something new, something borrowed...

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Or more like black and blue...

No, I'm not getting married (pfftttt - that'll be the day). Accomplished one thing on my resolution list this week. I did the "something new" thing. Went snowboarding and loved it. I know I look like a total girly girl, but I did the unconventional sport thing when I was younger (well, sort of). I ice skated for years, even took figure skating lessons - but I prefer to skate on hockey skates any day of the week over the frills, leotard and tutu. I did the cheerleading, dancing (I even had a 3 month stint where I desperately tried to breakdance) and gymnastics.

Now here's the crazy thing - I'm so tenacious that I will literally stop at nothing if I have my mind set on learning to do something. This creates problems because I tend to end up hurting myself.

Case in point : Cheerleading. When I was 13, because I had my heart set on making the NCA (National Cheerleading Association) All-American team, I practiced and practiced and practiced for try-outs. I ended up making the team, but I overworked myself so hard that I pulled my groin and hamstring.

Case in point: Gymnastics. When I was 14, I was completely bent on learning to do a side aerial. I ended up learning how to do it, but it cost me a torn tendon in my left knee (which still bothers me from time to time).

Case in point: Breakdancing. I'll make it short - I was learning how to flare and ended up hitting the side of my foot on cement (it was swollen for a week).

I believe you get the point. I try something, I get hell bent on doing it and I end up hurting myself. I'm sure the fact that I'm very accident prone doesn't help.


After only two hours on a snowboard (as in ever in my life), my instructor tells me I'm ready to head up the hill and graduate from the bunny slope. In his defense, I did pick it up pretty easily despite the horrible icy conditions that Mt. Charleston is known for. I had no idea what to expect so I head up the lift with him. I get to the top of the hill, where I'm deathly afraid as some of the slopes looked steep and alot of freestyle turning and maneuvering was required. My instructor ensured me that I was ready for it. Halfway down the hill, I took a spill and fell on my rear. Anyone who's snowboarded before will tell you that one of the hardest things to do when you're a beginner is to get back up on the board after you've fallen. To make it worse, I was on a slope, so everytime I tried to get up, I ended up sliding down the hill a few feet. My instructor Felipe decides to give me a hand up which I gladly take. It's at this point that he...

shakes my hand ever so politely and says (in his Chilean accent),

"It was very nice meeting you... but I must go now to the bottom of the hill, I have another student waiting."

And off he goes down the mountain, just like that. I literally start laughing at my own hard luck as it reminded me of some crazy SNL skit. Even though I was laughing, I knew I was screwed. I figured I may as well as laugh it up...

Anyway, surprisingly enough I made it down 3/4 of the way in relatively good shape until... *big sigh* I was trying to carve on my toe edge on a slightly steeper slope and lost my balance. The board's edge got caught deep in the snow/ice and I was sent teetering forward. I raised my hands to protect my face (which was a huge mistake). This ended up exposing my ribs to the fall and since I was on a slope, I ended smacking my ribs square against the snow. Had the snow at Charleston been a little powdery, the impact wouldn't have been as hard, but the snow up there is packed and frozen. It was like hitting concrete. I couldn't move (literally) for about 5 minutes and then brought myself to my knees where I curled over holding back the tears. I had snow all over my face and glasses plus the blow knocked the wind out of me. I looked exactly like that picture over there, but instead of powder, imagine a frozen kind of packed icy snow. *ugh*

I collected myself enough to finish the run (and was quite proud that the snow patrol didn't have to come get me - LOL) and despite the pain, went right back up after a Jaeger/Red Bull. I'm sure the alcohol helped - ALOT.

And you know what? Even though I have a few bruised ribs (and I really do - no exaggeration there), I can't wait to get back on the hill. Am I crazy? Come on now - no surprise there. *duh* =p

<3

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