Water Ski News Mashup!

Competitive people will often refer to, usually, one of two things.  

1) a chip on their shoulder.  This one covers alot of ground, but, typically its about proving the doubters wrong, or feeling as if people doubt you for some real or imagined reason. 

2) the hatred of losing, vs. the love of winning.  I.e, i work so hard because I hate losing so much!

Of course there are the bullshit inspirational quotes that people pretend to live by, but, to really keep yourself moving forwards towards whatever goal we all tend to utilize the above two ways to do so. 

There is a fear of failure, there is a fear of getting passed by, there is a fear of getting out worked, there is always a fear. 

Fear is the most powerful emotion that we as humans have and the one that is forever able to be mined for success and for failure. 

We have all had that moment in some competitive endeavor.  You may have stayed up a little late the night before, or real life got in the way of a training session or two, or you just didn't perform at a level that you expected of yourself.   You lost that tournament, or say, didn't reach your personal best, or missed that shot. 

You will go over and over in your mind what you could have done better, what you should have done to not let that happen.  Thats the fear.  That is the poison that we put into our own minds.  

/shifting to first person 

I have a very specific scene in my head I play over time and again, I was at a three event tournament at a sweet lake in a little town in the middle of a state.  They had made a second..or third? lake to handle just the slalom event.  We all stayed up late the night before partying, which...cmon we were in our early 20s, but, we were fogged out that next day. 

I was super late for the 2 ball and just cut like a maniac and laid out to get to it and crashed super hard and skidded up onto shore (it was a narrow lake).  It was sweet as hell, but, i think back to that alot because that was probably as good as I have even slalomed in my life and it was the best lake i have ever skied on and I biffed and it bothers me still because did i do everything I could to succeed?

/shifting back to silly crb style. 

Rarely, but sometimes, you actually do everything right, perform at a high level and still lose.  You can accept those right?  You work hard you perform well and yet still.  

That is ok. 

Its the gnawing little parts when your own brain poisons your psyce and starts putting things into you that are not helpful or do nothing but nag at you, bring you down, etc.  

"oh, you think that tuesday night margarita was worth it?"

"maybe if you had worked out a little more in the off-season"

"feel pretty stupid now don't you that you didn't do WHATEVER!"

And this is a problem that we all have and its not just for sports its for everything!

We focus on our own negatives so hard because that is such a powerful driving force that we don't give proper credit to what we do well, or what we have that is good!  Life is such a mental fuck that maybe it does take a cheesy inspirational quote to help you along, but, that real driver is fear. 

This is why that is a problem. 

Because for alot of us, it seeps into your just normal ass daily life.  You don't look at the good you do, or the positives in your own life.  Shoot, even taking that into account in your skiing or your athletic endeavor, we don't appreciate enough what we have that is good, because that defeats our own internal narrative that we aren't good enough and need ot be better. 

Social media accounts are probably partially to blame simply because we see other peoples ideal life as they wish to present it.  Its not the down moments when they are sad or bounced a check (do we have those still?), or fucked up a relationship with someone or had a bad day at work or are fighting with an addiction or disease or mental health issue.  

Because we look at other peoples idealized life and compare it to our own...which we are living in RIGHT NOW, and not just the picture we post on instagram showing ourselves in our own best light! 

Its a ring light for life, vs. the normal ass flourescent light where we look like hell. 

Right?  we all do it and it makes no sense.  we judge ourselves against some arbitrary external viewpoint of other peoples lives, or approximated lives and then beat ourselves up over the imagined gulf between what we see in them and what we feel in our own!

Here is probably the most common, relatable example of this.  And again, its true for EVERYONE.  

You and your significant other are out with another couple.  In that moment you and them are all happy and having a great time, you'r at dinner at a cool restaurant and holding hands and making jokes and all that.  You begin to see the other couple and thing, "why can't we be like that, they look so happy", because maybe that morning you had a little tiny argument about your dirty clothes on the floor, or you forgot to take out the garbage or your are having doubts in your own head about where this relationship is headed. 

So these little tiny seeds of doubt, which should just whiter and die on the shelf in your brain with no light, for some reason you go into that room, with that shelf, and pour some water on them, you make them grow!  

Like a dummy

You are creating a situation that isn't there because you are conditioned to believe that you need to have something to fight against, then to appreciate and love. 

An example that has come up alot within the past year..year and half...during the pandemic, regarding our days jobs, with a weird kicker at the end of this question and answer. 

"Hows it going here?  How are sales in this time?"

"Not great bob..but, shit, lucky to still have this job, could be alot worse"

And here is the part that matters.  We use, "could be alot worse" as a cover. But, fuck that.  yes it could.  and two years ago it could have been and 5 years from now it could be as well. 

