As many of you already know, I went sky diving to celebrate my graduation from UW. Yes, officially obtaining my
masters in digital media communications has lead me to throw myself off a plane. Don't get me wrong, both experiences have shaped who I am and who I am becoming. Both rewarding in their own right.
I have so much to say about the experience, about the instructor, about the
process, about the scenery, however I am more compelled to talk about how it
made me feel. Bear with me as I articulate one of the best rides of my
life.
Ever since I was a little girl I have felt a hesitation to really live my life to the fullest. It might have been my experiences growing up that have made me fearful of certain adventures, but in the end the fear that wins all battles of any fear I might have is the fear to not actually follow through with something because of just that, fear. That is a mouthful, but in the end, not doing something because of fear scares the hell out of me. Thus an adventurer was born.
Expanding on this idea: when I was little I had my normal neighborhood and classmate friends. We experienced our typical adventures that a team of kids would be expected to pursue, however it was nothing close to what my imagination really wanted to do. I spent countless hours in my room daydreaming scripted scenes in my head and talking them aloud almost reciting it on a stage. It wasn't until I left home for boarding school at age 16 that I started my first real adventure outside my house and head. From that point on I have been doing my best to materialize my day dreaming into lucid reality.
To really appreciate what sky diving did for me you would have to understand where my state of mind was. One of my life chapters with school had just ended and the continuation of my learning in that capacity was up in the air, so to speak. This included a foundational set of cohorts and a familiarity of routine. At that point I had been feeling disconnected to life and even the people around me. For most of you, you understand my emotional health. I have experienced, like nearly everyone, some big life events and my ability to trust someone else has been challenged. The feeling of shouldering my own life has always weighed on me regardless of who stands by myself as a champion. These struggles of reaching out and truly letting down walls was particularly pressing on me at this cycle in my life.
Most importantly, in the subject of love in my life. I have pseudo loved most of my existence. I have day dreamed about finding the ultimate relationship where I can be me and be accepted and to love someone and accept them right back. It is safe to want something, but to actually wholeheartedly experience it is another story. It scares you to take the leap and once you have made that decision you almost want to release a hatch and turn back. In fact there are many times that I do that still before I realize the unhealthy behavior and try and make my course correction. Sometimes these corrections are too late to salvage a relationship, but it makes room for the next relationship that is an even better blessing in my life. Which I do believe I have finally found now. But it did not come until I finally made the jump.
There I was, strapped to another person that I was suppose to instantly trust to guide me safely to the ground. I was lined up in this small tin airplane with other divers as we climbed to 4 thousand, 5 thousand, 10 thousand and finally to 13 thousand feet. My tandem partner and I were the last to jump. We scooted to the edge of the door opening and hung my legs off the side as I waiting for him to roll me down off the edge. Suddenly I was dropping at about 240 mph. Remarkably that is not when I was scared, it was only in the beginning while I was looking at the drop. All fear dissolved as I seemingly floated down with the Pacific Northwest scenery comforting me from all sides. I don’t even remember thinking when the shoot would open. Instead I was feeling the intense feeling of not wanting it to end. I thought about what I had and will accomplish as I finally nudge myself to the edge of any new experience, no matter how scary.
Jumping was giving me the strength outside of the sky diving to take even more chances in my life. Sometimes you need someone to help you take the plunge in life, just like it takes someone else to hurt your trust. There is nothing wrong with getting support in a partner and trusting. And in the end, landing on my feet was the easiest part of the trip.While I start to articulate my experience in the living and not just in my head, I continue to day dream to this day, the adventures of what
I will be re-purposing this blog. Yes, I will still talk about my triathlon progress, but I will also be airing my thoughts. Please feel free to have a two way conversation with me. I want to know your thoughts as I share my viewpoints. New post to come this week if not tonight!
Thanks!
Alright, I have sort of hidden myself in the back corner out of shame for not training. A few weeks back I got an infection that caused me to recoil for a week and then I never untangled myself from that moment. Interesting how small set backs can cause such a long ripple effect.
