Yeah, Sure, I'll Tell My Story Again

I've often been told that I'm guilty of seeing too many Seinfeld parallels in real-life, but today, I'm absolutely sure of the connection, and this scares me.

Let me explain...

I grew up going to Wilderness Trek in Salida, Colorado, and worked there for 3 and a half summers during undergrad and my first year of law school. About two years ago, Outside magazine named Salida on its list of "Best Places to Live". Now, my intermittent summer home has received another national shout-out, this one coming from the Gray Lady herself, the New York Times.

"The Outdoors Life, With No Attitude" by Rachel Odell Walker.

This is where Seinfeld comes into play, my friends. Observe the following exchange:

GEORGE: Ah you have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world, then George Costanza as you know him, Ceases to Exist!

You see, right now, I have Relationship George, but there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with -- Movie George, Coffee shop George, Liar George, Bawdy George.

JERRY: I, I love that George.

GEORGE: Me Too! And he's Dying Jerry! If Relationship George walks through this door, he will Kill Independent George! A George, divided against itself, Cannot Stand!

That's it exactly, ladies and gentlemen. National Salida is on a collision course with provincial Salida. The small, quiet town where I would pickup a burrito at Patio Pancake Place, look for outdoor gear at Headwaters, and avoid an instant contact high from Salida townies is on the highway towards becoming Aspen-lite.

P.S. I also enjoy how the slideshow in the article refers to Bongo Billy's, a local coffee-shop, as "Bong Billy's". That's what we might call a "Freudian Slip", my friends.