Dec
5
2009
Not too many things make me nervous but I have a massively important task to do today. I was asked a couple of days ago if I’d dress up like Santa and present some gifts to a kid that is involved in a “make a Wish” foundation…or something like that. I guess I’ll get the entire story later today. I think he’s in a wheelchair with some form of a degenerative bone disease. Again, not sure but will get back to you. I did wake up feeling some form of trepidation though.
Now we all know that Jolly Old Saint Nick cannot attend to all his obligations as he’s VERY busy getting ready for his big day to travel the entire globe spreading happiness & goodness (& if you’ve been good….some cool loot). This is a pretty tall order so he relies on volunteer like myself to do cameo’s at malls, outside liquor stores and Yes, even hang out at Big White.
What do I say besides “Ho-Ho-Ho?” (FYI, just googled, “does a ? go inside or outside the quotation marks?” and I wish I could answer it but it looked like way too much work to figure it out officially so I plan on doing both as I really don’t care that much about it….in an unrelated topic…where’s me coffee…oh there it is… well, Hello Mr. Coffee Cup!)
So, “where were we”?…oh ya, Santa talk. I guess I can talk about Ruldolph and Blitzen and Dasher and the rest of the gang. Perhaps I should mention the Old Lady? maybe mention that the sled just got serviced and is running “like a top”. You gotta take care of your ride when you’re traveling about 160 million kms in 1 night you know. Duh, I guess I should ask him what he wants for Christmas….I can’t believe that wasn’t first!
I was asked about Christmas decorations for the Pizza Shop yesterday, Santa today, tons of new snow so I guess that x-mas is coming …ohhhhh, the idea light just came on…they should do a christmas X-games by the way where everybody has to compete dressed up……that’s the kinda world I want to live in!
So in the spirit of things, here’s my all time favorite Christmas tune…..I like the message it sends as well.
Underground Santa, saying Ho-Ho-Ho!
“I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He’ll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again”
Dec
3
2009
Hey Under ground Al- you not ready to fight my girl!
Unless you want to loose an ear, you better stick to playing ukeleles!
That’s King wit a capital K!
Dec
2
2009
Another stunningly incredible day, if I could find my camera-I’d take a photo as proof to show you. Trust me though, it’s going to be another Kickin’ day! 41 minutes & 2 cups of coffee until the 1rst chair.
Music is what is on my mind the last couple of days. Well, music is usually always around but I’ve been playing a super mellow track list in my head & ipod lately. From The Hip’s “Bobcaygeon” & “Wheat Kings” to Jack Johnson’s “Flake” or over to Ben Harper’s “She’s Only Happy In The Sun”.
If tough to rip up the hill with your body going Mach 3 and your brain staying in the slow lane but it’s been working. I do love listening to an Accoustic guitar, especially when somebody has real talent. My theory is that some people are just simply born more musically than others. I know that you disagree Karen and feel that you can learn anything but I don’t care & I think we should fight. I also don’t care that I weigh more than you by double and have a foot of reach. My point is this; I need a check mark in the win column of my Fight Record and I think you could be it.
I’m currently 0-1-1. Aka, no Wins, A loss in Grade 7 (but that kid should have been in grade 9) and a Tie about 10 yrs ago in SnowShoes (I’m calling it a Tie). So Karen whose last name starts with a “R”…..LET’S GET READY TO RUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBLLLLLEEEEEEEE. I suggest we meet Christmas Day at high noon at the top of the T-Bar! I’ll notify Patrol and your sled will be ready for your ride to see Doc Mike. In the spirit of Christmas, that’s what I’ll give you, a complimentary red toboggan ride …..and Yes, I had to spell-check Toboggan.
But alas, I’m not where I started…again. Music, guitar, sunshine, happiness, rainbows, love and even Ukeleles……. somethings you think don’t go together, just like a massive man with an incredible voice and a Ukelele. RIP IZ.
Karen, I’ll see you at Christmas.
Underground Al saying, Keep it Real Hommies!
0-1-1
Nov
30
2009
I’ve been lucky in that I’ve had a ton of both Road Trips & Friends. I’ve learned so much from both. On occasion when the wind is right, you get to experience both a great Road Trip & a good Friend at the same time. I believe it’s called a Symbiotic relationship..yep. just Googled it and it was kinda what I was going for. What would we do without Google? How many bets & arguments has Google solved? I’ve attempted to infiltrate the internet and provide some Al Reid homemade BS as nobody had the correct answer to my question at the time. My Motto has always been, If nobody else seems to know, you might as well pretend to be the expert!
