Month: October 2025

Oct 31 2025 2025-10-31 2025-10-31 by Ross

The Slippery Slope of Ski Line Skipping (see what I did there?)…..

Posted in Skiing

Park City, UT – Link to story

So this is apparently a thing now: a Utah ski area will start selling passes that let people skip lift lines all season long.  Yep, the mountain equivalent of a TSA “Clear” lane.  Pay extra, and you can glide past everyone else who just paid the regular small fortune for a season pass.

On paper, it’s clever business.  People hate waiting in lines, and if they’re willing to pay more, why not take their money?  But I hate this idea.  I hope it dies on the vine.

First, it’s just another perk for the already wealthy in a sport that’s basically a gated community on snow.  Skiing is expensive – passes, gear, travel, food, lodging- it’s all already priced so that only certain people can really participate.  Now, even on the hill, we’re splitting into tiers.  The haves, the have-mores, and the have-way-too-much.

But my bigger gripe is the slippery slope of “priority creep.”  Once you open that door, it never stops.

It’s like airport security.  You used to just stand in line. Then came TSA PreCheck.  Then Global Entry.  Then Clear.  Each one promised to “get you through faster” until suddenly the “normal” line became the slow crawl for peasants.

Or remember the old Yellow Pages?  First, everyone got a free listing.  Then the reps called, convincing you to buy a little bold ad—because your competitors were.  Then they pushed bigger and bigger ads until half the book was just a competition of who could buy more yellow paper real estate.  If you didn’t play along, you disappeared.

That’s what will happen here.  First comes the “fast access” line. T hen “VIP Fast Access.”  Then “Elite Platinum Super Access.”  Meanwhile, regular lift lines grow longer because the mountain keeps carving out new lanes for the people who paid to skip them.

This is skiing we’re talking about – a place we’re supposed to feel equal under the same sky, bundled in the same freezing chairlift breeze, all chasing the same powder.  Not a theme park with wristbands marking who shelled out extra for shorter waits.

We don’t need more hierarchies on the mountain.  We need fewer.

Just ski. Just wait your turn. Just no.

 


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Oct 28 2025 2025-10-28 2025-10-28 by Ross

Always Out of Step…

Posted in Misc

I seem to always be on the other side of whatever everyone else believes.

Someone says they love Bruce Springsteen, and I know immediately I don’t. A colleague gives a kid a pep talk at report card pickup, and I can’t help thinking it’s pointless. The staffroom buzzes about some new show everyone’s streaming, and I’d rather scrub grout than watch it. Immigration, government, pop culture, education—name a topic, and I’m probably the dissenting vote.

It’s not rebellion. I don’t walk around with an “Oppositional Defiant” warning label. It’s just that the more everyone seems to agree on something, the more I instinctively don’t. I start looking for what they’re missing. When people gush about Springsteen’s “authentic working-class poetry,” I hear someone cosplaying as blue-collar between tour buses. When colleagues deliver pep talks about “turning things around next quarter,” I see kids nodding politely before going right back to sleep in class. It’s not cynicism so much as pattern recognition.

I’ve realized this reflex comes from two places.

First, I’ve spent most of my adult life in jobs that reward skepticism—law and teaching. Both demand you look for weak spots, inconsistencies, and performative nonsense. After enough years of that, it seeps into everything. I don’t hear what people say as much as what they’re trying to accomplish by saying it.

Second, I just have a low tolerance for groupthink. When something becomes the consensus, I get itchy. It’s like watching a crowd rush toward the same door—I instinctively look for the fire exit in the back. Maybe that’s about autonomy. Maybe it’s about distrust. Maybe I just like the quiet space where everyone else isn’t.  Heck, I can’t even be punk (my musical preference) because I think that’s all groupthink.

The truth is, I don’t question slogans or start debates. I keep my mouth shut. I nod, smile when appropriate, and wait for the conversation to end. I don’t feel angry—just disconnected. I’ve never really found “my people.” Not in law, not in teaching, not in politics, not in music. There’s always a mismatch somewhere. Everyone else seems to sync up to the same rhythm, and I’m just offbeat.

