C6

On Sunday April 19, 2009 I broke my neck skiing. I went off a jump, got forward, landed and tumbled like I have done a million other times... but this time things went wrong. I will have titanium in my vertebra from here on out. The good news is that things are healing up well. I have no neurological damage and the doctors tell me I will heal up to full strength and full flexibility with no limitations. Breaking your neck isn't as bad as it seems it might be... I am very grateful to be OK and it has given me a new outlook and new appreciation for the people around me. Thanks to all my friends on the day of the crash for your help. Also thanks to Jonah for flying right out to help and to Mom and Dad for putting everything else aside to be with me. Thanks to all my friends a family for all the calls, cards, visits and support. Thanks Beth for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition and most of all, thanks Jill for your strength and love.

Maven

The skis would hardly fit on the mounting bench as I carefully marked possible boot center lines under the warm glow of the light in the shed that protects me from the pouring rain. I committed to a full 3 cm back as I free drilled and soft light wood spilled out onto the glossy ski graphics. The screws crunched tightly into the wood where they will find a new home with the wood glue. I am betting that the bindings are solidly mounted and that they are set at exactly the right forward pressure and DIN and that they wont fly off at the wrong moment. Welcome to the family.

Missing Out

Well its that time of the year when the skiing is amazing! Every time I go up I am just blown away. The steep sunny slopes are covered with creamy solid snow. The lichen covered rocks jut out creating predicable obstacles and the best playgrounds ever. Everyone's skiing is in top form. I'm so glad that i have a few more months left on the snowbird pass. I am sad to see Alta closing. I feel like I hardly got to ski the castle or baldy. I loved skiing the lower devilsapron with Jill and Brandon and It was rush droping the elevator shaft.

Maui five O

We just spent a wonderful week on maui with Mom, Ed, Jason, Jonah Edie Tate and Tula.  The house was great.  I loved having the pool and I loved having the the break right outfront of the house.  I loved the big meals and being able to just hang out at the house.  Thanks to mom for everything.  I really miss doing things with Jason and Jonah.  It would be fun to rent the house again.

A Yurt is Round Tent

Three days at the yurt this year!  I loved the upper part of this canyon.  It has always seemed so small to me but the more I explore the bigger it gets...And its not just all wide open like much of the more alpine parts of the Wasatch... You have to know where you're going.  The threes, rocks, spines, steeps and routfinding are all very beautiful.  Lizzie did great on the skiing.  Next time bring the most elaborate meal imaginable.

Inside the Beltway

I have been working in Washington on some web based maps to display locations of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects for the USDA. I spent last week in meetings and presentations to define business requirements. It was a pretty big stretch for me as far as the level of people I was interacting with...they were mostly Department level rather than Agency level. So kind of a whole step up. Most of them were kind of your everyday reasonable folks. I felt comfortable in this environment and interacting people at this high level. I thought that I may sort of feel like a fish out of water but I didn't. It was definitely exciting to be part of the buzz of the new administration.
It seems like being reasonable and easy to work was much more important than asserting your opinion. Technical knowledge of the facts, how things work, the act, the databases, the system, your blackberry and email and organization is helpful to everybody and provides good leadership. Congressional Leadership Training. It is good to be home. I cant wait to come back to DC with Jill.

Slayin the Yellow Dragon

On Saturday Brandon hosted a great day of skiing, complete with VIP lift tickets, which meant "all you can ride" cat-skiing. I think this place is one of the biggest ski areas in Utah... but most of it doesn't have lifts. Its just wide open for exploring James, Sammy Brandon and I had a lot to explore and we probably only hit 10% of what is there. We lost one of these little chrome lift tickets that measures about an inch across, but oddly enough I found it again on the next run lying in the snow! Team Pine Cone north face search mission successful! That night Brandon had poker night, it was my first time playing and I won. I guess you can bluff pretty well when you don't even know you have good hand. What a great day! Thanks Brandon.