Life-changing job interview

In July of 1974, just about 40 years ago, I drove some 250 miles in my Renault 12, from my Alpine home town to Nevers, smack in the center of France, for a job interview at Look ski bindings.

The job was super cool, since it was that of “racing services director” and consisted of overseeing the world wide ski racing sponsorship and equipment program of that family-owned ski-industry company.

At that time the world's best ski racers like Gustav Thöni and Annemarie Moser-Pröll were on the product. The job was paying well, about $10,000 a year, including a company car and four-week vacation, which compared well for the $4,500 I was making in 5 months, “selling ski turns” without one day off.

The qualifications I brought to the job were my familiarity with the ski industry, my passion for the sport of skiing and my foreign language skills, as I boasted fluency in English, German, Italian and French. My business skills were rather thin except for the fact that I had some working experience with our ski school financial operations.

To look credible and make my mark, I wore my only green corduroy suit with an assorted tie and got a fresh haircut. Mrs. Beyl, the company owner's wife, conducted the interview and after going through my resume, asked me the break-or-make question, my birth-date. I gave it to her, she smiled and gave me the job on the spot.

This job would literally transform my whole life. Unbeknownst to me, I had made a strong impression on her and most importantly, I was born under the perfect astrological sign!

Bike descents: Risk, Adrenaline, Fun!

There's no denying it; at least for me, the best part of mountain-bike outing is the downhill part, when I let it all go. Sure, I'm fully aware of the danger, I know that falling off isn't a good option and that's perhaps what makes me pay attention and is behind the adrenaline rush that makes me focus crisply and do all the good things I need to do to stand rolling on my bike.

It resembles skiing, yet it's a unique sensation. No single descent on a same trail is ever the same, every inch of deviation engender a different series of wheel deflections, trajectories, experiences and eventful situations – good and bad. Of course, all that chemistry and bio-mechanics, when combined for the best, adds up to so much fun and exhilaration!

Côte-Rôtie on my mountain bike

Most Frenchmen should be able to tell you that “la Côte-Rôtie” is a prestigious red from the Rhône wine region of France.

The vineyards are unique because of the sun-baked steep slopes facing the river and their stone walls. In cycling parlance, that name would translate into the “Roasting Climb” and this is precisely how our regular bike outing gets going, alongside an arid, sun drenched and steep climb that continues for 2.5 miles all the way to the top of the hill, for a 305 feet elevation gain.

I hate this portion of the trail and the only way to motivate myself is to picture in my mind's eye a cool bottle of Côte-Rôtie waiting for me upon my return. Thank God, this is only fantasizing, otherwise my liver would have long derailed!

How patriotic are you?

July 4 is our National Holiday. Today, we celebrate our country's birthday and in another 10 days, my wife and I can celebrate Bastille Day. So, where does my patriotism stands amidst these Holidays?

Hard to say; sure, all my “eggs” are now on this side of the ocean and I'm biased to the United States of America, but deep inside, I'm still and will always be French. Yet, I've traveled so much and seen so many places in the world, that I feel neither French or American.

I truly feel more like an earthling and can't visualize our world without being overwhelmed by this beautiful blue sphere, without any visible borders and any apparent strife over its surface. This is the way things ought to be. Long live our blue planet!

Can you drink all that music?

Summer concerts have returned since about one week and while we continue to enjoy them, we're amazed how sounds can make people thirsty at 7,000 feet. Not so much thirsty for water, mind you, but for wine, beer and spirits.

Each time we go, we're amazed at the guzzling abilities of spectators to whom a bottle of wine per person seems to be the new normal. Music must have the propensity to making audiences supernatural and impervious to the effects of alcohol.

If this is not true, our police must be very lenient, if not, we'd run out of jail space before curtain call!

Investigating a deadly fall

When we moved to our new home, we rented a truss, high up under the top eaves, to a working couple of robin. After building their nest in pretty short order, they laid some eggs and soon thereafter had a couple of chicks.

For the last weeks, we'd go in the south patio after lunch to sip our coffee, get some warmth from the sun and would observe the feeding routine of these two youngsters by their parents.

The latter would generally take turn to feed their young and would seldom leave the nest unattended. Yesterday we observed that at time, the nest was left woefully on its own for long periods of time.

This kind of worried my wife. I didn't particularly paid attention to the situation, until, an hour or so later, I saw a dead baby bird that had crashed to its death on the cement patio, 28 feet below the nest.

Did the youngster ventured out of the nest, lost its footing and dropped, was it pushed by its sibling or was it a case of infanticide? I'm investigating and plan to interview the parents, the other robins, magpies and falcons that roam the area...

Stand-up desk, one month later...

It's been one month since I've been using my stand-up desk on a daily basis and I really like the way it works for me.

So much, in fact, that I have yet to lower it to a sitting position! I can type without any problem, the standing position keeps me alert at all times and, as a bonus, I remains fully aware of what happens in our very quiet street, through the window...

So, is there any downside to my bliss? Yes, perhaps, in the sense that I get a lot more tired at the end of the day and I sleep an entire night as soon as I hit the bed. Not really a downside when you're in your golden years and still sleep like a baby!

The bottom line: I love a stand-up working position and I'll keep doing it until I feel so tired, that I may lower my workspace for just a few moments...