Sunday, December 28, 2008

It is the greatest privilege to die doing what we love

For those of you who don't know, Randy Davis died skiing at Squaw on Christmas Day. I didn't know him very well, yet i will always remember his energy and spirit. Here is a copy of the sacramento bee article on Randy and what happened. Passion for skiing ended in disaster By Cynthia Hubert chubert@sacbee.com Published: Saturday, Dec. 27, 2008 | Page 1A On Christmas morning, as he had done on countless winter mornings since he was a toddler, Randy Davis woke up thinking about the snowy slopes of Squaw Valley. "I'm going skiing," he whispered to his girlfriend of four years, Kelsey Hudson, before he kissed her goodbye. "I'll see you in a couple of hours." Then Davis left for what would be his final runs at a ski resort that had been his second home. That morning, the mountain that had given so much joy to the competitive freestyle skier turned on him. About the time he was to be returning to celebrate Christmas with Hudson and her family, a friend reported that Davis had disappeared from the slopes. A ski patroller and his search dog later found his body buried under snow in steep terrain above Poulsen's Gully. He apparently died after hitting a tree following an avalanche. "His stocking and presents are still under the Christmas tree," Hudson said Friday, fighting tears. Davis was 21 years old, an adventurer and stellar skier with curly, unruly hair. He was a fine student, majoring in exercise biology at the University of California, Davis, and thinking about the possibility of medical school. He was a devoted friend and family member who always said "I love you" before hanging up the phone. "He was very kindhearted and very spirited," said his mother, Nanci Davis of Tahoe City. "He was always in the middle of things." Born in Avalon, on Catalina Island, Davis began to fall in love with skiing after his family moved to Tahoe City when he was 2. His father, Bud, taught at the children's ski school at Squaw Valley, and Davis became a fixture there. "Before he was 3, he was skiing black diamond runs, making three turns on every mogul," his mother said. Davis counted the days that he skied each season, she said, always shooting for at least 100. He was a longtime member and a coach of the Squaw Valley Freestyle Team, and enjoyed the thrill of "bumps, jumps and aerials," Nanci Davis said. He performed double and even triple back flips, spent summers training in Utah and had Olympic aspirations, but wanted to finish college first. Off of the slopes, Davis had many interests. He tackled challenging trails on his mountain bike, played football and the trumpet in high school, loved swing dancing and recently started playing the guitar. "He was learning 'Stairway to Heaven,' and he played it badly," his mother joked. At UC Davis, he organized an intramural, coed flag football team. He was coach, manager and quarterback, and his sister Jessica played on the team. But skiing was his ultimate passion, family and friends said. Because of his fearlessness on the slopes, Nanci Davis said, "I worried about him every day, all the time." Once, when he was a young teenager, his helmet struck a tree during a ski run and he suffered a serious head injury, lapsing into a coma for four days. "That's when I stopped thinking that something like this couldn't happen to us," his mother said. He made a full recovery and was back on the slopes a month later. "I didn't encourage it, but he loved it so much," she said. On the day before he died, Davis had an unexpected reunion on the slopes with five friends he has known since preschool but had not seen in some time. "They just happened to meet on the mountain," said his mother. "He called me about this wonderful day of skiing that he had just had, one of the best days ever." Nanci Davis cannot help but think, she said, that her son died the next day doing what he most loved. Davis spent Christmas Eve with his girlfriend and her family, having dinner, sharing stories and, Hudson said, teaching her grandmother to play the music video game "Guitar Hero." He got up the next morning excited about "the perfect powder" at Squaw Valley, said Hudson, who is studying cognitive science at UC Berkeley. Nearly 2 feet of snow had fallen overnight. The mountain was calling him. Later that morning, after the ski patrol phoned his mother with news of her missing son, the family gathered in a somber vigil at Squaw Valley. The news was devastating. The young man's death marked the first inbounds avalanche fatality at the resort since 1963, said spokeswoman Savannah Cowley. Davis had been skiing inbounds on a steep but established trail, said Cowley. Earlier in the day, she said, ski patrollers had taken avalanche control measures in the area. Avalanches, sudden and unpredictable, generally occur when layers of snow build up and slide down the mountain. Squaw Valley has received more than 5 feet of snow during the past six days, but avalanche conditions Friday were listed as moderate by the Sierra Avalanche Center. The Christmas Day tragedy has deeply affected employees at the resort, said Cowley. "The entire Davis family has been part of the Squaw Valley family for over a decade," she said. "Their involvement has touched the lives of countless people. Randy will not be forgotten." After learning of his death on Thursday, Hudson opened her Christmas present from Davis. It was a pair of beautiful pearl earrings. "I'll think about him every time that I wear them," she said.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Happy Holidays Everybody!

This being christmas eve, I thought this piece of classic literature was truly appropiate.

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
or Henry Livingston



Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Happy Holidays everybody, see you in 2009

Monday, December 22, 2008

I like myself some Milk.

