The congregation from Westboro Baptist Church (in Kansas) came to town to protest at the Sundance Film Festival. These self-righteous douchebags travel the country, preaching hate about everything that isn't white, baptist, and heterosexual. It is amazing to hear people from a Christian church speak so venomously about other humans. Jesus would disown them all.
The first good news is that there weren't that many of them. The best news is that 200 students from Park City High School came out to do their own protest. They shouted cheers and sang songs, all in the name of love and tolerance. That became the story for the press instead of the attention-craving fanatics.
To those that say our current youth aren't active enough in shaping the world around them, I have to disagree.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Local's ski race
Back in the 80's, Park City used to have regular ski races for the locals. It was a big event and lots of people turned out to race or to cheer people on. After a few decades of inactivity, the Town Races have started back up.
Having just had surgery and not actually knowing how to race, I have no immediate plans to partake, but who knows.
Of course, in a town like Park City, the competition can be a bit above average. At the first race, the women's division was won by three-time Olympian Heidi Voelker. Sometimes living in a town full of Olympic skiers can be intimidating.
Having just had surgery and not actually knowing how to race, I have no immediate plans to partake, but who knows.
Of course, in a town like Park City, the competition can be a bit above average. At the first race, the women's division was won by three-time Olympian Heidi Voelker. Sometimes living in a town full of Olympic skiers can be intimidating.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Why I got my hernia fixed during ski season
... because my doctor warned me this could happen. From today's news.
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actor Charlie Sheen was in "stable" condition after being taken by ambulance from his home to a Los Angeles hospital for severe pain, related to a hernia Thursday morning, his representative said.
If your hernia becomes incarcerated, the lack of blood supply can kill parts of your intestines. Then you have a surgical emergency instead of a comfortable planned day.
Skied a little faster today, but still no black runs, trees, bumps or speed. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
Los Angeles (CNN) -- Actor Charlie Sheen was in "stable" condition after being taken by ambulance from his home to a Los Angeles hospital for severe pain, related to a hernia Thursday morning, his representative said.
"Charlie has had a hernia condition for some time," representative Stan Rosenfield said. "I was told by the person who made the 911 call that it was hernia-related."
Reporters and paparazzi converged on Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after reports hit the internet that Sheen was at the emergency room there Thursday morning. The hospital refused to give any information about the actor, giving rising to rampant media speculation about Sheen's condition.
Tensions eased later in the day when Rosenfield announced that his client was in stable condition and was being treated for the hernia.
If your hernia becomes incarcerated, the lack of blood supply can kill parts of your intestines. Then you have a surgical emergency instead of a comfortable planned day.
Skied a little faster today, but still no black runs, trees, bumps or speed. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Another step back to normal
I went out today to do my Mountain Host job over at PCMR. This was my first day of skiing since my hernia surgery. The doc told me that I could start after two weeks and today would be exactly 14 days. The good news is that I was able to ski all day without much discomfort. The downside is that I accomplished this by avoiding black runs, bumps, trees and speed. Pretty much all the things I enjoy. It was truly a slow, easy groomer day.
Gorgeous weather. Thank goodness we were skiing above the socked in clouds.
Oh well, it's a step in the right direction. Now I need to stick with the slow recovery program and not push things too quickly.
Gorgeous weather. Thank goodness we were skiing above the socked in clouds.
Oh well, it's a step in the right direction. Now I need to stick with the slow recovery program and not push things too quickly.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Another excellent Sundance winner
On Sunday, we took advantage of the gorgeous weather to do some snowshoeing. Even thought the temperatures had just cracked 15, the exercise and brilliant sunshine made it quite comfortable.
From left to right, Patti and John Steigerwald, Julie, and of course, Jasper.
Between snowshoeing and the football play-offs, we managed to get up to Stein Eriksen's for their incredible Sunday Brunch. I am fairly certain I consumed 30,000 calories. Yummmm!
This morning we got up and went to see Cedar Rapids. It was a wonderful comedy that also highlighted how you can make friends in the oddest of ways. It is already being distributed through Fox SearchLight, so you will get a chance to catch it in theaters. Another 4 of 4 stars movie.
From left to right, Patti and John Steigerwald, Julie, and of course, Jasper.
Between snowshoeing and the football play-offs, we managed to get up to Stein Eriksen's for their incredible Sunday Brunch. I am fairly certain I consumed 30,000 calories. Yummmm!
