Skiing for dummies

So, in a moment of total insanity, I signed up at the last minute for a free ski trip being run for Hunter students - free lessons, rental, lift pass and transport, we just had to pay for lunch. It sounded like one of those experiences that you shouldn't pass up, and I guess because I don't currently have any broken limbs I still think that's true. It should be said though, that even after four consecutive days of racing (on the river that is) after a tough training period, I have never been so sore in my life as I am right now.

The day started with some... interesting lessons. The instructors were, in my view, pretty much crap. You put on your skis, they stick you at the top of a small slope and say, make a wedge shape with your feet, and then off you go. No, here's how you stop, or, if you're going to fall this is the safest way to do it. So after five 10 year olds have successfully completed the slope I'm up, thinking to myself that I'm a lot bigger than them, and am probably going to go faster and further. Sure enough, I'm picking up speed and heading straight for an instructor with no idea how to turn. I shout and he sort of looks at me quizzically before I crash into him, he drags me to my feet and walks off... I wasn't impressed. Me falling over spectacularly was certainly a theme for the day, I really couldn't figure out how to slow down and almost abandoned the whole deal at lunch, but my fellow graduates from training school Aster and Olivia persuaded me to brave the lifts, at least once. I fell down on the way to the lifts which was a great start.

I was whining about something or other... typical!

Training school graduates

On the way to the lift - that's me, on my arse.

Getting on to the lift was scary enough, it just sort of comes up behind you and knocks you over. Once safely on, it was actually very peaceful and comfortable up there, slowly going up the mountain. I even cracked a grin!


Which was, of course, before I knew what would happen at the top. You have to ski off the bloody thing... which I did not manage the first time, that's for sure. As Aster said, it was very similar to the scene from Bridget Jones 2, if you are indeed familiar with that work of cinematic genius. Anyway. I was at the top of the hill, suddenly realising that walking down wasn't really an option. And so down we went, me mostly on my bottom, getting snow into my jeans and other fun things. It was mostly terrifying, but for the odd few minutes I got the hang of it, incredibly exhilarating. I think we did a total of 5 runs, two of which I completed without a single fall, which is pretty damned good in my book. Unfortunately my last run I was knackered, and just kept falling over and laughing hysterically because I didn't have the energy to get back up, and finally skidded home exhausted.

Much steeper than it looks, I tell you!

Look, I'm wedging, weeeedgiiing!

All in all, it was a good day, I made a couple of new friends, but if I ever go again I will insist on learning how to slow down/stop without falling over. My bottom is bruised and partially skinless, and will not forgive me for a repeat offense. Also, I want ski somewhere without all the 5 year olds whizzing past you while you wobble around, terrified. Not funny. Skiing is perhaps best left to those with some co-ordination, but I have to say I'm impressed with my performance, and would like to point out once again that I have no broken limbs (which is not true for all the students on the trip, unfortunately).

In other news... despite massive soreness, I walked several miles through the city today - which was suddenly a very pleasant temperature, apparently spring has at last arrived! The conclusion to my trip was a visit to Barnes and Noble to hear Jhumpa Lahiri and Mira Nair talk about The Namesake in both its book and film incarnations.


I studied The Namesake last semester in my New York Writers class, and vaguely enjoyed it, so I thought I'd go along. I was more interested in hearing Lahiri as I haven't yet seen the film (coincidentally the very first trailer I saw in New York) but she didn't really have much to say, and looked completely miserable the whole time. Mira Nair was actually far more interesting and certainly something of a character. She told a number of great anecdotes about the making of the film, which made film making sound, not for the first time, like a very attractive idea. Maybe screen writing is the way forward. Or something. Anyway, I'm very sore and tired now, so I'm going to bugger off and do some homework. Tomorrow night is a three way poetry slam off between Urbana (the weekly slam I go to) the Nuyorican poets and Bar 13. It's going to be amazing, national level slam poets at their best - seriously I can't wait! Night x