Post blogger Jim Vail has spent over 100,000 miles on the road hereabouts and he's got a few choice thoughts for RFTA.
Post blogger Amanda Boxtel, co-founder of Challenge Aspen, returns to the valley after her second trip to Delhi, India, for experimental embryonic stem-cell therapy. "Human Embryonic Stem Cells are alive and growing in my body," she blogs from afar, "infusing me with life and awakening my legs. As I near the end of my second treatment at Nutech Mediworld, I continue to regain strength. I have three days before I board my flight bound for the US. This time around, I am discovering that my body is so much more sensitive to the treatment, and I am more in tune with my bodily sensations."
Rocky Mountain Institute founder Amory Lovins knows that eccentricity in the defense of energy independence is no vice at the think tank in Old Snowmass. "While Lovins' eating and work habits appear a bit out of the ordinary," reports Roger Fillion, "there's an explanation. Blame it on global warming and $100 oil. Lovins' views on weaning the nation of fossil fuels have come more into vogue, especially in corporate America. So he's been burning the midnight oil in his solar- powered home and office. Companies such as Wal-Mart, Ford and Pacific Gas and Electric--plus the Pentagon and the White House--have sought advice from Lovins and the environmental think tank he co-founded here, the Rocky Mountain Institute."
During her second trip to India for experimental embryonic stem-cell research, Amanda Boxtel sees miracles everywhere she turns. "What is a miracle?" she blogs from Delhi. "Is it something that is scientifically impossible or an act of Divine intervention? I see a miracle as faith realized when I pay reverence for the grace God has given me. Peace enters my soul. At Dr. Geeta Shroff’s hospital, I continue to witness miracles taking place regularly. Mike Chan, an incomplete quadriplegic who was wheelchair bound last summer, returned to India from Hong Kong walking! When I met Mike in July last year, he could barely lift his torso with his arms and hands pressing down on his wheels. These past few weeks, I saw Mike walk without calipers, standing over six feet tall with a grin from ear to ear. Yes, Mike Chan is WALKING."
Post blogger Jamie Lynn Miller ventures into terra cognita at the Pitkin County Democratic caucus. "Every 3½ years or so," she blogs, "I really care about politics. I try to care as much the 3½ years leading up to it but things get in the way – powder day after powder day, live music, another day in paradise. But I think it’s better to care, even some of the time, than to not care at all. I was watching the Democratic debates on youtube, when it suddenly occurred to me if I really wanted to be informed, or at least aware, I should watch the Republican debates as well."
Steve Allredge reports the powers that be at Related Westpac are taking it on the chin for Snowmass Mall.
Post blogger Michael Conniff hopes one day to reach his ultimate destination at Snowmass: the First Chair. "First Chair has a magical, almost mystical quality to people," he blogs.
Post blogger Amanda Boxtel, co-founder of Challenge Aspen, is making miraculous progress during her second trip to India for experimental embryonic stem-cell research banned in the United States. "I am pleased to report that Chavi (my adorable physical therapist in India), Dr. Shroff, Dr. Ashish Verma, and Mum are absolutely thrilled with my progress," she blogs from Delhi, India. "Having been gone for four months, they clearly see my strength and improvements. It has been tough to monitor my own progress at home. My trunk mobility and lower abdominal strength is remarkable."
The lovely and courageous Amanda Boxtel returns to India for the next step in her experimental embryonic stem-cell therapy. "As I prepare for my second journey East half way around the globe," she blogs, "I recognize my innate desire and yearning to write again…to blog and get back in touch with every reason why I am rolling forth on a pioneering path to quietly open my Being to the realm of possibility and healing. Yes, thanks to the generosity of this community I am heading back to India for my second treatment of human embryonic stem cell therapy. I will be gone for one month from January 11 through February 11, 2008."
Anderson Ranch Arts Center is ready to ring in the winter with a bit of winter art of the outdoor variety. "Rally your friends," suggests the Ranch, "to create an 8′ x 8′ x 8′ snow sculpture in 48 hours and win up to $2000 in prize money! Six teams of up to six people each will be chosen to compete from design drawings based on artist ingenuity, clarity of concept, and three-dimensional observation. Each team that successfully completes their sculpture receives a cash prize ranging from $500 to $2000 for their time and creative effort." Applications are due January 3, 2008.
Snowmass Post blogger Amanda Boxtel and two of her friends raised over $100,000 with a fundraiser at the Aspen Club.
Post blogger Michael Conniff takes a long, hungry look at great eating in Aspen, Basalt, and Carbondale for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. "Dear Sewards," he blogs. "You know that note I was going to leave behind for your in our kitchen? The one that explains all the place to go to eat in the valley? Well here goes--for all the world to see...."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet, the angry man of the
Roaring Fork Valley, is more than a little angry about the issuance of his last parking ticket. "I pay the excessive across-the-board prices required to live here," he blogs, "and I do so merrily, as do we all. But I get angry when I feel I’m being wronged, as is the case with both of the aforementioned tickets. Is it too much to ask for a ticketing officer to knock on my window and assess the situation before ticketing? 'Ma'am,' I would have said, 'I have a daughter who was about to crap all over our car. My wife took her to the public restroom and will be back shortly. I am not blocking traffic, and can move if necessary. Would it be okay to wait a few more minutes?'"
Aspen Club & Spa blogger Tom Pazdernik, a personal trainer, says you should be careful about overdoing it now that skiing/snowboarding season is underway. "With the snow coming down and people excited to get out there and use the mountain as much as possible," he blogs, "comes the risk of over doing it. Many people are in great shape for skiing or snowboarding but even the most well conditioned athlete can still get hurt if they do not know their limits."
The Con Man is not at all happy that two of his regular radio guests stand accused of "racism" and/or "racist statements." "Within the last week," he blogs, "I have found myself in the awkward position of having two of my regular guests on the “Con Games” radio show accused of “racism”—one for his stance on immigration, the other for his views on Palestinians."
After a painfully slow start to the season, one that saw Thanksgiving Day clogging on Fanny Hill, the Snowmass Ski Area was able to embrace some 19 inches over fresh powder over the weekend. "We are opening new terrain on both mountains as quickly as we can," reports Skico. "At Snowmass the Big Burn will open today and Sam’s Knob opened yesterday. The Treehouse Kids’ Adventure Center is open for kids of all ages." Lift tickets are a relative bargain until further notice at a discounted $66.
