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About Pacific Frost, A Sweet Cannabis Strain

The Pacific Frost cannabis strain is an indica-dominant hybrid. This bud is brought to us by the breeding masters at California. In terms of its lineage, as its name lets on, Pacific Frost Strain was created by crossing Pacific OG and Frosty marijuana strains. The plant is a beauty to look at, as the name suggests it has frosty green buds to complement it the buds are covered in white crystal trichomes. It has a sweet flavour profile with notes of grape and berry. The aroma has a similar sweet undertone.

The strain is known for its medical benefits. Patients who have used Pacific Frost find that it helps in treating conditions such as anxiety, nausea and attention deficit disorders. This smoke is suitable for users of all experience levels, if you are a newbie however, we would recommend taking a humble dosage to start off. It is worth noting that this is a strain best taken during the evening and nighttime as a way to wind down after a long day or week. It is not recommended for daytime use.

You are probably more curious about the kind of high that this weed will give you. Occasional users say that Pacific Frost gives you a strong body high. The high sets in with relaxing and calming sensations. This relaxation can include sedation, hence it not being ideal for daytime use. This strain is known to bring on positive vibes. Even if you had a lot of burdens weighing down on your mind, this strain can have you feeling more positive almost immediately. It is a good smoke for having a chill session with friends as it will have you feeling happier than usual. If you have been experiencing any level of lethargy, this is the perfect strain for you.

On this high, you will begin to feel energized to complete even the most mundane tasks. Try doing a pile of laundry on this high or even working out. Pacific Frost can also give you a creative edge. On this high, you can have a decent brainstorming session and complete any artistic projects you need to. Some users find that the strain launches them into giggling fits, another reason why this strain is great for smoking with friends. Enjoy the laughs as you puff and pass.

The calming effect helps in soothing various ranges of pain you might be suffering from. Patients with migraines and headaches can find quick relief from this strain. Pacific Frost is also an effective pain management medical marijuana solution for women’s health. It can effectively soothe menstrual cramps. People who suffer from muscle spasms can also use Pacific Frost as a treatment. As earlier mentioned, the strain’s mood uplifting properties help in relieving mental health issues. It is helpful for patients with chronic stress, anxiety and panic disorders as well as depression and attention deficit disorders. Most cancer patients going through chemotherapy suffer from unbearable nausea and lack of appetite. Pacific Frost has properties that help to settle the stomach while stimulating appetite. A negative side effect of this strain, as with most weed strains, is dry mouth.

 The post About Pacific Frost, A Sweet Cannabis Strain first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/read-about-the-pacific-frost-the-sweet-cannabis-strain-that-relieves-anxiety-nausea-and-add-as-well-as-provides-a-strong-body-high-and-relaxation/

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Top 5 Reasons Why Denverites Should Ski

If you live in Denver, you should go skiing at least once a year—full stop. There, I’ve said it. It might be controversial, but we believe that if you live in Colorado and don’t make it to the mountains at least once every winter, you’re blowing it. Sure, there are plenty of fun activities for Denverites to do all year round that aren’t skiing, but a trip to the slopes is an important part of the experience of being a resident of The Mile High City, and it can be a fun and affordable pastime if you do it right. Here are the top 5 reasons why Denverites should hit the slopes every winter:

You won’t be judged on your preference for skiing or snowboarding

Let’s just get this out of the way immediately: it doesn’t matter if you prefer to ski or snowboard; they both have the goal of getting you down the mountain. It really comes down to personal preference. Do you have experience skateboarding, surfing, or wakeboarding? A snowboard will probably feel more natural. Do you have experience rollerblading, water skiing, or ice skating? You’ll probably get along just fine with skis. And don’t worry, “skiing” is just a general term for either mountain sport. You’re welcome to snowboard at ski resorts and carry your board on the “ski train.”

Winter sports are more fun

Honestly, it can be hard to be motivated to get out and play outside in the winter. It’s cold, and the weather is just generally depressing. Skiing or snowboarding turns that paradigm around. The harder it’s snowing, the better the skiing or riding will be. And skiing isn’t just another excuse to stay active, it’s also a blast! It’s the perfect mix of exploration and adrenaline. You can spend your day casually exploring new runs, enjoying the mountain from the comfort of the chairlift, or cruising a groomer. For the more adventurous, you can seek out the steepest and deepest terrain in search of thrills. There are few other winter sports that appeal to such a wide range of people.

The hype is real

Living in Denver it’s nearly impossible to forget that you live in one of the biggest ski towns in the world. It’s all around you. There are plenty of good ski shops and Colorado ski stores in town, and thousands of people fly into the Denver airport every year just to ski. After all, if so many people are willing to take time off work and pay to travel to your city to go skiing, you might as well go see what’s so special to make them do that. The skiing in Colorado has long been renowned as some of the best in the world, and you live in the heart of that. So, stop shaking your fist at tourists, and go see what all the excitement is about.

It’s RIGHT there

Which leads us to: if you live in Denver, you have some of the easiest access to some of the best skiing in the U.S. Denver is optimized to take advantage of the mountains that surround it. There are multiple bus and train options that will drop you right at the resort without having to brave traffic or snowy roads—check out the train to Winter Park for an epic experience.

Gear is easy to get

Denver’s proximity to good skiing means that there are plenty of shops and gear options for people who aren’t ready to buy their own ski or snowboard gear yet. You don’t have to buy skis before you even know if you like the sport, just demo skiing gear from the shop. For beginners trying skiing for the first time, many resorts offer combo packages with a gear rental, lift ticket, and lesson all bundled into one. Combo packages also make a great holiday gift to try a new sport with your loved ones. Once you give skiing a try and realize it’s for you, many shops in Denver offer seasonal ski rentals. Just go into the shop, rent gear that works well for you, and keep it all season; this is especially great for kids who often need a different size of ski boots every year as they grow.

If you live in Denver, you have no excuse not to go skiing at least once every year. It’s not just a fun healthy pastime, it’s also an opportunity to go explore the mountains in a new way and see what all the hype is about.

The post Top 5 Reasons Why Denverites Should Ski first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/top-5-reasons-why-denverites-should-ski/

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Faces of Denver–Dave Ashton

KGNU radio station has been on the air in Colorado since the early 1970’s. Dave Ashton has graced those airwaves for the past 12 years. Originally from Indiana, Ashton got into music as a child. He saved up to buy his first record of Grandmaster Flash at eight years old. His parents, being a librarian and a school teacher, both encouraged his interest in hip hop and lyrical rap because of the fascination for word play. Ashton moved to Colorado in grade school, attended college in St. Paul, MN., then worked at Think Skateboards in San Francisco and a hot dog stand in Chicago. After all the traveling he decided he wanted to settle down back in the place he calls home, Colorado. He worked with nonprofits and bounced around doing different jobs until 2005 when he found KGNU radio.

“I had been collecting records forever, like it was my dirty little secret. When everyone was blowing their money on big gulps and booze I was bopping around town searching for records. So eventually, KGNU became the outlet for that guilty pleasure.” Ashton said.

