Wipeout

Snowboarding at Keystone. This is a pretty good approximation of my day on the slopes. I have quite a few spectacular bruises. Might be a while before I get back on a board.

Ski School

This is me, on skis and smiling. I post this picture because this is the first known occurrence of this combination. In the past, skis and I have been like oil and water. Downhill skiing, water skiing... it didn't matter where I was, I did not like the feeling of a big board strapped to each foot. But today, that changed. I took my first cross-country lesson, opting for skate skiing (side-to-side motion) over classic (back and forth motion). As the name implies, to move yourself forward, you push off in a skating motion, as if you were ice skating or rollerblading (which helped me). I had my share of falls, some rather spectacular, but I had a good teacher, and I feel like I started to pick it up pretty quickly. By the end of the day, I was skiing 2-mile loops without falling... very much.

What I liked about this type of skiing is that is more about moving yourself and a lot less about just trying to stay upright. Once I got the motion down, it was pretty easy as long as I concentrated on keeping my weight shifted forward, and the area where I was skiing (Snow Mountain Ranch in Fraser, CO) is absolutely gorgeous. I pretty much only skiied one trail today, but I've got enough gear now that I can go back anytime I want, and I'm already planning my next trip so that I can explore more of the ranch.

That is, if my body ever recovers from today. Ow.

WATCH
Collateral
March of the Penguins/Of Penguins and Men

The Fresh Air Cure

Here's why I'm liking Denver: After moving into a new apartment with my brother two weeks ago, I've spent most of my time outside of work unpacking and rearranging, but I'm not complaining. Being in a place with my own stuff again feels so good. We got hooked up with digital cable this week, so on Friday night we ended up watching the entire third season of Entourage on HBO On Demand. Even after three seasons, that's still a quality show, and probably my current favorite. After vegging on the couch all night on friday, we needed to get out, so last night Doug and I checked out Andrew Bird's show at the Bluebird Theater. I didn't think his set had quite the same energy as his performance at Bonnaroo, but he was still entertaining. And today, for a little exercise, we hopped in the car with a few friends and drove to Eldorado Canyon near Boulder, where we did a 3+ mile hike on a trail that rose nearly 1,000 feet. Not only was it good exercise on a gorgeous day, but it made me feel pretty good about Denver and all the options I have for my free time. If I want to be lazy and watch a bunch of TV, I can always do that. If I want to go see live music, the option's there. And if I want to get out and do something outdoorsy, obviously no shortage of places to do that too, all within easy reach. And after a few weeks of moving boxes, rearranging furniture, and finding spots for all my magazines, a little fresh air was just the thing I needed.

IMAGES
The Illusionist
Entourage: The Complete Second Season
Entourage: The Complete Third Season

WORDS
A People's History of the American Revolution, Ray Raphael

SOUNDS
Andrew Bird/Dosh/Cass McCombs, The Bluebird Theater