tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41038590724162187512024-02-28T23:01:59.964-07:00It's Better in Wyoming.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.comBlogger513125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-27446485175168939752021-08-24T16:14:00.005-06:002021-08-25T12:54:30.558-06:00Never again will my puppy<p>Never again will my little puppy</p><p>... ride with us to Utah for a spring adventure.</p><p>... unknowingly take a giant drink of the salty Pacific. That's saltwater, dog.</p><p>... kick Josh Clapp in the balls every time he visits, or steal Tara's pizza.</p><p>... howl along with the noon whistle.</p><p>... faithfully perform your best trick for admiring students. Shut the door, Walter!</p><p>... get the zoomies in the back yard, butt-scooting by just out of reach.</p><p>... refuse to jump up onto the cabin bunk bed for bedtime while the Black Dog is too close by.</p><p>... take joy in even the smallest dirtiest patch of late spring snow, bathing yourself in grubby crystals of the stuff.</p><p>... recognize Colleen and Mary and Terry as real family, different from all the other good people in our life.</p><p>... pose for a picture with me on my first day of adult summer camp.</p><p>... kick up one paw for victory while you sleep, belly-up, in your favorite chair.</p><p>... provide Colleen good company on her training runs.</p><p>... roll in the foulest-smelling swamp grass while we still have to share the bench seat with you for another 150 miles home.</p><p>... run down Headquarters Trail dragging your long stick and ready to take us out at the knees.</p><p>... chase antelope and rabbits on the prairie with the decreasing optimism that comes from prior experience.</p><p>... lick my bald head, sweaty from whatever minor exertion I just took on.</p><p>... run alongside Terry on the recumbent bike for the neighborhood Fourth of July parade. </p><p>... block the back door by laying on the rug in the sun, six times in a row as I go in and out working on some silly project.</p><p>... treat kale stems like the best treat ever, running them out to the yard to enjoy without fear having them taken away.</p><p>... surgically snip the back straps of our chacos in your youthful resentment at being left home alone.</p><p>... inhale an entire bone-in chicken breast at Kelly's backyard barbecue.</p><p>... somehow manage to take up the entire bottom third of the bed if we don't claim our space first.</p><p>... wander to the kitchen at any sound of cheese or butter. Just to check our generosity today.</p><p>... get swimmer's tail from fear of missing out while we paddled North Crow.</p><p>... distinguish the engine frequency of every service and delivery van to ever dare a trip down Sanders Drive.</p><p>... bring a smile to students fortunate enough to see you on an afternoon campus walk.</p><p>... beg throughout dinner every night, despite the overwhelming odds against you.</p><p>... only ever grudgingly endure my efforts to snuggle you while you slept on the rug, in the back seat, in the yard.</p><p>... sit. stay. lay down. settle. settle. settle. </p><p>Settle in forever, and rest easy, sweet Walter. You're the best dog we could ever want.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpdITgrmNXQXZJJiK2kZd4N1lkyVFpmP5pYpzD4xzXrveEKSsJdQrwoEuMjOFfEuogQ74YDls87h1dXd9QDm-7p8RrjL5at4asnsveJ6MaV7eZ5wHIYIcOyAKmwsnExLuKMPKVy9N2fBc/s2048/DEEE62AD-4119-43E3-9267-C64703EDC559_1_201_a.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1284" data-original-width="2048" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWpdITgrmNXQXZJJiK2kZd4N1lkyVFpmP5pYpzD4xzXrveEKSsJdQrwoEuMjOFfEuogQ74YDls87h1dXd9QDm-7p8RrjL5at4asnsveJ6MaV7eZ5wHIYIcOyAKmwsnExLuKMPKVy9N2fBc/s320/DEEE62AD-4119-43E3-9267-C64703EDC559_1_201_a.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-28213113099339843962017-12-31T15:41:00.002-07:002018-01-01T22:42:02.998-07:002017: Year in reviewHere are some things that happened this year:<br />
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1. Maggie and I got engaged! Here we are before heading into Little Wild Horse Canyon, an amazing Utah slot canyon, where I proposed:<br />
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2. Maggie and I went to Iceland! In January! It was about the same temp there as it was in Laramie while we were gone. But, Iceland also has volcanoes, and glaciers, and hot springs, and tectonic plates, and more!<br />
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3. I went to Baltimore and Tampa! For work travel this year, I presented at ACRL in Baltimore (spring) and LRA in Tampa (fall). Both of these trips were first-time-visits for me, and I liked both places. I was surprised by how much I liked downtown Tampa--I'd definitely go back!<br />
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4. We got to see Cirque d' Soleil! No pics of this trip, but for Dad's 70th birthday we all (Sarah and Joel and the kids, Dad and Susie, and me and Maggie) went to Denver to see Cirque d' Soleil's Mexico-inspired "Luzia" performance. It was all so amazing!<br />
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5. We finally visited Maggie's sister in Grand Rapids! And we also visited Frank Lloyd Wright's Meyer May House, Wingspan, the Johnson office and research facility, and Taliesin. Wowee! Grand Rapids was neat, and all of the FLW stuff was neat, too! And later this year, Colleen moved back to Laramie!<br />
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6. I went hunting for the first time in a decade! No picture of a successful hunt this year, but here's a picture (I think...!) of the peaceful scenery where I got to spend some great time.<br />
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7. We saw the Great American Eclipse! Maggie and I went to our friend Josh's parents' place near Pavilion--almost directly beneath the center line of the eclipse path. Here's a picture of a rescued raccoon crawling around Josh at the ranch:<br />
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8. I passed comps and defended my prospectus, published a book review, and co-edited a new virtual component of Journal of Literacy Research! Most of my writing and research isn't very scenic, but I got to go to the AMK research facility in Grand Teton for a week and a half to work on my projects. Maggie came up to visit, too, and we got to see grizzly bears!<br />
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9. We toured the Jelm observatory!<br />
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10. I went downhill skiing for the first times in almost 20 years!<br />
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11. We got a new patio! Walter thinks this is just the most comfortable thing ever.<br />
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12. I canoed the Platte with a bunch of crazy guys in 35 degree weather! Here's our campsite north of Sinclair, after we floated about 10 miles on the river.<br />