Things could be worse!  Things could be better!  

We are not at the bottom looking up, we are in the middle somewhere floating in some odd state of homeostasis where we have the ability to go up and down but, we tend to ignore the up and focus on the down as a means of motivation to not go there. 

We are so much more cosmically aware of mental health these days, in others, in terms of overall policy, but, do we actually take the time to take care of ourselves anymore then we used to or do we fight with our own demons in private because thats what we feel we should do and that is something to motivate?  

To provide the fight and the power and the energy to succeed?

There is an interesting tipping point in any timeline related to a sad or painful event.  Be it losing a loved one, a broken relationship, a bad circumstance that eventually instead of looking back on memories of that thing with a frown or tears you look back and it makes you smile or laugh.

At the CRB offices our tv will cycle through our photos on icloud as a screen saver, which natuarally brings up memories of days gone by, in them are some photos of people that are either no longer in our lives or no longer in anyones lives. 

There are also hella nonsense too, its not all heavy duty nonsense. 

But, for the vast majority of those pictures of the people that meant something and left us, or meant something and left all of us, most of those bring smiles now in remembering that situation and being happy that we experienced that. 

That is such a nice lens in which to view those circumstances, however, in our daily and in our own owlds we create, do we utilize that lens to give ourselves the smile instead of the frown?

We cast a critical eye on our own proceedings, for example, at lunch we were complaining about our apartment situation, its to small, not enough lawn, neighbors are loud, is this what we really want, landlord is a weirdo...etc.  And a friend said, "huh, i dont know, I thought that place was pretty cool...nice little place"

All those negatives all the problems that we see as some sort of wall in which we can't go around was blown to bits by someone saying, "yeah, dummy, place is tight"

Focusing on our own negatives as if that is the light we want to shine into the world, instead of being grateful for what we do have. 

This is why as a competitive person who uses that fear as a power source for success, we also have to learn to turn that off, turn off the desire to always win/defeat others and appreciate what we actually have!!

Its the simple axiom, replace "i have to" with "I get to" and it changes your whole outlook on life.  

I have to go work.  

Nope.  

You get to go to work.  

I have to replace a tire on my car. 

Nope. 

You get to replace a tire on YOUR!!! car.   

Holy shit right?  You have a car.  Good ass job by you!!  Vroom Vroom son!

Or lets try this one.  

Like alot of people, I assume, we have put on a few pounds during the last year or so.  A big part of it was we figured since we can't go out, lets learn to cook those items at home.  

And so you watch youtube and dick around on recipe sites and learn to make all sorts of different things.  

So, how do you look at that now, now that we are coming out of this pandemic and go back out to places and ride your bike or go to the park and not be worried as much?

Well, you can look at it as "I was a lazy and gained weight" or, "well, I tried real hard to be a better cook and turns out I kick ass because I ate all my food!!!"

We need to focus on our own positives and not our negatievs by default.  

Not that we ignore them, lets not be silly, but, by our own default logic we should appreciate our gifts, our place in life our abilities to do what can and not conflate them with what we can't/don't/won't/haven't. 

Back in day we crashed out hard on a slalom course (in front of pretty girls too, dang it) when we were feeling frisky enough to get into some short lines and put up some numbers.  

All these years later, thats still something that burns, but, we were able to crash out in front of some pretty girls while feeling frisky enough to get into some short lines and ski great. 

Thats pretty fucking awesome...and that is something we would like to feel again. 

We don't get there, to that feeling to that mental space, by weighting ourselves down with the could of would of should of, we get there by lifting ourselves up with the, "right, but, how many people can actually DO what you did and besides all that, maybe they are in awe of what you did"

Again, never assume...we should never assume...that the other persons life is perfect, that their relationship is what you see at that nice dinner...they probably had an argument in the car on the way there about the cable bill or the lawn mowing or whatever. 

Defining our success via a prism of light from other peoples lifes will only further your frustration into your own because you/we don't know that other person and the trials they go through, the battles they fight on their own. 

Negativity is easy, its cheap and it can derail 

positivity is hard in the face of all that gets thrown at us.  

and this is certainly not some bullshit inspirational quote where you...

gibberish bullshit. 

You are comparing yourself to someone else and somehow its not a zero sum game, you can just "outwork" them, as if they aren't doing the same. 

Appreciate what we have, what we have been able to do.  See the positives in life, in your own life, as the true beacons of what should inspire. 

Not a bullshit quote about work or limits or "never be afraid to fail"

Be afraid!  

Thats ok!  That means we have a brain and a soul and a life. 

But allow life to work in equilibrium.  

We can always strive to be better and use that fear as a motivator, as an energy source for the furnance of internal power. 

But, that can't supersede the ability to appreciate what we have, how we got it and let that mirror off the dark and illuminate the light. 