This morning we got up and went to see Cedar Rapids. It was a wonderful comedy that also highlighted how you can make friends in the oddest of ways. It is already being distributed through Fox SearchLight, so you will get a chance to catch it in theaters. Another 4 of 4 stars movie.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
My worst Sundance movie ever
Julie and I have been doing the Sundance Film Festival every winter for seven years. We have seen movies that ranged from mediocre to awesome. Last night we went to see the movie Meek's Cutoff. Quite simply the worst Sundance movie I have ever seen. It was about a handful of people trying to take their wagons out west during the 1840's.
It was painfully slow and boring. Julie kept leaning over to me and saying "make this end". When the movie finally ended, it was abrupt and left most everything unresolved. I'm not sure anyone cared. In a movie, leaving out the wrapped up ending can be an interesting style, unless the movie also lacked a beginning and a middle.
One hour and 45 minutes of my life wasted. At least we got to see Win-Win in the morning.
It was painfully slow and boring. Julie kept leaning over to me and saying "make this end". When the movie finally ended, it was abrupt and left most everything unresolved. I'm not sure anyone cared. In a movie, leaving out the wrapped up ending can be an interesting style, unless the movie also lacked a beginning and a middle.
One hour and 45 minutes of my life wasted. At least we got to see Win-Win in the morning.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Sundance begins
The Sundance Film Festival got cranked up on Thursday evening. On the starting day, Julie had someone bump into her Subaru (no damage) and I had to pull out into a lane of traffic to stop a car from cruising through a pedestrian crossing (with pedestrians). Such is the film festival. Fill a small town with 40,000 visitors who all want to move from place to place all week, but have little idea of where they are going or how to get there. For the next week, we have no parking in the city and can make no left turns.
Our plan was to enjoy visits from John and Patti Steigerwald (from Raleigh) and Bill and Kathleen Donnelly (from Michigan). These two couples were out here together for Sundance three years ago. Unfortunately, Bill and Kathleen's daughter Meghan had gone from having something flu-like to pneumonia. As much as I support giving children a lot of responsibility to make them stronger, leaving her alone seemed unreasonable. At the last second, they had to cancel. We all miss having them here.
So far we are having excellent luck with movies, and terrible luck with stalking stars. Our only star sighting has been Ryan Seacrest, of American Idol fame. He is also doing the American Top 40 Countdown on the radio. They were shooting something with him in it. He's the one on the right.
Instead, we have been eating, drinking and seeing movies. The Highwest Distillery had a really cool ice sculpture bar outside. It was cold though, so we grabbed a photo and went in for a drink.
Our movies so far:
The Last Mountain: this was a documentary about the coal mining in West Virginia where they rip the tops off of mountains and dump all the non-coal earth down into the valleys. It is a terribly destructive process and the land never recovers. It was well done and very eye opening. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars. Most documentaries never make it to the big screen, but this was a good one.
Win-Win: this movie is about a lawyer who volunteers as the local high school wrestling coach. He, his family, and his friends all get tangled up with another family. It is wonderful and clearly gets 4 out of 4 stars. It will be in theaters and you should definitely see it. Funny. Great acting. Great character development.
We have another movie after dinner this evening. So far, no losers!!
Our plan was to enjoy visits from John and Patti Steigerwald (from Raleigh) and Bill and Kathleen Donnelly (from Michigan). These two couples were out here together for Sundance three years ago. Unfortunately, Bill and Kathleen's daughter Meghan had gone from having something flu-like to pneumonia. As much as I support giving children a lot of responsibility to make them stronger, leaving her alone seemed unreasonable. At the last second, they had to cancel. We all miss having them here.
So far we are having excellent luck with movies, and terrible luck with stalking stars. Our only star sighting has been Ryan Seacrest, of American Idol fame. He is also doing the American Top 40 Countdown on the radio. They were shooting something with him in it. He's the one on the right.
Instead, we have been eating, drinking and seeing movies. The Highwest Distillery had a really cool ice sculpture bar outside. It was cold though, so we grabbed a photo and went in for a drink.
Our movies so far:
The Last Mountain: this was a documentary about the coal mining in West Virginia where they rip the tops off of mountains and dump all the non-coal earth down into the valleys. It is a terribly destructive process and the land never recovers. It was well done and very eye opening. I gave it 3 out of 4 stars. Most documentaries never make it to the big screen, but this was a good one.
Win-Win: this movie is about a lawyer who volunteers as the local high school wrestling coach. He, his family, and his friends all get tangled up with another family. It is wonderful and clearly gets 4 out of 4 stars. It will be in theaters and you should definitely see it. Funny. Great acting. Great character development.
We have another movie after dinner this evening. So far, no losers!!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tourists in Chile held hostage
I read a photography web site run by Thom Hogan. He leads trips and does photography around the world, but still manages to update his blog. The past two or three weeks, it has been completely silent. He finally updated it with his story, which I am happy not to have been a part of. Several thousand tourists basically became hostages down in southern Chile.
