An Update...

Since Thanksgiving I have....
1) gotten a job
2) ski'd a lot
3) GOT ENGAGED to a wonderful woman

For the new job I'm an office manager for a small e-commerce outfit. Small being: myself, owner, and a two-day a week college student. Lots of responsibility and lots of upside.

I finally pony'd up and got some nordic skate skis this year. After skating in the park last year with Kristi and wanting to enjoy the season not sitting on a trainer indoors, I have taken full-steam into skate skiing. It combines the endurance training comparable to skiing, lots of tactics, and it's insanely hard. 2hrs of skate skiing at Eldora leaves me wrecked for the day. A good wreck that is. The skiing has brought me some new balance to my life and allows me to enjoy the awesomeness of winter in Colorado and I get to ski with my #1 lady! On the flipside of skiing, I've been doing a bit of alpine as well. Each Sunday, I teach a group of 6 5yr olds. It's fun. Lots of ski carrying and snow eating, not me, but the kids. Hoping for some new pow pow and the weather is shaping up nicely for me.

And lastly but the most awesomeness, I got engaged to Kristi, my #1 lady.  We are both very excited and are planning for a September wedding.

Ciao,

Bearclaw

Iowa Thanksgiving...Check!

After 6 great days, I along with my attractive and gracious host Kristi returned to Boulder. The Wasson Family and their extended members were incredibly gracious and thoughtful. They did an excellent job at engrossing me in all the great Midwestern traditions. It was a big week for me having only spent two dinners with them previously but it always felt like we had been doing it for many Thanksgivings. For our Thanksgiving Day festivities, when in Cedar Rapids you must being your day with brunch. Not just a stuff your face full of all that is great about breakfast and lunch but more a few nibbles of some frittata and shots. Shots of Apfel Schnapps direct from Germany! A close family friend to the Wasson's holds a Thanksgiving Brunch and tradition calls for shots of liquor when new people arrive or when people call the house or calls are made for Thanksgiving wishes. I stood proud and handled my two shots. I was one up on Kristi. Not that it was a competition or anything. Needless to say, it was a fun new tradition. Not sure if it would hold up in my family but maybe. After a short pause in the afternoon, we got down to brass tax...preparing Thanksgiving food. I was in charge of the stuffing. I went a different route this year and pushed the envelope with a artichoke/sundried tomato stuffing. It was quite delicious I thought =) Kristi pulled through as expected with a delicious butternut squash/spinach and blue cheese dish. I was cast as her garde manager(ie prepper for all the squash cutting). Before we ate, I got the big call...I was in charge of cutting the turkey. Once a role left to the patriarch of the family, I felt quite honored with such a distinguishing role. It was a big bird and I had to go through several knife sharpening periods but I earned my star.

After thoroughly feeding ourselves we had to get prepared for meeting the extended family the next day. High on the list was a visit to my lady's alma mater and the John Deere Museum which lead to the greatest burn in family history. The pictures below tell the story...The 2nd pic down is me giving the biggest burn of all time to Eric, my younger brother. Thanks to Kristi for capturing the moment and for the line of young kids who painfully waited while I had my moment in the big combine.

 

Kristi chillaxing

 

From the grounds of Augustana College, K's alma mater...

All in all it was a great first trip to Iowa. First of many more to come I predict. Now it's back to reality in the Unreality...

Chow,

Bearclaw

Moving On...Not MoveOn

This job market makes me feel like the girl that didn't get asked out to prom.
So I'm moving on and trying to keep my ambitions and perseverence high. Deep down I know there is something that I am suppose to do.

Making Sense of it All

I have been shirking a bit from the bloggin' as of late. Not exactly sure what to express. Not that I don't have ideas, it's just I don't have the ideas suitable for Bomb This Hill. Catch up on things. The visit by Marc and Sandra was great. I didn't get to spend the whole time with them but we were able to catch some awesome Colorado culture together. Next time they will visit in the summer and Kristi and I will visit Backnang in the summer. As during Kristi's visit we experienced 10 days of rain and snow. Marc and Sandra got a good 4 days of the powder stuff. Before Sandra left we kicked it at The Med here in Boulder. Kristi's exceptional comprehension of the Boulder happy-hour scene didn't leave us disappointed. The Med offers a great happy hour of tapas which we devoured with prowess and efficiency.

