Lake concerts are awesome

I'm not really sure how I've managed to miss mentioning the Evergreen Lake Concerts, one of the coolest and most fun town traditions I know of.  All summer long there are free concerts every other Wednesday night at the Evergreen Lake, and the entire town turns out.  Kids swarm (after all, there *is* a bouncy house), grown-ups drink beer and wine, everyone brings blankets and chairs and we've been known to put out some incredible spreads of food to share.  It's a social scene for all ages.  And bonus: the bands are really pretty good!

What we only learned last month, though, is that on the other Wednesdays there's still a lake concert - one with a suggested donation that benefits a local organization.  These are a far smaller scene, and the kids have to swarm in the trees and lawn (no bouncy house), but it gives the adults a chance to actually relax while we sip wine outside and listen to music.

That's our buddy - the dude in the green skirt.

 In all, the lake concert series is one fun town initiative.  Another reason to love Evergreen.

Nice post-concert view, right?

Long hiatus, but now I have a job

Or, wherein I reflect on unemployment

So I'm finally back to work again, and if my start-up exhaustion weren't enough, I'm now back to - you guessed it - helping start-ups.  I'm super psyched to be back in Adultville, and talking about things like profits and exit strategies and "the warts on a deal" again.  Trust me, I love this stuff.

And now that I'm commuting (first time in a car, with the exception of my brief L.A. tenure), and my kids are back in school, and I am still trying my best to fit in CrossFit, and I like to read my newspaper and boy do I love 5am!, and, and...... I'm also fondly recalling my months of not doing so.

After the initial stress and being bummed out, I snowboarded.  A lot, really.  I got in the best shape of my adult life.  I went on field trips and drove my kids to pony camp.  I learned to ride a mountain bike (still lots of ground to be gained there, but it's a start). 

I took my kids to the pool.  A lot.  During which time the Bug really learned to swim and jumped off the diving board, and the Bunny got infinitely more comfortable in the water and jumped off the side.  We went to Lakeside and the zoo.  We went to Wyoming and South Dakota and Utah.  We camped a little and played at the farm. 

So, how did I feel about unemployment?  Undoubtedly it was a blow to my ego and a source of frustration.  I think I'm a better parent - and person to be around - when I am fulfilled on all fronts.  But I am glad that my support staff (you know, Joker and the girls and my parents and friends) all encouraged me to enjoy it.  Because, you know what?  I did.