Aside from its career directing kite, blimp, and hot-air-balloon traffic, the wind also works part-time as a hair-blower on fashion photo shoots. Try a new wind-based hobby with today's Groupon: for $20, you get a two-hour, on-land, introductory kiteboarding lesson at Helm of Sun Valley in San Mateo ($60 value). Classes are offered Friday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Helm of Sun Valley's trained and experienced instructors take a safety-focused approach to teaching high-adrenaline winter and summer board sports. In a two-hour ground lesson, a seasoned wind-harnesser introduces fledgling kiters to the sport and imparts an understanding of wind window theory and the ocean drape hypothesis. From the comfort of the beach, breeze-surfers-in-training can absorb how to launch, steer, and land a kite and how to safely manage their zephyr-gliding steed. Instructors provide all equipment as well as give up to 12 students per class essential knowledge needed for future water lessons and obscure game-show categories. After the lesson, students have the opportunity to purchase a training kite and instructional DVD should they choose to further their kiteboarding careers.