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Shifting focus to helping others in the new year

mugcaitlinwalkerbwRBC | 2016 was not my year. I mean, it was better than some people’s—rest in peace Prince, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, Carrie Fisher (Tuesday morning found me screaming at my computer, “NO, NOT PRINCESS LEIA, TOO!”) and so many more—but when the nicest thing you can say is, “Welp. I didn’t die,” it officially qualifies as a bad year.
We moved, which was a great decision—less the actual moving process. I continued my battle with depression and anxiety. My best friend moved five hours away. We spent some time in the ER. I became part owner of a business, which is a good thing but is also completely and utterly terrifying. And the politics. Holy catfish. We might not see eye-to-eye on anything else, but I think we can all agree this election cycle was insane.
In September, I lost my grandmother to pancreatic cancer.

We’ve been oddly lucky in our family (knock on wood), so this was the first time I’ve really dealt with this sort of grief. She was the glue that held us all together and the loss hurts more than I could have imagined. In the day-to-day grind, I ran around forgetting things, putting ice cream in the cupboard and cans in the freezer, feeling constantly overwhelmed and much too fragile to handle life’s curveballs.

In the day-to-day grind, I ran around forgetting things, putting ice cream in the cupboard and cans in the freezer, feeling constantly overwhelmed and much too fragile to handle life’s curveballs.
And my skinny pants still don’t fit. Boo.
I was sitting in pajamas this past holiday weekend whining about how awful the year had been to my husband when I noticed a pattern: I, I, I, me, me, me.
2016 was a tough year. It really was. But, perhaps, part of the problem is all those “me’s” I’ve been focused on.
Traditionally, this is the time of year when we concoct grand schemes and great plans, making resolutions centered primarily around ourselves. That’s not bad, of course, but let’s forget the “I” and the “me” for a moment and think about how we can instead better someone else’s life in the new year. I don’t mean packing up and high tailing it to a remote African village to build mud huts (unless of course you want to do that), but little things, small good deeds used as bricks in the foundation of a life well-lived. As Winston Churchhill put it, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
My resolution this year is to focus on helping others, and even here in our small communities, there are so many ways to do so. Donate to the local food bank. Volunteer anywhere. Get involved in local government. Box up those nice clothes you never wear and drop them at the thrift store. Write thank you cards and send cheery letters. Visit relatives. Don’t publish that nasty comment on Facebook. Shop local. Smile at someone. Refrain from clawing your morning lark spouse’s face off when they greet you with entirely too much cheer at 5:30 a.m. Play with your kids for 10 minutes. Pay for someone’s coffee. Make something beautiful and share it with the world.
There’s so much more to focus on than our own little universe. That’s what this past year taught me as I was dragged through it kicking and screaming.
So thanks for that, 2016.
Now don’t let the door hit you on the way out.

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  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
  • The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
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Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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