Rockin' The Boat

Mud Season

2010-05-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'd like to congradulate my fellow blogger Jacob Jerome and everyone else that graduated from CMC this year. Unlike them, I decided not to graduate this past semester. Instead, I've decided to stay in Steamboat for at least another six months. I'm building credits to transfer over to CU Boulder and working hard at getting in-state tuition.

But now I'm here and most people have left for the summer. Since I went home during the entire month of May last year, Mud Season was something I had yet to experience. It seems like a large amount of people in this town are bored and "have nothing to do".

I can see where it's easy to get bored this time of year because you wake up around noon, look outside the window at the gray rainstorms rolling in and and check your agenda. You groan and think to yourself "Oh, look, once again I have nothing to do today".

However, I am determined not to get the mud season blues. This is a beautiful town and it doesn't matter if it's snowing, raining or sunny outside. There are always things to do for little or no money. Here are a few suggestions:

Get a Hobby- Some people enjoy building model cars, others like to crochet. Personally, I'm a book junkie. The start of Mud Season has been a reminder of how many good books I picked up last summer, and to be honest I'm excited to see if I can do more this year. It doesn't matter what you're into, this is the best time to enjoy doing it. Maybe it's time to pick up that guitar you had to have but never learned how to play.

Visit Friends- I had three days off from work and nothing to do. What could possibly be a better time to hop in a car and visit a new town? A couple of my friends moved to Boulder last year and I had yet to make it out and visit them. It was a great trip because I got to check out CU Boulder, the school I plan on attending after CMC, and spend time with great people.

Get in Shape- Just because it's raining doesn't mean you can't go for a run. I have to admit the first time I put my running shoes on in months was about a week ago. I stepped outside with my friend's dog thinking we could jog to the dog park, play fetch and jog back. It was sprinkling but I didn't mind. That was until I made it 20 yards to the dirt trail and a freak hail storm hit. I debated going for the run anyways until the puppy decided the hail was too painful and hid underneath my porch. Still, biking and jogging are great ways to get in shape and explore the beauties of this town that you haven't seen before. And, if you do get caught in a freak storm you can always catch the free bus to safety.

Become a Movie Buff- Since we are all broke and home by around 6pm my roommates and I have frequent movie nights. If it's come out in the past two months we've probably seen it. We frequent red box, blockbuster and netflix about two or three nights a week. It's a good way to bond and pass time.

Travel- With the economy recovering from such a slump there are amazing deals everywhere. This winter my family and I went on a cruise for ridiculously cheap. Flights may vary daily but hotels have such great deals. Checkout sites like travelocity.com or orbitz for good deals.

Volunteer- If you are sitting around with nothing to do all day there is always the option to volunteer. You can participate in river clean ups, walk dogs at the animal shelter or even become a mentor. Chances are you will meet some pretty cool people and feel good about yourself in the process.

Guatemala Presentation

2010-04-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

As a final part of the class we have to do a community presentation on our experiences in Guatemala. If you have been reading my posts or just want to learn more be sure to come this Thursday night! There will be coffee by donation and Guatemalan merchandise for sale. All proceeds will be turned into a scholarship for students to attend a school we visited outside of Guatemala City. It will be held at 6pm at the Bud Werner Library.

Visiting an artist in Guatemala

2010-04-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry it has taken me so long to write about this trip. We experienced a lot down there and it's hard to continue on with everyday life knowing such horrible things are going on in the world. It takes a long time to process everything we learned, and each time I take a look back at my journal I see things in a different light.

One of my favorite speakers was a woman who was supposed to talk to us about art. She began talking about local painters and then went into traditional weaving. She showed us some traditional clothes and began to explain the meaning behind the patterns.

The up and down lines she is pointing at in the photo represent the double headed snake which has many significant meanings to the Mayan culture. She explained that the up and down represented high points and low points in one's life. When someone very close to you dies you are at the bottom and you grieve for the loss. After so many days of grieving a person says will ask themselves where they want to be emotionally and being to climb up the latter.

Being an American I assumed being at the top all the time would be the ultimate achievement but I was wrong. We are always moving up and down the latter depending on where we are in our lives. Unlike the US way of thinking being happy all the time is the best thing in the world, the important part to them is maintaining balance. When you are at the top you are reminded that things can always get worse, which makes you grateful for what you do have. When you are at the bottom there is the assurance that things will certainly get better.

This woman seemed to be very enlightened. At one point she said "The wisdom of the universe is very large". This saying has definitely stuck with me because it's so true. Often times we find ourselves wondering how we got to a certain point or into a certain situation but if we remind ourselves that there are larger things out there our problems seem much smaller.

She respected that we celebrated different ideas and came from a completely different way of life. It's so interesting to learn about different ways of thinking and how people see the world. Meeting with this woman has only reinforced how bad I want to study philosophy.

Here is some of the artwork they had displayed.

Pictures from Guatemala

2010-04-15T14:21:00.001-07:00

Sorry I didn't make a fancy slide show for this trip. I figured I'd post a few of my favorite/ the most meaningful pictures with descriptions of each. That way you can click on them to enlarge and ask questions if you have any!

One Hundred USD was worth over 700 Quetzals

The children there were beautiful
We are all Humans

Graffiti for a political group

Sunset over the lake

Boat on the water

A Fisherman

Mayan-Catholic Saints

This used to be a Mayan temple. When the Spanish came they knocked down the temple and built their own, but left the steps.

A memorial for an American priest who was killed by the Guatemalan government

An organization that seeks to find missing people from the war and fights for social justice (This group is largely responsible for the investigations of mass graves)

A Mass Grave

Graffiti on a building formerly owned by the United Fruit Company

A Wall of Missing People

Visiting the Mayan Ruins in Tikal

Star Wars Buffs would understand

A band playing in the park in Antigua

River O

2010-04-14T13:22:00.001-07:00

When I was growing up my parents put my sisters and I on swim team. We did it all; private club teams, high school teams and anything recreational that had to do with water. For this reason being in water always seemed as natural as being on land. When I took my first ever white water rafting trip two years ago with paddling club I realized my love for water extends beyond that of a 100 meter chlorine filled swimming pool.

There is nothing like the adrenaline rush of falling into ice cold rapids and figuring out a way to be rescued. Remembering all the fun times I had playing around on rafts and duckies last summer helped me in my decision to sign up for this trip. Each time I rode a ducky down the rapids or guided a raft I felt an adrenaline rush. My heart would start pounding a little faster and my mind would clear up. All thoughts would dissipate as my mind and body focused on one thing: getting through the rapids and having a great time.

We learned so many things on this trip I never would have thought of. I didn’t realize how much wild life depends on the riparian habitat and how small and delicate it is. For those of you who don't know the riparian habitat is the area at the bank of a river. A majority of wildlife uses it on a daily basis.

We also had an interesting mini lesson about how the state controls the water flow. Basically whoever has the oldest deed has the highest priority when it comes to water. That part upset me because damming water and controlling its usage just doesn’t seem natural. Although we were right there with nature I felt like knowing these rivers are controlled by mankind took away from that a little bit.

My greatest challenge was learning to oar. Oaring is a lot harder than it looks. It takes a lot of strength and coordination. Although I’m still not that great at it I’m happy I had the opportunity to practice.

Overall it was a great trip. I think the group bonded really well and the instructors were great at balancing fun and learning. I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything.

Chichicastenango: Market Day

2010-03-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

The third day of the trip was definitely one of my favorite because we got to go shopping! Chichicastenango is famous for its marketplace on Sundays and Thursdays. We arrived on Wednesday evening and had no idea what we were in for. We had a couple hours of free time that night to check out the town and as we walked around we saw people setting stuff up. I thought I had a basic understanding of what the place would look like the following day but I was very wrong.

When we woke up the next morning the town was completely transformed. We walked out of our hotel and every inch of the street was filled. People were selling anything you could imagine. From purses and headbands to flip flops and alarm clocks.
After breakfast Corey and I decided to check out the church. The steps were lined with people selling flowers. As we walked into the church there was an overwhelming aroma from the incense. Unfortunately I couldn't handle it for too long and soon left to wait outside. Once Corey was finished we met up with Julie and hit the marketplace ready to explore.

I was hesitant about haggling at first but once something caught my eye I began to make offers. Trying to negotiate a price with someone that speaks an entirely different language can be very challenging. It was fun seeing how low they would go. They'd insist you drove them down to their lowest price but as soon as you walked away from the deal they would say "Okay, okay, okay" and lower the price a little more. Everything was so unbelievable cheap because our dollar is worth so much more.

The marketplace is set up with material goods on the outside and food on the inside. We went to see what grocery shopping was really like in Guatemala and at first it didn't seem so bad. There were fruit stands, people making tortillas and a few deep fryers.
But as we made it closer to the heart of the market we started to see some pretty gross things. Once I saw this bucket of fish I decided to turn around. (Dead fish terrify me.) Apparently it was a good decision because when we met up for lunch people in the group were sharing stories of seeing piles of chicken heads. (Ewe!)

At one point a woman stopped Julie and convinced her to let her do her hair. Here's the video.

Overall it was a great experience. I got plenty of gifts and souvenirs and had a great time in the process!

2012: Myth or Reality?

2010-03-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

I have to admit when I first realized we were meeting up with Mayan descendants I was excited. I mean with all this hype about 2012 who wouldn't want the opportunity to ask the descendants themselves about the fate of our civilization?

As luck would have it many of the people we met with spoke about the Mayan calendar because it's such a major part of their lives. A couple even brought up the possibility of our world as we know it coming to an end.

For starters it's important to understand that the calendar is very intricate. Based solely on astronomy it seems amazing that people without our technology could create such an accurate calendar. For anyone who is not familiar with how the system works I found this short video to help explain. It is believed that 2012 is the end of a 394 year period called B'ak'tun. Traditionally the Mayans believed this time represented great change, but nobody ever stated what would happened when the calendar ran out.

Two of the men we met with were quite convinced that drastic change will occur. They both had similar things to say about how destructive humans are. They talked about how we waste resources and keep taking from mother nature like we are entitled to everything.

The first man said he didn't think the world would come to an end, but he believed there would be a lot of suffering and change. He believed the people that would be most affected would be those at the bottom. For example the rivers may run dry and the have-nots would be without water becuase people with all the money and power would take it from them. According to him this is already happening but 2012 will be the breaking point where the most people will suffer.

The second man who discussed the issue was our tour guide in Tikal. Time after time again he would talk about how powerful mother nature is and how she always takes back what is hers. He mentioned the movie Hollywood produced and insisted it wasn't that far off. Having never seen 2012 I asked him to elaborate. He said that the world as we know it will cease to exist. mother nature will take back what is hers and our civilization will fall, leaving room for a new civilization to rise.

I don't know if I believe in 2012 or not but it was definitely cool hearing Mayans talk about it.

The Strongest Women I've Ever Met

2010-03-25T12:49:00.001-07:00

After learning about the woman's co-op we were able to ask questions. When I asked the current leader of the project, Maria to tell us about her life I got more than I expected. Something must have gotten lost in translation because as she began to tell her story she was looking at me directly, smiling. It was one of those genuine smiles that you can't fake. As her story was translated from Q'eqchi' to Spanish and then Spanish to English I returned her smile, unaware of what I was about to hear. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.

She started out with her childhood. Her mother passed away when she was only 7 years old and she lived with her father, two brothers and sister. At that time she didn't know any trades but her sister soon taugh her to weave. As they got older her bother and sister both married and left the house. She lived with just her younger brother until she married at 17.

Maria only spent 8 years with her husband before he was murdered during the war. When he was killed she fled to Guatemala City with her two children and a baby in her womb. When the baby was born it only lived to be a year and a half before it died. This was all said so nonchalantly I couldn't really process it at first. How could a woman sit there and tell us of this tragic life with a smile on her face? If those same things happened here in the US the woman would never really be expected to move on from what happened. Loosing a husband to violence and then a young child soon-after is seemingly one of the most terrifying things that could happen. Yet she seemed to be okay.

Later, we learned that this has much to do with the Mayan lifestyle and their traditional beliefs which I will be sharing with you. We came to realize that these people don't move on because they want to but because they have to. It's a part of who they are. Not to mention they can't spend all of their time dwelling on the terrible things that have happened to them because there are too many horrifying stories in this country to count.

My only hope is that if events that tragic ever strike my life I can find half the courage and half the strength that these amazing women have found.

100 Pounds of Thread

2010-03-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Please bear with me as I try to convey our experiences down in Guatemala. Meeting with people who have been subject to the most horrible atrocities this world has ever seen is not an easy experience to describe. However they were moving and I will do my best to shine some light on what we went through.

Our first day of the trip consisted of travel and a brief orientation to Guatemala. We spent the first night locked inside our hotel in Guatemala City. We later learned why were asked to stay inside... it's not the safest city in the world.

The next morning started out early as we hit the roads for Chichicastenango. After dropping our luggage off at our hotel we took a van ride to the town of Chontola and met up with a minister from a local sector of the Methodist church.

Ho took us to a woman's cooperative that started during the 1980s. During this time there was a lot of violence in the area and many women lost their husbands. Children became orphaned and had no place to go. The women tried to take children in but soon realized they didn't have the money or resources to provide the most basic of necessities including food. They went the the church and begged for food but the minister was not allowed to give it out. Giving the women food for today was not solving the problems of tomorrow so he asked them if they would be willing to work. They responded by saying yes and he was able to get them 100lbs of thread. Their plan was the weave it into material, then create finished projects and sell them. From there they could buy more and live off of the small earnings they made.

The project which is now known as Ruth and Naomi has helped find homes for children, build several clinics and schools and created programs to work with women.

Unfortunately this community continues to struggle as they try to solve problems. It seems like each time they solve a problem another one is created. For example they were finally able to provide food to the children and as the children grew up they began to work and support the community. However the adults realized these children were very good at their trade but couldn't read or write. They didn't want to go to school because it was time spent away from working and they wouldn't make as much money. To solve this the group said the children could work during the day but they had to attend classes at night.

From there they ran into problems with gangs. Young men would go to Guatemala City in hopes of finding a good paying job, but when they arrived they realized a different reality. There were no jobs for them and they wound up getting into drugs and drinking. Soon the young men who grew up without fathers became members of gangs and made money through drug trafficking. The women didn't know what to do.

With the aid of a woman from California, the co-op sold enough product to buy land in Chichicastenago. They built a small home for the men to stay in and were able to obtain four used sewing machines for the men to become tailors. Here is a brief clip of them doing embroidery by machine.

Visiting this group was an eye opening experience. It's very inspiring to see how much change can be made with a little help from strangers if the community is willing to stand together and make an effort.

Intro to Guatemala: Banana Republic

2010-03-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

In order to understand exactly what we were studying it Guatemala it's important to understand a little bit about the country's history.

Originally Guatemala was ruled by the indigenous Mayans. Around 1523 the Spanish took over and ruled for almost 300 years. During that time they took the land from the natives and divided it into large plantations. Natives had no where else to go and were forced to work as slaves or for very little pay.

