Veterinary Nomad in Denver

This Google Photos creation makes a fairly good sense of the short turn around travels I make for WesternU.  I was an Denver then Los Angeles, San Diego, the Pacific Northwest and back to Los Angeles.  Then we'll do Denver again.
Veterinary Nomad Life

Crossing Trails Again

Roberto's Rolled Tacos

I enjoy traveling to the many site visits that are part of my job.  Meeting with students and with the preceptors are the primary function at each, but I try to add on other opportunities when traveling.  This week I was visiting WesternU students at The Scripps Research Institute.  After the official site visit I enjoyed reconnecting with my fellow alums from The Ohio State University over Robert's rolled tacos.  Deb works at Scripps now.  Rich is a retired cardio-vascular physiologist who is active developing a simulator to help surgeons learn about cardio-pulmonary by-pass, etc.  Three ex-Ohioan's enjoying the bright California su

What to Read?

When I travel I often listen to or read books that are set in the location I am visiting.  This can often shed insider insights to my visit.  While traveling to Denver recently I selected Diane Mott Davidson's Dark Tort.  OK, it isn't set in Denver, but Aspen.   It's close.  Goldie solves a murder mystery while being a nosy caterer.  Being a caterer gives her opportunities to get into many homes and other venues, but it also is a great opportunity to spent time thinking about and preparing food.  I enjoyed Dark Tort as an audio book.  .is harder to listen to the recipes on audio.

Hyatt Regency Denver

Bedside Outlet and Bluetooth iHome

     I enjoy this hotel because there are improvements and even innovations every time I stay here.  During this January stay, I took advantage of the AAA special which was more that a discounted rate.  It included breakfast in the Altitude Restaurant which has a fabulous breakfast buffet and excellent rich strong coffee.  The hotel is certainly marketing savvy and following consumer demand digitally.  I appreciated the additional outlets at the headboard/night stand.  We all like to have out phone near at hand while charging overnight.  Even the clock radio is a Bluetooth speaker.

     There were so many things you can do with a smart key card, tape your smart room key card to the panel in the elevator and you clear security and the elevator knows which floor you need.  Use your room key card for in and out parking lot privileges.   There's no need to validate your parking ticket! You use the same card on your final exit and just drop it into the convenient drop box right next to the parking lot exit kiosk. 
      Every staff member is super friendly.  The make you feel at home.  They are all, well, Disneyfied.

Because Twitter is Faster

While traveling you may not be in a location where you can stop and watch the State of the Union address (#SOTU) or the NFL Team owners and the decision to approve the Rams return to LA.  Twitter is the faster news service and it has launched curated feeds called MOMENTS to help you keep on top of the latest.  Select the lightning bolt and you get the trending news or sports, etc.

Twitter Moments View

You Can't Prepare Yourself for the Arrival of Sad News

Lawrence D. Longo

There was a time when you could be more prepared for sad news.  You had the expectation that you could find a familiar name when you read the Obituary section of the newspaper.  You aren't prepared when you strike up a conversation with a fellow passenger on an airplane.  Anymore, I don't strike up much of a conversation when I travel by air, but I had noticed that my seat mate was carrying a brief case with a trauma surgeon meeting logo on it.  Since I have spent a good portion of my career working with and training human surgeons, I was curious to know more.  I introduced myself as a professor at Western University of Health Sciences.  He told me he was a surgeon at Loma Linda University Medical Center.  I shared that I had started my career at Loma Linda.  I said, "Do you know Larry Longo?"  The surgeon's face looked stricken, "I am am so sorry to tell you...you probably haven't heard, it just happened...I am sorry to tell you that Larry has...has passed.  It was just this week."  He was so distressed.  I was saddened to be sure, but I was so glad to hear this news from someone who also knew Larry and not via an e-mail.  We shared Larry stories.  He told me that only two weeks ago Larry was encouraging this to convince this surgeon to think about a research project idea and that Larry would there to help develop the research and to collaborate.  That was totally the Larry Longo that I knew.   I feel so blessed to have had this very special moment of connection.

Veterinary Nomad  January 14, 2016

Because I am an Urban Nomad

       A walk down the 16th Street Mall still has that festive vibe in January  because I've never been downtown Denver during the Christmas season.  Holiday lights and evergreen garlands are still around while Christmas decorations were fast to disappear in California.  In fact, I don't think I have ever hit the ground running so hard before.  Happy New Year 2016 is a greeting that has been left in the dust. 

     Traveling in January has great rates from hotels since most folks are recovering from holidays and are not interested in tourism. This leaves us urban nomads with some extra options.  For example, the upgrade to a room with a mountain view could be $40 at other times, but now it's only $5.00.   Check out the pics.  Worth $5.00?  I think do, but I thought it was worth  $40 in July.

Morning View

Night View

Mountainview