For me, that one thing would be skiing. It is the one thing that I've done long enough, at enough different places, with enough different people to say that I've actually mastered. In his book Outliers Malcolm Gladwell describes the 10,000 hour rule. The 10k rule is based on the the idea to become extraordinarily successful in a field is achieving early expertise and that to become an expert in a discipline requires on the order of 10,000 hours of practice.
Interesting concept--the 10,000 hour rule. I'm not convinced that's the right threshold, and that effort is all it takes, but there's something there. A little raw talent and ingenuity can also go a long way.
One would think that it would primarily apply to work. By my own estimates, I've logged somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 hours as a planner/educator. I'd like to think I've achieved some level of mastery... or at least competence.
Back to skiing. As I've mentioned before, my parents started me skiing when I was seven. I'm pretty sure I took to it pretty quickly. By 12 or 13 I was on the Winter Park race team--which I did until I was 17. I clearly remember the point when racing clicked for me: it was on a snowy day at WP and our coach Sandy took us into the hut to warm up and give us some pointers. She described a certain position racers use that was an epiphany for me. My skiing improved instantly as did my racing.
Well, at least up to a point. You didn't see me on the podium with the Mahre brothers in the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo. By the time I started to advance up the ranks in the USAA classifications, I'd lost my motivation. While skiing has been important all through my life, I never had the obsession and total commitment it takes to compete at the international, national, or even regional level. That was a personal choice, and one I can live with. So, I'll never be a Bode Miller, but that's not my path anyway.
At the same time, expending a certain level of effort, focus, and attention creates a special type of freedom. A freedom that allows you an overview of the big picture and all the moving parts, without having to think, worry, or fear that any one of them won't come together properly.
That's a level of freedom that I have achieved with skiing.
By it's nature (i.e., hurling oneself down a mountain on two boards), the act of skiing requires a certain level of attention or focus. That level of attention requires one to be, as they say, "in the moment." That level of focus also has an important side benefit: that everything else that in your mind becomes occupied by the one thing you are doing--the act of skiing.
That said, I'm not sure that I've actually put in 10,000 hours on skis over the course of 42 years. My back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that it might be closer to 5,000 hours. My sense is it is enough to achieve my personal aims.
I suppose that is why it is called recreation, or maybe more properly re-creation. Whatever it is, and however it works, it works for me. It gives me something to look forward to during the work week, and clears my head and makes me more productive when I'm not skiing. That's why I've avoided being a ski patrol or instructor up to this point. I already have enough jobs and other commitments... why would I want to take the one thing that confers a level of personal freedom and make it a job?
I've often wondered whether living at a ski area and skiing a lot more would also undermine the positive effects of skiing. Maybe I'll have the opportunity to find out some day. Like any other discipline, there may be a time when I'm ready to share my experience, but not right now.
Enough of the psychobabble, onto today.
The finches were out in force up at the top. It may be that spring has already sprung this year. It's been sunny for a week now and the daffodils are blooming in town. I hope now--there's still potential for six or seven more weeks of skiing.
Dylan rocks the nose press on the wood rail in the woods. This is the only rail at The Pass right now since management can't figure out how to shove the real ones they have into the snow...
Diane smiling on a sunny day. Looking good, sweetheart!
Dylan airs off the "merge jump"
You go left and I'll go right.
Ridin' the rail.
That's the action for today. I worked from 8-11, then we headed up and got there just in time for the snow to be softening up. Overall, a good day. But, we better get some storms soon or the steep runs on the front side will be closing soon.
We may try again tomorrow.
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