He started at the radio station as a volunteer and soon began DJing for the show Restless Mornings, which aired from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. Next, he became a resident DJ on the Eclipse radio show as DJ Deeprawk Dave. Now, Ashton holds the title of Denver Program Manager though he is an advocate for changing that name to Denver Goal Keeper. As the goal keeper, he manages the volunteers and radio shows being sent out of the Denver location. He hopes that maintaining the Denver location will help highlight the voices of the community and provide all people access to airwaves.

Though KGNU is Ashton’s main job, his true devotions are music and connecting with people of the city. One of the ways he is able to intertwine those passions is through his hip hop group, the Council of Word. He and his current partner, Danny One Shoe, have put out a handful of singles and two albums. They are currently working to finish their third album, Indignorance, by the end of the year. The album follows an early 2000’s style mixtape with multiple samples and scratches to set the tone. Beyond the beat, it could be considered conscious or activism rap with a splash of getting down. Ashton believes that even though the music scene of Denver is ever changing, swaying good and bad, he will always try to activate positive energy and constant elevation towards the city.

“Now in Denver hip hop the mystery has kind of been taken out of it. People aren’t addressing it with the same laser focus that it takes to burn through what’s in people’s way, and there’s a lot of stuff in their way.” Ashton said.

His main concern for the music scene in Denver is that the youth aren’t getting the music education they should have access to equally. In the early 90’s, when Ashton was coming up in the scene, there weren’t many programs like school of rock or guitar center classes. Today, Ashton believes, there isn’t an emphasis to have a public budget for music programs in schools. Though he will remain true to building Denver up, he does have observations about the changes in the city. In one of his songs, he weaves a story of a man collecting scrap metal from developing areas for money. He believes that that man could represent a positive or a negative for the city and the opposing views on displacement and gentrification.

Out of the many things that Dave Ashton is truly passionate about, music is clearly at the top of the list. Get him on the topic of Denver musicians he already has Wheelchair Sports Camp, Mike Wird, Smiley Gatmouth and more on the tip of his tongue. Currently, he is working to showcase the artist Slim Pick Ends on stages around the city and has an upcoming show with him at Temple Tantrum.

Some other events he is excited for this summer are Reggae on the grass on Jul. 29 at Levitt Pavilion and the Colorado Black Arts Festival in Denver’s City Park West Jul. 13-15.There will also be plenty of upcoming events KGNU throughout the summer.

To find out more information about talking with Dave Ashton, volunteering with KGNU radio or listening in to the programs visit www.KGNU.com

The post Faces of Denver–Dave Ashton first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/faces-of-denver-dave-ashton/

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Everything’s Fine

I adore crime movies, though some flavors more than others. About half of Quentin Tarantino’s filmography focuses on crime, and Pulp Fiction alone birthed legions of imitators. For years, there were scores of films involving loquacious scumbags holding forth on pop culture and committing unexpected (but completely expected) acts of violence. Some of these movies were even good.

Tarantino’s crime movies are like a cheeseburger ordered at the trendiest restaurant you can imagine, cooked by the biggest celebrity chef out there. You’ll enjoy that burger, I promise you, but while you’re eating it, it’s as if the chef is leaning over you and whispering, “You like that? It kicks ass, right? You know who made it? Me.”

It’s the most refined, boiled down to their essence crime movies, those are the ones that hit me hardest. They embrace the genre unreservedly, where the only people seem to be lowlives, where every utterance is at least partially a lie, and where dumb luck can be the only thing preventing you from catching a bullet.

Steven Soderbergh has made a few damn fine crime movies* in the midst of his cinematic output. The Limey and Out of Sight spring to mind, and I think Soderbergh is a director with a strong understanding of how to make a satisfying genre film with something to say before inserting himself into the mix. Those are the films of his I look forward to the most, and I was mostly pleased with his newest work, No Sudden Move.

It’s not quite fair to call Curt Goynes (Don Cheadle) a gangster. As far as thepecking order goes, he’s not parking cars for made guys, nor does he stand around nightclubs trying to look scary. He’s got a little bit of a reputation as someone competent, someone with a brain in his head, and someone without a dangerous amount of ambition. It being 1954 and Curt being a Black man, he also knows it’s harder for him to get what he wants.

To do that, he needs a good chunk of money. Luckily, the “recruiter” Doug Jones (Brendan Fraser) needs three guys for a job. It’s supposed to be a simple job, only three hours of work.** The plan revolves around Matt Wertz (David Harbour), a meek family man with a couple of secrets. The first is that Matt is having an affair with his boss’ secretary. The second is that within a green safe in his boss’ office is something valuable. Valuable enough to kill for.

Curt is partnered with two other men. Ronald Russo (Benicio del Toro) is also having an affair. It says a lot about both Ronald’s confidence and shortsightedness that he’s sleeping with Vanessa (Julia Fox), who’s married to short-tempered mob boss Frank Capelli (Ray Liotta). While Ronald is a racist and immediately has friction with Curt, he doesn’t seem to be an especially committed racist, so that’s progress, I guess? The third man is Charley (Kieran Culkin), who’s calm, cool, and collected — until he isn’t.

The plan, such as it is, directs Curt, Ronald, and Charley to the home of Matt. They’ll invade the place and while Charley forces Matt to get the contents of the safe, Curt and Ronald will keep the family under control. Will they, though? It won’t be easy with Matt’s wife Mary (Amy Seimetz) and impulsive son Matthew (Noah Jupe) thrown into the mix. Things get even more complicated when one of the team ends up deceased, a quietly persistent cop (Jon Hamm) gets on their trail, and yet another crime boss (The mighty Bill Duke) decides to put his finger on the scales.

Sometimes, directors will make a genre film, and you can almost feel them straining to rise above it. With No Sudden Move, it never feels that Soderbergh is better than the material. He’s making a crime movie, though one made with precision and efficiency. There’s zero fat on this film, and he knows just when to pump the brakes, hit the gas, or linger a moment on a character beat. While things get slightly too complex midway through, Soderbergh’s confident direction allows us to trust that he knows what he’s doing

It helps that he’s working off of a smart and twisty script by veteran screenwriter Ed Solomon. At the micro-level, the screenplay does excellent work fleshing out the character. We might not get the details of exactly what Curt wants the money for, but we know it’s important to him, and we also know that he’s simultaneously trying to secure his future while taking responsibility for his past. At the macro level, Solomon has fascinating things to say about power and how people from all walks of life relate to it. In a late cameo from a massive movie star, there’s a line of dialogue which is, “I did not create the river. I am merely paddling the raft.” The meaning behind that line informs the motivations of all these characters in unique and natural ways. Having said that, the cameo involves a fairly long monologue that, while interesting, saps the momentum of the film for a few minutes

The vast majority of actors would gladly compete in The Hunger Games for a chance to be in a Soderbergh movie. He gives his casts the freedom to perform without stifling them and often coaches out career-best work. Everyone here does excellent work, but there are a few people who deserve further examination.

For the last couple of years, Benicio del Toro has seemed content to play weirdly dressed weirdos. As Ronald, he’s playing a guy who knows he’s playing a very dangerous game and desperately wants out. Yet there’s a tiny streak of nihilism in Ronald, and it’s as if a little voice is whispering to him, “What the hell, let’s see what happens.” Speaking of self-destructive moves, I think Matt might be one of the best pieces of acting that David Harbour has ever done. Matt is needy, pathetic, and all too aware of his fragilities. Harbour allows us to see the deep vulnerability of a man making the latest in a long line of lousy decisions and who seems powerless to stop himself. With this along with Black Widow, he’s having a hell of a year.