The Aspen Music Festival s hosting classical music composer Andrew Norman on a tour of local schools in the Roaring Fork Valley. "In our second visit to the Aspen High IB program," she blogs, "we added student Nick Holloran from Basalt who had the morning free (I don't remember this in my high school days!). An accomplished pianist (he participated in the PALS program this summer), Nick began composing this summer. Normally quiet, he eagerly contributed. We looked at sketches that Andrew assigned the IB kids using only 5 pitches. Of course, each treated the material very differently and creatively."
Aspen Club & Spa blogger Amy Knight is the valley's premier expert on ski conditioning. "The one thing I apprectiated was their hard work and the fun they brought to classes," she blogs, "We worked, pushed and pulled off of each others energy (myself included) and walked away with great fitness, great fun, some new friendships and alot of great moments. It’s not just about the physical body and fitness. It’s much, much more!"
The blogosphere went blooey this week when Post blogger reckless G took on new Post blogger Troy Hooper--the editor of the Aspen Daily News--on the issue of free speech and censorship. "I am sincerely disappointed in Grassroots TV and the Aspen Daily News for embracing the introduction of censorship into our community," she blogs. "Hopefully, the Aspen Times will retain its courage and integrity, and we will still have one option left open to us for a healthy discussion of this critical issue." Hooper, for his part, doesn't quite see what the big deal is about.
Post blogger Michael Conniff took a trip to a town that is not entirely unlike Snowmass--the town of Durango in southern Colorado. "I recommend Durango to people because it is just way cool," he blogs. "From the Common Grounds coffee shop to the Seasons Restaurant to Nobody’s Inn, the adorable place where we stayed for the weekend, Durango has the sophistication of a small, hip city and the vibe of a college town, in part because of Fort Lewis College on a beautiful ridge above town. If you can do without Big 12 sports, Durango out-Boulders Boulder, with multiple coffee stops, great restaurants, and a down-home Durango Diner experience...."
Anderson Ranch in Snowmass and the Aspen Writers' Foundation have teamed up to bring the best of storytelling to local high schools. "Compassion and creativity collide on December 5 as an innovative, cross-cultural program of the Aspen Writers’ Foundation (AWF) and Anderson Ranch Arts Center (ARAC) makes its debut," according to the Ranch. "The program, known as Story Swap, uses storytelling, creative writing and the visual arts to generate understanding between native and non-native English speakers at the high school level. The work of approximately 40 Basalt High School students will be featured in a gallery exhibition and presentation at 5 pm at the Red Brick Center for the Arts in Aspen . The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet does not sufer fools gladly, especially when they are pontificating in meetings. "The act of taking notes during a meeting is just that, an act," he blogs. "I have legal pads full of notes stuffed in my desk drawer that I have never once referenced. In my experience, note taking is done for two reasons: First, to pretend that you care about what is being said during the meeting. Second, to stay awake while someone babbles on about things you simply don’t care about. As I listened to the lecture on customer service, I felt immense pity for the staff for having to endure such a boring presentation. I also felt pity for the manager for having to give such a boring presentation. In the manager’s voice I could hear the phony enthusiasm one must employ when disseminating supposedly 'meaningful' and 'important' information to subordinates."
"This may be hard for some of you to believe," writes Post blogger Keith Hemstreet, "but it turns out my daughter is psychic.... Needless to say, I’m very proud. So how do I know that my daughter is a visionary diva? Let me explain. The other night, as I tucked her into bed, she said she had something to tell me. I knelt down beside her, and listened. 'Daddy,' she whispered in a poltergeisty voice, 'all of your dreams will come true.' How sweet, I thought, chalking it up as what happens when you allow your children to overdose on Walt Disney films. But then it happened. My dream came true."
Post blogger Michael Conniff can't stand it when he gets stood up. Maybe he should have stood in bed. "Something's been happening here in the valley lately," he blogs, "and I'm doing my best not to take it personally. What's been happening is that people are just not showing up, and I don't know why. I know, I know--it's probably me, probably this strange notion I have that people should actually show up when they say they're going to show up. Or maybe it's the natural aversion of others to yours truly. That would explain it, too."
The Aspen Chamber Resort Association--including Snowmass businesses--wants to show visitors the love. ACRA is ready when you are.
Post blogger Michael Conniff thinks the Snowmass ban on smoking--outdoors--is beyond stupid. "Outdoors," he blogs. "That’s right. Light up in the great outdoors of Snowmass Village and you are toast–or at least subject to a fine as high as $1,000.... The one thing they refused to do was to ban smoking on chairlifts–the one place outdoors where you might actually experience second-hand smoke because the person sitting right next to you is blowing smoke.... Thus the Town Council has managed to protect everyone but the people who actually need to be protected."
Post blogger Frosty Woolridge loves closed borders... and the wide open spaces when you're riding a motorcycle across America. "Hard to believe that Rick and I rode for glory to Alaska in 1980 and again in 2003 on these candy-assed Hondas," he blogs. "On our 20,000 mile ride last summer through 48 states, the Hondas made the trip in good style. Okay, we rode into Sturgis for the 67th annual rally of the greatest motorcycle extravaganza in the world. Nothing like it – in heaven or hell! We headed out of Denver – Ignacio, Sandi, Frosty, Rick and a wild bunch of friends on two wheels. As we cranked the throttles, we headed up I-25 into the rush hour morning traffic. We witnessed the yellow soup Brown (smog-ozone) Cloud over Denver before turning northeast on I-76 toward the prairie. Painful – to think that two million people breathed that toxic air with every breath – all day long and into the night!"
Post blogger Michael Conniff bestows an enthusiastic thumbs-up to "She Loves Me," the new Aspen Community Theatre production. "In this version of the classic story," he blogs, "a man and a woman who work in a perfume store in Budapest fall in love by answering "Lonely Hearts" ads in the newspaper--the earliest version of newspaper personals. On the stage of the Wheeler, director Mike Monroney coaxed warmth and humor out of everyone in the cast, and the overriding feeling that somehow true love would triumph."
The Town of Snowmass Village and Aspen Sking Company would like to remind the free world that there's more going on this winter than the continuing construction of Base Village. "In a direct mail piece with the headline, 'A Mountain Of Opportunity,'” reports Post Time News, "the town is pushing a raft of events on and off the mountain, beginning with opening day November 22, 2007, and continuing through everything from Chanukah at The Silvertree Hotel to the Snowmass Mardi Gras Parade & Celebration.”
