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It took 18 months for COVID to find its way into my family back in early September, with an exposure occurring on the 4th and my mother’s first symptoms appearing on the 7th.

I recently read Joe Barrera’s Gazette column, ‘CC and FAC wrong on mural removal’ on Nov. 28 and Jennifer Mulson’s article, ‘Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center to remove controversial murals’ on Nov. 16. I agree with some of the sentiments in both articles, but I wonder when it’s going to stop. The Fine Arts Center murals by Ward Lockwood represent a time period in our history.

Considering the career of a chef is in the top 15 most stressful jobs, assumptions can be made that a lot goes into this career, it isn’t just about making hot food at a fast rate. Any chef can tell you that it is so much more than that, it can feel like a career where you give so much but receive very little.

When you hear the news that someone close to you has beaten cancer and survived their fight, it’s safe to assume this is life-changing and enlightening. There are tears, hugs, everyone is happy. The survivor is elated and relieved. But, during celebration, we don’t immediately think to look behind the smile.

Education is something I highly value. As such, when my oldest was a baby, I put her on a popular charter school waitlist, and when she was old enough, I enrolled her in a private preschool called Preschool Partners.

While at breakfast one recent morning at a restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs, I discovered the televisions hanging above the bar had working captions. This made me happy as I ate blueberries and oatmeal covered in milk: I love captioned television. It simplifies everything and eliminates guesswork on my part. No more guessing what the man had said: “Boss, ze plane! Ze plane!”

On August 30, I emailed the Mayor and City Council on questions I felt were still unanswered regarding Fire Evacuation in Colorado Springs. It is their duty and responsibility to provide for our safety in the event of a natural disaster.

Back in May 2021, I was driving east on Lake Avenue and noticed the first traffic circle or roundabout near the community church being worked on. I have been concerned about these roundabouts since 1999. I even sued the city because I was worried about the reduction in lanes from a four-lane state highway to a two-lane (with center turn lane) road on Lake Avenue.

How often do we think about our water? We turn on the tap without much thought (unless it doesn’t come on as expected). For most people, that is about the limit. However, everyone living in El Paso County should be thinking more about water issues and water shortages, especially residents in the rural eastern areas of the county.

In the spring of 2017, I left a cushy social media marketing job for a dishwashing job in Manitou Springs. I was burned out with social media after running for office for three consecutive years. The first time I ran for office in 2015 was the most nerve-wracking of my political campaigns. I had used social media as the focus of my campaign. I knocked on doors and attended candidate forums, too. The following years saw me campaign less though the stress of being a candidate never waned until a few days after an election.