And then there’s the underappreciated Don Cheadle. You can put him in anything, from a prestige drama like Hotel Rwanda to a gigantic blockbuster like Avengers: Endgame. He’s never slumming it, nor is he one of those actors who undergoes body transformation like Meryl Streep or Christian Bale. Cheadle works from the inside out. He likes to burrow into the psychology of his characters and use their behavior to inform how they move and speak. As Curt, Cheadle plays a man who’s just gotten out of a serious prison stretch. He knows there’s a window, a very narrow one, where he can change his life for the better. He also knows there’s a good chance he’ll either get thrown back into jail or an anonymous grave. Curt is just as desperate a character as Matt. He’s more controlled, and Cheadle shows flashes of fear before slamming the door.

No Sudden Move is a familiar story told with style, efficiency, and perspective that comes from years of experience. This isn’t the kind of movie designed to crank up the adrenaline during summer, nor is it the kind of film built to win Oscars. It’s very much built to be the best version of itself, the kind of movie that feels well-refined and thought through. I can see myself returning to this film, over and over, and always with pleasure

*To clarify, remember that even though the heroes in Ocean’s Eleven are criminals, it’s not a crime movie. The focus is on the job they’re pulling, making it a heist movie.

  **My favorite cliche in crime movies is the “It’ll be easy” trope, where the simple job turns out to be a gigantic nightmare every single time.

 The post Everything’s Fine first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/everythings-fine/

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The Whacky Weekly that Was

Tourists lined the streets of LoDo, legends returned to the X Games, and the coronavirus continued to steal the headlines.  A look at the whacky week that was in the world of sports.

Coors Field hosted the All-Star Game festivities this past weekend, including Monday’s Homerun Derby, a fan favorite. The balls were flying out in record numbers as the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, Colorado’s Trevor Story, and eventual derby winner Pete Alonso put on a show.

Story performed well in the homerun contest but continues to struggle during his regular-season hitting a mere .246 with just 11 homeruns.

The season-long slump has come at the worst time as Story’s trade value continues to decline amid rumors that the Rockies’ shortstop will be dealt by the July 30th trade deadline.

Considering what the Rockies got in return for Nolan Arenado, the organization will probably trade Story for three minor league no-names, one beer vendor, and still end up writing a check to the other team to sweeten the deal.

Losing Trevor Story will be a tough loss for the team, but even a bigger loss for the Promotions Department. I can imagine the tag line for 2022.

COME SEE RAIMEL TAPIA, YONATHAN DAZA, AND GARRETT HAMPSON LEG OUT INFIELD SINGLES!  Tickets now on Sale!

Speaking of the Rockies, the team has had an outbreak of the coronavirus lately as multiple players and coaches have been placed on the injured list due to COVID-19 protocols.

Apparently, the 85% of reported players that have been fully vaccinated is not quite enough to keep the team fully protected.

Maybe someone should put that warning on the side of the box.

The outbreak of COVID-19 continues to dominate the sports world as the New York Yankees were forced to cancel their game with the Boston Red Sox just days after the All-Star break.

No truth to the rumor that Yankee Stadium will be renamed the Delta Center.

Team USA basketball had to replace Bradley Beal (WAS) due to COVID-19, while temporarily placing Jerami Grant (DET) on the COVID-19 protocol list. The two spots were filled by JaVale McGee (DEN) and Keldon Johnson (SAS).

Losing Beal and Grant may have come as a shock, but the real shock was that JaVale McGee and Keldon Johnson were named as the best available replacements.  What? Was Brian Scalabrine out of town?

Prior to a pivotal game five of the NBA Championships, the Milwaukee Bucks organization had a small heart attack when it was announced that Antetokounmpo was placed on the COVID-19 protocol list and would not be available to play. Fortunately for the Bucks, it was Thanasis Antetokounmpo and not his brother Giannis.

That being said, with just one win away from a championship I would smother Giannis in hand sanitizer, secure him tightly in bubble wrap, and place him in the Witness Protection Program until the next tip-off.

The COVID-19 protocols are affecting athletes at the Olympic Village in Japan, Wimbledon Tennis players, and even sidelined the Colorado Rockies’ 64-year-old manager, Bud Black.

I miss the days when being placed in COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocol was just code for Got Caught Going to the Strip Club.

The Washington Football Team announced that the organization would come up with a permanent name and logo in 2022 after removing the controversial Redskin name from the team before the 2020 season.

Considering that the Washington Nationals can be referred to as the Nationalists, the Capitals is too close to the Capitol, and the Bullets were removed just in time to avoid backlash after a shooting occurred outside of the baseball stadium last weekend, canceling the game.

They may want to stick with the Washington Football Team.

Finally, 53-year-old skateboard legend Tony Hawk made his return to the sport as he competed in the Vert Best Trick Contest at last weekend’s X Games.

Unfortunately, Hawk was upstaged by a 12-year-old Brazilian skateboarder named Gui Khury, who landed a 1080 to capture Gold in becoming the youngest X Game winner in the history of the event.

Hawk drove away soon after to do some promotional events while Khury stood patiently near the main entrance of the parking lot, waiting for his mommy to come pick him up.

Images via theathletic.com, espn.com, twitter.com, bleacherreport.com, nypost.com, thewrap.com

     The post The Whacky Weekly that Was first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/the-whacky-weekly-that-was/

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Pizzeria Locale in Boulder named One of the Best Pizzas in America

The Daily Meal has released the 2019 list of the 101 best pizzas in America. With 30 states making the list, Colorado had only one contender, and Pizzeria Locale was it. Hitting the 60th spot overall, the joint was praised for  “12 “Classics,” (eight red, four white), but you’re probably going to want to build your own from a selection of more than 25 toppings including eggplant, Calabrian chiles, corn, smoked mozzarella, pork meatballs and prosciutto.”

Best pizzas are chosen based on “a nuanced sauce, neither too sweet nor too salty (assuming that the pie has sauce); quality, well-distributed cheese (assuming that it has cheese); quality, sensibly combined toppings; a flavorful, savory crust; and, perhaps most importantly, a judicious, well-balanced and pleasing ratio of sauce, cheese, toppings and crust that maintains a structural integrity no matter the style.”

The site then chose chefs, restaurant critics, bloggers, etc. from across the nation to choose only from places that they have actually eaten. New York alone pulled in 28 of the best pizzas, with Illinois and California following close behind.

Pizzeria Locale also has two locations in Denver if you do not live in the Boulder area.

The post Pizzeria Locale in Boulder named One of the Best Pizzas in America first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/pizzeria-locale-in-boulder-named-one-of-the-best-pizzas-in-america/

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5 Times Buying a Fixer-Upper Might Be a Good Idea

Television shows sometimes make buying and fixing up a home look like the best option for everyone. That’s certainly not the case. However, there are some times and circumstances when purchasing a home that needs some work is a great idea.

When you can get an awesome deal

Obviously, the best time to buy a house that needs work is when you can get an awesome deal. If your area is experiencing a buyer’s market with plenty of houses available at reasonable prices, then you may be able to snag a fixer-upper at a great price. According to Zillow, on average across the United States, fixer-uppers list for about 8% less than market value. However, in some cities, such as Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, that number is over 20%. Therefore, you must do your research to determine if the deal is good enough to leave you with a reasonable renovation budget.

