Each of us has dreams, desires, and ambitions. There are races we want to enter, promotions we want to apply for, fitness classes we would like to take, languages we wish to learn, businesses we want to start, and the list goes on. We make plans to get there and oftentimes can even see ourselves there, having accomplished what we really want to do. Yet some of us stop before our pursuit has actually begun. We convince our self that it is not worth it, or it will never happen; consequently, we never take the chance. In nearly all of these instances, our stopping before we start can be traced to... Read More

As a parent who loves movies, teaching my kid to be film literate has always been a priority. The trick is making it all age appropriate. It’s not like on his eleventh birthday, I’m going to pour him a big glass of lemonade and sit him down to watch Schindler’s List.* With kids, you need to watch what they watch, see how they react to it, and help them to put things in context. When he was younger, I’d try to curate the good stuff for him, films like The Iron Giant. Yet there  were always touchstone films that I chomped at the bit to show him. This week, one of those touchstones were... Read More

The World Health Organization (WHO) has added “gaming disorder” as a new mental health condition listed in the 11th edition of its International Classification of Diseases. Previously, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), a handbook used by health professionals in the U.S. and other countries to help diagnose behavioral health disorders called out “Internet Gaming Disorder” but says the condition warrants more clinical research before it can be classified in the book as a formal disorder. WHO points out that all people who participate in gaming should be aware... Read More

Feelings are a human commonality. Each and every one of us has them. Something takes place, or we observe something, and it has the ability to elicit feelings deep within us. We have the ability to feel strongly about something just as easily as we can feel nothing at all about something else. We can feel compelled or emboldened by something or we can feel as if we’re being held back by something else. We can feel supportive of something or we can feel like working against it. Our feelings are very powerful, and they are a constant throughout our existence. Understanding their origin, impact,... Read More

I’ve seen Avengers: Infinity War three times. While the fandom of some folks leans toward Doctor Who, Lord of the Rings, or Star Wars, I’ve always been a Marvel Zombie. As a small child, I partially learned to read from the comics, and the characters helped me develop what passes for a moral code. But there’s one thing that’s nagged at me ever since Iron Man was released — do these films absolutely have to be live action? Consider the aforementioned Infinity War. According to the Wall Street Journal, the most recent installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a production budget... Read More

The average age of menopause in the United States is 51.  Perimenopause, which can start as early as age 35, begins several years before menopause. It’s the time when the ovaries gradually begin to make less estrogen. For women experiencing menopause, there are many known symptoms that affect some, but not all women.  Hot flashes, insomnia, and night sweats plague about half of American women over 45.  There are some other, less common, symptoms that you might not associate with menopause. Road rage! Almost half of all menopausal women report mood swings and anger among their symptoms.... Read More

While I love pulling up in a vehicle to a campsite and unloading right there, there’s something extra rewarding and enjoyable about backcountry camping where you have to park at a trailhead and hike your gear in. If you’ve never gone backpacking or camping in the backcountry, it can seem daunting, so we’ve made a handy guide for getting started! Pack Light While you may think you want that cozy blanket or two hardcover books to read now, once you’ve been carrying them for a few hours you’ll regret it. No matter how far you’re hiking, packing light is very important. Your pack should... Read More

The NBA draft will be held on June 21st and the Denver Nuggets will have to wait to see who is available at pick number 14.  Assuming that no trades are made before draft day, my mock draft looks like this. Phoenix Suns – DeAndre Ayton (7’0 Center/Arizona).  Outstanding athlete for a big man, Ayton dominates the boards with his physicality and can still make the 10-footer to keep the other NBA centers honest.  Along with Devin Booker, the Suns finally have the makings of an actual NBA team. Sacramento Kings – Luka Donic (6’8 SG/SF/Slovenia). The Kings are the worst in the league at evaluating... Read More

Deep within the core of each of us lies our life force…our internal fire. At times, it burns with varying degrees of intensity, but it’s ever present. Just as each of us is unique and individually gifted, the constitution of our fire is dynamically different. The passion and intensity from one won’t always resonate with another but that doesn’t make it any less significant. If we were all driven by the same things, our world would lack the diversity, creativity, ingenuity, and grandeur that make it the beautiful melting pot it is. Tremendous ability lies within each member of our tribe... Read More

When Rick* and his wife Lisa checked the voicemail, there was nothing, only silence. Rick thought nothing of it, until getting a phone call later from his father-in-law. He said to Lisa, “I want you to talk to your mother.” Her mother had slurred speech, and she had no idea what day it was. They rushed over, and took Lisa’s mother to the ER. The tentative diagnosis was that she’d had a stroke. While she recovered, Rick and Lisa took it upon themselves to clean up their parents’ home. They found evidence of sizable hoarding. A couch covered with junkmail. Stacks of VHS tapes. Empty bottles,... Read More