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<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-73959711990801533682017-01-21T12:49:00.001-07:002017-01-22T19:31:47.910-07:00Record keeping: Times are changing<span style="font-family: inherit;">What's changing as a result of Trump presidency and Republican-controlled House/Senate? Here's an effort to start keeping track of life under a new administration. Clearly I've got a bias, but I'll try to use this space to provide myself with multiple perspectives on some of the changes.</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even by "post-truth" standards, Trump <a href="http://www.politicususa.com/2016/03/31/ninety-one-percent-donald-trump-false.html" target="_blank">relies on misleading or flat-out false statements</a> to support his views. And, for people who think it's gotten better since election season has ended: <a href="http://www.politifact.com/personalities/donald-trump/statements/byruling/false/" target="_blank">here's an ongoing list</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>And <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/politics/donald-trump-sexism-tracker-every-offensive-comment-in-one-place/" target="_blank">here's an ongoing list</a> of the ways that Trump oversimplifies, objectifies, and minimizes women.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trump seems intent on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/15/world/europe/donald-trump-nato.html?_r=0" target="_blank">destabilizing relations with NATO countries</a> in <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/trump-intelligence-russia-233899" target="_blank">favor of an alliance with Russia.</a></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trump is <a href="http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/donald-trump-military-budget" target="_blank">likely to increase military spending</a> (<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-13/trump-isn-t-alone-in-planning-billions-more-on-military-spending" target="_blank">along with many other countries in the coming decade</a>). <a href="http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/donald-trump-military-budget" target="_blank"><i>Military Times </i>reports</a>: "The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget has pegged the cost at an additional $150 billion in coming years....Trump has said he's confident that savings can be found by cutting bureaucracy and better policing government waste. But few independent analysts believe such reductions will be enough to offset the cost. A big question to be answered is whether Trump tries to buck fiscal conservatives with a costly military buildup."</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">The entire set of Dept. of Interior twitter accounts (the social media department) was temporarily suspended (on whose order?) for retweets not in line with the agency's central missions. They were since reactivated after clarification of agency policy. <a href="http://ijr.com/wildfire/2017/01/782776-no-dept-of-interior-wasnt-banned-from-twitter-over-obama-trump-inauguration-pics-heres-what-really-happened/" target="_blank">IJR</a> doesn't ask why the entire set of accounts were suspended, rather than just the specific accounts of individuals/programs that didn't follow policy, instead describing the issue this way: "staffers were told to stop tweeting, pending a review, because they performed their jobs unsatisfactorily, according to the standards of the new president." But not ALL staffers were guilty of an error here.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">HUD suspends a recently passed FHA mortgage insurance cut that would've saved homebuyers ~$500 a year. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-trump-fha-cut-20170120-story.html" target="_blank">LA Times reports</a> that that outgoing HUD Secretary Julian Castro described the cut this way: “With sufficient reserves on hand to meet future claims, it’s time for FHA to pass along some modest savings to working families." The LA Times also quotes Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa), at confirmation hearings for Ben Carson, with what seems like a possible reason for the new administration's reversal of this policy: "Sen. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/politics-government/government/patrick-j.-toomey-PEPLT006645-topic.html" id="PEPLT006645" title="Patrick J. Toomey">Pat Toomey</a> (R-Pa.) argued that private mortgage insurance should play a larger role in the market for homes acquired by buyers who can’t afford traditional 20% down payments."</span></li>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/" target="_blank">Trump's White House website</a> removes any reference to climate change and instead <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/all-climate-change-references-have-been-deleted-from-the-white-house-website/" target="_blank">describes a new view of energy and environmental policy</a>: </span>The old section about climate change "has been replaced with a new section entitled 'An America First Energy Plan,' in which the language of climate change and global warming go unmentioned. 'For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry,' the website now says. 'President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule.' He also appointed <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-scott-pruitt-donald-trump-environmental-protection-agency-epa/" target="_blank">a director of the EPA (Scott Pruitt) who is a climate-change skeptic and who opposes federal environmental regulation even though there is evidence that the Flint, MI, water quality crisis was in part due to poor regional and state-level oversight</a>. In confirmation hearings, Pruitt <a href="http://trib.com/news/national/in-break-with-trump-epa-pick-says-climate-change-isn/article_f6299fde-4c42-5f00-b304-29c7d5e136a7.html" target="_blank">backtracked on his climate-change skepticism</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Trump's White House website <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/moments-after-donald-trump-became-president-the-white-houses-lgbt-rights-page-disappeared/" target="_blank">includes no language about LGBTQ rights</a> in identifying central issues of the Trump administration, despite conservative views of Trump as "<a href="https://www.conservativereview.com/commentary/2016/11/why-is-the-lgbtq-community-freaking-out-about-the-most-pro-gay-republican-president-elect-in-history" target="_blank">the most pro-gay Republican president-elect in history</a>." His pick for Sec. of Education (Betsy DeVos) has a <a href="http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=79773" target="_blank">history of anti-LGBT views</a> that will potentially result in fewer/lost protections for LGBT students.