Urban Insanity: Denver & Cheyenne

Wow, it's been a LONG time since I've written.

For those of you who have been reading Urban Insanity for a while, you know that my #1 hobby is fiction writing. I've been neglecting the blog because I'm wrapping up my 2nd novel, a coming-of-age book about two high school boys, one, a popular, closeted jock, and the other, a repressed, openly-gay kid. Through their high school struggles, they both must make choices that change their lives forever. When the book is finished, and if I'm fortunate enough to have it picked up for publication, I'll tell you more about it. I'm about a month away from finishing it!

But for now, please know that I haven't given up on the blog - it has just taken a back seat to my novel writing aspirations. When I finally catch Urban Insanity up with my life, I'll have dozens of posts to write.

This weekend, I'm traveling to Cheyenne, WY for a good friend's wedding. Due to some crazy travel circumstances, I'm in Denver right now, and will be here for the night. I'm writing this update from Caribou Coffee on 18th Ave in downtown.

I flew in this morning at 9:00 a.m. after only about 4 hours of sleep. Since I'm traveling "on the cheap" because work isn't paying, I signed up for the least expensive rental car.

I ended up with a blue mini-van that smells like piss.

I'm not kidding. It's the closest I'll ever get to being called a "Soccer Dad." Haha.

Two days ago, when I found out that I'd be spending Friday night in Denver, I got onto www.gay.com and www.connexion.org to get some tips from the local gays on what to do and where to go.

I met a super cute 24-year-old (shut up) on Connexion who is meeting me for dinner and wants to show me what night life Denver has to offer. He's tall, blond, muscular, and looks like an old fraternity brother of mine. From the looks of his photos, I'd say he's an 8.5 or 9 out of 10 on the hotness scale, but of course, that rating could change when we meet in person.

We will probably end up at JR's, at least for a couple of beers. However, as this is my first trip to Denver, and because I'm only here for a night, I don't want to spend the entire time in the gayborhood. I am looking forward to walking around this pristine and very pedestrian-friendly downtown - I'll definitely do the tourist stuff, like making a visit to the capital building and hitting up the 16th Street Mall. But I'd also like to find a quiet place in Writer's Square to hammer out a chapter or two of my book and observe the locals.

If you're ever here for business in downtown, I highly recommend the Rocky Mountain Diner across from the federal courthouse on 18th. I just had lunch there - very "Denver" from what I've been told, and LOTS of cute guys in suits walking around. The meatloaf was awesome!

Tomorrow, I leave Denver for the higher plains and cowboys of Cheyenne. I'll be there until Monday, when I drive over to Laramie, WY to meet an old colleague who is now at the U of Wyoming, teaching.

Laramie is where Matthew Sheppard was tortured and left to die many years ago. I've heard that Laramie has changed for the better in the last few years - I'll let you know what my impression is.

On Monday night, I fly back to Dallas.

But for now, it's way too nice of a day to be inside on my laptop, so I'm gonna hit the pavement.

Keep your fingers crossed for me regarding the 24 year-old.

:-)