The country finally gained full independence in 1839, and from there it was controlled by warlords and large land owners. During this time foreign companies (mainly from the US) saw opportunity. They wanted large quantities of land to set up banana plantations. Bananas are a very vulnerable crop because every single banana we eat has the same DNA. This means if a disease manages to kill one banana tree it can wipe out an entire plantation. Out of fear, major fruit companies obtained copious amounts of land and used only a portion of it. That way if disease or natural disaster destroyed their crops they could easily replant. At one point the United Fruit Company (now known as Chiquita) owned almost 25% of the land in Guatemala.

At this point there were still natives with no place to live so they were once again forced to work for almost no pay. Everything seemed hopeful when Juan Jose Arevalo became president in 1944. The country was finally beginning to democratize and he wanted to redistribute the land to the poor. The United Fruit Company didn't want to loose their land when the Guatemalan government demanded it back so they decided to use the Cold War to their advantage. They convinced the United States Government that Guatemala was a Communist country because of their attempts to aid the poor and redistribute land. The US planned a military coup and overthrew the government that was in place. This led to civil war for over 40 years. During this time hundreds of thousands of people died because of death squads organized by the government. Over 40,000 people went missing and thousands took refuge in Mexico and the US.

It's important to remember that all of this happened because a few greedy men wanted to keep land that they weren't even using, land that was never really theirs to begin with. This is where the term "Banana Republic" comes in. It has an actual meaning beyond that of the clothing line. El Salvador, Hondourous and other surrounding countries also earned this name when civil war was brought on for the same reasons.

In 1996 the Peace Accords were signed and the fighting stopped. Since then Guatemala has struggled to Democratize.

It is here that our journey began. With a brief understanding of their background we began to explore this poverty stricken land. We talked to people who lost family members in the genocide as well as people who had no idea that war a even happened in their country. We talked to politicians from both the left and right winged parties as well as social workers who have no political affiliation. Through this journey we began to understand the exactly what happened down there and hopefully through these next few posts you will gain a better understanding as well.

Hola from Guatemala!

2010-03-10T19:59:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to give a quick update to let everyone know that myself and 10 other CMCers are here and safe in Guatemala! We are a little over half way through our journey and have learned more than we would have ever imagined. It's been a wonderful experience so far and I'll be updating frequently with pictures and stories once I'm back in the states next week!

Hello World!

2010-03-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

I realize my last couple of posts have been a little less than optimistic, but this one will be a change of pace... promise.

First, I am sad to announce that Jake beat me in "The Coat Vote". It was really close though! And we received more votes than anticipated so thank you to everyone who took part. If you have any suggestions for recipes I am open to making something new and delicious for dinner.

Second, Spring Break is just days away here at the Alpine Campus and I couldn't be more thrilled. In less than four days I will be joining some of my fellow students and professors on a trip to Guatemala! I've traveled all over the United States but this will be my first time visiting another country (other than Canada). Hopefully my friend will let me borrow his mini lap top and I'll be able to keep you all updated throughout the trip.

And finally I am proud to announce the arrival of the site thecoloradounderground.com . While at Dew Tour I started talking to another member of the media. It turned out his name was Andrew and he was working on a project called The Colorado Underground. It's an online magazine based out of Denver and they have invited me to write articles about Steamboat. Here's my first one about local skier Kerry Lofy ... check it out! http://www.thecoloradounderground.com/articles/you_cant_get_hurt_in_the_air

Spring Break 2010: Be Safe

2010-02-25T10:02:00.000-08:00

So we all know that consuming alcohol under the age of 21 is illegal in the United States. With that being said we can't be ignorant to that fact that it happens every single day. I am here to say that no matter what your age is if you choose to consume alcohol please be safe.

Sure, The Hangover was a hilarious movie about a bachelor party gone wild when one of the guys spiked the "wolfgang's" drinks with roofies. It's fun to laugh about but it's also important to recognize date rape drugs are a real danger. It doesn't matter if you are in small town Steamboat or a big city, it can happen anywhere.

I'm asking you to enjoy yourself this spring break, but BE SAFE. Whether you are in Cancun enjoying the sun and a margarita or visiting friends at college and attending a large party you could be at risk. It's one of those "it'll never happen to me" things... until it does. As much as I like to disregard the serious things in life, these drugs are incredibly dangerous because they are often tasteless, colorless and fast acting and I'd hate for someone to get hurt.

Although there is no absolute way to ensure this won't happen to you there are ways to prevent it.

Don't go out alone. Always have a buddy with you and watch after each other. If you notice your friend is more intoxicated than they should be after a couple of drinks or is acting really strange get them somewhere safe immediately.
Watch the bartender pour your drink and have them hand it directly to you.
Never leave your drink unattended. Keep it within eye sight at all times. If you glance in another direction for even an instant you are making yourself susceptible to possible dangers.
If your drink tastes funny dump it and get a new one, it may have been tampered with.
At parties do not drink from punch bowls and never accept already opened beverages.

If you think you or a friend may have been drugged:

Find a trusted friend and ask them to take you some place safe immediately. If this happens to your friend stay with them as these drugs can induce blackouts and vomiting.
Go to the hospital and request a toxicology report. These drugs can clear from your system within 6-8 hours and there is no chance of any trace after 48hrs.

If you think you have been assaulted

Do not shower as you will likely wash away evidence.
Go immediately to a hospital and request a preliminary rape exam along with testing for date rape drugs.
Get in contact with a local advocates group (Steamboat's emergency crisis number is 970-824-9709)
If you choose to press charges be sure to have a support system of close, trusted friends to be there for you throughout the process.

Three of the most common drugs are:

GHB

Street names: EZ Lay, Liquid Ecstasy, Clear X, X-rater, Liquid Dream, Scoop Her, Get-Her-to-Bed.

What it looks like: Odorless, colorless, liquid, White powder or Tablet

Is it legal in the US? No. It's banned in the US, Canada and many parts of Europe. Most of the time it's made in illegal drug labs

What are the side effects? GHB affects the central nervous system and can cause euphoria, amnesia, intoxication, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, visual hallucinations, hypotension, severe respiratory depression, and in extreme cases coma.

Rohypnol

Street Names: Rophies, Roofies, Roach, Rope

What it looks like: Tasteless, odorless small white tablet

Is it legal in the US? No

What are the side effects? excitability or aggressive behavior, decreased blood pressure, memory impairment, drowsiness, semi-consciousness, dizziness, confusion, stomach disturbances, and urinary retention

Ketamine

Street Names: Special K, K, Vitamin K, Kid Rock, Ket Kat, Make-Her-Mine

What it looks like: It comes in powder, liquid, or pill form

Is it legal in the US? Yes. Ketamine is often used as a sedative by Veterinarians

What are the side effects? delirium, numbness, vivid hallucinations, cardiac excitement, mild respiratory depression, confusion, irrationality, violent or aggressive behavior, vertigo, slurred speech, delayed reaction time, euphoria, altered body image, amnesia, and coma.

All information has been provided by Steamboat Advocates and http://teenadvice.about.com/library/weekly/aa062502a.htm

The Great Technology Dilemma (Texting, Sexting and a Lost Generation)

2010-02-23T15:17:00.000-08:00

Recently I decided to upgrade my phone from the palm centro to the palm pixi. Let me just say wow. The phone is half the size with twice the capabilities. At first it was a bit overwhelming. Verizon now forces you to buy the broadband data package when you buy a smart phone. This is not something I need by any means but the phone is incredibly sleek and I don’t have internet at my house so I figured why not? When I first started playing around with it I kept asking myself how long it would be before my lap top became obsolete. I can do literally anything on this phone that I can do with my lap top. My friend once referred to it as a "Computer-phone" and he was exactly right. It takes pictures, downloads music, uploads documents… the possibilities are endless.

Left: Palm Centro

Right: Palm Pixi

This advancement of technology has made me think a lot lately. Much like my parents can recall watching black and white TV, I will be telling my kids stories about a time before cell phones. I can already see myself saying “ I remember when I was growing up we didn’t even have texting, nevertheless the ability to search the web in the palm of our hands.” But I feel like with all this advancement there have been major consequences. I feel like I am part of a generation that thrives on instant gratification. We want things now because we are used to getting them that way. I recently took my computer in to get worked on and when they didn’t call me to tell me it was done the next day I was furious. Perhaps this has something to do with how impatient people are when they have to wait a couple minutes for me to make them coffee. Or why the women at the Verizon store were rushing to take care of customers as fast as possible so those of us in line didn’t get too upset. How long will it be before the English language drops the word patience altogether?

Beyond how needy I feel we are becoming as a society I can’t also help but feel we are becoming impersonal. Everyone hates calling tech support and other business help lines because you never get to talk to a person. This has become a complete social norm. In fact, I find it surprising when I call an 800 number and an actual human being answers the phone. Nowadays when you go to the supermarket you can forget about becoming familiar with the friendly neighborhood cashier because half the time you are using a robot instead. But my biggest pet peeve of all is texting. Sure, it was convenient for my mom to shoot me a text when she needed me to pick milk up on the way home from school. It has its purposes, but it also has its major flaws. Now when someone has a favor to ask there is no longer any need for them in interrupt my oh so busy life with an actual conversation. And I mean maybe this is just my life but it feels like whenever someone is upset with me they’d rather converse over texting then sort things out in person. Why? Because it's easier to say hurtful things through a text when you are not talking face to face? Because you can be dead honest and not have to physically watch the consequences of your words? Texting has bothered me for a long time and it's only getting worse.

There is a new controversial phenomenon deemed “sexting”. For those of you who haven't heard this term before, Wikipedia defines sexting as "the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between cell phones". The frightening part is it's most common among teenagers. Often times a young girl will send explicit photos to her boyfriend. It may seem innocent at the time, but if they get into a fight it is so easy for the boy to forward the pictures to anyone he wants. Imagine walking through the halls of high school after everyone has seen an inappropriate photograph of you. As if those teenage years weren't hard enough. In extreme cases girls have committed suicide because they could no longer handle the constant torture from kids at school. Another problem is both the girl and her boyfriend can now be charged with distributing child pornography. There are cases where young men have become registered sex offenders for their actions. It's a terrible downfall of making technology available to everyone.

With all this ranting and raving I figured I better do more than sit around and complain. So, I have decided to give up texting altogether. Yesterday I went into Verizon and had it blocked from my phone. This was a timely process as the woman didn’t understand why I would do such a thing. In this day and age who chooses to get rid of texting, especially when I have unlimited texting through my family plan? Call me crazy but I've decided to try at least one month without it.

It's been less than twenty-four hours and so far I feel completely liberated. Rather than feeling the need to constantly check my phone, I feel the exact opposite. If it's not within an arms reach at all times I am OK. I am no longer a slave to my phone as I feel so many people in my generation have become and it feels wonderful.

The Coat Vote

2010-02-15T12:37:00.000-08:00

The craziness began when Bonfire decided to produce a very girly looking jacket in their men's line. My friend and fellow blogger Jake decided to buy the jacket and wear it with pride. Normally I commend Jake's fashion sense but this light blue jacket with swirls on it (pictured below) was meant to be worn by a woman. After months of constant backlash for wearing a female looking jacket Jake finally gave in and sold it to me.

The trend seemed to continue as we often shared similar tastes in outerwear. So, we've decided to have a friendly competition of blogger vs. blogger. The other day Jake, our gimp buddy Eli and I took a trip to the local thrift store where the two of us tried on the same jackets. We are putting the fate of ultimate bragging rights and a home cooked dinner in your hands by asking you to vote. The winner will be declared on February 25th so you have until then to choose who looks best!

Colorado Mountain College Helps Haiti

2010-02-09T19:31:00.000-08:00

Once a month Student Activities sponsors a coffee night at the Steaming Bean. Usually students are invited to hang out and drink free coffee but this month we decided to add a little twist. We opened the event up to the entire community offering coffee, tea and baked goods by donation. We also sold fair trade coffee beans and tee shirts for $15 each. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Haiti relief organizations.

Overall the event was a complete success. A lot of students showed up and emptied out their pockets which is pretty noble considering how many times a week I hear my college friends say "I have no money". We even had a few community members come and hang out. A special thanks goes out to Tamara for planning the event, Caitlin for working so late and Rob and Dave for the live music!

Day Four: Super Pipe

2010-01-04T11:30:00.001-08:00

On Saturday I met people from all over the country who came to Breckenridge specifically to watch the Dew Tour. By the time Men's Superpipe Finals started the place was packed. Around noon Ben and I made our way up to the media area. I must admit I felt silly with my digital camera while everyone around us had fancy Nikons with interchangeable lenses. It didn't matter though. Zoom power was not a necessity because these guys were literally flying over our heads.
We weren't allowed to take video of the competition because NBC holds the sole rights. Luckily my camera has the ability to take a bunch of pictures consecutively so here's what I ended up shooting.

Here's some video of the Men's and Women's SB HP Winners.

In order to prove that I'm not completely biased towards snowboarding I stuck around for Men's Skiing. It was a lot colder without the sun but the lights gave the competition a much more intense atmosphere. At this point I wish I had a better camera because all of the pictures I took came out blurry but I still pieced a few of them together for you.

Day Three: If It's Free It's For Me

2010-01-04T10:03:00.000-08:00

On Friday I decided to demo a Lib Tech board. I was pretty bummed they didn't have the GNU B-Street because it may very well be my next major snowboarding investment. Instead they hooked me up with the Roxy Ollie Pop which is a pretty similar board. The magnatraction was great on the icy runs and the banana technology made it super buttery. After taking a few laps I was very reluctant to turn it back in but free demos only last so long.

While riding up the lift with my friend Kerry his buddy mentioned that he'd won a free ticket to the One Republic concert that he didn't plan on using. I told him I'd take it off his hands if he really didn't want it and the next thing I knew I was going to the show.

I remember when One Republic came out with Stop and Stare on the radio. Everyone talked about how they were only famous because Timbaland produced their one big song. Well it's no wonder they are still around because they are incredible. I've seen a ton of bands live and few compare to their stage presence. They exude such passion for their music that you can't help but smile and rock to the beat, even if you don't know they lyrics to a single song off their new album.

This is the only decent photo I got before the security guard warned me not to use flash.

And here's a short video clip I took during Stop and Stare

Day Two: The Village

2010-01-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

On Thursday I woke up pretty early to a phone call from Julie, one of my supervisors. She was calling to inform me that The Village wouldn't be set up until noon at the earliest which meant I could sleep in. What exactly was The Village? It was the place where sponsors set up booths and handed out free stuff also referred to as schwag. This meant free Tostino's pizza rolls, hats, bandannas, shirts and even concert tickets if you were lucky. CMC's booth was located at the center of it all so when we had extra people manning the booth I walked around and checked it out.

Matador had a mechanical bull. If you stayed on for 20 seconds you got a free bandanna and if you stayed on for 30 you got socks. Having never tried it before I gave it a shot. This video is compliments of Becky.

The Toyota Yettie and myself A shot of The Village

After getting off work I decided to meander around town and see what was going on for the evening. As it turned out Forum was premiering their video Forum Forever at a club called Cecilia's. While I was sitting there watching the premier the kid sitting next to me directed my attention to the door. Low and behold Louie Vito had just walked in. I didn't think he'd be in town because he wasn't competing in the Dew Tour, but sure enough there he was. Louie Vito is one of the few pro snowboarders my mom knows by name because she is a Dancing with the Stars fanatic. Feeling like a little kid asking Santa for presents I timidly approached him and asked for a photo. We didn't talk long because there were people rushing him the back of the club but he came off as a very down to earth, friendly guy.The premier was fun although I'd already seen the movie. It was hard to keep my attention focused on it when there were so many other things going on. It got pretty late and I decided to head out for the night. While walking back to my car my friend and I came across this awesome snow sculpture which was apparently part of Breck's carnival.

