Update: I’ve fixed the video
No skiing this weekend. We’ve had what seems like the longest sunny period of the year, which unfortunately has deprived us of much needed snow. But despite the lack of any alpine amusement I have a couple of stories.
Where I'll find him next time
Max had a Halloween party Friday night, the highlight of which, was a drunk, unknown to all, wandering in from a party down the street and crashing directly in front of our door. After 4 hours of being kicked and slammed in the face each time the door was opened, the nameless drunk – still fully wigged and costumed – roused himself, stumbled across the living room, and crashed in a recliner. Those of us still awake at the time (4 or 5 am) began casually lobing Halloween candy his way, hoping to land a wrapped candy bar in his open mouth. At some point the drunk woke up, became visibly angry, lifted a barstool above his head, and began staggering around looking for someone to bludgeon. Having watched him be kicked and stepped on for nearly 4 hours it seemed absurd that a lofted Almond Joy would lead to such violence, so paralized by laughter, I was left to giggle bracing for the carnage (broken stool or coffee table at least) to come. Then miraculously Matt came down the stairs, grabbed the barstool and disarmed the drunk before anything bad happened, sending all of us into hysterical laughter. The comedy of the situation was lost on the unknown drunk though, who retreated to the corner and began calling his friends, pleading with them to rescue him because as he said “I don’t know anyone here and they all hate me.” After he had called a cab I extended an olive branch in the form of Jim Beam shots and peace was made. He left without any of us having the slightest clue as to his name.
The following Saturday was a complete waste of my time, but Sunday brought the final F1 race of the season, which once again exceeded expectations. I like my F1 drivers to be either drunks or assholes, so I have little love for either Lewis or little Felipe, but was intrigued to see if either Hamilton could avoid choking or Massa would become something other then a career number two.
In the end I’ll remember this F1 season for the rain. Monaco, Silverstone, Spa, Monza and now Interlagos all provided damp excitement. When the start was greeted by a sudden downpour I thought we were in for a classic, but the race was kind of uneventful before the final 6 laps, when it became a repeat of Spa, in the best possible way.
After Lewis let Vettel by I thought he’d bottled it again, only to get extremely lucky and have Glock struggle on the last corner to gift him the championship. I realize Glock was only in front because he hadn’t stopped for wet tires, but Hamilton’s mistake of failing to guard his position (against a Toro Rosso!) is the type of mistake that should prove fatal. I don’t believe the conspiracy theories that Glock let Hamilton by, but I do feel bad for Massa, having crossed the line as World Champion, before Lewis took it back behind him. Absolutely the best finish to an F1 season I can remember. It’s currently snowing, so stay tuned.
November 6, 2008 at 5:05 pm
random comment time…
so I’m @ work today, and as part of our annual United Way fundraiser, one of our big-wig Land Executives does a slide show of his skiing exploits with the Steamboat Powdercats and Whistler Heli-Guides. Looked like enough fun I suppose, and I can certainly appreciate his desire for freshies (the guy did go to the U, so I like to think he’s spent some time in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and is therefor a pretty cool dood). But the brutal part came before the slideshow. He prefaced the whole thing with four clips from Warren Miller films past, all featuring that powder mecca known as Steamboat. First film was Miller’s 1996 project (the corny name eludes me). This was followed with three more clips of the same footage: Nelson Carmichael and Billy Kidd as ambassadors to “ski-town USA”, and then super-striped one-piecers banging death bumps and skiing flat pow lines. Steamboat is flat, but Warren Miller captures some choker pow. Nonetheless, it was terribly painful to sit there and listen to stodgy oil & gas folk ooo-ing and ahhh-ing at completely mediocre ski film, with absolutely nobody to turn to for empathy.
November 8, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I empathize with you, people don’t understand. But in support of Steamboat I have skied 40″ of blower choker pillow lines, pretty memorable. Unfortunately Warren wasn’t there to capture it.
tres