The interesting thing about coming to a new town and starting over is that you're a nobody. Completely anonymous. You don't know anyone, and they don't know you. You can walk down the street and never get a second glance. 

I remember when I lived in Manhattan I'd never felt so alone in a crowd in my life. It was the summer between my junior and senior year of college. I was working for an advertising agency and for the first two weeks I was filling in for the Chairman's assistant while she – and he – were gone. So I was alone. Alone alone. If that wasn't depressing enough, the first week I was there (living in a studio apartment on the upper west side), I dropped my clock radio and guess what broke? No, not the clock. And not the whole radio. Just the FM part was gone, so I was left with AM radio as my only entertainment. Talk about torture! The same three songs playing over and over again all summer long! And of course this was before the days of social media – or even cell phones, so I was completely isolated. I remember walking home one day and crying my eyes out. No one even gave me a second glance. 

So here I am again – alone and starting over in a new city. 

Yet there is a certain freedom in being anonymous. You can become whoever you want to be. They don't know who you are – or aren't. 

Aspen is an interesting blend of humanity. Yes, it's a residence of choice for a lot of the rich and famous. The non-anonymous. But what makes it interesting is how difficult it is to tell the "average Joe" from the famous one. And I think that might be one of the reasons they like it here. The opportunity to fit in and not necessarily stand out. To be anonymous.

So when I walk down the street – or up a mountain – on my own, I am not just a "nobody." I could also be a "somebody." I could be a wildly successful author or screenwriter or businessperson or just about anything. 

Or anybody. 

I'll end with a relevant (and favorite) song by Carly Simon:

And a little Staple Singers…

I didn't mean to upset anyone or be insensitive. I promise. I just wanted to share. I knew the rest of the country was in a dangerous heat wave, and I wanted to cool them off a little. Like people who share pictures of a warm beach when it's cold outside, right?

The other day I posted these pictures of the Ice Caves in the Grottos near Aspen on my Facebook page – while the rest of the country was struggling with record heat. I didn't post it to rub it in. Just to show that there are places to cool off. 

Okay, I guess I also wanted to also express my amazement in the pleasurable sights and weather in my new locale. Is that so wrong? If so, I'm sorry. (Though I don't think it's that different from anyone posting their travels or food or relationships, do you?) 

I will confess that I was a bit "haunted" wandering around these rocks and crevasses. I kept thinking about the movie (and real-life story) "127 hours" where Aron Ralston (played by James Franco) fell down into a deep cave and was trapped by a boulder. 

I guess that's one of the truths about getting older. You have more experience that tells you there are more things to fear than you might have imagined. 

Because you were singing it anyway…

And, well, it should be obvious… *wink*

Now let's talk about the "New" West. Yesterday I volunteered for the Aspen Brain Lab event here in Aspen. It was an honor to be a part of such an exeptional event – on so many levels. And in many ways a refreshing contrast to my previous experiences with similar events in Atlanta. 

The speakers at the event were top-notch, combining experts who live here (at least part of the time) with brilliant minds coming in from all over the country. Here's a list of speakers and topics. http://www.aspenbrainlab.com/speakers/. To be fair, Atlanta also has a lot of events with leading minds as well. Yet I didn't go to them as often as I probably should, for a number of reasons, mainly relating to safety and convenience. 

How refreshing (in a very literal sense) it is to be able to attend such an amazing event!  

One of the first distinctions was the venue. A week or so ago, I had been to a "Mind, Body, Spirit" talk at a nearby venue, Paepcke Auditorium, which was also lovely. Both intimate and spacious. 

The Aspen Brain Lab was at the Doerr-Hosier Center. As a prolific speaker and facilitator, I have delivered hundreds of events at all kinds of different venues, and I can say beyond any doubt that the Doerr-Hosier Center would have been by far my favorite place. Beautiful and open with inspiring, yet not distracting views and incredible use of light. Ahhh!  This photo was taken from one of the balconies just outside the meeting room. Ahhh! Fresh, mountain air!

It is both a dream and a goal to facilitate a future event at this location. To be able to share my expertise in innovative, interactive learning and self-development exploration with the open hearts and brilliant minds of Aspen.

Soon, I vow. Soon.  

To learn more about the architecture of the Doerr-Hosier center, and a little more about the Aspen Institute, see the video below:

The other difference from Atlanta was the convenience. It took me – get this – 7 minutes to get there. Seven minutes! In Atlanta it would have taken me 7 minutes to go less than a mile! To get to a similar event, I would have had to allow 90 minutes to get there. And unless the event was during the day and ended before dark, I would probably not have gone alone out of concern for my for my own safety. Yet here in Aspen I can feel free to explore "after dark" alone without worry. 

I remember a Sex & The City episode where Carrie decides to "date" her true love – New York City. I guess, in a way, I'm doing the same thing. So, yes, the love story continues with my newly adopted town. 

This might be an image you expect to see in Colorado. Horses tied up to a rail outside a saloon while their riders are inside refreshing themselves. 

