Hey, I'm sort of doing it

Skiing, that is!

Over the holidays, Andrew invented a new word while we were all watching the insipid Bob Saget-hosted game-slash-reality show 1 vs. 100.

During the course of the game, each player receives three opportunities to receive assistance from the mob, known as "helps". They are "Poll The Mob", "Ask The Mob", and "Trust The Mob". Each player can choose which of the 3 helps they would like to use at any point in the game.

I noted that "helps" is not actually a word, but merely an attempt to copy lifelines from Who Wants To Be A Millionaire without actually using the word "lifeline". Andrew proposed that "helps" be replaced with the more-trademarkable noun "helpamagoos", which everybody liked better (and, unfortuantely for 1 vs. 100, we invented it first).

I went to Snoqualmie Pass last weekend, and dared to ski on the blue-square (i.e. medium difficulty) trails "Top Traverse" and "Alpine", at a not-very-good weather time (freezing rain made the terrain very slippery). The slope was steep, and I wound up falling and losing a ski, which wouldn't normally be a big deal, except I have trouble getting back up on a slope (blame my poor 31-year-old non-flexibility). Even when I was able to get up, it was super-difficult getting my skis back on. Either the skis would travel downhill without me, or I would slide downhill without my skis. (A helpful snowboarder nicely delivered one of my rogue skis to me.) So, of course, I'm crawling around on the ground like an idiot while more expert skiers are sailing by me with no problem.

It was then that I decided what I need is one helpamagoo per skiing session. Kind of like when you're playing a racing video game, and you crash up and fly off the road, the game helpfully deposits you back on the track, car completely intact. That's what I need while skiing to minimize embarrassment.

In the meantime, I am highly enjoying my birthday present, new skis. I don't think I'll be doing any difficult black diamonds this year... I'm quite content to stick with green circles. Green circles are my friend.

Keep watching the skis!