Social Purgatory

I've been pondering what made Muhammad Ali so intriguing to so many people - and across so many cultural lines. Furthermore, I'm wondering what makes boxing so appealing. Rather than just the brute and gruesome violence or even the strategy and training for competition - I think it has to do with the one-on-one format.

In real life our challenges and matches are hardly ever one-on-one - and even rarer face-to-face. Our opponents don't look you in the face and punch you. They smile in your face and cleverly and very indirectly inflict their damage. Life would be all that much easier if we knew who we were pitted against and vice versa. In all actuality, real life is more like all-out warfare and less like boxing. It's possible we love to watch boxing and see ourselves in the ring facing a single challenge.

The only similarity I see between boxing and real life is the individual. While you're not face-to-face with your opponent trading shots, you are just you. You might have a coach, but really it's just you facing a challenge w/ no real helpful allies. You have to possess both the talent and drive to succeed - even when you're shook and on the way down. No one can either hurt or aid you but what you see in front of you. Your senses don't lie.

I remember this line from Goodfellas. It's in the scene where Ray Liotta feels a gun to his head and immediately knows it's a cop. He knows it's a cop because a wise guy wouldn't have said anything - he'd have just shot you. And that's much more realistic than being in a ring w/ someone and duking it out until you have an undisputed winner. Matter of fact, life would be much easier that way too.

Truth is, life is not that simple and there's a very good reason. If someone tells you they're going to do you in, you can do something about it - therefore making it either more difficult or impossible all together. Sometimes you're just in the way and don't know it. You're just collateral damage for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. No matter the reason, no one's going to tell you anything - they're just going to hurt you. It's not personal right?

It's a game for sure. Either accept it and participate, or hang up and go somewhere else.

What ever happened to the guy who did neither? Did he end up old and incapacitated - or did he laugh all the way to the bank?

My Little Promise

The weather's surprisingly beautiful here in normally rainy Olympia, Wash. So rather than sit inside on my computer as usual or run like a banshee, I'm kickin' right here in town w/ the fam in the sun. Catch us at the park or anywhere else we wanna go.

I promised myself I'd go into hermit mode, but it's not really necessary. I can just set a little earlier and rise a little earlier. The sun is out and we are too!

More? Really?

I remember writing about how absolutely incredible 2009 was right about when the calendar turned to 1010. 2009 was certainly the best year of that decade and quite possibly the best of my life. Literally everything came together for the first time in my life - and for a sustained period.

That's a lot to live up to. By any safe assumption, 2010 couldn't be equal or better than 09' - that's like hitting the lottery twice.

But here I am finishing up the first quarter of the new year on track to exceed the highest points of 2009 by the third quarter of 2010. Better than resurrecting both my Naval and civilian careers, I've moved beyond just resurrection. I'm finally doing what I've been trying to do for at least 5, and in many cases 10, years. My daily life is literally so much of a dream, it's difficult to just manage it w/out becoming star struck at my surroundings.

Revelstoke, Tahoe, SIA and Denver, Vermont, New York State, New Jersey and then the NYC trip and hitting the ground running back here in Washington - it's just too good to be true. Then I get the o.k.

I'm going heli skiing Sunday! And the only thing I can think of is which skis I should bring.

I remember telling Admiral Tyson I just thought my trip in Thailand couldn't get any better. But then every day just got better than the last one - right through the end of the trip. That's become a trend.

I went skiing Tuesday night w/ Zach. It rained so hard we literally wore trash bags. It was hilarious hitting park jumps again - something I never thought I'd do again. Just a week later I'll be picking a line and having a pilot fly me there. This is all so much larger than life.

Mission Accomplished

I was there. Well, I was there at one point, just not when this photo was taken. My mission (getting the hell off that "cursed steel") was actually accomplished days before they departed on what turned out to be a 10-month deployment and one of the biggest black eyes in American history.

Good call eh?

Lucky is more like it. And tonight I'm calling mission accomplished one more time and hoping for some good ol' luck.

Just like in my endless boxing references, this one was more grueling and long than it was glorious and exciting. The fight I'm talking about tonight certainly isn't my finest. In my own defense, this is likely one of the most difficult opponents I've agreed to step in the ring against. I'm not sure if I didn't condition myself enough or what, but I'm certainly not pleased with my performance - even if I win the decision once the judges name it.

You'd think I've come so far from those mundane and petty days on the USS Abraham Lincoln. This stuff should be easy, but it's not. It's not easy at all. It all gets more difficult the more I want it. One of two things happens every time and I'm not sure why either does. I either get so much motivation and energy I win at all costs or I get paralyzed with fear and just can't put in the work needed to win and just stand there. After the first hard hit, I go numb and don't start feeling again till I've long lost the fight.

Let's hope I just get lucky with this one because I got scared and intimidated. The champ went the distance, but was it good enough?

The Beast

The most difficult opponent in life is ourselves.

All our character flaws, inadequacies and down right fuck ups, are here to make sure we don't win the fight. Imagine getting in the ring and stepping into your opponent's punches - not all the time, but enough to come close to losing the fight entirely.

It's literally a self-destructive tendency - yet so many of us do it. Even though we know better, we still make poor decisions. Even though we've seen the consequences so many times before, we still do it. Even though we knew there were close calls, we still do it. Even though we never want to do it again, we still do it.

Somewhere we've got to decide whether these are personality characteristics or a conscious willingness to hurt ourselves. Would life just be too boring w/out it? Is there some underlying fear of success? Is it beyond our control?

As we mature, we stop doing many of the things we used to do - the things that held us back. We learn things like patience - not blowing all your energy in the first minute of the first round. We learn about indirect strategies and how to prepare for a fight before the fight. We learn about ourselves through drills and when to take things serious.

But there some things, like junk food, we just like and do. We do it because on some level it feels good - even though we're getting fatter and will feel worse afterward. Drinking goes right in that basket too. So where is the discipline? All that time in the military and I still haven't developed the discipline to maintain myself for the things I love - including my career.

I'm only somewhere in the third round of the lifelong battle w/ myself. The bell doesn't ring and the points aren't awarded till I'm dead. I'll know I won or lost when my life flashes before me - if it does. But I have to win this round! I cannot step into one more punch and go down - not one more time.

Some people get knocked down early - and a lot. The more you get knocked down, the harder it is to get up and the less likely you are to win. Maybe being fortunate enough to know what I know and have what I have will be enough for me to take the fight seriously - because I know how to win. Now it's just a matter of executing the beast within.

CR Johnson's Freakin' Awesome Life

 

My head is in a million places right now. So here's a promise to a great story about my run-ins with the always entertaining CR Johnson - a person I know as three different people in one lifetime.

Once I get my plate clear and can clear my head - I'll put up my take on CR's freakin' awesome life.

j

The Empire State Building

Yeah - I did.

