32 Comments

Oliver probably didn't know how to conduct a proper wine-tasting, easier just to get you drunk and fed, believing that would quiet you and resolve the problem for him. He comes across as insecure and you were expecting professionalism.

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You're just trying to make me feel better, Richard!

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You like this, as friend of mine took this video of a griz in MT after a snow storm, puts life into perspective. The Griz

Montana bikepacking tale

While working in NW Montana in the Summer of ‘23 in Polebridge, I met a man on a day trip, cycling the inside North Fork road, we me at the visitors center at the farthest NW entrance of Glacier National Park, We stayed in touch and last week he sent me a image of a Griz, in his back yard in Coram, MT, and then a video of the whole experience of a Grizzly coming out of the wood, and hanging out in my friends back yard long enough to get over ten uninterrupted minutes of footage, thanks to a long lens as the bear was about 100 yards from the home. In the mind of my friend and sure the Griz, is how the humans and beast survive side by side with the encroachment of infrastructures at an alarming rate. Do the Beasts (critters) have a chance, well, I have thoughts on that I will write another time. But for now, I want you to enjoy Gary’s video, taken after last week's 24+ inch snowstorm, it shows the land scape via a drone and over 10 min of a Griz just hanging out, in the snow, innocent, and simply wild. And then moves on to his place of hibernation…we assume. I hope you all enjoy; Gary and I are Bikepackers, and this locale is not far from the MT section of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.

Here is the video and from Gary, “The song is Prema Chalisa by Krishna Das. It captures Hindu spiritual traditions celebrating divine love and devotion to all of creation.”

https://youtu.be/hFYLXKDN4b8

I love your writing woman:) Keep it up! Bill

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Oh my god, I'm scared just thinking about this!

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why?

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Hanging out with a grizzly!

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Bill, this video is great. I really enjoyed watching it.. and the music too. Cindy

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Thank you. It’s very meditative.

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"My boyfriend went to the bathroom and returned with the news that I was going to feel much drunker when I stood up."

I CACKLED

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Hahaha, I wish you'd been there!

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This was a lot of fun to read. Thank you for writing it. So clever, insightful, and funny!

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So glad you enjoyed it!

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I so get this!! No one who can put on makeup likes me either. And he clearly didn’t know how to do a wine tasting. Plus I cuss too much. So many reasons…

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Too much for whom? You can swear at me to your heart's content.

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I still refuse to believe that anyone could not like you.

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Everyone likes us. Shh.

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OMG, this is crazy hilarious! It’s like the pilot for a Twilight Zone remake. I love how your wine debacle is all about reds, yet the only picture you took is of the white. There’s so much to unpack here. I think I’ll pair your story with a red blend and read again. : )))

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You definitely should have been there! (The first half of the “tasting” was white and the second half was red.)

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I am laughing so much! I love how you found the funny in this wild experience. And, your boyfriend is awesome.

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"There would be no splashes. There would be no mercy."

DEAD. The whole piece was so funny, but that one part got me good.

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Thank you, dear Maria!

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Waiting for the wine tasting reminds me of Art Buchwald and Calvin Trillin style of writing. Humor with a proverb somewhere within the words. Brava!

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Thank you, thank you, Jacinta! I love Calvin Trillin. Sometimes I teach this piece of his: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1990/02/05/corrections-calvin-trillin-shouts

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I chuckled the moment I read "the need to be loved" because I had just decided to teach my two granddaughters (ages 11 and 13) the important life lesson that not everyone is going to like them! It only took me six-plus decades to learn it and I still need some remedial help, like this essay.

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I give this advice sometimes, too! I'm a huge hypocrite!

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good thing Oliver didn't present you with a bill.

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😂

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Jejeje loved this one 😘

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❤️❤️❤️❤️

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What a fun read! This is my first exposure to your writing, and I'm instantly a fan.

And don't worry... we all like you!

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I already like you, too! :)

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Too funny! They must have just been brain dead to not know how to do a simple serving. And so crazy they kept pouring full glasses! Amazing that you survived. Well, I guess your head didn't.

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