I was just nowhere near your neighborhood...

So, if you're anything like me, you enjoy a good movie with an attractive, surpising hero and an equally self reliant heroine. Or something like that. The point is, that often, those great movies, no matter how original, become cliche through the magic of pop culture. Take for example, Say Anything. John Cusack in all of his trench coated glory with the boom box held over head blaring Peter Gabriel's classic In Your Eyes. How many of us put that on every make-out soundtrack from the time we were 15? I'm pretty sure, if I dug deep enough, I could find one of mine. Who am I kidding? It's still on my best soundtracks. Classic. That movie was so full of fabulous romantic moments that have now become oft imitated in todays searchers of the move that will get them the girl. Writing the letter, moving the glass from under her feet. Lloyd Dobbler was what he had intended to be for his career (aside from professional kickboxer), a good date. There have been many other moments of greatness in cinema that will certainly be imitated for years to come. Today, just for fun, think of your favorite, and what you would do if it really happened. This would have been a much better Valentine's day blog, but this blog isn't planned or timed. It's circumstantial. My favorite moment, by far, is from the movie Singles. To refresh... a cult classic starring Bridget Fonda, Matt Dillon, Kyra Sedgewick, and Cambell Scott involving single 20-somethings in Seattle in the early 90's. Oustanding sountrack, and, of course, my favorite romantic cinematic moment that possibly, maybe, has become a cliche... Cambell Scott as Steve, an engineer, arrives at the home of Kyra Sedgewick (Linda Powell, a greenpeace activist and reaseracher) and simply states, after a long awkward courtship and relationship, "I was just nowhere near your neighborhood..." What isn't long and awkward in relationships? But sometimes it doesn't much matter. They have you at hello.

Ski For the Green 2008

Really, who can't appreciate a 5 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom "chalet" nestled in the San Juan Mountains in Southern Colorado. Really. All 8 of us did. I have to say, I was impressed with people's ability to motivate for skiing and beer drinking to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Cuyler from Idaho, Jon and Megan from Montana, Sarah from New Zealand, Aimee and I from Tahoe, Josh from Denver, and Steve, well, from Montrose. Stellar showing all the way around. The hut itself was a significant upgrade from the last one. This one came complete with electricity, warm shower, and Trivial Pursuit. And thanks for Megan, we also had Twister. What grown ups play Twister after skiing all day? That's right. We do. The food was good, the fire warm, and the company fantastic. The skiing was good too. Although certainly not knee deep face shots, it was beautiful. Conditions were tricky at best, but there were some fantastic turns earned. Selected photos are included above. For more, go to http://picasaweb.google.com/finnertym/SkiForTheGreen2008 or see new slide show on the right hand side of the blog. ;)

Photos: Group Shot on the Ridge, Twister (Clearly), the Beer Bench, and Stupid People Tricks at 12,000 feet.

Back on the Horse

After 2 weeks of Grey's reruns and complete boredom, I've decided to go back to work. It's not quite better, but I can't sit on the couch any more. Funny thing, though... In my search for a cure for this rib muscle thing I went to a chiropractor. I'm not sure where my delusion of chiropractics came from, but I was clearly deluted. So I show up for my appointment and walk into this room that smells like a combination of fried rice and incense. Now I like to burn the Nag Champa as much as the next dirty, but I think its important to separate things you do at home with things you do at work when you have letters after your name. My chiropractor was barefoot. Dead giveaway. It was first time I went to a doctor's "office" and didn't have a single piece of paper to fill out. Also squirrely. I think my payment for the services rendered was put in a cigar box in the skeleton key locked drawer in the roll top desk in the office. I don't think she was really big on record keeping. It was a cash only operation. Kinda fishy. Like those people who try to sell you knock off t-shirts for $7 on West Addison Street after the Cubs games. Fishy. To her credit, she did seem to know her way around a back cracking. I'm not sure what it did for my ribs, but it was interesting to hear all of my vertebrae crack at once. Super bizarre. Much like the whole trip. I may not go back. I am suspicious. She gave me this weird magnesium tea stuff... made me gag. But, regardless, I'm back on the horse and back to work for 3 whole days. Then Aimee, Bear and I are off for some glorious green beer in the Colorado Backcountry! Torn intercostal muscle be damned!

Blogging and Knitting

It's been 2 weeks. I am blogging and knitting. The spring skiing should be good right now. I am blogging and knitting. Oh, and walking the dog. And I have managed to catch up with the online episodes of Grey's Anatomy. This is the sure fire way to cure a torn rib muscle. Or so my two trips to two different Urgent Care facilities this week have told me. I have heard two separate doctors both utter the phrase, "I'm stumped". Crap. No one wants to pay $250 to hear that. I got the same diagnoses from my EMT coworkers for free. But we go to the doctor because it makes us feel better to have a professional opinion (and to get chest x-rays to rule out things like pleurisy, cracked ribs, and a spontaneous pneumothorax). I suppose I feel better knowing that I have none of those things. And my first doctor was quite attractive in an odd way. His burnt orange fleece was covered with dog hair. I was in a baby blue cotton robe held together with flimsy cotton ties and my feet were covered with stinky orange ski socks. Not my finest moment. That is why you should shave your legs regularly and always wear cute underwear. You never know who your doctor will be. Obviously I had done neither that day. Perhaps if I had... well, probably not, but it's good motivation to wear cute panties anyways. They're fun. So, for today, I am lementing that at corn thirty I am on my couch with the three legged wonder dog and not breathing in cold air on a ridgetop somewhere in the Sierras getting ready for some hard earned turns. But, I do like Grey's Anatomy.

Flurry of Activity

Why the sudden flurry of activity on the macandbeardog page? Well, I have taken 5 days off of skiing (Yes, broken my streak of 15 days straight) to nurse a torn intercostal muscle. It has meant many hours napping with Bear, typing on the computer, and filling out background investigations. If the pain subsides soon, I'll be most excited to start schlepping sleds around again. This is a nice outlet. It beats watching Oprah. Hopefully I'll be back outside soon. Until then, expect more clutter on the page and blame it on my boredom.

The Migration

True, it is only March, but this is the time of year where we seasonals start to plan our summer moves. This summer is looking like an adventure on several levels. Clay and Aimee are going back to Wyoming to play in the Tetons. But to a reorganized park with new programs to learn and new people to meet. Aimee will also have just passed her EMT test with flying colors and will hopefully get the pleasure of riding in the back of the brand spankin' new Medic 1, which will hopefully NOT be like driving a blender, as an EMT. Woohoo!

Bear and I, as of right now, are going to Yosemite Valley, where I'll get my gun, my tazer, and a host full of other toys that hang on my waist and make it impossibly difficult to pee. We are excited about a new park and a new adventure. So, for the first time in 3 years, the four of us bloggers are going our separate ways for the summer. We're trying to come to terms with it. Admittedly, I don't think Bear knows yet.

So, if any of you are planning summer trips, the Tetons or Yosemite now have free floor space with your name on it!