Learning How To Yard Sale Gracefully

So I have now been present in Mammoth for about two months. I have learned how to ski backwards done the bunny slopes without eating shit, and how to get down blue runs without looking like a complete fool (occasionally). The scene at Mammoth is not different from what I expected; however, it is a smidgen more intense then I had anticipated. There are three things to do in Mammoth: 1. Work, 2. Ski, 3. Drink. Two of those require being on the mountain and either moving down the mountain at fast speeds hoping I catch myself after the fall line or skiing backwards making car noises down the bunny slopes. The other happens to create an odd after effect of teaching children how to ski slightly buzzed or hungover. Or going skiing the next day and just continuing the drinking while skiing. Overall there is a lot of recovering time needed.

I have learned how to successfully ski down blue runs and tomorrow begins my attempt at snowboarding. I am excited to be able to ski and snowboard down blue runs!

Today while free skiing, outside of uniform (meaning you do not have to have perfect technique), Anna and I (another instructor) were messing around and acting like fools. Well guess who ate it hard - yes that's right, me. In the process both skis came off, poles too and I was stuck on this steep incline unsuccessfully trying to put my downhill ski back on. A man skied down, gave me some great tips and then asked if I "Needed help down the rest of the run?" I almost started laughing. This man did not know some key facts for this situation. That 1. I had eaten shit cause I was being a fool, 2. I was a ski instructor for the mountain. I kindly declined his offer and popped my other ski on. It took a lot of effort to not bust out laughing. However my ski partner Anna did not restrain herself. This pretty much made my afternoon and I began to fool around on the slopes even more. My last run I ate it 3 times, on an easy intermediate run. I just laughed the whole time. Anna was twirling in her skis down our last run while I was looking a fool screaming songs and flailing my poles around. Ahhh what a way to end your afternoon of free skiing!

Rhino ridin' with Dave McCoy's Rhino's!

The legendary Dave McCoy, what an honor to meet him!

Skiing those slopes.

Riding the lift up during a blizzard.

Woolly the mammoth and I during Christmas.

I am excited for my next adventure in the Americorps internship but I am enjoying my time here at Mammoth in the snow. Here I come tomorrow and snowboarding! Which means falling on my ass all day everyday.

Me A Ski Instructor?

So I leave in 3 days to land on a mountain in the northern mountains of California, called Mammoth Mountain at Mammoth Lakes, CA. This mountain this weekend got dumped with over 20 feet of snow during a blizzard. Recently having spent three months on the beaches of Florida in 85 degree weather I am not sure if I am prepared to live my days in and out of the snow. But I suppose I shall make do.

I was hired on with this ski school as a ski coordinator, due to the fact that I had only once skied in my life and that being 10 years ago. The plan was for me to learn how to ski over a period of a month or so and then transition into an instructor. Oh how my plans have changed. The school has recently transitioned their positions to conserve time, energy and money and removed coordinators from the mix. In their eyes I was just going to come in as an instructor. Having forgotten during my interview in August that I had very little to no skiing experience they made the switch internally. To my surprise, and slight horror, I received a welcoming email as a new ski instructor.

"Wait a minute, I do not KNOW HOW TO SKI!?"

In due process I called my supervisor and we discussed this slight problem, yeah right 'slight'. The plan of attack now is for me to attend the later training dates and in the mean time while I am there take as many ski lessons as I can. Overall I now have a week to learn how to ski, then I shall be thrust into training and then working. It's going to be an adventure right? At least that's what I keep telling myself....

In my favor I am balanced on water and have surfed, waterskied, windsurfed and SUP'ed for many years. I think this will help me transition to standing on two pieces of plastic while moving at fast speeds down a side of the mountain. Let's pray to God I do not break myself or worse....

Mammoth Mountain Weather

Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort

Igniting A Hope

I have recently been accepted into the Bike the US for MS cycling team. I chose to partake in a self-contained tour of the United States where I carry all of my gear myself and plan out my own route. The fundraising journey began for me a week ago and already the support being shown from family and friends has ignited my dreams into reality.

Meeting 2% of my $4242 fundraising goal in one week is unbelievable. I know for certain by the end of my bike ride I can meet my end goal of a dollar a mile. You have to understand a key point in this: once I chose to be  a self-contained rider my expenses became my responsibility. Biking the US would cost me personally the same amount of money even if I was biking for MS. Biking the US for MS does not benefit my pocketbook.

