crumbling sarcophagus thing) on an average day, you'd receive an average of 6 millisieverts per hour of radiation.<br /><br />This would amount to a clear cancer risk in approximate 16 hours, and acute radiation sickness in about 3 days. You <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/radiation-sickness/DS00432/DSECTION=symptoms">probably wouldn't die</a>, but might experience nausea and vomiting immediately, followed by weakness and fatigue in about a month.<br /><br />To receive a theoretical 100 percent fatal dose of radiation (6000 millisieverts), you'd have to camp out next to Chernobyl for almost three years, and because the dose is spaced over a long time period, you still might survive (though you'd probably be a fright).<br /><br />Since it's my blog and I'll digress if I want to, Chernobyl could have been worse, but by any objective criteria, it was (and continues to be) a human disaster of epic proportions.<br /><br />The damage caused by Chernobyl was exacerbated by Soviet secrecy. Many who volunteered or were ordered to help with the containment efforts were not informed of the true risks they faced. Local people were warned late or not at all of the disaster and its health effects. Their health was permanently damaged, their lifespans shortened.<br /><br />For more info see two (disturbing) documentaries The Battle For Chernobyl and Chernobyl Heart.<br /><br />Continuing our tour of the world's major radioactive zones, we head next to the Ural Mountains near Kyshtym, Russia. The area was the site of an early Soviet nuclear facility called Mayak (which still operates). Mayak's underground nuclear waste storage facility exploded in 1957, dispersing radioactive material over a vast region.<br /><br />Though not much is known about the lingering effects of the Mayak disaster, it was eventually estimated to by an INES level 6 event. Roughly half a million people were exposed to radiation, but statistics on death and illness are limited. Soviet secrecy at work again.<br /><br />Before the explosion, Mayak also dumped high-level radioactive waste into local rivers and used unwitting prisoners to cover over the dry lake bed where early waste had been dumped with sand.<br /><br />Early clues to the Mayak disaster surfaced in the US when a defecting Russian scientist described driving across the Urals in the 70s. On the way, he saw signs that warned him to "STAY IN VEHICLE" and "DRIVE FAST."<br /><br />Disaster zone number 3 would of course be the immediate vicinity of Fukushima Daiichi, where radiation levels as of March 17 were hovering around 3.6 millisieverts per day. Not the worst the world has ever seen, but tragic if you live there and may not be able to return.<br /><br />At that rate, a human would receive a potentially cancer-causing dose in just over a day. And as of this writing, the situation appears to have potential to get worse.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">#4 So when should we panic?</span><br /><br />In the US, never. Chernobyl was closer, and had far more widespread effects, and it really didn't impact American health at all.<br /><br />For perspective, those containment buildings that have been breached in Japan? Chernobyl didn't even have one. Also, those cores that are "partially melting?" Chernobyl's exploded, caught on fire, and spewed high into the atmosphere.<br /><br />Freaking out with Tweets and headlines about iodine tablets and radioactive milk (when all milk is radioactive) is not only an irrational response, it trivializes the plight of people in Japan who in addition to other traumas may not be able to return to their homes because of the radiation danger. Not to mention people who are sacrificing their health and their future at the Fukushima plant to keep the situation from getting worse.<br /><br />If given objective numbers from reliable sources, you can calculate that you in the US are receiving more than 50 millisieverts of Fukushima radiation a year (half the dose proved to cause cancer), I'll go on 56 dates with your skeezy cousin Fred.<br /><br />Until then Fred better find a hobby.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-15170176005300753232011-03-19T14:48:00.000-07:002011-03-19T15:03:40.889-07:00When You're Too Tired to Run, Pretend There's a Tsunami Behind You!<object width="416" height="374" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="ep"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=world/2011/03/16/dnt.tuchman.japan.woman.escape.bike.cnn" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><embed src="http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/apps/cvp/3.0/swf/cnn_416x234_embed.swf?context=embed&videoId=world/2011/03/16/dnt.tuchman.japan.woman.escape.bike.cnn" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" bgcolor="#000000" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="416" wmode="transparent" height="374"></embed></object><br /><br />So just finished the Canyonlands Half Marathon (13.1 miles) and feeling pretty good! Jen's off hiking, and I'm sitting in the hotel room drinking my victory beer. <br /><br />So how was the run? I wouldn't call any half-marathon I've done fun (especially the last third), but this one was relatively painless as they go. My big injury was some chafing on my cleavage (I was carrying an emergency goo in my sports bra -- bad idea).<br /><br />We were assured the very worst mile on the whole course would be Mile 9 -- huge, steep hill and all that. As you can read in the post below, 9 was the mile I dedicated Japan/Libya, so I decided that while I was running up the monster hill, I would pretend I was running from the tsunami -- and that I was chasing the 83 year-old grandma on her bike (see video for details). <br /><br />I have been thinking about that Japanese lady a lot this week. Every time I watch the video above, it made me cry. This lady is such an inspiration to me. I should have given her her own a mile!<br /><br />But when I got to killer hill (could see all he people going up), there was Coach Jen from TNT, and we just started talking, and suddenly she says, "Hey! Good Job! We're at the top!" And my response was something like, "Don't f### with me." (I know, not great language, but if you've ever run 13 miles, you'll understand).<br /><br />And she says, no! It's a huge downhill from here. And just then, we started to hear this drumming -- there was a native American drum group way, way down at the bottom of the valley. So for the next mile, it was all downhill, and getting drummed along, which was a huge pick-me-up.<br /><br />But then when we got into town, it was all uphill again, and I was getting a little tired. So I pretended I was chasing the tsunami lady, and then I pretended I *was* the tsunami lady. Because by that time, I was feeling about 80 years old. Or older!<br /><br />So long story short, finished (about) 2:16:45 and that's 5 minutes off my previous personal best. Thanks again (I can't say it enough) to all who supported the run -- friends, family, donors, TNT team, Jen Nauck (who gave up half a day in Moab to cheer me on -- and brought me beer at the finish. This is Utah, so we had to hide behind the car and pour it into metal bottles. V. naughty =)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-65010719057584227632011-03-17T16:26:00.000-07:002011-03-17T17:02:42.913-07:00Time to Run! And I've dedicated each mile to a hero of mine ...So I can't believe the Canyonlands Half Marathon will be FINISHED in less than 48 hours! It's been such an adventure running in strange new places, running backwards in the freezing wind, doing speed workouts in the graveyard ... best of all, it's helped me reconnect with some wonderful people and meet some new ones through my wonderful and very dedicated TNT team!<br /><br />So to keep me running during the race, I'm dedicating each mile to a hero of mine -- someone who has inspired me personally or supported me during this training season. It's also a trick I use to keep my butt moving, I wouldn't want to let any of you down by dropping out during your mile!<br /><br />Mile 1 - To Jennifer Gessner, someone I haven't seen in person since high school who made the very first donation in honor of her friend Marti, who has been kicking lymphoma's ass for many years.<br /><br />Mile 2 - To my aunt Patty Ryan Miller, who chased down donations from practically everyone she knew!<br /><br />Mile 3 - To Kelly Kotary and Phil Haynes who donated generously to the cause even in the midst of starting their own businesses, remodeling a house and other financial craziness.<br /><br />Mile 4 - To Valerie Keller, my patient, positive and encouraging roommate who has never complained that our house has been filled with stinky running clothes for four months straight.<br /><br />Mile 5 - To the Hulses (Rob, Holly, Austin, Jason and Chelsea) who were hands down my biggest donors this season. They are an awesome family I met while working in Shanghai.<br /><br />Mile 6 - Jen Nauck, my friend who will be accompanying me to Canyonlands on her birthday! Just having her watch is making the whole experience so much more gratifying.<br /><br />Mile 7 - Kim Herzog, my friend in Cleveland whose grandma has lymphoma.<br /><br />Mile 8 - My only Fort Collins teammate at Canyonlands, Donna McGovern. It's her first half marathon, and when she started training, she had just finished chemo for Hodgkin's Disease. She also just found out she's the biggest fundraiser in Colorado TNT this season.<br /><br />Mile 9 - The people of Japan and Libya who are dealing courageously with respective disasters.<br /><br />Mile 10 - To my TNT Fort Collins teammates, and especially to coach Jen, mentor Mary and team captains Johanna and Kristina who put so much time in for all of us.<br /><br />Mile 11 - To our team heroes Kim and Annabel. Kim is a leukemia survivor who was diagnosed while pregnant with her daughter. They're both doing great!<br /><br />Mile 12 - To my Dad, Greg Maurer, who is now walking on the treadmill at rehab doing his own brand of training. It probably feels like he's running a half-marathon some days.<br /><br />Mile 13 - To my Mom, Kathie Maurer, who is a 10 year survivor of lymphoma in 2011 and inspires me every day. I was thinking of you on all those long, freezing, unbearable runs, mom! You just never quit, so I couldn't either.