But what you might not expect to see is those same horses blocking you from getting into your car.  

It does put things into perspective for sure. 

As some of you readers may know, my second novel travels back to "The Old West" – into the past life of my characters, Paige and Griffin. When writing it, I never could pinpoint the exact location they lived in and traveled to. In fact, I liked leaving it a little vague, primarily because past life memories are often quite vague. 

Yet now that I live in the "West," I'm motivated to explore a little into the world of Paige and Griffin in the late 1800s. See if I can find the cave with the view outside of town where they played together as children. Or the larger town Paige (as Penny) lived in with her aunt. 

I know – these were places conjured from my imagination. 

Or were they?  

Who knows where inspiration comes from. Literally defined, Inspiration means "to be infused with Spirit." So maybe…? Who knows, really. Okay, I know "who." Got that part right. 

Since I'm on an "Old West" theme today, here are some songs that make me think about the Old West, several of which are referenced in my DUET stories book.  And since it was just Don Henley's birthday recently, it's a nice idea to honor him.

I'm choosing the Linda Ronstadt version of this song for a few reasons, but mainly because I loved hearing Don Henley talk about how gracious Linda was at the beginning of his career.  (See below for the documentary "History of the Eagles). And I mean – listen to her pipes. Incredible. 

And to diverge a little bit – the live version of Hotel California is absolutely brilliant. 

While the sight of a deer is not exactly unusual (after all, I saw a herd of deer in the back yard of a house where I used to live in Atlanta). But it is a beautiful – and distinctively meaningful – vision to behold. 

I pulled over just to take a picture of this beautiful Aspen grove when this deer appeared.  

If you know me, (the person who literally "wrote the book" on things happening for a reason), it shouldn't surprise you that I believe in paying attention to signs. To notice messages to teach us something. This includes "spirit animals" or "animal totems," which basically means that when we see these creatures there's something for us to pay attention to. In the case of a deer, most sources say it's a sign to pay attention and listen (symbolized by the deer's big ears). They are also a beautiful combination of agility and fragility. 

Here are a couple of sites with information on the deer as a spirit animal:

Deer Spirit Animal

Deer Power Animal Symbol Of Gentleness Unconditional Love And Kindness

And here's a song from the movie Begin Again by (and I believe about) John Carney with Keira Knightly, Adam Levine and Mark Ruffalo. It has some interesting lyrics about a lion and a deer. 

And I loved this scene about how Mark Ruffalo's producer character can envision the potential for a song. Lyrically, it's about taking chances. To "take a step you can't take back." 

Light.  
Symbolic, isn't it?
Magical and mystical.
Shadows and Brightness.  
Dark and Light.
Looking Inside vs. Seeking Outside.
Even a bit of "Hope vs. Faith" perhaps.

This picture (another from my balcony) was right after a thunderstorm. Also symbolic. Hope after a cleansing, perhaps. 

We all need to do some cleansing from time to time. Out with the old and in with the new. We also need to understand and even appreciate both the light and dark in ourselves – and others. 

Here are some good "light vs. dark" quotes.  Which speaks to you the most?

So now for some music. The original by Hank Williams, Jr. 

And while we're on a theme… I like Jars of Clay's cover of "I'll Fly Away" the best…

One of my favorite TV shows, on the Smithsonian Channel, is called Aerial America. It's absolutely fascinating to see the different states "from above."  Thankfully, the Colorado episode is on Youtube, so I wanted to share it.  

They fly over Aspen at about the 5 minute mark. 

When I see the paragliders – in both the video and looking up at the mountain in the mornings – it reminds me of my brief attempt at hang gliding many, many, many years ago. I lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the time, and at the time Chattanooga had one of the top hang gliding schools in the country. It was different from a lot of the other training schools because most of those were at a beach, which was an entirely different experience. You see, at the beach the direction of the wind was consistent and the "lift" predictable. The wind would come from the ocean, hit the cliff and lift the kite or glider in the air so you could soar along the ridge. It's pretty much what Orville and Wilber did at Kitty Hawk.

But to fly in the mountains is completely different. There were "rotors" that could create wind turbulence and draft from a variety of places and locations. As the saying goes, "If you could make it there, you'd make it anywhere."  

The first day in class, they took us up on a 60 foot hill with a gradual slope and fastened us into our hang glider. (Btw, a hang glider is very different from a parasail, but I digress).  The goal was to fly down the hill but only get up in the air about 10 feet or so. It's a great way to learn without risk. Or so they say. 

Me? I "caught a thermal" my first flight. Catching a thermal means that you find yourself in a swift updraft of the air.  For me, that meant I instantly rose to 60 feet in the air!  That's 6 stories! The thermal focused on my left wing, pushing me and my glider to the right. My instructor was freaking out and yelled as loud as he could, "Turn left!!!"  I did and rode out the thermal safely to the ground, even landing on my feet. I was called "Thermal Queen" from then on. 

