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Humans have always had a complicated relationship with weather. Ancient cultures prayed and made offerings to gods in hopes of receiving conditions conducive to growing crops. Adverse weather, then, w…
Humans have always h…
Humans have always had a complicated relationship with weather. Ancient cultures prayed and made offerings to gods in hopes of receiving conditions conducive to growing crops. Adverse weather, then, was often interpreted as displeasure on behalf of those same beings—a punishment for failing to observe proper rituals. It doesn’t take a history scholar to understand this impulse. Weather, now as then, is both an enemy and ally. On one hand, it provides everything from the raw material for food—sunlight driving photosynthesis, wind the primary method of plants spreading their seeds—to …
Sometimes, writing about art and theater feels a lot like falling down the proverbial rabbit hole as I try to find the angle to write about wandering through a haunted-theater immersive experience, ge…
Sometimes, writing a…
Sometimes, writing about art and theater feels a lot like falling down the proverbial rabbit hole as I try to find the angle to write about wandering through a haunted-theater immersive experience, getting splashed in a Halloween horror show in the basement of a spaghetti emporium, sweating through a DIY D&D in a comic shop, savoring (har har!) Sweeney Todd’s enraged high notes, and trying to quiet my howling dog in a public house. I’ve found myself in some odd and awkward scenarios. To update the metaphor, writing this column is a lot like drunk-clicking through an endless algorithm o…
Jessie Hanson
January 8, 2020
Happy cows may come from California, but happy people come from Boulder. And for good reason! Boulder has so much to offer, it's no wonder that people here are considered to be among the happiest in …
Happy cows may come …
Happy cows may come from California, but happy people come from Boulder. And for good reason! Boulder has so much to offer, it's no wonder that people here are considered to be among the happiest in the country. Narrowing this list down was the real challenge, but here are ten reasons why Boulder rocks: 1. Hiking, Biking, and Climbing Okay, maybe that’s three reasons, but the main theme here is mountains. Nestled right at the base of the Rockies, Boulder has over 300 miles of hiking and biking trails, and countless opportunities for climbing and bouldering (imagine that). Even if you …
David Westreich
December 17, 2021
If there’s one thing that residents of Boulder do well, it’s keep in shape! Boulder has regularly been ranked by Gallup and Healthways as the fittest metropolitan region in the United States, wi…
If there’s one thi…
If there’s one thing that residents of Boulder do well, it’s keep in shape! Boulder has regularly been ranked by Gallup and Healthways as the fittest metropolitan region in the United States, with just 12.4% of its residents considered overweight. Gallup and Healthways have been measuring obesity rates across the country since 2008 through the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which surveys Americans’ self-reported height and weight to measure their Body Mass Index. In five of those six years, Boulder has taken the number one position for fitness (let’s just call 2009 a “chea…
David Westreich
February 1, 2021
Whether you've just started school at CU or you've been around the block a few semesters, by the time you graduate you'll be sure to have encountered each of these seven types of professors: 1.…
Whether you've just …
Whether you've just started school at CU or you've been around the block a few semesters, by the time you graduate you'll be sure to have encountered each of these seven types of professors: 1. The Comedian: This professor views their classroom as a nightclub, and their students as an audience that just keeps coming back for more. Some are legitimately hilarious and will leave your abs (if only you had abs) aching from laughter, while others will make you want to hide your cringing face behind your textbook. Whether your professor is the academic version of Chris Rock, or a scholarly…
David Westreich
January 6, 2020
Love is in the air here in Boulder, as Valentine’s Day swiftly approaches. Now is the time when Boulderites quit burning their i…
…
Love is in the air here in Boulder, as Valentine’s Day swiftly approaches. Now is the time when Boulderites quit burning their incense, and start lighting their scented candles. Flowers, wine, chocolates, and (hopefully) condoms are flying off the shelves as the whole city begins to celebrate the international day of love. Some will be doting on their significant others with lavish gifts and romantic gestures, while others will be in a mad dash to rustle up a new significant other before the buzzer. (Really, how signi…
David Westreich
February 12, 2014
After a bye week that’s felt more like a bye month, the big game is now only a day away. Waiting for this game has been like waiting for Christmas all over again, only this time instead of watching …
After a bye week tha…
After a bye week that’s felt more like a bye month, the big game is now only a day away. Waiting for this game has been like waiting for Christmas all over again, only this time instead of watching our relatives stuff themselves with food, we’ll get to watch burly men tackle the stuffing out of each other. Here in Boulder, the energy and excitement is palpable; orange and blue flags have been unfurled in homes and storefronts all over town, folks are proudly sporting their Broncos jerseys (under their winter coats, of course) and talk of Sunday’s game can be heard everywhere. Even …
David Westreich
February 1, 2014
Finals week is upon us here at CU, which means that students all across campus are now utilizing their years of education and highly developed problem solving skills in order to come up with excuses t…
Finals week is upon …
Finals week is upon us here at CU, which means that students all across campus are now utilizing their years of education and highly developed problem solving skills in order to come up with excuses to avoid studying. As a senior, I can safely say that I've become an expert on the subject. A black belted master in the art of putting things off, if you will. Heck, I'm even procrastinating right now by writing this blog instead of working on my English portfolio! Now, I would never recommend procrastination to any student. It's a dark, treacherous road that can lead you to drink your own body…
David Westreich
December 13, 2013
If you've spent much time in Boulder then it's likely that you've noticed these spiffy red bicycles. They can be seen coasting along the Boulder Creek Path, under commuters as they zip to work, or par…