I have been thinking long and hard on whether or not I should do this. I go back and forth with the thought of going forward to just have a base line for next years race that will be more rehearsed or giving in to a bribe to go to the beach that weekend instead. Most of you know what a huge fan I am of the beach and there was a slight hesitation in my step.
Nonetheless, I am still going to do it with one condition. Next weekend I will be doing a practice run. I will do the same amount of swim/bike/run combination and see how it feels. Crazy? It might be given the race is the following weekend. Check back in to see if I make it.
It seems that my intentions are usually good, however at the very last minute I find myself ill prepared and then given the decision to back out or give it my best. In reality, my best would have been my best if I had stuck to my training. if you believe in fate, like I do, then you will understand my thinking of being just where I should be mentality. this isn't an excuse to not practice, but a learning lesson on my part. After all, it does not come without consequences. The weekend of the 19th will be a tough day for me because of the decision to not train. Again, I have learned a lesson in my life that will not be fully recognized until later, maybe that race weekend and maybe a year from then when I run a stronger race.
No matter how you look at it, we set ourselves up for most of our lessons. Yes, imagine that, we have responsibility and accountability of our actions in our life and I am trying to to be just that, be responsible and accountable to what I started.
Wish me well!
I am testing Typepad's BlogIt software. This looks promising as a way to post to multiple sites using my phone. Combined with the status change toon for facebook and twitter I may actually use it. Kinda' cool, actually.
Baseball continues this spring with games in the cold, in the rain and once even on a sunny day. Welcome the America's past time in the great Northwest. Today starts the playoffs for August's team. He is playing lots of first base and catcher, and is beginning to find his swing at just the right time. Today they won, but will need to face the league leader in the next round of the playoffs. The nice thing about the group of kids on the team is their support and belief in each other. It makes games very fun.
I didn't write this week and I had a few of my friends notice. I was surprised, because I didn't realize anyone was looking on past the first week. Thank you for all of you who have checked and thank you for those who have pinged me for support!
I went to an REI triathlon 101 meeting. The meeting was about preparing those of us who have not done a triathlon. They (they being good looking athletes that have ran over a dozen of triathlons that even include the olympic distance) prepared me for what it may look and feel like, mostly focusing on what to wear, how to position yourself in the race at the starting point and how to make the transition from swimming to biking to running! I learned a lot, noting mostly that I wasn't prepared on the gear front. Never fear, I am making a trip down to Portland and will be picking up tax free equipment, a rode bike being the most important. Yes, that is right, I don't even have a road bike yet, but the training on the mountain bike makes it harder to train an the transition may show to be very nice when I start to train on the road bike. We will most definitely see.
On the mind front. I have so much going on in my head right now with graduation looming, my career taking off and other things that just wouldn't be appropriate in this blog. On a side note, lets catch up and have a drink if you want to exchange life notes. however, if I stick with the road map for training that Steve (my faithful companion in training and my boyfriend) I can flush out the rest of my life, planning in my head and soaking it up during the activities. Any other thinkers while you work out? There is no stopping in the build up, being that I will be soon combining two events a day in training.
Again, I have so much that I am thinking and feeling in my life right now. I want to express it in a blog, but this venue does not seem like the place. More later perhaps.
Stats: 172 lbs. 7lbs weight lose thus far.
I have this weird habit where I consistently say to myself what my intentions are. I verbalize events before they happen. For example, you really want to be on time for that important meeting and you are doing everything in your power to assure you success, yet traffic gets in the way. I would sit there and say, thank you for me getting to the meeting on time and then envision the traffic to start to open up after a stalled car just ahead and myself sitting at the table with important clients perfectly on time and ready.
No matter how hard you envision and make your intentions clear in the space you own in this world, it doesn't always happen the way you think it should or could. Where it gets particularly messy is when you try to involve others to change reactions or behaviors. What if you are having an argument with your partner and you said something stupid, but immediately came to your senses and corrected your reaction (right or wrong). Lets say your partner wasn't simultaneously as enthusiastic to move on. You start to try and envision them laughing it off, grabbing your hand and walking down the path together. The tricky part is the state of mind that we all get in, which may be caused from our past filters. No amount of our visualization exercises for others can move the direction they go in, instead it is their power in their mind that can sort it out.