Some days, that feels like independence. Most days, it just feels like being alone in a crowded room.

 


Oct 28 2025 2025-10-28 2025-10-28 by Ross

The Slow Death of Accountability…

Posted in Work

I’m just tired.

Tired of walking into a classroom every day trying to make good lessons, trying to make something that might actually matter — and getting apathy back.

They don’t care about learning. They aren’t curious. I know they’re teenagers. I know I wasn’t perfect either. But I wasn’t this. I didn’t treat school like background noise.

And if a kid truly doesn’t want to learn or go to college, fine — give them a path out. Let them graduate at sixteen and spend two years in trade school. Why force kids who don’t want to be there into classrooms where they drag everyone else down?

Yesterday was report card pick-up day. Seniors rarely bring parents, but when they do, it’s the same scene: the parent’s surprised, the kid promises to “do better,” and everyone nods like something’s been accomplished. I’ve seen it for years. One kid out of dozens ever actually changes. The rest go right back to doing nothing the next day.

Some teachers try pep talks — “You’ll regret not trying harder.” No, they won’t. I’ve never seen it happen. They’ll blame the system, their parents, or anyone else. Never themselves.

That’s the real problem: we’ve built a system where no one is allowed to fail. We push kids forward whether they’ve earned it or not. Teachers are pressured to pass them so the school’s numbers look good. We shield them from consequences, then act shocked when they crumble later.
It’s always someone else’s fault this happened to them.

You see it every day.

I had two guest speakers in class — real people with real stories — and a handful of students still scrolled through their phones or slept. I stop class and call them out. I tell them it’s disrespectful. I ask them to put the phone away or sit up and engage. Sometimes they do — for a minute. Then it starts again.

I write referrals. I log incidents. I contact parents. And nothing happens. Admin shrugs. Phones are allowed, and if a kid’s asleep, I’m told they “might have outside issues.” Write-ups get closed in minutes. No follow-up, no consequence, nothing.

The message is clear: it’s not worth enforcing rules when no one else will back you up.

This generation doesn’t even think it’s rude. It’s not rebellion — they genuinely don’t see it as wrong. They live on their phones, permanently connected to friends and family. The boundary between social time and learning time has vanished.

Until schools ban phones completely — lock them up all day — it’s not going to get better. I’ve even tried incentives: kids earn tokens for locking up their phones that can replace a low grade or earn snacks. You’d be amazed how many have D’s or F’s and still won’t do it. They don’t care enough to trade their screen for a better grade.

Maybe I’m just an old man yelling at clouds, but I don’t think so. The divide in this generation won’t come from wealth. It’ll come from attention — from values. Some will learn to focus and care about something real. The rest will have their lives outsourced to screens, and they’ll never get them back.

We call all this compassion, but it’s really sabotage. We’re raising a generation of learned helplessness.

I still love my AP Government class — the kids who care, who ask questions, who think. They remind me why I started doing this. But the rest? It’s hard not to feel like I’m part of a broken system, propping up a fantasy of “equity” that’s really just avoidance.

Maybe burnout isn’t hating the work. Maybe it’s realizing the work doesn’t mean what it used to — and wondering if it ever will again.


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Oct 26 2025 2025-10-26 2026-01-04 by Ross

This Week in Training – Week 5: Everything Hurts, but It’s Fine…

Posted in Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(Still in the pre-pre-base phase. It’s a process.)

Everything hurts. My wrist (though that’s from playing guitar), my back, the back of my knee – all raising their little hands to remind me I’m not twenty anymore. Will I do anything about it? No. But I’ll definitely mention it here.

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Distance: 3,525 yards
  • Total Time: 1 hour 13 minutes
  • Notes: One of the swims was IM-heavy. No, I’m not about to whip out butterfly during a triathlon, but it breaks up the monotony and hits different muscles. Felt good to mix things up.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 0
  • Total Distance: 0
  • Notes: Still zero. But I promise it’s coming this week. (I think.)

