Into thin air (Shades of Gray)

Into thin air

I'm starting to get self-conscious about this: I'm going on another vacation.

Leaving Saturday for a family vacation in Colorado. Boulder, Colo., to be exact--where two of my sisters live (the third is in Denver).

I love my family--and I like my family--but I always visit them on their home turf with some trepidation. In Boulder, a man smoking a cigarette on a sidewalk is the equivalent of a heroin addict shooting up in a bookstore in Chicago, a fat person is a leper and and the only old people are on their backs in the cemetery.

I'm not old yet, I'm thin because I've been smoking lately and I'll go on the patch while I'm there to avoid the heroin thing.

But that won't be enough: My Boulder family has a different criteria for mental and physical health than I do.

For instance, they think it's healthy to eat well, whereas I think it's healthy to stay up drinking and talking until it is light out.

They think it's healthy to work on one's spirituality. I think it's healthy to work on one's car.

They think the mountain air is healthy. That's funny: The mountain air makes my lips crack and my voice hoarse.

They think it's healthy to take a nature hike together. I think it's healthy to try to embarrass a family member by beating his brains out on the golf course.

We usually find a way to meet in the middle. But getting there is sometimes ... well ... rocky.

(I may blog from there; will be on the computer most mornings; maybe I'll "live blog" the family negotiations.)

Posted by David Murray on July 19, 2007 7:56 AM | Permalink

Comments (13)

Craig Jolley:

Boulder, eh? What's your family's position regarding the middle school that teaches students that they should - and how to - experiment with sex and drugs?

It's my midwestern bias showing but I couldn't believe/relate to the number of parents who defended the practice. Can anyone say Dysfunctional Parenting?

Posted by Craig Jolley | July 19, 2007 9:41 AM

Posted on July 19, 2007 09:41

David Murray:

Craig, my whole family is from the Midwest--Ohio and Michigan. The three sisters all migrated out there separately.

I wasn't aware of this particular issue, but the differences in values between Boulder and here have created a permanent (though usually managable) tension in the family.

Posted by David Murray | July 19, 2007 9:56 AM

Posted on July 19, 2007 09:56

Eileen:

David - I thought you quit smoking! What happened? And you're right, not a good thing to do in Boulder unless you enjoy being stoned on the boardwalk (Midwesterners, read: sidewalk - they like to "fancy up" things out west. I know of which I speak - having lived in Ohio, Denver and Oregon in that order.

And it gets worse the further west you go...where hemp clothing - considered "rags" in Ohio - sells for $45 a t-shirt in Oregon.

Posted by Eileen | July 19, 2007 10:28 AM

Posted on July 19, 2007 10:28

David Murray:

Re. smoking: I believe I've reached the very highest peak of denial. With a pal (who also smokes) I've written a book about how to quit smoking--from two guys who have done it a thousand times.

I'm planning to quit ... when the book gets published!

Posted by David Murray | July 19, 2007 10:39 AM

Posted on July 19, 2007 10:39

Eileen:

Okay, just my opinion, but isn't that backwards? Most people, when published, like to pop open a bottle of wine, go out to dinner, go on a trip. But you deny yourself? No wonder your family loves to examine you when you visit.

Posted by Eileen | July 19, 2007 10:46 AM

Posted on July 19, 2007 10:46

Kristen:

Stoned for smoking in Boulder huh? That's nothing! Up in Canada we've legislated it. Here the cops come and arrest you for smoking AFTER the nicotine nazis beat you to a bloody pulp (figuratively speaking, of course - we are Canadians after all!) I've never been a smoker, and don't enjoy second-hand inhaling, but I still feel pity for you, especially in the winter, when you sad pathetic addicts have to stand huddled together in the freezing cold Canadian weather out on the back loading docks to get your fixes! You REALLY gotta wanna smoke BAD to do it in Canada between Nov-Apr.

Good luck and god-speed with the family David! I love mine too...the closest relative is about 300 miles away. Close enough to get there in a half-day's drive, but not close enough that any of them could ever show up without weeks of planning and advance notice!

We'll be watching for good family drama with bated breath.

Posted by Kristen | July 19, 2007 4:30 PM

Posted on July 19, 2007 16:30

Diane:

I don't know -- the sad, pathetic addicts in Chicago get about 2 hours of smoke breaks that they take full advantage of in ANY weather that the rest of us don't. Makes me almost want to . . . well, not really.

David -- quit. You don't want your kid to be hauling around your oxygen tank for you when she's 15. It's so embarrassing and uncool.

Posted by Diane | July 19, 2007 5:20 PM

Posted on July 19, 2007 17:20

David Murray:

Yes, Diane, I know: I wrote the book on it.

Posted by David Murray | July 19, 2007 5:26 PM

Posted on July 19, 2007 17:26

Diane:

Did you read it?

(I had to ask.)

Posted by Diane | July 19, 2007 8:27 PM

Posted on July 19, 2007 20:27