Denver, CO

This is a re-post of my favorite blog entry so far. Its just really interesting to think about and realize that the night sky can be a movie screen or television program, only it doesn’t cost a thing. The night sky is much more spectacular when viewed somewhere away from the city, somewhere like Lookout Mountain, or Boulder, any foothills area, etc.

I took my dogs for a long walk last evening, trying to make up my mind on what feature of Denver I should blog about. In the area of night life we Denverites are privileged with great restaurants, clubs, theaters, sports teams, etc. There is always something exciting to do, so what should my quick blog post focus on? I continued on my walk and, by accident, happened to gaze up at the night sky, and realized the answer was there in the stars.
We’re so busy and focused on getting things done that we often overlook the natural beauty of nature. We have so many interesting architectural designs and art within Denver that we sometimes forget those designs that have been around for thousands of years, all feats of natures accomplishments. Not too long ago I heard a tourist here from New York comment that we had such a big sky over Denver. It’s really not any bigger than the sky anywhere you are standing, but ours is certainly more open and the view is less obscured by giant buildings. If you’re visiting Denver, or have lived here and can’t recall spending some time looking up at our ‘big sky’ in the last week, month, or even longer, I strongly encourage you to do so. And if you have the chance, try to catch a westerly view of the sky at dawn or dusk, when the mountains, clouds, and sky are illuminated in such a combination that will bring anyone joy. Nothing is required to enjoy this free production of nature, but I recommend having your camera or video recording device ready!
Until next time!

If you are looking to do something interesting this weekend, try the Boulder Creek Festival. This is always a fun weekend event! There are tents with all sorts of interesting vendors, delicious food (some in the forms of free samples), carnival rides and attractions. You can have your fortune told, meet people, or watch a demo by the FusBoxe Martial Arts demo team.
The festival is near Arapahoe and Broadway in Boulder. When you see the tents and hundreds of people milling about, you’ll know you’re in the right spot.
Have a good weekend everyone!

If you have ever wondered about the mysterious workings of the universe, about how people get to the top in business and stay there, or perhaps even something as simple as how to fix relationships, then check out “The Secret.” “The Secret” is available on both DVD and in book form; I recommend watching the DVD first to tickle your interest and then diving into the book for a deeper understanding.
I have enjoyed the movie and its message and re-watch the movie on a monthly basis, and it has made a profound impact on my own personal life and study of achievement. The main topic I would encourage readers to take away is to direct your focus. Take pro athletes for example, they were all certainly exceptional athletes but they practiced every day and focused on how they could win. Most athletes that fail or give up do so because they are focused on how not to lose. It seems like a small distinction, but through my study of success I have learned that such a small distinction makes a world of difference.
The greatest and best advice (and I have received a plethora of advice) I have received from my success coach, Michael Sullivan, was this:
“Focus on what you want and how to get it. Most people focus on what they do not want and how much it bothers them.”
This quote actually explains how I ended up here, writing for this website. I have always wanted to be a published author but never focused on actually how to do so.
Think about it, then pick up “The Secret” on DVD or the book.

I don’t follow baseball too closely but I know enough to know that the Colorado Rockies have not been a dominant team lately. Nevertheless, the experience of Coors Field is one baseball fans should not pass up. I really enjoy Coors Field, and since our high altitude increases home runs, the games are usually fairly exciting.

Here’s a quick poll for Denverites to discover what these great citizens are most proud of in their magnificent city:

What aspect of the city of Denver are you most proud of? The available answers are general categories, with an option of ‘other’ and comments welcomed!

A) Sports teams
B) Business opportunities
C) Leisure activities
D) Family environment
E) Outdoor adventure
F) Layout, design, and structure of downtown
G) Being apart of the community
H) other

Thank you!