I had to go there and see it again - for the first time.

If you could only see the last time we were there. I mean literally - it was completely socked in w/ snow and fog. Well that certainly wasn't the case this time.

What a perfect way to say goodbye to the city. I just can't be back soon enough.

What A Trip

I decided to hit up NYC rather than go see Brent again today. My karma must be at an all-time high because today was downright incredible.

We (Lindsay, Hannah and I) started off the day w/ a casual and late pancake breakfast – thanks to Aunt Barb. We wanted to get out early to the city, but didn’t catch the train out of Jersey till about noon.

We arrived at Penn Station just before 2 p.m. Within the first five minutes I held the door for an unsuspecting New Yorker who thanked me with a smile – a constant trend all day.

Similar story at the deli w/ the guy who whipped up the best pastrami and rye sandwich I’ve had in about 10 years. He smiled at me and seemed to know I really appreciated a good sandwich.

Our main goal for today was to hit up the Museum of Natural History. Only $10 and 20 minutes worth a defensive and passive cab ride and we hit it up. Check out the picture gallery. We saw it all and Hannah couldn’t have been happier.

After that we hit up Central Park, where about 18 inches of snow fell just two days ago. There’s a lot to be said about seeing skiers in Downtown Manhattan. Shit was hilarious. Hannah got to run around and throw snow while Linds and I got to take it in.

I set the camera up on a snowman to get this photo. Thanks for the family portrait Frosty!!

After an extended stroll in pursuit of Dean and DeLuca Coffee, we jumped the D Line for the Bronx – Yankee Stadium.

Hannah was a trooper the entire way and charmed our way through the new Yankee Stadium Hard Rock Café and right into the new stadium – after hours. The restaurant manager opened up the doors and walked us in for some photos and a once-in-a-lifetime trip as the only three people in the entire stadium.

Hannah and Dad got the Yankee fan’s best trip – and for free.

We’re on the way back via NJ Transit to Denville. Hannah’s passed out on the seat w/ her new pink Yankees beanie as we approach 2 a.m.  The guy in the front of our train car is gettin’ crunk as he’s just cracked open the third beer of the ride.

What a trip!

 

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

 

You know the rest of how that song goes.

There are lots of people I know who carry around a lot of negative energy. Luckily I know tons of people and I can offset that lot of people w/ even more positive people. That positivity really comes through in the form of happiness.

I had an idea of what this trip would be and it has been anything but what I intended. Rather than the reunion I foresaw, I was hit with the most pleasantly unlikely group. Even more pleasantly and unlikely, but equally appreciated, was their exceptionally positive disposition. The group I reunited with was probably the most negative when I left. Now they seem to be the happiest.

Part of any reunion is we rightfully anticipate learning about our current selves – who we are now relative to who we aspired to be at a certain point in time. This is where people gauge how they're doing in life mostly based on others in a failed attempt to learn something about themselves. Most people want to feel like they’re succeeding and they want to feel it based on their former peers’ perceptions or ambitions.

I think we encountered some of that this time from the more unlikely group. I anticipated not encountering any of this and got on the road for New Jersey this evening very disappointed – even a bit offended and saddened. I certainly didn’t get what I wanted.

Just when it was time to leave, we get my last wish for this trip – a classic Noreaster. These burly winter storms track up the Eastern Seaboard, terrorizing everything in its path with snow, rain and ice. We love them!

So Lindsay and Hannah’s flights were canceled and Southwest gave us the option to reschedule for free. Now they’re headed back to Olympia Saturday and we’re sitting in Denville, NJ about to catch the best part of the storm. There’s something we want.

But the part I needed (and still need) is time to catch up with family and talk about family. This is the reunion for me. I’ll gauge where I’m at in life based on my aspirations the last time I was here in 2003. I’ll also meet people I both respect and love and establish new aspirations. I won’t, however, base my success on the successes or failures of anyone here. The people I’m seeing here radiate success, happiness and positivity – that’s why I love them and came to meet their welcoming arms.

174

That's just a bit too much. Well maybe it's a lot too much.

For a guy who was promising to be in shape for this season and not cut down my skiing experience, I'm not holding up my end of the bargain. I tipped 174 lbs. at Josh and Sara's house this past weekend. That's the largest/heaviest I've been in 5 years.

It's tough to find exercise time being on the road this much. I've done exactly one day of physical therapy and the rest has been ski hab. I'm sure that's not the best-case scenario.

Factor in my inactivity and the Dunkin' Donuts and Vermont/Northcountry maple syrup bender I've been on for the past week and things aren't looking hopeful. A philly cheesesteak last night, greasy pizza in Old Forge, Croghan Bologna w/ local cheddar cheese and venison blueberry sausage for breakfast - I just can't stop. I'm eating ten years work of being deprived of great food.

I need to do something soon. That means I wanna lose at least ten pounds in the next two weeks - most of it will come from eating/drinking more healthily.

Lindsay and Hannah leave tomorrow so I guess I can procrastinate at least one more day of East Coast food I love!!

More Crowd Control

In the ring, it's just you and the opponent. Just you and everyone you let inside your head.

Trouble is, you can't shut out everyone. You'd never learn anything and therefore never improve. This means you'd likely never win.

Conversely, if you let in all the noise, you'll be filled w/ bad ideas and cluttered.

The solution is balance. Achieving this balance comes by learning to filter out the crap and let the good stuff through so you can find a place to use it. We achieve this by learning which information sources we can trust.

If everyone in the crowd says, "watch out," what do you do? If they're booing and telling you you're through - that cut is tool large. Do you believe them? What do they know about boxing? Furthermore, what do they know about what the Champ can do or what he knows?

They don't. They - meaning most of the people. But there are a few folks who have a very strong sphere of influence. You come to trust these people and if they lose faith in you - the results are absolutely devastating.

Trick is - to know yourself enough to press on. No one else is in the ring w/ The Champ. He has to know himself enough to make decisions based on himself. That's how they win. Furthermore - no one else can know who The Champ is blocking and who he's listening to. It's part of the strategy.

This is also part of the fight from within. Sometimes the people we used to listen to aren't worth listening to anymore because we've achieved beyond the help their perception lent us. We must simply block them out and move on.

It's important, out of the ring, to remain respectful and thankful for their help along the way. No matter what - The Champ wouldn't be here or as successful and strong as he is. And for that, any of us ought to be eternally grateful.

What Did the Five Fingers Say to the Face?

And that's pretty much how I can sum up the past few days.

Let's cut down to the real idea here. Why would I care how anyone feels about me? Why should anyone care about how someone feels about them or views them?

