A skier at heart

This post is an example of the content I share every Friday in my Living by Experience Magazine. If you’d like your free copy, click here.

Let me start this off by saying that no one really seems to know how to snowboard properly. Because sliding down the hill on a single edge doesn’t count, especially since that “technique” wipes away all the snow for everybody else – turning the run into an ice skating rink at best. True snowboarders make their turns properly, and carve through the snow leaving the snowpack intact. I’ve seen very few wanna-be-cool snowboarders succeed at that. I believe you have to try everything at least once. One thing I’ve always wanted to try is snowboarding. I’ve been skiing for years, and it’s one of the reasons I moved to Canada. Who wants to spend 16 hours on a bus to France to go skiing maybe once a year when you can literally have it in your backyard up here in the great white north?

I took a trial lesson to try my hand (more so feet) at snowboarding. Encouraged by the instructor who said I picked up faster than most I bought myself some gear and ventured out to the mountains to practice some more. By now I believe he must tell everyone that, because I totally sucked at snowboarding. I’m sure that if my *ss hit the hard packed snow one more time I would have started crying. And not happy tears, just to be clear.

Despite my bruised behind I think you should try most things in life at least three times. The first time everything is awkward, the second time you might think “hmm, interesting” – and the third time will start to show whether you like something or not. And maybe you’ve even picked up some skills on the way. One can only hope. I sure didn’t. I went out with my new gear at least five times, but my skills got progressively worse. I also missed my ski’s and decided I was much happier on those, despite the much more comfortable snowboard boots. I decided to sell my brand new gear so i’d get my money back and someone else could enjoy it. I felt so relieved when it was all gone. I guess that’s proof that I’m really a skier at heart, and fine with it. We don’t have to master everything in life, some things are better left to those who enjoy it and are good at it, too. Besides, who wants to spend $80 on a lift ticket and spend all day sitting on snow, anyways?

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