Are you ready?

Ignite Boulder last night was good fun. Cool presentations, good people. I got to play with slides, too. I gave a presentation called “Everything I need to know about journalism I learned from ‘Ghost Busters.’” Or “Back off, man, I’m a journalist.”

I’m hoping to get video of that eventually to post here. Meantime, thanks to @andrewhyde and @rande for the opportunity and thanks to all of the presenters for the entertainment and/or edification.

Some very funny stuff in there, a couple of eco-minded ones, a video game one. The only thing lacking to make it a comprehensive list of my interests would be football and beer.

@userealbutter’s presentation was the most delicious-looking. And she posted a photo of me with a slide, so I’m brazenly stealing it with a link to her wrap-up post and photos of delicious-looking corn.

I think one of my favorite reactions was this: “who knew journalists were this funny about, well, journalism!”

Makes me want to start hosting small salons or readings or something — like the old days, but with less pressure. I also got inspired by reading about the Boulder Fortnightly Club — Boulder’s 125-year-old women’s literary club. Read all about that in Sunday’s Camera, wouldja?

Or enjoy the music video of the moment after the jump.

Yesterday I was feeling kind of like everything is simultaneously epic and silly.

So, yes, the soundtrack of my life could be provided by a “kazookeylele” playing “The Final Countdown.” Here’s an old favorite Web video:

Or, you know, you could listen to something I actually listened to.

Delta Spirit – People C’mon (fun)
Melt Banana – We Will Rock You (noisy and weird)

On a quick (and weirdly eventful) break yesterday, I was reminded how glad I was to have read this short story while I was in high school.

Best open to an annoying song:

Kanye West – Young Folks (Peter, Bjorn & John)

I feel like that’s some kind of omen: YOUR SUMMER ADVENTURE MAY SEEM LIKE IT WILL BE AWESOME AT FIRST BUT THEN IT WILL JUST BE KIND OF ANNOYING.

This week in Friday Magazine, we’ve listed all of the places you can watch fireworks in Boulder County and some of the ancillary events. For example, I plan on attending Boulder’s “Sesquicentennial Stroll,” a celebration of the city’s 150th birthday in conjunction with a celebration of all that is red, white and blue.

But last night I found what I am absolutely sure is the best 3rd and 5th of July location in Colorado, and may well be the best 4th spot, too:

Red Rocks.

RC and I went last night to see Wilco — a belated birthday gift for her. As Okkervil River played its opening set, we could see the jaw-dropping backdrop that you expect at Red Rocks: the light green landscape of Denver, the cluster of upward-thrust buildings downtown and other community centers dotting the view.

But as night fell and Wilco came on, Denver area revelers began celebrating the Fourth the best way they know how: by blowing things up. Occasionally in sync with stage movements, fireworks displays across the metro area were easily visible behind the performance. First, something apparantly due east, then something to the south, and several more between. Eventually, they were joined by fireworks downtown, presumably from Coors Field.

To top it off, farther up in the sky, we were treated to a long cloud-to-cloud lightning storm.

That’s three light shows and two alt-country/rock sets.

The A/V guys at Red Rocks really have things figured out.

I challenge you to find a better 4th spot in Colorado. Tonight at Red Rocks, Blues Traveler performs, which I can do without, but the opening set is Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears.

It’s been more than two years since I left Boulder for New York, but I’m coming back. I’m really excited to return to a city that is statistically the best (see chart). Now I need your help to reconnect!

Obviously the most important thing that happened, overall, in the last two years has been the explosion of Twitter. With that in mind, here are Twitter feeds that help me feel as though I know what’s going on in town:

1. @dailycamera – A reliable source of news and slideshows with naked bike riders.
2. @coloradodaily – News from a paper that increasingly reminds me of a place I used to work. Remember dirt?
3. @gwenbell – Always a good personal look at what’s going on around her, in social media, and she’s also a fun person to drag up to Oskar Blues.
4. @waylonlewis – Appeared on my radar when I worked, briefly, at Naropa University. Also, he made this list of Boulder people to follow on Twitter.
5. @teeandcakes – One half of this entrepreneurial duo is a dirt alum and the place itself is a great spot for snacks and cool design. Who wouldn’t be impressed by a football helmet cake?
6. @downtownboulder – Bikes, businesses and obsessing over parking spaces — it’s like I never left!
7. @programcouncil – When I lived in Boulder before, it was important to keep up with the rock shows they put on — some great stuff came through town, including the Roots! And they just got some pretty positive reactions from Daily Camera readers in the comments on this noise test story. (Disclosure: They also hired me to put on several shows in my previous career as a comedian.)

Now I need your help: who else should I be following? I have a bunch of the municipal Boulder Twitter accounts already, but I want to know the best individuals and entertainment venues in the whole county. I want to find people who know where the best places to hang out are, who put on the coolest and weirdest shows, who have the most impressive vegetable gardens, who know all of the local bands or hit every bluegrass pick.

Tell me who’s out there and say hello at @daveburdick.