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  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 9:13 pm on March 16, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , spinning   

    8/52: Spinning my wheels without going anywhere 

    I have something against treadmills. Why would I run or walk in the same excruciatingly boring spot when I have the option of exploring all the sights, sounds and smells of a neighborhood? So my interest in taking a spinning class was kind of random. Different machine, same problem, right?

    Not really, as I learned on Monday night. Add black lights, pounding music and an instructor yelling at me to stand on my pedals and run every few minutes, and there’s no room for boredom. Only time for sweating and wondering how badly my be-hind was going to hurt afterwards. (FYI: No amount of seat padding helps.)

    It felt like a return to my step aerobic roots. (Thankfully, pictures of those days do not exist.) No talk of connecting breath and movement, no spirituality — just an intense, heart-thumping hour. Immediately afterwards, I felt wired in a not-so-great way. For the past few years I’ve been using exercise as a way to calm my mind, not to continue the chaos of my work day. The constant stimulation of the class was anything but relaxing. But by the time I was home, I felt energized in a positive way. This was definitely not the typical Monday night energy level I’d been used to for the past six months. While I can’t imagine I’ll make spinning a part of my weekly routine, I can see myself taking a class when I need an energy boost (or after a serious chow-down).

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    • yearof52adventures 8:06 pm on March 17, 2010 Permalink

      It’s good to kick it up a few notches and try a new routine. I’ll think I’ll slip something in to my schedule now myself. thanks!

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 1:40 pm on March 14, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , Colorado, , vacation   

    7/52: Freeloading and skiing in Colorado 

    This is a 2-for-1 adventure (but I’m counting it as No. 7 only): Adventure 7a was acting upon my sister-in-law’s invitation to stay at her sister’s house in Colorado. For a non-assertive person like myself, following up on an invitation like that is pretty out-of-character adventurous. I tend to convince myself that when people offer things or invite me places, they don’t really mean it and secretly hope I’ll forget as soon as the words pop out of their mouths. I decided to take her invitation at face value and asked if it was possible to stay there for a few days during DP’s spring break. So glad I did – the house, the scenery and the company (8 other family members joined us!) was just the R&R I needed after a stressful few months at work.

    Adventure 7b was attempting to downhill ski again. I love all kinds of outdoor activities, but downhill skiing is far from my favorite. (Maybe it has something to do with the time I plowed straight down the middle of a hill at lightening speed and gave my ski a kiss at the bottom. Hello, fat lip!) Watching the winter Olympics and relentless hounding by skiing family members finally convinced me to join them for one day.

    After a disappointing lesson in which I think became a worse skier for its two-hour duration, I hit the bunny hill hardcore with my nephew, a first-timer. By the end of the day, we were ready to hit a green trail with the other skiers. DP was kind and slowed down to my pace, and the scenery was gorgeous. But after making it to the bottom sans dramatic crash, I was ready to take off my skis and have a spiked hot chocolate. And I happily opted for a hike when others went skiing the next day. I’m glad I tried to ski again, but I now know, without any doubt, that my heart is in the ocean waves rather than on the slopes. I’m still dreaming about my next surfing adventure…


    This picture was taken seconds after I fell, face-first,
    into a thigh-high snow bank
    after saying to my snow-shoe companions,
    “Let’s see if these snow shoes really work.”

    Answer: No.

    So, I turned over and made a snow angel.

     

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 11:47 pm on February 22, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , handmade napkins   

    6/52: Sewing swanky cloth napkins for every day meals 

    I’ll admit it: I’m a hypocritical kind of tree-hugger/tree-killer who uses 20 times her weight in paper towels and napkins each year. It’s embarrassing. But how can I be expected to stop when IKEA makes such cute printed napkins?

    In a moment of intense shame, I googled how to make my own cloth napkins and came upon this fantastic tutorial: http://www.purlbee.com/mollys-handmade-napkins/. Then I found some really cheap fabric and ridiculously expensive ribbon to make my own, just in time for a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner. Sadly, that’s the last time I’ve really needed a napkin … too much eating on the run or standing up in the kitchen … but I look forward to many future meals with my fancy, eco-friendly napkins. There IS a dinner party in my year of adventuring, after all.

     

    • wip78 1:48 pm on February 25, 2010 Permalink

      Swanky, indeed! I would like to place an order of 6,please. Thanks;)

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 11:26 pm on February 22, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , duct tape   

    5/52: Being duct-taped to a window for an educational purpose 

    I’m an academic advisor, so I’m used to students asking questions of me. Many of their questions are the same, and many of my answers are the same. Two Fridays ago, however, I experienced a significant break in the monotony … I was asked by two first-year students I advise to consider being duct-taped to a window for educational hijinks (that is, Engineering Week festivities). And my answer was quite unexpected too. After a quick glance at the 52 Adventures logo that’s next to my computer screen, I said yes.

    So, on the following Monday, I arrived at Zimmer Hall, ready for my taping. Along with 18 other people, I was taped to a window, quite strategically. I was one of three people who actually stayed taped to the window for any amount of time, and I managed to hang in for a few minutes before not-so-gracefully falling face-first into my kind teammates’ arms. Because extra points are given when any foolish faculty or staff member can be talked into an activity, my team won enough for a first place finish. Hoo-ray!

     

    • yearof52adventures 11:16 am on February 23, 2010 Permalink

      post post post the picture. I LOVE this adventure in adhesive!

    • wip78 1:22 pm on February 23, 2010 Permalink

      post it!