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>In terms of negative impacts on middle-class workers, <a href="http://billmoyers.com/story/already-big-gap-trumps-promises-middle-class-policies/" target="_blank">this article</a> lays out a series of predicted impacts of Trump's plans (taxes, medicaid/medicare, Wall Street favoritism), including this predication about his apparently willy-nilly approach to affecting change in trade: "He might slap large, arbitrary tariffs on imports from countries he doesn’t seem to much like, bu<span style="font-family: inherit;">t this will do little to improve American competitiveness. In fact, if such tariffs encourage foreign producers to set up facilities in the United States to avoid tariffs, create economic weakness in our trading partners, and/or encourage retaliatory tariffs, they will </span> America’s trade deficit. A prediction: presuming the economy does not enter recession in the next four years (and there’s no reason it should, absent a huge fumble by the Trump policymaking team), the American trade deficit will be , not smaller, by 2020."</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;">Trump's approach to attacking companies via Twitter can be destabilizing (for the company as well as the larger stock market), even when they are <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-trump-companies-idUSKCN0YW1JZ" target="_blank">based on inaccuracies</a>/mischaracterization. Additionally they require time and money for crisis management efforts that create additional operating costs for corporations.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Trump appointed <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/betsy-devos-trumps-big-donor-education-secretary" target="_blank">big-Republican-donor</a> Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education despite her <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/betsy-devos-just-flunked-her-senate-test/" target="_blank">staggering lack of knowledge about basic national education policies</a>. Her efforts in Michigan are not compelling, especially for people concerned with social-justice issues of public schooling; as the <a href="http://www.freep.com/story/news/education/2016/11/23/betsy-devos-trump-secretary/94357370/" target="_blank">Detroit Free Press reports:</a> "Some critics have said advocates like her push school choice with little regard for the quality of options parents have. She and other advocates believe strongly that parents should be able to decide where their kids go to school, and that kids shouldn't be trapped in failing schools. But critics say choice advocates ignore the need for quality options, say charters have siphoned money away from traditional public schools and point to data that show charter schools aren't performing any better, and in some cases are performing worse, than their counterparts."</li>
</ul>
Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-27812390416612375012016-11-29T22:33:00.002-07:002021-04-09T15:55:28.895-06:00Too farAlso from George Black, in <i>Empire of Shadows</i>:<br />
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There are times when people push, or are pushed, too far, and things begin to fall apart. A new line is drawn on a map. One man steals a horse; another takes one drink of whiskey too many. An insult is magnified, and the reprisals escalate. Personal grudges bleed into larger political grievances. Prejudice breeds fear, and fear feeds prejudice. Demagogues sieze hold of these unstable moments. Moderate men chafe at the absence of order and find themselves invoking extreme remedies that end in outbursts of collective madness. (Ch. 15)Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-68482740825093391432016-11-27T22:15:00.002-07:002016-11-27T22:15:35.904-07:00History repeats (?)"Historian Richard Slotkin says that while the intended mission of the vigilante may be civilizing and socially constructive, his methods assume a 'privilege of violence' beyond the law. Terror breeds counterterror." - George Black, in <i>Empire of Shadows</i>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-74314298426152320352016-03-23T23:27:00.001-06:002016-03-23T23:27:19.534-06:00For considerationFrom <i>This I Believe</i> (1952):<div><br></div><div>"Man is more important than anything he has created and our great task is to bring back again into a subordinate position the monstrous superstructures of our society." -- Susan Cobbs</div><div><br></div><div>"I don't believe that human life is accurately represented by Viggeland's famous sculpture column in Oslo, of people climbing over one another and trampling one another down. The Nazis when they occupied Norway greatly admired that sculpture. They would. But the rest of us can do better than that; many men and women in every age have done better, and are doing it still." -- Elmer Davis</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-75138293629377625222016-01-15T23:07:00.002-07:002016-01-15T23:15:16.875-07:00Denmark! In pictures!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Marselis Palace / Mindepark, Aarhus</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrE8v4x7f14_Tc2iQbRaG2tY7w2g2QDIH3epukPEbBpqezA2AnDTem5xwVfXx7KPYIMI0yoKYHlaPle-zaNMpe6YlquglNWshpQAbgAuHQLhpWj6H-qGJH9qqiaZ8NcOGQ2loPObyGv9k/s1600/2015-12-30+12.30.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrE8v4x7f14_Tc2iQbRaG2tY7w2g2QDIH3epukPEbBpqezA2AnDTem5xwVfXx7KPYIMI0yoKYHlaPle-zaNMpe6YlquglNWshpQAbgAuHQLhpWj6H-qGJH9qqiaZ8NcOGQ2loPObyGv9k/s320/2015-12-30+12.30.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhHNFC9rQQfNgrrIpKcjzARzSJPE7Jp-Bo-XJmirMSs0HwHlToKLXvBZTWFh0DzR5RoOWkIival7PRln1z-H2GAILCTEf5skyobYEg-FzFq2EdtqbtBpnQocDWbTsnQQ93SDZVggUgskQ/s1600/2015-12-30+12.31.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwhHNFC9rQQfNgrrIpKcjzARzSJPE7Jp-Bo-XJmirMSs0HwHlToKLXvBZTWFh0DzR5RoOWkIival7PRln1z-H2GAILCTEf5skyobYEg-FzFq2EdtqbtBpnQocDWbTsnQQ93SDZVggUgskQ/s320/2015-12-30+12.31.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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ArOS Art Museum, Aarhus</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aXGe39GHprcCKu7f1-v373a9AtL0oGQYWsKXZOgREk8w7MVCnlOR_QrctbXdjV7bVfcF3bJgURDPupqsX5A4nheLgHPBwRdgMaTV5_tolRMu1p_e6qVf5pJFRsUbNuHbEYe4KUvQO0Ki/s1600/2015-12-30+14.40.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6aXGe39GHprcCKu7f1-v373a9AtL0oGQYWsKXZOgREk8w7MVCnlOR_QrctbXdjV7bVfcF3bJgURDPupqsX5A4nheLgHPBwRdgMaTV5_tolRMu1p_e6qVf5pJFRsUbNuHbEYe4KUvQO0Ki/s320/2015-12-30+14.40.35.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Aarhus Cathedral</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vX-UpdJkTBStIHKDDE_9dyrjECzvSdChDLZTBGVZ64AXV0MM8NCLfGqVFgJb8SQh5uDeu9AO6mcxBGID8WVw-bKBspT8N_IA-O0TLr33jy9Bcn0BlNX0DeDJOSli7eWdL_c5VTEC5MKj/s1600/2015-12-30+15.35.19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_vX-UpdJkTBStIHKDDE_9dyrjECzvSdChDLZTBGVZ64AXV0MM8NCLfGqVFgJb8SQh5uDeu9AO6mcxBGID8WVw-bKBspT8N_IA-O0TLr33jy9Bcn0BlNX0DeDJOSli7eWdL_c5VTEC5MKj/s320/2015-12-30+15.35.19.jpg" width="282" /></a></div>
