In Memory

We're burning a candle in memory of my Dad and for Jennefer's sister Jo Anne, on their common birthday. It what would have been Dad’s 107th birthday today. He had a program on his computer that provided various different information and advice — for example, how much he needed to have in retirement savings, so it would carry him through to the end. When he entered his life details, it told him he might live to be 106... and he occasionally referenced that little detail with the humor it deserved, but also with not a little touch of seriousness. So now I'm stuck with having that memory pop up on every one of his birthdays. Well, he always liked to be early for things, so he was a little early for his end of life, too. But today marks the first year that is beyond that forecast date, so it brings just a little extra heavy sigh with it.

Fun Saturday

Pleasant Saturday afternoon in downtown Littleton with family and gameplay companions. We had a fun day together, but I think I overdid the part about splurging on ice cream, and then still finishing my big dinner, but I have my fingers crossed that it's true what they say... an early-to-bed Saturday night can heal many things. ;-)

Pretty flowers on Main Street, encountered during our walking loop around downtown Littleton.

A few pretty roses in front of a shop on Alamo Avenue, on the second half of our walking route.

Group photo of some of our companion players in Bega Park, where we start our downtown adventure.

Friday Walk

We enjoyed a warm Friday afternoon walk around Ketring Park. More than one short walk in the same week, hooray! I must be doing better. My recovery is clearly not complete, as I still find myself racing home after our walk.

We're sad to see Ketring Lake so low, with many large islands where there used to be one body of water. Looking into it online, I found a 2016 Denver Post article saying that they dug a 700 foot well nearby, just to supply water to the lake. Well, I guess *that* didn't work! More recent articles say they're fighting a losing battle with evaporation and have been considering reducing the size of the lake.

 

Huge thicket of beautiful roses in Gallup Gardens. This corner of the gardens always seems to have something gorgeous blooming, whenever we walk past. What a treat!

Pretty Oak leaves, making me think of Fall... but wait... it's only June! Too soon for a color change! Whaaaaat?!

Kid fishing -- when the water's up, this statue is inaccessible from shore without getting wet to your waist.

This kid fishing heard us talking, and looked up at just the right moment. It made me want to caption this photo: "Watcha reading?"

Are You an Otrovert?

Hmm... Interesting. This struck a responsive chord in me. For those who don't quite relate to introverts or extroverts, meet the otrovert. 

In 2025, psychiatrist Rami Kaminski (with Neil Hellegers) published "The Gift of Not Belonging", in which he discusses his new term to describe a different type of personality. Kaminski mentions the polarization of introverts and extroverts: “When Jung invented the terms extrovert and introvert, he saw them as two fundamental orientations of the personality. I see the otrovert in the same way. A personality trait that faces away from the group... Unlike introverts or extroverts, otroverts are not defined by where they draw their social energy. Instead, the concept captures people who constantly feel like outsiders, and tend to look in a different direction altogether, not necessarily aligned with the rest of the group.”

Some signs that you might be an Otrovert: 

• You might happily spend three hours exploring one idea with one person, and then not speak for weeks without either of you taking it personally. 

• You can appear extroverted in public yet feel fundamentally ‘other’

• You prefer to work from home

• You feel less lonely in solitude than with people

• You don’t resonate with ‘introvert’ or ‘extrovert’ definitions

• You feel like an observer in social settings

• You have a few very close friends

• You sometimes feel like a ‘performer’

• You appreciate alone time, but crave connection

• You don’t feel seen or understood by many

• You don’t need external approval

• You value privacy

Recognizing aspects of this type in yourself and others (if it applies) can help “balance between your individuality and your function as part of the social matrix that determines your well-being. The experience of otherness in a togetherness-minded world can be emotionally bruising. Often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, otherness may lead individuals to feel strange, lonely, and unwelcome in groups. Left unidentified, otroverts’ non-belonging can result in a frustrating, futile lifetime effort of trying to ‘fit in.’"

Check out this Upworthy article about a new personality type called the otrovert and this YourTango article about Eleven signs you might be an otrovert, and Rami Kaminski's publication The Gift of Not Belonging (co-written with Neil Hellegers). 

Thursday walk

Fun but warm Thursday walk around Ketring Park. Lots of nice looking roses in Gallup Gardens nearby. 

Flag Day 2026

Happy Flag Day! I had to look it up: Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes by the Second Continental Congress in 1777. It is the perfect day to proudly display your US flags, as it specifically honors the history, ideals, and symbolism of our national banner. In fact, the U.S. Flag Code explicitly lists Flag Day as one of the most important national holidays for displaying the American flag.

• Historical Significance: Celebrates the June 14, 1777, resolution that established the 13 stripes and 13 stars as the official flag of the United States.

• National Unity: It serves as a dedicated time for all Americans to honor the unity, liberty, and sacrifice the flag represents.

• Official Observance: While it is a national observance rather than a federal public holiday (so businesses and mail services operate normally), it is widely recognized by communities nationwide.

Happy 69th Birthday Atlas Rocket!

Happy 69th Birthday to the Atlas rocket! The Atlas rocket has an unmatched legacy of evolution across all these years and 691 missions. I'm proud to have been a part of that history by working on everything from the Atlas E, Atlas/Centaur, Atlas I, II, III, and V, and into the early days of Vulcan before I retired. 

I have to laugh, at the "young" age of the Atlas. When I first started working on the Atlas rocket, everything at work felt so old -- the ancient wooden desks with peoples' names carved in them, the bathroom stalls without doors, four people packed into a single office cubicle -- that I assumed the Atlas was older than I was. Not so!   

Something worth noting: In this confusing world of corporate pac-man, I worked for four different companies, but with the same group of highly competent and congenial people, while supporting Atlas development and operations over the decades. We launched everything from communications, GPS, weather and spy satellites, to Mars and other planetary reconnaissance missions. Big congratulations to the current team keeping the streak alive!

Thursday... looking up

We enjoyed a pleasant Thursday, with nothing much to share, except a tentative report of me feeling like I'm finally on the upswing, after too many (7) weeks of dealing with this medical craziness. Maybe a few pics from today will bring my perspective back to something fun.

Here's what our Thursday morning looked like. We continue to enjoy watching the Finches come and go from our feeders over the deck.

Sitting at the breakfast nook table, drinking my 3rd (of 5) big glass of water, and enjoying some French-press coffee, several slices from a Trompeau Bakery baguette that we got at the Farmer's Market on Saturday, along with some chunks of Humboldt Fog goat cheese, some slices of Rattlesnake Cheddar cheese, and oh yeah, some "everything but the bagel" Cheddar cheese. Yum!

We love seeing the Goldfinches out there, and especially when the bright daylight illuminates their beautiful yellow colors so nicely. It was a good day to not venture too far from the house -- you can see the clouds gathering over the foothills.

We came across these pretty roses at Gallup Gardens on our short walk around Ketring Park. I'm feeling like I can start getting out again, a little at a time, without risking the dreaded side-effect of Cipro, "ruptured tendons." This has been a long drawn-out 7 weeks.

Looking out over the deck at the usual Spring rain showers that are making their appearance this afternoon.