Day One: Little Lost Puppy

2009-12-21T15:28:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday I woke up around 8am, packed my car and began the hour and a half drive from Steamboat to Breckenridge. I was completely unsure of what to expect because this was my first time attending a professional ski/snowboard competition, but I knew there was only one way to find out. So I strapped on my seat belt and prayed that my two wheel drive car would make it to Breck without breaking down.

When I was about a half hour away from Breckenridge my fellow blogger Ali texted me about getting her credentials. It was reassuring to know she'd be there if i needed help with directions or anything else.

Once I arrived in Breck I got my credentials and made my way up to peak 8. I felt like a little lost puppy as I roamed around the mountain, slowly gaining more confidence as time passed. I eventually met up with Becky, another blogger and we made our way to the competition gates. All we had to do was flash our media pass and we were in. It was like having a backstage pass to a concert because we could go anywhere and meet with the athletes if we wanted. By 2:30 I was tired from the long drive and decided to call it a day.

I took this picture on my first ride up the lift... behind some Dew Tour competitors.

Here are some athletes waiting to compete

Winter Dew Tour 09: Breckenridge

2009-12-21T15:24:00.001-08:00

After spending four days in Breckenridge I am back in Steamboat and ready to report on the first stop of the 2009/10 Winter Dew Tour. I have to admit it’s a little strange to be home. For the past several days my bed has been in a very kind woman’s extra bedroom, or on a friend's couch depending on the night. Please bear with me as I try to sort through the past few days which have been a complete blur. Somewhere between working the CMC booth, taking countless photos and finding the best after parties in town I completely lost track of time. I'm trying to piece the days together in chronological order based on photos and videos as well as a few notes I jotted down. As I sort through the 400+ pictures on my camera I'll do all I can to give you a behind the scenes look at the unforgettable first stop of the 09/10 Winter Dew Tour!

What do you want to know?

2009-12-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

This coming Wednesday I will have the opportunity to interview a few Dew Tour athletes. Seeing as the interviews will end up on here I thought it would be fun if you (yes YOU) suggested questions. If there's anything you've been dying to ask a professional athlete let me know! Just leave a comment or e-mail me at bthoman@mail.coloradomtn.edu and I'll be sure to pose the question throughout the interviews!

Free At Last!

2009-12-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I finished my final essay of the semester so I am officially free of school for a month. Although I enjoyed all of my classes I am happy to be on break. However, it seems as though the chaos never stops and this winter break will be very busy.... which is a good thing. What's the point in living if you're not living each moment up to your full potential? Over the next month I have the following things planned....

Dew Tour- The college has offered me a unique opportunity to work at the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge. To put it lightly I am beyond stoked. Wednesday we'll be able to interview athletes and for the rest of the competition we'll be manning the CMC booth and enjoying the games. It'll be a great experience and I couldn't be more excited about it!

Hot Springs- This semster has been pretty stressful and I found the best way to relieve that stress is through my favorite high school sport, swimming. Unfortunately there's only one lap pool in town and a membership there is rather expensive. Luckily they offer a unique volunteer program where you can trade work hours for a free membership. I talked to the man in charge last night and it looks like I'm in! Free membership here I come!

Carribean Cruise- So far I've been pretty out of the loop on this one. My family decided we'd go on a cruise in January instead of trying to fly everyone to Colorado or me home for Christmas. Although it'll be a bit delayed and there won't be any snow for Santa's sleigh, it looks like Christmas will be in somewhere in the Carribean this year. Originally we were going to go to Alaska but that fell through. I couldn't even tell you what time my flight leaves or which islands we'll be visiting which makes it a bit more of an adventure.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff- You may or may not have realized it but I'm a complete book nerd. If this wasn't proven true through the countless books I burned through over the summer you can take last night into account. I took a few of my textbooks to the bookstore and somehow managed to make more then I spent at the beginning of the semester which was awesome. But my new found wealth didn't last long. After finishing my essay I took a trip to Off The Beaten Path which is a great bookstore off of 9th street. They didn't have the book I wanted in stock and since it's a two week back order I simply had to pick something up. The gentleman taking care of me suggested Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff by Christopher Moore. I just started it but so far it's really funny, and a great way to finish up a semester that included countless religious based conversations.

Those are just a few of my adventures planned for winter break. Hope everyone enjoys their time off!

Update

2009-12-08T12:16:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the lack of blogs lately, but finals have been keeping me very, very busy. This week has been all about finding ethical solutions to the Terri Schavio case, figuring out the motives behind the Taliban, understanding the stages of grief and exploring the outer most planets of our solar system. This week it feels like I'm out to solve the world's problems. Next week I'll be just another ski bum livin' la vida loca in Steamboat. Gota love college. Every time I look at the calendar a bit of panic strikes as I realize Christmas is creeping up on me at an incredibly fast pace. I have yet to buy any presents... or decorations for that matter. Suddenly the Dew Tour is next week and my cruise that seemed so far away will be here in the blink of an eye. This is just an update to let everyone know I'm alive! I promise to bring something more exciting to the table once finals are over. Until then, good luck everyone!

Thanksgiving Blues

2009-11-21T14:26:00.001-08:00

A little over a year ago I moved out here on my own. I didn't know a single person in this town and had no idea what to expect. Living far away from home can be difficult, especially during the holiday season. I have a huge family and every time my mom talks about a new baby or wedding coming up I can't help but feel like I'm missing out by not being there. These are the functions I used to despise but now miss more than anything. If you are at school for Thanksgiving and feel a little homesick here are some ways I like to kiss the blues goodbye...

Sleeping In- When I lived at home my mom had one rule about "sleeping in". We had to be up be 11 because by that point enough of the day was already wasted. I still find it difficult to break that rule even though my mom is 1500 miles away. Although I agree with her philosophy I sometimes let myself sleep in until noon and feel a little mischievous knowing that I have broken one of the rules I both loved and hated back home.

Care Packages- There is absolutely nothing more exciting than going home to find a care package on my front door step. Every time I take a bite of my dad's homemade salsa I am reminded of the countless concoctions we were forced to try as he perfected his recipe. Nothing says "we miss you" like sending a little piece of New York to Colorado.

Imitating Mom's Home Cooking- When I create a meal my parents once made for me on a regular basis I can't help but feel at home. The familiar tastes bring back memories of our hilarious dinner conversations. Plus it's fun sharing recipes with friends and seeing if they enjoy them.

Pictures- Our apartment is loaded with pictures. I recently put up about 30 of my favorite memories above my dresser. It's nice to step back, look at each of them and laugh at the good times they represent.

Try New Things- I came out here for a change of pace. I was tired of living in the city and wanted to explore the ski town lifestyle. Every time I have the opportunity to try something new I try to embrace it. It's a constant reminder of why I came out here- to grow as a person and keep learning more.

Facebook- It's not just for college kids anymore. My mom came from a family of 11 so I have plenty of aunts, uncles and cousins to keep track of. Thankfully, many of them are signed up. I can't make daily phone calls to everyone so it's a great way to stay in touch. In fact, it puts me ahead of the game as I often find out big news (babies, engagements, etc) before my gossip queen mom.

Frequent Phone Calls- Thankfully my parents are there to answer phone calls almost 24/7. This may mean 2am when I forget that there's a time difference or 6am when my dad is up way too early working. Talking to family and friends back home always cheers me up because I am reminded of how little distance really matters.

Hypnotist Frederick Winters

2009-11-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night Student Activities brought Frederick Winters, a comedian/ hypnotist to Colorado Mountain College for entertainment. It was a packed house and everyone was laughing hysterically as he convinced volunteer students to sing, dance and make complete fools of themselves on stage.

At this point Frederick convinced everyone they were on a roller coaster

Here they are as senior citizens dancing

These gentlemen were lead to believe they could sing opera

Apparently he is a strongman competitor

Overall it was an incredible entertaining night! Upcoming student activities include a trip to the trampoline gym for only $3 on Tuesday December 1st and a Coffee Night at the Steaming Bean on the 2nd.

Pre- Registration

2009-11-17T12:58:00.001-08:00

Pre-registration officially ends this week and I signed up for a few too many classes so I have some decisions to make. As of right now I'm taking the following classes:

Fundamentals of Report Writing (3 credits). I don't know if I could see myself running a weekly column for some ritzy newspaper but I definitely enjoy writing. The only problem is I have absolutely no experience other than this blog. I'm thinking about taking this class because it teaches the basics of journalism and interviewing. It would be a great way to see how interested I actually am in the field.

River Orientation (2 credits). From what I've heard this is a really fun class that gives you the opportunity to hit up some gnarly rapids. Unfortunately I think I'm going to drop this class because I'm already going to Guatemala and taking countless other mini trips next semester and my boss is too kind with my work schedule as it is.

Tai Chi (1 credit). Okay, so meditation is not really my thing-- scratch that, working out is not my thing period. The only time I really enjoy exercise is when I'm swimming laps or cruisng around the mountain. I opted to take fly-fishing this semester so I could go camping, get a Phys Ed credit and learn something new in the process. However I've decided to give Tai Chi a chance as I've heard it's a phenomenal class from everyone I've talked to.

Work Experience (3 credits). So this was the class that ultimately inspired me to go to Vegas last year. Unfortunately I failed to get any more hours of work experience and had to withdraw from the class. I'm going to attempt another round, hoping that I can make it to SIA in Denver as well as a couple of on snow demos.

Intro to PC Applications (3 credits). For some reason this class is a requirement for both my Associates of Arts and Ski Business degrees. I don't understand why it's necessary this far in the game. Having been raised with a computer in the house since Commodores came out, I am very familiar with Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Excel, Photo Shop and so on. I just installed Adobe Premiere Elements which is a video editing program. As of right now I am struggling with how to use it (thus the reason I have yet to post video) but I'm sure with all the online tutorials there are out there I'll be able to figure it out. I just don't see what this class is going to offer me other than an excuse not to go out due to a homework overload.

Current Political Issues/ Culture Studies (6 credits). This is the Guatemala class I blogged about a month or so ago. I could not be more thrilled about taking it!

Philosophy of Religion (3 credits). I loved taking philosophy and ethics and I just can't get enough. I feel like my mind has expanded so much and I'm gaining a greater understanding of the way the world works. Unfortunately, this class is at a very inconvenient time in reguards to my schedule next semester, but I think I'm going to tough it out and stay in the class.

So there it is. The 21 credit schedule I created for next semester. The funny thing is I convinced my parents that 12 would be plenty during the season, but there are too many classes that I want to take. If you haven't preregistered be sure to before Friday!

Stuck

2009-11-13T12:29:00.000-08:00

Two nights ago I went to bed listening to the sound of rain lightly tapping on the roof and woke up to a majestic winter wonderland. Somewhere through the night the God of Snow decided to bless this little town with that powdery white stuff that makes everyone smile a little brighter and opening day seem that much closer. If you know what I'm describing you know exactly how I felt waking up yesterday morning. Unfortunately that ecstatic feeling quickly wore off as I began to wish I had listened to my gut telling me to get snow tires put on my car. Instead I procrastinated because my schedule was just too busy and I didn't really want to spend the money.

When I went outside to see if my car would made it I rejoiced once again because the snow was wet and heavy which meant I should make it just fine. As I drove to work I couldn't help but smile at the beauty of the town. Somehow all of the stresses from the day before had disappeared and everything seemed to be okay. Work was a little busier than normal and most people were cheery even before they got their coffee.

After work I went to pick up Cali for the weekend. The snowflakes were huge and falling fast but I prayed my little car with summer tires would make it out of my friend's development. As I slid around the corner I was thankful that I lived in Buffalo and had a lot of experience driving in such terrible conditions, but as I began my descent up the hill to the main road my car got stuck. There was nothing I could have done. The snow was simply too deep and the tires had no tread to dig through it. Some very friendly neighbors came out and tried to help me but there was no hope. I'd simply have to wait for the snow to calm down and for the plows to come. We attempted to park my car but even that was difficult. The snow that had fallen in the half hour or so made navigating around their small development nearly impossible.

Since my friend who lived there was in Copper ski training I called up everyone I knew with a car to see if they could come pick me up but they were all working or out of town. Finally my friend Mike agreed because he had to go to work and I was only slightly out of his way. Once I got home I began brainstorming. Should I leave my car there for the night or should I figure out a way to get it to a shop and have tires put on? Since I had the dog and couldn't take the bus, getting my car to the shop seemed like the only reasonable solution. I decided to call my friend Ian who grew up in Steamboat, loved cars, and lived only a few seconds down the road. Luckily he had a few hours to spare before he had to work. I'm sure I looked like a complete amateur standing there as he drove my car as far up the hill as it would go and then latched it to a tow rope. At that point it was pretty easy to get it onto a main road, and from there Ian lead to me the only car center in town that was able to put my tires on. I got lucky, most places said it would be a few days but Doc's auto took care of me in just a couple of hours and they were really friendly and affordable.

I've definitely learned my lesson. The scary part about having a car out here is not having my dad to come bail me out when I get myself into trouble. I am fortunate to have great friends who are willing to help and friendly neighbors that will lend a hand. If you haven't put you snow tires on yet be sure to do it soon because it doesn't look like this snow is going to stop. If your car is good to go I hope you are enjoying the beautiful winter weather we've all been waiting for!

Caliboo

2009-11-08T13:01:00.000-08:00

Nope it's not a mix drink or some type of foreign food. Caliboo is the nickname I have for the cutest German Short Hair Pointer in existence. Her real name is Cali and for the past few weekends I have been puppy sitting this adorable pooch. I watch her for my friend on ski team because they train in Copper on weekends until Steamboat Mountain opens. Growing up my sisters and I went through our share of pets. We started out small with a fish tank, then progressed to newts and hermit crabs. From there we moved on to hamsters and then somehow convinced our parents to let us keep a kitten a friend was getting rid of. We never even thought about having a dog because my sister had been attacked by one at a young age and is still terrified of them. Perhaps growing up without a dog is the reason I never understand how people could love them so much but I've definitely fallen for this four legged cutie. She's spoiled to the core. She'll chew anything she can to pieces, drinks toilet water at will and has no qualms with pushing you out of her way if she thinks your spot on the couch looks more comfortable. But seriously, how can you get mad at her cute little face?

Captain Planet

2009-11-02T18:32:00.001-08:00

This Halloween I decided to honor one of my all time favorite childhood heroes. Forget finding clues and interactive dance along shows, when I was a kid I was all about Captain Planet. I mean I think it's pretty cool that this guy was showing us how to take care of our planet before it became a huge political issue and a way for corporate companies to promote themselves. And rather than making us feel guilty about being wasteful he educated us on ways to live more sustainable lives. Forget learning conventions and sustainability classes, Captain Planet did it all in a half an hour kids series!

Unfortunately I couldn't find enough people to be planeteers, but here's a photo of my friends dressed as Mario, Zombies and a Pumpkin!