What's the moral of the story? I guess two lessons can be gathererd. One is that sometimes life can take you "up" before you're ready. And two is that I'm so glad I did this when I was younger. I'm not so sure my body would be able to take it now. 

Here are a couple of songs about flying. Enjoy!

Why does "taking a break" so often make us feel guilty? Why can't we indulge ourselves in laziness once in a while?

It was a beautiful day the other day. A day beckoning to go out and explore the beautiful environment all around me. Yet I played hookey. I stayed home and once I got finished with some writing and basic tasks, I deliberately and deliciously "took the day off." No exercise. No more writing. No accomplishments. Just lazed around. 

It was great.

Okay, I had a twinge of guilt. But I tried to push that aside and immerse myself in sloth instead. 

I have a theory that often our bodies get "sick" in order to force us to take a break. Our bodies are tired of being pushed around day after day that they have to do something to get our attention! Here are two "cases in point."

One is that I have what I think is a sure-fire cure for the common cold. Works consistently. Very simple: Apple Cider Vinegar. Just about 1/4 cup in a cup of water when you first feel a cold coming on. No, I don't like the taste, but I still do it because I don't want to get sick. 

Still, when I recommend it to others, almost everyone declines to try it. Isn't that crazy? It's inexpensive, readily available and IT WORKS. But they won't try it! The only reason I can think of is that their "body" (which is also their subconscious) wants the rest. The time off from work and responsibilities. And in some cases the nurturing and support they get from others. 

So why not take the break anyway and feel good doing it? 

Here's my other "case in point." Years ago, a friend of mine was planning to work over a holiday weekend. Her body had another idea. "She" (her body) did not want to work. So what happened? She tripped over a curb, twisted her ankle and was forced to rest all weekend. 

So that's what happens when you don't take a break. Your body will take one for you. 

What happens when you do take a break? You start the next day with renewed energy. More drive. More cooperation.

My body was so appreciative of the time off "she" and I did an extra-long hike the next day. Full of vigor and a spring in "our" step. 

One of the amazing things about moving and starting over is the opportunity to see yourself through new eyes. The chance to "break free from your mold" as this incredible sculpture/statue suggests – no implores.  

Think of what this means. To get a fresh perspective – of yourself. 

Isn't that the magic of falling in love? To see the reflection of the best of yourself in someone else's eyes? 

Something similar happens when you start your life over in a new place and meet new friends. You can be the "you" you want to be. 

Yet have you noticed how difficult it can be to change? Not just because it can be a challenge to change your own habits, but also because other people want to keep you fitting into the box of expectation they're most comfortable with. 

Not that this is necessarily bad. There's a quote from one of my favorite movies, Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise" that fits this sentiment. There's a kind of peace that comes with knowing someone so well. 

Still, you can get "stuck," which makes it difficult to change. And to me, change is another word for adventure. For excitement. For development. For growth. To steal a quote from the movie Annie Hall, "A relationship is like a shark. You know? It has to constantly move forward or it dies." 

In a way, a "person" is the same. Maybe not move forward necessarily, but at least not be afraid to break the molds we've created.  

I'm a big fan of the Pathworks lectures, especially the one entitled, "Love, Eros and Sex." In fact, it inspired this quote in one of my DUET stories novels.  To read the Pathwork lecture, click here: Pathwork: The Forces of Love, Eros and Sex.  Here's a great quote from the lecture: 

Eros…lifts the soul out of sluggishness, out of mere contentment and vegetation.

It causes the soul to surge, to go out of itself….

To break free from the mold, right? 

I'm also a screenwriter and love movies and movie quotes, so I have a lot of my favorite movie quotes saved on my Pinterest page.  Check it out:  https://www.pinterest.com/brownelllandrum/brownells-favorite-movie-tv-quotes/

The Who's classic "See Me" was an inspiration for this article…

And the second part from the movie – such powerful lyrics.

One of the most spectacular (and slightly surprising) aspects of Aspen is the number of parks. They're everywhere! And I'm not just talking about the national parks and the trails surrounding the city. Within the city itself there are so many parks and trails you can't go more than a couple of blocks without seeing one. 

What's most remarkable is the fact that Aspen is reported to be among the most expensive real estate in the U.S. (if not the world.) In so many other communities, there would be a disconnect. They'd find a way to sell and develop every square inch. Not here. 

Is this a coincidence? The relationship of parks per square foot and the price of real estate? I don't know – but I hope so, because it makes sense. It's kind of like saying the more selective you are in your relationships, the more valuable they are. Yet so many people (and developers) miss this point. 

I did a bit of quick online research and saw this article. I'd love to see how Aspen would fit on this scale:

• http://persquaremile.com/2011/01/27/parkland-per-person-in-the-united-states/

Wherever you live, I hope you treasure your local parks. They might not all have views like this, but I'll bet they have their own beauty, too. 

What other song could I post than Big Yellow Taxi?  Here's both the Counting Crows (a favorite band of mine) cover and the original by Joni Mitchell: