Andrea Chacos

AspenTimes • June 2025

Beware — a redhead ahead

Generations of gingers have burdened my family with fiery attitudes and overly assertive personalities. My redheaded grandmother was a strong-willed, intense Hungarian. My mother is the same. I was also born possessed by a deep desire for self-control, perfection, and require frequent reminders to take my surly, “know-it-all” attitude down a notch. Hating my red hair and the hot-headed temperament that comes with it has always been at the top of a list too long and sad to print here.

AspenTimes.com • May 2025

DEI — Dignity for everyone immediately

I grew up at the end of the 20th century knowing that we were not all born with the same resources and people like my father, younger brother, and uncles would be afforded opportunities more readily than almost anyone else on the planet. The magical trifecta of being white, male, and having socio-economic stability in America was so baked into my ethos that when diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives came crashing down recently, I became sensitive to the injustice of it all.

VailDaily.com • March 2025

Rules to fly by

I recently returned from an intercontinental trip that totaled eight flight segments. Although this does not make me an experienced globetrotter like one of those million-milers, the many flights allowed me to see how society’s rules often deteriorate as our stress level increases. To make airplane travel a pleasant experience for everyone, I’ve jotted down a few unwritten rules to follow when we take to the friendly skies.

AspenTimes.com • February 2025

Middle child syndrome

My son has “middle child syndrome” despite my exhaustive effort to avoid such a diagnosis. Over the years, I’ve been careful to give my children equally-sized birthday presents and let all three get their favorite treats at the movie theater because they compare these types of things.

AspenTimes • December 2024

Searching for my spiritual holy grail

I always come up blank when I question the purpose of life and I’ve watched It’s a Wonderful Life plenty of times to understand that it’s supposed to be the culmination of the little things we do, what we say, and how we act that give us meaning.

AspenTimes.com • November 2024

When your car’s license plate stands out in the crowd

I drove through the four-way stop sign without slowing down or stopping because I didn’t even see it. Someone to my left pressed on their car horn so passionately that I thought I was the star in some sappy Hallmark movie. I slammed on the brakes before hitting a pedestrian in the crosswalk and then proceeded to roll through the intersection in indecisive fits, waving apologetically in all four cardinal directions.

PostIndependent.com • October 2024

Why we love and hate the family chores

I ignored the heated dispute by pretending to be an overworked human resources executive and prayed the team would utilize the problem-solving skills I’ve been coaching them on for years. Soon I heard a door slam, a few zesty words that would make a kindergarten teacher blush, and the whirr of a lawn mower. The other teenager dramatically dragged the vacuum out of the closet and then washed the sink’s dirty dishes as if teasing them to break.

VailDaily.com • September 2024

The devil is in the details

My son likes to quote, “Manners maketh man” whenever he sees humankind acting in ways that disrupt his sense of order. I get excited when he speaks like this, not because I raised a son whose command of etiquette would make Emily Post proud, but because I perversely enjoy seeing people behaving recklessly in the wild. It’s like going to the zoo to gawk at orangutans except human beings are more fun because we were taught to pick our noses and fornicate in private.

VailDaily.com • July 2024

How to leave the party with a walking taco

I worked my way toward the door looking for a way to leave the party although I was still having a good time. I had already mingled with friends, contributed to the potluck feast, and wished the guest of honor a happy birthday. I even gave the host a small gift upon my arrival because I knew I wanted to depart a couple of hours later without so much as a goodbye when my bed and a book called me home. I despised the effort in long, drawn-out goodbyes, and preferred a quick and quiet exit instead....

VailDaily.com • July 2024

What if it was more than luck?

“Run. The cops are coming!” yells any teen doing something they’re not supposed to be doing. Everyone scatters because no one wants to risk getting caught. Having to explain the group’s bad behavior to a bunch of dismayed adults is the fastest way to become a pariah in a herd of teenagers.

AspenTimes.com • June 2024

Why do it now when you can wait another day?

This newspaper deadline looms, and I continue to ignore it. No one would label me lazy, but I put off writing this article to organize the linen closet. I also care deeply about brushing the winter coat off my dog, trimming the cat’s nails, and re-arranging the junk drawer in my kitchen. These are very important tasks that need my immediate attention. This essay can wait another day.

VailDaily.com • April 2024

Is there karma?

My body hit the pavement like an asteroid entering Earth’s atmosphere. My face and knee absorbed the initial impact, and I would soon have black and blue marbling like a slab of prime beef served at a high-end restaurant. I lay on the ground stunned until I could confidently roll over and dust off my pride. Some would call this a clumsy accident because I wasn’t looking where I was going, but as I recalled my previous days’ actions, I decided once and for all: Karma is real.

AspenTimes.com • March 2024

Why abortion needs to live

I am in a crowded park using a toilet without a door, there is no toilet paper, and everyone is staring at me because I’m sitting naked from the waist down. A week earlier, I approached a hairpin turn and continued to pick up speed. No matter how hard I pressed the brake pedal, I could not stop the car.

VailDaily.com • February 2024

A teenagers’ guide to calling out ‘sick’ from work

I think death is knocking on my bedroom door ready to put me out of my snotty misery, but it’s only my father with a cup of tea and a thermometer to take my temperature. I have a flair for the dramatic and cough loudly. I want to call out sick from my part-time weekend job, but I am in no condition for responsibility. I’m too impossibly weak to lift the telephone receiver to call my boss and tell him I won’t be able to come to work this Saturday.

AspenTimes.com • January 2024

A five-step roadmap to mountain town reality

Living in a rural, mountain town isn’t easy, and most of the time, we wouldn’t want it any other way. We’re rugged individualists who curate epic adventures, and our shared experiences forge deep bonds with one another. If you come to visit and ever wondered about our quaint way of life, here’s a five-step roadmap that welcomes you to our reality.

Vail Daily • December 2023

Peace and Protest

I could only see a shopping cart, a mannequin and a feather boa when I walked by the loud, messy high school classroom. The shopping cart was filled with books, and it was parked near what looked like a teacher’s desk, although I never saw the English teacher anywhere near it.

Vail Daily • October 2023

The rules of the game

At the edge of town, we have a stubborn red traffic light that refuses to turn green, especially on Sunday mornings. This is when I chaperone a car full of neophytes to their driver’s education class. Part of me wants to wait hours, if not days, for the traffic light to turn green because it’s the law. The other part of me wants to unleash an inner rebel that craves some action. She wants to simultaneously run the red light and yell obscenities while watching it fade away in the rearview mirror.

Aspen Times • September 2023

The doyenne of the trail

I’ve always loved guys, especially smart ones with a personality and good looks. But as I get older, I’m attracted to strong, self-assured women even more than Chris Hemsworth and Jason Momoa combined. According to the Cambridge dictionary, the women I’m drawn to have a fancy French name, too. They are called doyenne, and she is the oldest, most experienced, and often most respected woman involved in a particular type of work.

Vail Daily • August 2023

Does nostalgia live up to the hype?

My son watches me put more coins into the slot and the Skee-balls roll into position. He is not excited to watch me toss tiny balls up an incline and over a hump to win tickets for trinkets I don’t need. I let out a whoop. My son lets out a groan.

Colorado Sun • July 2023

Fireworks are this girl’s best friend

The text message said Happy Anniversary but that’s not what made me smile. The end of the two-word wedding anniversary message was punctuated by a fireworks emoji. I’d expect this type of an emoji from my girlfriend after a grueling 24-hour intermittent fast, but not from my husband of 24 years.