Constantly Moving

For a naturally lazy person, I sure do move around a lot.

Friday night, I met up with Kath for a DNC-kickoff dinner (as I'd imagined it) at the Cherry Cricket. After all, the cheeseburger was invented in Denver so why not celebrate our city's week in the spotlight with an original creation?

After that, I caught a show at Swallow Hill - John Williams Davis and Friends. Every time I go to that place, I have an amazing musical experience. John is an achingly gifted songwriter and his friends played so many instruments, I started to lose track. They played some Chinese lap violin-thingy they called a "Who." I ran in to lots of friends that I met last week while we tried to break the record for the 'World's Biggest Guitar Lesson' at Red Rocks.

We needed at least 1,378 people with guitars to break the current record but alas, we only ended up with 501. Near the end, we were counting babies with ukeleles. Still, it was a very cool experience and I can now say, "I played at Red Rocks." Maybe next year.

Yesterday, I began the day with a jog around Washington Park (I'm getting better at this!) Then, it was off to the barn to reconnect with my equine friend, Bob. For the first time, I managed to stand up in my stirrups with the horse at full canter - which sounds more difficult than it really is. I also made an initial stab at jumping fences - yikes!

Then, I met up with my pal, Laura, at Red Rocks, where we went hiking in the rain. Ignoring the thunder but looking for lightening, we packed in a few miles before we could justify a grand Mexican feast at the Morrison Inn. I'm so thrilled to have an old friend here in town who is at-the-ready for random adventures.

I then stopped in at Beanie's place to have a drink and say hello to my pal, Scottie, visiting from Carbondale. I'd bonded with her when Beanie and I and visited Aspen over Easter weekend (see left).

THEN, I went home and showered up for the evening plan: The movies!

Laura and went to see Ben Stiller's latest film, "Tropic Thunder" and it is f**king HILARIOUS. I laughed the entire way through and am still giggling today. The entire audience was in hysterics and were still laughing walking out of the theater - always a good sign. People are all upset over the fact that Robert Downey Jr. 'plays' a black man but he really doesn't. He plays a white Australian method actor, Kirk Lazarus, playing a black man. Kirk amazingly stays in character with or without the cameras. Of course, there is a real black actor in the cast (Brandon T. Jackson) who constantly calls him out on his stereotypes, smacking him when necessary. People are also upset over the use of the word "retard" and "retarded" and I can understand where they are coming from but .... it's still HYSTERICAL. Sorry.

Ben Stiller plays worn-out action hero, Tugg Speedman, who finds out what he's really made of when the movie they are shooting in Vietnam gets ... um, derailed. Stiller is so gifted as a comedian and he's done an amazing job as co-writer and director. Also, check out his guns! Boy has been seriously working out for this role.

Jack Black, one my very favorites, doesn't hold back one single shred of dignity for his role as Jeff Portnoy, a drug addict who makes his living off of fatty fart movies a la Eddie Murphy. OMG - the desperate pleas he makes when they have to tie him up to a tree ... I nearly fell out of my chair.

But the one performance that really impressed me came from a surprising source: Tom Cruise. I shit you not. He played evil studio head Lou Grossman and he is nearly unrecognizable - see right, mid-makeup. Lou is bald, fat, hairy and prone to big gold necklaces. Most of all, the guy is evil to the core. He even scares the pants off the Viet Cong ... and that was over the phone.

Cruise really goes for it here, especially dancing to the gangsta rap. I have to hand it to the guy - he really delivered. It was refreshing to see him have such a great time with such a morally and physically repulsive character; it was a role he obviously relished.

Anyhoo, so now I have to get on my bike and make my way downtown. Going to meet up with Camille & John, and their matching child units, twins Max & Chloe. We're going to GreenFest but I'm also going to pick up some press badges at The Big Tent, where I'll be hanging out all week at the DNC.

Denver is going to be Crazy Town all week! I see no rest in my immediate future.