One of the things about moving to a new state is learning about how the political system works in that state.  

I won't get into the situation with the national political environment.  If you follow me on Facebook you already know where I stand. The only thing I'll say here is that it's interesting to be living in a "swing state." In a lot of ways it's empowering. Like we don't want to be "told what to do."  

Another distinction is the way Colorado allows the citizens to initiate propositions to change the statutes or Constitution. This is very different from Georgia, where laws must come from the electorate (politicians). Personally, I LOVE the freedom that allows! While it isn't easy-breezy to get a new referendum onto the ballot (and it shouldn't be), it does feel possible.  

Last night I went to a talk about the propositions coming up for a vote next month. I wanted to learn more before I voted for the first time in this state. Not only was it an interesting way to spend time, it was such a contrast to my life in Atlanta. Here I could just walk a few blocks – safely, at night – and get informed. In Atlanta, there would have been no way for me to go to an event alone at night. No way I would feel safe enough to do that unless it was within a mile of my home, and even then it was risky. Plus, it would have been an ordeal. I would have probably had to give myself at least an hour to get there and park. Probably more like an hour and a half. Here it took less than ten minutes to walk.  

I used to think cities were the best places to live. But now? Let's just say my mind is changing. 

And now – a song. One that I heard when I was a kid and still sticks in my brain. Proof that music is a powerful way to learn…

I love the lyric in this song. Seasons change and so do I.  Thanks, Guess Who.  (Song below).  

Aspen got snow the other day, and the town cheered. While other cities (Atlanta in particular) gasp at a snowflake (unless they're a kid getting out of school), Aspen cheers.  

Years ago I was in a speaker traning class and I gave a talk about the benefits of a skiing vacation. One included the fact that any precipitation is good. Pretty day? Great! Get out and enjoy it! Precipitation? Great! That means the snow on the mountain will be soft and fluffy. 

That's the way we should all try to look at life. Flip a coin and be happy with either heads or tails. 

Oh, and yesterday I rejoiced at the 63 degree sunny day. Yes, while also admiring the snow on the mountaintop.  

And while we're on the subject of the Guess Who…

This photo was taken at  The Great Sand Dunes National Park. 

From a distance it looks like a lighter, lower mountain range in the distance. But up close it's mind-blowing. 132.8 square miles of sand. 

This is me in the distance. (Great picture, right? ) 

The history of the dunes is fascinating.  Check out the Wikipedia page.  This apparently fragile environment, created 440,000 years ago, is actually growing/increasing every year.  

We didn't spend much time there, but it's definitely worth going back to visit again, especially to see how far I can walk and walk and walk through the 40-50 foot and higher dunes that go on for quite a distance. 

Another fun aspect of Southern Central Colorado is the signs for UFOs all over the place. Here's an example. 

And, finally, once in Santa Fe we went to a lot of shops and galleries. My favorite were the kinetic sculptures.

Enjoy!

This post is a review of my trip to Taos and Santa Fe.  

We left early Wednesday morning – before daybreak – in order to capture the sunrise on Independence Pass – the highest point on the Continental Divde as you leave Aspen. Breathtaking, isn't it? The Pass will only be open for another few weeks, until it closes for the winter. 

This song encapuslates the feeling:

This is the time of year when Aspen strips down its colors. The trees colors have changed from verdant green to vibrant yellows and reds to drier colors of brown. But still beautiful. In fact, in some ways more. Like a woman's face washed clean from make-up, you see the basic beauty, the bone structure, the blank canvas. 

While on the subject of makeup, one of the other things I love about it here is the way women have no pressure or expectation to wear it. Which was, honestly, a surprise. I also expected to see more "dressing up." More displays of wealth or status or enhanced appearance. Gratefully, that's far from the case. I went to the Aspen Film Festival last week expecting to see people decked out, but it was as casual as can be. Although I might not be able to distinguish a pair of $20 jeans from $2000 jeans, I'm soooo happy it wouldn't matter!

That being said, I fully expect some "competition" when ski season is in full swing. Not for makeup, but for the "best" technology in clothing or equipment. "My coat keeps me warmer" or "my gloves keep my fingers toasty" will come up for sure. "My sunglasses make it easier to see the shades in the sun" or "my skis/boots are so much easier to maneuver." Will see… 

On a slightly side note, I heard today that Demi Lovato posts selfies without makeup once a week. Good for her! Love it!  

Today was the first day I've gone for a walk since my heart procedure.

Concerned I would put too much stress on my heart, I took it slow. Like really, really slow. For a walk that would have taken me an hour, it took nearly two. That's how slow.  

What a different perspective you have when you slow down! 

I admired berries on bushes, leaves floating down a crystal-clear creek, and so much more. Yes, I was passed by a number of people. So what? I was so proud that I could do what I did!  

And here's the most obvious song for this post. Enjoy – and slow down sometime. It feels groovy.

When my friends came to visit a few weeks ago, one of them mentioned that he heard (or felt) a "hum" in Aspen. Some kind of vibration. 

Wow.

A week or so later I went to an IONS meeting here. IONS is the Institute for Noetic Science.  Here's the "Who We Are" message from the IONS website:

The Institute of Noetic Sciences is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individual and collective transformation through consciousness research, transformative learning, and engaging a global community in the realization of our human potential.

The leader of the group posed the question, "Why is it there are so many aware, enlightened people in the Valley?" 

A few minutes later someone was talking about the energy emitted by metals. I raised my hand and said, "Perhaps the fact that Aspen used to be a silver mining town affects the energy."  

Or it could just be the beauty. The intelligence. The environmental consciousness. The weather. The clean air. The number and variety of charitable causes. The… fill-in-the-blank. 

And because I just couldn't resist…