Aspen Life blogger Tom Pazdernik, a personal trainer, wants you to know a few things about nutrition. "Even in a well-educated community like the Roaring Fork Valley," he blogs, "myths regarding nutrition still run rampant. In an era of anti-aging and instant gratification, many companies try to take advantage of this and solicit products and information that are of little or no value. While there certainly are some reputable nutrition sources out there, it is difficult to decipher the valuable information from the rest. There are five myths that the majority of the general public refuses to accept as faulty information."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet wonders how in the hell we're supposed to know somebody looks suspicious. "Okay," he blogs, "but how does one determine that something or someone is, in fact, 'suspicious'? For example, I would consider a raven with video surveillance equipment taped to its head 'suspicious', but my friend might consider it coo”, or even funny. And does suspiciousness only occur in alleys and behind stores? What if I see a man in a Richard Nixon mask trying to open a safe with a stethoscope, but the safe is not located in an alley or behind a store? Would this simply be odd, as opposed to “\suspicious and, therefore, require no action on my part?"
"As I venture forth as one of the pioneer patients receiving human embryonic stem cell therapy," writes Post blogger Amanda Boxtel, the co-founder of Challenge Aspen, "I realize more and more that Dr. Geeta Shroff is at the eye of a global controversial storm and I am at the dawn of an age of discovery that will forever change the world. Since landing on American soil two months ago, I have found myself spiraling into a whirlpool of emotion. While sometimes spinning out of control, those intense emotions collided with an influx of stem cell information causing deep anxiety on all levels.... Egos abound and I am more perplexed."
"I've succeeded in doing a lot of sexy projects yet utterly failed in what I set out to do," says Aspen Skiing Company's Auden Schendler. "How do you really green your company? It's almost f------ impossible."
"As I stood in line," writes Post blogger Keith Hemstreet, "rummaging through my bag in an effort to scrounge up enough change to buy a cup of coffee, a story in the newspaper caught my eye. The headline read, 'Study: One in five in PitCo barely making ends meet.' My immediate reaction was to think that the study was flawed. Only one in five? It seemed like a sampling of the very coffee shop I occupied would produce a statistic closer to nine in ten. However, without having read the article - I was still trying to piece together $1.25 for a coffee - I thought that the headline could possibly be true, given a slight modification."
From out of the blue--according to Related WestPac--the Snowmass Town Council voted to put the breaks for now on any more development. “I’m taken back,” said Related WestPac president Pat Smith. “This targets every piece of property in Snowmass Village owned by Related WestPac. It appears that we are the target of this ordinance. I have $250 million invested in West Village. I feel appalled that this application would be submitted this way. I heard about this 15 minutes ago.” Steve Allredge reports Mayor ""Merc" Mercatoris said: “I look at this as a pause for planning,” said Mayor Douglas “Merc” Mercatoris. “I think this is appropriate. I think six months for planning is a reasonable time."
Aspen Life blogger and personal trainer Sarah Kochlis says, believe it or not, you really do need your carbs, hear? "Participating in a high energy, classes such as SKI CONDITIONING, BODY ATTACK, or any endurance training program , on a LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET is detrimental to improvements in endurance," she blogs. "A low-carbohydrate intake can have a really disastrous effect on workout quality. It is well established that carbohydrate is the primary source used above 65% VO2 max, which equates to approx 70-75% HR max, which is the level of intensity you would expect most clients/participants to be working at , if not higher , in these type of classes."
Aspen Community Theatre presents "She Loves Me," the progenitor of "You've Got Mail" and "Little Shop On The Corner"--and more.
With Snowmass in the midst of massive development, will it suffer the same fate as Aspen and Steamboat Springs? "Are mountain towns going down even as real estate prices go up?" Post Time News reports. "The experience of two towns in Colorado—Aspen and Steamboat Springs—paint a picture of a life cycle for towns of increasing popularity that grows more vexing and expensive at every step. Aspen, now into decades of growth, was the subject of a story in the Wall Street Journal that leaves open the question of what will become of the glitziest mountain city as it starts to age uncomfortably into the 21st Century."
Tis the season to celebrate the coming winter and all four seasons in the Roaring Fork Valley.
"Amazing," writes Post blogger flower77 in comment #1, "the Town Council actually believes Pat Smith will bring in a Westin Hotel to allievate bringing in a larger Viceroy Hotel.
My question is why wasn’t the Westin good enough to go into the Base Village area as first planned . And who has even heard of a Viceroy Hotel?
Where in the Snowmass Village Mall area is there even enough room to put in another hotel?? From the rumors you hear in Snowmass it is going in directly across the end of the mall from the Silvertree Hotel, which happens to run the Snowmasss Conference Center. Who in their right mind thinks that Snowmass can support 3 very large hotels , all with their own conference center?""
Like Amdanda Boxtel, Leah Roland is getting ready to leave the Roaring Fork Valley for experimental stem-cell therapy--in India. "On February 13, 1999 Leah’s life changed forever," blogs Aspen Life. "While skiing at Eldora Mountain outside of Boulder, Colorado, Leah was taking her second warm-up run of the day when she ran into a tree and broke her neck. Within an instant, Roland’s life changed forever, paralyzing her from her chest down. After her initial surgery, she was taken to Craig Rehabilitation Hospital where she was told that she would never walk again. Specifically Leah sustained a C-5 burst fracture and a ½” bruise on the left side of her spinal cord. After being told she would never walk again, she was determined to prove her doctors wrong. With a small amount of luck and a lot of sweat and tears; support from her community, friends and family, today Leah walks with the assistance of only a cane."
Post blogger Casey McConnell took a tip from Filmfest executive director Laura Thielen and he's glad he did. "I hesitated to go see Across the Universe until Laura Thielen from The Aspen Film Fest suggested I go," he blogs. "On her advice I took a chance to spend a Thursday evening at the movies. It was a splendid journey in an era I didn't experience with an uplifting story line. And now I am recommending it to you. Go see this movie."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet tells a tale of Taos and things that go bump in the night. "There was a noise at the back door," he blogs. "A sudden crack. My muscles tightened. My heart was racing. My mind buzzed frantically."
Aspen Life blogger Deb Weisman knows all about Karma, especially when it comes to your health and welfare. "Just what is does Karma mean?" she blogs. "Without consulting Webster’s dicitonary or Wikopedia, I think it’s fair to say it means, 'what goes around, comes around.' To think of the Karma in a more biblical sense, try “do unto others what you’d expect to be done to you.” While I’ve seen no scientific proof to support that Karma exists, all one really has to do is take a look around to believe in the mantra. Good things happen to good people? Well not always, but being the best person you can be and doing the right thing have got to account for something."
