Urban Denver

Here are some shots of Downtown Denver that I took in the last two days.   We've had some awesome rainy, gloomy weather.  I love it.

Storm

This is what the sky looks like before a tornado... 

Carnival

During the summer traveling carnivals seem to pop up all around the city.  Seeing one always brings me back fond memories of Ferris wheels, corn dogs, funnel cakes, cheap stuffed animals and childhood...

Urban Nature

Urban nature captured on a summer, Colorado day...

Sunflowers

Yellow and bright and with a personality all their own...next to irises...sunflowers would probably have to be my second most favorite flower.

A Fish Named Cheese...

I don't think there ever was a more majestic, lovely little class pet.  The kids named him Cheese.

Pie Hole

Looking to stuff your pie hole with some delicious greasyness? I'd like to suggest Pie Hole Pizza...if you're looking for some pizza goodness near the city you can find this funny dive on Broadway and Ellsworth...and may I suggest that the potato, bacon pizza....it's delicious and totally worth the heart burn.

What is good pizza without bottled Coke and a pizza buddy?

Yup...yup Dr. Who pinball...

Farewell to an Eyesore Part II

I briefly wrote about the iconic Gates Rubber Factory (http://angelaindenvercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/02/farewell-to-eyesore.html) back in February. This last part of the factory will no doubt be bulldozed soon...but this last, haunted looking skeleton still remains...

Greek Rose Lady...Black and White

Dusk

 A summer evening in my neighborhood...

Demons...

As I continue the journey of my Saturn’s Return (for those of you who may be reading this blog for the first time...http://angelaindenvercolorado.blogspot.com/2014/05/7-lessons-you-need-to-learn-by-time.html) I feel like I have been starting to come to a deeper understandings of the human condition and the various "things" that make us the intelligent apes walking among each other on this planet. One of the most profound aspects of being a human being I have discovered is the fact that we ALL have demons.  Yes, demons.  The monsters that live inside us.  I think a majority of us keep these creepy crawlies buried deep, so deep we “forget” their existence and the role they play in our lives.  What are these demons exactly?  They are comprised of our regrets, character flaws, old hurts, negative past experiences, baggage, addictions, fettishes, skeletons, secrets...all the ugly that none of us want to admit we have, and what most of us keep hidden way in the back of the closet. Everyone has a closet and everyone has a skeleton or two or ten hanging out back there. I know I do.

Lately I have been reading quotes.  Lots of them.  I find answers in quotes.  Here is one I read recently that resonated very strongly with me:

It resonated with me because of the raw, but simple truth.  In fact, if I had to rewrite it, I would say:

“True love is when you find someone whose demons play well with yours…”

We all have a past and by the time you make it to your late twenties, you don’t arrive unscathed.  You arrive a little battered, a little bruised, a little jaded and very skilled at hiding the unsavory little monsters lurking below the happy mask we all learn to wear as adults.  There is nothing wrong with wearing a happy mask.  Let’s face it; you need it to get through your day...your life. The thing with a mask is, at some point, you need to take it off.  When you take your mask off how long can you look at the truth without having to put it back one?

Me…a year ago… I didn't want to ever take my mask off and I learned something from this.  If you don’t acknowledge, if you don’t come face to face, if you don’t  learn to accept the demons that live inside…they will find ways to come to the surface, rear their ugly heads and remind us of their existence. Not coming to terms with my baggage, my regrets, my character flaws resulted in hard lessons and regrets.  It wasn't until I read this quote that I gained a new perspective what exactly I should do with these unwanted skeletons.

Yes, it is that simple.  How do you come to terms with the monsters living inside? You stop fighting them.  You stop denying their existence and come to terms with the fact that you are human and you are never going to be perfect.  Your demons along with your strengths make you who you are, which leads me to the last and most important aspect of this post:

Me…a year later…here and now, yeah, I can take my mask off and take a good long look in the mirror, and yes,  I have met people whose demons play well with mine and because of this, I have experienced some incredible friendships and camaraderie.  Being able to admit your demons makes you stronger, braver and personally, I have respect a person who has the balls to admit what makes them tick...the good, the bad and the ugly.  You can’t know good unless you know the bad and the ugly, because then…you’d simply have nothing to compare it to.  We have demons for a reason, they keep us in check.  They teach us balance.  They are the yin and the yang of the human condition.

So if there is another important lesson to learn by the time you complete you’re Saturn’s Return it’s simply this: learn to friggin love yourself…All of yourself.  Forgive yourself for your mistakes and weaknesses and your character flaws. Forgive your past and root yourself here in the present.  Learn your demons and decide how they affect you, how they have been affecting you. Learn how to handle imperfection...or...your imperfections will learn to handle you.

Fourth Of July

Pics from the Fourth, homemade firecracker-Gatorade Popsicles and and old poem I wrote in college that I found recently...

The Greek Rose Lady of Denver

On Saturday I was on my way to the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, when my mother drove by a colorful, orange house that had an even more colorful looking elderly lady watering an amazing rose garden.  I begged my mom to stop so I could meet this interesting looking character and see if she would be willing to let me photograph her. The result was some fun photographs, free roses and a new friend who I promised I would stop by and visit soon.