I can't help but wonder, as hard as I envision my victory over any race, whether the triathlon; my career; my relationships, whatever...how are my filters getting in the way of achieving happiness? I get that happiness is not necessarily defined by coming in 10th out of 100 racers, but instead finishing strong and proud of myself. Nonetheless, when you want so badly to be strong and make your intentions clear of what your goals are, when does looking off to the side to want someone or something to be there mentally with you become a road block instead of a speed bump.
I am not asking for all of you to sit back and start envisioning my success of the race, but instead look at how we each affect each others energy and success. We may not be able to control everything around us, but trying, adding positive thoughts, and inspiriting others (not just ourselves) should be on our road map at some point.
I hesitate to say that I know anything about this process and that I even practice it religiously. I just know that there is value in growing together instead of trying to figure it all out in our own heads. There is a balance of trying to figure out when to hold a hand and when to let one go. There is a balance of support that we all offer each other in our own ways. What I am asking is to question your support you offer others around you, because I know I am! I am envisioning all of our success right now.
Stats: I am down to 174.5lbs. I had two good runs, a strong hike and two bike rides. This week I have to step it up...no doubt!
We didn't exactly start the day off quietly. We had spotted this roller coaster at Mission Beach the first day we were in San Diego and we knew we would have to check it out before we left. The Giant Dipper may have a lame name, but it is a gem. This 83-year-old wooden roller coaster bangs you all around inside the car as you snake around on its nearly 1/2 mile track. So why not come along for our ride. Drew whipped out the Flip video camera so you can share our point of view. The Flip does not do motion very well (the DivX codec just doesn't have enough key-frames for smooth picture) but we still like the way it looks. Depending on your connection you can see the high bitrate version or the lower bitrate version on the left. In the end, the video quality is equally crappy.
The rest of the day was pretty low key. Much needed after the animal overdose of the Zoo on day one and the Wild Animal Park on day two. We did a little shopping, explored some of the neighborhoods, swam in the hotel pool (even though it was probably on 48 degrees with at 15 mph wind) and then ended the day with great Mexican food in Old Town. It was a great way to wrap up our brief stay in frosty San Diego. We will hit Balboa Park in the morning and jump on our flight home in the afternoon.
I am one day away from completing week 2. It wasn't as pretty as I had hoped, but I have reassessed my game plan and am announcing my new strategy! That makes me think of something...
This actually reminds me of a conversation that my boyfriend, Steve, and I talked about as we were wondering down a main street in downtown NYC. We were contemplating staying static because of so many choices that defocus you or confuse you in some way VS. having a clear goal and working towards that as if you were a greyhound with blinders! In the end we rationalized that if you thought of a goal for yourself and set out, but realized that different tracks and side bars actually have some value. In the end it breathes movement to state your goals, but because there are different routes or the destination isn't what you thought it would be...you have accomplishments and in most ways, more value added in the end.
As for my new idea on training? I joined Weight Watchers today! I am going to be tracking calories, fat and fiber over the amount of carbohydrates. This will help me build muscle more and in the end will allow me to eat according to the amount I burn in my training. Makes sense, doesn't it?
I feel that I am weaving a little in my triathlon race, but there is
movement and I see value in the exploration of my process. Here is to
change and adaptation during our journeys!
The park is incredible. The kids decided it was like no "zoo" they had ever experienced before. The highlight was the tour where they had an opportunity to feed the giraffes. The weather finially cooperated with the sunny skies we expected when we booked this vacation last winter. The weather report is a return to 80 degree temperatures... the day after we leave. Oh well.
One of the tour sites pointed out that the cost of entry to the Zoo for four is actually more than a membership. Consequently, this was day two of our exercising our new-found zoo member status. Lots of free stuff besides admission. So lots of new photos from the day, most of them snapped by Kat. She is becoming quite the shooter.