I have been a life long Denver-area resident and have received all of my education from the public school systems here. Since this blog may be viewed by people contemplating moving to the Denver-area, I thought to include a bit on education.
The memories that come to my mind of elementary school are happy, full, worry-free, and growth. I learned so much during these key years that began to prepare me for where I am in life today. My test scores were high enough that I was moved into the ‘Gifted and Talented’ program, which is designed to direct education for accelerated learners.
The Gifted and Talented Program continued into my middle school years. One of my favorite middle school memories was taking a three day trip with my classmates to a mountain camp site for extended outdoor learning.
My after school and summer hours were filled with sport team practices and games, reading at the local libraries, watching movies, trips to museums and parks and boy scout activities.
For high school, I forewent commuting to a school nearer to Denver (at the time I was in a suburb 30 minutes from Downtown) that offered the extension of the Gifted and Talented Program, which was called Inter Baccalaureate or IB. Several of my friends continued to this program and were perhaps overworked for high schoolers, but received many valuable college credits as a result. The school I chose had better athletic programs, was within walking distance, and had a good academic reputation. Some of my best high school memories are actually of enriching and fulfilling classroom discussions held by many notable teachers (too many to note).
Indeed, looking back on my education experience received in Denver and throughout the surrounding Denver-area, I can say with confidence and respect that I was educated in forward thinking ways to best prepare me for the uncertainties of the future. Though I do believe our school system overall needs improvement, I seem to have found the right areas that best fit me, and it can be done for families wishing to properly prepare their own children.

This weekend is proving to be a good weekend for mixed martial artists, enthusiasts, and fans. As mentioned in a post earlier this week, The Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz Cage Fights will be taking place this Saturday in Littleton. Fights in the Denver area take place about every two to three weeks.
For an event a little closer to home, I encourage all readers to attend the Top of the Rockies Submission Grappling tournament this Sunday, May 20th. The tournament is at the Northglenn Rec Center, off of I-25 and 120th Ave and begins approximately at 10am, and will last for most of the day. To enter as a spectator is only $5. Yours truly, the author of this about Denver blog, will be competing in this tournament. Wish me luck!!
For more info on the tournament please visit www.fusboxe.net or www.rmbjjf.com

One of this author’s favorite stops in Denver is Luciano’s Restaurant. They have a great assortment of pizza, wings, calzones, salads, etc. My favorite - and I get this every time - is a buffalo wing calzone. Don’t take my word for it. . . try it.

Luciano’s is located at 1043 N Broadway St., between 10th and 11th Ave. Another great feature of this pizza parlor is they are open to till 10:30pm every night, and stay open into the wee hours of the morning on Friday and Saturday closing at 2:30 am.

Looking for something new, fun, exciting, and fast-paced for this weekend’s adventure? Might I suggest attending the Rocky Mountain Bad Boyz Full Contact Cage Fights on Saturday May 19th.:
These fights, if you’ve never been, can be brutal but the energy and intensity displayed by the athletes- yes they are athletes- is tremendous. They not only are the show, they make the show. Months of training and dedication come together to put on an incredible fight and test each fighters limits, physically and mentally.
The fights start Saturday May 19th at 7:30pm (doors open 6:30pm) and are at Fat City in Littleton, CO, south of Denver. Tickets are $20 general admission, $35 reserved. Alcohol is served at the event.
Look for FusBoxe Martial Arts fighters Ryan McKee and Sam Ferrell (making his debut) to light up the night. Both athletes have been training hard and will rock the cage! visit www.fusboxe.net for more info

Looking for a family-friendly event? Might I suggest an outing in the park, weather permitting, or a trip to Chucky Cheeses, one of my favorites growing up.

One of my earlier entry’s talks about the beautiful sunsets and sunrises produced in Denver, CO. Here’s some visual evidence! Enjoy!

Please provide feedback on yesterday’s VACATION POLL found below!

What do you like to do first, or most, when vacationing in a new city? Below are a few different options, then an example of what that particular option would mean in the Denver area. You can complete the poll by contacting me through email, or just leaving a comment.

What do you like to do first, or most, when vacationing in a new city?

1. Explore the natural attractions (for Denver this would likely be the Rocky Mountains)

2. Discover the fine dining options (somewhere like Cheesecake Factory or Sullivan’s Steakhouse)

3. Attend a sporting event (Colorado Rockies or Denver Broncos)

4. Tour the city (take a walk through Downtown, on the 16th street Mall)

5. Visit amusement park locations (Elitch Gardens in Denver or Water World)

6. Go to city landmarks (the Capitol building, the Mint, or maybe the Museum’s)

7. other (list your other option if you please)

I appreciate any and all feedback! Have a happy and productive Monday!