The answer is - I don't have an answer. There's no real way to know whose ideas and perceptions you should value. All any of us can do is judge a person long enough to take your best-educated guess at whether they are the kind of person who is worthy of your respect. After that, we can start looking at whether they offer us something - even though we all know judging is wrong.

People influence me every day. I look at them for respectable characteristics until I find at least one - then I strive to emulate it in an effort to become a better person. This is a constant evolutionary process and one I learned just a few years ago. It's served me more than anything I've learned before as it is truly the key to more knowledge and growth.

After finding enough of these qualities in a person, I'm willing to forge more than a casual or acquainted relationship with them. Irony strikes me all the time as I find something or someone more respectable than I imagined I could. That makes me a better person - not better than anyone else, but better than I used to be.

Not everyone feels this way. And not everyone feels this way as long as I have. Many people share this theory with me, but stop at a certain point. A lot of them justify it as "growing up." I call it quitting. They call my lifestyle idealistic or immature.

Either way, being judged hurts. Like a clean slap to the face - especially one you didn't see coming.

"It's All Coming Back"

Go ahead and admit it. You know that Celine Dion song. Matter of fact - it's planted in your head and you can deal w/ how to get rid of it now too.

I've been dealing w/ it all day since I told Lance me how my skiing came back to me today while on the lift at Homewood. And then he dropped the chorus.

Yeah - he knows the words I didn't know.

I've been excessively conservative in the way I've skied for nearly two seasons now. Well that's shedding away and today was really the first time I started getting after it again. I honestly believe a lot of it has to do with the geography. I'm really familiar w/ Tahoe - the terrain and snow type.

I finally spun a three on my new JJs, got crazy comfortable on my ARGs and learned how to ski that JJ in absolutely any condition. I can feel my weakness in my legs, but so much more in my core. I have nearly no abdominal or back strength. It's time to hit the gym and keep going harder. This season is going fantastic thus far, but my physical condition is limiting what I get done for sure. Doing my physical therapy wouldn't be a bad idea either. It's a priority upon my return.

The most important thing is my comfort level on my gear at this point - finally.

Storm Chasing

It's now a family activity!

The Tross Family used to be right in the heart of the storms. Well that was then and this is now. And now we storm chase!

Just look at that monster coming in this week!

Today is Sunday and the Tahoe area is forecast to get 10-14 inches today, 20-30 Monday, a mere 10-18 Tuesday, 32-40 on Wednesday, another 10-16 Thursday and 1-2 on Friday. And in true California fashion - the sun is scheduled for a cameo appearance.

Lance should arrive late tonight and we'll all leave early tomorrow a.m. in the hopes of catching a rain window at Mt. Shasta and heading south through Lassen National Forest. If we miss the window, we could be waiting in McCloud, Calif., for a while. I've got a good feeling about this one though.

Timing couldn't be better to take a mulligan on my busted Expedition Kirkwood story attempt from December. This time I've got more snow, time and resources - minus my photographer. I'll have to find one but it shouldn't be too tough. I have an entire week of killer storm days and sun breaks over the weekend.

Those lucky weekend warriors - haha. Seriously. The Californian weekend warrior is among the most fortunate. But the early bird gets the worm so we're taking off super early tomorrow morning for California. Hoping to shack up at the Coast Guard station on Lake Tahoe. If not, it's commuting from Reno.

Now it's off to base to work on the fabled Subaru. New oil, knock sensor, spark plugs, wipers, fog bulb, floor mats - and of course a couple new car freshener scents Lindsay likes. FUN!!

How Canadia Won My Heart

Operating here under some deadlines and lots of work today, but still forcing myself to log this assignment's highlights for everyone before I move on to another insane assignment - both in Canada.

The people, the mountains, the snow, the terrain, the skiing, the parties and the events over the past three days came together to make covering the Freeskiing World Tour stop here in Revelstoke, BC, the best assignment I've ever been on.




I could go on forever about this place and hopefully I come back soon.

We're headed out in a few hours, but not to worry. It's off to Mustang Powder Cats on the way home with Level 1 Productions. Time to drink some Kokanee, check out some peelers and git keen to give er,' as Mcconkey would say.

Weather Delay

No comp today. And because of the venue change - I might not get to go in the heli. However, I'm still allowed to go as forerunner if I want, but I'll have to hike if I want it that bad.

Whattaya think? Should I go for it?

That's the Venue right up there. I'd have to hike up that far-right ridge. Hmmm. Doesn't sound so appealing anymore.

I'm trying to follow an athlete, who shall remain unnamed until tomorrow's results and I post my final story. If that goes through I won't be doing the forerunner honors, but I'll have to pick a line down this thing. I cna't even see where I wanna go. And from the looks of today's avalanche conditions, tomorrow will be insane.

As of right now - the answer is yes!! Of course I'll go because I'd be insane not to.

The Forerunner

You know what that is?

Me neither - till about two hours ago at the last bar we hit up.

The forerunner is the first person to take the heli to the top of the course and ski down - basically kicking off the event for the day. Well tomorrow is the finals of the Freeskiing World Tour and guess who gets to go first - it's me.

Now I've been able to participate in all kinds of stuff that's made me feel small or stoked - but this is one of those once-in-a-lifetime moments that you'll remember forever. I can't even sleep.

Whether it's tomorrow or Sunday, depending on weather, I'm going in the helicopter to the top of the most difficult course in freeskiing. This is like throwing out the first pitch of the World Series. I'm just blown away at the honor of being the first one after so many of my friends and the other competitors have given so much more than me - not to mention how much more skilled they are than me.

No wasting the opportunity though. I'm in it and I'll just ski the way I know how - but all these incredibly talented people will be (and have been all night) cheering for me.

How did this happen??

For sure to write more in the a.m. afterward.

Canadian Freeskiing Championship at Revelstoke: Day 1

First day in town for Tyler and I was pretty chill. We slept in and spent the afternoon feeling out the town of Revelstoke. We paid a short visit to the Canadian Avalanche Center (awesome operation!) and got ready to spend the following day on the course while KC, Chris and Courtney put down their qualifying runs for the Freeskiing World Championships.


Chris and KC both fell on their runs, but Courtney made it!

Strategy

There's just more to it than planning. There's the execution phase and lots of strategies have phases of execution. But then you have several strategies with their own intricacies and timelines. They independently start and finish on their own linear time lines.

However - they overlap each other and that's where the trouble starts. Those lines are starting to blur and cross and it results in chaos. Organization is the key, but simplicity is quite helpful to good organization.

I probably just answered my own problem right there. Of course that's easier said than done.

When it comes to challenges in the ring - I didn't prepare for this kind of challenge on account of not knowing it existed. I guess those are the surprise hits we need to prepare for. The only thing you know is that there will always be something you don't know and can't readily prepare for aside from being conscious of the fact we don't know everything.