This past weekend K & I rolled up to Summit County for a weekend of housework. I am helping with some home improvements for some people here in Boulder. Needlesstosay, it gave us a great opportunity to get up into the mountains. As we were "slumming" it Frisco, Boulder was getting pounded with snow, 11" Sat-Sun. Frisco got a wopping 4". As part of our "atonement," we headed up to Breckenridge on Sunday to check out the nordic swap sale. I tried some skate skis on the groomed trails. The flex was a little too stiff but I did find a nice pair of great boots. Gene, the proprieter of the nordic center was getting me all hooked up. The guy has been doing it for 40 years and his son was the #4 guy on the US Olympic Nordic squad in 2002. So not too shabby. My goal this year is to get some skate skiing lessons and atleast hang with Kristi. Next year, I will go for the win ;-)

This week it's just about hopin', prayin, and finger crossin' about an über-awesome job opportunity.

Chow,
Bearclaw

Unfortunately Natural Selection is Not Working Quick Enough

Hikin' in Boulder

Kristi, Sandra, and I headed out for a great hike up to Royal Gorge on the Flatirons. This was my 2nd exercise moment of the day as I did 2.25hrs prior. Yeah, i'm pretty hard core. 6 days of riding this week. Not bad. Fitness is starting to come back so watch out =)

More Snow...

So it has been snowing without halt since Tuesday early evening. Totals are now surpassing 20"! Is this October? Unfortunately Eldora ski resort is not yet open and the grooming has not started because of permit issues for North Boulder Park so no xc-skiing in town. Tempted to hike up to Chatuaqua and take in some turns. But I reckon this will have to be done under the auspices of the night...ie it would have to be a rogue ski operation because it's ILLEGAL. Found a very cool job prospect yesterday and it's something that I actually qualify for. No far reaching on this one. So if anyone out there knows the insiders at Slipstream Sports shoot me an email. Brother needs to make some money and get to workin'

CU is back open today but the roads and conditions seem much worse than when they closed campus yesterday at 2pm. It's a snow day for all other schools. Unfortunately for me, it has been a snow day for 2 months now.

watch for updated snow pics later...
chow,
Bearclaw

Snow in October?

A huge snowstorm has hit the motherland...forecasters are saying 18" by tomorrow midday.

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

My German family, Sandra and Marc, and I rolled north to the park yesterday to show some nice Colorado scenery. Weather was much improved from the snow and clouds on Sunday. Still super windy but nice day.

Sanwald's kommen nach Colorado

So my great friends from Germany, Sandra and Marc Sanwald, arrived on Saturday. It has been great to catch up with them and show them the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Kristi and I had a great time touring the Pearl Street Mall with them and explaining all the excitement that is Halloween. I also was able to share some of Colorado's finest, Illegal Pete's burritos. And their trip would not be complete without some repayment of snow and cold =) Yesterday we had snow, sun, cold, and more snow. It reminded us of my first days in Backnang with all the snow. Today the weather is better and it looks like we are going to head up towards Estes Park and take in some of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Job prospects are moving along. Hopefully I receive the message I have been waiting for in the next few days.

Chow,
Bearclaw

Home on the Range

Back in the motherland for a week visiting my family. Very nice visit and relaxing. Granola R&D is in full swing. I am coming close to a reputable product. Now I need to secure a line on a commercial kitchen space to take this project to the next level. Keep you posted....

On another food note, I got my Amigo Mexican Restaurant fix. It was pretty much delicious. Unfortunately my dear sister Megan wasn't able to join. I tried to console her but I think I was too late and she was left looking like this

 

I hope she feels better soon. My enchilada suiza was very delicious by the way =)

I'll be rolling back to Boulder on Friday just hours away from my big birthday and all the great surprises Miss Kristi has in store...

Chow,
Matthew

Experienced Barista?

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love coffee...if A then B...no fallacy in that logic.

So how does one become an experienced barista is no one will hire an inexperienced barista? Can't my undying appreciation for that sweet elixir and my sweet skills of learning things quickly suffice for experience?

On a another note, I'm interviewing at Chipotle today...get my burrito making on. Maybe they will sidetrack me right up to corporate. I need an office space Peter moment here...

bearclaw