Dear Shannon,

Thank you for your kind comment on my blog yesterday. I am proud that I inspired you to try something for the first time.

Of course, when you first mentioned jumping on skis, I had this picture of one of those monster ski-jumps they use in the Olympics. You know, the one where you get going up to speeds of 100mph while gliding down this incredibly steep slide in the sky, until it suddenly ends, about 50 feet above terra firma. And you’re expected to do something at that point, besides scream “I’m gonna die! I’m gonna die!” So personally, I’m glad you started out with moderation.

When you asked what I was going to do today, in the new-and- never-before-done category, my first thought was “How the hell should I know? I’m not sure what I’m doing right now, much less what I am going to be doing tomorrow.” I mean, I'm psychotic, not psychic. (The words sound very similar, but have strikingly different meanings.) But as I sat there in my normal comatose state, I thought , “Perhaps Shannon is right. Maybe if I put some forethought into my actions, I wouldn’t end up with lame excuses like trimming my moustache or taking a picture of myself.”
So, I started off thinking I would do a snow sculpture. The inspiration of snowzilla lives, with modifications. I was thinking a bear or a lion or something like that. But as I laid out my game plan, I realized that with my talent, I would end up with an unrecognizable glob of snow in the front yards. Unless, of course, I made my snow sculpture in the back yard, in which case I would end up with an unrecognizable glob of snow in the back yard. This had all the trappings of another lame idea. So I refined my plan. Rather than a sculpture, I’ll do an obelisk. Start off with a footing 2’x2’ square and see if I can build a tower taller than I am. Now I have a plan. Reasonable, possible and somewhat less lame.

Then I read the comment from your sweet mother, my beloved sister, Puds. She seemed to imply that, rather than creating an obelisk, I should take a quick jaunt into Portland for a haircut, dye-job, emergency facelift and tummy-tuck. She didn’t really mention it, but others have hinted a new wardrobe might not be a bad idea.

So, will it be obelisk or extreme makeover? I’ll let you know later.

Are you happier with this new look, Trudy?