Photo: Candice Reimers

They said it would be hard. I’d fall and be sore and leave limping. I’d hate it. “Skiers find it really difficult”.

But the truth is that it only took my first and only snowboarding lesson for me to fall in love with the sport. By the end, I could swiftly and controllably zig-zag the mountain on my heel edge. Toe edge, I haven’t quite mastered, and turning from one to the other—well, that’s a skill in progress.

But the rush of going fast is just awesome!

The neat thing about this is that I’ve had a hard time with balance sports: I did not get downhill skiing when I took my only lesson years ago, and ice skating has been a painful disaster every time I’ve tried it. I blame my childhood: surely if I had been exposed to these sports way back then, I’d have mastered them by now.

This was part of the reason why I took up cross-country skiing. I figured if I could get my snow legs there, I might be able to eventually hold my own in other balance sports. It’s been a pleasant surprise that a year after I learned how to cross-country ski, I can still do it. I am thrilled after plodding to the crest of a hill because the descent is fast and exhilarating, like the reward for a job well done.

And now, a new niche. I can’t wait to get to the slopes and hang out with the ‘boarders. I have found my people.

(Backdated entry)

… for soup.

We’re heading out to Portland for their early Soup Swap… and getting ready to host Seattle’s on January 23, (Inter)National Soup Swap Day.

It’s not too late to organize a Soup Swap of your own, and there’s certainly more than enough time to prepare and freeze your concoction.

Soup’s on!