I suppose it's just that time of year.

It's not fully snowing, it's not warm (in fact it's fairly chilly) and the skies are gray and dark. It's the time in Steamboat where I become the most restless. Wanting something new, wanting to go somewhere new and wanting to meet new people. Steamboat seems to be getting smaller around me.
But it happens every year. I guess it's just more pronounced this year. Maybe it's everything that's happened the last two months.
Whatever the reason, I've been a little down. Hopefully that will change with the holidays and more snow.
What else. My life is pretty boring anymore. Without a girlfriend and without a lot of my friends in town anymore, I guess I've sort of become a one man show. I certainly do things and hang out with other people, but it's been a different time for me. I'm partially lonely. It's good to spend time with yourself though. Plus I haven't been going out as much. It's a good thing on the bank account.
I guess I'm sort of sick of going out here. I've been to every bar, hit up every special, know all the deals and know all the crowds. I guess it's just become too much of a routine anymore.

Last week was pretty much spent writing and reading a lot. Not bad things to do with my time. Friday went out for a little bit, Saturday drove to Pueblo to cover a high school football game (600 miles round trip) only to see Steamboat get prison raped. I knew it was coming, but my bosses made sure I still had to go.
Sunday went out to the VFW with Spenny and Ms. B for drinks and shuffle board. It was a very enjoyable night. I really love shuffleboard.

More news on the gloomy side. One of my buddies in town just got laid off. The economy isn't safe anywhere. It sucks because he had seniority in his company but I guess that's the unfair things about layoffs. Things have certainly tightened at the paper. Essentially in the last eight months, three positions have been consolidated. Not sure if they'll be in layoffs in my department but we'll just have to see.

25 new things in 25 days.
1. Travel to San Diego
2. Deep sea fishing
3. Nap on the beach
4. Went to Red Lobster
5. Art Museum and Aquarium
6. Metallica (seen them before, but not from where I sat. It's cheating but whatever).
7. Did a philosophical experiment on myself designed for you to differentiate your self from your body. It was a book I found in geenis' room. Pretty interesting stuff.
8. Wrote actual letters to varying people. (Still haven't sent them — my bad).
9. Went to a play by the Ski Town Productions (was pretty good, except the second half dropped off). First time I'd been to one since I lived here.
10. Tried to meditate = HEF. Tried again a couple hours later to varying success.
11. Tried crack — just kidding. Went to breakfast by myself and read and wrote.
12. Watched a new movie (The Grand). It's a poker movie and it was actually pretty funny
13. Went to Village Inn and had a delicious slice of pie. Plus I read for a couple of hours and had a wicked good conversation with some old guy.
14.

Books I've read the past couple of weeks that I highly recommend.
Tender Bar — I've read it three times.
On the Road — Just a classic
It's never rainy in Tiger Stadium — Book about former LSU player that starts slow but is pretty good about what former football players go through when the game is done.
Best American Sports Writing 2007 — Read it every year. This year's was up and down but had a couple of fantastic pieces in it.

Sports.
The Bills are who I thought they were. They are a mediocre/young team still a season away. Plus it doesn't help Dick "I sit while I pee" Jauron is so conservative.
CU has two shots to gain bowl eligibility. Oklahoma State at home — not going to happen. I could see another real lopsided score. Then at Nebraska the day after Turkey Day. Don't feel good about this either. 5-7 sucks.

The Rockies traded Matt Holliday. The trade speaks to the times in baseball and what needs to change. The Rockies took a philosophical approach seven years ago to build from within. THey did that, had a run and had a nucleus to win for years. But because there is no salary cap, middle to small market teams will continue to be a minor league system for bigger teams (i.e. Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs etc.). The Rockies couldn't afford Holliday and won't be able to afford Garrett Atkins. Back to rebuilding so in four or five years the Rockies best players can get traded away again. NICE.

HEF of the WEEK
Saturday was pretty much HEF day. Woke up on my friend Jill's couch that morning. The previous night we went to the play and rocked out a little. Had a horrible pain in my neck. Had to drive to Pueblo. Didn't have time to shower. Drove to Pueblo. Stopped at a convenient store, picked up deoderent, mouth wash, body spray and coffee. The clerk looked at me like scum. I'm in the parking lot applying all the necessaries when I see a crazy Steamboat football dad. He judges me before I head to the press box. The press box is roughly 97 degrees. I am sweating out my sins from the previous night, when one of the radio guys is like "Boy Luke, you got to it last night." I went onto interview players and coaches afterward and even had one player tell me, "you smell like booze." He played on my dodgeball team so we're cool. THe drive back was fun. Stopped at A&W Root Beer. Placed my order and the guy behind the counter was sort of a weird kid. When he handed me my money he held my hand and smiled. Hey I was tired and wanted to get home so I just went with it.