Fear and hope…

What are you afraid of? Lack of snow in CB? More wars? Climate change? AI? Joe? Donald?

I’m afraid my increased consumption of holiday sugar, carbs and drinks will catch up to me in January and I’ll end this month weighing 300 pounds. While that could happen, I have to admit the short-term pleasure of seemingly unlimited treats while scary, was pretty good. Instead of being scared of a potential 300 pounds, I’ll go with the hope that all those calories are getting burned up between hiking up the mountain and pickleball! Yes friends, don’t be afraid of the pickle! 

As we head out of the busiest of busy winter tourist times, the locals are now probably afraid of the tickle in their throat. The congestive cold going around sounds pretty brutal and is not a quick 18-hour sniffle. Several friends have that crud, and it appears to be hanging on for days and not hours. While frightening, I’m not sure that is as bad as the norovirus that has also made the local rounds. Described on the internet as the “winter vomiting disease” — that says it all about the norovirus and that is really scary! I hope no one else gets that one. Wash your hands!

Speaking of hands (or being “handsy” at a kid’s matinee play in Denver)… our congressional representative Lauren Boebert is obviously afraid. She is apparently scared she won’t get her lifetime health and pension benefits that takes at least five years of congressional service to qualify (she will have four after this term) and so is running scared from our third congressional district to avoid competing against former Aspen town councilman Adam Frisch. Who? Lauren sees the writing on the wall for her political and financial life and wants to exit this district that is considered heavily Republican but where she would likely lose, and instead run in a Colorado district that is considered ultraconservative. Boebert will jump into a crowded GOP primary to vie to replace congressman Ken Buck and the fact is, whichever Republican emerges, will win the general election because the fourth district is the most conservative in the state. Cha-ching!

My favorite explanation about the decision from Lauren is that Hollywood actors Barbara Streisand and Ryan Reynolds are “trying to buy” our district. Boo! According to federal reports, Streisand donated $1,000 to the Frisch campaign in April, while Reynolds donated $500 in March. Run for your lives! 

Bottom line is that Frisch has raised $7.7 million to Boebert’s $2.2 million. Ahhhh, the proverbial writing on the wall again. Blaming “Hollywood elites” for trying to “buy” this district is so lame as to be hilarious. Hopefully the ultraconservatives in Colorado’s Congressional District 4 will clearly see Lauren as the vaping, groping hypocrite she is and send the carpetbagger packing back to her closed restaurant in Rifle. End her scary 15 minutes of fame. We can only hope!

Sticking to politics, I’m afraid Joe Biden’s aging ego could open the door for Donald to sneak back into power. That is scary to those like me who see #45 as a lying control freak who cares only about himself, money and power as opposed to our republic. Joe jumped into the race in 2020 and indicated he would keep Donald out of the office and be a transitional figure…mission accomplished. But that job comes with a lot of perks so why would anyone leave willingly? As a result, we get two old men apparently ready to go to the mat to keep a warm seat on Air Force One. Joe has done some good things with bipartisan support that will help with America’s infrastructure and technology research and manufacturing for example — and that will be a legitimate legacy. But he should have been smarter and more gracious and understood that people see him as aging out of the world’s top leadership role. No shame there, it’s just the frightening fact of the matter. So, while I will unenthusiastically cast a vote for Joe over Donald, I’ll certainly be hoping enough others do the same…but who knows at this point? Scary stuff.

And finally, it is legitimate to feel afraid that the remaining 2024 ski season weather pattern is set. It’s been a lean start to the ski season to say the least. Thank goodness for snowmaking and the hard-working employees up at CBMR for being able to get the lower mountain open for the Christmas rush. Whew. Now we need the shift from high pressure to atmospheric river that brings us 30 inches of snow overnight instead of 30 degrees in January. We do live in a ski town after all. To see the forecast calling for just a few one-inch days in the next week is scary! Of course, we’ve seen that forecast before and been pleasantly surprised. Let us hope we get another surprise and see the turn to a repeat of last year at some point.

Look, there are always going to be those who want to keep you scared. Giving credit where credit is due, Donald is extremely good at that. And there are things to certainly be afraid of. What will end human civilization first — human warfare, climate change, Artificial Intelligence or the norovirus? Is any of this actually real? There are so many things to keep you in bed under the sheets every day! But that’s not what we do here. One piece of early 2024 advice might be to have another cookie and a beer and do what you can to make the future full of hope rather than fear… Cheers.

—Mark Reaman