In this case the Champ needs to fall back on the grind to make it through. As in many other situations w/ many other opponents - it's the grind of work that is uniform across opponents to wear them down. He who works harder at the right points will win. This is that part of the fight where the fighting is ugly and the win is important.

All the super-romantic uppercuts and knockouts aren't going to happen. Someone is going down because they couldn't hold on any longer. This is going the distance and tomorrow is no exception.

Be here while being there - all while being available during the pursuit of new matches. That's been the name of the game for quite a while now and will continue.

I just realized an interesting analogy. Landing accounts is like picking fights - it's the easy part. Being strategically superior, being in shape to execute, executing and having experience are the hard part. The successful execution is the hard part. That's the difference between good fighters and great fighters.

The Canadian Marathon

Finally made it - after more than 12 hours on the road. I'm back in Revelstoke for a follow-up story to my report last week on the resort's preparations for the Freeskiing World Tour stop here.

The drive shouldn't have taken the 12 hours it did, but I managed to forget my suitcase in Olympia. So you guessed it. I got across the border only to turn around ten minutes later and head back to Seattle where my lovely wife met me with my stuff so I could get on my way back up here. What a mess.

Furthermore, I woke up early yesterday morning to get a jump on the work I know I need to get done my first day of this trip. Here I am up 24 hours later and one country to the north.

I'm nearly delirious from the drive, but made the whole thing and even managed to get the better portion of what I needed to done yesterday. I've got the next few hours to finish up and then get some sleep. The secret lies in Chai tea - you can do anything on that stuff.

I'll be here for the next few days trying to tie up at least three stories and get them off my plate of things to do. Then it's submitting my school contract, figuring out my MGIB status and sleeping - in no particular order.

T-minus 30

I'm appropriately spending a few of the last minutes writing about - well who really cares?

It's bed time and I'm riding out my 20s in style with a wonderful wife lying next to me, beautiful daughter sleeping down the hall in our rented Olympia house where I also spend too much time working on school, work, Navy and screwing off with an incomplete bachelors degree and budding career.

So I'll start my 30s the way I started my 20s - skiing. Only this time I'm sharing my little tradition with my family.

What more can I ask for?


Bring on the rest of my life!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

My Night Before Christmas

It's about to end as I turn for bed. Morning will come no matter what and Hannah will wake up and open her presents. Then this all goes into history.

Any of you ever realize you will remember something forever - as it's happening?

That's what happened to me this evening while reading five stories to Hannah before bed. One of those stories was The Night Before Christmas.

We decided after a long night at Nana and Grandpa Dusty's house, we'd head home and get the milk and cookies ready for Santa. Then we'd read stories till Hannah got tired. She's listening to Bing Crosby and racked out - thinking of Santa Claus and presents in the morning.

I knew this point would come sometime and imagined it a lot. Now there's reality.

We have no snow for a white Christmas and there's none in the forecast. I'm turning 30 tomorrow, behind on work and about to take the gratuitous bite of cookie and drink of milk before waking up to the best present a person can get - watching your child go nuts Christmas morning.

I'm just glad I thought to take the time to document this incredible feeling. It's everything I ever hoped it would be. I really have a family - one so much better than I could ever have imagined.

Merry Christmas to all - and to all a good night.

Christmistory

I've always enjoyed studying history. It's the story of existence. Everything we know can only be relearned by studying history. It's fascinating - especially when it's true.

Here's a recent post from a former history teacher of mine. It's perfectly fitting considering all the perceived truths surrounding Christmas. Everyone in the world can celebrate one universal theme no matter what you believe - spending time with loved ones and taking at least one day out of our busy lives to share joy.

Here's what Joe Cavalli has to say about it:

"Sol Invictus! Happy Birth of the Sun...The date affixed to the birth of Jesus has varied and still does. Early Egyptian Christians celebrated Christmas in April, and the Armenian Church still rejects the 25 December date in favor of 6 January (Epiphany). - The most popular ancient Roman festivals were Saturnalia (1-2...3 Dec) and the Birth of the Sun, 25 Dec. celebrated by those in the Cult of Mithra.

In a pragmatic move, 4th cent. Pope Julius I set the birth of Jesus on the same day as birth of the sun. - The first religious nutjobs, not the last in America i.e., Puritans, banned Christmas since there is no mention of the date of Jesus' birth date in the Bible. St. Francis Assisi gets credit for inventing the Nativity scene and St. Boniface was... See More first to cut down the god Thor's tree(yule). Martin Luther revived the popularity of the pagan Yule tree. Don't forget to thank a pagan today. Most of our Christian traditions, dates and celebration originate with them. Merry Christmas."

Last Call?

Every time I hear this track, I think of my fucking incredible struggle to make a splash in the ski industry. Much like Mr. West - I've made the impossible happen while destroying it in the process. His Last Call track always catapults reflection of my own developing story as I break into the ski industry.

Much like any of these hip hop icons, I've been breaking into my own industry. Every up and every down feel equally substantial - everything could build or bust off this move.

Bottom line is there's something that makes my heart beat about the whole thing - skiing. I don't know how I ended being driven to this sport or the industry and lifestyle surrounding it. Sometimes I just wish I could have a coaches' rating to gauge my influence. Those guys don't realize how fortunate they are to see their record or true rating or a quantifiable number.

I can travel from 95th to 40th in a matter or hours. So can anyone, but it's stressful - no doubt.

Whether it be going from Navy deck ape to journalist and public affairs specialist or from measly Powder intern to account executive with Hayter PR - it's a success story and it's all mine. Maybe my story doesn't sound like Kanye's, but it certainly sounds similar and feels likewise.

In my own defense  - I'm still yet to meet anyone who's gone from my beginnings to my current state. Yeah, that statement could be considered arrogant or conceited. But in reality, I did it - no one else.

Fair nuff I guess. As much as I don't wanna finish this press release tonight, my previous work bought me the ability to push it off till the a.m. - if nothing else.

I wonder what that alone puts my rating at...

Revelstoked

The closer to 30 I get the closer I get to Revelstoke!

It's hard to believe I'll wait till I'm 30 to go cat or heli skiing. Not that anyone should feel a heli skiing trip should come before the big 3-0, but because I've worked so close to the industry for so long and so many of my friends have gone already.

Well by no means am I bitching. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and events come - well you get the idea. And the fact I'll be doing both likely more than once this season leaves me more than humbled. I'm a bit disappointed in myself for being out of shape for next week's Revelstoke trip. But let's be honest - I'm really celebrating being 30 and still skiing - two things that just didn't seem like they'd be mixing.

Lastly, I think it's about high time I celebrate success. I'll dive into this a bunch more in a later post, but 2009 is clearly the best year I can remember. It just hasn't stopped and I'm finally starting to believe I can continue doing it. I've never been this far down the road before and the scenery is beautiful.

