Up With People!

Labor Day Weekend is almost as bad as the Fourth of July for fishing so I took four days off to kind of decompress. Chico Hot Springs, Hiking in the mountains and to kick it off; Up With fricken People!!

Yes, that's right. I found out Up With People was performing in Bozeman last Friday so I made the trip. For those that don't know, I traveled with UWP in 1996. You want to talk about a blast from the past...it was crazy. It felt like I was watching old friends on stage. No really. I swear this cast had the same people in it I traveled with.

Nephtaliem, Darren, Brian, Lianna, Rachael, Lori, my boy Teddy, Kelli, Elaine, Lars, all the Christians and Dans, Jo Jo, Soari, Lucero...even Sheryl and Tom; I swear you were all on stage again. Even the band--well, their guitarist was much better than me but it was if I was being transferred back in time except they all looked so young.

After the show we were hanging out in the lobby and wouldn't you know, I hear a voice call out my name and it's Jake fricken Liudahl! Yeah, I know! We hung out for a while and I find out Jake just moved to Bozeman! That's crazy and such an awesome way to start a long awaited and well deserved mini-vacation.

I work in an incredibly ego driven/macho field but I'm not afraid or ashamed to express what UWP did for me and what an amazing experience it was to have that as a vehicle for traveling for a year. I really believed in what we were promoting and am always grateful for the friends I made that year. Even if I didn't mention you in my reminiscing, you have all made me a better person. Thanks you.

Keep 'em where they live...