When you have a lot of skills

Do you know how to demo a room? Run electricity? Do drywall? The more renovation skills you have, the less money you’ll have to pay out to contractors to do the work for you. Even if you (or your spouse, a friend, or relative) is doing much of the labor, you’ll still need to make sure the work is up to code and get the proper permits. So, be sure to familiarize yourself on all of those types of legalities.

When most of the necessary changes are cosmetic

If you see a fixer-upper at a rock-bottom price that only needs cosmetic work, then go ahead and put in an offer. Though it might not look pretty, with some elbow grease, paint, and new fixtures, you can turn a house from drab to fab. Cosmetic changes are not only easy, they are also cheap. Therefore, you can keep your costs low and consider flipping the house for a substantial profit.

When it just needs some extra space

If you find an amazing home that just needs a little extra space, you can always add a detached garage. Adding an external structure can help you keep the clutter in your house to a minimum and also provide protection for your vehicles, lawn mower, snow blower, and the like. When adding a garage, steel is an ideal material because it is durable and, depending on the span, may not require interior poles to hold up the garage. A detached garage is also more cost effective than renting out a storage unit for your items.

When the house is in a great location

What’s the one thing you can’t change about any house? The location! When you are buying a house, whether it needs a lot of work or it’s new construction, don’t compromise on the location. You can change anything and everything about a house, but (most of the time) you can’t pick it up and move it somewhere else. When shopping for a fixer-upper, look for a home with a solid foundation and a bit of charm in a great location. The definition of a great location is up to you. You might desire to live in a certain school district, within a certain radius of your job, on the waterfront, or in the middle of the city. Set your priorities when it comes to location and don’t compromise, or else you’ll end up moving again in a few years’ time.

In some circumstances, buying a fixer-upper makes a whole lot of sense. Fixing up a house that needs work can be challenging but also rewarding. Depending on your finances, your skills, and your preferences, right now might be the perfect time to buy a fixer-upper.

Photo via Pixabay

Guest post by Natalie Jones

The post 5 Times Buying a Fixer-Upper Might Be a Good Idea first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/5-times-buying-a-fixer-upper-might-be-a-good-idea/

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Top 3 Bars in Golden

1. Miners Saloon

This modern-day bar is reminiscent of an old Western saloon, complete with the decor and drinks to match. There are 24 taps as well as 50 bottled beers. There’s also a house-made menu including venison, boar, and bison sausage. As winter is coming up, there are two fireplaces to keep you warm and toasty while you make new friends.

Drinks to try:

Huckleberry 44N Vodka Lemonade/ Who’s your huckleberry? Huckleberry vodka with fresh lemonade, on draft

All Of My Vices/ famous grouse, laphroaig, midnight espresso liqueur, xocolati mole bitters, musscovado, donut

Hudson ‘baby’ Bourbon

2. Golden Moon Speakeasy

This speakeasy style cocktail lounge features a distillery and a tasting room with all drinks made with Golden Moon spirits. There is also live music weekly, and if you enjoyed your drink, they offer bottles for purchase to take home with you to make your own cocktails.

Drinks to try:

Bad Joel (Spicy!!) Gin, Picon, Grapefruit, Lemon, Burnt Honey, BBQ Bitters, Jalapeño

South Pole Swizzle Kümmel, Gin, Passion Fruit, Honey, Lemon, Aromatic Bitters

To Be Drank Often Apple Jack, Lime, Cucumber, Orgeat

3. Ace-Hi Tavern

This vintage 1961 dive bar is in an old opera house. Per their website, “With the “Best Happy Hour in Jefferson County”, Ace Hi is a go-to for Colorado School of Mines students and other locals looking for great value and a great time.” Thursday nights are the best band for your buck as its ladies night and karaoke night with $1 tap and well drinks.

The post Top 3 Bars in Golden first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/top-3-bars-in-golden/

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Street Artist Abram Aleo

I feel like it goes without saying that Denver has one of the most rapidly expanding art scenes in the country. We live in an artistic oasis, smack dab in between Chicago and Santa Fe, with entire districts dedicated to galleries. I recently had the pleasure of talking to one of Denver’s many prolific artists, Abram Aleo, about his work and some of the trends blossoming out of alleyways and gallery windows all over the city.

Aleo is a self-taught visual artist, with a broad skill set and seemingly infinite creativity. He specializes in acrylic paintings and large-scale murals. These two disciplines have developed a symbiotic relationship for him. Paintings done in the studio are planned and perfected in a controlled environment with no audience or time constraints. Murals, on the other hand, can be unpredictable. The space is typically public and exposed to the elements. Corrections are time consuming and expensive. Going from a studio setting to painting a mural is like going from a climbing gym to an actual rock face. That being said, he prefers to approach them intuitively. Whenever possible, he likes to freehand his murals, using little more than some spray cans and rough sketches.

We spoke at length about the evolution of art and the progression of tools, mediums, and ideas. He said that artists have always used the latest technology available to expand their creative abilities. Whether it’s the invention of a new kind of paintbrush or digital editing techniques, they’re just steps in the evolutionary process. Aleo often uses Photoshop to help design his large-scale works. He still paints them by hand, however, using acrylic paint to capture the look and feel of digital images with traditional methodology. His style bridges the gap between digital and analog.

Aleo has always been interested in anime and discovered a love of drawing at a young age. He later progressed to painting and gravitated towards street art. He was drawn to artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey, who were not only talented, but also had a message and used their art as a platform to broadcast their ideas. He was also intrigued by the inherently larger, more diverse audience involved in street art. Paintings in a gallery are confined in a building and separated from the general public. You have to actually put in effort to see them. Murals on the sides of buildings are for the general, often unsuspecting public. They offer a moment of beauty in a monotonous commute; a splash of color in an otherwise drab cityscape.

It’s always interesting to hear about an artist’s influences and inspirations. It sheds some light on the creative process behind the work. Aleo draws influence from people like James Jean, Erik Jones, the muralist Curiot, street artist and illustrator Smithe One, and Denver painter Jake Amason. He says the progression of an artist’s career is different than an athlete’s. They don’t necessarily peak in their youth—their style continuously develops. Some of his favorite artists are in their 40s and still coming out with new ideas.

If you want to see Aleo’s work for yourself, he has quite a few events coming up. This weekend he’ll be up in Fort Collins working with the Fort Collins Mural Project. He’s part of a group show at Mirus, premiering August 6th. That show is called Psychonaut and is curated by Paul Hemming. He’ll be doing some live painting sessions at Arise Music Festival on August 2nd. Beginning on August 17th, his work is showing at the Threyda Gallery on Santa Fe, and in September he’s collaborating on a mural with Chicago artist Natalie Shugailo. You can see much more of his work at www.aleoart.com.