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Den Gamle By</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0K8yw09itqT8c5eyDspXPMQ1GizEB46gFe05UqViJowjb-8bnlJnwiUrQLmEhfG2-gtLYr6ucCKjMfaEWz-8EZoO71LHghH8-L8negt6qytpXMTMwR5EObMB-JDttER1glyI2HsZT8IRL/s1600/2015-12-31+13.21.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0K8yw09itqT8c5eyDspXPMQ1GizEB46gFe05UqViJowjb-8bnlJnwiUrQLmEhfG2-gtLYr6ucCKjMfaEWz-8EZoO71LHghH8-L8negt6qytpXMTMwR5EObMB-JDttER1glyI2HsZT8IRL/s320/2015-12-31+13.21.18.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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New Years Even Dinner</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYdnJgorA1k1OWkpDxgyCam5gjmIG2V4Q_ajCRmPS5DRZ_W922LFqYFlZyarJxa4g3u2dYT3vRRlqnjFF1EyrSvdmvEsA8cjYhkkfBk0lWVFdTruKcqyXUFjfQvAhEGlV_sp5UP2LIoy2/s1600/2015-12-31+19.13.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYdnJgorA1k1OWkpDxgyCam5gjmIG2V4Q_ajCRmPS5DRZ_W922LFqYFlZyarJxa4g3u2dYT3vRRlqnjFF1EyrSvdmvEsA8cjYhkkfBk0lWVFdTruKcqyXUFjfQvAhEGlV_sp5UP2LIoy2/s320/2015-12-31+19.13.05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Tivoli, Copenhagen</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizA34Kb3Il1hHUKhjeBj-zW3wmyq6nx_lqV3OpI2bMDNrBEgklwUlB7Wx95snVp5E7fhwmj7daa2Zzz1va_eKCLlJj6GvhzD6BdWM8P7EyGXbdAKg52vq9g2LpmaKOFkSb0QzQ_nKKdZgm/s1600/2016-01-01+19.57.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizA34Kb3Il1hHUKhjeBj-zW3wmyq6nx_lqV3OpI2bMDNrBEgklwUlB7Wx95snVp5E7fhwmj7daa2Zzz1va_eKCLlJj6GvhzD6BdWM8P7EyGXbdAKg52vq9g2LpmaKOFkSb0QzQ_nKKdZgm/s320/2016-01-01+19.57.13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lakes District, Copenhagen</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhyphenhyphen5QHNG-ZKVifE7Xt5fmZWrcrvhHh8wSLILM2h7cPwARzrRr7D6Y1rCC0rLfVIsuPOC9MsUhS3pVVv-er1H8l5ELVpCwyGCTk8ClTxt38f_8M2Qp3CX07yeQz3f7MaEbwrHPar7Jq5W5/s1600/2016-01-02+12.36.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhyphenhyphen5QHNG-ZKVifE7Xt5fmZWrcrvhHh8wSLILM2h7cPwARzrRr7D6Y1rCC0rLfVIsuPOC9MsUhS3pVVv-er1H8l5ELVpCwyGCTk8ClTxt38f_8M2Qp3CX07yeQz3f7MaEbwrHPar7Jq5W5/s320/2016-01-02+12.36.43.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Dine with the Danes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfPHnTuCR2b0xZ7JJVR9Bl0ixIHzx21eoS578jnf75hNIBc7T8oQqbtq56bHGwVcP-_Q-PN6oP0PUYuvharUQ-uA-Z5v7wKdIAIS2g30LjN04GBcxxuT9sFELK2t3vd7NVcsf6yT_Hm7k/s1600/2016-01-02+22.54.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCfPHnTuCR2b0xZ7JJVR9Bl0ixIHzx21eoS578jnf75hNIBc7T8oQqbtq56bHGwVcP-_Q-PN6oP0PUYuvharUQ-uA-Z5v7wKdIAIS2g30LjN04GBcxxuT9sFELK2t3vd7NVcsf6yT_Hm7k/s320/2016-01-02+22.54.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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View to Sweden from Helsingor</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwc47TzIixoeAqpILnEF2BQn3yAJuEcUoKT9CMnKyjLHKtDu4rU-f2QxoKuHIrOOoKbWtqm-QjCjymdHoNJtuY9eHWowx-HiWhH67TFHVX8FxC8-K59amqpeHSCYkvHRbZfCScbBWYXOC9/s1600/2016-01-03+12.57.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwc47TzIixoeAqpILnEF2BQn3yAJuEcUoKT9CMnKyjLHKtDu4rU-f2QxoKuHIrOOoKbWtqm-QjCjymdHoNJtuY9eHWowx-HiWhH67TFHVX8FxC8-K59amqpeHSCYkvHRbZfCScbBWYXOC9/s320/2016-01-03+12.57.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Kronburg Castle, Helsingor</div>
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Louisiana Art Museum, Humlebaek</div>
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Humlebaek Station</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvABghGtEMqOwFevGGkS8mdLNOvrZBGdxlUe2gxA62LySXHMszOyb7OGwBk0ijAJZ1ZuY4aqgWuzUHSqqhGYxpHzoiXsQtxKGfXGcjeoOFvr5N6Dx2PJVzDh_UcVOGK15BCpOT9DwuUMZO/s1600/2016-01-03+15.58.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvABghGtEMqOwFevGGkS8mdLNOvrZBGdxlUe2gxA62LySXHMszOyb7OGwBk0ijAJZ1ZuY4aqgWuzUHSqqhGYxpHzoiXsQtxKGfXGcjeoOFvr5N6Dx2PJVzDh_UcVOGK15BCpOT9DwuUMZO/s320/2016-01-03+15.58.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Copenhagen harbor tour</div>
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Danish Stock Market</div>
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Christianshavn neighborhood, Copenhagen</div>
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The Ring Bridge (pedestrian/cycling bridge in Christianshavn)</div>
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Nose2Tail, Vesterbro/Kodbyen neighborhood, Copenhagen</div>
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Old Carlsberg Brewery, Copenhagen</div>
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Egret, Frederiksberg Park, Copenhagen</div>
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Fredericksberg Palace</div>
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Oresund neighborhood, Copenhagen</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGJ3S6qupjF4QHXI51bkx9Y0PbQgoqATLZw5VNbvno7Oxml_1GYglRXaDTPBSzweRew5ouEldGXHOn9R967GdUgjAViGEd_Rk1LgvyCaMxLOiYU7FIvr9Ixy116Oem_6uP9_-gT9X3ypL/s1600/2016-01-05+15.09.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGJ3S6qupjF4QHXI51bkx9Y0PbQgoqATLZw5VNbvno7Oxml_1GYglRXaDTPBSzweRew5ouEldGXHOn9R967GdUgjAViGEd_Rk1LgvyCaMxLOiYU7FIvr9Ixy116Oem_6uP9_-gT9X3ypL/s320/2016-01-05+15.09.14.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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White Busses exhibition, Danish National Museum</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuYDFw1syPHNP2oEFZFJlziQxFCSGLf300LYLYVtdQ05Xgux4-j-8Ysc120sJ4EnvIlkXYX0k2NJgA1YhP1gMNtx4E7Uqw72KTvW2Df4z2mW6a5nFnj7uT0f-VYZyeFoBUdLXIRrF7LN6/s1600/2016-01-06+14.00.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWuYDFw1syPHNP2oEFZFJlziQxFCSGLf300LYLYVtdQ05Xgux4-j-8Ysc120sJ4EnvIlkXYX0k2NJgA1YhP1gMNtx4E7Uqw72KTvW2Df4z2mW6a5nFnj7uT0f-VYZyeFoBUdLXIRrF7LN6/s320/2016-01-06+14.00.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Inside the Danish Royal Library ("the Black Diamond")</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTzAhyphenhyphenSPQHiVufAFi70do4HQ5zPPwpk3p5U-HR4TnQIcaOJLZgMfgDRdRxZde1pdO55kzHgF8yHFuFqBVtb9ajRJVl_j1kGScnBMx8LYX3b9HRWeQ-DA6V3QrbQ8jOlXt_kqcYari92-e/s1600/2016-01-06+15.27.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuTzAhyphenhyphenSPQHiVufAFi70do4HQ5zPPwpk3p5U-HR4TnQIcaOJLZgMfgDRdRxZde1pdO55kzHgF8yHFuFqBVtb9ajRJVl_j1kGScnBMx8LYX3b9HRWeQ-DA6V3QrbQ8jOlXt_kqcYari92-e/s320/2016-01-06+15.27.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Leaving the apartment where we stayed in the Vesterbro neighborhood</div>
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Delicious baked goods</div>
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<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-43410145530931295812016-01-15T22:37:00.001-07:002016-01-15T22:37:14.922-07:002015 Year-End ReviewWell, it's already 2 weeks into 2016, but still worth the time to pause and capture some of the highlights from last year.<br />
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In addition to the early summer vacation I posted about, here are some other majors trips and events:<br />
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In March, I drove with Sarah to Fountain Hills to visit grandma and grandpa. (And Maggie joined us, too, from Chile.) Grandma passed away later in the spring--before our return visit in June--so this was our last chance to spend time with her. Here's a crappy picture of me and Grandma:<br />
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In March I also made a trip to Chicago for the Higher Learning Commission conference.<br />
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In April, Maggie and I went with friends to a Gregory Alan Isakov/Iron & Wine concert here in town.<br />
