I measure time differently since moving to Park City and skiing at Deer Valley.  Like many parents, I used to measure time in terms of the ages of my children and events in their lives.  Reflecting back, my frame of reference usually went something like this,  “when Brian was eight” or “when we drove Saxon to college.”  Since moving to Park City and my children – now referred to as “adult children” – having graduated from college, established their careers and family lives, I have adopted a new way to measure time. I measure it by ski seasons.

When people ask me how long I’ve lived in Park City, I answer simply, “This is my third season.” Everyone knows what I am talking about – the beautiful winters here.  In my case, I also think about my progress in learning to ski.  Season #1 – the Hockey Stop was a big turning point for me.  Learning to stop on a dime gave me more confidence and allowed me to go on stepper runs.  Season #2 – the high point for me was the Women’s Weekend.  Three days in a row with the same instructor and group of women was a great way to improve my skiing. That weekend of fun and instruction landed me solidly as an intermediate skier – blue runs, baby!

Starting season #3 at Deer Valley, I noted that I am already skiing runs that I struggled with in the middle of last season.  On the mental game of skiing, I caught myself thinking, “You are doing pretty good, Nancy” and immediately gave myself a gut check.  I have found the moment I think I am doing well, something happens.  Maybe it’s because I stop paying attention and suddenly falter.  I was reminded over and over again that pride cometh before the fall during Season #2.

Fortunately, as a blogger, I can read about past seasons allowing me to savor my experiences and re-live the events right here.  But not everyone is a writer or keeps a journal.  It’s not hard to mark your seasons here in Park City or experiences on vacation at Deer Valley.

Here are four easy ways:

1.  Pinterest Boards.  You can make a Pinterest Board and name it based on your current season. I’ll call mine Season #3 Park City, Utah.  Use your own photos or search Deer Valley Resort, Ski Utah and Park City, Utah for lots of material. 

2.  Facebook Albums and Timelines.  On Facebook, you can make a special photo album or simply post on your timeline and then come back and review.  My photo album on my personal Facebook Page, just says “Park City” so I need to split it up into seasons.

3. Scrapbook or Photo Album.  Scrapbookers can make an album of their winter season and keep it on the coffee table to enjoy. Or make an electronic version for your family to enjoy wherever they live!

4. Instagram. Creating an Instagram is fast and easy. Create a profile for yourself and use hashtags to categorize your pictures. You can see in the picture below that Deer Valley Resort uses #SkiTheDifference. This is a great way to connect with other ski enthusiasts and see pictures from around the world.

Now with a plethora of social media, journaling, and photo sites, reflecting on your past seasons shouldn’t be challenging.  You just need to do it!

What was your favorite ski season and how are you going to remember this one?