<br /><br />I wish I had more miles to give away, because I could go on and on! So many people contributed and altogether we've raised about $2,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and donations are still coming in. Thanks to everyone who contributed. You'll all be with me out there running in the desert!<br /><br />By the way, for all those who want to send their good vibes, the race starts at 10:00 a.m. US mountain standard time on Saturday, March 19. If you want to send extra vibes during your mile, I'm going at about at 10:15 - 10:30 pace.<br /><br />Okay, I'm off to tattoo all your names on my arm (in Sharpie marker) so I can remember who's when!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-5576317690255739012011-03-04T07:29:00.000-08:002011-03-04T08:51:42.161-08:00Why I need a right-wing survivalist to write a book with!Okay, so in response to all the hilarious and helpful comments from my latest Facebook post and hash listserve, here's why I'm seeking a right-wing coauthor who knows how to survive the apocalypse. (Interesting position to be in as a left-wing girl, believe me).<br /><br />For friends interested in publishing their own books (I know you're out there!), this might be an eye-opener about the publishing industry as well. Certainly was for me.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">NOTE: Most of the following applies to non-fiction publishing. Fiction is a different process.</span><br /><br />Okay, so this all started when one of the freelance newsletters I subscribe to included a blurb from an agent seeking writers for some very specific non-fiction projects.<br /><br />That surprised me -- I always thought the author seeks out the agent, not the other way around. At least with legit agents.<br /><br />Turns it's pretty common for a publisher who wants to jump on the latest hot trend to turn to agents. The agent then finds an author with the expertise/voice/platform that fits the publisher's project.<br /><br />In this case, the agent was looking for someone to write a survival skills book. Squee! Right up my alley.<br /><br />I knew I was a long shot -- I've never published a book, and I didn't even have a national journo credit at the time, but I loved the idea. So sent her a brief e-mail, making my case and linking to my clips and blog.<br /><br />I figured I'd never here back from her.<br /><br />To my vast surprised, the agent asked me to put together a proposal package for a Big 6 publisher. This meant, among other things, researching all other survival books on the market (and a whole weekend at B&N).<br /><br />Here are the current big sellers in the survival genre. Notice a trend?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It (John Wesley)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Know to Survive When Disaster Strikes (Cody Lundin)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">* Bug Out! The Complete Plan to Escaping Catastrophic Disaster Before it's too Late (Scott B. Williams)</span><br /><br />Agent and I agreed there was a definite need in the market for a book that focused less on the apocalypse and showed people how to survive the everyday scenarios they saw on the news. We also saw a need for a serious survival book in a female voice, because the existing survival books by women tend to be a bit schoolmarmish in tone and approach.<br /><br />That's how I spent three days of my Palm Springs vacation with my face buried in the laptop pounding out a book proposal (I'd never recommend doing this in three days, by the way).<br /><br />Proposal went off, and then for a month, I didn't hear anything.<br /><br />Here's a funny aside: right after I sent in the proposal for the survival skills book, I went camping with my friend Jen. Neither of us brought a lighter. Shh. Don't tell =)<br /><br />Here's what happened to my proposal behind the scenes.<br /><br />Editor at Big 6 Pub really liked it. Called it fresh, smart, original, well-written (all these words that made me very happy when I heard them secondhand).<br /><br />Then he pitched it to the Big 6 editorial board for final approval.<br /><br />As fate would have it, Borders had just filed for bankruptcy and the publishing world was in a bit of a panic.<br /><br />So Big 6 bean counters and editorial board ultimately decided that rather than blaze into brave new territory in the survival genre, they wanted to buy another book that dealt with an collapse-of-the-dollar, anarchy-unleashed, end-of-the-world type scenario.<br /><br />Because that's what was already selling.<br /><br />Proposal got rejected. But all is not lost.<br /><br />Regarding the original proposal, agent and I will try to repackage it and sub it to smaller pubs.<br /><br />And we still haven't completely given up on landing the Big 6 project.<br /><br />"What if you found a coauthor?" agent said. She suggested someone who was right-leaning, male, possibly ex-military, and had a bunker in their house (I can't remember the exact words she used, but it was hilarious).<br /><br />I told her that living in Colorado, I was pretty sure I could find such a person living within a mile of me. Though I wasn't sure said person would want to write a book. But I resolved to try.<br /><br />So that's where things stand now ... I've put out my SOS on Facebook, Twitter and every listserve I belong to. Here's a recap of suggestions so far ...<br /><br />* Bear Grylls (On whom I would have a raging crush, and wouldn't mind spending months in collaboration with. Probably a bit too famous, but hmm)<br /><br />* Ted Nugent (Bingo. This is pretty spot-on the kind of person I need. Wish I had stopped by his restaurant on my way through Arizona and introduced myself. Possibly too famous, though)<br /><br />* Sarah Palin (Also not far off the mark. Though concerned Sarah and I would end up in a puddle of blood by the end. Also, way too famous)<br /><br />* Aron Ralston (Would be awesome, but probably not pessimistic and scary enough. Also, an excellent writer in his own right)<br /><br />Thanks to the people sent spot-on suggestions of folks we both know. I'm going to float the idea with a few of those guys later today (so far, they're all guys).<br /><br />If you have more ideas for coauthors, please send them along! Or have them read this blog first and see what they think. To recap, here's the flavor I need:<br /><br />* Solid survival skills expertise (military, special forces, extreme survival experience a huge plus)<br /><br />* Somewhat pessimistic worldview (believes some sort of cataclysmic social meltdown is feasible, if not imminent)<br /><br />* Right-leaning (Think the Glenn Beck show and all those ads for gold investments and food insurance)<br /><br />* Aggressive approach (prepare now or face the consequences!)<br /><br />* Existing following is a plus (an industry expert, blogger, etc. But probably not TOO famous)<br /><br />* Doesn't need to be a writer - I'll handle most of the writing. But should be interested in helping promote the finished book.<br /><br />* Has personality and color (be it funny, intense, mildly abrasive, etc.)<br /><br />* Open to the idea of spending A LOT of time working together (no joke - it's going to take some heavy lifting)<br /><br />* Very different from me. That's the real kicker that makes this mission impossible. I have a ton of friends who are probably more qualified than I am to write on this topic. Unfortunately, the person I need to find is probably not someone I would run into in my usual social circles.<br /><br />If the project sells, coauthors split the advance and royalties. Not all the money in the world, but not terrible if you have fun doing it.<br /><br />Thanks again for all your help. I'm off to SoldierOfFortune.com to troll for potential coauthors ...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-3850513652517571542011-02-04T22:18:00.001-08:002011-02-04T23:10:44.796-08:00The double-edged sword of PMSOkay, so just returned from two weeks of fun and adventure in Palm Springs with lots of stories to tell, but since I have raging PMS right now, I'm gonna write about that instead.<br /><br />I've never been a PMS apologist who claims it doesn't exist and gives anyone crass enough to mention it the hairy eyeball. Frankly, I couldn't hide my PMS if I tried.<br /><br />Anyone who knows me more than casually knows how my hormones can hijack me faster than a 747 over Libyan airspace.<br /><br />Back in college (when Beavis and Butthead was all the rage), I used to pull my T-shirt over my head and chase my friend Rachel around our dorm shouting, "I am the great Hormonio!"<br /><br />(Remember that Beavis? I call her Beavis. Still. She calls me Beavis too).<br /><br />Anyhow, last night was kind of a typical PMS night for me. I was a cranky, bitchy wreck of a human being. Valerie, be glad you weren't home!<br /><br />I went to Wal-Mart to get some groceries. I had just run a bunch of mile repeats and was STARVING! The only thing I wanted was Morning Star brand Buffalo Wings (my grown up PMS food).<br /><br />When I got home, I realized that I had somehow left the bag with both my buff wings and my garden burgers at Wal-Mart. So being both PMSsy and also hangry, I proceeded to have a massive meltdown.<br /><br />It didn't help that when I opened the back of the Honda (still crowded with all my unpacked vacation crap), my case of Pabst Blue Ribbon came sliding out and landed on my toes.<br /><br />Then I saw a box of Jen's hand-blown glass bees ($80 a pop) teetering on the verge of crashing to the pavement. Fortunately I caught it before it fell, but it only made me even more strung out.<br /><br />I began to tear the car apart in search of the missing wings and burgers. When I didn't find them, I swear to you, I started cursing inanimate objects. I was like, bleep you Honda! Bleep you garden burgers! Bleep you, Wal-Mart!<br /><br />Fortunately, my next-door neighbor was in Wyoming, so he didn't call the cops. But that was a pretty typical PMS evening for me.<br /><br />But you know what? PMS can cut both ways. And on vacation just a few days ago, it actually worked in my favor for once.<br /><br />It happened when Jen and I went to the "Amazing Animal Show" (or similar ridiculous spectacle) at The Living Desert in California. The retired volunteers at the park assured us it was a must see.<br /><br />I said to Jen, "The second an animal dances, I'm outta here."