Don't Shoot Me.

I have fairly prescient dreams...or at least I'd like to think so...but the other day I dreamed I was sitting in the drivers seat of my car while some lunatic woman with a handgun kept shooting at me...and missing...four times at least.

Now, I don't know what I could do to a woman to unhinge her quite like that but fingers crossed...this was just the product of an overactive imagination, eating to close to bed, or one of the recent Law & Order, CSI or Bones shows I've been watching on cable...

Sooo...

Camel to straw..."hey back breaker..."

Interesting day today...in terms of recent internalized philosophical dialogues it was an underscore. Go figure.

Hey, when everything says go west why resist...even if you're a dyed in the wool contrarian?

Why? Because it feels good...that's why. Dammit. ;)

I am the eternal nose hurting just to spite my face kind of girl...and one of these years/decades...it might just work out for me. But, you know, I'm an optimist...and don't let anyone tell you otherwise...and hey, if at the very least I get a flash to the "you're going the wrong way" scene in Planes, Trains and Automobiles...even better.

And as a real digression I'd like to high five good old mother nature for throwing out a beautiful indian summer weekend...but let's be honest we're just waiting for the other shoe to drop...as in a freeze your face off bad ass winter...the kind where your nose hairs huddle for warmth. So, all I'm asking for is a couple good snowy 25 degree days as the kids are older...and Holli will flip a gear when I take her down to the big hills to sled...if they'll let me. ;)

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

I ran across this book in the airport bookstore. I'd forgotten to grab Jane Eyre before I left so I was wandering around the bookstore...and nothing...not nothing jumped out to me. I was actually pretty excited to see a graphic novel section in the store. Tiny...but I did hold out hope I might find Persepolis but no...

On the third or fourth lap I found myself back in the classics section and saw a "Harper Perenial Modern Classics" version of this book. Bought the book and read about 100 pages...will update once done.

Oh Yeah...somethings really got to give.

I think I've reached what appears to be the end of my proverbial rope. It's not like I'm going to do something rash, I've just had it...and I pretty much think I'm done.

Whatever. It's late. I'm tired. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

Going Skiing

Tuesday I went up to Keystone to ski for the first time...and it was a beautiful day, it was snowing but not really cold and it didn't take long for the Peru Express lift to get us to the top. Here's a picture of the lift itself.

The most interesting part of the skiing on an actual mountain vs. a snowy morraine is that you have terrain to deal with. When I went skiing in Wisconsin I did not realize I was just coming down a snowy wedge...here in Colorado there are turns and dips, and narrows and wide open plains...and it's a real challenge.

I think this next picture is the hill I came down and fell on and repeatedly couldn't get up on...I now know that I should have taken off a ski instead of trying to right myself with both skiis on...sigh.

Anyhow, you can't really see the vertical drop...but it's pretty steep.

Keystone also has night skiing...which is also on my list...so we'll see.

Yesterday I went to Arapahoe Basin, or A-Basin as they seem to call it...We went up the express lift about 8 times over the course of three hours...I went down three of their green runs, Wrangler, Chisholm Trail, and Sundance...there are two descents on Wrangler from the top...one allows for a great deal of speed...and the other a great deal of carving in a narrow space and steep incline...too steep for this novice to go straight down...the first run I made I slid off the side and ended up hugging a pine tree...lol. On my last run down the steep descent I took it all rather quickly and flew out onto the plain at a fair clip.

Chisholm trail was nice, and not challenging except for the hairpin turns which I also took at speed...I am hoping that by the time I leave I can do Sundance without questioning my motivation. Because seriously, my initial thought once I found myself on the run was that I wanted to go back and that my uncle was going to get me killed. I'm not kidding...but going back would mean climbing back up 20 to 30 feet at least...and it wasn't really an option.

The best part is that I ran through the last few times without stopping. I figure I can go skiing another 6 times before I leave if I continue to go every other day...so we'll see. I have yet to schedule a lesson for snowboarding...so that should be fun...maybe I'll leave that toward the end.

Going West...

So, we all have lists of things we'd like to do someday...but our wants are often out of balance with our possibilities. When it comes to travel I tend to take advantage of opportunities that are put in my path...and so I find myself in Colorado today.

In any event lets start at the beginning.

The plan was to leave at 5...but that would have been if I'd got to bed by 9:30-10:00 as planned. Unfortunately I dragged bottom and went to bed somewhere near 11:30ish...and so...5 wasn't an option...

I did, however, get up at five. By the time everything was loaded up to go, and I'd shoveled the drive for my mom it was 7am.

Now, I could have really pushed to leave earlier but I thought that driving in a dark snow storm would have been bad...as it was...it wasn't really all that good. By the time I reached blue skies and open road I'd seen 12 ditched cars, 5 jack knifed rigs and 3 overturned cars.

After the white knuckled driving was past I assumed my typical driving position. I can't ever just sit and do...I have to have my foot up, or I need to twist into a knot.

The rest of the drive was essentially uneventful...although getting on 70 in Boulder took 3 attempts...and then it was driving into the mountains...and although a 6% grade doesn't seem like it should be much...it is...and the signs telling me to watch for "wildlife" on the road weren't very helpful either. Squirrel, Possum, even a chipmunk...ok...but they're talking about Elk, Deer and Mountain Goats...my little Toyota would lose an arguement with any of them straight away...and boy do I miss my manual transmission.

...and so a goal...

I have lost my mind...but I digress.

Come January 29th, say noonish in Lakeview you'll find me here...in probably at least 3 shades of blueness...and agony.

I can't wait.

It's going to be awesome.