Good News

Craig is a big powerful and lovable kinda guy. We met years ago at Crossroads and have always enjoyed each others company. I was on one of my sort of off days and figured I would put in an hour of cleaning and call it "safe" for the day. It wasn't that I was bumming out, just a little behind the eight ball really.

Boy did my perspective ever change. Craig walks over to me and begins telling me how he streamed the Twilight Zone show from home. He went into great detail about songs matching with quotes and he even went on to say that he made his wife listen when she arrived to the homestead after a work day. Here ( https://www.radiofreeamerica.com/show/morning-muse-kafm-community-radio ) is the link and its only good for another week.

That conversation immediately shifted my energy flow and started a chest/arms regiment. I was so high on life and Craig's words replayed like a skipping needle. I wasn't in search of validation but Phuc Me did it ever hit home. So my chest work out went very well.

I Still Carry These 

Bench- just bar 3x25 slow and controlled
Peck Deck - 1 set 90 , 1 set 100, 1 set 110 all reps of 10
Incline - 2 sets w/35 dumbbells and 1 set of 10 w/40 pound dumbbells
Flat Bench - FIRST TIME EVER using 50 pound dumbbells - 2 solid sets of 10 and I talked myself into 5 controlled reps for the 3rd set. To my surprise I busted out 8 reps. I know that I could do all 10 if I had a spotter.
Decline Bench - set with 20's, set w/25's, and two sets w/35 pound dumbbells
Finished Chest w/Bar set of 10 for the muscle memory factor, 25 plates, 35 plates, and 45 plates as an up and back down pyramid set.

Arms were a switch between Bi/Tri throughout all the exercises. If I used a rope for pulls downs, slide the mechanism down, rope pull ups. Or 20 pound dumbbell curls and then kick backs with the same. Little bit lighter curl bar for preacher curls and then same weight for skull crushers. And On And On

Then for cardio, I hooked up the bike trailer, rode down to Big Lots, purchased a bag of dog food, a flat of canned cat food, and rode over to Roice-Hurst Humane Society, and placed those items in front of their door. Hopefully they were surprised the next morning.

The Dude & I at Mr Jim & Susan's Wedding

Amber Acres:

Hippy Jim, Me, Amber The Human, & Mr Judd

The Original Amber Acres Crew. Minus the dogs and Susan. Love These Guys!! Amber & Mr Jim hosted the Divided Sky on KAFM and were roommates on Elm Ave. I worked with Amber and she invited me on down to the station. Back in the day, after the 9-midnight time slot, turn off the transmitter and go home.

So as a complete renegade, The Atmospheric Window formed at midnight in 2001, my opening number was Slippin' into Darkness ( War Tune ) covered by Black Uhuru. I am still so fortunate to have these guys in my life and still host a verity of shows on KAFM. I have seen a lot of folks come and go, relationships flourish, resolve, and disappear, & the devastating loss as one passes on. KAFM is no different than any other Non-Profit Organization.

My 40th Birthday at Leadville with Founder Ken Chlouber

Speaking of KAFM. My next show is this Monday December 17th at 4pm and I am beyond stoked about it. I will be falling into the tripendicular time machine and spinning out some 80's New Wave and other desirable remixed tunes. Such As, Umpherys McGee mash up of Frankie Goes To Hollywood > Rob Zombie > Pink Floyd, Missing Persons, Psychedelic Furs, Love and Rockets, & I would never leave out Blondie.

Its would be wonderful if you streamed the show live but I will post a link that is good for two weeks for your listening pleasure. Or if this sounds like a train wreck in the makings, possible my Jazz show on Thursday the 20th at 9am might fit your fancy. I am also looking forward to that show!! LP's, R&B, and absolutely NO CHRISTMAS MUSIC.

This Blog:


The history of this blog. It all started as I approached my 40th milestone and I was grossly out of shape. I was driving trucks and pounding a couple of pots of coffee throughout my shift. You Know, Seated & Consuming. I ballooned out to an incredible 218 pounds of a pathetic gelatinous blob.

Love This Guy 

I began documenting my transition on old fashion paper. My first goal was finishing the Iron Horse Classic a few months before my 40th. Basically, this is a road bike race in which you race the train from Durango to Silverton and then ride the train back down the mountain.

On my actual B-Day, I "competed" in the Silver Rush 50.  I then started training with The Boy Dog for the Lead King 25K the following Fall. That event was the switch from paper journaling to the digital format that it is today.

The Rest Is History And Revealed
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The Boy Dog And Christmas: Son of a Witch with a capital B

I haven't ever dreaded the holidays like I am right now. Thanksgiving was a real kick in the teeth and I might not have recovered from that week just yet. The worst part was obviously not having The Boy Dog under the dinner table but being blatantly denied of Fridays Thanksgiving Dinner hurt more than anything. 

Now I realize that this upcoming Holiday Season leaves my without a tradition. Shadow Boy passed away at 13 years old but for the past 10 or so years, warm weather or snow, The Boy Dog & I would walk over to The Dude's while the sun would rise. That walk would bring us over the Colorado River, through the Connected Lakes Park, and up into the Redlands. Loved having him by my side and he loved being outdoors. I appreciated the beauty of Christmas sunrises and hearing The Boy Dog pant. And I mean NOBODY was ever out walking. Just The Boy Dog & I in our happy places. Inseparable 

Our Christmas Mornings were filled with him working over his stocking at The Dudes. My nieces would allow him to smell all of their gifts and I 100% loved everything about Christmas mornings. Damn, now that I think about it, I built a lot of Santa Gifts. One year, I found a Foosball Table on Craigslist. Picked it up and added my own creative flair to it. I used glow-n-the-dark paint and highlight the players jerseys, dots of colored paint around the goal mouth, wrote each of the family members names along the legs of the table, and hung our 5 foot black light above the playing surface.

I Loved Playing Santa. I Loved The Anticipation of Christmas Mornings. I simply loved the fact that I was going to be included and all the joy we all shared together. The innocent laughter that follows and the reminiscing of past events. I loved being part of a family tribe. 

The Dude always whipped up a couple quiches and FRESH oj for mimosas. By about 10am, The Boy Dog & I would start the briquettes for the smoker. I loved the security of spending the day with family. We would leave KAFM on all day and casually catch interesting programs. We would hike, walk, or weather pending outings while the smoker did its thang!! 

And Now??? I ask myself why I should even get out of bed. I miss Shadow Boy like crazy. We have nowhere to walk to. My nieces have their own families now and are building their own traditions. I hinted around last week with my youngest niece and her husband about Christmas Eve but they didn't bite. Thats OK, its my own deal. I was just hurt because they really never extended an invitation for Christmas ether. Sure, I am invited and don't need to be invited but its nice to hear once in awhile.

For starting my own traditions, I have kicked around a few ideas but I know I won't follow through this time around. Maybe I will find some youngsters to read to in the future, maybe I will seek out a food distribution and feed the homeless, or maybe there is a group of misfits that I just have unearthed yet. Like I said, nothing this year but I can't continue this downward spiral every Christmas. 

Well The Tree Said To The Lumberjack," I'm Stumped."