The post Street Artist Abram Aleo first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/street-artist-abram-aleo/

[jillmckenzie1]

5 Small Colorado Towns for a Weekend Trip

1. Durango

Believe it or not, you can drive 7 hours and still be in Colorado. And believe me, it’s worth it if you’re heading to Durango. Summertime is a great time to head to the small mining town as there’s a plethora of outdoor activities including off-roading, climbing, bikingm watersports, and horseback riding. If the Old West is your thing, there’s a historic downtown area, several museums, and the backdrop to Wild West movies such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

2. Crested Butte

Crested Butte is known for its downhill ski and mountain bike trails on the slopes of the Crested Butte Mountain Resort. If you want a sneak peek of what Crested Butte looks like before heading over there, check out the Cantina Cam, a camera outside of Donita’s Cantina-”Made from Scratch”-Mexican Food! (and check out Donita’s Cantina while you’re there!) Crested Butte constantly has events going on, so any weekend is a great time to visit. You can check out their calendar here.

3. Creede

The historic city of Creede is easy to miss but packed with things to do. If you’re looking for a quiet weekend getaway from Denver, explore their many art galleries or underground mining museum. If you’re looking for something busier, there’s the Creede Repertory Theater, which is “one of the top 10 places to see the lights way off Broadway” (USA Today). Take a look at their visitors guide for more information.

4. Pagosa Springs

Pagosa Springs is well known for its amazing hot springs. The springs are scattered throughout, including in the resort and spa if you’re looking for somewhere to relax. It’s also nestled right in the middle of other such as the San Juan river which runs through town and is stocked with trout, the Wolf Ski Area to the northeast with downhill runs and cross country trails, and the Chimney Rock National Monument which has ancient Puebloan ruins.

5. Ouray

Nicknamed the “Switzerland of America,” Ouray is a quaint mountain town with ice climbing at Ouray Ice Park during the winter. Ouray Ice Park attracts thrill seekers from around the globe with “more than 200 named ice and mixed climbs, most within a 15-minute walk of the Park entrance.” If you’re looking for a year-round activity, Ouray boasts scenic hikes at Box Canyon Falls Park with a waterfall, trails, and picnic spots.

 The post 5 Small Colorado Towns for a Weekend Trip first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/5-small-colorado-towns-for-a-weekend-trip/

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5 Places to Stay With Your Pup in Colorado

1. The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs

The Broadmoor is already a legendary hotel, and the fact that it’s dog friendly only makes it that much sweeter. The Broadmoor provides beds, bowls, and treats for your furry friend, as well as the Pitty Pat Pet Club, named after Julie Penrose’s poodle. The Pitty Pat Pet Club provides a 24-hour pet menu, walking trails, and pet grooming.

2. Stanley Hotel in Estes Park

This spooky lodging is great for ghost sightings, weddings, and your dog! Dogs less than 50 pounds are welcome to stay in The Lodge Upon, a historic, boutique extension of the Stanley. Upon arrival, your dog will be treated to a home-made biscuit treat as well as a bed and bowl.

3. Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Denver

Located in the heart of Downtown Denver, the Kimpton is within walking distance of the Convention Center, Elitch Gardens, Coors Field, and Mile High Stadium. No need to leave Fido at home though, because the Kimpton allows any “furry, feathery or scaly family member — no matter their size, weight, or breed, all at no extra charge” along with a selection of other amenities and activities for your animal (including wine night!).

4. Evergreen Lodge in Vail

The Evergreen Lodge, located between Vail and Lionshead Villages, is a beautiful place to stay whether you’re skiing in the winter or relaxing in the summer. Dog friendly rooms are conveniently located on the first floor to make a nighttime potty break a cinch, and you’re only paying $25 more.

5. Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs

This historic hotel in Glenwood Springs has been providing service since 1893. Hotel Colorado boasts that “Your dog will love the gorgeous mountain scenery, comfortable rooms, and all of the wide-open spaces to roam in our beautiful part of the Colorado Rockies.”

The post 5 Places to Stay With Your Pup in Colorado first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/5-places-to-stay-with-your-pup-in-colorado/

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How Dog Owners Can Make Moving Day Go Smoothly

For many homeowners, moving day comes with a lot of stress. There’s just so much to plan for and so many little details to take care of that it can be difficult to face it with a calm and clear mind. When you have pets to worry about at the same time, it can be overwhelming.

Even if your dog is well-behaved and has no health issues, there’s still the fear that he’ll get lost or injured during all the activity on moving day. Not only that, but many animals become anxious when faced with big changes, which can affect their behavior, appetite, and sleep cycle.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help ease the transition and make sure moving day goes well. The key is to plan as far in advance as possible and give yourself a little wiggle room, as well as making sure you have help and support from family and friends. Read on for some tips on how to make your big day go smoothly.

Plan Your Day

In the days and weeks leading up to your move, plan out moving day as much as possible. This means making a list of tasks you need to get done, along with their deadlines. You’ll also need to decide whether you want to hire a moving company to help pack and transport your stuff. If you go this route, you should do a search for budget-friendly options and choose one that’s highly rated. We recommend Main Street Movers in Louisville for a highly rated service. If you’ll have friends and family helping you, it’s a good idea to ask someone to be in charge of your dog for the entire day; they can keep him at their house or stay with him in a back room while the move is taking place. If this isn’t possible, consider keeping him in a crate or closed-off room by himself with some toys and treats; this will keep him occupied and out from underfoot.

Practice a Little Self-Care

During this time, you can’t forget how important it is to take care of yourself. Besides, if you’re stressed out and anxious, you can’t take care of anyone or anything, let alone your dog. So, do some things that will help you feel better. Set aside a little time for a walk or some stretching, learn a few breathing techniques, and take a moment to gather yourself if things become too overwhelming. It might not hurt to clean your space before you move in, so you’re not faced with any expected messes when you’re trying to unpack. And to help keep it clean, consider picking up an air purifier (quality models are available for $39.99) that will help keep your dog’s dander and hair out of the air. After all, clean air has been proven to help increase our happiness and ability to relax.

Take Him to the New Home

With everything that will be going on during moving day, you want to make sure to spend some time with your pup beforehand so he won’t be anxious. Take him to the new place, if possible, before the move and let him sniff around and get a feel for things. Allowing him to visit before you move in will give him a heads up, so he won’t be surprised by his new surroundings.

Bring His Old Favorites

You may want to buy new toys and treats for your dog to go along with the new house, but it’s actually better if you keep his favorites. Having something familiar will help ease anxiety and keep him happy in his new environment. Boulder based dog food brand I and Love and You makes grain-free food that’s a great option for your furry friend.

Keep Him Safe in the Car

With all the commotion of moving day, dogs can sometimes get overlooked. When it’s time to take him to the new house, put him in a crate or seat belt harness and make sure he’s secure in the vehicle. If it’s a long ride, bring along a collapsible dog dish and a bottle of water along with some treats, and don’t forget to stop now and then to give him a bathroom break.

Make Sure the New Place Has a Fence

It’s common knowledge that a dog’s chances of running off increase when the home’s yard is wide open. And even if you use a leash, he still needs the freedom to run around the yard. Make sure to install a fence at your new home to protect your dog from strangers and wildlife, and to prevent incidents with neighbors and cars. A tall, solid wooden fence is ideal because it offers good protection and can limit your dog’s barking that would otherwise occur if he spotted passersby. In Denver, the average cost of installing a wood fence is $2,509, so gather estimates before choosing a fence installer.