So I'm sending 2009 out the way it deserves - from Nelson, BC at Revelstoke. May it be from the chairs, cats or helis - I'm sure to have a trip to remember!

Debacle For the Holidays

I'm at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in Reno about to board my flight to Oakland - and finally on to Seattle.

My plan was to jump a much cheaper (free) flight from Travis AFB between Sacramento and San Francisco. That flight got canceled last night - just the icing on the cake for this trip. Despite my best efforts, everything from the time I first started working, turned into another ski-related story assignment failure.

Day one was relaxing after KC drove the entire trip from Olympia to Reno - via Bend, Ore. The second day brought heavy snow shile shooting KC Deane and 4bi9's Dave Eulerat at Northstar  with legendary outdoor photographer Bill Stevenson. My post-surgery knee kept me timid while dust on rocks coverage kept the athletes falling on themselves and risking it in December. Even though it was dumping - the snow just wasn't deep enough. At least Bill came away with some shots I can submit.

Luke, Andy, Mitch, Ben and other great friends from Reno took me out for drinks that night at Reno's Biggest Little City Club followed by a brief stop at 

My buddy Blake came down to Reno amidst the first storm Friday night to pick me up and head back to King's Beach and crash at his house for the night. Good plan. We got about another foot at lake level overnight and the snow took a break that morning to allow us to get to the mountain. That break, in reality, was incredibly short - so short it was more like a glimmer of sunshine for a few minutes. Then the snow resumed and continued to pound the mountains.

Best day of the year so far - and it's still only mid December. Not too shabby. I stepped it up a little too big sending it a bit more than 20 feet. Wasn't the wisest move, but I just wanted to feel out the new JJs - which are by far the best skis I've been on thus far. I missed hte ARGs a bit in the fresh pow, but for everything else it was JJ coming through - especially in the chop and crud. That skis just makes it happen!

I did one more day at Alpine w/ Luke, Andy, Ben and Mitch - which by the way are about the funnest doods you can roll anywhere w/. Partying my face off with them my second night in Reno was no exception to my previous statement. Unfortunately we split ways early on when I met up w/ Rory "The Reno Quake" Clements. Rory, Blake and I got after it for a while before that 20+footer started to catch up w/ my knee. I called it early and tended to the developing debacle of planning that became of my story at Kirkwood. We left the mountain w/ a 70-percent chance of things going close to what I intended.

Later that evening I realized the whole thing was going to implode aside from our lodging and one day's worth of passes. Rory, Blake and I hit up beers on the way to Kirkwood and ended up meeting up w/ Mandi-with-an-I. She's the girl from the Line Mothership ski. That's right - she's the one holding up the boombox. We hung out for a bit and drank a bunch of cheap beer before calling a night.

About four hours later I woke to the sounds of explosives ripping out snow in the zones we were supposed to ski. Being that the whole story imploded - I just skied around w/ Annie and Bill after his amazing photo shoot w/ KC in the permantly-closed Cirque. Despite the whole story falling through, we had an awesome time.

We all skipped skiing the last day and headed north to Truckee where I stayed the night w/ Bill and Annie in their new condo. What a beautiful place.

Just before bed I called to verify my flight status out of McChord. Good thing cause they canceled my flight and I had to purchase one out of Reno. Disaster averted and I was on  the plane the following morning.

Now I'm sorting through my notes and interviews to get something up on the skiing website. Only problem is that it's bedtime and I'm out of gas. Ugh. Maybe one story...

A Moment's Notice

 KC was turning to walk out my front door when he snickered and half-kiddingly said I should come w/ him back to Reno.

So I did.

And I pitched four stories to my editor - three of which were picked up and now I'm on assignment. Then I got the forecast for flights from Travis Air Force Base near Sacramento to McChord Air Force Base near Olympia. Looks like I'm in luck - knock on wood. KC drove from Oly to Bend, Ore., where we met w/ Rage Films' Dan Norkunas and his girlfriend Amy at the Deschutes Brewery.

We stayed the night at Dan's house in frigid Bend where the regional temperatures dipped below -25 Fahrenheit. They were still about -10 degrees this morning as we left to check out the very impressive
Rage Films offices/studios. They have everything from administrative offices to corporate conference meeting rooms and complete green screen room w/ 20-foot ceilings to a complete music recording studio. Rage has everything any media professional could ask for.

From Rage it was onward to Reno. KC ponied up to drive the entire leg while I attempted to get work done tethering internet from my iPhone - which worked surprisingly well considering we were somewhere between rural Oregon and rural California and Nevada.

And about 36 hours after 30 minutes worth of planning I'm here in Reno and ready to go. First big snow storm is scheduled for Saturday into Sunday. Nailed it yet again!

The End of the Beginning

As his world crumbled around him - he stood atop the stoop in downtown Washington D.C. - clearly intoxicated and boldly proclaimed how he was meant for bigger and better things.

Staring up at the high-rise buildings and central power of the nation's capitol - he wasn't just drunk and spewing random garbage. He was serious. He was dead serious - and from 1999 to now it finally took its course. What a struggle it's been for him. His friends and colleagues were all moving forward onto the places of their design - but not him. The road less traveled became his advantage. That road of ridicule, chastise and alienation is the strength of the thread that holds his life in balance.

So tonight I thought of him. I toasted a glass to success tonight, but my real toast was to that 19-year-old kid. Because he was right and he deserves nothing less. Yesterday and today are those days he imagined where his ideas not only mattered, but made a difference. If there was a dream come true - these past two day were it. Thanks to that kid whose energy, passion and commitment surpassed everyone's. The best part is - it's all just getting started.

At A Store Near You

Go ahead and grab that issue of Freeskier. Open up to the travel section and check out the story about Mt. Baker. I wrote that.




Across North America (and probably some other locations) people are picking up that very same issue and thumbing through my story. What a feeling.

Sadly, it's been about three years since I walked into the Tahoe City Albertsons with Wendy, grabbed the latest Powder Magazine and pointed to my name in it.

I didn't realize how great and beneficial that experience is. Authors love seeing their bylines and names in books for lots of reasons. The most common reason I suppose is vindication - some editor (credible writer) thinks my work is good. The. There's the fueled ego. This is where the author's head swells as large as their ego. Both of those reasons are long in the past for me.

This time feels like no other before. This time I've proven to myself I can still do it. This time I know I can write a better piece if I put more effort in. Now I truly know what it means to put on the kind of effort required for the kind of product I want.

It's been a long four years since I created quality magazine copy - long enough to doubt my ability to ever do it again.

I needed this. I needed this positive energy and forward motion to produce more positivity and forward motion.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Relax - It's Just the Holidays

Seriously. What should be the happiest season of the year turns into the most stressful time of year as we overcomplicate things.