<br /><br />She said, "Let's sit over there by the exit." We weren't so optimistic, see.<br /><br />At the start of the show, the trainer held up her glove and out of nowhere, this beautiful great-horned owl came flapping over the audience and landed on her arm. There were lots of oohs and ahs.<br /><br />"Ladies and gentlemen," said the trainer. "I'd like you to meet ... Boob-o."<br /><br />At the mention of this name, some synapse in my brain misfired on apocalyptic scale. I looked at Jen and said, in my best Butthead voice, "His name is Boob ..." And then I was laughing about as hard as I've ever laughed in my life.<br /><br />Laughing loudly and obnoxiously and doubling over in spasms and gasping for breath. Laughing so hard tears started pouring down my face. Laughing harder than I've ever laughed at anything that was actually funny.<br /><br />"Oh god," I sobbed and laughed. "Do you have a Kleenex, Jen?"<br /><br />All I could picture was the trainer stopping the show to scold me for my interruption. Which made me laugh even harder.<br /><br />Or getting escorted out by security, or the medical team. Which was pretty funny too.<br /><br />It took me about five minutes to compose myself. But throughout the show (in which I'm happy to say no animals danced), periodic snorts of obnoxious laughter erupted from my nose.<br /><br />So what set me off? I'm 99 percent sure it was PMS. It was the same overwhelming tidal wave of emotion that hits me when I'm watching the news at that time of the month and suddenly I'm crying over a dog stuck in a cave or a kid giving his allowance to the homeless.<br /><br />But for once, instead of irritability, the emotion was pure, unbridled mirth. Delight. Lightness. Joy. Because for a just a minute, that poor owl's name was the funniest thing in the multiverse.<br /><br />I wish I had more months like that.<br /><br />POSTSCRIPT:<br /><br />Okay, I realize the owl's name was actually probably spelled Bubo (though Boob-o, complete with hyphen, was the spelling that popped into my head). So when I went home and googled Bubo, this was the first link I got:<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubo"><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubo</a><br /><br />Seriously, this poor owl can't win.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-70147154394278723142011-01-21T10:27:00.000-08:002011-01-21T10:40:12.190-08:00Show me love, darling. Join this blog!So I've got an exciting new opportunity in the works -- today I talked to a literary agent about writing an non-fiction book! Can't say too much at this point, except that it's about a topic that I live and breathe (and so do many of you!).<div><br /></div><div>In order to sell me as a writer to the publisher, the agent needs to show I have an existing platform (or base of readers who are interested in what I have to say). Two platform areas where I could use some help are my blog and Twitter.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's who you can help:</div><div><br /></div><div>* If you enjoy reading this blog, please consider joining by clicking the "Follow" button on the right. See? I put it on top just for you! </div><div><br /></div><div>* If you're on Twitter, let's be friends! Visit www.twitter.com and search for maurer_kg. Click the "follow" button.</div><div><br /></div><div>* If you know others who are interested in writing, outdoor sports, survival, international travel, etc., please share the links above with them so we can connect.</div><div><br /></div><div>BTW, I post about once every two weeks, so I won't clog up your email with RSS feeds about the funny face my cat just made and what I ate for dinner. Promise.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks for your help! </div><div><br /></div><div>Fingers crossed on the book deal ...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-26081718321617706292011-01-17T11:20:00.000-08:002011-01-17T11:25:55.716-08:00Give it to me baby! (rejection)Just because one of my New Years resolutions is to get more rejections, I've added a rejection meter at right. Sounds kind of weird, but in this business you have to be okay with rejections if you ever want to sell anything. So when I get one, I'm going to let it be counted and remind myself that at least I'm getting stuff out there.<div><br /></div><div>And yup, got my first bong of 2011 today from Backpacker! He was actually pretty nice and gave me the name of another ed to pitch.<div><br /></div><div>Anyone got any good skills ideas I could pitch to Backpacker?</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-10461355577425719432011-01-02T16:06:00.000-08:002011-01-02T20:22:32.358-08:00Query PhobiaWant to write for magazines or websites? Learn to write kick-ass query letters. A query letter (which is now usually done by email) is like a sales pitch to the editor. It outlines your story idea, why it would be a great fit for the magazine, what angle you'll take and who you'll interview. End with a bio.<div><br /></div><div>Easy enough, right?</div><div><br /></div><div>Shudder.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm just wrapping up a class on how to write better query letters. One thing's for sure -- when it comes to querying, I'm not alone in my absolute dread of hitting the send button. I think every freelancer dreams of the day when magazines are chasing her down with lucrative work. The sad truth is, most of us newbies spend a large percentage of our time querying -- and getting ignored or rejected. A decent acceptance to rejection ratio for a novice freelancer is, oh, 1-25.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have several non-ingenious strategies for delaying the inevitable cold shoulder or rejection each query may bring:</div><div><br /></div><div>* Spend hours perfecting each query. Rework it to death. Decide to send it tomorrow so you can review it with fresh eyes beforehand. Repeat this cycle for several weeks until the story's out of season or someone else gets the same idea published.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Scan trade pubs and message boards, subconsciously praying that the market you're about to query has folded or the editor you're about to query has left. It happens all the time in this economy -- and it will buy you at least a week of guiltless procrastination.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Send it to nine or ten writer friends to get their feedback. Give them at least three weeks to respond. Don't give them a deadline and for god's sakes, don't remind them.</div><div><br /></div><div>* Work on everything else you can think of besides queries. Billing. Updating your website. Record keeping. Defragging your hard drive. </div><div><br /></div><div>* Instead of querying, read a lot of message boards about how to write better queries.</div><div><br /></div><div>Follow all of the above and you will find yourself in the same position I am today: completely out of paying work with nothing on the horizon. Since I started freelancing full-time in July, I've written exactly 13 queries. That's an average of one every 2 weeks. And seriously, this is something that takes maybe half a day to research and write well.</div><div><br /></div><div>No more! If you'll glance to the right at the newly installed "Productivity Meter" you'll see that I'm planning to send out 31 new queries in the month of January -- one a day. If I can pull it off, I will have increased my productivity by, oh, 1400 percent. If I sell any of them, I'll put up another ticker to show that.</div><div><br /></div><div>So now I have to figure out what to write about. My idea list is not terribly rich at the moment. But these are REAL IDEAS so please promise you won't steal them:</div><div><br /></div><div>* Why smart women fall for scams</div><div>* Why smart men fall for scams</div><div>* Why smart retirees fall for scams</div><div>* Pink guns for girls</div><div>* Durians (you knew it)</div><div>* How to survive a tsunami</div><div>* How to survive a riot</div><div>* How to hike without getting a scabby nose (Does anyone else have this problem?)</div><div>* How drinking LESS water can make you healthier (Ha!)</div><div>* Profiles of people who have been hit by lightning</div><div>* Adventures in pet sitting (can interview roommate)</div><div>* Adventures in painting outdoors in the dark (friend who was attacked by elk and fire ants)</div><div>* Adventures in glass blowing (with sidebar on how to superglue your wounds shut)</div><div>* 27 ways to poop in the woods (remember the digger is not a putter)</div><div>* Should you let your daughter play Roller Derby? (YES!)</div><div>* Is your cat the damaged product of a dysfunctional family?</div><div>* Profile of a woman who tried to do the Eat, Pray, Love thing and it went terribly wrong (know one?)</div><div>* How to race an endurance event with a partner and NOT end up in a pool of blood</div><div><br /></div><div>That's only 18 -- insufficient. Anyone else have an idea? Or an 8-12 year-old kid I can feed a durian to?</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers,</div><div>Sar</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-49398834852485280322010-12-30T16:58:00.000-08:002010-12-31T05:26:39.028-08:00Coffee mug IED ... aka holiday airport nightmareOkay, so I have no one to blame but myself. I bought my ticket late, so it ended up looking like so:<div><br /></div><div>December 30, 2010</div><div><br /></div><div>CLEVELAND - OHARE 6:54 AM</div><div>OHARE - FARGO 9:45 AM</div><div>FARGO - DENVER 12:03 PM</div><div><br /></div><div>The first sign of trouble came early in the morning when I sent my bag through the x-ray machine in Cleveland and my new stainless steel coffee mug set off the alarm. The TSA agent marched me over to the corner and ordered me to watch and "not touch anything" while he swabbed the mug with white cotton.</div><div><br /></div><div>I remembered this test from the security checkpoints in Indonesia. After they wipe the object down, they put the gauze in a microwave-looking thing that checks it for bomb residue. It was freaking early, my caffeine blood level was dangerously low, and I was not amused. I made a point of checking my watch and scowling through the whole process.</div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe that un-zenlike attitude turned the wheel of karma against me.