Post Blogger Keith Hemstreet finds refuge from the rigors of his two young children with a trip to Maroon Bells that should be heavenly. "By mid-week," he blogs, "my brain was tweaked. Early one morning, after rocking my youngest daughter back to sleep, I laid awake, analyzing my life in a million and one ways. The sleep deprived mind works to dredge horrors and fears from the depths of your subconscious, illuminating them in a cataclysmic light."
Post Time News is reporting a Westin Hotel might be in Snowmass's future after all. The Snowmass Village Town Council approved the Viceroy Hotel for Base Village, but only on the condition that Related Westpac would build a conference hotel in West Village, formerly know as the Snowmass Village Mall. Related Westpac president Pat Smith said the second hotel could indeed be from a major hotel chain like the Westin or the Marriot. The West Village hotel will have 10,00 square feet of conference space. If Related doesn't get the West Village hotel built by 2017, it must pay an $8 million penalty to the town.
Post blogger Mike McGarry, co-founder of the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform, calls the two-tiered system of law enforcement for citizens and illegals a sham. "In former days, aliens were required to demonstrate 'good moral character' to qualify for citizenship," he blogs, "but not any more. That’s because we now live under the tyranny of a two–tiered system of laws, one that gives a pass to foreign criminals and another that holds citizens legally accountable for their actions. I have had official documents in my hands that showed that a convicted criminal alien who served time in prison for child molestation was rewarded with U.S. citizenship. It’s the New American Dream."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet took a trip to Belly Up Aspen to see Snoop Doggy Dog--and he came away with memories old and new. "Watching Snoop Dog perform was a real thrill," HE BLOGS. "In many ways the excitement reminded me of the time I saw Bill Clinton speak. Don’t scoff. This is no joke. The ex-President and the Godfather of Rap share many qualities. They are the qualities that define many great men. Both men knew how to communicate with the nation’s youth, both energized a generation, both loved the ladies, and, of course, both smoked the chronic. I saw Bill Clinton in 1992, then a presidential hopeful gaining popularity, and was taken by his eloquence and passion. I was a sophomore in college and this was the man I wanted in the White House. This same year Snoop Dog released his groundbreaking rap album “'Doggystyle.'”
Life is different for Post blogger Amanda Boxtel--and better. The co-founder of Challenge Aspen, paralysed from the waist down for fifteen years after a freak skiing accident, is seeing improvement afte nine weeks in India for experimental embryonic stem cell therapy. "So," she blogs, "you might be anxious to hear how my body is? To see me rolling down the sidewalk with Tucker leashed to my wheelchair, I look like Amanda. Only me and my few friends who have seen me flop around out of my wheelchair can recognize the new Amanda coming to life."
Post blogger Barbara Floria Orcutt blogs from India on her journey for Fodor's travel. "I said I was fine," she blogs, "but the young man came along anyway, until I shooed him away. Within a mere 200 yards I was approached by five men selling handkerchiefs, three tuk-tuk (three-wheeled vehicles that run on propane, also known as auto rickshaws) drivers offering rides, one who persistently told me he could show me the 'real Delhi' and all the sights for 100 rupees ($2.50). When I told him I had seen them all, he asked me if I was a tour group leader. I said no, but I could be, and he left me alone. The next two men were selling sunglasses, “very cheap—no buy, only look.” I waved them off and continued on my way."
New Post blogger Frosty Woolridge weighs in with his worries about a "tsunami." "What’s driving our water crisis?" he blogs. "While we suffer water problems today, Harris Sherman, director of Colorado Department of Natural Resources, said, "We expect another 2.8 million people in the state by 2030...this is why we're seeing this fierce competition for water." Let's uncover a greater calamity we face: the Fogel/Martin March 2006 "US Population Projections for 2050" shows Colorado growing from 4.3 million in 2006 to 9.77 million by 2050. If you think water proves as a crisis today, you ain't seen nothing yet. Why? Because while we grow by six million, California grows by 42 million or, from 37.5 million to 79.1 million! Arizona, to add another five million, and California--depend on the Colorado River as their lifeblood. Something's gotta' give folks!"
Post blogger Michael Conniff takes a long hard look at a woman's right to shape her own breasts. "I must say I have enjoyed the guessing game that ensued after my semi-annual blog about breasts," he blogs. "Needless to say, no man should ever put pen to paper when it comes to breasts, because (a) nothing he can say will ever do them justice; and (b) everything he says will be held against him unless, as a homosexual, he is noncombatant. That said, this post represents an update by a card-carrying heterosexual on the great Aspen breast story."
They said it couldn't be done--but they've been wrong before. Challenge Aspen co-founder Amanda Boxtel, paralysed from the waist down for fifteen year, now has movement in her lower body after embryonic stem cell therapy in India. "'Yes Dr. Ashish,'" she blogs. "'Deal! I’ll move my right hamstring, I promise!' I made this statement with complete confidence…and in front of Dale, with both of our eyes focused on my lower right leg as I lay on my side isolating my upper body and hip flexors; I moved my right hamstring on command!”
Post blogger Beth Brandon, a funny lady, was one of the stand-up comics who got her start with Laugh Your Aspen Off--and then decided to strike out on her own. Post blogger Ciffford Fewel blogs about the rise and fall of the local funny people. "Once the applause subsided and we finished congratulating ourselves on our boffo sellout debut at the Aspen Eagle’s Club," he blogs, "I grew curious as to how this local brand of humor might play down valley. Plus, it is in my nature to challenge the team."
Snowmass Club personal trainer Sarah Kochis works her magic upon Post blogger Michael Conniff. "The only problem with people telling your how good you look today is that's a way of saying you really did look like crap the day before," he blogs. "Just about all of us have been there before: the temporary breakthrough, the "diet" that seems to be working, the wondrous changes made manifest for five minutes at the most, the national obsession with losing weight at the expense of getting fit. Still and all, thanks to Sarah Kochlis, my personal trainer at the Aspen Club & Spa, I have to confess to a myriad of compliments about the new me. One comely young woman at the club even said I looked 'buff.'"
Can you define a town, a time, and a place by the local coffee shop. Post blogger Keith Hemstreet says you can. "I always order the same thing, a coffee," he blogs. "But it’s not the coffee that draws me to this place. I actually prefer the coffee at Starbucks. What attracts me to this place is the atmosphere, the people, the conversation.... The regulars at the coffee shop are not your typical random sampling. They are interesting people. Painters, entrepreneurs, athletes, trust fund kids, ski patrolman, mysterious wanderers, and millionaires."