It was a pretty mellow Halloween this year. I went to CMC's bowling night on the 30th followed by broom ball. On the 31st my friends and I handed out hot cider to trick-or-treaters at the Bean. The little kids were absolutely adoreable in their little costumes. We saw everything from tigers to unicorns! That was about the extent of my fun as I had to work at 6am on Sunday but it was all worth it.

Keep a look out for some videos in the near future as the CMC marketing department has recently supplied me with a camera!

Ultimate Chilli Cook-Off

2009-10-29T22:54:00.000-07:00

Chili is a pretty simple concept right? You throw some beans, meat and chili sauce into crock pot, let it sit for a few hours and voila. At least I thought it was that simple, until I was entered into the first ever Colorado Mountain College Chili Cook-off. Having never made chili before I had no idea what my friend Justin and I were in for. Turns out it takes a couple hours of preparation including onion chopping, pepper slicing and lots of cooking. With about twelve entrants and plenty of hungry taste testers the event was an overall success. We had everything from Vegetable Chili to Homemade Elk Chili. Joe's Green Chili came out on top which wasn't too surprising considering he was the winner of Steamboat's summer chili-cook off. Congrats Joe!

Nut Up or Shut Up

2009-10-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

It seems that Travis Pastrana had a lasting impact on some of the students at Colorado Mountain College. After the extreme sports enthusiast left town he inspired one student, Vince to make the ultimate jump. Amazed by his feat I asked him for an interview and he agreed. Here’s what he had to say:
Name: Vince
Major: Associates of Arts
Hometown: Sonora, CA
Age: 21

How long have you been mountain biking?
I started around seventh grade with a really crappy Wal-Mart bike. I kept breaking bikes and returning them and realized it wasn’t what I needed. Eventually I made a trip to the bike shop and got one that stood up to what I needed. From there I began doing stair gaps and jumps with my friends. I also rode with the local bike shop crew taking really long night rides and weekend trips.

What is your favorite part about the sport?
I think one of the coolest things about any action sport is riding with people better than yourself because you can learn so much from them.

How did you come up with the idea of gapping 25 feet of stairs?
When you do an action sport for a certain period of time you start to see the world differently. You look at something and think wow that looks like something I can do on my bike, where ordinary people would think nothing of it. We were training for ski racing on the soccer field when I first saw the gap. It got into my head and I began contemplating it every day.

Did you have any reservations?
I told a few people about it and they thought it was a really cool idea but there was a huge fear factor involved. I got really scared because I knew I could seriously hurt myself.

What inspired you to finally make the jump?
When Rally America came to town I got a chance to interview Travis Pastrana. One of the coolest things he said was, “Everybody has pain, everybody has fear. But it’s how we deal with fear that sets us apart”. As soon as I heard him say that I knew I needed to do the jump.

What kind of planning was involved?
It’s about being a calculated person. Day after day I would sit at the jump and think about how fast and how big I’d have to go. I checked out the landing to make sure it was safe-- which it really wasn’t-- and built a ramp for the take off.

There were a lot of kids watching you. Did you feel any pressure?
There was a skate comp at the school and I was practicing the run up to see how much speed I’d need. People started gathering around and I didn’t really have a choice. I either needed to do it or stop talking like I was going to. As the movie Zombie Land put it, “nut up or shut up.”

What were the very last thoughts running through your head before you did it?
“God, I hope this works…”

Do you have any regrets?
I guess if I had one regret it would be that I didn’t pursue mountain biking harder when I was younger.

What’s next?
Ski racing is something I love and have a really big passion for. I’d like to pursue it for a few years assuming I can stay injury free. I’d also like to continue to pursue mountain biking. The fact that I successfully made the jump made me realize some things are not as hard as they seem. If I see something bigger I’d like to do it. The future is very unpredictable. Hell, I’m in Colorado now!

Endless Opportunities

2009-10-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

I am going to college in one of the most beautiful towns I've ever seen while living within walking distance of a major ski resort, and the best part is I'm not being sold short on my education. The classes offered at this school are mind opening and, obviously, educational. In fact I fear going to a larger university because I'm not sure I'll have the same opportunities as I have here. I just wanted to take this time to share a very exciting class that is being offered next semester. It's a six credit class that is split into 3 Poli Sci credits and 3 Art credits. There are a few lecture classes that lead up to a nine day trip through Guatemala. Throughout the trip the class will be visiting art museums, meeting with political figures and visiting Mayan ruins. I'm planning on taking the class because it will be a great follow up to my Intro to Political Science. Rather than sitting in the classroom learning about political issues we are going to explore and see the effects of US policies first hand. Not to mention this would be my first time traveling outside of the United States (Canada not included, I used to live by the border). I also think getting to see the Mayan ruins will be awesome after spending time learning about the Mayans in my Philosophy and Lit classes.

The class has limited availability so if you're interested be sure to pre-register! For more info check out the CMC website: http://www.coloradomtn.edu/cms/one.aspx?pageId=3447601

"New" Car

2009-10-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

After living in Steamboat for over a year I've decided to purchase a car. It's not that you actually need one in this town but it does make things more convenient, I was really starting to dread the half hour bike ride to work at 5:30am. Thankfully, my friends Jordan and Mike accompanied me to check out vehicles listed in the classifieds for under $2000. Without them I would have been lost due to my limited knowledge of anything automobile. Jordan and I wound up finding a 91 Honda Accord Station Wagon. It's old and defiantly screams "college student" but I love it. The seats fold down which will be great for taking skis and boards to the mountain and the previous owner gave me snow tires. It might not be the ideal "new" car, but it if it gets my from point A to point B that's all that really matters!

Coffee House

2009-09-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Last week Student Activities hosted a Coffee House for both on and off campus students. A lot of people showed up to hear Doug Wood play instrumentals and enjoy free coffee.

Doug really got the audience involved.

It started with one student dancing

and next thing we knew it was a full blown Congo line...then a dance party!
we even had students perform a rendition of "Spider Pig"overall it was a great night!

Thanks to everyone who helped out and everyone that came out and made the night a success. Be sure to check out the "This Week" for more upcoming activities including these:

Wednesday October 30th there will be a musician playing in at the Dining Hall starting at 5:30pm. At 9pm he will be giving free guitar lessons! SA is also getting involved with the Steamboat Film Fest this year. We will be offering discounted tickets to movie premiers such has TGR's re:Session and Matchstick Production's In Deep. For more info on show times stop by Tamara's office or go to http://www.steamboatmountainfilmfestival.com/

I saw an Elk!

2009-09-28T15:41:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up around 6am to head to Denver. My friend Ryan flew to NY for the weekend to surprise his Dad at his 50th birthday party and I agreed to pick him up at 9am. After stopping at The Bean for some caffeine I began the journey to Denver International Airport. Around 7am I began my way up Rabbit Ears Pass with the sun rising. I was thinking about the classes I'd be missing and the test I had to take later in the day when low and behold, standing on the side of the road was an elk! I know this is not something a typical driver wants to see because danger may ensue if he decides to run out into the middle of the road but I was thrilled. After living in the mountains for over a year I finally saw a real live wild elk! For obvious reasons I was unable to snap a photo, but I want to share with everyone that I will now cross this off my list of "Things I want to do in Colorado".

Rally Car Races

2009-09-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was a big deal for the town of Steamboat Springs. You could hear engines revving everywhere you went because the Rally Races came to town. Although my knowledge of cars is minimal and awareness of celebrities is even lesser, I decided to check it out. Unfortunately the only event I was able to attend was the opening ceremonies where the riders got to show off their cars and everyone got a chance to meet them. This is where I snapped a photo with Travis Pastrana, possibly one of the biggest names in motor action sports. I'll admit I've seen his show Nitro Circus a couple of times but until this weekend I knew little about him. Apparently he used to be into motocross and retired from that when he became the first person to attempt a double back flip in the X games. Now he travels the country doing Rally Racing and has won the cup for the past few years. I was unable to see the actual races because I had to work, but my friend Mariah volunteered at them and got some great shots! Enjoy...

Chris, Me, Travis Pastrana and Mariah

This one was by far the cutest car at the show

My favorite car in actionAnother sweet shotThe pit crew doin' work

I'll take a large latte with an extra shot, sugar free vanilla and whipped cream

2009-09-13T12:39:00.001-07:00

I'm currently standing inside the Steaming Bean Coffee House downing my second Italian Soda of the day. The sugar rush is starting to kick in and Jason Mraz is playing a little louder than usual as I haven't seen a soul walk through the front door for the past forty-five minutes. Don't worry, all the dishes are washed and put away and the coffee is fresh and ready for the next customer that comes in. I do like working when it's busy because time flies by so much faster but slow days come in handy when I have a lot of homework to do. Since today is an unusually slow day and a majority of my homework is done I figured I'd take the free time to update this blog.

So far this semester has been going great. I'm really enjoying living off campus. It's nice to go home after work and have my own place to escape to when I don't feel like dealing with the rest of the world. It's also nice to be able to make dinner whenever I want and I really like only worrying about one other person's laundry being in the machine rather than an entire floor.

Classes are going really well. The other night we had a "Star Party" for our Astronomy lab. Rather than sit in a classroom and try to understand the sky based on charts and equations we went out there and explored. I'll admit I could have thought of at least fifteen other things I'd rather have been doing on a Thursday night from 8-10pm, but this lab was my favorite so far. Jimmy put names of stars and constellations on pieces of paper and had us split up into teams of two. We randomly picked one of each and preceded to find them in the sky. If I had to try to find a constellation a month ago I'd show you the Big Dipper, which as it turns out isn't an actual constellation, it's an asterism. Yet there we were, finding Hercules in the sky.

I'm also enjoying my Ethics class. It's really interesting to learn about different philosophies and religions and what they consider a virtuous life. Being raised a Catholic I am thrilled to learn about the history of the church from a historical standpoint rather than religious. I also like exploring different ideologies and the ways people think.

Aside from classes and work, I've been working on this year's campus reader The Translator. It's about a man who grew up in Darfur and all of the terrible things he witnessed there. He wrote the book hoping the rest of the world would read it and come to help these pour impoverished people. It can be difficult to read because it's a complete reality check as far as what has happened over there, but it really drives the point across. I recommend it to anyone who's interested in learning more about the geneocides that have been committed in Darfur.

Gone Fishin'

2009-08-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

The day first day of the trip started out early, around 6:30am when I woke up, double checked everything I packed and ate breakfast. Shortly after that my roommate Mia drove me up to the overflow lot on campus where I met up with the rest of the group. We loaded up the trailer, waited for a few stragglers and hopped into the Van Terra. It was a long, bumpy ride to Utah filled with conversations, card games, sleep, and even a trip through the Green Glass Door. Somewhere between Craig and Utah I hit the power button on my phone, making the weekend an escape from technology. Once we arrived at our camp site we set up our tents and grouped up so John could brief us on the necessities for the day. We then grabbed the gear we neglected to pack and headed to the Flaming Gorge on the Green River for some fishin'.

I learned quickly that fly-fishing is quite the complicated science. Believe it or not one of the first things I learned is that in order to catch a fish you actually need to see them. This may seem like common sense to some people, but I'm used to the type of fishing where you put some bait on a hook, cast it out and wait for something to bite. In order to fly-fish you need to understand the fish you are trying to catch and their eating habits. When you look in the water you need to look at what type of eating they are doing. You then choose an appropriate fly to match those habits. Essentially you are trying to trick the fish into believing that what you are offering them is real food. And that's just the thinking part. Once you've figured all of that out you need to learn the proper technique for catching a fish.

On the second day of class we woke up around 7:30, ate some delicious breakfast burritos if I do say so myself, packed up our gear and headed back to the river. Since we had a full day ahead of us we were given three options. Our first was to go back to Little Hole, where we had gone the first day and fish. The second was the get dropped off at Little Hole and hike the gradual seven mile up hill hike to the dam throughout the day. And the third option was to get dropped off at the dam and fish there for ten hours. After much debate, my group decided to skip hiking and hang out around the dam for the day. Since Bruce, John and Tim (the teachers) decided they wanted to hike we were left with very little aid. We had to rely on our minimal knowledge of the sport in hopes of catching a fish. Needless to say, no one in our group caught anything that day. My friend Ryan got a bite but that was about the extent of our excitement. We watched fish swim up to our flies, check them out then blatantly reject them as if they were only putting on a show to get our hopes up.

After losing four or five flies without even so much as a bite, my spirits were down. I had pretty much given up hope for catching anything. I attempted a few more flies before we hiked back up to the vans and waited for everyone to regroup.

On day three it was time to leave. We packed up camp and then headed to the river for one final attempt at fishing. Although I never caught anything on the trip I did manage to get a bite. It was difficult watching a kid posted about fifteen feet up the river catch a fish but it was also really exciting to watch. Overall it was a very relaxing trip. I learned more about fly-fishing than I could have ever imagined and had a great time in the process! Oh, and did I mention it counted for one of my mandatory physical education credits?

Welcome Back

2009-08-26T11:15:00.001-07:00

Classes have officially started.

On Monday I was not so excited about this because I felt like my summer ended too soon. I guess that's what happens when you decide to take summer classes, so I can't blame anyone but myself. As I attended class after class my excitement began to build as I realized how interesting my course schedule is this semester. I'm taking 18 credits which include Astronomy 1, Masterpieces of Literature, Intro to Political Science, General Psychology, Ethics, Intro to Fly-fishing, and Avalanche Safety 1.

You may have noticed I am not taking any Ski Business related classes this semester. This is because I'm trying to knock out my most difficult classes in attempt to get my AA degree. Hopefully I'll be able to take a lighter course load next semester and enjoy the winter a little more. Many of these classes are requirements for the AA degree and can be used as electives for my Ski Business degree.

I'm most excited for Ethics with Pam Burwell. This will be her first time teaching it so it should be interesting. I had her as a professor for Philosophy during the Spring semester last year and loved it. She is a great teacher because she can put really difficult concepts into prospective and always has great stories to tell. I also think this class will help me decide if I want to major in Ethics at a four year University once I'm done with CMC.

I'm also stoked about Fly-fishing. It's a one credit class that includes two lecture classes and three days of camping and fishing. I'm excited to once again be trying something new. It's something completely random that I would have never seen myself doing before I moved out here. And the best part is I can skip the yoga and pilates because it helps fill my physical eduation requirements!

The class I am most nervous about is Astronomy 1. Everyone I've talked to says it's a very difficult class. Apparently it's a lot more work than most classes offered here, but everyone that's made it through claims it was worth it. I've heard Jimmy Westlake is a great teacher. Astronomy truly is his passion so I know I'll be learning from the best. He even has an column in the Steamboat Pilot!

All in all it should be a great semester. I'll be sure to get back to everyone who reads this about fly-fishing sometime next week because the trip is this weekend!

King Salomon's

2009-08-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

As my summer job as a Conference Assistant came to an end I began a new job at the Steaming Bean Coffee Shop. Working two jobs and trying to finish summer classes made the last couple of weeks very hectic, and I'm relieved to be done with both Summer Classes and Conference Assisting. However it now seems as though summer is coming to a screeching halt as classes start up again this Monday. In a last ditch effort to enjoy these final days before a full class load and work begins, my friends and I went to King Salomon's Waterfall. I had seen pictures from previous trips that my friends had taken but never went there myself. I was completely unsure of what to expect. My friend Tello described the area as "A little hidden treasure of Colorado".