    • wip78 2:08 pm on February 24, 2010 Permalink

      Great picture!

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 11:13 pm on February 1, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , fundraising, Indo Jax, Ocean Cure, surfing,   

    4/52: Holding a beach-inspired yoga fundraiser for Ocean Cure 

    This is an adventure with a history and a purpose and a future … my most exciting one to date.

    It all started with a long-awaited adventure in August 2009. After years of saying I wanted to learn how to surf, I decided that I was really going to learn how to surf. (You know how sometimes you get so obsessed with a dream that you forget that all it takes is, um, just doing it?) I chose Indo Jax Surf School, based in Wilmington, NC, because of its commitment to providing charity surf camps through its non-profit, Ocean Cure. I was happy that my tuition for the camp would support future charity camps.

    After an amazing week of surfing with some fantastic instructors, I returned to Ohio knowing that I wanted to contribute more than just my week’s tuition. I felt inspired and excited and called to act. After brainstorming with the director about how a land-locked Ohioan could help, I decided that I would attempt to raise enough money to fund at least one charity camp in 2010 by holding beach-inspired yoga classes in Ohio and Kentucky. I’d never attempted anything like this before.

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    • jeindeer 2:43 pm on February 2, 2010 Permalink

      Wow, that is great! You’re right to feel proud. How are you thinking of promoting your next event?

    • eatveggiesdrinkwine 10:17 pm on February 2, 2010 Permalink

      Thanks! I think the yoga studio will draw more people because there’s already a good base of students, and it was promoted through a newsletter this week. I’ve been creating and mailing posters to studios and businesses that may cater to yogis, plus contacting newspapers and radio stations. And, I’ve been letting people hang flyers (this is an accomplishment — i usually have a hard time accepting help) and shamelessly inviting everyone I know. It’s a lesson in assertiveness for me … one I definitely need. But, it feels easier to ask for money when it’s not for me, and also when I feel like I’m giving people something in return.

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 9:02 pm on January 23, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , dating   

    3/52: Taking my husband on a date 


    On a fun date–my sister-in-law’s 70s-themed birthday bash–a few years ago

    Inspired by fellow adventurers (adventurerchaser and Berton)–one of whom went on a date every night last week and another who completed homework about love for his upcoming marriage–I invited my husband (DP) on a date as soon as I arrived home on Friday night. Why is this an adventure? For a few reasons:
    1. My natural introverted tendency is to remove myself from the world on Friday nights, so offering to do anything besides put on my PJs and sulk was a major accomplishment.
    2. I have been the grumpiest, most annoyed, and likely most annoying, partner on the planet this week. Which actually made our date more of an adventure for DP, who probably accepted my invitation out of fear about what might happen if he declined.
    3. DP and I have not gone out, alone, in a very long time. See point number 1 for insight on why this is so.

    My first suggestion was to try a new restaurant, but since I was trying to be super-spontaneous as well, we decided to get tickets for the 8 pm performance of Spring Awakening. The theatre is next to one of our favorite spots, so we nixed a new place and headed downtown for a pre-show appetizer and beer. We held hands as we walked from the car, we laughed as he played air drum during some of the more rockin’ numbers (I usually just want to die of embarrassment but I was steadfast in my adventurous spirit), and, not wanting the night to end early, we headed to a somewhat new-to-us pub for appetizer and beer #2. We talked, we cracked up, we enjoyed each others’ company. And I felt hopeful that by the end of 2010, a Friday night like that will feel commonplace rather than adventurous.

     

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 8:21 pm on January 9, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: , environment, Walking   

    2/52: Walking to the library 

    I’m often dashing to the library with overdue books, trying to stuff them into the drop box minutes before opening time to avoid accruing even more fees. I actually like paying the small fines for books, but when I borrow movies I try to meet the due date– $2/day adds up quickly. So, this morning I needed to return Rachel Getting Married (still not sure what I think of it) by 10 am. On a typical day, I’d hop in my car and drive down the street to the Madisonville Library. But I didn’t feel like swiping the snow off my car. And I have never, ever walked to the library in my nearly 9 years of living 1.1 miles away from it. It seemed like an adventure waiting to happen.

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    • jscribe 8:38 pm on January 9, 2010 Permalink

      Seems so simple but is so important. I walk pretty much everywhere–but i might need to add a “walk to explore, not just to get from point A to point B” to my list.

    • eatveggiesdrinkwine 3:03 pm on January 10, 2010 Permalink

      I agree — I walk as a form of exercise, so I’m usually trying to walk as fast as I can. It was nice to give myself permission to stop and look at things and to let my dog meander too. (And I’m super-envious of your walking everywhere life.)

    • Jock 3:10 am on May 4, 2011 Permalink

      I feel so much happier now I undresatnd all this. Thanks!

  • eatveggiesdrinkwine 8:07 pm on January 9, 2010 Permalink | Reply
    Tags: ,   

    1/52: Joining The Year of 52 Adventures and sharing my list (so far) 

    Hi all! So excited to be joining you on this journey. I was immediately smitten with this idea as soon as I learned of it from a friend’s post on Facebook. At first I planned to participate in this quietly, on my own, but then I realized that being a part of this community is a necessary adventure for me this year. Though I can temporarily trick people into believing I’m an extrovert, introversion courses through my veins and feels oh-so-comfortable to me. So, here I am, adventuring in public and learning how to live out loud a bit more.

    Here’s my list so far, separated in categories and with some borrowed adventures from your lists:

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