Cataloochee

Continuing my lifestyle as a Southern Ski Bum, I visited the grand ski 'hill' at Cataloochee Ski Resort. After a nice 3.5 hr drive through the country, breakfast at the bluegrass cafe, it was time to have some fun. I decided to spare my skis and try snowboarding instead. I did excellent, considering it was only the 2nd time in 4 years that I even attempted to board. I took the lessons, learned all the beginner skills real quick, then left the class early after giving the instructor a tip. I thought I knew everything... until I took everyone out getting off of the chair lift. Other than that, I was boarding like I knew what I was doing.

Cataloochee though... very scary place. It's full of kamikaze folks who don't know what they are doing, and skiing above their ability no knowing how to stop. Standing at the bottom of the mountain is the most dangerous place to be. But the funniest area to watch.

Fork Thief

OK. I'm a little absent minded sometimes. My ears could be missing, and I wouldn't know until I tried to put on my sunglasses... & they won't stay up. I noticed that I was turning on the dish washer every week, when I normally only run the machine once a month. Someone took my forks!!!! **UGH**

She STANK!

OK, I understand how folks get a little musty, especially in the gym. A little stink is permissable. But there's this one woman at the gym who really reeks of corroding flesh that hasn't been cleaned in a while. And last night was real bad.

Firstly, the gym was warmer than usual. That should have warned me that stinky woman was about to share her funk. I know it was her because I walked by her, and the stink meter went up exponentially with each step. As the minutes went by, her stink circle started to expand. If only... I could....

Then we started doing the shoulder raises. Yes, that's right. With arms stretched towards the ceiling, the funk bullets were squirting from her arm pits so that the entire gym gets to enjoy it!!! Remember that deodorant commercial where the woman is dancing & does the underarm check? That's what folks were doing. Saying to themselves, "DAMN... is it me?" *sniff-sniff* I wanted to telepathically say Hell naw it ain't you, it's that stanky woman over there! But wait, let me do my own underarm check first...

TV One

I forgot to mention that I was interviewed by the cable channel TV One when I was in Vail. They are doing a documentary on Black Skiers. Look for it in March. It's hard to answer a question at a loud dance club, pretending you're sober.

Omarosa needs to SHUT UP

The more she speaks, the stupider she sounds. Making all of us look bad. Click Here to see her latest comments. *sigh*

Political disappointment

I'm really not a fan of public speaking, but yesterday was just one of those days where if I didn't do it, who will. The silly businessman is building town homes adjacent to my subdivision. I missed important meetings and pushed off work to attend the zoning hearings before our elected board of commissioners. I noticed that all of the commissioners were familiar with the resident's (voter's) concerns, except for that little Black lady up there. I thought she was short, until I saw her sit up in the chair. Is her new job that boring? She didn't utter a word all day... until I get up there. I had forgotten that I voted her in to represent my district. After I stated numerous reasons why they townhomes should not be built, she didn't even initiate the conversation on the issue.

One of the other commissioners wondered how the shady developer received signed petitions when he acknowledged that the home owners were not at home, renters, and one home pad-locked. Anyways, my elected official finally woke up, didn't acknowledge any of my concerns, and approved the townhomes to be built. She struggled with the stipulations that were imposed, so the head commissioner had to help her read the rest of the list. I need to read the minutes (not posted yet), cause I don't understand the codes & language they use. I overheard the developer say that she approved the plan for a reduced number of townhomes to be built. The developer said he was going to appeal the decision, and come back with another plan proposal. Hopefully, there will be more than just myself next time that will appear before the board to emphasize how the residents do not support this plan, and we're the VOTERS dammit!

If I wasn't nervous, I would have described how inept this developer is: Missing entrance sign, unfinished landscaping, put a damn fence in the middle of my gf's backyard instead of at the property line (guess I only have to cut half the yard now).... I had these notes written down, but everything changes when you feel like you're standing before a grand jury.

Vail - The End

I Finally returned from my Vail excursion. This was definitely a well needed, well deserved, break from reality. I truly enjoyed it, although I'm tired as dehydrated as I don't know what! I swallowed a jug of gatorade as soon as I returned. I know, it should've been water, I'm working on that.

