Sunday, September 16, 2012
Thanks
I have been back in Florida for
a few days and I have been remiss in not adding a new blog. Susan and I have been busy going to the
beach, shopping, and going to movies.
Now that I have some time to write I want to thank everyone who made my
time in Colorado so enjoyable. Susan
asked how it felt being back “with my peeps.”
It felt great.
First and foremost I want to
thank Michele Wagner and Rob Buchan who allowed me to stay with them for almost
a whole week. They were very gracious
hosts, especially considering Michele’s delicate condition. They could not have been more accommodating. It is humbling when a pregnant lady walks
your ass off up and down hills.
Likewise, Noel Blum was
extremely hospitable. And while I
enjoyed the steak, bratwurst, and other homemade (and in many cases homegrown)
food, the highlight of the weekend was the top-down trip in his
Aston-Martin. Thanks for the ride, Noel,
and thanks for letting me wear your cap.
Tom Raynes was wonderful. He not only allowed me to attend the CDAC
conference, but he let me hang out in the hospitality suite. I tried to
restrain myself from overindulging in the food and drink. Being in the suite during the Broncos game
was fun.
The kindness and generosity
shown to me explains why I have missed everyone in Colorado so much. Prosecutors are the greatest people in the
world, and law enforcement officers like Rob and Michele make me proud to be on
their side.
I have always enjoyed going to
the conference, but this year’s was special.
After a year away, I figured the conference would feel awkward and
uncomfortable. For the past year my only
connection to criminal prosecution has been the NBC Nightly News, the New York
Times, and regular phone calls to Eva Wilson (who I have no doubt got sick of
talking to me). And while I didn’t
expect people to be mean, I thought there might be some sense of feeling like
an outsider, not part of the fraternity anymore. But everyone was so welcoming and
friendly.
It was great to see so many
friends. People were supportive, not
near as sarcastic as I would have been to someone who has left prosecution so
many times and keeps finding himself returning, like some sort of bipolar
swallow returning to Capistrano. The
CDAC staff reminded me of my time there, very fond memories for me. I was happy to see so many prosecutors from
across Colorado whom I have gotten to know over the years. For some I was saying goodbye to them, and
they will be missed. For others it was a
great opportunity to get reacquainted.
Some people told me it doesn’t seem like I have been gone for a whole
year, but it is always shorter for those who stay put. My time away has, in many ways, been an
eternity to me, in large part because I have been so isolated from my
friends.
Hearing the case law update
without having read a single one of the cases was a different and unsettling
experience. I have always had some
familiarity with the cases, even in years when I did not give the update. This time I am totally dependent on Dan
Rubenstein to tell me the law. Not that
I don’t trust Dan, but I have a lot of catching up to do.
I should be back in Colorado
sometime in October.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]