He was right. After driving down seemingly unused dirt roads then hiking up a narrow path for quite some time, we found our way to King Salomon's Creek. From there went bouldering for about another half mile where the creek opened up into a beautiful little canyon. Before I could even figure out how to cross the creek, my adventure seeking friends were already jumping off the thirty foot cliff into a pool of ice cold water below.

My fear of heights and falling made me quite hesitant at first, but with my friends at my side I eventually jumped. Of course I screamed bloody murder the whole way down but I was able to put my fears aside and enjoy the rush of free falling through the air.

After most of the crew jumped a few kids decided to go further up the creek to try and find the second waterfall. Since I was the only one who decided to wear flip flops rather than sneakers I chose to stay back and enjoy the sun. A few of the others stayed with me and we explored our surroundings. Although we didn't come across any unusual wild life we did find an awfully cute chipmunk that kept running away and coming back as if he were playing a game with us.

Overall I wouldn't describe the day as relaxing, but it was a fun adventure!

Hairless Fox

2009-08-19T18:45:00.000-07:00

The other day while walking to the bus stop I came across an incredibly rare animal: the Hairless Fox. I've heard all about them living in Steamboat, and only Steamboat, but haven't seen one since I moved here exactly one year ago. Apparently they are the same species as regular fox, but they have a disease that causes them to lose their hair. They are said to be no more of a danger than any other wild animals in the area. Unfortunately, it's difficult for them to stay warm so they have to eat a lot more than regular foxes in order to survive. It's believed that they can regrow their hair to help them survive through the winter. Regardless of how ugly they are I was very excited to see one and have the opportunity to take a picture!

This is the picture I took

Here is a close up shot I found online

Visits from afar

2009-07-18T22:44:00.000-07:00

Last week turned out to be a special treat because my parents and little sister came to visit me. I was able to get a few days off work to spend time with them. Since they've never been here we decided to go see as many things as we could. If you are a new student coming out in August or simply coming to visit, here are some of my favorite things to do in Steamboat!

My family flew in late Sunday night and I eagerly awaited their arrival. After what seemed like an eternity they called me to tell me they were outside. I was quite excited to see we'd be rolling around in style all week, as my dad decided to rent an H2

The first day we walked around town and checked out all of the shops on Main Street. We stopped at Johnny B. Goods to enjoy some of the best milkshakes in town. Corrie, my younger sister, and I decided to see who could drink them the fastest. (Can you say cold headache?)
The next day we tubed the Yampa. We put in at the Mt. Werner exit and got out right after C-hole. Unfortunately, the water is getting low so it may be hard to go that far but C-hole is always fun to go through.
After a lazy day in the sun my parents went on a wagon ride/ dinner at Saddleback Ranch. They said the food was amazing, the hosts were entertaining and the views were awesome.

Wednesday we went to the Strawberry Park Hot Springs. I had never been there during the day before and couldn't believe how many people were there. The hot tubs were a little too hot considering the weather, but my dad and sister had fun playing in the creek.

Thursday I had to work SOAR II, the orientation for incoming students. I sent my family to Fish Creek Falls which they really enjoyed.

After that they took a ride up the gondola. Then we met up at the Old Town Hot Springs for one last relaxing night in town. We ate breakfast the next morning at the Creekside Cafe, a great place to get breakfast or lunch. The week flew by, and I was sad to see them go, but overall it was a great time!

Cattle Drive

2009-07-05T17:02:00.001-07:00

Steamboat is a majestic town that you can't help but love. I'm sure it has a lot to do with it's location but there's something more to it. Perhaps it's because of the wide variety of people you find out here- from the former city slickers who needed to get away, the ski bums who want to "shred the gnar", and the venture capitalists who simply enjoy the scenery. Then there's my favorite people to see around town... the good old fashioned ranchers. You know the type. They own more land than you can imagine, and still walk around in cowboy gear. They own cattle and actually knows how to handle them. They are my favorite because I am amazed that with all our modern technology people like that still exist. It's awesome... and they definitely made my 4th of July celebration great.

It started as I was waiting for the Yellow Line, aka the one good thing that comes from paying 8% sales tax. This bus will drive me up the treacherous Bob Adams Drive when the sun is beating down and I feel too dehydrated to trek it. Yupp it was 9am and sunny, and I did not feel like walking up that hill. So, I contacted the bus driver about getting a lift and he informed me that he would not be able to make it for at least forty minutes because of the "cows".

It may have been the morning after Independence Day, and my brain may not have been functioning at its full capacity, but this guy couldn't come pick me up because of cows? What was going on?

That was when I noticed the crowds of people that were forming on Main Street. I knew I had missed the parade (something I had been genuinely looking forward to the previous day), but was it possible that they were having another one? I asked a random passerby what all the commotion was about. Before I could get my hopes up he responded "The cattle run."
"I'm sorry, the what?" I asked.
"I guess they are going to run cattle through the streets".

Huh. Cool. For some reason images of "The Run of the Bull" in Mexico gathered in my head, but I knew Steamboat tourists weren't that crazy.

Upset that I missed the parade, and too lazy to walk up Bob Adams, I decided to join the rest of the crowd and watch as the cattle were herded down the street. I got excited when I saw the first cowboy riding horseback leading the drive. They were coming, slowly, but they were coming. Just as they were about the cross my path the lead cattle suddenly stopped following the cowboy and took off down a side street. Although hesitant at first, the rest of the cattle soon followed and things started to get out of control. Luckily the men on horseback leading the parade were real cattle ranchers and knew exactly what to do. A few of them went down the side street to round up the run away cattle, while the rest stayed back with the remaining cattle and kept them in place. It was really funny to see, although I'm sure they weren't happy about all the commotion.

One poor little guy was so confused and unsure of where to go he began running back and forth between the two separated herds.

After a few minutes of mayhem everything was once again under control.

The "cattle drive" ended as quickly as it started with people resuming back to their normal routines. It was one of those not-something-you-see-every-day moments that I love about Steamboat.

Summer Reading

2009-07-01T20:34:00.000-07:00

It's summertime and in my opinion there's nothing like ending a long day of sunshine by curling up in bed with a good book. There's also not much else I'd rather do on a rainy day, so if you ask me, summer is a prime time for reading. If you're a book junkie like myself and unsure of what to pick up next hopefully this will help!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen- Jacob Jankowski is about to become a certified veterinarian when his parents die suddenly, leaving him with nothing. Unsure of what to do with himself he runs away and winds up joining the circus. This book gives you an inside look at life during the depression, and the struggles of a man who falls in love with a woman he can't have... or can he? I found myself getting completely lost in this book, and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a change of pace, as it is like nothing I've read in the past.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer- I was convinced I'd never read these books because a teenage drama series about vampires hardly interested me. Yet I found myself trapped in an airport with nothing to do, so I picked up the only familiar title on the shelf. I have to admit the first book was a pretty good read, but beyond that I was completely disappointed. I was never excited about reading New Moon, Eclipse or Breaking Dawn, yet I forced myself through them anyways. In my opinion the characters were completely underdeveloped. I think they all came off as whiny and miserable and couldn't stand reading about them. If a four book saga about a girl who falls in love with an immortal doesn't really interest you, you can easily save yourself some time. Simply ignore all the hype and watch the movies instead.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls- Imagine growing up with completely nonconformist parents; a father who is always on the run and a crazy mother that is more concerned about what she wants than providing for her children. Jeannette Walls describes her life of struggles and misfortune in such fine detail you feel as though you are right there with her. My favorite part about her writing is that she never once complains, she simply tells it as it was, allowing you to make your own judgments. If you are going to pick up one book this summer The Glass Castle should be it.

Shoot the Women First by Eileen MacDonald- In a world full of terrorism it is often hard to understand why such horrible acts are committed. It's even more difficult to understand why women, who create life and are often portrayed as nurturers could commit such crimes. MacDonald dives into the heart of it, interviewing women who have been convicted of committing the most heinous of crimes. She remains rather unbiased by presenting you with the facts and allowing you to conclude your own opinions. Although at times difficult to read I enjoyed learning about different cultural motivations for terrorism.

These are just a few suggestions, if you have any must-reads I'd love to know about them!

My Herione

2009-06-20T10:45:00.001-07:00

I woke up around 8:30am from the sun shining brightly in my face. Realizing that it was early and I had nothing to do for the day I shut my blinds and rolled over. Less than an hour later I received a phone call from my friend Ryan, who works as a rafting guide. It only took six simple words, "Want to go raft the Yampa?" and I jumped out of bed.

my first time out this summer
The Yampa is probably one of the most mellow rivers to raft, but I loved being out on the water and couldn't wait to go outside and play. As it turned out, Ryan had invited all of the other CAs along, and a couple of his friends from Denver that were in town. We all met up at the shop, geared up and headed out. When we first got into the river the sun was shining and there were no rapids in sight, so we took off our life jakets hoping to catch some rays. Once we got close to town Ryan asked us to put our jackets on because th raft was branded with the company name, and were about to approach C-hole. C-hole is a man made wave in the river for kayaking competitions. Early in the summer it can be pretty intense. Our first time through I decided to "ride the bull", or sit on the very front f the raft. I was really nervous about falling off, but managed to hold on while the giant wave completley submerged me.

resting in the Hippie Hot Springs

Then we decided to paddle back and try to surf the wave. We'd been warned that we'd probably get dumped out so I prepared myself. As we entered the wave everything happened so fast. First one of Ryan's friends from Denver fell off the raft, and in Ryan's attempt to save him he was tossed off. I was standing in the back as I watched the front of the raft fold in half. I felt like I was on the Titanic as I watched my friends being hopelessly flung into the water. I braced myself, awaiting my inevitable doom. And then, as quickly as it started, it was over. The raft had made it over the wave and I found my balance. I stood there in shock for a few seconds then began pulling people back into the raft. Once everyone was in safely we all started laughing.

Mia and I taking a ducky out

Up next was the D-hole. It was smaller and much less intimidating than C-hole. After being the only survivor of our last escapade I was overly confident that I'd be just fine. Perhaps that's why I was caught so off guard when I was flung from the raft the instant we tried to surf it. I gasped for one last breath as the current pulled me under and spun me around like a rag doll. I lost all sense of direction and had no idea which way was up. All I could do was wait for the undertow to spit me out, hoping my life preserver to bring me to the surface. I soon felt my body floating to the top and broke the surface, gasping desperately for a breath of air. Yet it didn't come. My body was completely exposed to the ice cold snow melt and went into shock. My lungs were restricted and trying to breath felt like breathing through a straw after a 100 yard sprint. I panicked and immediately went into survival mode, swimming towards shore. The current was strong but I knew I was stronger. I kicked and kicked, not knowing how much longer I'd last. Then I heard Ryan's voice "NO! SWIM TOWARDS ME! WE'LL GET YOU OUT, SWIM TOWARDS THE RAFT." I turned slightly and saw the raft, it was further away than shore and I just wanted to get out of the water. I tried to take a deep breath and yell "I can't breathe". It took all my energy, and I hardly whispered it. I kept trying and was finally able to get the words out. Then Ryan's voice started to calm me "It's okay, we'll get you out, just swim over here." The current took me towards the raft, and my friends pulled my numb body out of the water. I shivered and took in a few deep breaths, thinking about what had just happened.
Ryan
Once I was safe I realized I had been on one of the most intense rides of my life. The adrenaline rush was unlike anything I had ever experienced before. It was completely addicting, and I smiled happily, knowing the River was my new heroine.

Summer

2009-06-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is almost here and it's finally starting to feel that way! It's rained every single day since I came back almost three weeks ago, but it's currently 7pm and the skies are still blue. I decided to spend a summer out here to experience life in Colorado when the snow isn't falling.

Of course Steamboat is a really expensive town to live in, so I decided to go the easier route and live for free... for a few months at least. Living in the dorms is one of the many perks of being a Summer Conference Assistant at Colorado Mountain College. There are five of us and we are here to take care of all the summer groups that come and use our facilities. So far we've been responsible for everything from putting linens on beds for guests to making bulletin boards. We check guests in and out, and ensure a safe living environment. It's a really fun job with lots of perks; we get to live here for free, there's plenty of delicious food, and we get to meet a lot of great people. We also got to help out with S.O.A.R, the summer orientation for kids coming out in the fall, and it's exciting getting to know them.

Other than work, my priorities have been online classes and house hunting. I've decided to take two online classes this summer- College Algebra and English Comp 1. Although at times I find myself wondering why I decided to spend my summer with more academics than necessary, it's really not so bad. Even though I have deadlines to meet I never have to worry about getting up early for class or missing an important lecture.

House Hunting has been quite the learning experience. Mia (my future roommate) and I decided to get an early start so we could have as many options as possible. After calling at least 30 people we checked out a bunch of places, and it's amazing the kind of stuff we saw. Everything from a beat down house that was practically underground to a log cabin that seemed like it would hardly maintain heat in the winter. We also saw some beautiful homes, and picked one out that is absolutely perfect. It's a two bed, two bath town home that's fully furnished. Although it's on the higher end of our price range I really like the feel of it and think we'll be comfortable living there. Living in the dorms was fun,but I miss being able to cook whenever I want and can't wait to do my own thing.

I went Rocky Mountain climbing...

2009-06-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

I am definitely not a huge fan of country songs but I do find some of them pretty catchy from time to time. If you haven't figured it out, Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying is the inspiration for this blog title.

On our third day back in Steamboat, all of the CAs went on a two day retreat in Silverton, CO for some group bonding. I had never tried to hike a mountain before, and coming from sea level I'll admit I was incredibly nervous. It didn't help that everyone else had a lot of hiking experience, but everyone was in high spirits when we headed out around 8:30am. Their motivation kept me going, and our conversations made the time fly. I also have to admit that Mia helped me out by carrying our backpack uphill a majority of the way. Making it as far as we did was very rewarding, the views were stunning and I felt like we really accomplished something.

Unfortunately we were unable to make it to the summit because there was too much snow on the path and most of us were only wearing sneakers. It was still a lot of fun, and we are planning on hiking a 14er in Summit County within the next month. After that I guess I'll need to start looking for a bull named Fu Man Chu...

the whole summer crew except Lynda

all of us standing above tree line

we couldn't make it to the top because there was too much snowthe house we stayed inKendell mountain at night

Tomāto Tomäto

2009-05-21T22:12:00.000-07:00

Shopping sprees, card games, hanging out with family, painting pottery, water skiing, tubing, babysitting, twilight, lunch with old friends, visits from new ones, Canada, homemade gelato, four wheeling and so on...

So far this summer has been packed with nonstop fun, but by far the most interesting experience I've had has been working with my father. He works for a produce distribution company, heading the repack division. What this means for me is countless hours of sorting through tomatoes, throwing out the rotten ones. I've never been a fan of tomatoes myself, although some people find them interesting because they aren't fully fruit or vegetable, and some people simply enjoy eating them. I however hold a personal grudge against them that seems to grow every time I work there. It is perhaps one of the most tedious jobs ever, sorting through endless boxes of tomatoes to make sure they are of the highest quality. In fact, it's probably something most people never even think about; all the hours of labor put into making sure your produce is perfect for the supermarket shelves.