The snow started off hard, then we got dumped on. Perfect conditions after that. Snow got a little choppy after each day passed. I didn't win a medal in my race this year. There's a lot of competition in my age group now, and its just impossible from an Atlantan to have as much snow experience as the other ski bums in any given season. So I was rusty. I have another race in March, in Vermont. Less competition. :-)

As I watched one of the races, the lady wiped out. She was almost done, maneurvering through the gates, and I guess her legs decided that it wasn't going to make the next turn. So she sped out of control, off the course, twisted her knee. No one did anything. Other racers continued after her. I thought at least, the Vail employees would run out there, but no one did. So I ran up the mountain a good 100 yards in my ski boots to the screaming in pain racer. I after I unlocked her skis from her boots, she said her knee was in great pain. Still, no one was around to help. I tried to signal to the onlookers, but they just watched. :-| So I grabbed the ladies skis, and she used me as a crutch to hobble down the steep slope. FINALLY, the Vail crew that kept the race course in good condition saw us struggling, and they came by and took over from there. Found out later, she was taken to the hospital with a sprained knee. She's from Detroit, probably 40+, I wish her the best.

As for me, my only painful moment came when navigating the thick, soft powder. I had to adjust, since what I that was a mogul, was instead a soft mound of snow. So I was just slicing through everything. It was sweet. Then one time I tried to slice through a small snow mound, and I misjudged it. My left ski went straight into something hard, immovable. The impact jerked my entire leg backwards, ski popped off, and I felt a sharp pain in my inner knee, probably my LCL. I shook it off, and was fine after a few minutes. I praise my workout regimine for avoiding an injury.

My new camera came in the mail a few days before the trip! From here on out, no excuses for a not having any pictures. These are mostly scenery shots, some happy hour shots, and some ice skating shots. Click on Vail 2005.

Vail cont

I'm still enjoying out here! The 10 inches of snow that fell on Tuesday improved the conditions & fun tremendously. The happy hours of off the chain, as well as the nightly parties.
On the other hand, I have no break and staying very busy since I'm 'working' as the race director of our club. Now I'm paying the price of finding a bunch of racers to represent the club. Meetings, babysitting... *sigh*
A few more days, then it will be back to reality.

Vail

Greetings, from Vail.
What a tight hotel I'm in! Free internet access. :-) Hot cider, cookies, gym... everything to make it enjoyable.
Vail is so... long. Who designed this place? Instead of a nice village that you can draw a circle around, the village is like, 20 miles long, and 300 ft wide.
My highlight: I'm at the top of a black diamond, scoping out the perilous terrain that's calling my name. Another skiier does the same. The caucasian guy looks at me says, "Hell no, I'm not going down there. But I'll watch you go." OK, I see this as a challenge. He doesn't think I can successfully conquer this trail, littered with grass, rocks, and other stuff sticking out through the snow & ice.
Off I go! I make it to the bottom with relative ease. Sure enough, I look up, and the guy is still looking at me. I wonder what he was thinking.
My lowlight: My boss called me at 7:30 AM.

Off to Happy Hour...

Disappointment Continues

*sigh* Verna quits again.

Season two of College Hill is on. :-\

First Omarosa, now Verna

Does anyone still watch 'The Apprentice'? We all remember how Omarosa was a huge disappointment last year. She'll forever be known as the Black Bitch who back-stabbed Kwame, and probably cost him the victory. OK. That season was a fluke, right? No more black women embarrasing the entire race on national TV. Especially one that brings down Black man heading towards being the H.N.I.C.

But here comes season 3. The season has just started, and I'm already profoundly disappointed. It's college grads vs high school grads. Book smarts vs Street smarts. Verna is the quietest one on the book smart team. 31, Jackson State grad, MBA, wife, mother, blah, blah, blah. She's on a quest to be Donald Trump's next success story. So of course, every week there's going to be a challenging assignment.
The last assignment had everyone working through the night. I know the show does a lot of editing, but I swear Verna had the least stressful role of anyone on both teams. When she painted, she was given a roller. She asked, "Which side of the paint roller should I use?" Um.... it's a roller!!! Both sides are the same, "DUH!" Anyways, she pitched in, and had little stress, which made her ideal to be the to interact with customer's of her assignment.
So why did this girl just up & quit? She complained that she was tired & hungry, like everyone else was. So she grabs her suitcase, and starts walking aimlessly along the beach in New Jersey. Where are you going? Why are you acting like a punk? Trump's right hand woman on the show, Caroylyn, had to drive around the city to find her. She was able to talk Verna into returning back to the show. When she returned, she told the the team that if they lost, she'll volunteer herself to be fired. PUNK!!! WIMP!!! Unfortunately, her team won. So I'll have future weeks to allow her to disappoint herself, her team, her family, her fans, and receive congratulations from the millions who will use her antics as justification for belittling other black women who strive to achieve.

Vail

I'm off to my second ski trip of the season. I nice long week in Vail, Colorado. It should be a lot of fun. Skiing. Racing. I will be missing Geckogirl. Don't worry, I'll be back by Valentine's Day. :-)