If you are interested in donating towards the cause (100% of the donations go to benefit MS research/treatment and are tax deductible as our program is a 501c3 tax exempt organization) you can donate online through Google Checkout (look for the button that says "Donate in the Name of Era Keys"):

http://www.biketheusforms.org/cyclists/detail.asp?cid=263 

Donations can also be made using personal checks made out to "Bike the US for MS". Mention that you are donating in the name of Era Keys on the Notes Line. Mail to:
Bike the US for MS
PO Box 10001
Blacksburg, VA 24063

The top goal of this bike ride is to raise awareness about Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that many people do not even know exists. I chose to sit on a bike for 2-3 months riding over 4,242 miles to bring awareness to this disease. Along the way I also plan on doing several service projects that involve assisting  people who have MS.

Here is some information about the specifics of the donations and what it goes towards:


Where do the dollars go?
Bike the US for MS is proud to be a 501c3 tax exempt non-profit organization (Tax ID# 27-2192426) that is growing exponentially.  We are a very well managed non-profit with approximately 90 cents of every dollar spent directly on MS activities and a fight for the cure.

About MS:

• There is currently no cure for Multiple Sclerosis
• Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic, disabling disease that attacks the central nervous system.
• In the United States, there are approximately 400,000 people with MS - with 200 more people diagnosed every week. Worldwide, MS affects more then 2.5 million people.

Research & Treatment:
Since 2007 Bike the US for MS has raised more than $300,000 for research and treatment related to Multiple Sclerosis. To date, much of the fundraising has gone to benefit the James Q. Miller MS Clinic in Charlottesville, VA.  There is no current cure for multiple sclerosis. Treatment typically focuses on strategies to treat attacks, to modify the course of the disease, and to treat symptoms. Important breakthroughs in MS medications over the years has directly benefited those fighting the disease and researched funded by Bike the US for MS makes this possible.

Patient & Community Service:
Bike the US for MS is committed to making the lives of those with MS better in every possible aspect.  This involves many different types of patient services such as home modification projects funded across the United States, “home makeovers” done by the cyclists throughout the summer, and working with our affiliate Rake the US for MS to clean patient’s yards in the fall.

Package I received in the mail with my fundraising materials: T-shirt, stickers, keychain, business cards and a water bottle (not displayed).

Power

Power as defined by Wikipedia:

"Power is frequently defined by political scientists as the ability to influence the behavior of others with or without resistance. The term authority is often used for power perceived as legitimate by the social structure. Power can be seen as evil or unjust, but the exercise of power is accepted as endemic to humans as social beings.
The use of power need not involve coercion (force or the threat of force). At one extreme, it more closely resembles what everyday English-speakers call "influence", although some authors make a distinction between power and influence – the means by which power is used (Handy, C. 1993 Understanding Organisations)."

I believe there are two different types of power out there: the loud power and the quiet power. The loud power tends to emit itself in a flashy show of defiance. The quiet power is an internal strength that flows from within the   soul. Imagine the loud power like a super model strutting down the walkway shouting, "Look at me! Look at me!" The quiet power is the smell that old books from the library holds over the dedicated reader or the crave for sand under their feet from the beach-lover. Each do the same thing: influence, impact, sway or effect.

Look at powerful people in politics. How did they get into the position of power they strove for? They influenced a group of people to put them there. In most circumstances the people had not idea what their moral or ethical background was, let alone what their platform truly consisted of. The people put them there because of the mass marketing success of that candidate. 

How did Obama win four years ago? He held one of the strongest weapons in this world; influence. How did he accomplish this? He worked an avenue not a single candidate before him worked: social media. Alongside of his dashingly motivating speeches and grand promises Obama influenced an entire nation to vote YES for the first black president. 

So why am I rambling on about politics, types of power or any of these such things? Because I believe in the power of an individual. Because I believe that in our society, not enough people support a positive view of each other enough. Because I believe that there are good people, doing good things in this world. Because I have witnessed all of the above, more times then I can count on my hands or feet or even those of 25 people. 

And I think that we can do something more about this...

Society demands so many different unhealthy ideas to develop within ourselves. Society holds such a damning power over us. Influencing us to throw up everything we eat to reach that ultimate weight to playing "the game" to appear like a bad-ass instead of just being who you are. It's crazy to think that we are constantly changing who we are, what we wear, how we think, what we do, who we hang with, down to what color to paint our nails because of what a social circle thinks. What ever happened to just loving who you are and being ok with that?

I want to say that instead of putting down your best friend with a joke, you should tell him/her how much that shirt looks good on them that day. Instead of putting yourself down in your head, try to accept everything about yourself. Because in the end it is truly ok to be who you are. Instead of being paranoid and scared of the world or strangers around you, say hi to a neighbor. 

Think about it. How are you influencing those around you? How are you influencing yourself? What is your power?