So how can such a tedious task be one of the most interesting experiences of my summer so far?

Well, it turns out that while working with my father I have had conversations with some of the most fascinating people I've ever met. When I first met them I didn't know what to think, mostly that they were people from the inner city, living a different lifestyle than I'd ever been exposed to. I wasn't sure we'd have anything to talk about, or if we'd even be able to communicate since many of them speak very little, if any English. However, it turned out that many of them aren't originally from the US which intrigued me, because I love to learn about different cultures. This is my view of their struggles...

Over one hundred years ago many of our ancestors stepped off a boat and into a world of possibilities. It wasn't easy. They had to wait in seemingly endless lines just to see if they'd be accepted into this new country, hoping they wouldn't be sent home for contracting something as simple as modern day pink eye. As they were herded like cattle through various rooms they held onto their most important possessions, often no more than a suitcase for many.

Many people were separated from their families and flat broke, but they risked it all in hopes of a better life. Once accepted into the country, they worked very hard for little pay to try and make it better for the next generation of their family. After all isn't that what the American dream is all about?

This all sounds like ancient history to many of us, but the struggle to become a citizen in this country is still very alive.

One man I talked to while working with my dad came here from Africa. I had seen movies like Blood Diamond, so I had some understanding of the fighting and mass killings that were happening over there. Yet the Hollywood film didn't seem to do it justice after talking to a man who lost it all over some precious gems. As difficult as it was for him to talk about, he managed to tell me how his entire family had been killed, and he knew he had to leave or he would probably die as well. He decided to come to come to America because he speaks decent English and wanted to work for the government as a translator. I don’t know much about how he gained citizenship, but after hearing accounts of these atrocities first hand I made a promise to myself- I would never purchase or wear jewelry unless I knew for certain no lives were taken for it.

I also had the privilege of working with a woman who was able to escape from her life in Cuba. She explained how she used to be a gymnast, and came to the United States to compete. As her fellow gymnasts prepared to head to the airport, she arranged for a friend to pick her up. This was the beginning of her seven year struggle to become a permanent resident of the United States. She started out in California, where she didn't even have enough money to file papers for citizenship. Since she didn't have a green card, she couldn't get a job, so she had to work under the table doing things such as cleaning houses. Eventually she decided to take a three day bus ride to Buffalo, NY so she could live there. During the ride she was completely terrified of being caught and deported back to Cuba. She had also just started learning English so she couldn't communicate well enough to order food at rest stops. As if that’s not difficult enough, just imagine taking all of you possessions with you on a bus. I know I wouldn’t be able to do it. Luckily for this woman, after years of struggling and working hard she was finally able to gain full citizenship for the United States.

When I asked her why she decided to leave she explained that living there had its positive sides, for example you never had to pay for medical care or education, and everyone pretty much made the same amount of money whether they were a doctor or a school teacher. But it also had its negative sides, because the country often ran low on food, and she remembers endless nights of going to sleep with an empty stomach. In her broken English she also tried to explain that she was friends with children whose parents worked for the government, and they always seemed to have more than her, more money, more food; more anything matters in a communist country where everyone is supposed to be equal.

It's crazy to imagine how different people live, whether they choose to or not. It was definitely interesting talking to these people and hearing about their struggles in life, and I am happy that they were able to make it as far as they have. I guess it's just something to think about next time you pick up tomatoes in the grocery store.

Bye Bye Steamy B

2009-04-27T11:57:00.001-07:00

It honestly feels like just yesterday I boarded a flight to Steamboat Springs, Colorado to embark on a journey. I had only been to the town once before and didn't know anyone that lived here. I was clueless as to where I'd end up, if I'd enjoy it or despise it. But here I am almost nine months later finding it impossible to say good bye to this town. As I began packing up my room last night it was almost painful to realize I'm going home. I don't want to say goodbye to all of this beautiful scenery and all of my friends. I think about all the great adventures I've been on and all of the new things I've tried. I'll never forget climbing up Howelson Hill my very first day here, or floating down the Yampa with strangers who quickly became good friends. Eight months ago I was completely unable to do 180s, and I never imagined working for Grenade in Vegas.

Luckily for me this journey's not over, I'll be back out in Steamboat June 1st to work as a Conference Assistant at the school. And of course I'll be starting my second year in August. Still, it's going to be very sad saying goodbye to close friends who have become like family throughout the past few months... I read this right before I left for Steamboat and it always makes me feel a little better about things.

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When something is in your life for a reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then without any wrongdoing on your part, or at a inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on. Some people come into your life for a season, because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.Believe it, it is real. But only for a season! Lifetime relationships teach you lifelong lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant. Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season, or a lifetime. -Author Unknown

The Mysterious Birthday Surprise

2009-04-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Main Characters:

Mariah

MiaJakeTamara

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2009

10:34 am
It started out as a typical Thursday morning. I woke up with a rumbly tummy, bummed that I had missed breakfast and eager for lunch to start. To pass the time I decided to call my friend Mia to see what she was up to. It turned out she was at the library in town and very preoccupied because she had to get off the phone rather quickly. Although I never thought Mia was the type to spend her day at the public library I didn't think anything of it.

As time passed I realized I had a big night ahead of me, it was my friend Mariah's 19th birthday, we had a Student Activities Appreciation Dinner to attend and in less than 24 hours I'd be turning 20.

12:16 pm
After nourishing myself with a meal at the dining hall I headed back up to the dorms. It was a windy day and I feared it might rain, putting a damper on the night's events. I tried hard to put those thoughts aside and remain optimistic about the night. As I walked down the hallway I ran into a kid Zach, who I see all the time but hardly know anything about. We said our hellos, then he continued the conversation by wishing me a happy birthday. "It's tomorrow" I responded, "But thank you!" It caught me off guard, I didn't understand how he'd know such a thing, so I assumed we were friends on Facebook and left it at that.

4:00 pm
We began to get ready. Steamboat is a rather casual town when it comes to attire, and this was a rare opportunity to dress up like we were heading to the Grammy's. As girls, we needed to be sure we had enough time to do our hair and make up. For the men who still don't understand why we need such a long time to get ready, it's because we don't like being rushed. We like taking our time and bonding with our friends while we prepare for a fun night out.

6:23 pm
We headed to Tamara's office to meet up before dinner. As we walked through the hallways and out to the car we turned a lot of heads. In a school composed of mostly males, women tend to let their guard down. We stop worrying about our hair and make up so much, and occasionally skip a shower. To see people in dresses was very out of the ordinary. We walked quickly, hoping to not bring too much attention to ourselves.

6:34pm
We arrived at The Boathouse Pub located on Yampa Street. It was a very well decorated restaurant located right on the river. The food was delectable, I ordered a Portabella Mushroom Sandwich which I'd recommend it to anyone who goes there. It's always exciting to eat out, especially when you're a poor college student and in good company. It was a bitter sweet ending to a year filled with many events such as Late Night Bingo, an Illusionist, having several bands come play, and even a CMC Talent Show.

7:42 pm
After finishing our meal, Mariah brought up the topic of dessert. She wanted some ice cream for her birthday, but was talked out of it. Instead we decided we'd go to Safeway and pick some up, then eat it in the MPR. I thought it was peculiar that Tamara suggested we eat in the dorms, since her office is located in another building and all our meetings are held there. But I once again brushed it off.

7:51pm
We were finishing our meal when Mia's mother called. She said it was important and she had to take it so she left, promising she'd meet us back at the dorms. After the bill was paid, Jake, Mariah and I headed to City Market while Tamara went to pick up her "Little Sister". When we arrived at City Market Jake instructed Mariah and I to get two giant tubs while he dropped his movie off at Blockbuster. "Why?" we asked. "There are only five of us, we don't need that much ice cream. Besides, the tubs aren't as good as the other stuff." Promising him we'd take care of it, Mariah and I went in and picked out our favorite types of ice cream. As we were picking out toppings Jake found us and kept trying to convince us to get the bigger tubs. We told him if that was what he wanted to he could go for it, but there was no way I was giving up Cookie Dough ice cream for that stuff. Finally he caved in, picked out another flavor and we checked out.

8:07pm
We arrived at the dorms. As we walked past the windows to the MPR we noticed the lights were out and there were a ton of people in there. I immediately thought it was a huge mistake deciding to meet in there because everyone would want to eat our ice cream and we only had three cartons. "Why are there so many people in there?" I asked, to which Jake responded that it must have been a movie night. Once again I should have thought harder about this because I'm on both Student Activities and RHA so I always know when events in the MPR are going on. I figured another club must have been putting an event on and brushed it off. When we walked into the MPR someone flicked the lights on and everyone yelled "SURPRISE"! They sang Happy Birthday to Mariah and I and we both stood there dumbfounded.

I would have never guessed that Mia was going to throw us a surprise party, but she did. As I looked back at the day I began to piece it all together. She never really went to the library, she was at our friends house baking cake. All of the random people that kept saying Happy Birthday thought it was my birthday because of the flyers that had been passed out. Mia's mom had never called her, she just needed an excuse to get away and set everything up. And obviously, Jake wanted to get the giant tubs because he knew we wouldn't be the only ones enjoying them.

It was a great start to my very first birthday away from home. After that we headed over to a friends house to hang out. I slept in until almost noon on my acutaul birthday, then attended a meeting for my job as a CA this summer. After relaxing for the day I ended up going to the Strawberry Park Hot Springs as the perfect way to end the night. I just want to say thank you to everyone who made it such a great couple of days!

The Great Escape

2009-03-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong, I love living in Steamboat. Whenever someone from out of town asks how I like going to school here I smile and reply "It's awesome, it's like living on a permanent vacation". But sometimes you just need to get away for a little bit. My room mate and I reached that point, we weren't sick of anything in particular, our friends are great, the town is still beautiful and friendly, but we needed a break from our every day routines. So we packed our backpacks, hopped in Heather's car and headed for her home town- Grand Junction. I'd been there once earlier this year for a conference, but we hardly had time to explore the town. This time I got to see the place VIP style, and it was a blast. After driving for about three hours we reached Grand Junction and Heather decided to show me some places around town. We saw the house she used to live in, the river where everyone floats during the summer and *gasp* a mall. I have to admit I almost forgot those things existed. Then we went to her house where her mom made us pizza and we just relaxed. Followed by that was my favorite part of the trip- White Rocks. She said we'd be doing some climbing so I threw on some sneakers and a light hoodie in case it got cold when the sun went down. The place was gorgeous. We started climbing and at first it was nothing too difficult, it was very similar to bouldering. The rocks were close enough to the ground that I felt falling would mean little injury. Then Heather decided to climb up a huge rock and jump over to another one. I was immediately reminded of my fear of heights and decided to find an alternate route up. Once I got up there I saw why she was so insistent upon it. The views were amazing. After hanging out there for a while we headed back and I eventually passed out. The next day her mom made us a delicious homemade lunch and we headed back to Steamboat.

Living in a Postcard (Snow O Part II)

2009-03-06T14:46:00.000-08:00

Imagine going four days without any technology. No cell phones, palm pilots, no laptops or high speed internet. No satellite TV or high definition video games, not even an alarm clock. All you have is the gear you need to survive, and an optional snowboard if you wanted to bear the weight in order to seek out some fresh turns. To most people in my generation this sounds like some form of cruel and unusual punishment, but for me it was a little piece of heaven. That's right, its Snow O round two, more exciting and adventurous than ever.

Day 1
It was the most grueling three mile hike I'd ever been on. My pack didn't bother me too much but the sled I was pulling seemed to drag me backwards every time I tried to move forward. I don't know what kept me going because at times my body told me to give up but I knew it was something I had to do, so after taking a second to catch a breath of fresh air, I kept trekking along. Once we finally decided on a site we had to start digging because we only had a few hours of sunlight left. Quinzees are a lot more difficult to make than the snow shelters we had made the previous week. You need to pile up a ton of snow, let it sit for at least a half hour to harden, then dig out a cave to sleep in. I'll admit I was kind of out of it, and Hunter ended up doing most of the digging while I helped with snow removal. We ended up making a ridiculously large quinzee and it took the help of three other people to finish off the "Taj Mahal". After that we ate supper and I went to sleep completely exhausted from the day’s work.

Day 2
We had a late start, I think everyone was exhausted from the previous day, but we decided we'd go on a hike. Before heading out Sean briefed us on what to bring while traveling away from camp. When we were all ready to go Kelen was put in charge of the map and guided the way. Let me just say, this was not your typical leisurely New York type of hike. This was an uphill battle with deep powder and the heat of the sun beating down on us. Yet the scenery was stunning, each time we stopped to take a look around I would think to myself, “we are living in a post card”. Along the way we studied animal tracks, learning how to identify squirrels, fox and snowshoe hares. Pete also taught us about how to identify different types of pine trees and their benefits to the environment. We learned that in an emergency survival situation pine needles are a good source of vitamin C and okay to eat. I tried one-- if you're wondering what they taste like just imagine eating a Christmas tree. It's definitely something I'll save for emergency situations from now on. Soon after that Sean showed us how to start a fire using cotton balls, twigs and a lighter. We then hiked up a little further for some amazing views and then began our descent back to camp.

Day 3
It was once again difficult to get up in the morning because I was so cozy and warm in my sleeping bag. I debated staying in there for the whole day, but it was time to snowboard. We decided the previous night that we would hike up to the same spot and get in some fresh turns. So immediately after breakfast we headed out. I was very low on energy and motivation, but every time I looked up to the area we'd be riding my body became instantly energized. Once we got to the top I was really thrilled for my first experience backcountry riding, and best of all, they gave me first tracks! It was amazing just flying down the mountain without the worry of running into someone, and there were very few barriers to look out for. If you've never done it it's difficult to describe the experience. It's like a natural high where you are floating on a cloud. After my first run I just kept wanting more. Sean and I took turns with my board, Pete, Jackie and Kelen skied, and everyone else went sledding. It was one of the most amazing experiences, and it made me even more excited to know I was getting college credit for it. Once we made it back down to camp we began digging a fire pit and collected some dead tree branches. After dinner we all sat around keeping warm and sharing stories. Eventually we ran out of wood and headed off for bed.

Day 4
We woke up pretty early to head out. Camp breakdown didn't take long at all, so after eating we left. Along the way we decided to dig an Avi pit just for some basic knowledge on what to look for. It was an eventful weekend but I was ready for some running water and a nice warm shower. Overall it was a great experience. If I learned one thing on the trip it was appreciation. With all our modern technology I feel like we are constantly taking so much for granted. It was awesome to get out there and connect with nature, something I think everyone should do at least once in their life. Although I don't see myself snow camping again in the very near future I'm glad I was able to experience it. I can now say I've done something more than 90% of the population would never even think about trying.

Snow Orientation Part 1

2009-02-22T22:32:00.000-08:00

Remember that girl from New York who had never gone camping in the complete wilderness up until just a few months ago? Well, the adventurous side of her took over, as she decided to go camping in the snow. That's right ladies and gents, I signed up for Snow Orientation. I can't exactly explain what it is that sounded so appealing to me, maybe it was the thought of being forced to slowly melt snow in order to have drinking water, constantly battling the elements and trying to stay warm. Perhaps it was knowing that we'd be hiking our way into the mountains with heavy backpacks. Okay I know this doesn't sound very appealing to most people, but for me it's all about trying something new. I came out here looking for adventure, and learning how to survive under these conditions seems like a pretty good skill to have.

