there are many things i like about my annual ski boondoggle--the getting away, time with my friend, the skiing--but one of the lesser expected treats is surely the random folks you meet on the mountain. in addition to the cool phrases they can teach you ("day three courage", "that's better than dust on crust") you also find what a small world we share. on this latest trip i met a girl whose brother just began attending the university i work at and then the next day i met a guy (the fella sitting next to me in the above picture) who lived less than one mile from my childhood home in fort collins, colorado. i'm not entirely sure why i find warmth in this, i just do.