Snowboarding in Colorado

There's just not much more a girl could hope for...

.. except maybe the perfect guy. But I have him too. :)

Sunday mornings are the perfect time for ridiculous low budg drama movies involving half pint pop stars and off-season teen drama actors

Yesterday was a lay around and watch tv morning. So I flick on the tube and settle in with my coffee for some 'toons or something equally productive. I watched some Discovery show about man-eating leopards for a while, but then I got bored of seeing carcasses.

And then I found it, the gold mine, Supercross: The Movie. Oh yeah.. quality. It's a teen flick about a couple of Motocross racers breaking into the Supercross scene and making it big. There's the obligatory side-plot love stories. The main character selling out but then realizing it's not worth it and coming back to win big with the help of his brother and former rival. Half pint pop star Nick Canon. And off-season Teen drama actor Sophia Bush from One Tree Hill. Oh, and also, the chick does a back flip on her bike. Sweet.

It's not like there was nothing else on. Bourne Supremacy, Batman Begins; but I've seen them already. And I was in the no thinking, just entertain me mood.

Quote of the day? "Just watch the bike scenes and tune out the porn plot." Yes, thanks guys, excellent analysis.

The List - Part I

This past weekend I was out with friends, and as with most public places the bathrooms were not up to par. I'm not the picky type, but there are certain things that just make me shake my head. For example, flushing paper towels down the toilet. How would I know the last person did this? Because paper towels don't flush down most toilets. Just a tip.

This leads me to believe the person before me was either 1) dumb, 2) highly intoxicated, or 3) ignorant. Maybe all three? Would you do that at home? Not if you know anything at all about toilets..

So I decided to come up with a list of things I think every female should know. I want to point out that I'm still working on these things myself, but that it's something we females should all strive for to become more well-rounded individuals. I realize this is a bit of a weighted list, coming from someone who's somewhat.. well, redneck? But I believe these are important things. Perhaps you all can enlighten me on some of the "must-knows" in your areas of expertise.

Things every female should know - Part I

1) How to fix a toilet. :)
You will inevitably be in a situation where a toilet is overflowing and you alone can stop it in time. Just look behind the toilet for the little valve. This shuts off the water and stops the water from rising. There's more to know, but this is a good start.

2) How to drive a manual transmission.
You don't have to own a stick, but in an emergency this could be incredibly helpful, not to mention cool.

3) How to make a rockin' martini. (or another "traditional" beverage)
Whether you drink or not you could always use this skill at a random social event when called upon. Who wants to have to say "um.. I don't know how.."

4) How to change a tire.
If you're ever stranded with a flat and a dead cell phone on the side of the road, this could be incredibly useful. If this is foreign to you, start by figuring out where the spare is and asking a neighbor or friend to show you.

5) How to start a fire.
What? No gas grill?? You never know. But also? You just might need one to keep warm someday. Matches or a lighter are totally allowed. I'm not asking that you be Chuck Norris.

6) How to change your own oil.
Living in a city not something I would do unless I had to, but it's good to know how.

7) How to properly throw a football.
No need to play an entire game of catch, but it's nice to be able to return the football to the group of guys playing in the park if it falls at your feet. Just line your fingers up between the laces and follow through.

8) How to be a suitable companion for a football/basketball game.
If you're a sports fan this one is well taken care of. But if you're not, know enough about a sport to at least watch one game. And who knows, maybe you'll like it!

9) How to tie a knot.
You don't have to have an arsenal, but one good knot could get you out of a bind if ever you really needed one. (And a bad knot can be deadly.) A bowline knot is basic and if you do it wrong you'll know it.

10) How to change a diaper.
Presumably, every female can do this instinctively, but if not...

Okay.. go!

Celebrate Natural Beauty

Have you seen those Dove commercials where "real" women are celebrated for their natural beauty? I'm sure we can all appreciate what they're trying to do; so few of us are perfect or anywhere near it. But an ad is just an ad, we still idolize the women of movies and magazines with their immaculately sculpted bodies and perfectly airbrushed faces. Who hasn't been influenced by these images? I see it in my pre-teen cousins who already ear makeup and ultra-low rise mini skirts.

I don't really spend much time on my appearance. I have the few things that I do, and that's all. I don't care to spend more time than I do, and I am okay with "getting by" as it may be.

So I had all but forgotten about those ads, and then my friend sent me this with a note that said "See, we are all super models".

And really all I could say was Wow. It's a really incredible visual description of the influence of our culture and what we've all come to expect of ourselves and of each other. And they're right...

No wonder our perception of beauty is distored.

Go spadout

I just read a little blurb on spadout.com that talked about women specific skis. The coolest part about the article was this:

Women specific skis are generally designed for lighter skiers who need a more responsive ski due to their limited body weight.

Women have limited body weight. That's awesome.

I love spadout. It's a really cool site for all kinds of outdoor things. Videos, tutorials, gear etc. I would really like to think they're not paid to recommend some gear over others, but that really remains to be seen. REI is their major sponsor so perhaps that means they're automatically biased. They have a ton of good information none-the-less.

It's definitely worth a visit..

Is it snowing yet?

It's about that time and I can't freakin' wait! I'm already planning to take off Wednesday nights and bust out of work by 3 so I can try to get some runs in mid-week this year. Skiing here is far from top-notch, but it's better than nothing.

I got pretty jazzed up when my friend mentioned the Skiing and Snowboarding Expo out in Dulles. Go check it out!! I've never been before but it should be fun. They will have all of the new gear and they'll be giving away trips and lift tickets. They will also be showing the new Warren Miller movie which is an annual must-see for anyone even remotely interested in winter. You just sit there and drool watching people experience the mountains around the world. Southern Hemisphere anyone??

Due mostly to the impending move, I don't really have any ski trips planned this year. But I may try to slip out of town for a couple of long weekends up to VT or NY. Yay! Nice to have friends and family in cold places. Maybe I could even squeeze in a quickie to CO. I haven't even been to Copper yet...

Are you excited?!?

Donald finally got it right...

My friend sent me this today.

It really made me think. On the one hand, who would be against displaying the American flag? On the other, you can kind of see how maybe it's a little on the large side.

Personally? I dig it. And I think he should definitely pursue the issue to the highest court possible. Not like the $250/day fine will be a deterrant. But it's going to be interesting.