It says rather a lot about the state of the world when the best you can say, at the end of the week, is: “thank God the world has not ended yet”. Sadly, that is precisely the position we find ourselves in today. I cannot say that I am in much of a position to offer deep thoughts about this just yet, as I find myself very tired from skiing yesterday.
Yes, some of us are crazy enough to go skiing indoors at the height of summer. Suffice to say, it was not a particularly sunny day yesterday. The experience was rather marred by the fact that the slope was clogged by a bunch of students and n00bs trying their level best to stay upright on their skis, which hampered people like me from doing our turns and zips on every run.
My impatience with them was tempered by the fact that, less than three years ago, I was myself a complete novice – in fact, I HATED skiing when I first tried it. I thought it was just a sport for rich White people – it made no sense to me as to why people would willingly subject themselves to intense cold and falls in the snow, while putting themselves at the complete mercy of gravity alone to careen seemingly out of control down the side of a mountain.
Gradually, though, I began to understand why it is so much fun. There is nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of doing a controlled run down the side of a mountain, with nothing but sky above you and sudden death on one side. An indoor ski slope cannot quite replicate that part of the experience, but it IS fun, nonetheless.
So when the lesson lanes finally cleared up, and I was able to do some proper fast runs… bloody hell, was it ever fun.
I still think of it as a Rich Wypipo Sport, to be sure, but it is one of those things that I take from European culture and enjoy for what it is.
The unfortunate downside, of course, is that everything hurts as a direct result of my participation in that sport. It does not help that the day before it was leg day – and anyone who has ever seen my idea of leg day, knows that 8 work sets of squats, plus 5 work sets of deadlifts, does a real number on one’s body. The day before that was… well, I suppose you could call it “upper body day”, because it involves presses, chin-ups, and rows.
Net result: a world of pain and soreness, that is nonetheless a good reminder of what it means to be alive.
Let that be a lesson to all of us – physical exertion is a Good Thing, and the more of it we do, the better.
And on that note, let us turn to the lovely lady of the week.
This here is Bettina Haukås, age indeterminate but probably in her late twenties, from Bergen, Norway. This is of indirect relevance to the title of the poast. Those who are from that part of the world will know about something called “fermented fish”, which smells about as appealing as it sounds (i.e. not even slightly – it stinks). Apparently, its smell is among the most overpowering and appalling in the entire world – but it supposedly tastes pretty darn good.
Personally, I kind of draw the line at Korean kimchi, which I actually rather enjoy, but will readily admit is NOT everyone’s cup of tea (to murder a metaphor).
I am also well aware that surströmming is a Swedish delicacy, not a Norwegian one, but I shall leave the hairsplitters among us to determine whether the title applies or not. As, indeed, I shall leave those same anoraks to decide whether this particular lady’s thoracic area is enhanced – her hair certainly is not naturally blonde, that is for sure.
Happy weekend, all.
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