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 3
  • Total Distance: 11.30 miles
  • Total Time: 1 hour 51 minutes
  • Notes: Solid runs. Still moving well despite the aches. Paces holding steady, energy decent, morale surprisingly high.

Strength/Other 💪

  • Workouts: Some
  • Notes: Push-ups and sit-ups again. The wrist makes that tricky, but I’m doing what I can. Every rep feels like character development.

Reflections ✍️

Everything hurts, but it’s the good kind of hurt (mostly). The training load feels sustainable even if my joints occasionally vote no. Despite the aches, I’m feeling positive — building this pre-pre-base nicely. It’s slow progress, but progress all the same.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

  • Actually get on the bike. For real this time.
  • Keep swim volume consistent.
  • Baby the wrist, but don’t skip strength entirely.
  • Continue crawling toward the mythical “base phase.”

Oct 23 2025 2025-10-23 2025-10-23 by Ross

Big News!….

Posted in Humor

I am very excited to announce that I have been named one of the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in [my city.]

I am honored, mainly because I haven’t practiced law in 12 years.

Does anyone fall for that marketing?


Oct 22 2025 2025-10-22 2025-10-30 by Ross

Things I Like…

Posted in Books, Comics, Food, Television

Books:

Unreasonable Hospitality – Will Guidara

The Kings of the Wyld – Nicholas Eames

Vinyl:

James Brown – 20 All Time Greatest Hits (nice way to start a work day)

Comics:

The Killer:  Affairs of the State II – Boom Studios

Vagabond – I was in a comic store in Boston and saw this massive volume of manga.  I love me some samurai, so I got it.  Worth it.

Homunculus Vol 1-2 – Hideo Yamamoto

T.V.:

The Rainmaker – Peacock

The English Teacher (Season 2) – FX

Resident Playbook – Netflix (K-Drama)

Local Restaurants:

Sushi Loop – New sushi restaurant in my neighborhood.  My wife and I went last week and had a great meal.  The place was hopping (should’ve had a reservation).  The decor is open and light.  It’s mostly All You Can Eat.  $31 for all the appetizers, soups/salads, ramen, rolls, and nigiri on their menu.  $43 adds in sashimi.  It’s good food!  We were stuffed after just one round.  This will be a regular spot for me.


Oct 19 2025 2025-10-19 2025-10-19 by Ross

This Week in Training – Week 4: My Back is Crying…

Posted in Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

IMWI 2026: The Long Crawl to the Base Phase
(Pre-pre-base prep… to get ready for pre-base… to someday start base. It’s a process.)

(Yes, I forgot to post Week 3. Let’s assume it was brilliant, productive, and pain-free. It wasn’t — but let’s pretend.)

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 3
  • Total Distance: 5,650 yards
  • Total Time: 1 hour 57 minutes
  • Notes: The swims actually felt solid this week. I’m starting to get a bit of rhythm back, even if my shoulders are whispering “why?” after every set.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 0
  • Total Distance: 0
  • Notes: Still nothing. Still my shame. The bike sits quietly in the corner, collecting dust and judging me.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 3
  • Total Distance: 11.66 miles
  • Total Time: 1 hour 53 minutes
  • Notes: Stronger runs this week — paces improving, form better, confidence up. The morning-after stiffness? Also up.

Strength/Other 💪

  • Workouts: Some
  • Notes: Added push-ups and sit-ups, which technically makes me a strength athlete now. Everything hurts, so I guess it worked.

Relative Effort 📈

  • Total Weekly Effort: 584 (up from 365 last week)
  • Notes: That explains why I currently groan every time I bend, reach, or breathe.

Reflections ✍️

My body aches. Rolling out of bed feels like a warm-up set. Standing upright qualifies as a workout. I know I ramped up too fast. Will I take a rest week? No. Will I keep training like this and complain about it? Absolutely.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

  • Maybe (finally) get on the bike.
  • Keep the swim momentum going.
  • Continue token strength work — push-ups, sit-ups, and maybe some stretching if I’m feeling wild.
  • Remember: this is still pre-pre-base to the pre-base phase. It’s a process.

