Re-cap of 2011!

2011 has been quite a year! If I thought 2010 was busy, 2011 kicked it well and truly into touch. Here's my 2011 year in review. In no particular order - the good, the bad, the skiing, the partying, the work, the travelling and the growing up :)

• Took 100 flights exactly - top destinations included New York, Thailand, Abu Dhabi and Copenhagen
• First video production - Visualising Foursquare Check Ins
• Shot the second most powerful handgun in the world, the Smith and Wesson 500;




• Jumped the fence from Windows to an Apple Macbook Pro
• Jumped the fence from Android to an Apple iPhone S
• Went to my first burlesque-themed party;





• Stroked a tiger;





• Skied in a kilt
• Skied twice in a season for the first time ever (Tignes, France and Sauze d'Oulx, Italy)
• Became a fan of Pippa Middleton's derrier
• Attended 5 weddings
• Grew a beard
• Attended the Royal Highland Show for the first time, saw this: http://twitpic.com/5glmi0
• Celebrated 4th July independence...in New York
• Played 9 holes of pub golf for the first time since University...managed a hole in one for every hole
• Played one of the top 100 golf courses in the world in Abu Dhabi, though I don't play golf
• Discovered how much fun Brighton is for a night out
• Won the Halloween team fancy dress competition at work, dressed as Crayons;





• Wrote more blog posts than 2009 and 2010 combined
• Became a godfather for the first time
• Surpassed 1000 followers on Twitter
• Met some unbelievable people, some of whom may mould my next 12 months (you know who you are!)
• Discovered Camera+
• Won a one-on-one xmas jumper competition through a public Facebook and Twitter vote off;

I hope you also had a great, memorable 2011! Now time to put your feet up, overindulge and come back fresh for 2012. All the best for the festive season folks!

4 Skiing Tips - Video Tutorials

It's getting to that time of year again. Blow the dust of the skis, get them edged and waxed, throw them in the bag, and head to the slopes. Straight out of your hotel or chalet, you're more excited than a kid at Christmas. You do up your jacket, drag your skis out onto the snow, do up your boots and hop onto the skis. Always makes you out of breath that part, doesn't it? Then you have your first ski run. Like a formula 1 driver warming up the tires on the practice lap, you take things nice and slowly, getting in your turns (or 'getting your legs in', as we say), and remembering how to ski.

If you want to get a head start before you even leave for the slopes, help is at hand. Check out the series of videos from @SkiSchoolApp, which provide handy hints and tips,and should help improve your skiing technique

Video 1 - Don't get lazy!
I put my hand up, I'm guilty of this. You know the situation, you've been skiing well and hard all morning, then you reach a gentle slope. The hands go by your side and your stance becomes upright. You're not really trying. Here's why you shouldn't do that.

Video 2 - Stay Stacked
Keep your arms out, keep your upper body facing down the slope, and stay 'stacked'.

Video 3 - Plant those poles!
Pole planting helps keep your body position and turning technique correct. Don't get lazy, get pole planting

Video 4 - Carve, don't skid
Something most skiiers are guilt of, sliding across the snow rather than getting those edges in and letting the skis do the hard work. Hit a patch of ice and sliding or slipping won't seem so clever.

Do you have any other hints or tips you'd like to share? Feel free to let me know! Safe skiing folks!