Ok then, 2020 sucked and we are now in a new year, hell yeah, time for all the good shit to happen. 

You are probably like, "hey, crb idiots, its almost the middle of February...2021 didn't just start and it is still kinda shitty!"

To which we reply, that is true and you are a god damn pessimist and we would no longer like you on our pontoon boat out here in the middle of the lake.  In the middle of February...in a northern state.  

Where it is SO COLD.  

Audience: "HOW COLD IS IT?!?!"

Audience: "hahaha, a Lazlo Holmes reference, I get that and that makes me chuckle...but, seriously, how cold is it??"

Its so cold even the mountains are putting on their snow caps!

Audience:  /Groan

Audience: "we paid for this shit?"

Fine fine whatever. 

No more jokes about the weather. 

Turns out though, nothing really changes from one year to the next, we have a different president, but, that doesn't REALLY change our day to day lives, other then maybe not getting as mad online and/or turning on the news and 1/2 expecting that we somehow invaded fucking Minnesota with our navy. 

But, yes its still kind of shitty and even with the most optimistic brain it is still a somewhat dreary sludge through normal life.*

To further that point we had to all go get covoid tests the other day because thats what we do now, go visit free strangers to have them jab q-tips up your nose and then hope you don't die..while also cursing the person that put you in that position in the first place!

Obviously in the world of sports there was drastic drastic changes, bubbles and protocals and fan-less games and the crushing existential dread of being a fan in the first place (go cubs)

But it did affect our little world of waterskiing.   

Not as much with the 3-event ish side of things.  Something we have railed about for years (again not so much recently as the little bluetooth thing fell out of the computer and the keyboard wouldn't connect), but, that the tournaments and events are, while held at excellent sites, not held at places nor promoted (we believe) in such a way to attract the normie. 

Average ass Joe isn't going to trundle the kids and what not 20 miles into the country to watch a bunch of hella talented people ski but, not have any clue why or what is going on. 

Besides all that, it appeard that most of the events went on anyways, because no one was there anyways and waterskiing in that sense is a very individual sport where social distanceing is...you know...like allready in place man.  

/bong rip

They were all webcast in varying degrees of goodness.  

Show skiing obviously is on the other side of things, where its very much a communal endeavor and therefor was quite affected. In so much that none of the competitions went on normally, no teams etc.  other then a sort of weak individual competition that..sure whatever. 

But, so what.  2020 was a year of weirdness and by the time we all figured out ways in which we could be around each other sort of safely and do things it wasn't summer anymore anyways and it makes no sense to argue about the decisions that people made that they felt were in the name of safety. 

The people that argue that shit in hindsight also do not belong on our pontoon boat.  

Meaning, "oh, well, yeah we could have done that if we all weren't such pussies"

Hindsight is great you loser idiot.  Go swim in an above ground pool of lava and dicks. 

Remember back in the early part of the summer, no one was really sure what to do, how to protect ourselves, how it affected the old/young...etc...we know more now, have testing all over and to retroactively critizise people is right near the apex of smug ass bullshiterism  

Will 2021 be the same?  

WHO KNOWS!

But it does feel as if we have gotten past the point of self-pity and can move along into a more healthy outlook.  

So, lets ring in 2021 with a renewed outlook on life and waterskiing, more positive and more hopeful and maybe we all make it out the otherside in a better or at least, better adjacent place...and how? 

By utilizing these three steps. 

1) MORE WATERSKIING

2) INCREASE THE FUN SNACKS

3) HELL YEAH DUDE

Ok, Stephen King, figure out an ending. 

LETS GET SOME

never the less.  what sort of waterski poltergeist would we be if we didn't infect your brain and send a tree in through you window to try and kill you. 

What? 

Thats a movie huh?  Ok, sweet, well lets figure this shit out somehow then.

*your mom

**Drive angry.  borderline best movie ever made

Yes, there are lots of great people in the sport, but JFC, how hard is it to at least let those of us that give a shit about the sport know what is going on? Post some useful info, ideas, something...anything really that helps keep those of us that try to follow this sport in the loop.  

Seriously, is the end goal of our sport to be a couple rich people skiing in their backyard lake with no one watching?  Cuz that's where we are right now, so 

YAY WE DID IT, NO ONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT OUR SPORT ANYMORE.  Champaign all around!


Or...we could try to get people to watch our sport again, bring money into the sport instead of bleeding all of the companies that try to hack it in the ever shrinking world of skiers.  I understand this has been a crazy year for everyone, but all the sudden lots of people have a bit of free time and they are turning to the internet to fill the void left by not going and sitting in their cubical while trying to stifle the urge to kill that dip shit Karen from accounts payable.  JFC SHUT UP KAREN!!!