Moving day is a big job, so sit down and write out a list of things you need to get done so nothing gets overlooked. Ask friends and family to help you along the way; you might designate someone to help you clean up the old house after the move, for instance, or put someone in charge of getting lunch for everyone. With a good plan and a little assistance, you and your dog can make the move smoothly.

Guest post by Natalie Jones

The post How Dog Owners Can Make Moving Day Go Smoothly first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/how-dog-owners-can-make-moving-day-go-smoothly/

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Budapest With An S.H.

Prequels are terrible. That is, until they aren’t. It used to be that the idea of checking out the earlier adventures of beloved characters was nothing more than a craven cash grab. You had the tomfoolery of Butch and Sundance: The Early Years, the nonsense of Hannibal Rising, and the blatant idiocy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Done well, a prequel can add texture and character to a franchise. It can fill in the blanks and even recontextualize the original work. Despite the clunky execution, mostly poor acting, and thunderingly obvious storytelling, George Lucas deserves credit. His Prequel trilogy wasn’t motivated by money, since at that point Lucas had enough money to give Donald Trump an envy-related stroke. Lucas genuinely had things to say about the slow erosion of democracy and the slide of a good man into evil. He just didn’t say those things particularly well.

I have to give even more credit to Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. After the creation of Breaking Bad, one of the most perfect television series ever to air, Gould and Gilligan decided that looking backward was the best way to look forward. To do that, they focused on Jimmy McGill, a mostly well-meaning lawyer with a worrying habit of cutting corners. Better Call Saul became a masterclass in character work, and we saw that the origins of scumbag extraordinaire Saul Goodman were based on choices, specifically choices relating to big events.

For a prequel to function, a franchise needs to understand its history, significant events, and how characters feel about them. The Marvel Cinematic Universe cares deeply about all of that. They have mined stories regarding the extradimensional invasion of New York, the destruction of the nation-state Sokovia by an insane robot, and the time when literally half of all living things winked out of existence. Oh yeah, and the time when The Avengers went through a very messy break-up. One of the OG Avengers was the Black Widow, the only woman on the team and nearly the only one not to have her own movie** That oversight has finally been corrected, and while Black Widow doesn’t represent the pinnacle of the MCU, it’s still a worthy installment.

Before the Battle of Wakanda, before the coming of the Mad Titan, and before her lonely death on the remote planet of Vormir, Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) found herself in a very familiar position. Yet again, she’s on the run. It seems to be how she’s always lived her life, and we see how it began during a seemingly idyllic childhood in Ohio. Young Natasha loves her sister Yelena, loves her scientific-minded mom Melina (Rachel Weisz), and loves her goofball dad Alexei (David Harbour).

Only they aren’t a family, not exactly. Melina and Alexei are deep-cover Russian spies, and for three years they have been observing America. Then, their cover is blown. They get the heck out of Dodge and, making matters worse, Natasha and Yelena are unceremoniously yanked from their faux parents and dropped into the Red Room. It’s a way, way off the books training program where girls are chemically, psychologically, and physically programmed to become killing machines.

Time passes and grown-up Natasha thinks she’s whacked Dreykov (Ray Winstone), the architect of the Red Room.*** She has bigger problems considering that she violated the Sokovia Accords and has to go off the grid and plot her next move. That move is complicated when she gets her hands on a package from Yelena (Florence Pugh), all grown up and kicking people in the face. It turns out that enclosed within the package are mysterious chemicals that just might free the remaining Widows from their enforced slavery.

Being that she has nothing better to do, Natasha decides to reunite her faux family and take down the Widow program. Finding it is hard. Dealing with their operative Taskmaster, who has the ability to perfectly mimic an opponent’s skills, is harder. Most difficult of all will be Natasha having to deal with the people in her life that began as a fake family and might transform into a real one.

It’s an unfair criticism, but perhaps the largest flaw with Black Widow is that it should have been released years ago. Natasha Romanoff is one of the foundational characters in the MCU, and while I have nothing against 2019’s Captain Marvel, the Black Widow carries as much weight in the MCU as Wonder Woman does for DC. Numerous delays happened due to corporate foot-dragging and an unforeseen (or totally foreseen) global pandemic, and those delays do a great job of undercutting a lot of the suspense.

Still, it’s not the fault of the filmmakers. Director Cate Shortland has made a slick espionage thriller that nods to the lore of the MCU without getting stuck under its thumb. The action sequences are clean, crisp, and walk a fine line between the stripped-down mayhem of The Bourne Identity and the expensive-looking destruction the MCU is known for. Shortland knows that the real reason people keep coming back to these things is the characters. We like Natasha’s wry sarcasm and wary idealism, and we like to see how she bounces off the new and old people in her orbit. While the film occasionally gets a little too talky, I enjoyed Natasha talking more than I enjoyed her shooting some luckless shmoe.

The screenplay, by Eric Pearson, Jac Schaeffer, and Ned Benson does a few things wrong and one major thing nearly perfectly. There are essentially three intertwined threads of the story:

Natasha must develop her own family

Natasha must reckon with her past as an assassin

Natasha must put an end to the Red Room.

The problem is, two of those three threads have been fairly extensively covered in other movies. Natasha makes The Avengers her family and loves Clint Barton so much as an adopted brother that she throws herself off a cliff for him in Avengers: Endgame. She deals with her blood-red ledger in both The Avengers and in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. So why are we going over this well-trod ground again? For the third thread, Natasha puts an end to the Red Room twice in one movie, ending up in pretty much the same place she started.

Back in the early days of the MCU, there was a fairly serious villain problem. The Abomination was little more than a rampaging monster. Malekith was a snooze. Ronan the Accuser was significantly less cool than you would expect someone named Ronan the Accuser to be. I figured, however, with layered antagonists like Killmonger, Thanos, and the Vulture, the MCU was putting the vanilla-flavored villains in the rear-view mirror. Apparently not. I like Ray Winstone quite a lot, but as General Dreykov, the creator of the Red Room, he’s given very little to do other than a monologue. Black Widow needed an antagonist to equal Natasha Romanoff. What it got was a bad guy who would feel right at home in a terrible Chuck Norris movie.

Having complained about all that, the screenplay does strong work by giving the actors meaty roles to dig into. I enjoyed the too brief appearance of Rachel Weisz and her equivocation over rejoining her not-really-a-family family. I enjoyed David Harbour’s meatheaded Alexei, a guy fully convinced that he’s Russia’s answer to Steve Rogers, except for the sizable gut and scary old man beard. The MVP of the cast is Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova. She relentlessly mocks Natasha’s hair flip and combat poses, and underneath her snark is a very interesting concept. Deep down, her fake family was always real to her, and she’d love nothing more than for it to be knit back together. Pugh is an interesting and unpredictable actor, and she’s one of the most interesting additions to the MCU in a while.

From a character perspective, the screenplay is aces. Perhaps the main reason to pay hard-earned money to see Black Widow isn’t vehicular mayhem or Scarlett Johansson demolishing luckless goons. It’s a scene set at a dinner table in which four people talk, examine their shared history, and go over whether or not they’re really a family. While the MCU has gotten into the concept of a found family in a whole bunch of films, I think this is the first film to really drill down into what that actually means, and show the need some characters have for it and the discomfort others grapple with. The thing the MCU has always done better than any other franchise is the character work. They know we want to see likable and interesting people and how they bounce off each other.

