More about Sketchup...

I've already told you about my infatuation with the 3D Sketchup tool. Okay, now that you can draw the interior of your home and see for yourself what really fits in.

Of course, there are sometimes issues with items that aren't to scale, but most of the time it just works perfectly; it's pretty easy to see what fits inside it by using the “Trimble 3D Warehouse” where you'll find everything you'll need from queen size bed, to desk, dinning table or Mini Cooper for your garage.

So everything is simple, if it doesn't fit, you won't even try it for size in real life; you'll somewhere else or you'll redesign the room altogether!

Vail's coming to Park City...

I was surprised but not shocked when I heard yesterday that Vail Resorts would be operating Canyon Resort, here in Park City. Vail had tried to purchase that operation in 2009, only to be over-bid by Talisker its current owner. Talisker's timing couldn't have been worst, just in the middle of the financial crisis and dwindling visitations, plus couldn't really turn the Park West culture and perception of yesteryear into the Waldorf Astoria league...

This, I believe will be great news for Park City as it may pave the way to more integration between Park City Mountain Resort (PCMR) and Canyons; most likely an interconnect if not a total merger of the two. Under the new agreement, Vail will become PCMR new landlord and may accelerate the pace towards full integration of the two operations. This is partly because Vail won't be content to paying a $25 million annual rent if skier-days at Canyons stubbornly remain under 500,000. These numbers will have to shoot up to over a million and they will, shortly making our three resorts the biggest operation in North America and bringing the extra visitors needed to fuel that growth.

Gone will be the days when we skied Canyons and had the mountain to ourselves, but this will be a bonanza for the entire community except also for 4 pm traffic and late afternoon grocery and liquor shopping!

How did you get so good at this?

You have and we have been all been asked that question at one point or another. So if it goes like: “How are you so good at skiing steep terrain?” the likely answer might be “...because one day, when I still was a kid, my dad took me skiing in that frightening gully and I had no choice, etc...” or “I became such a good putter because my uncle had a putting green in his yard...”

It always seem to be a question of circumstances, need, encounter, mentoring or some special technique. In my view there's a more fundamental and essential reason for getting excellent at anything and it's called Passion. In my view, the effect of passion isn't just affecting the way one plays sport, but also how artsy we become or how proficiently we master a trade or any professional activity.

Just think about it; if you really love something, you have no other option than getting very, very good at it!

Shopping Ikea...

Today, as it was rainy, we went shopping at Ikea, mostly for ideas and inspiration. A long time had passed since we had walked the compulsory labyrinth for quite sometime (perhaps 5 years) and first the first time, I was able to circumvent it and find the special doors that no one wants you to take.

This store's philosophy is highly heavy handed and I doubt that individualist North Americans are in love with its mass-guidance system. Now that our initial enthusiasm had waned, we were disappointed by both the quality of the offering and the lack of new ideas.

The kitchens seemed to have fallen off a cliff in terms of quality and the lighting department had receded to some dark ages. At the end of the maze, we came empty-handed, except for a $1 frozen yogurt that was decent in taste, but a great buy by today's prices!

A daunting choice?

Today is closing ski day at Snowbird and instead, I might just go mountain biking. It's not that I dislike skiing, but after checking the resort's website, I have decided that this year's snow conditions are a bit too skimpy for making it a glorious closing day.

Of course, mountain biking is so good and so fun at the moment, that it's getting most of my attention and besides, my grandson is visiting this afternoon and we're planning to check out the
beaver pond...

Good, evil and fun...

In the past, most of us were worried that at the end of the everything would just boil down to be hell or heaven and that the latter was always a much more desirable alternative. Most of today's enlightened folks don't worry about that spooky, hellish outcome anymore and prefer having fun.

 A vast majority begins to realize that the “good-and-evil” alternative no longer constitutes such a daunting choice, that the latter is pure, fictional fear, and that the former happens here and now. So enjoy your game of golf, mountain biking, boating or hiking and stop worrying too much about dropping straight into hell!

If it scares you, embrace it!

Last night I was watching the talented Audra McDonalds in concert and she said something that got my attention. It was along the lines of “if you fear it, do it!” and I thought this was so appropriate as a way to learn something new, to overcome one's own limitation and, generally speaking, to push the envelope.

Of course, over the long haul, we need to do what we love if we're lucky enough to discover and to believe that it's it. But exploring our fears and seizing them is also essential as this process is both fuel for growth and strength. Start seeing fear as an invitation to experience a scary situation fully and become much more resilient as a result...