Well there's something to be said by complicating the holidays w/ a knee surgery. What I genuinely believed would be a hinderence is turning out to be like a vacation at home. I've spent the last three days sitting on my ass w/ Vicodin and Oxycodone. And even though I'm on a vacation to the couch via lethargia, I'm getting all kinds of work done and not getting worked up in the process.

Now I'm not much of a social creature in this condition, but things are going by just slow enough to digest while not getting too excited to use my new lower limb.

Then there's the stress of my concern about the long-term effects of my knee injury. A lot more than just skiing rides on my knee. My career and health ride on it too. I've been so sedated w/ these pain meds I can't even begin to digest how dangerous this all is to my career. One bad knee can sink everything.

On that note - things are still looking good. I've managed to stay afloat w/ my work at Hayter PR and even expanding to new clients like Evolve Chile and a couple others left unnamed. The Navy is coming along as well as I've been offered an AT in Cambodia for two weeks this summer.

Heli skiing in Washington, skiing in Whistler, one week in Tahoe, two weeks in New York and Vermont (w/skiing), two weeks + in Chile and two weeks in Cambodia - suffice to say 2010 is shaping up quite nicely.

Reporting From LaLa Land

There's something to be said about writing while high. Actually there's quite a bit to say in this case.

I just got back from my knee surgery a couple hours ago. As my earlier blog post described - I went in to have a 9mm-long piece of foreign debris removed from my right knee. The piece has been floating around my joint for at least five years now.

We're not exactly sure where the piece came from. However wholeheartedly believe it is from a dislocation I suffered around March of 2004.

I underwent surgery for the injury with a doctor I really didn't like or trust, but I was on the Navy's dollar and feared further chastising/harassment if I didn't just follow through w/ surgery. The doctor's bedside manner was atrocious and he repeatedly tried convincing me there was nothing wrong w/ my knee - even though it occasionally and inconsistently swelled to the size of a grapefruit after or during physical activity like running or sometimes skiing.

Having already undergone corrective surgery on my right knee - I was familiar w/ the recovery procedure. This time was a bit different though. Rather than feel relief in the joint, I felt pressure. Also, as I began physical therapy and bending, I could feel some kind of muscle protrusion from the underside of my lower-inside quadricep. That muscle never grew back despite my working hard at it and within a few months I began to notice this protrusion moved around. Since then, I've always had a loose piece float around in my knee.

It broke free and moved around for the 05,06,07,08,09 and what felt like again yesterday.

I had an MRI a couple weeks back showing the foreign body at the back of my knee in what appeared to be a fluid sack.

Well Dr. Helpenstell didn't find the object, but found lots of arthritis and smaller debris which he feels is generated when my knee cartilage is forced to rub together. He vigorously searched for the large piece, but couldn't find it.

I'm hoping what he sucked out of the joint was the remnants of that 9mm-long piece - having smashed it to smitherenes yesterday while shredding pow at Crystal. If not - I'm up for another surgery. Let's just hope we get it.

Here's what an arthritic knee looks like - and at 29 years old...

Mr Fix It

You'll notice I'm not skiing in this picture taken at Crystal Mountain yesterday.

And after four days of skiing this season - I won't be skiing for at least another month.

That's because I'm headed for the hospital and knee surgery #3. Trust me when I say there are better hobbies than counting your knee surgeries.

This is my pledge to myself and every other poor sap who's had to deal w/ me being too out-of-shape to ski with.

I'm not only going to do all of my physical therapy, but get into shape in the process. Honestly, there are a lot of other people who have injuries and machine their way through rehab. Why haven't I?

So Dr. Helpenstell is going to fix my knee and I'm going to fix the rest.

Now everyone knows why I'm going to be a bit out of touch for the next week or so.

Charging The Batteries

I decided rather than join Lindsay and Hannah at Costco with Lindy, I'd have a fresh beer at the Fish Tale.

My plug near the fake fireplace was occupied and I felt obligated to chat w/ its occupier about the differences between his new droid phone and my new iPhone. My laptop expired while chatting and now I get to use my iPhone to blog since I can't work.

Good news is I get to screw off and have a good beer (or two) for a while. That seems to charge my batteries.

Now if those people would just leave so I can have that plug!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

No Shame in My Game

The more I do this the easier it gets - shamelessly plugging myself of course.

What used to seem conceited or egocentric is now part of my daily routine of writing about myself and airing out probably more than I should in order to maintain an active online presence and personality.

But there's something undeniably cool about walking into Barnes and Noble, picking up a magazine and reading your own story. It's even better when someone else does it and you get to watch their reaction. That's the best.

The last time I did this was back at Powder in 2005, so getting back in the game is really rewarding. I've got four stories coming out this season in ski magazines. Factor that plus the Navy work and I'd say it's been quite the productive year - probably my best ever.

So go grab the latest issue of Freeskier Magazine. Read my piece about Mt. Baker. I promise it's a goody!

Lastly, there's something very satisfying about life in general right now. It's taken a lot of work to get here, will take more to maintain this level and even more to move to the next level. In due time I suppose.

Maybe that entry the other night about going the distance is ringing true. The struggles associated w/ getting these stories into print are finally over. In many ways it's difficult to sit back and appreciate this achievement while trying to hard to get more for next year.

I suppose it's time to sit down, watch my new ski video and drink a beer. Yeah, that sounds like a plan.

Opening Day

The best I can remember, November or December 1994 was my first opening day experience.

I felt and looked great with new gear I got from mom and dad. We went to Dave Jones Sports in Kingston, Ontario for my first real complete setup - K2 SX Extreme Skis w/ Rossignol race boots and Tyrolia bndings.

Opening Day came at Dry Hill and I was there - and three to four days every week thereafter.

Every opening day since has been a high point in the year.

15 years later the phenomenon continues. Read about it as the cover story of yesterday's Yakima Herald - opening day of truly sharing my life's passion w/ the people I love most.

Read about it here!

The Big Test

I was sitting here in my Navy Lodge hotel room last night with no internet on this computer. In a move of complete desperation, I turned to the television. Rather than watch The Godfather III on AMC, which I was a bit too tired to jump into, I turned to UFC on Spike.



As many of you know, this is anything but normal for me. But it got me thinking about life and going the distance again. These two fighters were pummeling the hell out of each other. It’s really brutal, but I found some respect for both of them because there’s a certain dedication involved with trudging on.

And it’s that very reason I’m writing this morning. I don’t want to write. I’m fresh out of ideas. My give-a-damn’s depleted and that jeopardizes a lot - just like if there were an opponent waiting for this kind of vulnerability to take a shot.

Sometimes fighters just keep going because they know exhaustion is temporary - as is the pain.

Relative to the UFC, suddenly cranking out words on a page suddenly doesn’t seem like too much of a challenge.

