The Next Step

Things are wrapping up here in Canada. Nick has gone back to Wales to save some cash before he joins the Navy (I know, retard right?). So things are pretty quiet around the apartment these days; and gone is the tempation to go out drinking. Damn British and their alcoholic ways. Little old innocent me is susceptible to suggestion you know! Here is a picture of Nick last night in town and me saying "look at this tool, leaving the life of a ski instructor to go get his rectum stretched on the high seas".

Finding someone to replace him and ease my burden with the rent has proven a little difficult and with my departure so close I have all but given up. I guess I'll just take the hit of doubling my rent for a total of 2 months. It's not like I need money to keep doing what I'm doing. Wait... what?

Perisher is locked in for another year. Flights are booked and I'll be setting off on my way in about 6 weeks. Despite how much I like it here - I am looking forward to something different so much that I fear I'm developing restless legs syndrome. I am getting so used to packing up and leaving every six months... will I ever be able to stop? James the Junkie Wanderer? I did have my first Murtaugh moment a little over a week ago; reminding me that one day I will actually be too old for this shit.

So as the end of another segment draws near I ask myself, how was this trip? Successful? Let's think about it this way:

I was loving working in Scandinavia and had myself a nice little set up in Åre but I thought I should give myself one more season of real snow, massive powder days and awesome riding in general before I get settled in anywhere. The irony of it all is that this is the worst season Alberta has had in years and Sweden got some pretty sweet dumps from what I hear. The season started so strong with the best and biggest opening this century and here we are at the end and - other than a little dusting here and there - that was about it. Cruel irony. I am well prepared for the fact that when I go back to Sweden later this year it's going to be the opposite but screw it.

Training has been awesome. What I learned in my PT course back in 2008 was a complete joke in retrospect. Real-life experience is how you learn. The problem is, the more I learn, more I get confused; in some respects at least. The fitness industry is filled with so many myths and so much rhetoric that so much of it conflicts.

Despite all my best efforts with training, I've been taking a bit of a beating both on and off the slopes. A sprained wrist, bruised nerve in my hand, an over-active lower back and hints of knee issues creeping back. Shamefully, the origin of most of my injuries can be traced back to drunken/hungover antics that while kind of funny, are a little tragic.

One of my big goals while I was here was to do a little more instructor certification. Now I am having doubts. I have had so little time to practice and so few 'everyone is a hero on a powder day' days that quite frankly; I suck. I have serious doubt as to whether I am ready to tackle my level 3 CASI cert but screw it. Here goes. Wish me luck on the 21st of April people. I am going to need a shitload of it.

Who the hell says "screw it" - seriously?