former east-coaster -kinda regret moving to co (Denver, Highlands Ranch: new home, university)

[st0ked1o1]

when I went to Denver and it was cold but the Sun made it all better! From someone who lives in Hawaii where it is 80 degrees everyday for the whole year. The 40 degree weather and sun made me feel like I was in paradise! If Hawaii was just a little bit colder and snowed I wouldn't want to leave here. After living here for your whole life 80 degree weather gets old.

[pdth]

I've found the best way to make friends here is to volunteer at something. Work on community projects, church projects, political projects, environmental groups, charities, etc... There are many, many ways to volunteer. In Colorado you're expected to be active, it's part of the culture, and that's where you'll find the nicest people who share your interests.

[ditto]

Originally Posted by pdth

In Colorado you're expected to be active, it's part of the culture, and that's where you'll find the nicest people who share your interests.

Expected to be active? Where did that come from and who are these people expecting others to be active? Maybe you're right, but I'm curious to find out more about this...

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by ditto

Expected to be active? Where did that come from and who are these people expecting others to be active? Maybe you're right, but I'm curious to find out more about this...

i think some expect you to be active, others are just active and if you're not, you might be left by the wayside. i don't think this is the rule, just a tendency. people are into sports and going out and doing things "out there", often times here. not EVERYone, but it is more the culture here. it attracts and retains that, here. lots of biking, hiking, etc to be done here, so... another tendency in people here is to be more the outgoing soccer team captain type - not the rule, just what seems to me to be the tendency. in paris, greenwich village, or parts of chicago, the tendency might be more to hang out and talk or otherwise be arts, wine, food, literature, politics...more of things from the mind, maybe. in denver, it can seem to be more about the volleyball league, watching the broncos on the big screen with all the buds, skiing, sunshine...more of things of the outer world and "doing" and "fun". maybe a little less delving or brooding, here, in ways, even if there are some funky or more eclectic or something enclaves. a little like inrovert vs extravert...

[ditto]

Originally Posted by hello-world

i think some expect you to be active, others are just active and if you're not, you might be left by the wayside. i don't think this is the rule, just a tendency. people are into sports and going out and doing things, often times here. not EVERYone, but it is more the culture here. it attracts and retains that, here. lots of biking, hiking, etc to be done here, so... another tendency in people here is to be more the outgoing soccer team captain type - not the rule, just what seems to me to be the tendency. in paris, greenwich village, or parts of chicago, the tendency might be more to hang out and talk or otherwise be arts, wine, food, intellect. in denver, it can seem to be more about the volleyball league, watching the broncos on the big screen with all the buds, skiing, sunshine. almost like extravert versus introvert...

Ah, I see. I wasn't sure if pdth meant active in sports & recreation or something else. Still, I'd like to think everyone does their own thing instead of trying to "belong", if you know what I mean.

[Mike from back east]

Being 'active' is part of our national psyche, a collective community spirit for mutual supportiveness, bonding together in a universal need to assure our defense and survival. Same for most other countries, groups, tribes, or clans. Even animals do it. One for all and all for one. It's a human condition, its how we survived life in the hostile wilderness of caveman days....and is still a marvelous aspect of life in a community.

Examples: The Amish in PA, getting together to raise a barn for a fellow farmer. Habitat for Humanity. Soup kitchens. Salvation Army. Goodwill. Boy Scouts or hiking clubs setting up and maintaining trailside shelters and mountain paths (Appalachian Trail; here in CO the 10th Mountain Division Hut/Trail system). Tutoring kids that need a hand. Visiting elderly in nursing homes. Helping out at the animal shelter. The list is endless. Pick something. What appeals? Whatever our thing is, do it. Life as a village.

Then there are the non-active folks...ones who go to a dance hall and just sit there; doofi who go to live music or theatre but haven't the brains or couth to applaud the live performers who play for their enjoyment; clueless rank & file of the Me Generation who think only of their own self-absorbed greedy selves. Life as solitary confinement.

The personal dilemma of choosing which life to lead was marvelously demonstrated by that old movie "Its A Wonderful Life" which may seem a bit cheesy to a lot of people, but it highlights perfectly the choices we face. George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) participated in making Bedford Falls a heavenly place to live, while Mr. Potter attempted to make Bedford Falls a hellish pit of greed that served only him. These choices belong to us all.

[hello-world]

Originally Posted by ditto

Ah, I see. I wasn't sure if pdth meant active in sports & recreation or something else. Still, I'd like to think everyone does their own thing instead of trying to "belong", if you know what I mean.

"something else" that's funny.

as for your other comment on "belonging", i guess i'd just let you sense that for yourself relative to other places and your own views. my own opinion's probably pretty obvious as you read whatever i post throughout this thing, while i do find it's a liveable, even great in some ways, place overall. (i hope that doesn't sound too "prozac" for you )

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Charles

Any brand/model recommendations and/or price range?

If you have kids, get a cool mist rather than warm mist so they don't burn themselves.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

If you have kids, get a cool mist rather than warm mist so they don't burn themselves.

I think you are referring to vaporizers, like for use when we have congestion from a cold? I was referring to home humidifiers...unless they really are the same basic thing...I really don't know...but we do have the cool mist for the reason you mentioned and also the steam one you can use with a Vicks in the basin...Interestingly, I had more problems with dry weather in winter in California than I have had here in Colorado on my second winter already. In California we get these horrible Santa Ana winds for days in December with eight percent humidity, drives me nuts, makes a cold miserable.

The other one I heard about is a whole house humidifier which supposedly are not that expensive, like less than $200??? hooked up to your central furnace system....not sure...just starting to research.

[Katarina Witt]

We use the terms humidifier and vaporizer interchangeably at work when counseling patients. We have one on the furnace in our house, DH said it cost about $80; that was 18 yrs ago when we put it in.