</div><div><br /></div><div>After clearing security, I flew to Chicago, where the weather was foggy. The flight to Fargo was delayed 15 minutes and sat on the ground for 20 more. </div><div><br /></div><div>As we approached Fargo, the pilot announced that since the visibility was only 1/4 miles, we couldn't land. At 12:15, we were still circling in the air. I prayed my connecting flight was grounded. We finally landed, and as we taxied through the thick fog, snow blew past the windows in horizontal streaks.</div><div><br /></div><div>For reasons unknown, they sent our gate-checked carry-ons to baggage claim. As I raced down the stairs, I caught sight of the DEPARTURES board. My 12:03 flight had apparently left ON TIME. </div><div><br /></div><div>The customer service line stretched all the way back to Terre Haute. Stranded travelers grumbled about renting 4 x 4s and trying to make it to the Minneapolis airport. I noticed with rising panic that there were A) only 3 more flights out of Fargo that day and B) no food for sale in this airport. </div><div><br /></div><div>Suddenly an announcement: UNITED PASSENGER MAURER, PLEASE COME TO GATE 4 FOR IMMEDIATELY DEPARTURE. I raced up the stairs to the security check-point where by some miracle there was no line. Pulled off my boots. Wrestled the laptop out of its case. Shoved everything through the machine.</div><div><br /></div><div>The alarm went off. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I have to search your bag," said the TSA guy.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wanted to strangle him. "That person they just called is ME!"</div><div><br /></div><div>"It's too late. They already closed the gate."</div><div><br /></div><div>I felt like snatching my bag back and pounding him on the head with it. "So what do I do?" I shouted. I stopped short of demanding that he supply me with Subway for the entire week I was about to be stranded here.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Well, you can check the gate. Sometimes they'll open the door again. A-ha!" He pulls out the culprit -- my coffee mug. Seriously, are coffee mug IEDs becoming a terrorist trend? For good measure, he swabs my hands for residue.</div><div><br /></div><div>I grab my bag and run for gate 4. The woman at the podium smiles and opens the door. I tell her I want to hug her, and she laughs. "You have no idea how many people wanted your seat," she says.</div><div><br /></div><div>The moment I get on, I recognize the flight attendant. I was never in any danger of missing my connecting flight. The plane to Denver is the same one I just landed on from Chicago.</div><div><br /></div><div>**HEADDESK**</div><div>**WINEGLUG**</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-60328135434742836782010-12-07T14:59:00.000-08:002010-12-07T15:11:07.419-08:00A moving birthday guest post from my mom!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TP69EvXd5mI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/0LS4BVytk7c/s1600/IMG_4797.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TP69EvXd5mI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/0LS4BVytk7c/s320/IMG_4797.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5548079680099051106" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">What a treat! My mom agreed to write a guest post on her personal experience with lymphoma, and right on my birthday too! Read, enjoy, laugh, cry and if you feel moved to make a personal donation to blood cancer research, just click </span></i><a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/canyonld11/smaurer"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">right here</span></i></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">. - SM</span></i><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">When I heard the words “you have cancer,” I reacted just like everyone else hearing the diagnosis. This can’t be true. What am I going to do? I was terrified. Then a thought entered my mind: What about Sarah? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">At the time, Sarah was a young adult living on her own for a number of years. Out of nowhere these words came to me, “Sarah isn’t ready yet,” and I knew exactly what those words meant. Sarah is not ready to live without her mother. She still needed my support on her way to becoming the woman she is destined to be. She was so close to being there, but just not quite done. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">This kind of makes her sound like a cake baking in the oven. Our children are like that. They bake for an allotted amount of time and eventually the timer goes off. They are done and come out light, springy and eager to get on with life. At the time of my diagnosis, Sarah was not quite done yet, and I knew I was going to dig deep and fight for more time.<br /><br />I was blessed. My lymphoma responded well to chemo and monoclonal antibodies. I was given the time I needed. Sarah is out of the oven now and an extraordinary young woman. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I thank the medical community everyday for giving me those years and all the years to come with my daughter. The research done with the money raised is a gift beyond measure. It gives survivors time to spend with the people we cherish most.<br /><br />Thank you to everyone supporting Sarah’s Canyonlands Half Marathon to raise money for blood cancers! Sarah is blessed with so many extraordinary friends. Thanks to all of you for being there with her on her journey.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Yours truly,<br /><br />Kathie Maurer </span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-83720032356660893992010-12-02T18:50:00.000-08:002010-12-02T19:01:12.243-08:00Team In Training Donations Map -- December 2, 2010Thanks for all the awesome support! Let's keep coloring in the world map with donations!<br /><div style="width:550px; position: relative;"><br /><object width="550" height="293" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://static.travbuddy.com/flash/countries_map.swf?id=5794058" height="293" width="550"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://static.travbuddy.com/flash/countries_map.swf?id=5794058" /><br /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#372060" /><br /><embed src="http://static.travbuddy.com/flash/countries_map.swf?id=5794058" quality="high" bgcolor="#372060" width="550" height="293" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br /></object><br /><div style="background-color: #38235b; padding: 5px 0px 5px 0px; text-align: center; width: 549px; border-left: 1px solid #372060;"><br /><a href="http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-widgets"><img src="http://static.travbuddy.com/images/widget_map_promote_v2.gif" border="0"></a><br /><a href="http://www.travbuddy.com/browse/users"><img src="http://static.travbuddy.com/images/widget_map_promote_meet.gif" border="0"></a><br /></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-15744396558100905732010-12-02T07:52:00.000-08:002010-12-02T11:39:41.404-08:00Bottled Water Alternatives<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TPfR-9y66rI/AAAAAAAAAXI/stu4VdMPpPI/s1600/Slum%2B325.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TPfR-9y66rI/AAAAAAAAAXI/stu4VdMPpPI/s320/Slum%2B325.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546132345800288946" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TPfR-btGWiI/AAAAAAAAAXA/tSpgCnDaYAc/s1600/Slum%2B320.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TPfR-btGWiI/AAAAAAAAAXA/tSpgCnDaYAc/s320/Slum%2B320.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5546132336649067042" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Kampung Pulo neighborhood in Jakarta Indonesia -- See the water on the ground? That's drinking water. </b></div><div><br /></div>So here's an <a href="http://www.stcloudstate.edu/news/newsrelease/default.asp?pubID=3&issueID=28609&storyID=33680&SIimageID=10684">article on Shaun Phillips</a> (of Shaun and Julie, subjects of another post <a href="http://therecoveringexpat.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-to-help-your-repat-friend.html">here</a>), who is working to educate people about the stupidity and pointlessness of bottled water. <div><br /></div><div><b>FULL DISCLOSURE: I can't hide the fact from most of you (especially if you've known me the last six years) that I have drunk a lot of bottled water in my time. Yes, evil Nestle and Coca-Cola branded water! I had it delivered to my apartment by the barrel in China, and in Thailand I (gasp) bought bottled water by the case because I was too cheap to buy a water cooler for 65 USD. So yes, I am part of the problem. But thanks to projects like Shaun's, I am waking up and changing my evil ways. </b><br /><div><br /></div><div>Having lived in several places where access to clean water is a huge issue (as you can see in the photos above), Shaun's cause is one close to my own heart. So if you'll indulge me for a moment, I'll hop on my soapbox -- and try not to bore you to death =).</div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>First of all, in defense of tap water ...</b><br /><div><div><br /></div><div>I know it sounds crazy, but one of the greatest things about being home in the States is the ability to drink yummy tap water 24 hours a day. (Mmm, chlorine!) When you consider that less than half the world's population has access to improved sanitation, and that the ancient Romans had better water quality than half the people living today, the fact that we can just turn on the tap and drink clean, high-quality water is, well, rather miraculous in my mind. </div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>If you're convinced that tap water is the root of all chronic illness and won't touch it, I invite you to live in rural Kyrgyzstan for a few months. Not only is the tap water undrinkable, if you even have running water, it's rarely on. Yup, we used to leave the taps on all the time with catch buckets underneath, waiting for the water. During the wetter months, we'd have maybe two hours of running water each day. We'd have to filter or boil the water we collected, but seriously, that's not bad as far as the world water supply goes.