Extracirricular

School was always a bit of a psychological-struggle for me, but I kept this fact cleverly hidden by a couple of off-the-clock activities, unseen by most people...yet well-known to others..downhill (snow)skiing most notably.

Alpine-skiing is a fairly common activity for many Californians, I know, but incidental-proximity to the slopes can make skiing an expensive addiction. :P

However, just learning the beverage-list at the ski-lodge IS NOT what skiing is about...

Professional skiers (search-and-rescue especially) are a fairly rare and knowledgeable breed (of human-beings AND dogs ;) who've taken the time to master the art of the controlled-fall down the side of a mountain.

Respect for the people who risk their lives daily in constantly changing weather-conditions so that the rest of us can have fun is something worth teaching the kids...when they realize that the effort expended in keeping snow well-groomed and obstruction-free is largely human, they tend to become better sports-people and respecters of public-service...hopefully.