Why Can't I Quit You?

        So I didn't know exactly what to expect when Cynthia invited me to the cowboy poetry reading that was held in Boulder yesterday. She told me that evidently there's a whole sub-genre of poetry centered around cowboy culture. Now I thought that this could probably go a couple of different ways, and it's fair to say I was more than a little curious.
        After almost missing my ride due to my afternoon cat nap becoming a little bit too epic, I saddled up the Honda Accord with Cynthia driving and Nicole and Tonya in the back. Ten minutes later we were walking into a little Methodist church built in the 1870's for Boulder's second annual cowboy poetry reading-- yeehaw! Well okay, there wasn't any yeehawing going on. But there was some fun sing-a-longs. In fact the stage was split between poets and musicians, which gave a nice variety. Although many of the poems were rhyming couplets, which can sometimes be a little painful, there were a couple that really struck me. One epic poem (that happened to be metered and rhymed) about a fictional cowboy who rescued a baby and then later when he was old and decrepit she was his nurse. It was pretty touching. The poet, whose name was Sara, also wrote about being a businesswoman in Helena and longing for the range. She was quite good. Also of note was Kerri Lyn Kumasaka, a woman of Japanese descent who moved to Boulder from Seattle. I ended up buying her book. Cynthia, my jazz musician neighbor sang and played a song on the piano called "Cow on Capitalist Avenue" about a cow lost in New York City. It was written from the cow's point of view...very, very creative. The crowd loved it too. Afterwards there was a ho-down of sorts, with hot dogs and "gourmet" tube steak. Also, some excellent peanut butter cookies.

Moosing Take Two

        Tonight I went out to moose country again with Cynthia. This time Tonya and Nicole came along. The Australians must be good luck because we saw three! A mother and calf which were kind of far away and scrammed rather quickly and then a beautiful single cow that was chomping on a willow bush. It was very exciting! We also saw two elk and a handful of deer.
        I was looking at the big giant moon with the binoculars and out of nowhere Cynthia goes "Do you see the fat woman kissing the old black man?" This is evidently what she sees when she looks at the moon! She's such a riot!
        As an aside, June 12 was my year anniversary since becoming a vegetarian. On my journaling software there is a little icon labeled "Taco" and when you click it, it gives you a randomized Simpsons quote. Here was today's:

Homer: Are you saying you’re never going to eat any animal again? What about bacon?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Ham?
Lisa: No.
Homer: Pork chops?
Lisa: Dad, those all come from the same animal.
Homer: Heh heh heh. Ooh, yeah, right, Lisa. A wonderful, magical animal.