Squash--Time Machine

As youths, my cousin and I would occasionally sneak onto the Iowa State squash courts and smash the ball around. We didn't know the rules, but had an immense amount of fun.

A few months ago, I wandered into the Commodore Squash Club in St. Paul, near my office. After spending a half hour and 600 calories with John O'Brien, the club pro, I was hooked.

I now play four or five times per week, sometimes alone, just working on my novice technique. At some time during every session, I find myself transported back to my eleven year-old self, hitting, running, having fun. Last month, my cousin Sam came to town and we played. Unbelievably fun.

Minnesota Business Attire in Winter

Although pretty much anything goes for business attire these days, I find myself much more comfortable and productive in a suit and tie.  Today found me in a heather navy flannel suit, yellow oxford shirt, Navy/gold striped tie, and black captoe oxford shoes.  Actually, I carried the shoes in my briefcase and wore some LL Bean boots through the slush.  I can't afford to ruin good shoes by exposing them to salt and ice.  

Throw on a charcoal overcoat, leather gloves, Irish guncheck cap, and plaid scarf  and I'm ready to brave the elements.  Actually, hardly braving much of anything as my car seats are heated and my only exposure is the one block walk from my usual parking spot to my office.   Here are my tips:

Get a hat that you love.  Whether it be a stocking cap, fedora, bowler, whatever.  Get one that makes you feel good and wear it everyday.

Wear a charcoal overcoat. When you rub up against a grime covered car, you'll wish you had. I made the mistake of buying a camel colored overcoat a few years ago and rarely wear it because I'm afraid I'll soil it.

Get good boots. Wet feet make for a long day. I like the Bean boots made in Maine, but there are plenty of options out there.

Winter Days

This morning was -21 degrees F. This is cold, even in Minnesota. For those who live in temperate climates, here are a few tips about cold weather.

You cannot feel a real difference between 10 below and 20 below, or even 25 below. It's just plain cold.

When it's really cold, the crunching of the snow under your boots becomes almost a squeak.

Minnesotans are somewhat proud of our ability to weather these temperatures. Cold snaps rarely last more than a month or so. And it's almost always sunny.

Snowboarding Pentagenarian

Took a family road trip to Big Sky this week.  What a fantastic time!  I strapped on the old snowboard after a two year hiatus.  The hiatus showed.  I fell numerous times the first day, not painlessly either.  On the third day, I performed a face-plant, cracking my eyeglasses, ouch.  The third day was the absolute worst;  soreness from days one and two combined with fatigue from overuse of muscles led to poor judgement and stupid decisions.  Things got better on day four, and were positively great on day five  If you are planning to go snowboarding in your fifties:

Work yourself up to fifty situps per day, along with other abdominals work.  I discovered numerous ab muscles I never knew I had until they became brutally sore.  By the third day, I had trouble sitting up to get out of bed.

Get decent boots.  The first day, my five-year old boots were so flexible they offered no support, turning toe-side rides into a marathon session of calf raises.  I went to rent a pair of boots, but at $20 per half-day, I opted to buy a pair from a nearby shop for $84 at half price.  These boots were incredible.  It was a new world.

Beware the iPod.  While snowboarding with music is entertaining, I found myself getting far too aggressive when certain songs (think Everlong by Foo Fighters) came on.

Holiday Black Eye

I will be showing up in all my Holiday photos with a black eye. I had a tiny cyst removed right under my eye this morning, resulting in fairly extensive bruising under said eye. This year's photos will feature the new "tough guy" me. I'm working on some good tales to tell to the extended family on how this happened:

Minding my own business at Stand-up Frank's Bar and a flying shot glass comes sailing across the room.

Working the penalty box at my bantam son's hockey game with an errant puck sneeks in through the doorway just as I'm letting a player out.

Snowboarding at Big Sky and miss a "Closed Run" sign, and end up face down in some misplanted pine trees.

Squirt Hockey Traveling Tournament

It's always fun to get out of town for a youth hockey tournament.  This one the wife stays home as my bantam has hockey there all weekend.  We're up at Breezy Point Resort, a classic Minnesota lakeside resort that hosts hockey tournaments pretty much every weekend during the winter to make ends meet.

Dress warm.  These outstate rinks are not heated.  They somehow feel colder than the December air outdoors.

Bring your parent name cheat card.  There's no way to remember all the parents without it.

Don't plan on getting home by any specific time.  The combination of late game starts, trophy ceremonies, and winter storm warnings make for a fluid schedule, and a fun adventure.

Shining Your Shoes Feels Good

There's something about shining your own shoes that lifts the soul. Having someone else shine them while you sit on a throne seems...almost vulgar. Must be my working class upbringing.

Brush off dirt and dust with a shoe brush.

Apply paste polish with a round daubing brush in small circular motions.

Apply edge dressing to the sole edges with the bottle cap dauber. Let shoes dry ten minutes.

Brush dried polish with shoe brush. Long fast strokes, like a pendulum.

Buff with a flannel shoe cloth.

Replace shoe trees.

Replace shoes in flannel bags, ready for battle.