I don't know if it's just me or everyone, but the whole vibe with skiing is not so much thriving on competition against others as it is against myself and the clock.
Picabo Street
But to personally satisfy my own adrenalin needs, I've been racing cars a little bit, which has been fun.
I've made a promise to myself to be a 100% healthy person if nothing else.
I'm social and I meet people and talk to people but I'm not looking for the ideal person to fit my mold and to raise my family with yet. I'm just kind of doing my thing and learning from the people I'm around and who I cross paths with.
My knee is as strong as it was before, if not stronger, and it's a matter of getting my leg strong. I lost six years of strength in about six month's time, so it's going to take another year or two to get that leg back up to full strength, but I'm good to go so far.
A lot of women don't know how to vent and deal with emotions.
I wasn't losing my focus but I was getting tired of focusing. What I was focusing on was becoming too routine, too ritual, not something that was interesting, new and exciting.
There were mornings when I just didn't want to get out of bed. But once again, I'm in an adverse situation and having to deal with something new and learn how to do it.
I don't look at it like that's my rival and I have to beat her. It's more like, I have to ski this as fast as I can and the fastest of everyone out here and that's what I expect.
I'm not following anybody's tracks, I'm making my own baby.
My brother and Lauren are very close with me and they are in Sun Valley, so sometimes I need to go there and feel their presence. And there are times I need to see my bro' alone.
That fat speed that I love, that sensation, that's what I want.
I have my gold forever and no one can ever take it away from me.
Nobody needs to prove to anybody what they're worthy of, just the person that they look at in the mirror. That's the only person you need to answer to.
It is an everlasting desire to make my dreams come true. And it's getting to the point now where it's like, come on I want my dreams to come true so that I can get on with the rest of my life. Sometimes I think about the rest of my life when I'm done.
I'm hoping that maybe everyone on the Olympic team thinks that I'm worthy to carry the flag. That's my next goal, to carry the flag during the opening ceremonies, if everyone chooses me.
Here at the house, I've been decorating it and getting it organized. My best friend moved in in October so I've been getting her settled. She's my personal assistant now.
Every once in a while I run the Olympic downhill in Japan in my head. I think of how the energy is going to flow and then I make it all work for myself.
I get my inspiration from everyone when I need it and how I need it.
There are times everyone needs to be together for me and we all just work together; making sure that my energy is good and right when I go do what I'm going to do. That means the family needs to spend time together.
I donate money to the existing foundation that funds the US Ski Team kids.
One of my dreams in life is to do fund-raising for the youth.
The whole image thing gets in the way. Then there are the guys that it excites them and it's what draws them to me. But I don't know whether they would care for me if I didn't have this image.
I'm looking forward to free skiing the most. Just groomers, big wide groomers making nice big turns.
I want kids to have a chance to dream of becoming something like I did in my life, and when you're living in a home that's dysfunctional and unhealthy that way, you don't dream like that.
We weren't built to fly. We can do it, but we shouldn't be surprised if it feels a little unnatural.