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the drier months, no one had running water and we had to walk a mile to the only working well in the center of town and haul water back in buckets (our neighbor eventually took pity on us and started bringing us extra water on his donkey). </div><div><br /></div><div>While this wasn't fun, it was a vastly better water situation of many people around the world. It was mildly labor intensive, but we had water and the means to purify it. (We did have to give up luxuries like a flushing toilet.)</div><div><br /></div><div>Contrast this with urban Jakarta, where millions of people in the so-called "informal settlements" (er, slums) drink swamp water from the reclaimed land that's contaminated by fecal matter, pesticides, and everything kind of crap that runs off from the city. </div><div><br /></div><div>Gross, eh? OK, so now you know why I have so little patience with people who insist that our U.S. tap water is tainted and filthy. It's all a myth perpetuated by the bottled water industry.</div><div><br /></div><div>(For more water facts, check out <a href="http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/">water.org.</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>On to bottled water ...</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Ever been to Bali after a winter storm and seen the miles and miles of plastic water bottles that wash up on Kuta Beach? Blech. There's so many they bring in bulldozers to clean them up. But the whole bottled water industry has other bad effects that aren't so visible. </div><div><br /></div><div>** Puts on geology major hat ** </div><div><br /></div><div>When you sink a well anywhere and start pumping tons of H2O out of the ground in mass quantities, the entire region is affected. Levels are reduced in aquifers, rivers and lakes. Less water becomes available for farmers and for household use in areas where people rely on wells. Regions may dry up, making agriculture impossible. </div><div><br /></div><div>Remember our Kyrgyzstani village? If Nestle, Coca-Cola or Pepsi (all big bottled water providers in Asia) ever sink a water well in the Chuy Valley, that little well could run dry, or become so low that it can't supply our village of 5,000 people. It's a situation that's becoming more and more common around the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>Besides being expensive and bad for people and the environment, there's no guarantee that bottled water is healthier than tap water. Many popular brands including Dasani and Aquifina ARE tap water with a few extra stages of cosmetic enhancement. And tap water is much more closely regulated and goes through much more stringent quality control than most bottled water. </div><div><br /></div><div>Consider also the amount of oil involved in mining and transporting bottled water. Not to mention making all those plastic bottles that wash up later on the beach. </div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so to be a more savvy water consumer:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>1. If you live in the developing world (or you simply don't trust the water supply in your area), consider a water filter rather than relying on commoditized water. </b></div><div><br /></div><div>Yup. One tip only. Though it takes some set up, a filter is more convenient and cheaper in the long run than taking a refillable jug to a health food coop or ordering Nestle water by the barrel for your water cooler. </div><div><br /></div><div>And if you want to join Shaun in advocating for improved water supplies straight from the tap, here's a <a href="http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2215/t/8100/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1410">petition</a> you can sign with Corporate Accountability International.</div><div><br /></div><div>And here's another article called <a href="http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled/bottled-water-illusions-of-purity/">Illusions of Purity</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>How's the water quality in your area of the U.S.? Here's Forbes on the <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2008/04/14/water-cities-drinking-forbeslife-cx_avd_0414health.html">best cities</a> for drinking water.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-45054066894814596832010-12-01T19:52:00.000-08:002010-12-01T19:52:39.808-08:00Leukemia: Been There, Done That<a href="http://copingmag.com/cwc/index.php/article_review/article/been_there_done_that/">Been There, Done That</a><div><br /></div><div>Click the link above to read a fantastic essay by our TNT Team Hero Kim Fields. It appeared this summer in Coping With Cancer magazine.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-2578301032215240382010-11-25T09:30:00.001-08:002010-11-25T09:38:57.981-08:00Nano: It is finished. The novel? Not so much.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TO6dU1AGAqI/AAAAAAAAAW4/j0Aohks9QEo/s1600/Nano%2B2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TO6dU1AGAqI/AAAAAAAAAW4/j0Aohks9QEo/s320/Nano%2B2.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543541172490076834" /></a><br /><div>Yay! So today, I wrote my 50,000th word of what is probably the seventh (and hopefully final) incarnation of my novel. Sounds like a lot, but there's still such a long way to go.</div><div><br /></div><div>The sad thing: of those 50,000 words, I'll be surprised if half of them make it into the final cut. <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/">Nano Wri Mo (National Novel Writing Month)</a> is all about barfing words onto a page as fast as you can. And while there's something to be said for free flowing creativity, it's the editing where most people give up. I almost have a number of times!</div><div><br /></div><div>Shouts to all the other nanos out there typing toward the homestretch. Or writing. Or keying into their palm pilot. Almost there! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-38599823699280367872010-11-23T20:19:00.003-08:002010-11-23T20:19:54.927-08:00Donations Map - As of November 22, 2010Here's a map of donations from around the world! Let's work on coloring this in ... will post again in a week.<div><br /></div><div><div><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.ammap.com/visited_countries/swfobject.php"></script></div><div><div id="visitedcountries"></div><div>This application is created by <a href="http://www.ammap.com" target="_blank">interactive maps.</a><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>You can also have your <a href="http://www.ammap.com/visited_countries/" target="_blank">visited countries map</a> on your site.<br /><br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>If you see this message, you need to <a href="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" target="_blank">upgrade your flash player.</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><script type="text/javascript"></div><div>var so = new SWFObject("http://www.ammap.com/visited_countries/visited_countries.swf", "visitedcountries", 728, 450, "7", "#000000");</div><div><br /></div><div>addLocation('US', '', '', '');<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>//United States </div><div>addLocation('EG', '', '', '');<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>//Egypt </div><div>addLocation('CH', '', '', '');<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>//Switzerland </div><div>addLocation('CN', '', '', '');<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>//China </div><div>addToFlash();</div><div><br /></div><div>so.addVariable("stageWidth", 728);</div><div>so.addVariable("stageHeight", 450);</div><div>so.addVariable("infoOver", "enabled");</div><div>so.addVariable("zoomFunction", "checked");</div><div>so.addVariable("bgColor", "666666");</div><div>so.addVariable("visitedColor", "5EB7DE");</div><div>so.addVariable("notVisitedColor", "CDCDCD");</div><div>so.addVariable("countryBordersColor", "666666");</div><div>so.addVariable("helpTextColor", "000000");</div><div>so.addVariable("helpText", "Mark the area you wish to zoom in");</div><div><br /></div><div>so.addParam("scale", "noscale");</div><div>so.addParam("salign", "lt");</div><div><br /></div><div>so.write("visitedcountries");</div><div></script></div><div><br /></div><div><table width="728" bgcolor="#333333" border="0" cellspacing="4"><tr><td style="color: #FFFFFF; font-face: Arial; font-size: 12px;"> Make your <a href="http://www.ammap.com/visited_countries" target="_blank" style="color: #FFCC33; font-face: Arial; font-size: 12px;">visited countries map</a></td><td align="right"><a href="http://www.amcharts.com/" target="_blank" style="color: #FFCC33; font-face: Arial; font-size: 12px;">Flash charts</a></td></tr></table></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-24736596918103747152010-11-20T12:20:00.000-08:002011-03-26T08:30:32.865-07:00All I want for my birthday (besides James Franco in a red ribbon)<span class="Apple-style-span" style=";font-family:Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif;font-size:14px;" ><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/canyonld11/smaurer"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 204, 51);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Sarah's TNT Donation Page (Insta-link for those with short attention spans)</span></span></a></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My mom wrote last week to ask what I want for birthday (December 5th). When I read her email, here's the picture that came immediately to mind:</span></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="http://pages.teamintraining.org/EtoolsBaseDir/2010/11/20/13/members/1783398/IMG_5645.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 5px 10px;" height="216.75" width="289" /></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">What's that? It's the three-fourths of my </span><a href="http://therecoveringexpat.blogspot.com/2010/09/im-in-unpacking-phase-its-very.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bangkok shipment</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> that has never been unpacked! Yup, it's gathering dust in the basement because there's no room for all my junk in the tiny house I share with a roommate.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Frankly, the idea of adding any more material possessions to the mix over the upcoming holidays makes my head explode. In fact, I'm contemplating a serious trip to Goodwill to thin out my stuff.