Coming Clean

I have to admit, the main purpose of this entry it to make an entry.

Just to add some substance, I'll go over some things that keep me working rather than blogging.

First thing is all next year's press releases for K2. There are a ton of them and correspondingly a ton of skis to learn about. I wrote a lot about each ski for Armada and now a I write a little about a lot of skis.

Next was K2 Skates, then Lindsay coming home, our house warming party, finishing up the house, following up on Navy items (including the pressure to drop my commissioning package), strategy for my ski industry career, new clients, MRI for upcoming knee surgery, networking trips to Seattle, meetings in Seattle w/ K2, Ski Washington and evo, social time, a new garage door - the list just goes on.

The new focus is turning to this ski season. I feel a sudden motivation ot make the most out of it - basically ski more and charge harder than I have in years. Something just feels different - or maybe it feels more familiar.

I've got the rest of 29 to prepare for the big 30.

New York Yankees

Mariano Rivera is about to throw the last fast ball of the American League Championship Series against the Angels.

Mariano, Jeter, ARod, Petit - it's the house these guys built.

Long live the dynasty!

The iPhone Blog

Here,s the first blog from. The new iPhone.

Lets just say 21st-century life is incredible.

Lindsay loves hers so too, so that means we'll be keeping them.

Please stand by while I get used to this incredible piece of technology.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Yorkturgon!

I try not to write about Hannah very often. Tonight was just way too incredible not to.

Hannah is my 4-year-old daughter - of course my favorite person. She is undeniably the most incredible kid in the world. Not only is she gorgeous, but her quirky and incredibly genuine and pleasing disposition forces anyone she meets to fall in love with her - instantly.

Take tonight for example. We did our weekly shopping at Trader Joe's. A woman stocking the shelves actually remembered us because of how Hannah told everyone she met there about how great her daddy makes her ponytails. And it's all genuine. Tonight she had her own Hannah-sized shopping cart and explained to everyone how much she loves it. And everyone, even the most ornery Olympia hipster, immediately changed to a happier person - something she does to me every day.

Well tonight I finally got to meet her new friend Yorkturgon. That's what she named him - right after she made him up.

We thought she made up Yorkturgon a few weeks ago while we were in Portland, but then she started calling one of her dolls Yorkturgon. As of tonight - she started talking to Yorkturgon, introduced him to me and then had a tea party and picnic here in the living room.

Just another reason why having a kid is the coolest thing to happen in my life.

Choose One

Do I really have to?

I keep telling myself I can defy the laws of reason and maturity by believing I can have my cake and eat it too.

There are worse decisions to make and definitely worse situations to be in - I've been in plenty of them. And by that I mean having no opportunities to pursue what I love.

Balance is the solution. Finding that balance between all the things I love is the challenge. Everyone faces some form of the same challenge.

Sometimes I wish there were waypoints you could save along the path of life - points where we could reset the game and start over again from. This point would be one of them.

Maybe what I should realize is how good things are going right now. Yeah - that's it.

Big Ups!

Here's a KC Deane/Joe Briggs Collaboration in the latest issue of The Ski Journal. Read more about it on KC's blog:
www.kcdeane.com

Not Quite Like The Greatest

  I love the feeling of a good win - false as it might be.

Work is really starting to ramp up and I haven't had a lot of time lately to just chill. This coming week will be no diferent.

I set up my old Playstation and Sega Genisis the other day as I was unpacking the rest of my office. And there they were - all the games I'd spent countless hours hacking away at while I should have been studying. I couldn't resist.

They're so much cooler now because I still know the games by heart! Beat the game in one sitting - no problem. Then you remember how hard it was to beat this guy and how it used to piss you off.

"Well not this time Mike Tyson - your ass is mine cause I'm sooo good now!!!"

And it really does make me feel better.

Truth is, I know there's a sequel to that game that could destroy my Lil' Mac character.

All this made me think about my career. It's easy to feel good about winning things we know we can win. Beating Iron Mike is easy if you've done it before. But going back to the games I didn't beat and either beating them or learning how is what truly makes us better.

It Really is a Song Title

So for some reason when I tell people we just moved to Olympia, Washington, their first response is increasingly referring to some song that someone like Courtney Love did about this place.

Well yes - it's true. Courtney Love made up some lyrics about this place - although I'm pretty sure she never really did go to school here. Her late husband lived here for a while and I think that's gotta be what started the indie hipster scene here.

Anyhow, we like it here - no matter what Courtney Love said about it. I will give her this - all the "different" kids are really all the same the more they try to be different.

I found the lyrics to that song. It really does exist and isn't half bad.

When i went to school in Olympia and everyone's the same
And so are you in Olympia and everyone's the same
We look the same, we talk the same
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Won't you please make me real oh no
Make me real oh no
Make me real oh no
Hurt me
I went to school with Calvin
Hey, hey, hey, hey
And what do you do with a revolution
I went to school in Olympia
Baby, baby, baby, baby
And everyone's the same
And so are you in Olympia
Won't you please make me real, make me sick
Make me real, make it stick
Make me real
Do it for the kids some more
Fascist sexists
I went to school in Olympia
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Dr. Muir Wrote the VW Bible

This book came w/ my Westfalia. I read the first 100 pages in one sitting. That's gotta be some sort of record as I usually don't make it through the prologue.

I'll be researching within it for the cause of my fire although I think it was covered in the 100 pages I read. Author Dr. John Muir says the fastest way to burn up your aircooled VW is to drive it in too high of a gear around town. He specifically uses the third gear at 30 mph scenario. 

I have a sneaking suspicion Charlie Brown (not me) was running his motor too hard in too high of a gear. However, it was the only way it would even hold even close to a highway speed - all of 45 mph in 4th gear.

Here's my thesis - the aircooled van was overheating because the fan, which runs off the crank shaft, was not spinning fast enough to cool the motor. It doesn't explain what made the  engine compartment spew flames.

Chuck's new doctor, Bill at German Engineering in Olympia, suspects a wiring problem - basically a short that caused the motor to respond the way it did and finally caused the spark. He also suspects he can resurrect Chuck.

I wonder what the late Dr. Muir would have to say about trying to resurrect Charlie Brown.

"And the Flames Went Higher"

I didn't realize it was buring till I pulled over on the side of the road.

^This poor Westy didn't make it. Luckily that's not mine.

Just an hour before hand I'd picked Hannah up from school with Charlie Brown as promised. No sooner had I opened the door and she ran to the van, stretched out her arms and gave it as best a hug someone can - especially for a four-year-old.

Now Chuck was running a little bad as we left Aberdeen for the new house in Olympia - packed up with Lindsay's new iMac and most of our more valued posessions. I had to get the van up to Oly so I could work on the fuel starving issue. Basically it wouldn't take but a few gallons at the pump and then spew the rest.