The Night Before

I'll admit, packing was hard. While I was emptying the contents of my makeup bag and replacing them with necessities like a compass, first aid kit and hand sanitizer, all I could think about was how my parents were starting out their luxurious Caribbean cruise. Not to mention, I'm horrible at packing. It seems I always bring more than I need, but on this trip consolidation was necessary. I was going to be carrying everything I needed on my back, so anything extra would just be dead weight. So, I went through my checklist and made sure I packed only items I'd need. I learned in class that no matter how cozy I thought my Hurley hoodie was, it wouldn't be reasonable to pack because cotton is terrible for wilderness camping. Once it gets wet it'll stay wet, and in order to stay warm out there you need to stay dry.

As I climbed into bed that night I was anxious and nervous for what the weekend would bring. I didn't sleep well at all, but every time I woke up I was more and more thankful for the warmth of my fleece blanket and the comforter my mom made me.

Day 1

We started out early with Drew knocking on my door around 7:30 am. He brought over the food that needed to stay refrigerated. We packed everything up and made our way down to the lower parking lot, where we met up with the rest of the crew. We loaded up the van and headed off.

packing the sleds

Once we got to the spot where we'd begin hiking we unloaded the van and filled sleds with things we'd need but couldn't fit in our backpacks like tarps, food and snowshoes. Then we set out on a hike, which wasnt very difficult because there had been so many snowmobilers out rinding that the trail was packed down really well. When we got close to our camping spot we had to veer off trail, which was a little bit more difficult because the snow was deep. During this hike staying hydrated and well fed was crucial. Your body never tells you that you are thirsty until it's too late, so we frequently stopped to take a break.

digging out the shelter
Setting up camp made me feel like a kid again. We dug giant holes in the ground and set tarps over them to shelter us from wind and snow. It felt like we were building snow forts. However, these "forts" were much more high tech. First we had to stomp out a platform where we would dig, then let it sit for 15-20 minutes so the snow could harden. We began digging out the basic shape of our shelter, and once we got it to a depth we liked Drew set up dead men as anchors for the corners of the tarp. We then dug out stairs, and had to dig a whole deeper than our ground level because cold air sinks, we didn't want to be sleeping at the lowest point.

the finnished product
Before we knew it, it was supper time. We cooked our food and had discussions about sleeping warm. It was getting late and cold since the sun went down, so we filled up our waterbottles with hot water and went to bed.

Day 2

I slept really well, only waking up a couple of times during the night. In fact, I was so warm and cozy it was difficult to get up in the morning, but hungar took over so I headed to the kitchen for breakfast. Once we all ate we walked around the campsite and talked about the different shelters we had built. We then proceeded to destroy them, taking down the tarps and filling the holes back in the best we could so no wild life would get injured from falling in them.

the kitchen

Then it was time for class where we learned about hypothermia, and had a lesson on how to use beacons. They were both very serious topics-- hypothermia can be hard to identify in its early stages, and its effects can be devastating. And obviously, riding backcountry and knowing how to properly use your equipment is vital. Avalanches are disastrous and only about half the victims caught in them survive. We took turns hiding beacons and finding them. I'm glad I had the opportunity to work with them, but I still wouldn't go out in the backcountry until I know exaclty what I'm doing.

the classroom

Overall, last weekend was a great experience. I feel like I learned a lot and can't wait to go out again this weekend for the four day trip!

Working for "The Man"

2009-02-11T16:30:00.000-08:00

My whole life I was lead to believe that work is a horrible place. I watched as people in my life seem more stressed out about work then they were concerned about enjoying life. So, I did it. I went out and got a job I knew I'd dislike. My first six months of training were inside a two foot area where I had to greet people hello and pack their groceries as friendly and efficiently as possible. I was then moved to the produce department of the supermarket, where I put fruit on shelves and looked forward to the occasional food fight in the back room. Don't get me wrong, the people I worked with were friendly and the company was very generous to it's employees. But still, I felt like every time I walked through the doors I was just going through the motions-- Locker Room, Hair Check, Does my breath smell okay? How long til' lunch break?-- You get the point.

I knew there had to be more out there, a job I'd really enjoy. I mean how many times have you heard the saying "Do what you love and never work a day in your life". I heard it all the time growing up, and after a year off of school I decided to live out my dreams. I sat down and thought about what made me happiest in life; snowboarding. Then I searched for schools that had snowboarding as part of their curriculum. It was the thing that made me happiest, so I wanted to find a job where I could make it part of my every day life. After a lot of research I decided Colorado Mountain College would be my number one choice. After all, it is the only school in the country that offers a degree in Ski and Snowboard Business. When I first presented the idea to my family they were kind of shocked. There was the money aspect-- "how will you afford it?", and the whole distance thing--"You'll never be home for holidays". Plus there was the fact that it's such a specified program, but after seeing how passionate I was about doing this they came around and understood. So I packed my bags and headed out.

Since I've been here I've learned how to properly fit people for ski and snowboard boots, how to tune and wax a board, I've learned the basics in selling, shop management, and how to design and market a snowboard.

One of the classes I am taking this semester is Work Experience. Basically, you take the skills you've learned in the classroom and have to use them in real life. You can get any internship that is ski and snowboard related. To help knock off some of my hours I decided to go to the SIA (Snowsport Industries America) Show in Las Vegas. I interned for Grenade, and it was one of the best weeks of my life. After all, how bad can your job be when "The Man" you are working for is Danny Kass?

It was a long drive there, but temperature rose the closer we got to sin city. I love the snow but I have to admit, the warm weather was a nice break from the Colorado winter. We arrived a day early so I went out and explored the strip, visiting everything from the M&M Factory to the ESPN Sports Zone. I met up with some friends from school as they arrived and we spent the rest of the evening exploring the city. I went to bed rather early because I knew it was going to be an early morning and had no idea what I'd be doing for Grenade.

The first day of work was incredibly hectic. We got there in the morning and our booth was bare. There was a little office room and a ton of boxes, everything was a mess. As interns, it was our job to start sorting it out. We spent the day hanging up outerwear, setting up the clothing line and running around trying to find forgotten necessities like scissors and sharpies. It wasn't necessarily a fun day but it was rewarding seeing the booth all set up, knowing we were responsible for it.

The rest of the week I was responsible for helping the Reps out with product demonstrations. Part of this included making sure the buyers were as comfortable as possible by seating them, getting them something to drink, and giving them a buyer's guide. Once the demonstrations started I would hand the reps the gear they needed to present and take it back when they were done showing off it's features. I also helped out with appointment check-ins and anything else the reps needed throughout the week.

When I got some free time I walked around the show to check out the new line for 2009. It was awesome talking to people who truly spend every day doing what they love. When they aren't out riding they are designing products for riders, or out selling it. The most encouraging thing was meeting people who were graduates from the Ski and Snowboard Business Program. It didn't take much effort to find them working for companies. All you had to do was mention that you were going to school in Steamboat and they popped out of the woodwork. Even one of the reps from Grenade graduated from the program when it first started up almost 20 years ago. It was really refreshing to see where this degree can take me.

Winter Park

2009-01-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

I realize I have been slacking on my blogger responsibilities, my last post was in early December. Hopefully over the next few days I'll be able to catch everyone up with the life of a Colorado Mountain College student.

For starters, there was Winter Park. Since the College Ultimate Pass extends our season passes to Winter Park, and the Beaver Village Condos were offering awesome packages our first week of break, a few of my friends and I decided to rent a condo.

Our first day there we unloaded everything necessary and immediately headed up to the mountain, excited to explore the terrain. Although there hadn't been much snowfall prior to our arrival we had fun just messing around for a few hours on the mountain. We then headed to the supermarket to stock up on food and explored the town. I think we were all pretty tired out but we stayed up pretty late socializing and watching movies. We were all very excited for the week to come since the weather forecast called for snow. Well mother nature delivered, here's a picture of Matt cleaning the snow off his SUV in the morning. We knew it would be a good day.

They opened a new run and Chris and I tried skating over to it, but we just kept sinking in.They had free entertainment including live music and photos with Santa Clause, which we took full advantage of.We found a thrift store in town and bought some old school ski suites to rock out.

Overall it was an amazing week. With plenty of snowfall and lots of soda pop to drink, we were staying in a snowboarder's paradise. I had only one complaint...

Soda Pop Cans. So here's the thing that kills me about Colorado. They claim to be this Eco-friendly state that cares about the environment, yet they are missing one of the easiest ways to encourage recycling. It's a pretty simple system that is very successful in the state of New York. When you go to the store and buy anything in an aluminum or glass can, as well as most plastic bottles you pay a 5 cent deposit. When you return the container you get your money back. However here in Colorado it seems to be just to opposite. Many towns don't have a recycling center near them so you usually have to drive a few hours or pay to have your recyclables properly taken care of. According to enotes.com, the energy saved by recycling one aluminum can equals the amount of energy it takes to run a TV set for four hours. Where I was raised it was a sin to throw away anything recyclable, which is why I felt so shamed throwing away the hundreds of Soda Pop Cans we had accumulated throughout our stay at Winter Park.

The trip ended up being a learning experience for me. After spending five straight days with only guys I started to pick up on some of the "Rules of Manhood". Here's what I discovered:

Bacon trumps all. A few of us went shopping to get food for the week, and stocked up on everything we thought we could possibly need. However, one of our friends who decided not to pool his money and bought his own food was smart. He bought bacon. Since it was the one thing we forgot, it could be traded for anything from eggs to a chick fajita.

It's okay for men to use women's shampoo (who knew?). Maybe it's because I grew up without any brothers, but I always believed that guys used men specific shampoo like Selson Blue or Suave for Men. Luckily for me, I was wrong. I forgot to bring my shampoo and conditioner on the trip, but there was no need to worry, our showers were stocked with both Aussie and Garnier Fructise.

If you want to make a guy feel masculine, ask him for help opening a jar or container. I noticed this early in the week when I needed help opening a jar of salsa. The guys that were close by were almost too eager to help me, a women, the "weaker sex". I did it a few more times throughout the week, just for laughs.

We had a great trip. If you are ever in Winter Park I'd recommend staying in the Beaver Village Condos. They were only a short bus ride from the mountain, and honestly, how can you wake up on the wrong side of the bed if you're mornings start out looking like this?

No Shave November

2008-12-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

Over the past few days, our campus has transformed. I'm not referring to the snow that has fallen, or the large amount of tourists that seemingly flew into Steamboat overnight. Instead, I’m referring to what used to be a campus filled with rugged looking mountain men that had overgrown facial hair. Slowly, CMC has turned into a well-groomed campus with freshly shaved faces. Today is December third and we are a few days past the completion of what is formally known as “No Shave November”. Although I can’t trace its origins, it’s becoming more and more popular every year. In recent years organizations have used this event as a fundraiser, but here at CMC it’s simply tradition. As a girl, I will never fully understand the point behind it, so I decided to get a man’s perspective by interviewing my friend Mike.

Blogger Bobbie: First, can you briefly describe the purpose of “No Shave November”
Mike: Well, it's a voyage into manhood, and its fun to see what happens when you don't shave for a whole month. There is also a little bit of competition involved
BB: Is this your first year participating in the event?
Mike: Yes, I've had a beard before but I’ve never just set it loose like that.
BB: Did you find it difficult to last the entire 30 days?
Mike: At times yes because it got itchy when I would sleep, but it helps when you’re not the only one doing it. It’s kind of a bonding experience.
BB: Did any of your friends cave in mid way?
Mike: Yes, one but I’ll leave him unnamed... he knows who he is.
BB: What was the best part about participating?
Mike: Having a sweet stash at the end. I went with handle bars (he laughs). Also it's fun to see what your friends look like at the end.
BB: Nice. Would you do it again?
Mike: Yep, next November

Here are some pictures of Mike throughout the process.

Just before shaving, December 1st

During the process

The Handlebars

Mike as we know him today

So there you have it; a tradition that allows guys to show off their manliness, while bonding for an entire month. It’s a competition to see who can last, all in the name of good fun. Although it was interesting to see what the guys looked like at the end, I must admit I'm happy that I can recognize my friends again.

(Note: I'd like to thank my friend Mike for supplying me with pictures and allowing me to interview him)

Short on money, but long on time

2008-11-20T13:32:00.001-08:00

I don't think anyone could describe my current living situation better than Paolo Nutini in his song New Shoes. As a college kid, I now understand what it means to be broke. After paying off reservations for a condo in Winter Park I looked at my bank account and realized I had $25 to my name. Eventhough I have two part time jobs, I also have a terrible habbit of swiping the little plastic Capital One card in my wallet. So, I've decided to try and cut back on spending, which is suprisingly easy here at CMC.

Broomball
So what happens when you give a bunch of college kids helmets, knee pads, sticks with plastic attached at the end and some ice time? They call it broom ball, but I'd say it's more like comedy hour. The sport started in Canada in the early 1900s and was brought to the US somewhere in the 60s. The rules to the game are pretty simple, no fighting, the goalie is the only one who can pick a ball up and he can't throw it past half ice. But other then the stacked team of hockey players, most of us have no idea how to handel the ball. We spend most of our time falling, even when we are trying to stand still. Our team currently holds a 0-2 record, although I think we are improving alot. It's a fun time nonetheless, a good way to relieve stress on Tuesday nights.

The Library

I love reading in my free time, but books can be pretty costly. I don't know why I've been so hell-bent on buying them my whole life. Other then the choose your own ending series, I don't think I've ever read a book twice. It's only lead to a collection of books that I'll never read again. From now on I'm going to check the library before I rush off to the bookstore. I'm currently working on Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult and would reccomend it to anyone looking for a good read.

Bowling
Did I mention there's a bowling league here at CMC? Every Thursday at 9pm students head to Snow Bowl to show off their skills. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the sport but I've been roped into subbing for friends several times now. It's fun to hang out for a couple hours and its completely paid for by the school.

Those are just a few of the many things do to at CMC that are both affordable and fun. I'm sure I'll be coming up with many more in the next few days as it is now Thanksgiving break and the campus is barren.

Changeling

2008-11-14T21:55:00.000-08:00

Tonight for some cheap entertainment a few of my friends and I decided to take advantage of the $2 movie tickets offered to Colorado Mountain College students every other Friday night. We decided to go see Clint Eastwood's Changeling, and all I can say is Wow. Walking into the theater I had no idea what the movie was about, just that it was starring Angelina Jolie. I expected another film where she plays a sexed up woman who knows how to handle guns and fight better than her co-starring men. Considering it took me a half hour to figure out that the pale, innocent looking woman with bright red lipstick was Jolie, I was in for quite a surprise.

The movie starts out in the 1920s with a loving mother, Christine, who returns home from work one night to find her son missing. Months later the LAPD claims to have found her son, but when she arrives at the train station, to her dismay it's not him. I don’t want to give away the entire thing, but due to her publicly embarrassing the police department, they throw her into an insane asylum to shut her up. She is brutally abused by a system in which she has no control. Soon, thanks to a Reverend who devotes his life to fighting against corrupt cops, more evidence is found proving her case and they are forced to release her. The rest of the movie follows the corrupt moves of the police department and Christine’s brave battle against them.

