Time flies...

Okay so here's the catch up....
First of all, in regards to my absence, it snowed... a lot for where I live, and I work at a ski resort. I help manage our ski school and I am in charge of all our kids programs. Well, opening in November is unheard of, but we did it, and so I've been in a blizzard or work latley. The ski resort is more than my job, it's my lifestyle in the winter. But I absolutley love it, and how many people can say they really love their job?
One of the reasons I love working there is my season pass to snowboard all winter. But working in management doesn't allow you to get out there as much. However, for the sake of my sanity, I decided that I needed to take a couple runs. And so I did yesterday. It was great! I'm such a winter gal, I feel like a bear coming out of hibernation. The cool crisp air, the sound of snow under my board, setting a few edges in the courderoy, pow turns through the trees.... I'm so alive :)
Such good timing for me to go on a first date!! So I met "B" for a breakfast date today. I'll get to that in a minute....
I just want to say that finding out who you really are is one of the greatest feelings, but it also helps you decide who you are interested in to date. Like for me, I am trying not to have too many "deal breakers" when I look at an online profile, but I know what one of them is. A guy recently emailed me asking, "So if I can't ski or snowboard, is that a deal breaker?" and for the first time I had to really think about that. And the answer is yes. I'm not trying to put off people who are not into winter sports, it's just for me, that's who I am, it's my life in the winter, and someone who doesn't get that lifestyle can never understand my utter dedication to my work and the reason I take off with my snowboard for a whole day of peace and serenity. And a guy for me would be one who can share in that hobby of mine, be it on skis or a snowboard... at least I don't discriminate.
Okay, so breakfast with "B" this morning... We've been chatting online, sharing our favorite photography shots and talking about the snow. I've never met anyone from meeting online before, and the nerves didn't hit me until I turned onto the street where we were meeting... "Oh, God I'm going on a date!!!" But I must say, the coolest thing about online dating is, you already know you have some common ground and that first meeting is more like a validation that both of you are who you claim to be behind the screen. So yes, he really is who he has claimed to be. (owns his own business, snowboarded in Alaska, and yes divorced) I think he was really interested to see if I was really the girl I claimed (outdoorsy, laid-back chick, who loves to camp, snowboard and wakeboard, and just loves the mountains). As he mentioned, a lot of girls say they are all those things, but end up not really being as outdoorsy as they claim.
So as I sipped my coffee we chatted about our mutual passion to take snowboarding trips around the world, our respect and appreciation for black bears, and love of rocks! Yes, I like rocks, it's weird I know, and I wouldn't ever mention that I collect them... at least not on a first date. But turns out he has quite the collection himself.
Okay, so we're seeing eachother again next week, probably a snowboarding date or dinner date. I'm sure you can guess which one we're both leaning towards!