My Saturday in Alternate Universes

In one alternate universe, I was frolicking in the snow, near Squaw Valley, on Saturday. Frolicking is a pretty accurate description of what I do during those unusual instances when snow and I happen to be in the same place at the same time.

I like the snow, but I'm not a serious enthusiast. I don't monitor ski conditions and head for the Sierras at the first sign of powder. Skiing and snowboarding don't really appeal to me. Rather, I'm one of those who delights in taking the occasional icy snowball to the face or tobogganing down a steep slope with the unintentional mission of plowing into an unsuspecting tree or inattentive snowman.

On less adventurous days, I enjoy observing the blinding whiteness covering the landscape and admiring how the ordinary outdoors can be magically transformed into a winter wonderland.

If anything, I'd like to give snowshoeing a go. It's more my speed. Slow, approaching stationary.

In an opposite alternate universe, I spent Saturday skiing with Bode Miller-esque skill.

In one uneventful universe, I awoke at noon, stared at the ceiling, fluffed the pillows and went back to sleep.

In alternate universe 103B, the Golden Globes were held Saturday and I won for Best Performance by a Male Extra in a Television Series - Drama for my work as Passenger 47 on Lost.

In this alternate universe, I was at the dentist's on Saturday for my regular six-month cleaning. The family dentist had postponed the appointment by a week on account of bad weather. He didn't want us driving over Highway 17 in the heavy rain. Between San Jose and Santa Cruz, it's a winding road that can be dangerous on the sunniest of days. Include a storm and low visibility, and accidents are almost guaranteed.

I might have been tempted to postpone the appointment another week for a romp in the snow if not for my grandparents, who live in Santa Cruz. We hadn't seen them since Thanksgiving and they wanted us to stop by for dinner. Visits have grown more rare over the years as certain health-related issues have reduced their availability and ability to travel. Since we didn't know if we would see them for Chinese New Year (February 9th), we couldn't turn them down. Besides, it would've been highly disrespectful. We ate at their usual restaurant before heading back and calling it a night.