egggzzzausted, in that energized sort of way

back from a fabulous four-day stint in denver and boulder. the perfect kind of mini-vacation: i'm feeling rested, motivated, happy... all the rest. i stayed with my sweet friend allison who is a recent denver transplant but who has already made colorado her home quite nicely. and spent my days in boulder doing shambhala training, level 5: open sky. and not to be corny, but that is what it feels like right now: open and friendly.

besides shambhala training and catching up with allison, i had a chance to hit pearl street (specifically the superb boulder bookstore each and every day i was there) for shopping and meals. allison and i caught an e-town taping of patty griffin and the blind boys of alabama. i had lunch with my wonderful uncle ken and got to check out the new paintings he is working on (more about that here when his web site is up and running). actually, my talks with ken were just about as good and meaty as the shambhala training. they were amazing.

boulder was the perfect breath of fresh air. and just what el doctoro ordered. i'm not sure if it was my imagination... or if i was blinded... or just so freakin' pollyanna'd out that my perceptions were skewed, but everyone seemed so amazingly friendly. and open. and healthy. and downright attractive. ha.

***

stepping off the plane my first day in colorado was like stepping into nebechednezer's furnace. it was hotter than a (you fill in your own blank). i noticed my eyes burning around the middle of friday afternoon, but chalked it up to the altitude. but when i looked up into the sky, it was hazy and darkish and a film seemed to cover the sun and turned it a fantastic shade of creepy, rich orange.

and i knew what that meant: fire.

but fires have been raging in the area for weeks (months, for the state), so no one really seemed taken by it, but me.

***

saturday night, after etown and while we were trying to decide on which scrumptious restaurant to feed at, i passed a disheveled-looking hippy guy on the street, panhandling.

"spare some money for a high school drop-out?" the able-bodied, articulate, early-20-something guy asked as i walked by.

and i said, "sorry, i already gave my money to the burned guy down the block." which was true. but good god, how cynical has our society become? (meaning the highschool drop out, not me.).

but that said, it is amazing how shambhala training really opens up your heart to people on the streets asking for money. i have shelled out more dough after shambhala weekends then after any other event. people with out-reached cups should perch themselves in front of the shambhala center to hit up the unsuspecting and heightenedly-open-hearted warriors as they leave each weekend.

okay -- lots to say but no patience to edit or make this interesting, so i will just bid you all adieu and catch you all tomorrow with maybe something more meaningful and/or cohesive.