Well, why not? Post Time News reports the Fourth Annual Snowmass Wellness Experience will be replete with goodies for thos who know where to look. “It’s difficult to get across just how much this festival offers,” event director Josh Behrman told Post Time News. “We’ve brought together highly respected Wellness experts who address issues that concern everyone like stress, healthy eating, and optimal fitness and who you can’t see elsewhere in Colorado. But it’s not just about sitting and taking notes.... there’s something for everyone and multiple levels of participation.”
Aspen Life blogger Deb Weisman says there is hope indeed when it comes to the core issues of your abs.
Steve Allredge reports upon the possibility of fraud by part-time residents of Snowmass.
In a further sign of these musical times, Jazz Aspen Snowmass put together a lineup for Labor Day weekend 2007 that is all but devoid of jazz with two z's. Instead, head honcho Jim Horowitz has turned to jam bands, the one genre that is sure to stoke Snowmass come summer. And not just any jam band--but the Allman Brothers brand and all its offspring: Government Mule, the Derek Trucks Band, and even Derek's wife Susan Tedeschi. There's another jammish band, Nickel Creek, that just played a free slopeside Fanny Hill concert. If you're looking for jazz this summer, you'll have to go to the Aspen Music Festival and School, where Wynton Marsalis can be found.
"People around here hate developers," writes Post blogger Michael Conniff. "It’s that simple. No matter how many good things Related WestPac president Pat Smith does, there are those who live here who will still hate him merely because he’s a developer–and because of what he inherited. Pat Smith is the custodian of the soul of a town that has spent the better part of the recent past in development hell.... But Related, WestPac, and Related WestPac are at least trying hard to make things right. Love them, hate them, you have to give them that. They’ve hired some of the best people around, and they’re also trying to make Snowmass greener than green."
"I continue to feel strong and the lower half of my body is firing up with life," writes Post blogger Amanda Boxtel. "Every exercise I execute with Chavi each morning feels stronger. I have more control with my leg movements and I am learning to isolate different muscles. I can raise my knees up in a bent position from lying straight on the bed and amazingly, my ability to crawl backwards is consistent and powered by new muscles that have been asleep for fifteen years. With the slight use of my hip flexors, since my injury I have always been able to balance on my hands and knees and crawl forwards, but never backwards. I am astounded by my strength and new abilities. Although I am not kic king yet in the literal sense, I get a kick out of examining my limbs as they reclaim life. My hamstring on the left leg works when I least expect it, and occasionally in front of an audience. Call it performance anxiety, but I figure that muscle has been hibernating for such a long time, it will take a little while…and some more ‘waiting’ to bring it back to life in the normal sense."
Meditate on the return of The Snowmass Wellness Experience this August for the fourth time running. Post Time News reports: "The Snowmass Wellness Experience kicks off its fourth year with a slate of wellness speakers on the subjects of nutrition, fitness, and spirituality & science experts–including six best-selling authors."
"The green stuff has gone from being politically extinct to becoming politically extant everywhere," writes Post blogger Michael Conniff in his account of the RMI:25 celebrationat Peace Ranch, "in large part because Amory Lovins (right) and the policy geeks in Old Snowmass have insisted from the start that you could build an economy devoid of oil if the nation developed solar, hydro, wind, and sundry alternatives. That’s happening now, but it’s only happening because people like Lovins, Ray Anderson of Interface, and the cast of thousands assembled in peace at the ranch fought like hell for what they believed in. They were laughed at and marginalized as 'tree huggers' and “environmental wackos” but the labels never stuck to Lovins or his peeps."
Catherine Lutz reports Related Westpac gleaned approval for the Viceroy Hotel with the promise to build a conference hotel elsewhere in Snowmass so as to slake the concerns of town pols. "The crux of the issue," she reports, "is a condition in the Base Village approval that requires its flagship hotel to be a nationally recognized hotel chain operated as a four-diamond facility. Related WestPac, which bought Base Village and its development approvals five months ago from an Intrawest/Aspen Skiing Co. partnership, is promising that the four-diamond part of the condition will be met. But the council has discussed the national recognition issue at length, and determined that not only is Viceroy not a national brand, but that the condition was intended to draw in a hotel brand like Hyatt or Westin that is known for drawing group business."
Post Time News reports the arrival of former New York Governor George Pataki for green festivities related to both Related WestPac and the Rocky Mountain Institute. "As Governor," Post Time News reports, "he protected over one million acres of open space, the most since Teddy Roosevelt, but Governor Pataki–a Republican–also implemented the first integrated strategy for creating clean, renewable transportation networks utilizing alternative fuels, including tax and other incentives for both consumers and manufacturers, grants for alternative retail fuel distribution systems and the exemption of renewable fuels from all State and local taxes."
The co-founder of Challenge Aspen is never afraid of a challenge, but Post blogger Amanda Boxtel has had to muster all her many powers to persevere in Delhi, India, during her embryonic stem cell therapy. The latest miracle: I am ecstatic to report that I am the proud owner of a very strong hamstring in the left leg. Yes, my lower left leg can now move backwards from the knee down to the foot on its own! This is a first!!!!! In fact, I feel my gluteus maximus beginning to kick in, along with other abdominal and leg muscles that haven’t felt alive for fifteen years."
Nothing bugs Post blogger Keith Hemstreet quite like a "vacation" away from the mountains back home in semper hot Florida.
"Everyone has bias," writes Post blogger Michael Conniff in comment #3, "but in the very best reporters you would never know it. If, as a reporter, you know you have a bias, then it is your sacred duty to bend over backward to be fair. It’s not that people aren’t biased, it’s that reporters should not be in their reporting and published work."
The courageous charismatic Amanda Boxtel, co-founder of Challenge Aspen, was paralysed from the waist down in a freak skiing accident fifteen years ago. Since then the most routine functions have been out of reach--until her trip to India for embryonic stem-cell research. Although I am not sure how to tactfully convey my ground breaking news to the world, I shall resort to the simple facts… I had my first bowel movement on my own in fifteen years last night. Yippee!... My God! I shall spare you any other details, but this is truly miraculous given that I haven’t been able to use my bodily functions normally in fifteen years."
The brand-new second homeowners advisory board meets to talk logistics and to outline goals for the future of Snowmass.
Post Time News reports the Rocky Mountain Institute is gearing up for its 25th anniversary celebration to be held August 9-10, 2007. “The issues that confronted RMI during its inaugural years are now in the forefront of today’s debate on climate change,” Lovins said. “After 25 years of challenging conventional thinking and leading the field in cutting edge research and consulting," says RMI chairman and chief scientist Amory Lovins, "RMI will host a celebration recognizing its past work while keeping our focus on the challenges in front of us.” The list of invitees includes former U.S. President Bill Clinton, Thomas Friedman, Ray Anderson, and Yvon Chouinard of Patagonia (pictured).
