Going, going,

GONE. I'm not sure if I'm one of those people that fears change, or if it's just some kinds of change that bother me. I've always been fine moving from place to place, but when my hometown changes dramatically, it makes me feel all funny.

Crested Butte is a fabulous, wonderful, even magical place. But it changes a lot. That's normal in the ski/tourist industry, especially when you're somewhat behind the whole fancy-all-looks-the-same ski resort trend, but most of us hope that CB will retain some of its charm. After all, it is known to locals and those abroad alike as "crusty butt." How much more charming can you get?

The sad/scary-change part is that the resort sold again. Last time it sold, it sold to a very small "corporation" (basically a couple and their adult son--the Muellers), so it was actually a good thing. They started pouring money in, and people were generally happy (just don't mention the word "Snodgrass," and you won't get hurt). This week, though my happy place was sold to a giant corporation, the mean ugly hateful kind. CNL Lifestyle Properties, Inc. bought the place, and while they're going to lease it back to the Muellers to run it, it's the nasty corporation that owns the place and therefore calls the shots.

Perhaps it will be ok--maybe I've always wanted to live in a cookie-cutter corporate community and never knew it? And who doesn't love the idea of living in a place designed by the same people as the Dallas Market Center?