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In May, I was awarded the college's extraordinary merit for teaching award. Since Maggie and I were out of town, though, I missed the award ceremony.<br />
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In June and July, I participated in the Wyoming Writing Project's Summer Institute. And I facilitated a talkback session for a local reading of <i>The Lion in Winter</i>, too.<br />
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Maggie and I also made a trip out to Milwaukee to celebrate her dad Terry's retirement. And right after that, her folks and sister came out to visit. A photo from their visit, of Maggie's mom and dad when we toured the Wyoming Territorial Prison:<br />
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In late July/early August, Maggie and I made a trip out to Oregon. We stayed in a VRBO place right on the coast, and Walter got his first taste of salt water. Here's the photographic evidence of that trip:<br />
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On the way back, we passed through Crater Lake National Park, just as the Cable Creek fire was getting going.</div>
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In August I took over as interim director of the Writing Center.</div>
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In August we also went to an Oh Hellos concert at Mishawaka, in Poudre Canyon. I can't believe I'd never been to this venue before this.</div>
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Over Labor Day we hung out with Craig and Shannon at the Brooklyn Lake Cabin. A rainy, windy night! Here's a photo from the next day, poking around the lakes trail. (I think you can find all 6 Dutchers in the picture, though a couple of the boys might've still been hiding out in the rocks.)</div>
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In July, we got a kayak, so our fall included exploring the local surroundings from a new perspective. We kayaked on Sodergreen Lake, Lake Hattie, and North Crow Reservoir. A photo from our camping/kayaking excursion to North Crow; Maggie's the little spot out in the water:</div>
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For the holidays we were in Newcastle for Thanksgiving and Estes Park with brother-in-law Joel's family after Christmas.</div>
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This fall we did a good bit of hanging out with friends old and new: Julia and Nevin, Katie and Bryon, new colleagues Kelly and Scott, neighbors Mike and Evelyn, Katie and Joel, Joe and Hayley, Pat and Nate, Sylvia, Ammon and Brooke, all kinds of good people--at community dinners, book clubs, and game nights. </div>
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Finally: we celebrated New Years overseas. More about that in the next post.</div>
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<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-77826279299005391842015-06-08T22:37:00.000-06:002015-06-08T22:37:16.575-06:00Early Summer 2015 Vacation: A Pic a Day (more or less)Last week, Maggie and I embarked on a localish road trip, a four-day outing to northern Colorado, the close corner of Utah, and southwestern Wyoming. Below, a few of the highlights.<br />
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Here are Maggie and Walter, hanging out along Mad Creek, just north of Steamboat. This pic is from Day 2. On Day 1 we hiked a bit among snow drifts on the Rabbit Ears Peak trail near Dumont Lake, watched paddle-board rodeo at the Yampa River Festival in downtown Steamboat, and stayed with Maggie's former students Wil and Sarah at a ranch house near Clark, CO. <br />
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After the Mad Creek trail hike, we headed west towards Dinosaur National Monument, stopping for a little hike near Cross Mountain before descending ~2500' feet at DNM from the rim of the canyon to the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers at Echo Park. Here's a pic at Echo Park Campground, backgrounded by epic Steamboat Rock:<br />
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On Day 3, after the 12-mile drive back up the gravel road from Echo Park, we drove around to the other side of DNM, to the Dinosaur Exhibit Hall, where we got to see partially excavated bones from over 400 different dinosaur skeletons.<br />
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Night 1: Clark, CO. Night 2: Echo Park Campground. Below, our view from the yurt where we camped on Night 3, north of Vernal, UT, in the Ashley NF. <br />
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We had reserved the yurt for 2 nights, but the road into the yurt was so hairy that we decided to ditch it on Night 4 and camp at the rim of Flaming Gorge instead. On our way from yurt to gorge, we hiked along the Outlaw ATV trail (in Ashley) and hiked the Little Hole National Recreation Trail below the dam at Flaming Gorge. And made a loop out on some gravel roads to explore a bit more of Flaming Gorge country, too. Here's the view from our campsite at Flaming Gorge:<br />
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On Day 5, we drove from Flaming Gorge up into the desert country north of Rock Springs. After talking to Craig and Shannon about their trip to White Mountain Petroglyphs and Killpecker Sand Dunes, I had to check it out. Here's a picture of the amazing, other-worldly handprints at White Mountain:<br />
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And here's Walter, looking deserted on the sand dunes at the Killpecker Wilderness Study Area:<br />
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Since we decided to push on home for Night 5, we detoured south to Saratoga for dinner and a trip over the Snowies.<br />
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All in all, not a bad trip, and a nice reminder of the amazing, diverse, and lonesome country. Most of our trip (excepting the descent to Echo Park) was within 5 hours of our doorstep, but 90% of our stops were new experiences for both of us. <br />
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The lessons: Get out there. Discover, enjoy, and appreciate. Don't long for somewhere else; be present where you are.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-33369996549561132952015-02-17T10:34:00.001-07:002015-02-17T10:34:56.022-07:00LyricsThese ones.<br />
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Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-68361592170980888112014-12-29T01:00:00.002-07:002014-12-29T01:00:42.847-07:00Year in review: Dog<div style="text-align: left;">
Walter is a wonder dog.</div>
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Here he keeps me company when Maggie was in Albuquerque for a conference. </div>
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Here is Walter in a moment of dignified repose.</div>
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Walter guards the tent at Friend Park Campground.</div>