Speaking of which, Scarlett Johansson holds the whole film together in a performance just as iconic as any of her co-stars in the MCU. Natasha Romanoff occupies an interesting place in the MCU. While Tony Stark bears guilt due to his past as a weapons manufacturer, he was always removed from the carnage he wrought. Steve Rogers killed, but always did so in service to ideals. Natasha has always been a bit different. She had blood on her hands, lots of it, and her character has a great deal of guilt to carry. Johansson allows us to subtly feel a little bit of that weight. Her performance is nimble, strong, slyly amusing, and like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, she’s never crushed by the franchise machinery around her.

I remember feeling a little irritated with the end of Avengers: Endgame, the fact that Tony Stark received an appropriately egomaniacal sendoff while the Black Widow got a cursory “Oh, yeah, she’s great, too” acknowledgment. Despite the lousy timing and problematic story elements, Black Widow remains a fitting sendoff for the shadowy Avenger. It’s an upper-tier entry in the MCU, and while it was a long time coming, it’s better late than never.

*For a minute there, 20th Century Fox was trying to get McClane off the ground. This was meant to be Die Hard: Year One, which I always thought was called Die Hard.

**There’s less than no chance of a Hawkeye movie, but there will be a series coming up on Disney+, so that’s something?

***Pro tip: if there’s no body, they’re not dead.

 The post Budapest With An S.H. first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/budapest-with-an-s-h/

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Motivational Monday: Finding Your Purpose

Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Book of Selling

I must share with you that I was so excited and honored when I was asked to be the weekly columnist for Motivational Monday.   In my high school years, as the assistant editor for the school newspaper, I had a column called “Stayin’ Alive” (yes, the Bee Gees were popular when I was in high school!) and I gave advice to students on how to survive high school.  My role as your Monday Motivator is to give you advice and guidance as well, and fortunately I have accumulated quite a bit more wisdom since my Bee Gees days.   Although I am many years out of high school, I remain a lifelong student.   I look forward to sharing my lessons and insight with you through this column.

This cartoon has stuck in my head ever since I first read Jeffrey Gitomer’s Little Book of Selling in 2005.  He uses this cartoon to illustrate one of his key principles which is to “Kick your own Ass.” It’s not only funny, it is true and poses the critical question as to HOW do I do that?  How do I motivate myself?  As the author of this column, not only is it my goal to motivate you, but to teach you how to motivate yourself.  As I tell all of my clients, “Help ME, help YOU!” which is from my favorite scene in Jerry Maguire.

To fully understand what it takes to get motivated, you first must get clear on what you really want.  What is your “why?”  People in our society rarely slow down long enough to really ponder this. We get so caught up in doing what we think we “have” to do we never stop to even consider why we are doing it.  Have you ever been around a young child who continues to ask “Why….?” You come up with some answer and then again you hear, “Yeah, but why?”  Rather than giving this child a quick answer, pause for a moment and notice this beautiful curiosity. That same child can also probably tell you exactly what he/she wants.

Simon Sinek wrote a brilliant book called Start With Why. (He also has a fabulous TedTalk on this subject.)  He states that “Very few people or organizations know why they do what they do.”  He goes further to explain that it’s not just about the “why” of making a profit, but rather the why of “what is your purpose?” I truly believe that if you know your “why” then motivation will never be a challenge for you.  You might be thinking, “Well that all sounds great but I have to go to work every day and make money.”  Yes, I get that.  What if you were to ask yourself a different question?   Why am I doing the job I am doing?  Do I love what I am doing? If you answer no to that question I would ask you, then WHY are you doing that job?  You might say, “because it is the only job I can get.” And I would say “WHY do you think that?  WHY are you limiting yourself?”

I want to make two key points here.  One, is that we all need to take time to get clear on what our “why” is in our life.  And two, we limit ourselves by our thinking when we reply with dead-end answers. We need to ask different questions and consider different replies!

I would say if you think you have a motivation problem, what you really have is a lack of purpose problem.

Here is a challenge for you this week:

Every time you hear the question “why,” take some time to consider your answer before you reply.

Ask yourself some of these questions, and then listen to your own reply.

Have an awesome week!

The post Motivational Monday: Finding Your Purpose first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/motivational-monday-finding-your-purpose/

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Monday Motivation – How to get motivated when you feel beat up?

Those of you who know me, know that I am a sports nut.  Having been an elite athlete myself, I appreciate all aspects of competition from the physical exertion to the mental component to the coaching tactics.  I have never competed in a football or a soccer game, but I still get very emotionally involved as a spectator.  Over the past three days, my favorite two football teams lost (CU Buffs and Broncos) and one of my favorite soccer teams lost (CU Women’s soccer) and one of my favorite soccer teams won!  (Grace College Women’s Team)

As a participant and a fan, we ride the ups and downs of wins and losses.  I’m writing this article on a Sunday evening after seeing the Broncos lose to the Houston Texans by 2 points after missing a field goal in the last 3 seconds.  Ouch!  How different the emotions could have been had that field goal been made?  It would have been a totally different story.  Yet, instead the heaviness of the Broncos sixth loss of the season infiltrates all the media outlets as I type. The CU Buffs football team had their 4th straight loss on Friday night after starting the season at 5-0, which was the best season since 1998.   The big question is:  How do you find motivation in the midst of such frustration and disappointment?

It’s Monday morning and it’s back to the “chalkboard.”  It is in these challenges that exist the greatest opportunity for growth and lessons.  In these moments true winners are born.  I know that sounds cliché and trust me, I love to win.  I agree that winning is much more fun than learning life’s tough lessons.  However, without growth, what is the point of all the effort?   There is a saying, which I believe is 100% accurate:  If you keep doing what you have always done, you will keep getting the results you have always gotten.  What can you change in an attempt to create different results?

First of all, you can only change things within yourself.   You do not have the power to change anyone else or the external circumstances in your life.  You can only change YOU.  The only way you can actually lose, is to quit.  One of my favorite sports facts is that Michael Jordan did not make his high school varsity basketball team his sophomore year of high school.

Another favorite athlete story is Carli Lloyd, who is one of the most accomplished female soccer players in the world.  She was cut from the U21 national team because she wasn’t good enough.  She was ready to quit the sport until she met Coach James Galanis, who changed her game by helping her with her mindset.   When Galanis originally met Lloyd he said, “I discovered a player who was full of excuses as to why she couldn’t make it to the next level…She worried about things that she had absolutely no control over.” When speaking about his initial coaching with her he said, “I just told her, ‘The first thing you need to change is your mind.’”

I see this over and over again in sports:  athletes who have the physical ability but get defeated by their mindset. Often physical talent is relatively equal among players, it is the mentality and the resiliency that sets the winners apart from the average players.

Back to today’s question:  how do you pick yourself up and find the motivation to keep going?  First of all, you take responsibility for your own actions, mindset, and responses to the circumstances around you.  If you are blaming other people or events for what is wrong in your life, then you probably will end up quitting, which is the ultimate loss.  Start with yourself.

The second thing is to begin with the end in mind.  What does this mean? Look into the future of what you want to create.  What do you want your life to look like in a year, or 3 years?  Build from there.  This moment in time is just a small section of the journey called life.  What changes do you need to make now to get you to where you want to go?   Do you even know what it is that you want in your life?

