A date with pizza and french fries

Snow has fallen, roads have slickened and the temperature has officially dipped uncomfortably below freezing. I guess that means the yearly ritual of winter is upon us, which not only puts a stop on some outdoor activities but also opens up a box of winter sports! And with this season approaching I offer only a fare warning.

Skiing is my main support of fun during this time, or at least it used to be. Times have changed and I seldom have time to partake in an activity I enjoy. But last year I got the opportunity to pick it up again during a trip in North Conway. My girlfriend was there and she wanted to try skiing for the first time. My suit mate, who incidentally works on the slopes in Sunapee, said "Dude, don’t try to teach her yourself, even if your a veteran skier, don’t try to teach someone that close to you."

At first what he said made perfect sense, it may be hard to teach her no matter how much I knew. So I stuck it in my brain and off we went to the northern mountains of NH. When we got to the slope we went straight to the lodge and asked to order lessons, I figured I might as well sit in on it. They informed us that they were booked and we were faced with the ultimate decision. I weighed the options and we both said, "We'll what could go wrong?"

Long story short the next thing we knew we were heading up the hill, and I'll spare some details but we got to the top and after a lesson of "pizza" and "french fries" it started right away. All of a sudden "I was rushing her" and "she wasn’t paying attention" and "I wasn’t listening." It was a rough 20 minutes trying to make it down that slope... Eventually she just decided to walk the rest of the way down while I got my grove back and skied slowly on the slope next to her.

Well, it turns out my friend was right. All though we hugged and made up, it was still a hairy time when you are that close to each other. Teaching needs to be done with some authority. And when it comes to a relationship, lets face it, the guy has none.

So heed my words both men and women young and old, and the words of my pal, the veteran skier. Under no circumstances, even if the lessons are booked for the day, should you try teaching your significant other. You’re just asking for trouble.