It was one of those movies where you ended up thinking. You weren’t happy or sad at the ending, just wowed at the history of our country. I immediately started thinking about the case this woman had. It was very serious, yet tried in front of a city council, not the State or the Supreme Court. It set precedents for generations to come and helped fix a failed system. Yet here we are in today's society where a woman can sue McDonald's because she spilled coffee on her lap and it burned her. A man can sue a beer company because he didn't have as much fun as the people in the commercials did. Why do people do this? It makes a mockery of our system, which as presented in this movie already has enough struggles going on. Do we sue people for dumb reasons because we can't find anything better to do? Has our idea of a serious situation become so dumbed down and diluted that we need to run to the court house every time we slip on a patch of ice? Or maybe these people are greedy and want money, so they find ways to use the system to their advantage, just like the dirty cops in the film.

That last paragraph is by no means what the movie is about, but in one way or another, that’s where my thoughts ended up. Overall I’d recommend this movie as one of my top picks if you’re in the mood for something thought provoking. It’s right up there with Gone Baby Gone. I promise I didn’t give away too much, there are a lot of twists that I left out and my synopsis didn’t come close to giving it justice.

Top Ten Things You'll Need in College

2008-11-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

At this point in the game I feel it's fair to say that most students are pretty well adjusted to the dorm life. It's like that in-between step from living with your parents to living on your own. You learn what the real necessities are pretty fast, but for those of you who are preparing to live in the dorms next semester or next year, I've come up with a list of the ten most important things to bring:

10. Pictures & Posters- Our walls are white and completely boring, the best was to make them more exciting is to personalize them with photos from home and a few posters. It'll give your room personality and make it feel more like your own space, not just a place where you are living.

9. Hot Chocolate- Remember when you were little and had a blast playing in the snow, but after a while you heard your mom calling and you didn't hesitate to run home; partly because your hands were numb and partly because you knew there'd be a nice warm cup of hot chocolate waiting for you? Well I hate to break it to you, it won't be prepared when you get back, but it's always nice to make some after a snowball fight or a day on the mountain.

8. Quarters- I know it’s college and clean clothes are not our number one priority, but when you finally run out of clean socks or underwear you'll realize quarters are your best friend. They are rare to find here in the dorms since the change machine is always broken and people tend to hoard them for their own use. I'd recommend always keeping a back up stash hidden somewhere.

7. Stamps- One of the most exciting things that can happen here at college is to receive a post card or package in the mail. It's always good to know that someone is thinking about you, and I think snail mail is more exciting than e-mail becuase you know some time and effort went into it. You'll need the stamps to reply with a thank you note.

6. Alarm Clock- For those of you who like to stay out late I'd definitely recommend getting one of these. Although the earliest a class starts here at CMC is 9am, it can be very difficult getting up after a late night of cramming or GTA with some friends. I'd highly recommend getting one with a snooze button; it seems to come in handy.

5. Water Purifier- Because of the high altitude it's incredibly easy to become dehydrated out here. You definitely need to drink a lot of water. You could keep buying bottled water, but for those of you who like to help the environment and save money in the long run, a water purifier is the way to go.

4. Vitamin C Drops- The Dorms are breeding grounds for illness. In the winter you basically have two choices: freeze to death from opening your window to circulate air or get used to being sick. Since I don't like the thought of either I've opted to take a daily dose of vitamin C.

3. A George Foreman Grill- As a going away gift my Grandma gave me a George Foreman Grill. I'll admit it was thoughtful, but I didn't think I'd be putting it too much use. Oh how wrong I was. It comes in handy on those nights you miss dinner or simply can't stand to eat cafeteria food anymore. Plus grilled cheese parties with your neighbors are always a fun way to brighten up a boring day. I've found George Foreman has become one of my best friends. (Thanks Grandma!)

2. Downy Wrinkle Releaser- Okay, other than for waxing your ski/board, who has used an iron recently? I know I definitely haven't. But I like my clothes to look clean even if they aren’t, that's why I think Downy Wrinkle Releaser is the best thing since sliced bread. Just a few sprays, a couple tugs and my clothes are wrinkle free.

1. Snowboard- I can't even tell you how many of my friends don't have their gear our here yet. In their defense Steamboat won't open until November 26th, but if you have the college ultimate pass you can go to Copper (which opened yesterday) and Winter Park all you want. Not to mention Buff Pass and the CMC Rail Yard, which have rails and jumps set up for some pre season fun.

Things I thought I would need but really didn't:

TV- There's free cable in all of the lounges that are rarely used, so there's no need to pay for it.

A Car- I'll admit I miss jumping into my car and cruising to wherever my heart desired, but I don't miss paying for gas. Steamboat is a small town so if you like to bike or jog you can pretty much go anywhere. Plus there's a free bus system that takes you all over town, and most of the kids here are friendly, so if they see you walking up the treacherous Bob Adam's Drive they'll give you a lift to the top.

CDs/ DVDs- All of my music is on my Lap Top, I've found that CDs just take up space. And living here is like having a personal Blockbuster because some kids decided to have their entire DVD collection shipped out. There are enough movies around to keep anyone occupied for days.

So there you have it, my list of necessities and a few things that aren't so important. Hope this helps any students coming out here! And feel free to add ideas if you think I left something out =)

Enchanted Castle

2008-11-03T08:45:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you've all been wondering where I've been this past week, maybe even a little worried. Fear not, I didn't get lost in the woods or eaten by a bear-- I can't even claim that I was trapped in a car due to an overwhelming snowfall. In fact, we don't have any snow in the valley at the moment, although I've heard rumors of it coming this week.

Third Floor Lounge

So where have I been? Midterms aside, I've been busy preparing for Halloween! As you may or may not know, Steamboat is a resort town and many of the houses around here are winter houses/condos that people don't live in year round. How sad would it be if as a child you went trick-or-treating and most of the doors you knocked on were vacant? Steamboat's solution: The Enchanted Castle. Each year CMC students and faculty decorate the dorms, put on a mini carnival with games and prizes, and open up rooms up for trick-or-treating. I was part of the carnival committee. Our day started with decorating at 10am, and ended around 9 o'clock at night with clean up and free wings. Overall I think it was a complete success. For the sake of privacy I'm not going to post any pictures of the little kids on here but they were incredibly adorable!

Contest Entrants

Friday, which was Halloween day, the school hosted a costume contest. There were some really creative ideas, like Where Is Waldo and a CMC Cheerleader. Not surprisingly, Jack Sparrow took it home as he did an excellent job of both dressing and acting the part.

Tamara and I

I spent the rest of Friday in Breckenridge for a friend's birthday. A group of us decided we were going to get a hotel down there for a mini vacation. Let me just say, Breckenridge does nothing but first class. The cheapest place we could find was $100/night and it was very fancy. There were no chain hotels in sight so we ended up paying a little more than planned, but we definitely enjoyed our stay there. As we walked to dinner we realized that it's a very spirited town, everyone on the street was dressed in costume. Sunday I got a ride down to A-Basin and went snowboarding, the perfect way to end a week. Overall it was a hectic week, but completely worth it in the end.

Gapers

2008-10-23T14:38:00.001-07:00

Due to having so many midterms and planning for the Enchanted Castle, this week has flown by. We had our first snowfall in the valley on Monday and the campus was filled with excitement. Since the season is getting closer and closer, I'd like to talk about my opinion of gapers. I'll admit I had never heard the term before I came out here, but I quickly learned what they were because people of all ages make fun of them on a daily basis.

As defined by urbandictionary.com, a gaper is "A beginner skier or snowboarder who has no clue as to what they're doing on the mountain. They crash all over the place and get in your way. Referred to as a gaper because of the gap between their hat and goggles, also known as a gaper-gap."
Ex: I couldn't ski fast because I was too busy dodging all the gapers.

It seems to me like a lot of these kids have forgotten all about that day. That day they first strapped a board or pair of skis to their feet, struggled to get on a lift and had anxiety the entire way up, not knowing what to expect when they got to the top. They've forgotten how excited they were when they first figured out how to carve, and that feeling of accomplishment they had after they made it down a run without falling once. We were all there once; yes at one time or another, we were all gapers. Some of us loved the sport so much we chose to move to towns where we had easy access to a mountain and could meet people who shared our passion. However, just because some people choose to remain in a city where they have to drive an hour or more to the mountain, allowing them to go only a few times per season, doesn’t mean we need to put ourselves above them. Most of us take up leisure activities to fill our time in the off season, like running or fishing for example. That doesn't mean we are olympic quality runners or that we catch large enough fish to feed a family for a week. Yet just because we don't particularly excel at it doesn’t mean we should be made fun of for going out there and trying. The way I see it, as long as you're having fun, who cares? I mean that is what snowsports are supposed to be about- isn’t it?

If people decide to dress in neon one piece outfits rather than ridiculously long tall tees, let them. And if you see that they are catching an edge why don't you help them out instead of spraying them? Or simply just let them be. I find it funny that a town that survives on tourism takes such joy in making fun of gapers. In reality, we should be thanking them for supporting our industry and keeping this sport alive.

'Tis the Season

2008-10-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

I'm currently sitting at my desk with sore thighs, an aching back and a few bruises, regardless of the nice relaxing shower I just took. It's only October 17th and I just got back from a two day snowboarding adventure. After a week filled with classes, studying for midterms, RHA meetings, Presidential Debates, and bowling, distressing on the slopes was the best thing imaginable. Okay, so I really enjoy the clubs I'm in, and bowling is a leisure activity- I'm not exactly living the hard life here, but after attending a conference all last weekend I feel like hitting up A-Basin was much deserved.

The sun rising as we drove

Day One

I woke up at 6am on Friday morning, grabbed my backpack, boots, and freshly tuned board,then met up with my friends Heather and Mariah. By 6:45 we were on the road. Its funny how waking up for a 9 o’clock class can be so difficult, but getting up before sunrise to go snowboarding is a piece of cake. We arrived at A-Basin around 8:30, geared up, bought overpriced passes and got on the lift. My first run was amazing and I owe it partly to my friend Jake who took Board Tuning I as an elective this year. He actually took my board to class, tuned the edges and waxed it up for me. I'm excited about taking it next semester because as he said,

"It's great when the classes you are taking actually apply to your life."

Mariah and I, our first ride up

Throughout the day I met up with quite a few kids from CMC. That's one thing I love about this school, everyone gets along so well. Even though there was only one run open, we were all having a great time. My friend Tyler even taught me front side 180s! I'm so excited because that was one of my goals for the season and I got it down pretty consistently. Learning that trick on day one was a reminder as to why I came out here, to progress. Riding with kids who are better than me will constantly push me to try more things.

They had a rail and a box set up and kids were showing off their park abilities. Here is a picture I composed of Alex hitting the flat down.

By the time two thirty rolled around we were pretty whipped. We were definitely not in shape, and given that it was our first time out this season we called it quits because fatigue leads to injuries. So we headed to Silverthorne and decided to hit up Target. To most people that doesn't sound like a big deal, but for those of us who live in Steamboat it's very exciting. Steamboat is an incredibly small resort town without much variety for shopping. The Target we were at was actually the closest one we have, two hours away. Needless to say the ability to shop online is not something we take for granted here.

After that we ate some dinner and relaxed. A friend I used to work with back in Buffalo, who now lives in Summit County, came over to hang out. It was very refreshing to spend time with someone who knows exactly what I'm talking about when I refer to Mighty Taco, and who understands that Buffalo Wings are not the same anywhere else in the country.

Standing in the lift line

Day Two

Knowing that A-Basin would be packed for opening weekend, we decided to sleep in and go to the mountain around noon. Most of the kids we knew from Steamboat had gone back to school, but we saw a few that stuck around. The lines were ridiculously long and the conditions were progressively getting worse. We still managed to have a fun day, just messing around on the mountain. Mariah and Heather both hit the flat down a couple times I attempted a few backside 180s off of little kickers.

Before we knew it, the lifts were closing and we had to head back. All in all it was a great trip. The fact that we got to go snowboarding as early as October 17th is amazing in itself. Leaving was pretty sad, especially because we didn't see any snow on the way home. When we got back to campus people were so excited to see us in all our gear. I think we were sort of a reassurance that winter really is coming, and soon we will all get to see snow in more than just films and magazines.

Where to begin?

2008-10-14T18:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we're already half way through the semester. It seems like just yesterday I packed my bags and headed to the airport, sadly hugging my friends and family goodbye. I remember boarding the plane with both hesitation and excitement. I was sad about leaving everyone behind, I knew I'd miss them, but at the same time I was thrilled about the new life I'd be starting here at CMC. After a day filled with layovers, waiting in airports, overpriced fast food and a four hour bus ride from Denver International Airport to Steamboat Springs, I was ready to start a new phase of my life. These past few months have been filled with so much fun! Here’s what I’ve been up to...

The Yampa River

Hiking: What started out as an innocent trip into town turned into an epic adventure. I had every intention of picking up job applications when I ran into some kids that I recognized from campus at the bus stop. They had no real purpose, just checking out the town, and figuring the application process could wait a few hours, I joined them. Soon I found myself gasping for a breath of air as we hiked up Howelson Hill. My body had not yet adjusted to the altitude, and my eyes couldn't believe the incredible views. Everything seemed to be out of a post card or magazine. You know those shows you watch on Travel Channel about the world’s most beautiful destinations? I was there. I stood back, took in the view and smiled; for the next two years, this was my home.

CMC, Alpine Campus

Camping: It was a typical night on campus; I had gotten out of class and headed up to the dorms for an RHA meeting. On the way up I ran into a couple of my friends and they invited me to go camping. Since I had backed out a couple times in the past I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to show them that I could rough it for a night. After I got out of the meeting we loaded up Kyle's SUV and headed for the mountains. It took us about a half an hour to reach a dirt road that eventually lead to some pretty secluded camping spots. Growing up my family went "camping" quite often. We usually rented a placed that had sites staked out, premade fire pits and neighbors only ten feet away. Oh, and did I mention we had a camper? Needless to say this spur of a moment decision turned out to be quite an experience for this rural suburban girl. We got a fire going, set up our tents and broke out the guitar. I think the thing I was most afraid of was wild animals. After all, we were out in the middle of nowhere, who knows what could have happened? Although I was woken up at one point by an animal scratching at the tent, we made it through the night safe and sound.

Paddling: After doing a river clean up for a few hours on a Friday afternoon, my friend Jake and I met up with other members of paddling club and decided to plan a trip. We chose to raft the Shoshone Rapids in the Colorado River the following day. It was my first time white water rafting and I was beyond stoked. Like a child too excited to fall asleep knowing that Christmas is just around the corner, I got very little rest that night. We left around 7am the next morning. After a three hour drive to Glenwood, we blew up the raft, geared up, and took our first run. It was so exhilarating we decided to take four more after that. We were tossed around the river with water splashing in our faces, and smiles from ear to ear. It turned out to be everything I expected, and I made some new friends along the way. Best of all, it was sponsored by the school so it was completely free.

About Me

2007-04-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

Hello! My name is Bobbie Jo