So this is a big opportunity for the sport to get some eyes checking out our sport online.  I mean, I, like all of you, have spent the entire quarantine watching all the awesome old ski vids and virtual tournaments run being posted on social media by the powers that be. 

Whats that you say?  None of that has actually happened?  The powers that be have dropped the ball...again?

I don't know who those powers that be are though... USAWS?  The individual sports divisions?  Someone in the sport with a large social media presence?  Hell, maybe I should be bringing this up at the CRB headquarters.  Maybe we should try to take a lead in this if no one else cares enough to do it. 





This really is not that complicated, there are a shit ton of smart people that love this sport, UTILIZE THEM.  A few ideas I just came up with, just spit balling here:

Virtual Tournaments.  So we are not supposed to gather in groups, which is smart, I am in no rush to kill my parents or your grandparents.  The bare footers have found a way around that, LINK, so the other disciplines could easily do this as well.  I know access to courses and jumps is an issue, but try something!

Virtual coaching.  There are a bunch of these out there already, LINK, but it could easily be promoted by USAWS or any other large group for that matter.  Think about all the training opportunities skiers are missing out on right now.  Usually college kids would have been practicing and going to tournaments with their teams all spring.  Well that was not an option, but think if skiers could have submitted a video of themselves running the course, or working on a new trick and someone gave them a bit of remote coaching.  It keeps them interested and helps them advance.  I would bet ever last cent in my bank account ($15.34) and a box of Cheeze-its that some of the very talented skiers that have torn up the lake at an NCWSA tournament would have been happy to donate a bit of time to give a bit of advice for free.

Skier a day vids.  We are all bored right now, wouldn't it be awesome to see a new vid posted by USAWS everyday of one of the elite skiers in our sport doing something awesome and answering some questions?  I struggle to keep my computer functioning so I don't know how best to do this but something like this.
Day 1 Trick set and AMA with Erika Lang
Day 2 Slalom set and AMA with Regina Jacquess
Day 3 Jump set and AMA with Freddy Krueger
Day 4 Freestyle jump set and AMA with Dan Olson
Day 5 Barefoot set and AMA with Keith St Onge
Day 6 Knee board set and AMA with...I don't know any knee boarders...
Day 7 Sky ski set and AMA with...nope, don't know any of them either
and repeat

I am pretty happy with that last idea, hell, we should be doing that right now anyways.

Sometimes its the right reason

Sometimes its just life

Desire, passion

Nothing to bill collectors

push aside to live

Life can seem unfair

Its a part of you

That provides the energy

For everything else

But its now shadows

Collecting dust in the shed

Thats where the fun sits

Life can seem unfair

Ego comes from lake

Identity swirls in blue 

The tough transition

The burn is alive

The strive to achieve still burns

That burn is on low

Life can seem unfair

Boat was in garage

Boat was replaced by real life

Boat was sold to friend

Skis collecting dust

Old wetsuits stored in basement

The fire dims...slightly

Life can seem unfair

Priorities change

Satisfaction comes different

You're still there for me

I've put you aside

For a moment, for a spell

Chill for a second

Life can seem unfair

The things that mattered

What gave you purpose and life

They are changed now

You are on your own payroll

Nothing free again

Life can seem unfair

Is it though? for real?

Maybe you are now the bank

You are now the rock

You are what is strong

You must now provide that spark

You are the reason

Life can seem unfair

If its important

If it matters now at all

Nothing should stop you

Its just a slight change 

In your mental thought process

You aren't what you were

Life can seem unfair

Your better then that

You have grown beyond nonsense

You will never fail

Circular notion 

It all comes around to you

Its your time to shine

Life can be unfair

They cant bring you down

Life cant stop your good desire

You just have to try

You won't always win

Nor, will you always succeed

Sometimes you just sit

Life can be unfair

Fight through that bullshit

Set your sights high, with purpose

Maybe you get close

Maybe its awful

Its still an effort you gave

Its fine, you don't lose

Life can be unfair

Try again, harder

Maybe, maybe not, its life

Keep that fire burning

The lake, forever

The passion, never ending

The desire, varies

Life can be unfair

Hold it close, the fire

Real life always interferes

Never stops passion

Things will be awesome

That day when we achieve it

Feeling of success

Life can be unfair

Life can be unfair

It can provide the real truth

Actual reason

For our real effort

Why we work and live that life

Because there is more

Life can be unfair

It will never change

Life always tempts your real truth

It hurts your real soul

Life can be unfair

We are given life

To go attack our dream

In whatever way

Age is no matter

Life doesn't discriminate

Only your self does

Life can be unfair

Attack you chances

Don't give in to bad impulse

And that boat may move

You can always strive

Your personal best is right there

Fucking go get it

Life can be awesome