Things I Do

It would probably be easier to describe things I don't do instead of things I do. I can be talked into doing almost anything! Mind you, most of the time I don't need much encouraging.

Blading

Blading is a religion to me. There's just nothing like it. Feeling bad? Tired of the rat race? Just throw on those blades and watch your cares disappear. Given a decent path, you can get quite a work out, too. I'm anything but a natural athlete. The first time I rollerbladed I must have fallen 10 times. It took me a month or two to get any semblance of balance. But, it eventually comes... even to klutzes like me. Even more importantly, you learn how to fall so when you can't avoid it you don't end up hurting yourself.

Skiing

Who doesn't love to ski? Zipping down a beautiful mountain just after a new layer of snow has fallen... drinking hot cocoa in the lodge... taking a long, hot shower after a day on the slopes... what could be better?

And, another great thing about blading is that it keeps you in shape for the slopes. The muscles and balance used in blading carry right over into skiing. I'm not saying that you won't be sore after a day of skiing but if you blade regularly you'll be less sore and probably fall less often, too.


Rock Climbing

Talk about being talked into things! Actually, I've really enjoyed rock climbing but I'm not very good at it and don't get to do it often. But, even the little bit of rock climbing I've done has taught me how to negotiate rocks and has greatly reduced my vertigo.

The first time I went camping after I had started rock climbing, I was amazed by how easily and confidently I bouldered up and down the mountain sides. I used to be a total wimp but rock climbing has turned me into a regular old billy goat.

Hiking / Camping

To be honest, I usually prefer day hiking to true camping. But, there is something truly sublime about being a day's hike from civilization and having not showered in four days. That's when you start to truly feel nature and start being an animal again.

Grand Canyon trip


Running

I've run off and on during my many years. But, Christmas '95 came along and I realized that I'd better start doing something to stay in shape. So, for the first time in recent memory I made a New Year's resolution that I actually kept. I've been running two or three days a week for half a year now! So, if you saw the number to your left pass you while you were running in the Bay to Breakers, you should be ashamed of yourself considering that I've only been seriously running for half a year. I think my New Year's resolution for '97 will be to run a marathon.

Horsing

My most important obsession now, though, has to be horsing. Whether it's jumping during one of my lessons (Can you believe it? An Arab that jumps!), trail riding in the hills or just hacking around the stable, it's always a great time. Also, it teaches you a lot about control (both of your body and of the horse) and a lot about animals. If you own a 20 lb. dog or a 10 lb. cat, control over the animal isn't usually that big of a deal. But when you own an 1000 lb. horse, control truly becomes a matter of life and death. Communication with the animal is much more critical, too. You learn how to read the animals every move and he yours.

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