They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Due to this, I must regretfully inform you that I have some kind of skiing related insanity. Besides continuously going out skiing and never improving as far as I can perceive, another symptom seems to involve developing a goldfish memory, were it doesn't matter what kind of day I've had on the mountain-a great day (there have been a few of those), an okay day (lots of those) or an entirely miserable, infuriating day (a few of those) were I actually shout insults and profanity as I ski and if any alarmed passersby heard me and asked who I was talking to (I'm always alone when this is going on, it's part of the insanity remember) I wouldn't be able to say whether it was my legs, my boots, the snow, the mountain and its tall steepness....or a combination of all of these-I still finish skiing and about an hour later think how much I'd like to go again, and what I'll do differently this time which will cause everything to fall into place and I'll suddenly be amazing at it! Insanity, right?
So, as you may have guessed from my skiing musings, after my last post everything did indeed come together here in Steamboat! I got a barista job with the resort and Laura and I both started work, I got my seasons pass and the onset of the skiing insanity began, and getting desperate about housing we thought we'd stop by the staff accommodation in person, just in case, and when we arrived they said "What perfect timing! We just had a space for two girls become available, if you'd come even a few hours later we would've filled it, but you can move in today!" So we moved in on Christmas Eve, into our lovely and very affordable apartment. It was a great Christmas present.
Now we're fully integrated into our lives in this stunningly beautiful place. When I work the early morning shift I stand outside work for a few minutes on my way in, watching the groomers make their last pass over the slopes, like some kind of giant animals running up the mountain with their impossibly bright lights illuminating the snow. I admire the very earliest hint of the sunrise providing just enough light to see the snowy tree line along the top ridge of the mountain, but not enough to drown out all the stars above it. On my way home from the late shift one evening I was walking along through the staff apartment buildings, snow squnching (yes, that is the sound it makes, squnch) quietly underfoot, when I turned a corner and there was a fox, standing in the middle of the road. I actually gasped (he was the first fox I've seen in the wild, with the exception of a brief glimpse of one from the Greyhound on our way into town, trust me, he was gasp-worthy), he was much more cool and casual. We stared at each other for a few minutes, then he walked off behind the snow drifts, moving in complete silence. Then you go out skiing and ride the lifts above trees wearing snow like the ladies around here wear fur coats and stand on the top of the mountain looking out across the other mountains and valleys all the way to Utah next door and just think "WOW", every time. Then you get to ski down said mountain, and go to happy hour with friends. It's a pretty amazing way to live, what else is there to say?
