ups and downs

what goes up must come down. this statement rings true in both the physical and emotional sides of life. my buddies room mate followed this basic principal very closely so close that his main hobby and his job was jumping out of planes and falling thousands of feet to the ground. yesterday my friend ryan found out that his room mate, on his way home from a skydiving trip in idaho, died in a plane crash. i had met him a few times at ryans house but wouldnt say i knew him. i cant imagine the pain that ryan is feeling. my heart breaks for ryan and everyone else who knew cesil. Also there was this little boy in joes today who had a walker that he more or less just dragged his feet across the ground. the boys father picked up a golf club and took a practice swing. the boy, in a small frail voice looked up at his dad and said "It sure would be fun to golf huh dad?" his dad looked down and said yeah it would in a tone full of compassion and love. this too broke my heart. knowing that this little boy wont ever be able to swing a golf club or baseball bat, he cant run and can hardly walk all he can do is imagine how much fun it would be to drive a ball down the fair way and walk across the green grass to take his next stroke. i hope that one day this boy will make it to heaven and get to experience everything he has ever imagined. i also hope that cesil is in heaven and i am praying for ryan and his girlefriend, ashely, that this might open their eyes and that they will be able to find christ, or at least start heading in that direction.

i know why there is death, because of sin. but why does there have to be suffering and poor broken children and abuse.

after a very long after noon of listening to the "high ups" in burton snowobards talk about which key term they coined and how they came up with which graffic and who did what for their new binding/board system we finally got to meet some of the pro riders. it was Q and A, and most of the questions were broad genral questions like which board do you all like and where is your favorite place to ride. i learned that victoria jealus is a good storie teller and mason aguire shops at the big and tall store fell from a chair lift when he was eleven. i directed a question to DCP and found out he has no opinion on Quebec becoming its own countrie and speeks french but wouldnt do when i asked. we were then quickley rushed out and so they could set up for the premier of the new burton "world tour video" as i drove away i exchanged waves with haiki sorsa. after an hour and a half of drinking coffee and eating greesy burgers i found myself at the premier standing alone in a room full of strangers. my buddy Shaun went upstairs to drink and i was left waiting at the bottom of the stairs too young to have fun. music from dj feddy k, who is also one of the pro riders, was playing and the people milled about collecting stickers and posters and whatever else they could get their hands on. once Shaun had return a few drinks happier, we somehow wound up right in the middle all seven pro riders. Shaun struck up conversation with DCP about surfing and i talk with mason aguire about why his cloths are so big and where and when the snow is falling and where the good places to ride are. standing in the midst of all these snowboarding greats and up and comers i started feeling light headed and dizzy, i mean yeah i was hanging out and talking with the same people i watch in videos and read about in magezines but that wasnt it. no it was the strong sent of pot that i was in the center of. they all had been smoking just before they came in. then it was time to watch the video which featured all who were there and much more. as the film began to play shouts erupted from the crowed. shouts and oohhhs and awwwwes were to be heard every time someone landed a huge trick or fell hard. i was impressed with the quality of the riding in the video. i guess thats what to expect when you know that the people you are standing next to are world record holders and olympians and feature riders in the film. after the video they gave away a few snowboards some outerwear a buch of gift cards, lift tickets and a seasons pass to stevens pass. i didnt get anything from the drawing but i did come away with a pair of size m/l womens snowboard socks and a t-shirt from a product toss.