Deep Thoughts

Wow... June 22nd was my last post. I'll tell ya', it's been a fast crazy summer!!

I know that I haven't posted too frequently in the past, but that's going to change. I'm going to try to post something every day... or at least 3 or 4 times a week. Feel free to blast me through comments if I don't hold up to my end of the bargain.

A few days ago, something happened that made me think deeply about what it is to be a friend, an acquaintance, or a family member. I read a post from Spicy Little Pi over at Adventures of a Cubemonkey... a sad post. As it turns out, her father passed away on Sunday night.

Now, I visit Pi's blog frequently, and we dialogue through her blog's comments, but I've never met her... I've never spoken to her on the phone... I've never even sent her an email. Yet I know who she hangs out with... I know what she likes to do on weekend (and sometimes during the week)... I know what the inside of her new condo looks like (and what it looked like before she remodeled some of the rooms).

So what does that make her? Certainly not a family member... sadly you don't get to choose those (*Note: I love my family and have nothing agaist any of them... I was very lucky when I was assigned a family. I wouldn't have asked for any different had I been able to). And I can't really call her a friend (at least not in the traditional sense of the term)... remember, I've never actually spoken to her. But acquaintance doesn't seem to fit either... I usually reserve that designation for people I know, but sometimes wish I didn't know ;) She's more like someone I wish I had a better opportunity to know, but circumstantially, it doesn't work so well... someone with whom I KNOW would get along well with and would have lots of great, fun, hilarious times with... but can't.

I think we need to come up with a new term for these types of people and interactions. People whom you've never actually met, but about whom you know a great deal and respect and admire enough to interact with them in some capacity (in this case through comments on her blog). And a special designation for those you know would make a great friend if only they were local.

Beyond all that, I was amazed at how much I was affected by reading her post about finding out that her father had passed. I'm sure she's still away from home dealing with the aftermath of his passing and I hope she knows that my thoughts and prayers are with her (okay, I don't really pray... but you know what I mean). After reading that post, I felt my mood change for the rest of the day. Maybe it was what she wrote... maybe it was the way she wrote it. Regardless, I was deeply moved and saddened for her and couldn't figure out how to convey this to her. Of course I posted a comment on her blog telling her how sorry I was to hear about her loss... but beyond that, I felt compelled to do something for her to help ease her pain.

But what can you do for a person who lives hundreds of miles away and with whom you've only communicated through blog comments??

Well I couldn't think of anything (at least nothing that the comments feature would allow me to do), other than resuming my blog by posting an entry dedicated to her and her father.

So Pi... this one goes out to you. I'm so sorry that your time with your father was cut so short... but remember all the good times you had with him... the holidays, the times growing up, the fatherly advice he gave you and you ignored :)

It's going to be a tough few weeks or months ahead... but know that there are people out there... people you've never met and probably couldn't pick out of a crowd... but they are out there. And they are thinking about you and pulling for you to help you get through. And if you need anything... any advice, any support... any place to crash to get away from it all... know that they will be there for you. And know that I am one of them.

Quote of the Day

I wish I knew more about political history... or really just history in general. Then again, there are so many things that I wish I knew that if I tried to leard 1/3 of it all, I'd have no time to drink beer and enjoy the outdoors. So I try to maintain a delicate balance.

Anyway... I learned a quote today that I really wish I'd heard years ago.

Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the
country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the
people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament,
or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought
to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them
they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and
exposing the country to greater danger.

-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

It seems to hold so much truth to what we've seen over the past few years or so... Now, I know there are a lot of people who feel that the US Gov't had some hand in the 9/11 attacks... either causing them, or at a minimum, allowing them to happen. I'm not one of those people... but if you show me some proof, I wouldn't put it past them.

Honestly, though, I just wanted to put that quote out there for you to read... maybe you never heard it either... or maybe just not for a while. Regardless, it seems like a fairly intelligent statement... unfortunately.

Ski Liberty

I took my sexy little woman snowboarding over the weekend to a little mountain in Southern Pennsylvania called... yep... Ski Liberty.



She had a great time from what I can tell. It's hard to determine if she's being completely honest through the moaning and groaning that comes with a fresh case of whiplash and knees so bruised you wouldn't wish them on a West Virginian trailer park slut trying to climb the ladder in the family business.

Seriously though, she got a little beaten up by the mountain, but that was in the morning... by the afternoon, she had the slopes tamed and under her control. She even conquered a black diamond on her first day out this season. I was quite impressed, not only by her continuous improvement, but by the dedication and determination she exuded. A weaker human would have given up after the third or fourth head-over-heels spill, but she kept getting right back up and asking for more.

You know, it's pretty easy to spoil yourself by going to really nice places and having really nice things... but at some point you realize that although you liked those things a little better than the basics you had before... it's really the basics that you need.

I've been snowboarding for years and years, starting back before there was such a thing as the "X Games" (or a series of videogames dedicated to said games) and many mountains had segregated sections for snowboarders, if they were allowed on the mountain at all. I've ridden the slopes on the east coast and on the west coast, and yes, there is definitely a difference.

But what I noticed this past weekend, is that in spite of all the wonderful mountains I've experienced, carving down the hill where it all started with the woman I love, watching her repeatedly inflict more pain upon herself just so she'll eventually be skilled enough to ride with me on some of the steeper slopes, was all that I really needed to have a great time on my board.

Of course, I'd rather that she didn't get hurt at all, but I'm also a realist and know that you can't just jump on a board and go and never get hurt. So let me warn you now... If you're going out to snowboard for the first time... wear kneepads!!! You'll thank me later.