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The good news: </span><span style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">there's an awesome birthday (and Christmas!) present you can give that will not only put a smile on my face, but will go to help a great cause -- a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.</span></u></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">As many of you know, I'm running the Canyonlands Half Marathon on March 19, 2011 to honor my mom, who is a 10-year survivor of lymphoma (see post below for more details). Your gift will help me reach my </span><span style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">goal of raising $4500</span></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> for blood cancer research and programs.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Yesterday I told a friend of mine (someone who just loves giving presents) that I only wanted a donation for my birthday. "But that's kind of boring!" she said. "Can't I get you something fun?"</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My reply -- there's nothing better you could give me! Because of advances in blood cancer research and treatment made possible by donations like yours, I have the greatest thing in the world -- my mom!</span></p><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="center"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="http://pages.teamintraining.org/EtoolsBaseDir/2010/11/11/17/members/1783398/IMG_4777.JPG" style="border-width: 0px; padding: 5px 10px;" height="209.25" width="279" /></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I truly believe that when you donate to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, you're helping give someone back a mom, a dad, a child, a brother, sister, friend or partner. In fact, seventy-six cents of every dollar you donate goes directly to research or patient programs.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Do you know someone whose life has been touched by blood cancer? Instead of a tie or another kitchen gadget, consider making a donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in their honor. That's a heartwarming gift that shows how much you care.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To sum up my plea: Instead of adding to the overflow of stuff at the Maurer-Keller house, please consider </span><a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/canyonld11/smaurer"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">clicking her</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">e and making a donation to The Leukemia Lymphoma Society.</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There's a $25 minimum to donate online with a credit card. If you'd like to make a smaller donation (and every single dollar is appreciated!), or if you simply prefer to donate by check, write your check to "The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society" and mail it to</span></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">:</span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sarah Maurer</span></p><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">(Email me for Address)</span><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To ensure I meet my fundraising deadlines, please donate TODAY. No need to wait til Christmas.</span></u></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span><p style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 5px; word-wrap: break-word;" align="left"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So now you can cross one gift off your holiday shopping list. Unless, of course, you can catch and deliver James Franco to my doorstep. (Run James! Run far. Run fast =)</span></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-28924475108744828332010-11-15T15:33:00.001-08:002011-03-26T08:29:35.565-07:00Let's Fight Blood Cancer Together<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TOHEYYp3ofI/AAAAAAAAAWo/GULTx144rAc/s1600/China%2BVisit%2BII%2B137.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TOHEYYp3ofI/AAAAAAAAAWo/GULTx144rAc/s320/China%2BVisit%2BII%2B137.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539924939856388594" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">My mom and me, three years after she was diagnosed with lymphoma</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><b><a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/canyonld11/smaurer"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">To skip this deathless prose and proceed directly to my Leukemia & Lymphoma Society donations page, click here =)</span></a></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Dear Friends and Family,</span></div><div> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I'm writing to invite you to join a cause close to my heart -- the fight against leukemia, lymphoma and other blood cancers. As you may know, my mom Kathie was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2001. Though her cancer was quite advanced at diagnosis, she is alive today because of an amazing treatment called monoclonal antibodies. She's now been in remission for almost 10 years, and I swear she's healthier than I am!</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">As late as the 1950s, blood cancer was 100 percent fatal. Today, 89 percent of children with leukemia and 96 percent of people with Hodgkin's disease will live, thanks to research funded by organizations like The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Like me, you've probably experienced a friend's or loved one's cancer. Did you know that when you help to fund blood cancer research, all cancer patients benefit? </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Research sponsored by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has been the catalyst for the effective treatment of breast and lung cancer, among others</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">While treatment has come a long way, </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">nearly a million people are still battling blood cancer today</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">. Every 10 minutes, an adult or child dies of blood cancer, and leukemia still causes more deaths to children under 20 than any other cancer.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">With accelerated funding through generous donations like yours, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society predicts that we can make all blood cancers curable by 2015.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span style="font-style: normal;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">To raise money for blood cancer research, I've pledged to run the Canyonlands Half-Marathon</span></u></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> (13 miles in the blazing Utah desert) through a program you may have heard of -- Team In Training.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Team In Training is a fundraising program which benefits The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Each year, they train over 40,000 runners, walkers, cyclists, triathletes, hikers and snowshoers to race at events around the world. The group has excellent coaches who provide a daily training schedule, advise on gear and nutrition, organize group runs, offer track workouts and keep our motivation level up with regular communication.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;" align="LEFT"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">In return, I have pledged to raise money to help fund research and support for blood cancer patients and their families. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">My goal is $4500</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">. It's a big challenge, but not nearly as big as the challenges these patients face every day.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I've just returned from our Team In Training kick-off party in Denver, where I met our team hero, Kimberly. She was 27 years old -- and 28 weeks pregnant -- when she was diagnosed with leukemia. After a successful course of treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., she ran her first half marathon in 2010. This season, she'll be up and training with us every Saturday morning at 7:45 a.m. </span></p> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TOHEYCOhO6I/AAAAAAAAAWg/wwuFN01P458/s1600/Kim%2Band%2BMe.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TOHEYCOhO6I/AAAAAAAAAWg/wwuFN01P458/s320/Kim%2Band%2BMe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539924933836094370" border="0" /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Kim was pregnant with her daughter when she was diagnosed with leukemia</span></b></span></div></b></div><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I would greatly appreciate your donation to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Over 75 percent of your donation goes directly to research and patient programs.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">As a thoughtful and heartwarming holiday gift, consider donating in the name of a friend or loved one.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">There are two ways you can donate</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">:</span></b></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">1. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Credit card</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">: Visit my personal Team in Training </span><a href="http://pages.teamintraining.org/rm/canyonld11/smaurer"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">fundraising page</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">. All donations are private, secure and 100 percent tax deductible.</span></b></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">2. </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Check</span></u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">: Make checks payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Mail the check with the enclosed form to Sarah Maurer at <span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">(e-mail me for address)</span>.