In the big scheme of things this is one game, or one season.  Who are you becoming in the process?  What is your contribution to this world?  Whatever circumstances you are currently facing are temporary.  Today is a new day…make it count!

Here is a recap and my challenge to you for this week: 1) Take Responsibility of your own actions.

2) Start with the end in mind…think “backwards” from the result you want.

3) Give back…do something for someone else. Your purpose on this planet is greater than winning in your sport or job.

4) Express Gratitude – the act of gratitude will always elevate your state and put you in a better place to get the things done that you want to do!

Have a great week!  Go Buffs and Lady Lancers!  (The Broncos are off this week)

The post Monday Motivation – How to get motivated when you feel beat up? first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/monday-motivation-how-to-get-motivated-when-you-feel-beat-up/

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Monday Motivation: Life IS Good! The Power of Positivity

On Friday I had the privilege of hearing Bert Jacobs, founder of the Life is Good company, share his story and wisdom.  I was inspired and motivated and I would like to share some of those nuggets with you today for your Monday Motivation.  Many of us have heard that thinking positive thoughts is beneficial.  What Bert and his brother John have created in their company, Life is Good, is far beyond just thinking positive thoughts, they have created an optimism movement!

Their company did not initially start with that optimistic vision.  In fact, by all business statistics their attempt at building a successful company had failed.  However, as Bert stated in his speech on Friday, “Optimism is most powerful in adversity.”   They proved that to be true in their own lives when they came up with their first Life is Good Shirt featuring their original character, Jake. They quickly discovered that people were craving a positive message when they sold out all inventory of the initial Jake shirt in 45 minutes.  Their mother taught them the power of this message while growing up in difficult circumstances.  At dinner every night she asked everyone to share something good that happened that day.  The message of positivity is the foundation of their company and continues to inspire people across the world. They give 10% of the profits of the company to children in need through the foundation they created called Life is Good Kids Foundation.

If you think the idea of optimism is a bunch of feel good fluff, allow me to share with you some real-life stories where this type of thinking has changed, and even saved lives.  Bert shared the story of Lindsey Beggan, who at 10 years old was diagnosed with cancer.  She kept a positive outlook throughout her treatment, wearing her Life is Good beanie daily since she had lost her hair from the chemo.  She maintained the belief that Life is good, no matter what.  She beat cancer and is alive and thriving 17 years later!

Another story, from our home state of Colorado, is Dave Mortell.  I met Dave and his wife, Beth, through the adventure racing community and thanks to Facebook, I have been able to follow their journey and his battle against cancer.  Although we are acquaintances, not close friends, I have witnessed his fight and admire the positivity and faith that he and Beth have sustained throughout his courageous duel against cancer.  On Saturday he posted that the cancer has decreased another 20% for a total of 80% decrease, and another 20% to go.  His attitude is such that he is confident that he will beat the remaining 20%.  Never in one post did I see either he or Beth feel sorry for themselves or get angry about their circumstances.  They have maintained a positive outlook intermixed with a lot of humor.  I have no doubt he will win this fight.

A mentor of mine, Mary Morrissey, was given, at the most, 6 months to live in 1966 when diagnosed with a fatal kidney disease.  A stranger shared with her a new way of thinking and visualizing that not only saved her life, but forever changed her future path.  She has been teaching these principles for over 40 years now.  At 69 years young, she continues to enjoy an abundant and healthy life.

Although, there is no scientific proof that positive thoughts will cure disease, many studies have shown that positivity boosts longevity and overall mental health.  So, why not apply it to your daily life?  I am also a firm believer in random acts of kindness.  Why not share positive things to people you encounter every day?  Sometimes a warm smile can completely redirect someone’s day.   The power of optimism is real.  In closing, Bert reminded all of us that we have a choice about how we look at life.  Why not focus on the positive and making this world a better place?

Your challenge this week:

Do one random act of kindness (certainly more than one is welcome!)

Share #onepositivethought on Life is Good social media where they will donate $1 per comment to the Life is Good Kids Foundation!

Check out Bert and John Jacobs full story here: https://content.lifeisgood.com/company/

The post Monday Motivation: Life IS Good! The Power of Positivity first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/monday-motivation-life-is-good-the-power-of-positivity/

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Motivational Monday – Do you have a plan?

We are officially in the holiday season!  2018 Thanksgiving is complete, along with Black Friday and Cyber Monday and only 35 days remaining before we begin a new year.   Have you thought about your holiday plans?   Where will you go?  What is on your wish list?  Do you know what you will get for the special people in your life?  What parties will you attend, or will you host?  What will you eat?   Planning, planning and more planning! Think about how much time, energy, and effort we put into planning related to the holiday season. I am the first one to admit to many hours I have spent on Pinterest alone, searching decorating ideas, menus, and cookie recipes. Over 627 million results came up when I searched “Holiday Planning” on Google.

What if I asked you, “What are your life plans?” or “What do you plan on doing in 2019?”  Have you given that any thought?  Have you spent as much time considering what you want to do for the rest of your life as you have spent on your 2018 holiday plans?  Consider just your shopping time alone.  As a very conservative estimate, I think it is safe to say that the average American spends at least one hour on holiday shopping.  I wonder if the average American spends at least an hour on planning their life, and setting goals for the following year.

“Failing to plan, is planning to fail” is a famous saying originally quoted by Benjamin Franklin and restated by many successful people over the years.  Perhaps you have heard that quote before and even agree with it, but have you actually done anything with the information?  Do you know what you want your life to look like in 2019, or how about in 5 years from now?

My husband and I were out of town this year for Thanksgiving and we decided to check out some sales for what I call “Brown Thursday” aka the night before Black Friday.  I was blown away to see how many people were lined up outside of the stores waiting to be first in line for the best deals that store had to offer.  I could not help but wonder if “we” spent even half as much time as we spend on Black Friday shopping and holiday planning, on planning and creating our lives, how much more could we accomplish?  Maybe we could actually achieve our goals if we devoted even a fraction of the same amount of energy that is spent planning for Black Friday, to creating a life we would love living.

There is so much truth in that Benjamin Franklin quote.   How many people are dissatisfied with their lives because they have never taken the time to create a plan?

As we head into the craziness of the holiday season and the end of another year, I encourage you to take some time to begin planning what you want 2019 to look like.  I’m not talking about a resolution that you will make on January 1st for something that probably won’t last longer than a week, I am talking about an actual plan.  As you spend hours preparing for holiday parties and festivities, ask yourself if you are giving your own life as much attention.

Let’s say you wanted to go on a vacation.  What is the first thing you would do?  You would decide where you want to go, right?  And then you would probably look into how you would get there?  And then perhaps things you would do while you are there?  Consider similar questions for your life:   1) Where do you want to go?   and  2) How do you plan on getting there?

This week’s challenge:

Put all distractions aside and spend at least 5 minutes thinking about what you want your life to look like one year from now, 3 years from now, and 10 years from now.

Write down 3 things that came up during that thought process that you want to see happen.

Plan the first step that you need to take for each of those items.

The post Motivational Monday – Do you have a plan? first appeared on The Denver Guide. from Blog https://ondenver.com/monday-motivation-do-you-have-a-plan/