Enthusiasm.

Ski enthusiast. Well, more precisely, skiing enthusiast. That's what the Register-Guard called me in yesterdays "Packed and Ready" article. A quote from the R-G: "That’s good news for skiing enthusiast Bob Parker of Eugene, who’s already made five trips to Willamette Pass this year." Well, heck yea! What else would boatloads of snow mean?

Enthusiasm. Yea, ok. Let's break it down for a moment.

en⋅thu⋅si⋅asm

–noun

1. absorbing or controlling possession of the mind by any interest or pursuit; lively interest: He shows marked enthusiasm for his skiing.
2. an occupation, activity, or pursuit in which such interest is shown: skiing is his latest enthusiasm.
3. any of various forms of extreme religious devotion, usually associated with intense emotionalism and a break with orthodoxy.

Ok. This works pretty well. So, what's an enthusiast?

en⋅thu⋅si⋅ast

–noun

1.	a person who is filled with enthusiasm for some principle, pursuit, etc.; a person of ardent zeal: a sports enthusiast.

2.	a religious visionary or fanatic.

Sports and religion. Put them together and you get fanaticism. Fanaticism=skiing. There's some calculus for you.

But, skiing enthusiast? Isn't that kind of like being a Wine Spectator? Or a Fine Art Connoisseur? Or a Cigar Aficionado? I could go on, but you get the point--so many magazines--so much luxury. I get the fine art and cigar stuff, but since when did wine become a spectator sport? What do they do, sit around and watch it age? In oak casks? With a cherry/blackberry finish? Until it gets a Robert Parker rating of 98? Robert might want to wait, but Bob doesn't have that kind of time--I'll die before it's time. So damn much enthusiasm!

If you want to sit around and spectate wine, fine. Sounds a little slower than corn growing, but whatever. Me, I'm a participant. There's skiing to be skied on skis. And then I'll drink the wine you sat around and watched during happy hour (us skiers call that apres ski).

Forget Ski magazine, Skiing magazine, or even Powder. I'm going to start a magazine for connoisseurs called Skiing Enthusiast. It will target only the top demographic: attorneys, doctors, Wall Street fund managers, and of course planners. Skiing Enthusiast (e.g. the Parker family) will visit the world's top resorts and spare no expense--all funded by the top demographic listed above. I think I've got a plan. Or at least an idea. Or something.

If you've read this far, you're probably screaming for me to get back on point. Ok. We went up again today for more fun and frolicking. You know how Bob Marley sang about One Love? We found it.



Dylan found it right here on Eagle Peak.


Diane and Dylan find it on the Twilight lift.


Pals Andre and Kimmy (from Mississippi) found it too.


Andre finds love (don't tell Becky, Andre's wife).


And sometimes the best way to end the day is in the bar with a cold beer. Skiing enthusiasts, spectators, connoisseurs, aficionados. Both of them.


Enthusiasm.

Enthusiast.

Skiing Enthusiast.

I guess that's me. It could be you, too. And always remember:

Snow is Love

Now, back to the mundane things in life. Like taking out the garbage.