I stopped about 1/4 of the way to Olympia to fill up my extra gas tank. I carry two extra gallons since the gas gauge is broken. One mile back on the highway poor Chuck could hardly hold 40 mph, so I stopped to let him cool down and breathe a bit.

Hannah wanted to know what was going on and so did I. No sooner had I noticed flames coming from the motor and tail pipe, jumped back inside, snatched her out - all while thinking about the fresh two gallons of gas sitting directly above the motor/fire.

I could have faught the fire w/ Hannah's tears as she cried for Charlie Brown, "he getting fired Daddy, Charlie Brown is buring all up!"

All our stuff and beloved Westfalia were going up in flames till a motivated citizen stopped to help out. I told him to leave the damn thing alone because of that gas, but he managed to use a balled up sweatshirt to get the back hatch open and removed the motor cover.

Just then, the first of two cops showed up w/ functioning fire extinguishers and hit the motor.

"Boy you're lucky we got that thing out," he said as flames started coming out of the dash board vents.

That's when he covered my dash and seat w/ fire retardant. I cringed as Hannah happily thanked the officers and firemen for saving her Charlie Brown. Maybe seeing things from Hannah's perspective is the best for this situation.

Chuck is now at the VW hospital of German Engineering here in Olympia. Bill, my new mechanic, says he can bring Charlie Brown back to life again. Actually, he used the term "resurrect."

Good thing.

The Attacks in Bremerton

Millions of people are recounting what they were doing this day, and likely this time, eight years ago.

Well I was here at Naval Station Kitsap (then called Naval Station Bremerton) - better yet trying to get here. The lines were three hours long. All anyone was trying to do was get to work knowing we were under attack. All anyone checking ID cards at the gate was trying to do was keep people out. It was a mess.

Right about this hour, Ryan Hicks, Barb Silkwood, Dave Rush and myself were glued to the television on board USS Abraham Lincoln in the ship yards here. Ironically Lincoln is currently back at the same berthing it was that day, and the public affairs staff is likely doing that very same thing this morning.

Just before the second tower fell - Dave Rush ordered us to turn off the "idiot box" and get back to work. He felt getting out the ship's newspaper was top priority. I'll never forget that as much as I won't forget the towers coming down and wondering if the attacks would continue to include our ship - the only aircraft carrier paralyzed in the ship yards.

Even as we turned back to work, I never realized how many lives the attacks would affect beyond the people who died that day - let alone my own. Lindsay and I got married less than a week later because of it. I couldn't listen to fireworks w/out thinking about attacks. I immediately began serving during war time. Of course the list goes on. Even today, I came back here to this base to be here because of what happened then.

Seeing the USS Abraham Lincoln in the yards and USS John C. Stennis pierside rotating radars tells me things are different for those Sailors. Now we're all either just waiting or expecting.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap: Van Jones Scent

America can learn a lot from Van Jones by learning a little about that crazy guy who keeps you tingly in the shower and wrote that label you read while on the can. (Click to enlarge the photo).

Dr. Bronner was an incredibly eccentric dood. He descended from a long line of German Jew soapmakers and continued his family's tradition here in the states.

Among other notables, Dr. Bronner was diagnosed as insane and admitted to an asylum, although he just had a different take on people, life and spirit.

This is America, and he's allowed to be as eccentric or crazy as he wants to be. No matter how much he felt we needed to subscribe to the Moral ABCs, wake up and respect God's spaceship Earth and our brothers and sisters as well, it never interfered w/ his making kick-ass all-natural soap.

Millions of people still use his his now infamous castile soap for a myriad of applications - from bath soap to laundry detergent and toothpaste to carpet cleaner. Most people don't agree with his views, but he made some seriously awesome soap.

Well the same can be said for Van Jones. Mr. Jones' ideology is as radical as they come. He is not a politician by any means. He is an activist. After having studied Van Jones before he was appointed to Green Jobs, I could understand this. His radical and fresh ideas were just what this failing economy, built upon unhealthy and unsustainable practices needed - and now was perfect timing.

Things are changing as we rebuild our economy. Infusing more environmentally friendly practices makes sense. Creating jobs for displaced blue-collar workers makes sense. Creating new industries to help this country in the short and long terms makes sense. Cleaning up our industries is good.

I'm buying what he's selling when it comes to green jobs. But that doesn't mean I have to buy into everything he does or believes.

After all, we're all one trying to save God's spaceship Earth right? Maybe Dr. Bronner wasn't so nuts afterall.

The Edge of Never

 Eric Iberg hit me up the other day w/ an idea. How bout' premiering this movie in Olympia at the Capitol Theater. The answer is yes - because the very people in this story impacted my life so much.

One of the first things I remember from my first big ski assignment was meeting then Powder Magazine Editor Derek Taylor early 2004.

DT and I shared a couple beers and he told me about this kid running around. He was the son of the big-mountain pioneer and legend Trevor Petersen.

That was the definitive point where I knew the skiing world was something I'd be involved with for the rest of my life.

Trevor, like many other mountain men, died skiing the mountains he loved so much. His son Kye was not left alone afterward. Rather, he was proudly raised by his mother and father's friends and admirers - including a very proud Derek Taylor.

I admired DT's sincerity and commitment and agreed to work at his magazine the following year where Kye started showing up in ads, photos and stories.

All eyes have been on Kye as he matures into one of the most talented skiers on the planet. He teamed up with the late Peter Jennings and author Bill Kerig to produce a documentary of his journey to the very same run that claimed his father.

He is joined by his father's friends - ski legends Glen Plake and Mike Hattrup, Eric Pehota and others to go after a dream. Who isn't inspired by that?

So I'll be trying to put this showing together over the next few weeks. Wish me luck and come to the show!

Really Simple Syndication (stoopid!)

Well that's what RSS stands for - Really Simple Syndication.

And I finally got it working for this here blog thanks in no small part to Mr. Craig Wheeler. He found my silly error and now we're rolling!

You've probably seen this nice little icon all over the place and wondered what it is. Well it's how you subscribe to blogs. You click that little sucker wherever you see it and VOILA!

Now you get your favorite blogs (like Motion) fed to you every day.

Anyone w/ a Gmail account already has one of these in place. So just click that orange RSS icon and it will run you through the process. Then go to your Gmail homepage and look at the options across the top of the page. You'll see one called Reader. Click it. You can use that reader to view all your RSS feeds.

If you don't already have Gmail, I highly recommend it - no attachment size limits, chat, nearly unlimited storage and a plethora of other awesome stuff. Did I forget to mention the best spam filters?

RSS is great in the way it gives each of us the ability to publish our work. It's also a great way to get news and check up on your favorite sites w/out spending hours surfing and remembering through your bookmarks.