Try googling “odds to making it on the PGA tour“. My “answer” is on the WikiAnswers site, listed 3rd as of this posting…I’ll even wait a minute while you look it up.
But alas, I’m off topic again (& quickly I might add). So to get back on track, I wish I would’ve taken better notes, drawings, pictures and time to smell the roses during my adventures. To all of you here at Big White, please heed this advice….document your good times and yes, even your shitty times. Down the road, you’ll be able to learn from both.
How did this topic even come to be you might ask? Well, as I sit here in an incredible place that is lent to be by some wonderful friends, I came across some old trip journals while moving my crap from past adventures. I’m VERY lucky in that I wrote down some of what was happening and some of what I was feeling at the time.
My souvenir weapons were a glue stick and some colored felts. I really wish that I would have made more of an effort to write additional info but I still remember and thanks to my journals, I remember a lot more.
So please, I beg you. Enjoy today, document it. We live in an absolutely stunning place (did you see the sky tonight?) and we have a fabulous community. I’ll see you on the slopes
—Underground Al—OUT!
So, after 3 glasses of vino and 30 minutes of multi-tasking I leave you with this incredible link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ
Nov
26
2009
So here’s the checklist thus far for today:
Hot-tub…done
Coffee…. 1st done, working on 2nd cup now.
Skiing…going in a bit, so far I’ve been out everyday. Today will be lucky #13.
Work stuff…. way too many to mention but the Pizza should all come together by Fri to start cooking some larges and pouring some brewskis.
QUICK UPDATE: I’m now on the 3rd cup o’joe…..stay tuned for more info.
Well the hill has been running now for 12-13 days and here my thoughts about it. I think it’s great that some of neighbors to the South are able to come up for their Thanksgiving. It’s always fun to see all the excited faces of people who are new to the mountain culture. We’re VERY lucky to be able to live in this exceptional place that we do. People come from all over the world and spend lots of dough to vacation in my yard. I think we lose track of that sometimes, I know that I do at least.
With our new visitors and co-workers come a couple of rules that I’d like made into Big WHite Law though.
Rule 1: There is no 2 shot rule here on the pool table. Pool is a game of skill & precision. You call your shots and you play nice & fair. I know that elsewhere there are different rules and I really enjoyed playing those rules in Australia & Denmark (with the little bowling pins). But I feel that the home rules should apply to where you are and you are here.
Rules 2: The stair case in the VCM should operate like you drive. Slow cars on the right, pass on the left and don’t cross the double center line and go up or down the wrong way.
With all that said, I’m super stoked on this season. I think there’s a great vibe on the air. People are here to work hard, ski hard and perhaps even party hard. Watch out though, I’ve already had a couple of bought with the “wine flu”…I’m pretty sure I caught it at The Market, or The Liquor Store, or at a house party or it even might have been at SnowShoes…if I’m not too careful, I might catch it tonight. or maybe just a 1/2 “wine flu” is in order.
See you out there!- Alfonzo
Nov
24
2009
So here’s the skinny…well not too skinny to be honest. I guess the logicAL place to start is the beginning, well maybe not the very beginning, how about more towards the middle. I first came to Big WHite skiing sometime in the 80’s but really fell in love during my first season here in 1991. My dream was simple— learn to snowboard and continue my career as a bartender (The movie “Cocktail” was my inspiration at that point in my life). So? Where was I? I’ll probably get off-track a lot during these ramblings but there is no rules so in reALity I don’t think it’ll matter.
About me- I’ve been up here for sometime now, don’t plan on moving anywhere and I love this Community. I’m 38, a bit of a skier, telemarker and snowboarder, I love to laugh and I’ve been spotted in the odd pub. My goal is quite simple during this blog, my aim is to entertain…if you’re looking to get smarter, then I suggest moving on right now. In fact, I’ll even wait for 5 seconds just to make sure. One, Two, Three, Four, Five. Wow, I’m glad that that person left.
I encourage feedback so let me know what you’re thinking. I intend on having no format, no consistency and sometimes, even No Clue. I’d like to share an incredible quote that was on the cover of a book given to me years ago by an incredible person and this is really the basis of my writing;
“Be in love with your life…write what you want bottomless from the bottom of the mind, remove literary, grammatical and syntactical inhibition. Write in recollection and amazement of yourself” – Jack Kerouac
And with this…it begins!