Former President Bill Clinton is back (again) for the 25th anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Institute. He is expected to appear sometime between August 9-10th.
Is reporting the news about perfection or about the true simplicity of capturing what is right in front of you? "But in the end," writes Post blogger Jessica Andrews, "every story, every facet of life has a who, what, where, when, why, and how. And anyone, whether it be the housewives who meet at yoga every Thursday morning and relay the latest gossip, or the lunch lady who explains to a group of students the daily menu--even the concierge at a hotel—anyone can tell a story and may even– in hypothetical circumstances– manage to get all the facts and details right. So what is a reporter and whom should you trust to get your information?"
The second-homers advisory board of Snowmass will meet July 17 and 18 at Anderson Ranch. The main thing we are trying to accomplish [tomorrow] is to get to know all of the new board members,” said active Snowmass board member John Barrett. “We also try to focus on improving the communication between Snowmass 2nd homeowners and the city council.”
You can feel the pain with the new Base Village under construction, reports Post Time News, but can the citizens of Snowmass feel the gain? Aspen Skiing Company CEO Mike Kaplan commented on the gestalt of the town in the midst of construction that will continue through 2011. "Since the referendum," Kaplan writes, "condominium unit sales doubled and values rose almost 50 percent compared to 2002 and 2003. More than $28 million (in 2006 alone) has been invested in existing lodging properties to modernize their appearance and functionality, and enhance the quality of the guest experience.”
Post Time News reporter Jessica Andrews takes a closer look at the "destruction and reconstruction." "Some mornings is okay and some mornings its just unbearable,” said Coats Reid & Waldron associate Rebecca Stokes looking out onto the mountain from the Village Market.” I’m happy that there will be a new round-a-bout when this is all said and done, that will definitely help with traffic."
On her trip to India for embryonic stem cell therapy, "small miracles" are already happening for Amanda Boxtel, the co-founder of Challenge Aspen. "I’m peeing!" she writes. "Yes, what a way to begin my communiqué, but this is a small miracle within itself. After 15 years of zero bladder control I am beginning to restore function. What most take for granted everyday (a simple tinkle into the loo) has been a silent dream of mine for years. Since my spinal tap with a massive dose of stem cells injected last Friday, I am happy to report that I have tinkled on my own sixteen times."
Jessica Andrews explores Thursday nights on Fanny Hill--where locals, tourists, and music fanatics take in legendary musicians and relax for free during another summer of love.
Snowmass Post blogger prodigal son keeps it quick and straight to the point in his continuing series on what he is calling "the greatest scam of the century." Now challenging the alternatvie fuel that has been claimed to be the way of the future.
Post blogger prodigal son, the newest blogger to join Snowmass Post, provides answers that challenge a basic system of belief. "Al Gore has recently called for a 90% reduction in anthropogenic (human-caused) carbon dioxide emissions,..." he blogs. "Anthropogenic CO2 production accounts for 3.20% of all CO2 emissions. Carbon dioxide makes up 3.62% of all greenhouse gases, making anthropogenic CO2 account for approximately 0.116% of all greenhouse gases. Elimination of 90% of our emissions would reduce all greenhouse emissions by 0.10%, making anthropogenic Co2, 'THE cause' of global warming a statistical impossibility!"
Post Time News reporter Jessica Andrews explores the inner workings of nutrition and physical activity policies in Colorado Public Schools.
Post blogger Jessica Andrews believes the prodigal sons and daughters of global warming continue to chase new recruits for an unproven myth.
Not even Amanda Boxtel can be completely sure she can move one of her toes, but the co-founder of Challenge Aspen gives preliminary indications her embryonic stem cell therapy in India is working. "I’m hesitant to share because my mind has a hard time wrapping around the fact that on Monday, July 2nd I had a very slight side-to-side wiggle of my third toe on the left foot. This is new and something I haven’t observed in the past 15 ½ years since becoming paralyzed.... When I thought about it, the toe moved. When I stopped thinking about it, the toe stopped."
Post Time News is reporting RFTA's purchase of four new hybrid buses raises questions about how expensive they will be to operate compared to the older models?
Aspen Film has teamed up with Snomass Village to bring a new level of cool to movies in town this summer.
Snowmasokist, Jonny Boyd, feels that the base village development has gone from bad to worse. “The argument for ‘staying the course’ and forcing the developer to find a national brand is almost as crazy as the one that uses those three words to remain in Iraq,” writes Boyd. “Just because a few people bought into the lies of Intrawest and the Skico doesn’t mean we have to continue down the path those entities laid down. They were lying, and the people who believed the BS and proceeded to sell it to the village were wrong as well. How long do we follow people that have been so wrong for so long?”
Post blogger Kit O'Carra sings the praises of Jake Shimabukuro, the virtuouso uke dude who set Snowmass afire.
The height of summer in Snowmass can mean only one thing: the return of the rodeo. Post Time News reports this uniquely Snowmassian phenomenon comes with a new set of tricks: "On most Wednesdays," Snowmass Post reports, "performances can be expected by the Cedar Ridge Ranch Riders, who perform a synchronized riding routine, Anita Witt who will make surprise appearances will her prankster ponies who will perform special tricks for the audience."
Snowmass Base Village can be a lonely place when you're number one, as developer Pat Smith found out when he went looking for a hotel waiver. “I’d like to keep the Viceroy here," Smith told reporter Steve Allredge. "The town’s own consultant showed how favorably they compare to the larger brand hotels. If we had said (yes) this week, there would be a whole marketing team working nationally on creating identity for Snowmass immediately. We have to decide where do we want to draw the line, what do we want to be? If you want brands we could bring in McDonald’s and Taco Bell, but that’s not why we fell in love with the place and that’s not what we want to see."
Anderson Ranch Arts Center poobah Hunter O'Hanian came to town with a mission to collaborate to their mutual profit with the other nonprofits in the Roaring Fork Valley. "When I first got here I listened to a lot of people from Snowmass Village and the Roaring Fork Valley," O'Hanian tells Ann Larson. "They wanted to see more collaboration with other arts organizations. I sought them out and asked how we could work together. It seems that they had been asking the same thing. It was just a question of throwing ideas out there. We have a wonderful facility in Schermer Meeting Hall which seats 125 people very comfortably. The fact that we can play host to other organizations is great and we are happy to do that. It’s a state-of-the-art meeting hall that can be used for any cultural presentation – readings, concerts, lectures and films."