</span></b></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Please also keep in mind that many corporations have matching programs and will match any donation you provide. It's an easy way to double your contribution!</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Thank you in advance for your consideration in supporting this effort. Feel free to contact me for more info, or visit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at lls.org.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Yours truly,</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Sarah Maurer</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">TAX ID # 135644916 </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">P.S.: While I will gladly accept donations through March, </span><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">your early support will help me to meet my fundraising deadlines -- the first of which falls in December.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> </span><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">So your donation TODAY will help raise even more money to fight blood cancer!</span></u></b></p> </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TOHEX3_vQXI/AAAAAAAAAWY/PTnq6dZVasg/s1600/Fort%2BCollins%2BTNT.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TOHEX3_vQXI/AAAAAAAAAWY/PTnq6dZVasg/s320/Fort%2BCollins%2BTNT.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539924931089744242" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Our Fort Collins/Northern CO Team In Training</span></b></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-75406235908614165972010-09-13T07:35:00.000-07:002010-09-19T00:38:09.181-07:00You might be from Bangkok if...<div>1. You have an irresistible urge to remove your shoes at the front door.</div><div><br /></div><div>2. You're constantly amazed by the fearlessness of the native pedestrians. </div><div><br /></div><div>3. You make social chit-chat about prostitutes, red light districts, lady boys and ping-pong shows. With complete strangers. </div><div><br /></div><div>4. You scare other motorists doing the Thai-style squeeze-around. (More about this in my recent post: <a href="http://therecoveringexpat.blogspot.com/2010/08/thai-style-driving-not-appreciated-at.html">"Thai style driving not appreciated at the National Park"</a>).</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Every time the cashier gives you change, you say, "Khap Khun Kha."</div><div><br /></div><div>6. You can't believe how quiet it is in America...WHERE'D EVERYBODY GO?</div><div><br /></div><div>7. You stand waaay too close in the check-out line. Hey, you gotta look like you're part of this queue. If your nose isn't touching the next person's head, someone might cut!</div><div><br /></div><div>8. You barrel through the airport like a mack truck, heedless of the elderly and small children. To you, the terminal is a jungle. Only the strong survive.</div><div><br /></div><div>9. On the subject of airports, you're salty that you have to pay a quarter for a luggage cart. Aren't those a basic human right?</div><div><br /></div><div>10. You exit the bar at last call and immediately look around for a 7-11. Seeing none, you scan the street for a taxi or tuk tuk. Then you remember where you are. Looks like you're sleeping in the car =(</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-91673013569308018792010-09-12T09:42:00.000-07:002010-09-13T07:32:56.125-07:00Defeated by Long's. But we'll be back!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIust0gXb7I/AAAAAAAAAVg/S6YJ9UX6ka0/s320/IMG_5482.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515692071833792434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span>Here's me and Jen on our big climb. It's no accident this picture is in black and white! Our noses are total disasters--red, raw, drippy--we had to give them an extra good blowing before shooting close-ups =). <div><br /></div><div>Why? Because it was snowing. The windchill was 0 degrees Farenheit. And the wind was gusting to at least sixty miles an hour! Not the best conditions for climbing to 14,259 feet.</div><div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIxLy_0NTYI/AAAAAAAAAV4/RcX3awOZqOo/s1600/P1010008.JPG"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIxLy_0NTYI/AAAAAAAAAV4/RcX3awOZqOo/s320/P1010008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515866983117966722" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a><div><br /></div><div><b>The Mountain</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Long's Peak is the tallest mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. Here's an (old) picture of Chasm Lake, just below the East Face of Long's, aka The Diamond. It's nearly 2,000 feet tall and some crazy yahoos actually free solo it! </div><div><br /></div><div>Not Jen and me. Instead, we went through a "hikers" route called The Keyhole. It's the easiest approach, but it's no cakewalk: sixteen miles round-trip and just under 5,000 feet elevation gain. Only about 30 percent of hikers who set out along this trail actually summit.</div><div><br /></div><div>Originally, five of us were supposed to climb, but Kel, Phil and Valerie all threw in the towel when they saw the weather report. The NWS was predicting wind gusts up to 60 mph! </div><div><br /></div><div>But Jen and I decided to go for it. Even if it was windy on the ground, we were going a whole mile up in the air. Anything could be happening up there, we reasoned. It could be perfectly calm. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>All Quiet on the Eastern slope ...</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Friday at midnight, we met up at Jen's house and pounded some coffee, then drove to the Long's Peak Trailhead. We put on our headlamps and almost immediately mine died =(. No matter. There was still enough light from Jen's lamp for me to stumble along behind. </div><div><br /></div><div>At 00:53, we stopped to sign the register. We were the first hikers of the day.</div><div><br /></div><div>An hour later, when we emerged above the treeline, we stopped to look for signs of the Four-Mile Canyon wildfire. It was a gorgeous night--new moon, puddles of Milky Way and stars upon stars. Through the shimmery air, the summit looked close enough to touch. We could hear the wind howling somewhere in the distance, but the air around us was calm. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe a mile past Chasm Lake, the first big gust sent us scrambling. We could hear it bearing down, roaring. Whoosh! The impact was like a wave breaking on my head--a wash of turbulence that spun me clear around. We listened in disbelief as it roared away down into the valley. And all was still again.</div><div><br /></div><div>A bad sign, to be sure. But being optimists (hypoxic ones), we pressed on. We still a long way to go to the Keyhole where the real danger would begin...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Terror on the Home Stretch</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div>To date, 57 people have perished on the slopes of Long's. Some were climbers who knew the risks. But a good number were hikers who ran into bad weather on the exposed upper reaches. A week before I first climbed the mountain in 1999, a Japanese hiker had been overcome by fog, wandered off the Narrows, and fallen a thousand feet to his death.</div><div><br /></div><div>The route's straightforward, requiring nothing more technical than vigorous walking, until you reach the Boulder Field at 12,800 feet. There the trail ends abruptly and you switch to scrambling up a talus slope. </div><div><br /></div><div>See the weird little notch above my head and a little to the right? That's the notorious Keyhole. Once you pass through this little Gate of Doom at 13,200 feet, it's a mile-and-a-half or mincing along exposed ledges and semi-technical scrambling to reach the summit. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIusuku8FEI/AAAAAAAAAVo/8I0RO4cKvEY/s320/IMG_5487.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515692084779816002" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>I've done it twice, and it's tough--even under perfect conditions. But the real wild card is always the weather. Storms tend to roll in after noon, so you need to summit before 8 am to have a prayer of making it back to the tree line before bad weather hits. Wait much longer and you'll end up lost in a cloud like the Japanese hiker. Or you'll find yourself where I once did--caught in an electrical storm, running for my life down the trail with my zippers sparking and my hair standing on end!</div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Huddle</b></div><div><br /></div><div>By the time we got to the Boulder Field at 5 am, things were really sucking. </div><div><br /></div><div>Every few minutes, the wind would blast us with hurricane force. We'd hear it coming and brace ourselves. And if you could believe my nose, which was hemorrhaging snot, it was freaking COLD-- near 0, we later learned. The stream along the trail was frozen solid and slippery, and a rime of ice was forming in our water bottles. We'd put on every scrap of clothing available (I'd even put my spare socks on my hands) and tied our bandanas around our faces to prevent frostbite.</div><div><div style="text-align: left; "><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIust0gXb7I/AAAAAAAAAVg/S6YJ9UX6ka0/s1600/IMG_5482.JPG"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIusseXpJRI/AAAAAAAAAVY/FyUr9je2adI/s1600/IMG_5481.JPG"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIusseXpJRI/AAAAAAAAAVY/FyUr9je2adI/s320/IMG_5481.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515692048711755026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></div><div>As we made our final approach to the Keyhole, the sky began to lighten. The wind was better here, swirling, but not packing so much punch. But behind the ridge, we could here it shrieking. Sounded like someone was flapping a tarp the size of Wal-Mart back there.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you look closely just below the Keyhole, you can see the Agnes Vai Shelter, named for a hiker who perished here in a storm in 1925 (shocking, right?). To reach it, we had to cross in front of the Keyhole itself. As I did, the coldest wind I've ever felt slammed into me like a runaway semi! I bent close to the ground and slithered my way into the hut. </div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIusrM0AiWI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/A02PNKZaMUM/s320/IMG_5480.