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March 18, 2011 by Anya Elise

Cow Town Syndrome || The Colorado Campaign

When I first asked my sister if she would write something for the Colorado Campaign, she said, “OK, I guess I can do something. But it’s probably going to be goofy.”

My response: “I’m sorry, have you ever read my blog? I talked about how the gray matter of my brain was mad with power a few days ago. Goofy fits right in.”

When I read her submission, I absolutely loved it. She has Colorado summed up to a T.

So please join me in welcoming Emily!

****

Sputnik’s Wacky Colorado: Cow Town Syndrome

Our hat-to-head ratio is off.

5 heads. 14  western hats?  How on earth did that happen?

As Anya is so fond of saying, Colorado is a cow town.  It wants to be a big city when it grows up, but isn’t quite ready to leave mommy (a.k.a. The Old West).  Here’s the thing about Colorado, given enough time, even if you’re not originally from here, it gets into your heart and bones.  It’s rare to hear someone comment about hating Colorado. There’s a beauty here which grabs your affection.


That being said, for all it’s beauty, this state brings out the wackiness in people.  Not just the UFO/Bigfoot type of wacky, but the name-a-cafeteria-after-a-cannibal wacky (more on that another time). This strangeness isn’t always so obvious, though.  It can invisibly slip into your life.  Hence the multitude of cowboy hats. I blame it on Cow Town Syndrome.

Cow Town Syndrome, to put it briefly, is when you start acting like you live in the Old West, even though you’re actually in the  city or suburbs.  You start to consider cowboy boots as everyday footwear.  Having cops ride past you on a horse doesn’t seem strange.  The prize steer being displayed in the oldest hotel is great fun, but weird? Please. We have long-horned steer herded through Denver. Why not put one in the hotel?

Still, it can be startling to realize just how deeply it’s got you.

[Warning: This is a result of nepotism out of desperation. I am no photographer, I’m just related to one.]

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Thank you so much, Emily!

To see past submissions, click on the link:

The Colorado Campaign

Want to contribute as well? Send your submission to me at: anya.elise@gmail.com

Have any questions about submitting work? Shoot me a message or check out this post:

Questions, answers, the plan

Posted in lovin' on Colorado, The Colorado Campaign and tagged with Colorado, cow town, cowboy hats, cowboys, The Colorado Campaign. RSS 2.0 feed.
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hey, hi & hello

Photographer, writer, over-enthusiastic coffee drinker. Intrepid defender of Colorado's western status. I live in Denver, Colo., with my husband, Dan Petty. This blog is where I share our triumphs, troubles and everyday slivers of life.

Questions, comments, thoughts, concerns? Shoot me a message: hello@anyaelisephotography.com

(And if you say Colorado is in the "midwest," we are going to have some words.)

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