In just a few short years, the Chili Pepper & Brew Fest has gone from a curiosity to a sign that summer has finally begun in Snowmass Village. "The Chili Brew feast drew upon characters from around the valley," blogs Jessica Andrews. "They were all sporting an array of festive attire from Hawaiian shirts and flower leis, to colored beads, and one oversized top hat designed to look like a pint of beer. Not even the heavy manufacturing, gigantic cranes, or the hordes of construction workers around the Base of the mountain could stop patrons from attending the first day of the Chili Brew Fest."
Wharf Rat waxes poetic on the death of a beloved dog and what it says about life. "It is appropriate that the scintillating discussion of death on Con Games occurred almost exactly one year to the date from the time the veterinary oncologist told me my dog wasn't going to be able to continue chemotherapy," he blogs. "She managed to wag her tail for another three weeks, just barely missing the family reunion in Jackson Hole. The fight was a brave one--as her body rapidly failed, she progressed from an eight-year-old thoroughbred (WOW, she is in remarkable shape, Dr. Arrott had commented two weeks prior to the diagnosis) to a wobbly ball of fluid with nary an appetite for anything other than fresh organic chicken and salmon."
Attention Weekend Warriors! Aspen Life blogger Tom Pazdernik at the Aspen Club & Spa has some advice that you ignore at your own (immediate) risk. "Every so-called fitness expert out there has their own definition and ideas about over training," Pazdernik blogs. "In my opinion, it is simply training more than you are able to recover, thus leading to decreased physical performance and/or injury. With the recent run of poor weather, you can bet that many Aspenites will over-do-it with exercise this holiday weekend. Now it is my opinion that if you have the time to focus on proper nutrition, rest, supplementation, etc., then it is very difficult to overtrain."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet, a keen observer of the human scene, points his antenna at a love couple that runs into some trouble on the bus to work one morning. "Not only were they ten feet apart," he blogs, "each looked in the opposite direction of the other as if scouting for eagles in the morning sky. When the bus arrived, they boarded separately and sat several rows apart. Again, great care was taken by each to avoid acknowledging the other. On the window just above the guy’s head someone had written, 'I love cock' in the spring dust."
Nobody knows the backcountry better than Lou Dawson, now at large with a camera in sight of Independence Pass even as we speak. (Photo by Lou Dawson)
"Here’s the part I don’t get," writes Post blogger Michael Conniff. "After years of pain and campaigning, why in the name of Fanny Hill would Aspen Skiing Company sell out the rights to develop Snowmass Base Village to Pat Smith? The answer is most likely money–$169 million in the sale–because that’s the answer most every time, and I can’t be blaming Skico for wanting to make a buck—though I wonder if people who voted for the project would have changed their minds if they knew Skico was only a temporary landlord. So I greet the news that Skico is pumping $80 million into Snowmass Ski Area improvements with mixed emotions."
A cool $2 million from the Real Estate Transfer Tax is a good reason to recreate if not procreate. Madeleine Osberger reports.
In the end it may cost the Snowmass Village $10 million, but the town pulled the trigger for $3.5 million on the Ziegler Pond.
Post blogger Chef Dava Parr is Post Time Media's major foodie expert, and here she tells a tale that takes you from Ashland, Oregon, all the way to your kitchen table.
Post Time Media--publisher of Snowmass Post, Aspen Post, Skiing Post, and Fractional Post (all .net)--is more than a little thrilled to announce a content and advertising agreement with the Aspen Club & Spa that will cover detailed health, nutrition, vitamin, and wellness coaching information. Under the Aspen Life brand, the club has put forth "a program that pioneers the definition of healthy living for our age, exceeding the likes of the Golden Door, Canyon Ranch and the Cooper Clinic. This is a program that pays tribute to the longstanding goals of Aspen and the Aspen Club. This project will become a model for sustainable healthy living development."
Have no fear, Ski Portillo is near. With the new gondola a Elk Camp dangling like a limp lollipop--and backcountry skiing your only resort--skiing around Snowmass ain't what it used to be. The imminent solution can be found in South America, with waves of boarded touristas making ready to descend upon the slopes of Argentia and Chile. With room for only 450 beds--and 450 inches of annual snow--Ski Portillo can make the case for a luxe sojourn that should merely whet your appetite for more at Snowmass. And oh yes--it looks awfully pretty at night.
Post blogger Michael Conniff found himself in a precarious position at the Land Rover Experience in Carmel Valley, California, looking straight down with his foot off the brake. "We—the fiancée, me, and Justin—have more than 100 acres to play around in before we hit the outer limits of the Quail Lodge, one of three such off-road Land Rover extravaganzas," he blogs. "The first thing you learn is that it never hurts to go slow as in S-L-O-W. We learn about slow from Justin way before we learn about 'rescue,' that awkward moment, never far from the present, when you might need to use Justin’s walkie-talkie to yank you from the slush."
What's so complicated about four lanes all the way straight into Aspen. It's the only way to go, says Jeffrey Evans. "Bus Lanes will not reduce congestion. The same merging of two lanes into one - which creates the current traffic jam - will still be in place."
To ski or not to ski is never the question, according to Post blogger Michael Conniff, who found his way to the slopes almost too many days to count. "Nothing screws up your life quite like a great ski season," he blogs. "We had one of those in Aspen--at least if you can believe the local paper, which said that roughly two out of every three people here in the Roaring Fork Valley said it was a dadgum good or great ski season. Was it for me? Let me count the ways. I had a job on the radio that was done by 10 AM which meant the slopes beckoned for me almost every day."
It's never too early to consider the sounds of summer and the pressing need for a locals pass to the Aspen Music Festival and School. "Call it the locals overture from the Aspen Music Festival & School," Post Time News reports. "The Music Fest, the founding institution of modern Aspen--along with the Aspen Institute--announced Roaring Fork Valley residents are eligible for a significant discounts on their Aspen Music Festival tickets this summer based on three distinct plans."
Post Time News is reporting upon the imminent departure of the two buildings for kids on Fanny Hill in favor of a spanky $17 million facility at the inbound Base Village: "The focal point of the new Snowmass base village development will be the two-story, 25,000-square-foot Treehouse Kids Adventure Center located at the intersection of the three new lifts on Fanny Hill. As the focal point for kids programming at Aspen/Snowmass, The Treehouse stands as the first of its kind in the snowsports industry, boasting a family-friendly climbing gym, teen activities, kids’ retail, and a host of themed rooms for ages eight weeks and older."