A few days ago, I went and saw Milk, and what a great movie. Sean Penn delivers one of the best performances of his career, and the movie does a wonderfull job about makeing you care about the charecters and what they are fighting for. However, this movie comes at a bitter time for most Californians, as most of you know Prop 8 passed in November, which makes gay marriadge illegal. I am personally for equal rights for everyone, but I wonder how the movie will do at the box office, in reguards to its subject matter. Neverless, the movie is a heartwarming yet tragic tale of a group of people fighting for their rights, and id the candlelight vidgil scene at the end of the film doesn't make you shed just one tear, you truly don't have a heart. Go see this movie, you will not be dissapointed, and a note to Sean Penn, I'm looking forward to hearing your acceptance specch at the Oscars.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Let My People Go!

Finals are over and people are now truly free to enjoy the holiday season. On another note, boys and girls waterpolo teams do not have the maturity level needed to succesfully have a murder mystery party...after a while it just degenerated into hide and seek...quite fun. I also finally tracked down Frost/Nixon...wow was it worth the wait. I had to drive half an hour to find a theature that was showing the movie...but wow...one of the best films of the year, and a definite must see.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

17!

It's my birthday... in the middle of finals...

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Takeing a break from studying...for music

Through all the stress of finals i forgot to mention one band that i'm listening to a lot recently. About a month ago my friend and I went to see Rise Against at the San Jose State Convention Center. I wasen't a big follower of the band before the show, but that concert was one of the best most intense cocerts I have ever been to. A month later i own most of their albums and their one of my favorite bands. If you haven't heard of them go download(legally...don't steal) some of their music. It's really great. Here are some links to their videos.






Finals....Incoming

English down....Physics and religion tommorow.....stressed to the max, going into cardiac arrest due to finals....at least it's my birthday tommorow....o wait i'm going to have to study for history and spanish......

Monday, December 15, 2008

It's the final countdown (cue music)

finals start tommorow......i'm screwed.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Republished

I decided to re-publish my old post on the music i'm listening to now, because the font was messed up...so here it is.

Been listening to lots of Glen Hansard, and Marketa Irglova lately.  You may have heard their names before; they won best original song during the 2007 oscars for their movie Once (My favorite film of 2007). The movie is a touching love story and the soundtrack contains some of the most heartrenching love songs I think I'v ever heard.  The music is very inviogorating, and i listen to it whenever i have to stay up late to write a paper or to study. It calms me right down, inspires me, and keeps me focused. So go to amazon buy once, then mozey on over to itunes and pick up the soundtrack, you won't regret it. 

For all Bay Area Skiers

It is raining in the bay area...alot. If your a skier you know what this means...SNOW IN TAHOE!!
For all those who need a constant update  http://www.squaw.com/winter/squawubercam.html

Spike VGA

After being hyped to hell and back the Spike VGA awards had "numerouse world exclusives"...yeah things sometimes don't work out like that.

God of War 3 - 20 seconds of gameplay (need to see more before I have a final verdict)
Dante's Inferno - basically a 10 second powerpoint of an enemy.
Uncharted 2 - copy and paste what i said for God of War 3
Brutal Legend - looks awsome (I have always loved Tim Schafer's stuff)
GTA 4 Lost and the Damned - Microsoft paid 50 million for this...i'd be asking for a refund...underwelmed
Watchmen - looked good for a game-movie tie in...but not great (still have high hopes for the movie)

And finally congrats to GTA 4 for getting game of the year (my personal choice would be Little Big Planet)

However....the Spike VGA awards are kind of a joke anyway.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Finals....

For me the christmas season doesn't really start until finals are over and i'm out of school. For about 3 weeks between Thanksgiveing and Finals week school transforms from being rather difficult, into sleepless hell. This deprives everyone of any happy christmas spirit. I can't tell you how mest up it feels to be getting in some last minitie studying between clases, while have yourself a merry little christmas blastes over the school loud speakers. However, without finals and all this stress, the holiday wouldn't seem so sweet.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Century Theatures.....F*** You!

Today I went online to check the movie times for Frost/Nixon at my local movie theature. I had read some reviews online and the film sounds amazeing, and I personally have always had an interest in Nixon and his scandals. However to my suprise it's not playing anywere in my immediate area. The nearest place it is playing is half and hour away at the metreon in SF. I don't know if this is the studio's falt for not haveing the movie shown on enough screens, or that theatures are worried that a political movie won't due well at the box office during the holiday season. However at the same time there are 5 theatures in my general area and all of them are showing Bolt, Twilight, The Day The Earth Stood, Quantum of Solace, and Four Christmases. No offence to those movies, but I hope that theatures can afford to show one of the best films of the year instead of one of these so-so movies at atleast one of the 5 theatures in my county.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

!

Problem solved

Sorry

The font was kinda hard to read on the last post, so i'm writeing this just to see if the new font color is any better.

Music

Been listening to lots of Glen Hansard, and Marketa Irglova lately. You may have heard their names before; they won best original song during the 2007 oscars for their movie Once (My favorite film of 2007). The movie is a touching love story and the soundtrack contains some of the most heartrenching love songs I think I'v ever heard. The music is very inviogorating, and i listen to it whenever i have to stay up late to write a paper or to study. It calms me right down, inspires me, and keeps me focused. So go to amazon buy once, then mozey on over to itunes and pick up the soundtrack, you won't regret it.

Blog

Just setting up the blog, makeing sure it works.