(no subject)
Montana local news comes from Utah, apparently. At least in Huntley lodge, where we're staying. There's little else to the news but yesterday's shooting in the Salt Lake City Mall. We've probably been to that mall two years ago on our way from California to Chicago; the Salt Lake City is tiny, I don't see how another mall could have fit down-town. Of course, I could be completely wrong. Still, this just shows how effective all the anti-terror measures have been -- an 18 y.o. kid strolls into the mall shooting people at random until a policeman, who's happened to be having dinner with his wife at the mall, and happened to have a gun with him, takes the shooter down.
***
This place has an incredible amount of dead former game on the walls: bison and deer heads, some fluffy animal skins above restaurant tables, shops filled with fur and sheepskins. Large fireplaces with roaring fires all over the hotel. Soft beds with tons of pillows a down blankets. Beautiful views. I feel a little out of place.
I miss my friends and feel kind of lonely. This morning I delivered my talk, ran out to rent ski equipment during the coffee break, listened to the rest of the talks, went onto the mountain all by myself.
All the times I've skied with Anya; the last time we went skiing as a group with Jana and Boris; skiing with Max. Why can't I have any of these people here with me? Jana was here, but she had to leave urgently; Boris is swamped with teaching; Anya's vacation starts next weekend; Max is busy with the Burning Man thing. Blah.
Today the mountain was cold, even though the sun was out this morning. The slopes are covered with fresh powder, but I am afraid the blues here might be a bit too steep for me. Somehow I managed to fall three or four times on one short ungroomed blue slope, at least twice with my feet bound to skies being higher up the slope than the rest of me.
After finishing that run I suddenly felt very cold and very tired. I went back to my room and tried to warm up under the down blanket, but it took me a very long time. I still fell very lonely.
Tomorrow morning the person with whom I am sharing my room arrives; that doesn't mean I will stop being lonely, it will simply mean that I will continue feeling lonely, will just have to give up the niceties of not sharing a bathroom with anyone.
That's all, folks. Well, actually -- there's more:
Out of my hotel window:
Ski village base:
Up on the mountain:
The Lonely Mountain peak up closer (from mid-camp):