New research suggests people who get too little sleep during the week can make up for it on the weekends. According to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, people who slept less than five hours each night throughout the week had an increased risk of early death compared to those who slept six to seven hours every night. People who get less than five hours during the week, but who catch up on some of that lost sleep on the weekend, do not have the same risk. These results suggest that sleep is not a risk factor for mortality if it is combined with a medium or long weekend sleep. Some... Read More

You know what I love? Camping. You know what I don’t love as much? Paying as much as I would for a hotel room for a night! Luckily, there are plenty of free campsites in and around the front range, and we’ve compiled some for you to get you started!   West Magnolia Ridge 602-610 County Highway 132-W Nederland, Colorado GPS: 39.946961, -105.517587 Elevation: 8711′ If you can brave rough camping accessed by a currently washed-out road, you’re in for a treat. This site is near Nederland and many hiking trails with sweeping views of the forests and mountains. Pets are allowed, and... Read More

Discover the 10 Best Hikes in Boulder Outstanding hiking trails await you in the city of Boulder, Colorado.  Featuring incredible scenery, Boulder’s tracks provide unforgettable challenges for novices and experts alike.   Before starting out on any hike, always make sure you are prepared for the elements. Well-fitting, broken-in hiking boots are essential – along with several layers of appropriate clothing and a hat. Make sure you take enough drinking water, snacks, emergency food supplies and a medical kit. Don’t forget that your skin can lose a lot of vital moisture during long hikes,... Read More

If you struggle with the pronunciation of Rockies relief pitcher Adam Ottavino (/ah-tah-VEEN-oh/) it’s understandable. And my guess is that if you’re not a diehard Rockies fan you would struggle recognizing the man at all. In pitching for the Rockies, Ottavino’s job is to not be noticed.  As a middle-to-late-inning set-up man, Ottavino’s job is to hope that the flashy, high paid starters throw a solid six or seven innings, as closer Wade Davis (3yr/$52 million) begins to stretch and warm up in the bullpen to close it out. Ottavino’s job is to face just a few batters in the seventh or... Read More

The mind is the most powerful tool we can put to use within any endeavor we undertake. It holds the power to enhance and increase our capabilities or to exacerbate our limitations. Henry Ford very accurately broke it down when he said, “if you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Mr. Ford was talking about our mindset. Our mindset provides the framework and sets the tone for how we approach everything we do. The things we think, the way we interpret our environment, and our ability to find success in challenging situations are all intimately linked to our mindset. Our mindset... Read More

B-movies aren’t really a thing, any longer. On the other hand, they’re absolutely a thing. Back in the day, a b-movie was the second movie on a double bill. They generally were mid to low-budget and didn’t have stars, but generally did have copious amounts of gore, nudity, violence, or all of the above. Also, b-movies were usually genre fare, so you’d see them in the sci-fi, action, horror, western, exploitation, or crime areas of the movie world. The trap that people fall into sometimes is assuming that a b-movie is either: Made incompetently, like the work of Ed Wood Made with an eye... Read More

Get ready to heat up your summer season even further as Social Scene brings you the 2018 Denver Summer Whiskey Tasting Festival on June 23rd. The tasting festival will be held at Lodo’s Bar & Grill located at 8545 S. Quebec Street, Highlands Ranch. This special summer whiskey tasting festival will excite your pallet and tease your taste buds. Enjoy an intimate setting with whiskey representatives showcasing some of their top brands. Lodo’s Bar & Grill The 2018 Denver Summer Whiskey Tasting Festival will be held at Lodo’s Bar & Grill which will gather different whiskey brands... Read More

There are many ways to experience one of the preeminent cities in the world, Denver, Colorado. A young, active, and diverse community has built a culture like no other, and the payoffs come in many different forms. If you’re like me, one of your favorite new aspects of living in Denver is the world-class food. While not historically known as a culinary mecca, Denver is showing that an old city can learn new tricks! Actually, in 2017, Zagat rated Denver the 4th most exciting food city in the Nation! That said, what better way to see the city then by a food tour? Enter Savor Denver Food Tours;... Read More

Humans have been fasting throughout our existence, sometimes because food was not available, or as a part of major religions, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism. As hunter-gatherers humans went for stretches when food was not available, our bodies evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time. Intermittent fasting is a term for an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It is not a “diet” in the conventional sense. It is more accurately described as an “eating pattern.” Intermittent fasting methods may involve... Read More

That summer feel is in the air, and many of us are itching to get outside after a long, cold winter. Lucky for us, there are so many wonderful events being hosted in the Boulder area! Here are 6 events you can’t miss this summer: 1. Boulder Plein Art Festival From June 3-June 10, join artists and enthusiasts in paint-outs as they paint beautiful landscapes, cityscapes, and teach workshops. This event is open to the public and you may participate for $35 an event. This fee covers water, sunscreen, and on-site food, but these events are BYOP (bring your own paints). Or attend one of the workshops... Read More