Sometimes in life because you are brought up in a certain manner, it is just what you consider 'normal'. It is the lens you look at your life through. And sometimes you don't realize that that lens may actually be a bit warped and maybe not so 'normal' as you once thought. Time away from where I have grown up I have discovered that the way I grew up may not be as 'normal' at times as I thought it was. Don't get me wrong, it was a great place to grow up and I have fond memories from my childhood, but sometimes it doesn't fit the 'norm' expectation sometimes of the rest of society.
My dad and I were chatting today as we went downhill skiing. I was talking about the nuttiness of the fact I had signed up for Vineman 1/2 ironman and the fact I do triathlons in general and how that is a little, how shall we say...not really of the 'norm' per say. But as we got to talking about some of our skiing adventures and other adventures I realized that maybe my nuttiness is more just a product of my environment.
As we talked, the conversation brought up the time when I was 12 and my home town was having freezing cold weather and had one of the worst inversions going on at the same time (where you basically don't see the sun for weeks on end). The only way to get out of the inversion was to get up to the mountains and go skiing as it was sunny up there.
It was a toasty -25 F.
Yes...minus...The reason we had decided to go skiing was that it was in the sun and out of the inversion...but seriously, I don't know what we were thinking. I think we took a total of 5 runs that day...take a run...go inside warm up...take a run...ect.
And as I thought through our silly antics of my youth, it brought up the time we were skiing at Big Sky in MT...I think I was 14 at this time. Now...i'm a decent skiier...i can get down most hills but my dad seemed to think a double black diamond was in order that day. Let's just say I learned how to kick turn my way down a hill that day.
Or a time when I was 17 or 18 and my dad had convinced me to learn how to wake board behind our ski boat and then somehow convinced me that learning to 'fakie' (this is where you switch which foot is in front...so your non dominate foot is now in the back) was fun and me not being one to look like I couldn't try something new, did attempt such a move. I did such a bad face plant I needed muscle relaxants.
We also thought that waterskiing in April in a glacial lake in the mountains would be a good idea...we had a dry suit...we thought I would be golden. I.was.so.cold.
This is the short list. But as we were talking about the 1/2 ironman and I mentioned that maybe I had lost my marbles...he replied, "To say you have lost them implies you had them to start with". Thanks dad. Pot calling kettle...kettle come in.
So there we go...grad school didn't make me go crazy...I was just brought up crazy. At least that is sorted out.
5 comments:
"We also thought that waterskiing in April in a glacial lake in the mountains would be a good idea...we had a dry suit...we thought I would be golden. I.was.so.cold."
And you call ME crazy?!
I have this vision of you saying to your father: "Daddy, isn't this a little odd/crazy/cold/out of season/strange?"
And your father replies: "Eh, whatever. Come on little Pants, we're gonna be late for our (insert event here)."
I would say you have a high propensity for adventure due to dad bringing out out do to such things. Ain't nothing wrong with that.
Not gonna lie, i do that to my boy scouts sometimes. "Sure, that canoe has a hole in it and you can't swim and this lake is very deep. Take it out anyways, it will be good for ya."
water skiing in a glacial lake in April and down hill skiing in -25 degree weather....man and I thought biking in weather under 40 degrees was bad ass.... kudos to you pants I doff my running beanie in respect.
So that explains it. I seriously think we are on different branches of the same family tree. I have some vivid memories from skiing at Whiteface in Lake Placid when it was about -20. I don't recall if the sun was out. I was about 12 and frostbit my toes. My dad told me I was tough and "wasn't the skiing worth it?"
One year we went to ski at Berkshire East around Christmas-time. They wouldn't open the lifts because of wind so we decided that it would be fun to hike up for a run. We hiked up the hill in ski boots, carrying our skis....for 1 run. Actaully it more like half a run since we didn't really have time to hike all the way up. Yup, crazy.
Makes for great memories though :)
Happy New Year! just don't bungie jump in Mexico.
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