It an interesting read and guarantees that I will be thinking twice about any trips to South America, and Chile in particular. His story.
It an interesting read and guarantees that I will be thinking twice about any trips to South America, and Chile in particular. His story.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Elk in Park City
I like to think I have become at least a fair photographer. Thinks picture stinks, but it is actually very significant. Bad light. About to snow. Very long distance, zoomed in, but hand held. A power line running right through the shot. So why share it?
In six years in Park City, I have seen hundreds or even thousands of deer and many dozens of moose. Elk? Not a one. I heard over and over again that there is a herd that winters in town. I was losing faith in the stories. Back in September, I went on a surefire trip to find some elk. Six moose, but no elk.
Out of frustration, when Julie and I opened an account at a new bank, I chose a picture of an elk to go on my Visa card. I figured that was as close as I would come.
Chad, the guy who took me on the last elk hunt, called and said the herd was visible from the highway. I went to see them even though the weather was terrible for photography. Sure enough, there were at least 15 up on the hill. I can now officially stop complaining about the invisible elk. I hope to catch a nice sunny afternoon to snowshoe up to get some better shots, but they are apparently very shy when it comes to humans.
In six years in Park City, I have seen hundreds or even thousands of deer and many dozens of moose. Elk? Not a one. I heard over and over again that there is a herd that winters in town. I was losing faith in the stories. Back in September, I went on a surefire trip to find some elk. Six moose, but no elk.
Out of frustration, when Julie and I opened an account at a new bank, I chose a picture of an elk to go on my Visa card. I figured that was as close as I would come.
Chad, the guy who took me on the last elk hunt, called and said the herd was visible from the highway. I went to see them even though the weather was terrible for photography. Sure enough, there were at least 15 up on the hill. I can now officially stop complaining about the invisible elk. I hope to catch a nice sunny afternoon to snowshoe up to get some better shots, but they are apparently very shy when it comes to humans.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Views of the mountains
OK, sitting around healing sucks. At least I don't have any urge to ski today. We have actually had some rain (mostly drizzle) since yesterday afternoon. Weather this year has been too weird. Record snows? Rain in mid-January? Instead of skiing, I am wandering around the house getting lots of little tasks done to some blaring Eminem. What a mouth on the boy.
A cold front is coming in and it is creating interesting lighting up on the mountains. If you look along the ridge line, you can see how much snow is getting blown around. 65 mph gusts do not a ski day make. Half of the lifts are PCMR are currently on wind hold.
Jupiter Peak is always pretty.
In November they opened a new hotel at Empire Pass in Deer Valley. The Montage is part of a three hotel chain (also Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills). It was built to be a 5-star hotel and everything there is just over the top. I thought the St Regis that opened last year was nice. The Montage is a huge building, but it is so far up a canyon that you really can't see it from anywhere. Unless of course, you live at our house. I think we have the clearest view in all of Park City.
This is a picture I took the other day when we were skiing at Deer Valley. With a top-down view you can see how big the complex really is.
Julie's DV job normally has her working at Snow Park, the main facility at the base of the mountain. For the next few days, she is working at the Montage, filling in for someone. Perhaps she will get to see some early stars visiting for Sundance. A room with a pair of queen beds starts at $700 and goes on up, depending on dates, so you probably need to be somebody to stay there.
By big project for the day is getting groceries. Did I mention that healing sucks?
A cold front is coming in and it is creating interesting lighting up on the mountains. If you look along the ridge line, you can see how much snow is getting blown around. 65 mph gusts do not a ski day make. Half of the lifts are PCMR are currently on wind hold.
Jupiter Peak is always pretty.
In November they opened a new hotel at Empire Pass in Deer Valley. The Montage is part of a three hotel chain (also Laguna Beach and Beverly Hills). It was built to be a 5-star hotel and everything there is just over the top. I thought the St Regis that opened last year was nice. The Montage is a huge building, but it is so far up a canyon that you really can't see it from anywhere. Unless of course, you live at our house. I think we have the clearest view in all of Park City.
This is a picture I took the other day when we were skiing at Deer Valley. With a top-down view you can see how big the complex really is.
Julie's DV job normally has her working at Snow Park, the main facility at the base of the mountain. For the next few days, she is working at the Montage, filling in for someone. Perhaps she will get to see some early stars visiting for Sundance. A room with a pair of queen beds starts at $700 and goes on up, depending on dates, so you probably need to be somebody to stay there.
By big project for the day is getting groceries. Did I mention that healing sucks?
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