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Show Ten O'Cloctt Whistle by David Fleisher The ski season is not far off. It's already October. Winter will be here very soon. It's time to PREPARE FOR SKIING. But what exactly does "prepare for skiing" mean? To some, it means going out and buying new ski equipment. To others, worrying about whether there's going to be enough snow to ski on. And to the poor souls who don't ski, they have to be content to listen to everybody else talk about skiing, hearing comments like, "What a great day I had!" and "I found this new run today!" The first key question to ask is: "Do I really need new ski equipment?" But I suggest you don't ask yourself this question because you may discover you don't really NEED new equipment, and spoil the fun out of buying stuff and spending a lot of money. For example, I knew this lady who bought new ski boots every year. She probably has over 10 pairs by now. Her closet looked like a ski factory. She enjoyed wearing a different outfit everyday. The lady decided to quit skiing because it became too much of a burden to decide what to do with all her eqiupment. In fact, the day before she quit skiing, she wore this beautiful outfit, but forgot something. She forgot to ski. I think this lady was somewhat obsessed with clothes. Except for that particular person, people should go wild, buying clothes, boots, skiis, poles, goggles, parkas, sweaters, socks, hot chocolate, thermal underwear, and anything else that looks tempting. Why not? You're going skiing! Go nuts. This may all sound hysterical, but the ski season comes around only once. If you don't give it all you have in the beginning, you may not have any left in the end. As far as enough snow is concerned, obviously there's not anything you can do about it. Stephen Crane suggested in one of his short stories entitled, "The Open Boat," nature can not be controlled, so let it be. There will be enough snow this season, unlike last year. I'm sure of it. If not, we can always buy more clothes for the next ski season. And more boots. And hot chocolate. " The important thing about this time of the year is the expectation of another ski season. If I see someone on Main Street who looks like he's in outer space, it becomes immediately obvious that he is only thinking about that first run down the mountain. It's as if another ski season marks a new beginning, even to the most advanced skiers. One could even compare that first ski run down the mountain to birth, but that might be stretching it a little. And when the season begins, and you're busy skiing, the thought surfaces: "What was I doing when I wasn't skiing?" Working, eating, living. Yes, of course, all that. But you weren't skiing. Yet, in another few short weeks, you will. And it will be like the first time. Get the hot chocolate ready. As I think of riding on a chairlift, gliding over white wilderness, I distinctly hear something that reminds me of my first day on Skiis The Ten O'Clock Whistle. |