Post blogger Keith Hemstreet has just about had it with the low points of what they call the high season in the valley. For his response: CUT TO screenplay. "It’s that time of year again," he blogs. "The end of another season for the Aspen service industry. A time when frustration is high, morale is low, and fuses are short. Four months have passed since the slopes opened and tourists began pouring into our quiet little town. We’ve all encountered our share of pompous, condescending vacationers. Under great duress, we’ve often bitten our tongue, forced a smile and done our best to be accommodating. Some of us, however, have had enough. We’ve been pushed over the line. We are past the point of no return. Simply put, some of us have gone mad."
The last thing Post blogger Jamie Lynn expected when she jumped on that ski shuttle was a hottie behind the wheel. "This gorgeous, perfectly happy being was looking back at me," she blogs. "It was the bus driver. I was very confused. Who looks like this and drives a bus? It was like a movie set. Was this what bus drivers looked like on the road to heaven? "Next Stop - Nirvana!" He was that good-looking. Since when do rockstars and supermodels commandeer free skiier shuttles? These thoughts were all running through my head, and I managed to find a seat, still smiling and suddenly kind of giddy. Was the universe sending me a direct message to...buy a lotto ticket? Do something daring today? Ride the bus more often? Because the bus got there right when I did, and this beautiful man was waiting to whisk me away."
“Is a pain in the ass worse than a pain in the neck?”
That seemed to be the question of the minute, hour, day and week as Dr. Jung dug her elbow deeper into my nervy-hypersensitive bum for the umpteenth time while Dr. Choe pressed hard on two points at the back of my neck. Tears flooded my eyes and trickled down into the pillow as I lay face down on the floor. Last week my tears were a steady flow like a dripping faucet. Despite his remarkably youthful appearance Dr Choe celebrated his 79th birthday on Sunday, August 17th. He is agile and strong, and is well respected around the world. On the morning of our first day of treatment, Dr. Choe was confirming dates to work on Nelson Mandela within the next month in South Africa. I felt very privileged to have a doctor of his caliber work on me in my little condo on the river in Basalt.
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August 21st, 2008
Amanda Boxtel
SNOWMASS, COLORADO (Post Time News)–The Snowmass Club has achieved designation as a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” through the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, an Audubon International program. The Snowmass Club is the 30th course in Colorado and the 665th in the world to receive the honor.
“Our golf course was redesigned in 2003 to enhance its connection to the natural surroundings,” says course superintendent Alan Ogren. “The changes include development of a nature trail along Brush Creek, rehabilitation and building of wetlands and the significant increase in the use of natural roughs. Combine these improvements with the LEED-Silver certified golf clubhouse and we’ve created a course that strives to operate sustainably.” Ogren has led the effort to obtain sanctuary status on this course and is also being recognized for Environmental Stewardship by Audubon International.
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May 12th, 2008
Post Staff
Shortly after 12 noon I am rolled on a gurney from my hospital room into the operating theater. The operating theater assistants line the trolley side-by-side to a narrow operating table and I roll over on to the skinny surface face down on my tummy. The table is tilted six inches or so with my head pointing downhill. I feel instant pressure in my sinus cavities and my head thumps with fresh blood. A finger pulse oximeter to monitor my blood saturation levels and my heart pulse rate is positioned on to the tip of my index finger. A steady bleep bleep bleep bleep beeps in the background while the Blue Angels (assistants festooned in blue scrubs) hold my body face-down in position.
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May 8th, 2008
Amanda Boxtel
As hard as it might be for some of you to believe, I am awake and typing away on my computer at 5:30 am. I have a fresh cup o’ Peet’s French Roast by my side, a candle burns casting a soft golden glow on my keyboard, jasmine incense fill the air, and as much as I’d like to describe a lovely pink hue on the horizon, Delhi is displaying its best gray! Upon a second look, there are different shades of gray, and if I really use my imagination with my watercolorist’s eye, there might even be a touch of lavender here and there. If my memory serves me correctly, Delhi can actually produce some quite spectacular sunrises and sunsets because (yes, you guessed it) smog has the propensity to bring out gorgeous dusty oranges and crimson reds (but not this morning!).
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May 6th, 2008
Amanda Boxtel
We all want to matter. We all want to have meaning in our lives. We all want to be relevant to something, and a lot of these people don’t feel that about themselves. They feel empty, and they’re trying to fill the emptiness, fill the void. And Obama does. Obama gives them hope that they’re going to be something…
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February 26th, 2008
Johnny Boyd
Being deep in debt with poor credit has only one solution –– raise revenues and cut spending. Around my household some sacrifices would have to be made. Steak would be replaced with hamburger. The Range Rover in the driveway would be traded for a used Subaru. Most importantly, I would get a second job. I would never think of spending my way out of a fiscal crisis.
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February 20th, 2008
Johnny Boyd
Human Embryonic Stem Cells are alive and growing in my body, infusing me with life and awakening my legs. As I near the end of my second treatment at Nutech Mediworld, I continue to regain strength. I have three days before I board my flight bound for the US. This time around, I am discovering that my body is so much more sensitive to the treatment, and I am more in tune with my bodily sensations.
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February 19th, 2008
Amanda Boxtel
Mum, I will promise to stick to my chosen path and proceed with the strength you and the Universe have bequeathed upon me…I will aspire to walk for you and for me. That is my goal. That is my dream. I will keep the faith, meditate, pray, and fill my being with light and courage. I will chant “Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo…Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo…Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo…Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo” as you chant in unison from across the oceans. The Lion King of Sutras–The Lotus Sutra—will help us remain in the ever present now, satiating our souls with love, compassion, and good karma from our mystical univer se. Believe Mum, as I will hold the belief that anything is possible. I am healing. I am creating every moment right now. My future is now. I try to move forward without expectation. I am not attached to an outcome and I accept my body as it is—right now! While I have physical imperfections, I believe I am perfect as I am. This is my path. Perfection is ever expanding. I embody perfection. Perfection is growing every moment through me and is a dynamic state of being. It is not an end. I will tap into my higher potential—my God Self—knowing that I am capable of achieving more, and visualizing every pure embryonic cell gestating from a perfect state manifesting the Divine throughout my physical body. Mum, hold this belief as I do. I am changed. Through this journey I have matured. I am wiser. I am Amanda.
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February 12th, 2008
Amanda Boxtel
Four months at home of hard work and intense physical therapy with Tami, Gabrielle, Dale, and Zander; a weekly yoga session with Emily Hightower; and a weekly massage with CP; walking regularly i
