Boulder is a very orderly place.

Lots of stoplights and neat, smart streets and sidewalks and stuff. “Space planning” by smart people comes to mind, and, instantly, sounds a little “too smart” or something. Hmmm.

Seems like everything is new, whichever direction you look. Or, the “kept up” really, really well. All good things, right? People are very fit and pretty and happy. Lots of earthy colors and liberal bumper-stickerage. Kinda predictable, sorta. Lots of young kids looking excited and green. Lots of bikes. Lots of people hold signs saying stuff like, “Disarm Bush.” (We agree, but think you are preaching to the converted in this town, man. Go down to Denver or up to Cheyenne. Now that’s wild and getting the message out there!) Lots of import cars. Saw a million nice Volvos today, sitting in the traffic in between Boulder and Louisville, towards Denver.

The view of the mountains is pretty fuckin’ nice. Even if you are in the tract-housing vertigo of Denver’s surrounding suburban sprawl, you’ve got that western horizon to daydream to.

And that’s what I am doing, looking out at some mountains, holed up in hotel room, making pages. Gary’s here and resting with me.

- - - -

There’s something settling about being here, though, on the edge of those plains. As big as they are, they are that much more “home” than the ‘Big West.’ I often feel very out of place out west. It’s big and beautiful and awe-inspiring. But, there’s just something about those plains, and how they fizzle into that Midwest that I absolutely love. Amber Waves of Grain, etc.

Things I love:

01. A cornfield in Iowa.
02. A batch of woods in Indiana.
03. A stretch of River in Kentucky.
04. A shoreline of sand in Michigan.
05. A field of wheat in Nebraska.
06. A rolling hill in Tennessee.
07. A layer of mountain rock in Pennsylvania.
08. A pine tree in North Carolina.

And for some reason, all this stuff just feels different back there. Hard to say why.

- - - -

VERY REQUIRED VIEWING: TV signoffs from back in the day.

- - - -

Something we like to see: Stacks and stacks of Union bindings being readied to be shipped out to the world at large. Bravo, fellas.