Lunch today: two sandwiches (whitebread because it doesn't go bad, ham, cheese, spinach, mustard, mayo), banana, apple, bbq chips (Baked Lays are so crunchy), a brownie (not pictured) and apple juice.  

I am trying to gain weight this semester and though all attempts have proven futile because of my metabolism, I am going to try again.  The goal is to get from 170 to 180.  I am also trying to work out just a bit to stay good physically during the winter.  Eating lots of food should help this.

Then there is snowboarding class.  Since the government is paying for my school this year, I thought that I would take full advantage of the opportunity that they have given me to learn something new and spend a bit of the money on taking a class that I already know everything about.  HA!  If that isn't sticking it to the man, I don't know what is.  Of course I am taking other classes, in fact, necessary classes that will be incredibly important for my work.  Education, Poverty and Community Development (EDLF 363), Antropology of Development (ANTHR 441), Nonfiction Production (TMA 274) and Children's Media (TMA 392).  But then we have the wild card.  Snowboarding class.

Background

I started snowboarding when I was 12.  I went at least once every year until my mission when I was 19.  I owned a season pass to The Canyons my senior year of high school.  I even went snowboarding for the third time in the  season the day before I went into the MTC with my Dad (thanks Dad!).  I have gone at least 5 times every season since (mostly all night boarding at Brighton).  I worked selling, repairing and tuning snowboards.  I was going to be hired at Sundance to be an instructor, but declined because I didn't want to work Sundays.  I am a fairly experienced snowboarder.  

So why am I taking a class?  Cheap season pass, 20+ times to go this season, good snow, it was pretty much free.  I don't know.  Anyways, I am really excited for this class.  Apparently they separate the class into sections according to skill level.  They have 6 levels with the 6th level saying something like, "We take you, drop you off anywhere, and you come back WITH style.".  So I don't know if this describes me, sure the style does (ha), but I am hoping that there are others with the same mentality as me out there.  We will see next week.  I am excited to see because in all my years snowboarding, I have never really snowboarded with somebody that was at the same level.  This sounds quite puffed up with hubris and it probably is, but it is also true.  I have taught many to snowboard, but then they never quite catch up. 

 Anyways, there will be pictures and stories, I am sure so say tuned. 

Here is a video displaying not only my skill level (minus the 720 and backflip, but everything else I can do, even launch myself off of a large jump and hurt my knee) but also how fun snowboarding is.  An adventure every time.  

The Snowboard Realms 2-5 from tj schneider SNOWBOARD REALMS VI on Vimeo.