Sunday, February 29, 2004
"If you french fry when you should pizza, you're gonna have a bad time."
Yep. After a self-imposed prohibition lasting more than a decade, I finally decided to take the plunge in both a literal and figurative sense and signed up with some other Underwood High School staff members for a ski trip. My first attempt at downhill skiing and the first time I had ever put skis of any sort on my feet since an elementary school cross country ski trip in 4th grade. For better or for worse, I was the only first-time skiier in the group, so while everyone else to their black diamonds, blue squares, or purple horseshoes, I got to spend my day on the training slope practicing important skills. Like turning. And stopping! (Never quite mastered the latter...but I definitely improved) In many ways, the experience was similar to riding a bicycle for the first time. The more you practice the better you become, but the first few runs are somewhat intimidating. If not for the fact that one of my teacher colleagues was also a top rated ski instructor, I doubt I would have mustered the courage after my painful first "attempt" to improve my skills to the point that I did. All in all a good time, despite sun/windburns on my face and scalp and more sore muscle groups than I ever knew existed. Perhaps next time I'll even go on a different hill.
Postscript: For those who are curious, the title of this entry is a quote from a memorable episode of South Park where the main characters travel to Aspen for a ski vacation. I actually said it, with a completely straight face, to a 4 year old girl whose mother was having trouble explaining how to make it safely down the slope.
Yep. After a self-imposed prohibition lasting more than a decade, I finally decided to take the plunge in both a literal and figurative sense and signed up with some other Underwood High School staff members for a ski trip. My first attempt at downhill skiing and the first time I had ever put skis of any sort on my feet since an elementary school cross country ski trip in 4th grade. For better or for worse, I was the only first-time skiier in the group, so while everyone else to their black diamonds, blue squares, or purple horseshoes, I got to spend my day on the training slope practicing important skills. Like turning. And stopping! (Never quite mastered the latter...but I definitely improved) In many ways, the experience was similar to riding a bicycle for the first time. The more you practice the better you become, but the first few runs are somewhat intimidating. If not for the fact that one of my teacher colleagues was also a top rated ski instructor, I doubt I would have mustered the courage after my painful first "attempt" to improve my skills to the point that I did. All in all a good time, despite sun/windburns on my face and scalp and more sore muscle groups than I ever knew existed. Perhaps next time I'll even go on a different hill.
Postscript: For those who are curious, the title of this entry is a quote from a memorable episode of South Park where the main characters travel to Aspen for a ski vacation. I actually said it, with a completely straight face, to a 4 year old girl whose mother was having trouble explaining how to make it safely down the slope.