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515692026819021154" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jen, whose heart pumps diesel (I'm pretty certain), was already waiting. She pulled out a bag and said, "Want some cold chicken?"</div><div><br /></div><div>HELL YEAH I WANTED SOME COLD CHICKEN! As we ate, we watched the sun come up over the Boulder Field. Sorry, no pictures--I was so cold and dizzy by that point, Christ himself could have appeared to us and I wouldn't have bothered to get a photo. I was more worried about my fingers--they weren't working so well. By the time I got to the last bite of chicken, it was ice cold, on the verge of developing freezer burn.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we ate, a tiny mouse crawled out of the wall. I have no idea how any living creature could survive in such a place. He was about the size of a quarter, so maybe the conditions had stunted his growth. Though you aren't supposed to feed the animals in the National Park, we left him some crumbs.</div><div><br /></div><div>After about 30 minutes, three young lads joined us in the hut. They paused for a snack, then announced they were "going for it." After they fought their way through the Keyhole and disappeared, all was silent for a moment. Then a scream cut the air (WOOOOOO-HEEEE!!!!!!), the nervous-exhilerated kind you might make while clinging to a bucking bronco. More shouting followed, and within minutes, the frozen lads limped back into the hut. Seems the wind had pinned them against the side of the mountain, and they'd lost interest in going further!</div><div><br /></div><div>More and more hikers began to arrive. Some were so frozen on arrival their joints were practically creaking. They mostly sat around in shock--no one seemed eager to press on. Finally, Jen and I resolved to fight our way up to the Keyhole and see for ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>The fifteen foot climb to the lip was like fighting my way up a class V rapid. Finally, I reached the hole and forced myself to my feet. For just a millisecond, I caught the breathtaking sight of the Never-Summer Range and snowcapped peaks on the far side of the ridge. Then the wind slammed into me like a raging wall of water. It ripped off my hood and snatched my hat off my head. I thought for a second it was going to rip my clothes to shreds! Even if I'd wanted to step into the hurricane's maw and onto the nearest ledge, I don't think my 130-pound self could have done it! </div><div><br /></div><div>The mountain had defeated us. I didn't want to turn around, but I also didn't want to be pitched off the ledge like a human kite, and end my days with a jackknife into Chasm Lake 2000 feet below. We turned and headed down.</div><div style="text-align: center; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIuswojWqVI/AAAAAAAAAVw/KxexYrvcQYI/s1600/IMG_5488.JPG"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIuswojWqVI/AAAAAAAAAVw/KxexYrvcQYI/s320/IMG_5488.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515692120164706642" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><br /></div><div><b>The Dream Killers</b></div><div><br /></div><div>As descended, we met scores of starry-eyed hikers coming up. "Did you make it?" they asked.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Nope," we said.</div><div><br /></div><div>"How was it?"</div><div><br /></div><div>I told them they'd love it--if they liked the idea of being stripped naked by a hurricane. Then I felt bad. "You're still half-an-hour away," I said. "Maybe when you get up there things will be better."</div><div><br /></div><div>Just then, snow began to fall.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so we fought our way down through the icy wind. We managed a side trip to Chasm Lake, but the wind was so fierce, we only stayed a few minutes. Back at the trailhead, we checked the register. </div><div><br /></div><div>No one else had made the summit that day.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>The Afterglow</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Altogether, we hiked close to 14 miles and gained over 4000 feet elevation. Naturally, this entitled us to all the Rock Inn beers and sandwiches we could eat! We went to bed at eight that night and slept like the dead for 10 hours while the wind whipped through the pines outside.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a bummer, but a funny bummer. One thing's for sure: we'll be back next year. Vengeance will be ours!</div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-22039997181221419352010-09-08T19:37:00.000-07:002010-09-11T23:06:05.205-07:00I'm in the unpacking phase. It's very emotional.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhP_U45hyI/AAAAAAAAAUo/Bt113WCAC_0/s1600/IMG_5472.JPG"></a><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhLplh8_PI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/UHkh74gLGKo/s320/IMG_5469.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514740921536412914" />Six years ago, I left for Shanghai with two suitcases.<div><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday, I arrived at Anne's garage to pick up my sea shipment. Thirty freakin' boxes! Maybe I have one of those hoarding complexes. Watch out, in a few years I will have ninety-six cats and won't be able to throw out a ball of tin foil without crying =).</div><div><br /></div><div>Unpacking my stuff was bittersweet. There are so many memories in those boxes--the good times, the bad times and the s*it times, as Borat would say. </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhK2kfLgII/AAAAAAAAATw/aWE3yfmoso4/s320/IMG_5470.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514740045083017346" /><br />Well hello there, Thailand-for-Obama 2008 T-shirt! It was so much fun watching the debates and the inauguration at the Road House.</div><div><br /></div><div>And for all the Joe Plumbers playing a drinking game at home -- MAVERICK!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, look! I found my hiking boots just in time for the big climb up Long's Peak tomorrow. Bet they still have dust on from Kilimanjaro! </div><div><br /></div><div><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhLqeZEJKI/AAAAAAAAAUY/LB9RC1CLHdc/s320/IMG_5475.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514740936799954082" /></div><div><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And there's my bike Jersey, horribly stained by the red earth of Thailand. I'm glad I ran out of Shout before that trip.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhP_U45hyI/AAAAAAAAAUo/Bt113WCAC_0/s320/IMG_5472.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514745693072885538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div>Well isn't this a treat. Three KOTEKAS from New Guinea! I'll show you how to wear one later. On second thought, here's a link to the eHow article. Er, nope, they don't have that. Oh well, you'll just have to google it. AFTER you get home from work.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhQBW1OAII/AAAAAAAAAU4/_DIzIDwvT7s/s320/IMG_5473.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514745727954059394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div>And here's my fav Bangkok Hash shirt! Racy, racy. Wonder if I'll get arrested if I wear it in Colorado? Oh, well, I gave up my dream of a Senate seat long ago =).</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhQCSLrBjI/AAAAAAAAAVA/VgXrqoxro1g/s320/IMG_5474.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514745743885927986" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>Now this one has definitely come full circle! My old sweatshirt from my CSU days. Lord of the Rings was all the rage back at the time, and I loved putting the hood up and doing my elf impression. Dear Hoodie: welcome back to the hood!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhQDkX1UmI/AAAAAAAAAVI/AHz5Wg_Tn9E/s320/IMG_5476.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514745765948641890" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div>While I was unpacking, Duri was going crackers! He's probably terrified we're moving. AGAIN. He felt better once I opened up a box of kitchen stuff and found Mr. Blue, Blue Mouse!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhQBW1OAII/AAAAAAAAAU4/_DIzIDwvT7s/s1600/IMG_5473.JPG"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhQADvK26I/AAAAAAAAAUw/1l6N3mbF_w0/s1600/IMG_5479.JPG"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7fYAyC9Ijuk/TIhQADvK26I/AAAAAAAAAUw/1l6N3mbF_w0/s320/IMG_5479.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514745705648544674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Whew! That felt like I just unpacked a whole container ship! Know how much it was? FIVE BOXES! Feeling a bit emotional--and also wondering if I might need to tunnel into the next-door neighbor's basement and conquer it in the name of storage capacity. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></div><div>It's definitely wine-o-clock.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have any of you guys ever had to do this? Did you manage to unpack the whole thing without a nervous break down? Therapeutic comments needed ...</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-18272852184608411242010-08-24T09:49:00.000-07:002010-08-24T09:52:43.951-07:00Hundreds Riot in Fort CollinsI could see this happening after, say, a Metallica concert. But Earth, Wind and Fire? Words fail me.<div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/24718478/detail.html">Full story</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4541576807547096639.post-32844457892511420152010-08-24T09:24:00.000-07:002010-08-24T09:40:36.029-07:00Bear kills man in Columbia StationWhen I heard about this, I congratulated myself yet again on living far, far from Columbia.<div><br /></div><div>Dear Rednecks: Remember, if you wrestle a bear, you're going to LOSE!<br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/20/ohio-bear-owned-peta-foe-kills-its-caretaker/">Full story.</a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0