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I just got in from a nice long walk… in Vail, Colorado.  It’s about 12:15AM on September 9.  My 38th birthday officially ended about 15 minutes ago.  It was truly wonderful!  I celebrated with family and friends in the past week or so and then headed here to Vail on Sunday, the 7th.  All day today, I’ve received cards and emails and text messages and voicemails and phone calls.  I received wonderful gifts before I left and even more today.  Though I was working today (yeah, it really is work, though I love that so many people view my work as vacation!  I know I’ve got it good…), I can’t complain a bit.  I slept in a little late, headed to the conference space to set up for the event, had a good and healthy lunch, went to a meeting at 5:15PM (it was good, too… just what I needed), came back to this awesome hotel (over $1000/night in the high season for their least expensive room!) and joined my colleagues for dinner.  A tasty dinner topped off with a chocolate souffle that even had a candle.  (It was little and we all split it…  OK, Trainer Mike?)  Then a bit of touring of the hotel and comparing of rooms and we all bade our goodnights.  About 9:45PM, I headed down to the fitness center and did one of Mike’s travel workouts.  Then back to my room where I threw on jeans and a jacket and headed out to wander Vail Square and window shop all the closed stores and such.  (Neat stuff!  I’ll definitely be looking in on some of them when they open.)  Then I made my way to the bottom of the ski slopes.  I was completely alone in all of this, except for one couple I encountered early on at the shops.  It was magical and wonderful and not sad, but something… I wanted Brad there with me.  I sent him a text message:

It’s 11:30 at night on my birthday and i’m at the base of a ski slope, looking all around at so very many stars… And wishing you were here…  I love you!

I watched the sky a bit, feeling what it would feel like to see a shooting star in that gorgeous setting.  (just like I did in St. Thomas, sitting on the rocks at the water’s edge only 3 weeks ago!)  I started walking down a road and there went my shooting star!  Right in my field of view, just like it did in St. Thomas!  Chills!!!  Feeling so very grateful and good, I kept on making my way and taking in all that I possibly could.  Then I came back into this wonderful room and sat down to write this.  Now off to bed, hopefully to dream of stars…  Life is good!

One of these bastards was in the kitchen the past two days.  It’s a tree cricket - loudest cricket I’ve ever heard!  Found him… He’s not loud anymore…

Here’s a nice little pic a friend had waiting for me in my inbox this morning. Real or P’shopped, it’s pretty cool. Thanks, Robert!
 
 
 
 

This little peeper was discovered by Greg on our deck. It’s tiny! That’s a pack of Listerine breath strips behind it. I bet this little guy is one of the loudest of the frogs and toads in our area. Here’s another view.