Ski ropes

"Ski ropes on Tuesday"

While I'm waiting for students to show up for their advisement appointments, I thought I would tell you about the confusion that announcement at the top of this blog caused in my little head this morning that eventually led to the conclusion that I am an ethnocentric European.

One thing I love about this country is that there is always so much to read by the side of the road. Of course, the billboards are hideous, but don't you just love how signs like "We're nuts! All peanuts half off!" or "Come to the best soft hands spa in Georgia" send your mind on a long journey of free-association-for-morons that can last for miles? As someone who, due to long periods without books, or furniture, or anything to do, has read every single manual in her house at least once, I can tell that I absolutely love it. I love reading about the homemade Belgian waffles offered by the Hampton Inn on my way to work. I love reading about the cheap tickets to Disney that I can apparently by right next to that same hotel, and I even like comparing different church signs from day to day as my daily inspiration. Today one of those signs read; "In times of need, ask for help", and you know, I really liked that, I mean, isn't it true when you think about it? So, here is my plea: will someone please help me grade 30 research papers and 90 finals next week? Thanks.

Anyway, the sign about the ski ropes was on a part of my drive that has little in terms of roadside reading material, so it immediately caught my eye. Especially since I could not for the life of me figure out why a) someone would need a rope while skiing, and b) why someone would be announcing the sale of ski accessories in a part of the world that never sees snow. As I was driving along the highway, I thought of all the different things you could do while skiing that would require a rope. When I couldn't think of any, I started wonder how maybe southerners would use the word "ski" to mean something else. Something long and skinny; maybe they were talking about guns? Or maybe some type of fried food? And then when I crossed a lake, my little ethnocentric mind suddenly saw the light. Not snow skiing, but waterskiing! And of course you need ropes for waterskiing. Right. So in this case, it wasn't a weird southern thing, it was all me.

And the good thing about that sign? It took me pretty much all the way to work to figure out. And if that's not 30 miles well spent, than I don't know what is.