(Pretentious) Existential Angst

Consider yourself warned.

Excessive mental angst and waffling about the path I want my life to take. But do I really have any control over that?

A few phone interviews for "opportunities" in the Middle East and I have been philosophizing about this whole way of life. Of course, taking the "real" job at the do-gooder organization is nothing to sniff at, and certainly something that interests me and I would like to do in theory. But when I think about it practically, I don't want to start over so soon, I don't want to sit at a desk, I don't want to follow the path for which most of my socio-economic and intellectual class is destined. On the other hand, I feel as though I have to put my college degree to use, and as one with the opportunity to help in ways I do feel strongly about, I can't fully get behind this "selfish" way of life I've adopted. On the other other hand, I know I wouldn't be happy, at least right now, making those choices, and isn't that worth something?

This mountain life takes a certain kind of person. Most people I've known wouldn't thrive in these conditions; most out here make their livings in trades specific to a resort and tourist town - no consulting firms or I-banking. "Ski bums," for lack of a better word, at least those of us who are highly educated, have made the conscious decision to reject the conventional and opt for something outside-the-box. It will be interesting to see how many, if any, of us go on to stay for longer than a year or two. I can't stay here forever, but it's certainly not a bad way to spend some time. And who knows how I'll feel about my "future" after that?

Steamboat Things

Excuses: losing my phone, working crazy hours, and sketchy wireless.

But at least life is *exciting*! On Tuesday, a collective day off, a few of us went to Steamboat to check out another mountain. As much terrain as Winter Park has, it was nice to be somewhere different. At least that's what I thought until we started skiing. The front side of the mountain was a legitimate ice rink, worse than anything we've had here all winter. After lunch we headed to the backside of the mountain (haha, backside) where the powder was deep and the trees were plentiful. Those few runs in and of themselves were worth the trip out. And it's quite a lovely drive. Sadly, though, I was as excited by the "big" town of Granby as a Kansan in New York for the first time. That's what a small town will do to you.

Brownies

Considering our lack of bread flour, my supreme laziness as far as grocery stores, and my need to bake something, it seemed like a perfect night for brownies. Luckily Dan has the Joy of Cooking since my cookbook collection is stranded in Maine.

They look a little souffle-esque but hopefully will taste delicious. Still cooling.

I went skiing today...on another note. We got 8.5 inches over the last few days and it started snowing towards the end of the afternoon, so negligible though that may be considering how far behind we are, it definitely felt like it helped. I might be fooling myself though; brown spots were nearly as numerous as lofty powder.

Post Script: Moist, airy, gooey, chocolatey...altitude what?

Something

Apologies for no updates recently. Life has been busy, I've been lazy, and our internet wasn't working for a few days.

A few important updates since the last post:
-I got crust on bread! Yay science!
-I made apple pie with really good crust.
-I haven't forgotten how to drive in the snow.
-I got a second job.

I think those are all the important points. So as not to bore you with the details and unnecessary stories since nothing is new and fabulous anymore, I will just throw up some pictures of my culinary achievements. Is anyone surprised that this has devolved into majority summaries of food-related exploits? Because I'm not.

A Little Slice of Heaven

As legend* will have it, two Italian men from Staten Island relocated to the remote haven of Fraser, Colorado and found it lacking in suitable pizza joints. So what would two entrepreneurial gentlemen such as themselves do? Why, start their own, of course!

This venture took the form of DeAntonio's, a strip mall hole-in-the-wall New York style pizza place that serves up 16" and 18" pies, as well as slices, garlic knots, and various pasta dishes that will satisfy the cravings of any thin-crust loving New York pizza eater. Thin, crispy-on-the-bottom crust (exactly how I like it) topped with delectable sauce in the right proportion with the cheese - as well as pepper flakes, parmesan, and garlic salt on each of the four or five tables squeezed in alongside the counter - this pizza gets the nod from three North Jersey-raised pizza connoisseurs and an Italian Rochester-ite with a history as a pizza shop employee. What higher praise is there?

*Most of this story is cobbled together from bits and pieces of hearsay and my own imagination.

**Added bonus; it even reheats well, for pizza two nights in a row!

Alternatively, It Might Be Butter

Really, we could use some snow. Not that I'm complaining; I mean, that 0.00001" we got last night is clearly going to make for some sick powpow. Whatever, I'm over it.

In other news, I finally bought laundry detergent (Leah was there, she can vouch for me) so my clothes will actually be clean rather than simply rinsed. She and I ventured into the Winter Park Market (unassuming name, most fabulous find ever), a gas station natural foods store and sandwich shop. I was totally kvelling over the sheer number of herbal supplements and organic vegetables and bulk grains and herbs and biodegradable cleaning supplies and real milk and Amy's pizzas and Yogi tea and Fage greek yogurt and lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Forget you, Safeway, and your fluorescent lighting (the Communist plot!) and homogeneous produce and your pasteurized, homogenized milk and your overpriced Tillamook cheddar and your tootling the multitudes and your preservative-filled breads and your feedlot corporate death meats and your national chain soccer mom minivan conformity. We are OVER!

In the Black

Because it's been so slow, all of our hours have been cut. No, that's not drastic enough; they've been slashed.* The upside of this is that I unexpectedly had the day to ski, despite the less than optimal conditions and lack of ski buddy. But I couldn't see what else I was going to do with my day, so my iPod and I sucked it up and hit the slopes. While not the most legendary of ski days, I feel as though I made some progress nonetheless. I skied a black diamond all by myself and only fell twice! It was the upper half of a lift line trail (the bottom half is blue) and was kind of steep and kind of bumpy. But it was my first full black and I survived. Then, joining Stosh on his ride break from work, we rode Outrigger, a fairly long black bump run speckled with little baby trees, grassy spots, and rocks, but altogether in decent condition. I lost a ski, but whatever, I made it down in one piece and I'll blame my slowness on physical exhaustion. So clearly I am becoming a sicknasty skier since I can "ski" blacks and live to tell the tale. Vasquez Cirque, here I come!


*Don't worry parents, my 401k will kick in soon. Just kidding - I am hot on the trail of 2nd and possibly 3rd jobs.