Category Archives: Random rambling

When I posted a few days ago about my high school trip to Kenya, I literally had no idea that there was an ongoing famine in East Africa. A year-long drought has destroyed crops and is putting 12 million people at risk of starvation. Hundreds of thousands of children may die in Somalia if they do not received immediate aid – which is especially hard to deliver because of conflict in the region. How did I not know about this until yesterday? Because our media is inundated with reports of political spats, debt ceiling crises, and Wall Street turbulence. The Dow plunging is not a disaster – a famine where hundreds of thousands may die is a disaster.  This song makes me think about situations like this a lot – especially living in Tahoe which is close to paradise.

Thank you to Jill Biden for drawing attention to this crisis.

How can we help?  I don’t know, it is hard.  I’m concerned about our country’s discourse, but I hope we band together, show compassion and help these people.  One thing you can do is make an immediate $10 donation to help Oxfam America fight against the crisis and save lives by texting “OXFAM” to 25383.  Another thing you can do is sign this petition to get the UN involved.

I had to put myself on a GoPro and blogging hiatus to get some work done.  Then it snowed a lot and I skied a lot and I still didn’t get the work done.  But as of last night… the work is done!  I’ll get some updates up soon, but until then check out this video from a super beautiful day in the backcountry a few weeks ago with great friends and variable snow conditions. 

The beginning of this week has been a series of disappointments, including being outbid on a house (that we really liked) for the 4^th time.  Combined with the lost hour of sleep and the rainy weather, I’ve been pretty grumpy.  When I’m sad, it always helps me to write things down that I am looking forward to, so here they are for everyone to see:

1)      The Irish holiday, St. Patricks Day this Thursday – talked about in a previous post.

2)      Hitting the bag jump at Boreal on Friday!  http://rideboreal.com/winter/mountain_info/bagjump/

Finally a chance to get my backflips dialed safely!

3)      Skiing at Sugar Bowl for the 1^st time since 2002 on Saturday through Disabled Sports USA Ski for All! http://www.dsusafw.org/

4)      The Legendary Kirkwood Banked Slalom!

5)      Telegrass at Sierra At Tahoe next weekend! http://www.sierraattahoe.com/event/8th-annual-telegrass-festival

6)      The Twisted Sister Freeride Competition at Kirkwood April 1-2 http://www.kirkwood.com/site/events/4frnts-twisted-sisters

7)      Heading back east to meet my niece and see one of my best and oldest friends get married while hanging out with my best and oldest friends and family!  And staying at this place in Brooklyn: http://www.nuhotelbrooklyn.com/

8)      So much more, but I don’t want to give too much away!

It is raining in Tahoe and we skied some serious Sierra Cement during the first post-work backcountry run this year – affectionately called Happy Hour due to the extra hour we get from Daylight Savings.  I may put together a funny movie from that run, but what I’m most excited for this week is the airing of my friend Andy’s appearance on “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” this Thursday!  Here is a link to the Facebook advertisement/video: http://on.fb.me/hYxkuD.  It is going to be AHHHHH-MAZING!

Every once and a while something happens that makes you realize how lucky you are.  And it wasn’t landing on my head during a backflip attempt yesterday at Sierra and skiing away unscathed.  Yesterday I was reminded that life is short and uncertain when I found out that a young father and husband lost his 14 year battle with cancer.

http://detnews.com/article/20110225/OPINION03/102250313/Seaholm-coach-lived–taught-by-example

I’m sure everyone will keep his wife and young son in their thoughts and prayers.  It was a reminder to me to be grateful for the time I have and to make the most of it.  Passing kindness and a general lust for life on to others is the best way I can think to honor this person and his family.

I think this quote from “Romeo and Juliet” applies to this heroic man.

“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
That all the world will be in love with night
And pay no worship to the garish sun.”
— William Shakespeare