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Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-82002463064857151002014-12-29T00:51:00.001-07:002014-12-29T00:51:06.409-07:00Year in review: Friends and familyI'm damn lucky to have such great people in my life. And this year has been an overflowing river of good times. In addition to the big trips with friends and to celebrate Maggie's family, we spent lots of little times, close to home, with good people.<div>
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And I got to spend spring break with my sister and nephew at my grandparents' place in Phoenix:</div>
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And more time with my sister's family for birthdays, an author talk in Fort Collins, ice cream at The Forks, keeping an eye on my niece while Sarah and Joel were in Alaska, and at Fort Laramie for Father's Day.</div>
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With Kendall at the Geology Museum in July.</div>
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Plus I got to hang out with the Dutchers when they came down for Homecoming, catch a football game with my Nebraska friend George, play Apples and Oranges with new friends Nicole and Troy, eat good food with neighbors, and just spend a shitload of quality outdoor time with lots of great people. Apparently I don't take many pictures of my friends. But here's the quality outdoors part, at least:</div>
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Dad and Susie came down in late September, and we made a trek to Aspen Alley and a return drive over the Snowies:</div>
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Maggie in Aspen Alley.</div>
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Me and pappy at Lake Marie.</div>
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Maggie's sister got to visit twice, in September and November, AND they drove to California and back in a weekend for a friend's wedding, too.</div>
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And Maggie hosted a series of community dinners this fall, every other Thursday, to open our house to friends and acquaintances for a quick, simple meal and lots of interesting conversation. </div>
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And I joined a book club with a group of the finest dudes in this town. On deck for early 2015: <a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8027-1373-5" target="_blank">Salt: A World History</a>.</div>
Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-42894744995974079712014-12-29T00:17:00.001-07:002014-12-29T00:17:44.271-07:00Year in review: Music2014 wasn't a big year for live music: a local Gregory Alan Isakov show and a trip to Red Rocks with Julia and Nevin for Head and the Heart and Iron and Wine. <div>
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Just one decent photo, from Red Rocks:</div>
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And one video of Isakov, just enough to give a taste.</div>
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A funny thing, I suppose: I hardly know a single line from any of these performers. Damn, though, I like to listen to their voices. </div>
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Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-42835674293066691312014-12-28T23:49:00.001-07:002014-12-28T23:49:47.766-07:00Year in review: Travel and ExplorationIn terms of the big travel events this year, the trip to Grand Cayman takes the cake. <br />
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But, Maggie and I also camped at Friend Park and hiked Laramie Peak, spent a great night at Brooklyn Lake with Julia and Nevin, spent a great week at Maggie's folks' place in July, and returned to Wisconsin again in October for Maggie's cousin's wedding.<br />
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A few photos of our adventures:<br />
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Us on the beach at Grand Cayman. Not pictured: Mary, John, and Katie.</div>
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Maggie and Walter in the sunset near the Laramie Peak trailhead and Friend Park campground.</div>
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Wisconsin in July. Door County, after kayaking on Lake Michigan.</div>
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At the Brooklyn Lake cabin in August. Not pictured: Julia and Nevin.</div>
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Wisconsin in early October, when the leaves are just starting to change.</div>
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<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-84940430760492511772014-12-28T23:31:00.004-07:002014-12-28T23:31:58.477-07:00Year in review: WorkGiven the lack of posting this year, I figure I should at least pause now to look back over the big excitement of the year. Making a list over dinner, I realize that there's been enough excitement to warrant several posts. So, here's the first bit: work-related stuff.<br />
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<li>A new short-term role, as the coordinator to help colleagues develop and revise courses for UW's new gen-ed "communication" courses. This role runs through spring 2015 and has given me a chance to extend my own skills as well as meet lots of interesting, fun, great faculty and administrators across campus.</li>
<li>Travel to Virginia Tech and to Portland for conferences (CHEP and AACU)--and for a chance to explore some new places and ideas. I'm glad to have caught up with my former colleague Kelly and also her husband Gary, who tragically passed away this fall. Gone far too soon. I'll remember Gary for genuine, infectious curiosity.</li>
<li>New colleagues. The English department hired two new faculty--Arielle Zibrak (in Casper) and Mike Edson (who with his wife and daughter also happens to be our across-the-street neighbor). So far, both of these new colleagues seem like outstanding additions who'll bring great new life for our programs.</li>
<li>Regional conferences in Cheyenne (WYDEC), Denver (DU "Writing on the Range") and Casper (a joint literature and composition version of the Teaching Writing in Wyoming conference I've now helped coordinate for the past several years).</li>
<li>A teaching award. This is the second year in a row I've been awarded the Promoting Intellectual Excellence (PIE) award for inspiring curiosity in first-year students. Best part is getting to read the comments of students who nominated me. Second best part is getting a delicious pie.</li>
<li>A new publication. Honored to be a contributing author on a article in the journal for the National Network for Educational Renewal, and to have been able to collaborate with some great colleagues.</li>
<li>Member of a couple hiring committees. Despite massive departures from UW as faculty seek greener (better-paying) pastures, there are some exciting new arrivals. It's been fun and informative this year to sit on two hiring committees--one at the beginning of the year, for a position in the center for teaching and learning, and one currently, to replace an administrative role in the department that's been empty for the past several years. Both positions have lots of potential to move UW in the right direction, and it feels good to be a part of the decision-making process.</li>