It was a most appropriate May 12th day for this holiday. Warm sunshine, beautiful spring flowers, and the sound of birds. A Gorgeous day, and in light of the holiday, I have this to share with all the mothers out there in Denver:
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mother’s out there! They go through a lot for their children, they really do. I love ya mom!
Without them, we wouldn’t be here- that’s obvious. But an interesting point to contemplate is the tremendous pain and effort that mothers must go through giving birth. Why? Because that is the only way to create new life!!
Out of pain, tremendous effort, even some difficulty, comes new life. Take that with you this week and keep it in mind, whether you are in Denver or elsewhere.

Every city has crime, and most every citizen can recall a time when they nervously walked through their downtown area, occasionally checking over their shoulder. These are unfortunate consequences of our society, our economy, people’s own limiting beliefs creating inabilities, or physical handicaps. But whatever the reason, crime is not something we should ignore or assume will never happen to us.
When I help provide self-defense seminars to businesses, groups of men, women, even children, the first and most important aspect we cover is ‘the interview.’ In most cases, a crime offender will interview his/her target to decide if they will make a suitable victim. In doing this interview, the potential criminal will strike up a conversation with the victim, using carefully structured questions to analyze the person. They will often want to know where you are from, who you know in town, where you are going, etc. A perfect victim to them will be someone who naively and friendly gives out the information that they are new to town or just visiting, do not have any close friends or relatives in town, and/or are far from their intended destination. This person makes a great victim because they will have no one in town expecting them and who would alert the police if they were noticed to be missing. AVOID GIVING OUT THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION, EVEN IF YOU THINK IT IS JUST MAKING POLITE CONVERSATION!
Other safety tips:

Don’t travel alone, especially at night

Cover any revealing or flashy clothes with a jacket

Store all jewelry items in your purse and only put them on when you get inside your destination, then take them off when you leave and before going out again

Walk with confidence and if you feel followed, go into a nearby, open, building until your suspected follower leaves the area

If you enjoyed reading about safety in the city, please visit my martial arts and self-defense website, and if in the Denver area, stop by sometime to try a workout for free! Thanks everyone!
www.fusboxe.net

Denver Children’s Museum

The name says it all: this is a terrific place to spend a day learning with your kids. I tell ya, I have so many great memories of going to the Children’s Museum as a kid with my family. In fact, this last year I even tried to take a date to the Children’s Museum to re-experience the learning attractions and relive childhood memories. We were denied entry. Turns out, you must have a kid with you to enter the Children’s Museum! I respect and understand this rule: its a built in safety feature to make sure no one is entering without a kid and leaving with somebody else’s child.

some featured attractions include:

kid size basketball court

mini-grocery store for pretend grocery shopping

The Assembly Plant where children actually get to build real objects

a real fire truck for fire safety lessons

and MORE! click here for more info

Here are a few Mother’s Day activities that go beyond just individual families:

Mother’s Day Brunch for Darfur Saturday, May 12th 11am at the Mercury Cafe in Denver. Live music, poetry readings, and a champagne brunch. Mercury Cafe is located at 2199 California Street, Denver, CO 80205.

Wellington Walk-a-thon in Wellington, CO, which is actually about 70 miles outside of Denver, but a good event never the less. Wellington Junior High School staff, students and friends, 100 strong, will walk 10 miles in an effort to raise money and awareness for Project Education Sudan. Collectively we will walk 1,000 miles, the same distance each refugee had to walk to try and find safety in Ethiopia.

A word of caution: Mother’s Day weekend is a time for the family to relax and mom to have a day off. My family usually goes out to eat on this day, and this year I thought, why not go eat some great food at the Mercury Cafe and contribute a portion of our bill to others who are not as fortunate and find themselves in life and death situations every day? Like the millions in Darfur that have been displaced. With this in mind, I must be careful not to cause my family to feel overly depressed and guilty over the unfortunate situation. Instead, I am going to work at helping my family realize that we are so very lucky to have been born here in the U.S.A. and to have all the things and opportunities that we do. It really puts things into perspective; to realize that middle class in America may have some bumps and daily grinds, but had we are fortunate to not have to experience true pain and fear everyday, like those born in Darfur. Many mothers in Darfur will not be able to enjoy this holiday, so we must remember our good fortune and provide some to help those less fortunate.

Proceeds from these events go to support savedarfur.org an organization that strives to raise public awareness for the genocide and displacement taking place in Darfur, Sudan. Please visit their website at http://www.savedarfur.org. Even small donations go a long way!