If you've spent much…
If you've spent much time in Boulder then it's likely that you've noticed these spiffy red bicycles. They can be seen coasting along the Boulder Creek Path, under commuters as they zip to work, or parked at the many docking stations throughout the city. With their bright coloring, sturdy Trek frames, and big baskets in front, these trendy new bikes, or B-cycles, have become a popular and convenient new mode of transportation for many living in or visiting Boulder. Boulder B-cycle operates under a technologically advanced, yet easy to use system of bike "sharing" as opposed to bike renting. …
David Westreich
November 20, 2013
Colorado Cross Country has done it again. On Saturday, November 2nd, the Buffaloes hosted the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships for the first time since 2002 and represented their home turf justly by…
Colorado Cross Count…
Colorado Cross Country has done it again. On Saturday, November 2nd, the Buffaloes hosted the Pac-12 Cross Country Championships for the first time since 2002 and represented their home turf justly by coming out swinging (or sprinting, rather). The weather was just right for running on Saturday, with cool temperatures and very little wind as thousands of fans poured onto Coal Creek Golf Course in Louisville to cheer on the racers. Among the audience were many of the CU alumni who contributed in the past to establish Colorado as one of the premier running programs in the nation. Olympians, N…
David Westreich
November 5, 2013
At the age of nine, a tumor was found in Kayla Armstrong's brain, and she was diagnosed with cancer. She spent over 300 days in the hospital, undergoing chemotherapy, radiation treatment, a bone-marro…
At the age of nine, …
At the age of nine, a tumor was found in Kayla Armstrong's brain, and she was diagnosed with cancer. She spent over 300 days in the hospital, undergoing chemotherapy, radiation treatment, a bone-marrow transplant, and many other arduous treatments and surgeries before finally emerging 18 months later with signs of great progress. She returned to the hospital for MRI scans for a period of two years before doctors could finally declare her cancer free. Her father, Mike Armstrong, described Kayla as being positive throughout the entire strenuous process and praised her for maintaining the "bes…
David Westreich
October 23, 2013
After the disastrous floods which lasted from September 11 through September 15, Boulder County has officially been designated a Federal Disaster Area. According to CNN, there have now been seven conf…
After the disastrous…
After the disastrous floods which lasted from September 11 through September 15, Boulder County has officially been designated a Federal Disaster Area. According to CNN, there have now been seven confirmed fatalities and approximately 18,000 homes across the state have seen damage. Nearly 200 miles of state highways will need to be repaired along with many more miles of local roads. It's been estimated that repairing all of the damage may end up costing businesses, homeowners, and local governments up to two billion dollars. Here in Boulder, Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle has said that he…
David Westreich
September 20, 2013
It all began on Wednesday evening, around sundown, when the rain started dumping. Forget cats and dogs, this was lions and bears. I was heading back from a friend's house and remember thinking that th…
It all began on Wedn…
It all began on Wednesday evening, around sundown, when the rain started dumping. Forget cats and dogs, this was lions and bears. I was heading back from a friend's house and remember thinking that the raindrops were so big and coming down so hard that it felt more like hail than rainfall. After being outside for only about a minute I was as drenched in water as if I'd just climbed out of a swimming pool. The heavy rain kept up and continued throughout the night and all the way through Thursday. So far, we've recorded six to eight inches of rainfall and nearly every waterway in Boulder Cou…
David Westreich
September 13, 2013
With the beginning of a new football season underway, it's hard not to notice the change in disposition among CU students and the city of Boulder. You can feel it on campus, on the Hill, downtown, and…
With the beginning o…
With the beginning of a new football season underway, it's hard not to notice the change in disposition among CU students and the city of Boulder. You can feel it on campus, on the Hill, downtown, and in living rooms across the city; finally, we've got a football team worth talking about (instead of sighing about). Students, their families, alumni and Boulderites everywhere are unraveling their dusty CU flags and waving them with pride, adorning themselves with Colorado T-Shirts and other CU paraphernalia before stepping out the door to greet their neighbors with, "How 'bout those Buffs?" I…
David Westreich
September 6, 2013
On Wednesday, August 28, I decided to get out of the house and stroll over to the Boulder Farmers' Market for a real "only in Boulder" experience, and I'm happy to say that I got what I came for. I ar…
On Wednesday, August…
On Wednesday, August 28, I decided to get out of the house and stroll over to the Boulder Farmers' Market for a real "only in Boulder" experience, and I'm happy to say that I got what I came for. I arrived at the market at around 5:30 p.m and found the place crawling with people. All walks of life were present here, ranging from old dreadlocked hippies to young dreadlocked hippies. There were also plenty of families with young children, students, and a handful of colorful characters, including a man in a superhero costume and a man in a tie-dye jumpsuit making balloon animals. The first te…
David Westreich
September 1, 2013
So, you've just started school at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Congrats! You're in for the best four (or maybe more) years of your life, which you're likely to have trouble remembering. Here…
So, you've just star…
So, you've just started school at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Congrats! You're in for the best four (or maybe more) years of your life, which you're likely to have trouble remembering. Here are eight tips from a current CU senior to help you new Buffs out as you navigate CU: 1) Dealing with your Roommate: Try not to worry too much about having a "bad roommate." Statistically speaking, it's very unlikely that they'll be a psycho serial killer. Just be respectful to them and chances are they'll return the favor. Don't leave a mess in your room, and don't blast your music all n…
David Westreich
August 28, 2013
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