<li>Though one of the key professors in the Literacy Ed program left UW for CSU, I continued to make slow progress in 2014 towards a PhD in the program. This summer I was lucky to participate in developing and facilitating workshops for K-12 faculty at Laramie and Rock Springs. While in Rock Springs, I also took an evening to make a quick drive around Flaming Gorge--a part of the state where I've spent far too little time. Here's a bit of evidence of its awesomeness:</li>
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Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-51084917905293636942014-07-15T23:21:00.002-06:002014-07-15T23:21:23.404-06:00house projectsThis summer has been a slow one for projects. Nothing too exciting to report.....<br />
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<li>More gravel in the back, and a path between the shed and garage.</li>
<li>New paint on the shed and garage, to match the house paint. Nearly finished. It really ties the place together.</li>
<li>New mulch along the garage.</li>
<li>Some progress on wildflower prairie in the front yard.</li>
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The backyard pathway project, in progress.</div>
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Still on the agenda:</div>
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<li>Another coat of stain on the fence.</li>
<li>A compost set-up in the back.</li>
<li>Grass touch-up in the back yard.</li>
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Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-59051017831159037222014-07-15T23:12:00.001-06:002014-07-15T23:12:31.798-06:00summer updatesA couple of awesome summer trips deserve to be recorded here.<br />
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<b>May 2014: Cayman Islands.</b> Maggie and I went with our friends Mary, Katie, and John to Grand Cayman for just under a week. Highlights:<br />
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<li>Snorkeling with sea turtles, stingrays, flounder, parrotfish, angelfish, starfish, anemone, urchins.</li>
<li>Ending each day with a drink on the beach.</li>
<li>Captain Alan!</li>
<li>Plantain chips, coconut water, lionfish tacos, ceviche, jerk chicken, mahi mahi, Caybrew beer.</li>
<li>Kayaking in a bioluminescent bay.</li>
<li>Spending the time with great friends.</li>
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On the beach at our vacation house near Rum Point.</div>
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<b>July 2014: Wisconsin.</b> Maggie and I drove out for her dad's retirement party. Highlights:<br />
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<li>Hiking at Scuppernong, Lapham Peak, and the Minooka dog park.</li>
<li>Kayaking at White Fish Dunes/Cave Point and at Lower Nemahbin Lake.</li>
<li>The drive through Door County, including Peninsula State Park and dinner at The Cookery.</li>
<li>Drinks at The Rumpus Room, dinner at Wolf Peach.</li>
<li>Custard at LeDuc's and Gille's.</li>
<li>Fish fry at Rochester Deli.</li>
<li>Exploring Bastille Days with Maggie and Brenda.</li>
<li>A stopover on the way at Ross and Jess's in Cedar Rapids.</li>
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Maggie at Cave Point, Door County, WI.</div>
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Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-79478541688193783362014-04-07T16:00:00.001-06:002014-04-07T16:00:40.386-06:00small remindersNot much happening here at the blog lately. My apologies, I suppose, for not bothering to maintain a better accounting of my time and efforts over the past several months.<br />
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For now, just a quick thought: It's odd what small things remind me of Mom. Last night, as Maggie and I were hungry without a good plan for dinner, we ended up with hamburger gravy and rice. That brought back memories of Mom at the cast-iron skillet, working to get the flour to brown just right--a skill I never fully appreciate until sometime in college, when I tried to put my own hand to the task.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-31594829250963604082013-11-28T21:11:00.002-07:002013-12-31T23:58:39.091-07:00A look backGeez. It's been a long time since last posting--longer than I'd realized by about four months. A new year seems like a good time for an update, though, especially since there's a good bit to say. The short and incomplete list of fun stuff since May involves these events:<br>
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<li>After picking up Walter the Wonder Dog in May, we took off for a week-long trip to southern Utah. We stayed a night in Glenwood Springs on the way down, then hung out in a yert south of Moab. Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, Canyon of the Ancients: check, check, check, and check.</li>
<li>The biggest summer project was a new fence, to keep in the beast. I put up cedar pickets along the west and north sides of the back yard. So far, they're straight. We'll see what a season of frozen ground and frost does to my work.</li>
<li>A relatively successful effort to make something grow in the front yard, despite a crazy hailstorm that flooded out a bunch of my planting and seeding work. Ended up with mostly grass on the south side and mostly wildflowers on the north side. I'll take it. We also had a decent showing in the backyard raised beds: plenty of arugula, at least. And some tiny radishes.</li>
<li>Two weddings this summer, in Leadville and Granby. Friends who know how to do it right: ceremonies involving hammers and bicycles, receptions involving flash mobs, contra dancing, and a live bluegrass performance of "gin and juice," and outdoor settings that just can't be beat. Mountains! And love!</li><li>A quick trip to Denver in July, mainly to sample some pretty great places to eat and drink. The Denver Beer Co., Rioja, Peaks Lounge, amazing amazing dinner at Fruition, and equally amazing breakfast at Sassafras.</li>
<li>A quick trip to Newcastle. Dad's garden is impressive, and so is Susie's canning. We came home with 28 taters from one plant!</li>
<li>Snowy Range Music Festival and Medicine Bow Peak, in the same weekend. Dad and Susie, Uncle Rich and Aunt Gail, and Sarah, Joel, and Kendall and Kaelen all came to town for a fun Memorial Day weekend. Dad, Rich, Maggie, Maggie's colleague Steve, and I took the short route to the summit.</li>
<li>Homecoming football with Craig and Shannon again this year.</li>
<li>Pandemic. This is a board game that our friends Julia and Nevin introduced us to, and it's badass. It's also improved my geography pretty substantially. Jakarta, Indonesia, is one of the top two or three most populated urban areas in the world, with about 28 million inhabitants. This is not something I knew before Pandemic happened. Pandemic.</li>
