2002-02-02 @ 11:50 p.m.

tonight im sunburnt. from being out on the slopes all day. taking photographs of skiers racing and snowboarders doing their tricks and whatnot on the halfpipe. for the games. you know.

and i was busy walking up and down ice encapsulated mountains today. thanks to the recent ice storm we had here. but today it was sunny. and the glare. you know. youre getting it from all angles. from the sun above. and the reflection off the snow below. and my eyes were watering. and i was wishing i had my sunglasses. and now. my face is pink. and i feel windblown. and even now. i can feel the cold in my bones.

but it feels good.

and it was windy. and colder than it should have been for such a sunny day. and after an hour at the halfpipe. i couldnt feel my feet. or the tips of my fingers. and its a wonder i was able to walk all the way down. and i used my cameras monopod as a walking stick. shhh. dont tell.

and i got a ride on the back of a snowmobile. to the top of the mountain. that was the highlight of my week. of my year so far perhaps. i think i was squealing when i got off. so. much. fun.

tonight. i was on such a high. my mouth. running. a thousand miles an hour. having to stop. to catch my breath. my vocal chords unable to keep up with my brain. unable to put it all out there. at once. as it was in my head. sharing it all with D. all about my day and all the people i saw. from my younger days. friends of my father. the man who helped teach me how to ski. and a pleasant surprise. and a kiss and hug. from the man. who was my fathers best friend. like not a day had passed. and seeing the little girl. i taught to ski. at age five. who was racing today.

and being able to talk. with S. over hot cocoa. about irrational fears versus fears you have due to past experiences. flying, fire, skiing, cold, speed, snowmobiles. fire and flying, mine. the rest, his. and the talking. i come from a big skiing family. and i had almost forgotten. but today. came so i wouldnt forget. that ive been skiing since i was three. as have all the B's before me.

and i can still feel the cold in my bones.

and tomorrow. its more of the same. and i couldnt be more excited.

and later tonight. a great show at the college in town. nothing beats a show down the street from where you live. especially when youre so used to driving an hour to get to most anything.

despite the chatty irritating people behind me. and the crappy sound. the show was great. and my request was played when i yelled it out. my most favorite of their songs. 'this happens again and again'. and they sang it. off mic. and it was beautiful.

and today was beautiful really. and tomorrow. its more of the same beauty. the beauty of hot chocolate in your hands. at a table that appears to have been cut down from the woods outside and just placed there. in a lodge. by a giant stone fireplace. and the beauty. of snow and laughs and sunburns and snowmobiles.

and then. off to a gathering of friends. for the superbowl. go pats.