Snowboarding Day 2

It was a really good day today, at least the first half of it.  God woke me up before my alarm, and the sun was out all day.  I was able to get some things done at the house before I headed over to Snoqualmie for my second attempt at snowboarding.  Armed with a board and boots (x2, actually) that I'd borrowed from friends for test-driving, I made the beautiful drive up for some afternoon boarding.

Got there, got my gear, got my bindings adjusted, and things in some ways were better and in other ways worse than I expected. 

• I've completely shanked heading down heel-edge, which was my more comfortable stance on Day 1.  The one time today I tried it was disastrous.  So...that skill is currently under construction.
• I think I actually prefer riding goofy.  I felt way more comfortable and in control with my right foot downhill.  It appears that I ride a snowboard like I shoot pool: as a lefty. 
  
• Slush can be good...or bad.  Easier on the backside, but can be tricky when you're trying to carve.  After the hill's been ridden for a while, the slush gets super-uneven, so it can sneak up on you at times and make you catch an edge you weren't planning for.  (Or maybe it's just me.)
  
• I noticed that I tend to head down the mountain with a smirk on my face...even when I've fallen.  It may even turn to a slight out-stuck (can I say that?) tongue when recovering from a fall.  But either way, it's just fun.  And my face shows it.  (Shocker, I know)
• Like many other activities in my life, I tend to talk to myself while I'm doing this...because I'm the only one I know there.  I'm not sure and don't really care whether anyone else noticed.
• I've decided I'm a natural.  Yep, it's just what I've decided.  And sometimes I actually believe it...just waiting for my skillz to show it.  ;)
• The lift is the bain of my existence.  It was a constant battle.  
• Times I made it off the lift without busting my tail or my hands: 2
• Times I cracked my tailbone (I think) = times I got the breath knocked out of me = times I tried by heel edge = 1.
• The main thing I'm learning in this process: HUMILITY

I'm only partially kidding.  This whole process puts me in a place where I'm new, I'm inexperienced, and I'm by myself.  I'm not a fan of being new at something.  Most sports I didn't quickly have a knack for I didn't stick with.  That's why you never saw me owning a basketball court.  Part of me is glad I go up by myself.  I really don't like people to see me not having it together, so falling and fumbling around is less humiliating if I'm not likely to see my audience again. 

However, today I left with wierd vision changes.  After touching base over the phone with one of our ER docs, I decided it was probably just snow blindness as I didn't wear my goggles most of the day.  However, symptoms of headache and nausea became increasingly worse until I made it home and into a lying down position.  I started battling the hypochondriac in me as I tried to make sure I wasn't decompensating: hypotension, numbness/tingling in my extremities, and odd word placement in my thoughts.  I figured worse case scenario was that I had a head bleed and was losing blood volume.  I know, way more dramatic than necessary...which is why I decided NOT to visit my ER friends for an MRI.  I think my friend nailed it when he said I know too much for my own good...just adds material for my usual hyperanalysis.  

But barring disaster in the near future, I still plan on getting good.  Now my objective is to make it through my ER shifts this weekend without having to sit on a doughnut cushion.   ;)