<li>This year, a quiet Thanksgiving. After two years of hosting both Maggie's people and my people here in Laramie, this year it was just Maggie and me. We took Walter for a hike around Turtle Rock, watched some Packers football, and made small-scale Thanksgiving for ourselves centered around a roast chicken.</li><li>Holiday journeys to Wisconsin and to Newcastle. Our trip to Wisconsin included catching up with Maggie's great and hilarious friends, an overnight with Maggie's parents and sister in Two Rivers (Frank Lloyd Wright house and the Hamilton Wood Type Museum) and a snowshoe at the county park near Waukesha. Newcastle Christmas with Dad and Susie and Sarah, Joel, Kendall, and Kaelen mostly involved enjoying my niece and nephew, who were eager for Santa's visit. We also caught up with Ross and Jess in Newcastle, despite missing them on our drive through Iowa.</li><li>Overall, a good bit of ongoing hiking and biking and enjoying this place we live in. Walter has shifted the excursions a bit, but mostly for the better: it's meant more biking for me in the summer, and more exploration of beautiful trails out of the Blair Picnic Grounds.</li></ol>
Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-63352302200357705042013-05-14T13:17:00.001-06:002013-05-14T13:17:30.517-06:00Well, this happened.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
On Sunday, Maggie and I drove down to Parker, CO, and adopted a puppy. We worked through Mountain Pet Rescue (out of Winter Park), but the puppy was being fostered at a home east of Parker. Before that, he'd been in Oklahoma, with a foster family there. Whoever's had him before us has already done some great training with him--so far, he's been amazing. Walter the Wonder Dog.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8u0WSnmaKGMDyztunCnLEEKH_04cg6cRQMjHWQii36WzS_jaXmg3X391qm0z9jTn1-3FxihmSZNBJi9wK0xJ0okhksDJQZukZQ-ZBPkk4xlqtff74qORwK3PxPEIu4cjbt39VY2XXEUP/s1600/Walter-May+12+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8u0WSnmaKGMDyztunCnLEEKH_04cg6cRQMjHWQii36WzS_jaXmg3X391qm0z9jTn1-3FxihmSZNBJi9wK0xJ0okhksDJQZukZQ-ZBPkk4xlqtff74qORwK3PxPEIu4cjbt39VY2XXEUP/s400/Walter-May+12+2013.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>
<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-49100102323337854342013-04-30T10:19:00.002-06:002013-04-30T10:19:37.649-06:00So luckyI just got an email from UW Extension, with links to strategies for lengthening the growing season here in the high country. This information comes hot on the heels of an offer, at a party on Saturday, for some storm windows.<br />
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So, it looks like I might be making some cold frames this summer.<br />
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And, yesterday, the neighbor offered some free raspberry bushes, which he'd dug up at a friend's place in Cheyenne.<br />
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It's great to be in a place with access to good people, useful knowledge, and the resources to make change possible. I don't always hold up my end of the bargain as well as I might--in terms of fully taking advantage of this generosity and wisdom--but even then it rubs off on me. Slowly, I feel a little new growth taking place. It must be spring.<br />
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"The deep roots never doubt that spring will come." - <a href="http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-02-20/news/9402190960_1_gay-rights-mr-rubin-lesbian" target="_blank">Marty Rubin</a>Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-52047320637934214412013-04-05T12:45:00.002-06:002013-04-05T12:45:41.674-06:00discoveryDon't know why I haven't discovered these guys before. <br />
Nice sounds! The Barr Brothers! <br />
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<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-57654173100492301272013-03-07T18:30:00.002-07:002013-03-07T18:30:32.189-07:00Spring rideSunday Maggie and I were out with her friend Mike, snow-shoeing up at the Little Laramie trails.<br />
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Today I took advantage of spring-y weather and took the bicycle out for a ride, a twelve-mile cruise on dry roads south on Soldier Springs and then back along the cement-plant road. Like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mtZdxoWIsUeQ4CfJD7EQNhvWOv4d_UJ0pFPwEawPv8qtozNNb-kjqFEz4D7ExYJcpv2EsNEc7SIgwkCtbkZwBCYc70bOAtIYryjsyysJNhpfPHJyo_MpUoanjUuUtuyG-5rHRCRX9puk/s1600/Ride+-+Mar2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mtZdxoWIsUeQ4CfJD7EQNhvWOv4d_UJ0pFPwEawPv8qtozNNb-kjqFEz4D7ExYJcpv2EsNEc7SIgwkCtbkZwBCYc70bOAtIYryjsyysJNhpfPHJyo_MpUoanjUuUtuyG-5rHRCRX9puk/s400/Ride+-+Mar2013.jpg" width="361" /></a></div>
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All in all, the weather was about perfect. A tiny bit of wind out by the scrap heap, but otherwise calm and awesome.<br />
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The forecast for this weekend predicts a good bit of snow, which means my chances of a few more ski adventures is still looking pretty good.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-41034906047037502172013-02-08T18:52:00.002-07:002013-02-08T18:52:48.666-07:00new musicSarah says it's time for another Avetts concert, so I'm gonna start listening to the opening act. I'm not sure it's the kind of music I'd listen to at home, but I think they'll be fun under the sky at Red Rocks. Here's a track from Portugal. The Man:<br />
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Yeah.Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4103859072416218751.post-37987044587254743562013-01-27T22:04:00.002-07:002013-01-27T22:04:41.006-07:00January heat wavethe lack of snow. it worries me.<br />
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in other news, maggie and i got plane tickets for arizona for march. hopefully it will be a chance to see my grandparents, my friends peter and david, maggie's friend nick, and the grand canyon. and get a tan.<br />
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in still other news, i meant to post a while ago about a place in fort collins we discovered, a restaurant named 415. chickin and waffles? with maple-bacon syrup? why, yes.<br />
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in more, unrelated news, i was in casper last weekend for a wyoming writing project gathering. it was refreshing, and more evidence that i need to push out into new experiences. the group was a fun one, teachers from all levels who love what they do and continue to do good work, in the face of the frustrations that go with being a public-school/community-college/state-funded-university teacher. i hope i may get to work with them this summer.<br />
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and yet more news: i've committed myself to working through aristotle this spring. despite holding a masters degree in rhetoric and composition, i've never read <i>on rhetoric</i>, which seems a pretty massive crack in my foundation.<br />
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snow, tomorrow. they say. we'll see.<br />
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<br />Rickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12399859328401722903noreply@blogger.com0