February 25, 2012

When I first moved here, I took the light rail downtown and slid right past this particular piece of work outside the convention center. I have yet to find out who built it or why, but there is something odd about any city that builds a large blue bear in the middle of downtown. Of course, its got nothing on the horse.

December 8, 2009

Taking the train home from school, as per my normal routine, and saw this family on board. It took me forever to figure out what the heck it was supposed to be! I just kept thinking, "who would make a balloon head brace for a kid?"

December 3, 2009

When I first moved here, I took the light rail downtown and slid right past this particular piece of work outside the convention center. I have yet to find out who built it or why, but there is something odd about any city that builds a large blue bear in the middle of downtown. Of course, its got nothing on the horse.

December 1, 2009

The countdown begins to the end of the year. As a reminder of warmer days, the Denver area was seeing temps in the mid-60's this week, so we decided to take the youngest to the park and let him run off some energy before getting his siblings. There were a few other kids, but the boy is pre-verbal, at 4, so isn't into socializing, no matter how hard other kids try. He's learning though.

November 19, 2009

The punk movement is alive and well in Denver. I can't help imagining that she's listening to Toby Keith or Mozart though. It's always nice to find that one's expectations are wrong when it comes to people.

November 17, 2009

I won't lie. Her cleavage was what drew my attention initially. I know she saw me checking her out and I noticed her watching me a few times as well. Then again I am 6' 6" and 275. She may have just been scared. I have been accused of being intimidated, while sitting.

November 16, 2009

My chariot awaits. On my way to school, always take the train. Cheaper (especially with a student pass), faster (no traffic to deal with), and I don't have to find parking. You see some strange people occasionally, but you can't beat the convenience.

November 13, 2009

I was walking to the light rail, and the sun was just beginning to rise. The color caught me, held me for a moment and I had to try and capture it. This may even be better than being there, for that moment faded. The sun rose, the clouds drifted off, the cars honked. But for just that one moment, perfection.

November 12, 2009

1045 Ninth Street Park, Denver, Colorado. One a home to Hispanic residents, now the home of the Cooperative Education Center/Internship Center. Another victim of urban renewal. One the upside, if you can prove you're a descendant of the residents that were relocated, you can get a free education. I hear the evidence and paperwork required are extensive. 

November 11, 2009

I was on my way to an internship interview bright and early when I noticed the church with the new high-rise behind it. The juxtaposition of the two, the mixture of old and new, seemed to really capture what makes Denver great. And then I got to thinking about St. Cajetan's church, and realized that it is truly a challenge for planners to hold onto the spirit of the old while building a modern city. Something has to give, I suppose.

November 10, 2009

St. Cajetan's Church is located on the Auraria Campus of Metropolitan State College of Denver. It was built in 1926 as the first house of worship for the Spanish-speaking community of Denver. In 1970, the Denver Urban Renewal Authority used eminent domain to relocate families and businesses from the area to build the college. Many of the structures were knocked down, but the church was placed on the historic places registry in time, and is now used as an auditorium for the campus.

November 3, 2009

One of the nice things about Metropolitan State College of Denver is that it's right in the middle of downtown Denver. The downside is that apparently, in order for the school to expand some years ago, a number of local residents had to give up their homes under the eminent domain law. And rather than just knock down these beautiful, old houses, the college built up around them, leaving a constant reminder that they evicted people for the sake of higher education. Lofty ideals, indeed.

October 28, 2009

Oh, what a beautiful morning. A nice snowy day, the kind just made for hot chocolate and fireplaces. Not looking forward to catching the train to school though. Gonna be a cold walk. We're supposed to get up to 15 inches, according to some reports. Not sure I'm buying that. Still, beats the Arizona summer.

October 26, 2009

That redheaded beauty that shows up on the train, showed up yet again. A great body, beautiful hair, I just wish she smiled more. I also wish I was the type of guy to strike up a conversation. On the other hand, I suppose my girlfriend would object. And then, my mystery Red is probably way to young for me. Still, she does make the train ride to school much more pleasant.

October 23, 2009

 Crowded night on the Light rail. Then again I'm out far earlier than normal. It's always interesting to me to see how people react in tight quarters like this. We love our personal space in the U.S. and to have a complete stranger sitting next to you can be unnerving for many. Usually, the only people I see chatting are the ones who get on together. I rarely see a person sit across from someone and strike up a conversation. Then again, since most people are on their MP3 or cell phones, the opportunity to talk is less than it was.

October 21, 2009

It was a cold day, a light snow fell all day long. From one window it looked like it was coming down pretty good, from the other it looked clear. On the way to the light rail, it was just kind of a fine mist coming down that left a little white here and there.