Universal Studios

I went to Universal Studios Today.

Seattle

My brief encounter with this city has been quintessentially... well brief. I went to the Space Needle; it was closed for a private function. I went to the monorail station; closed for repairs. Science Fiction Museum? Just plain closed. Pretty awesome city eh? At the Space Needle entrance I did find time for a moment of immaturity as you can see.

We went to see the birthplace of Starbucks and picked ourself up a cup of coffee. When in Rome?






Much of the rest of the day was spent looking for a new pair of shoes. I bought a pair of jeans instead. On my way back to the hostel I noticed Jimi Hendrix is still hanging around Seattle recruiting people to go see him and Jimi Hendrix's best friend playing at a local bar. Funny, I thought he died 37 years ago. Maybe I was misinformed.

Ok, enough of this. Off to Florida.

Taking it to the next level

The exam is over, the results are in. It was a lovely experience finding out as well. They get you all to sit in this room and call you off one by one to hear the verdict- a verdict that seems to take about half an hour each but in reality is more like 5-10 minutes. Of a group of 6 people and through and unfortunate series of rock, paper, scissor games; I went in last. Those before me came back with mixed results and then it was my turn to hear my fate. "Well done James, you got it." He kept talking for another five minutes or so but I didn't really listen to a word. I was happy.

A few of us went out training during the week; pretty important to have a 3rd eye to be able to get a good look at one's riding. A good bunch of people; we have been doing the prep training together for a month or two now so it's a pretty tight group.

We weren't all successful and the celebrations were littered with frustrations; Vicky was so close but didn't quite make it in her riding section. I felt her pain; much of my time spent in the waiting room was preparing myself for the very same outcome.

In a drunken stupor I decided I wanted to demonstrate my elation to the masses and decided to get up on stage and blow everyone away with a rendition of the Overton Berry Ensemble's "Black Bottom". Despite being well aware that I was probably too hammered to hit the notes very accurately, I let them have it anyway. I was a little taken aback when suddenly a bass player and drummer kicked in as my accompaniment; and even more so when the drummer took it upon himself to be my back up singer. My friends tell me it was pretty impressive but then again I have very charitable friends.

Whistler is all said and done. Right now I am sitting in a Hostel in downtown Seattle. My itinerary here? Going up the Space Needle and buying new shoes - pretty exciting huh? Then tomorrow morning jumping on a plane headed for Orlando, Florida. Ah sun, salt and sand - will there be anything sweeter? It is definitely nice to be on the move again. Whistler is a bubble that has finally burst. Ahhhh.

I guess your good vibes worked. Thanks for that pappa.

Excessive snowboarding has its drawbacks

Sure my knees are screwed, I'm pretty much sore/exhausted all the time and that's all well and good but can you see this crazy ass goggle tan I have going here? Jesus Christ!


Admittedly it would seem that alcohol exacerbates the problem... but then what doesn't alcohol exacerbate?

So far the course is going well... ish. It's pretty tough and I have a lot of improving to do. Today, with a severe hangover, I went riding with some others from the course and we did some filming and practice analysing each other's technique. I think I am starting to weed out a few technical aspects that need work and much still remains to be done. Not just in terms of my snowboarding- believe it or not I have to study the manual, design lesson plans and memorise snowboard improvement tactics. I have 3 more days to practice and then, come the weekend. I will know the results. Send me some positive vibes if you can spare them.

Mine Day Hath Arriveth

I start my level two assessment today. The first of four days of learning, practicing and evaluation. It's going to be a tough and most likely harrowing experience for someone who hasn't really done all that much snowboarding; but I plan to rise to the occaision. This will determine how I celebrate my last night in Whistler as the last day of the course and the day before my departure are one and the same. From here it is on to Florida, then back to Montreal to spend a few last alcohol fuelled weeks with the boys. Around mid-May I will be heading over to England and that is as far as my concrete plans reach. As I will be thinking of little else; I will most likely be keeping my progress updated on here for the next 9 days. Wish me luck kids.

Full Circle

From mistake to masterpiece, from accident to accomplishment, from invalid to instructor; I have come full circle. I taught my first lesson today and it went swimmingly. My class went from barely able to stand on a board to linking tuns in less than a full day.

Last night my room mate, Vic, turned 28. Big celebration for the old codger. Dinner party at earls followed by more drinking shenanigans at Moe Joe's Fun was had by all. I presented the old man with a photo album of his time here in Whistler; quite a few pictures he hadn't even seen brought a few smiles out. Another one of my friends is leaving us tomorrow so drinks are again obligatory. I have a feeling that this is going to happen frequently. A feeling that scares me.

des Evennements

I served my first celebrity the other day. All you fans of sex and the city might know him as Anthony but turns out his real name is Mario Cantone and he is remarkably like his TV character. Good times.

As Mexican week approaches the latinos are rolling in> As such I am having to work a bit on my Spanish. Te gusta esquiar? (Do you like skiing?) Is a handy one; if you can call sounding like a retard asking someone if they like skiing when they have just spend $600 on a private skiing lesson handy.

Let us pray that we get more snow over the next few weeks; if it's all icy and crap when i sit my next exam I'm pretty much screwed.

Amen.