Cross-Country Finality

We recently completed our final cross-country skiing session, which went slightly better than the previous session, though not as good as my first (judging by amount of fun and skills learned). We worked on hockey-stops, which involved the bending of the knees, though other than that today was mainly just a day to demonstrate the skills we learned. Throughout the unit I re-learned most to all of the skills I had forgotten, and even some more. I managed to fall very few times, and I came quite prepared to all sessions. I did not move forward to the advanced group under my own duress, due especially to the fact that I was content in the progression of my skills in the intermediate group. Overall, I felt it a highly fun and beneficial unit, and I would be happy to practice the skills more over the course of future OEE camps and courses, especially as I learned the skills needed to move forward, stop, and turn faster than most to all other OEE activities.

Skating

Although we didn't have any formal instructional periods, I enjoyed the periods that wee spent skating. I had skated previously, and it was fun to be able to re-learn what I had once done, and to watch my improvement from someone trembling on the ice while holding a plastic aid, to an independent skater who was having fun in the process. I am now far more confident in my abilities, and I would enjoy doing the unit again.

The Ski of X-C

Last week I completed my first session of cross country skiing, which went semi-successfully. Save for an unjustified irate teacher to begin with (I never ran into her again, luckily), the instructors were adequate to good for the job at hand (teaching). I managed to quickly re-enter my position of knowing what to do, as I have completed it beforehand, and it was akin to riding a cycling |construction. I was placed in the intermediate group even though I had not taken the annual precedent that the class had already undertaken. It ended up proving successful, though. It was actually far more fun this time than it had been before. I managed, though, to improve my skills in turning and moving downhill. I feel at place in the intermediate group, as although it does not provide a great challenge for me, it was fun and I was improving my skills. I also enjoyed getting social time outside with friends. I found, though, the long downhill sessions difficult, though over time I should be able to control myself more and as such avoid falling further. I also improved general movement skills, by improving my technique in general. I hope to, over the future sessions, to be able to go faster and try more difficult runs. I hope to have the same level of fun, though, and as such I can't wait for the future cross country skiing sessions.

The Fine Line of Film Creation

While watching the movie "The Fine Line", several thoughts came to mind, unfortunately few of them positive. Although the movie did distribute the message of avalanche awareness, in regards to backcountry skiing, as a whole, it failed to place enough emphasis on the ideals of safety, and on personal opinions. The cinematography was relatively well done, though too much of it detracted from the main point. Too much of the movie was dedicated to the idea of backcountry skiing as a whole - a concept which we recognize is dangerous in its being. In that, it made the idea of backcountry skiing seem like a fantastical exercise, and as such it glorified it as a worthwhile activity while being safe. It failed to recognize the complete lack of safety involved in backcountry skiing, including many other risks aside from avalanches, of which too much focus was placed on when considering the attempts at good editing. The movie also had a lack of direction in regards to purpose throughout. Several key points, including specific forms of safety and personal experiences, were wither completely missed or breezed over - thus not providing a strong basis for our knowledge. Backcountry skiing has increased over the years, potentially due to a lack of awareness and lessening for consideration for safety over time. It is also due to the ignorance caused by the willing to set a social image for oneself, and to achieve a superior status to others in any given element. People fail to consider the ramifications beforehand. The film also has failed to recognize other elements of risk to backcountry skiing, including rocks and cliffs. Another unspoken element is the fact that much of the backcountry skiing conducted is conducted illegally, in unsupervised regions - both against the law and against any notion of personal safety and awareness. From my perspective in regards to my age, I would not attempt backcountry skiing, almost entirely because I feel as though I am and will be fully challenged by in-bounds skiing at major resorts and seasonal recreational institution, and this is beneficial for my own personal safety and my well-being. Should my skiing progress to a more extreme level, though, I would want to take a basic avalanche course, as to be able to avoid death should a situation arise in a legal area of an institution, as chance is always prevalent.

Belaying Good Foundations

The past three weeks, I have earned my certification as a person who can belay at the Cliffhanger socioactive physical institutional college. It was, I have to say, a lot of fun. Going into the exercises with the fear of heights that has plagued me from a young age, even upon reaching the top, I was too frightened almost to return. As time progressed (as it always does during rock climbing sessions), though, I could feel my fear and the boundaries I had imagined for myself begin to fade away. By the end, I was confident enough to make it nearly completely to the top of a rock wall with a sufficient enough ledge to have utterly daunted me had I stared at it when I began, and I never would have ever imagined myself climbing. As well, aside from a couple of minor hiccups, I managed to progress through the belaying educational side of the session with sufficient enough ease to earn me certification which I will certainly apply to future rock climbing adventures, such as the one in grade 10. It was actually quite amusing, in fact, to flow through the movement and hold that responsibility. It really garnered my sense of independence.

See you on the climbing wall!


-Derek

Anthropological Digging

Yesterday, we went to the Museum of Anthropology, which I have no recollection of going to, though I believe that I may have. Regardless, it was amazing. Through modern exhibits, historically preserved artifacts and spectacular artistic  showcases, it was a great way to spend the day. One thing that has specifically remained in my mind is the exhibition on residential schools. It was beautifully well crafted and, aided by the full-scale pictures with emotional text, brought out the full feeling of the time period. It was quite sad and touching to read the quotes from survivors of the system, and about the long-term affects of the project, which are still apparent today. As a whole, the museum, specifically in it's artistic and native sections, was beautifully well crafted. It was neat all of the amazingly preserved artifacts in the drawers. The layout and architecture was stunning, and as a whole I took away far more from the experience than I expected. It would be a great place to return to.

Sailing into the Sunset of Broken Dreams

As I write this, my test is in the process of being graded, or waiting to be. Unfortunately, even with all of the skills we worked on, my confidence for this is severely down. Rewind one month. I had gone sailing (at Mac Sailing in fact) with Ryan over the summer, though it wasn't a very strenuous course, and it wasn't one with a test. It was, though, helpful to have some extra sailing experience. It was fun to get out onto the water, and it provided somewhat of a break from normal life. The first time sailing was a great climate, though with minimal wind. Week two we got the wind we asked for, just we should have been more careful with our wish. A rainstorm pelted and froze us as our instructors took us out for a couple of minutes. The swells were immense, and it was quite fun, albeit freezing. Week three was similar, just we had to sail. The numbness racked me as I had tried to help sail around for a couple of tries. Week four was better, although still cold and often with far less wind. It is a good idea to not sail in October with minimal cold weather clothing. Next time we head off I plan to bring a coat and rain pants, with perhaps gloves as well which should make the experience far less painless. The four sessions also helped greatly in teaching me the points of sail and more about the workings of the boat. Sadly, there was much on the test we were not taught. Next time I will assume that we will have to learn the booklets on our own for the test, and that there will be things on the test that didn't pertain to us and our particular sailing experience. Regardless of the outcome, though, I will eventually get the certification, likely via a retake.

I can only wait, and hope.

Signing off for the second time in grade 9,

-Derek

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