 


Oct 15 2025 2025-10-15 2025-10-15 by Ross

Big Noise from Winnetka…

Posted in Memories

I’m having a martini and letting Spotify set the mood when a song I’ve never noticed before comes on — Big Noise from Winnetka. The name catches me. Winnetka — could it be the same Winnetka where I went to high school, where I spent so much of my youth?

I look it up. Sure enough, it is. I read that the song’s later lyrics tell of a mysterious woman from Winnetka who captivates the hearts of local men.

I can’t help but think of T.  She wasn’t mysterious — she didn’t need to be — but she was effortlessly cool, the kind of girl who made an impression without trying. She could light up a room, but she was grounded, too. The whole package.

We stayed loosely in touch over the years. Every so often — five, maybe ten years — we’d cross paths. A beer when she was back in town, a few messages online. The last time I saw her, my wife and I met her at a local bar. We laughed, reminisced, and caught up on life.

Not long after, she got sick. Cancer. She passed too soon.

There’s a Jewish saying at funerals: “May their memory be a blessing.”

I’m not sure what kind of legacy I’ll leave, but my memories of T are blessings — small, shining moments that surface unexpectedly, like this song from Winnetka on a random evening. I’m happy to have known her.

 


Oct 05 2025 2025-10-05 2025-10-05 by Ross

This Week in Training – Slow and Steady Progress

Posted in Running, Swimming, Training, Triathlon

Swim 🏊

  • Workouts: 2
  • Total Distance: 4,300 yards
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Notes: The final swim on Sunday felt especially good. I’m starting to get some of that feel for the water back. Progress, little by little.

Bike 🚴

  • Workouts: 0
  • Total Distance: 0
  • Notes: Still nothing here. I need to stop procrastinating and get the bike back in the mix.

Run 🏃

  • Workouts: 3
  • Total Distance: 7.89 miles
  • Total Time: 1 hour 19 minutes
  • Notes: Not a lot of mileage, but these runs felt strong for a change. Paces were better, effort felt smoother. That’s a win.

Strength/Other 💪

  • Workouts: 0
  • Notes: 100% failure on this front. Need to start carving out time for it.

Reflections ✍️

Even without much volume, this week felt better. The runs were solid, the swim is coming around, and I’m feeling more confident in my overall fitness. I’m building slower than ever before, but that’s okay — I’d rather move forward consistently than burn out.

Goals for Next Week 🎯

  • Add two bike sessions.
  • Get in at least one strength workout.
  • Travel week — so aim for one swim and extra runs while out of town.
  • Keep the “slow and steady” approach — progress in feeling, not just numbers.

 


Oct 01 2025 2025-10-01 2025-10-01 by Ross

I Only Pick Winners, Dave…

Posted in Fantasy Sports

Happy news: I won my NFL Confidence Pool last week. 💰 $100! Woo!

Even better — after four weeks, I’m sitting in first place overall. That’s right: me, the guy who’s always in the middle of the pack, clawing for 10th or 11th, suddenly running away with it.

What’s my secret? Some kind of deep football knowledge? Years of scouting the injury reports? Gambling wizardry?

Nope.

I haven’t made a single pick. Not one.

Every week, I’ve outsourced my picks to ChatGPT. Yes, artificial intelligence. The same AI people are using to write emails, plan vacations, and cheat on their homework are now my football consigliere.

And it’s crushing everyone.

So far, my robot overlord has done what I’ve never managed to do with my own brain: lead the pool after four weeks. And if it keeps spitting out winners, I’ll gladly welcome our AI future — at least if it means a steady stream of $100 bills.

Do I know if this luck will hold up? Nope. Do I care? Not really. I’m just going to sit back, enjoy the ride, and let the bots make my picks.

So here’s my hot tip for anyone who wants to win their office pool: don’t study game tape. Don’t read injury reports. Don’t analyze the matchups. Outsource your picks to a robot.

Long live the machines. 🏈🤖💵

(and no, it doesn’t take the fun out of it.  It makes it easier to make picks, but I still get all the enjoyment from following the games.

 


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