The Year of 52 Adventures

February 2026
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AG 9:55 pm on June 6, 2010 Permalink | Reply

Adventure #14: Booking Club
In Korea, there are clubs that cater to men hoping to meet women. Now, I suppose that’s why most people go to clubs in general. But in Korea, the purpose of these booking clubs is specifically for men to not order only drinks to their private rooms but also women. I know it sounds sketchy, and it sort of felt creepy. I went purely for the cultural experience. I was under the impression at first that I could go there, dance, and get free drinks. This, however, was not the case. The waiters came up to my friends and I and led us to a row of private rooms where there were men waiting to meet us. Typically, there is a group of men in a room. And the men have a TV screen where they can view all of the women in the club. If they like what they see, they can ask the waiter to bring the women they choose to the room to meet them. The woman then has the choice to stay or go. I really did not want to go in. And the waiters kept asking my age, and I told them it didn’t matter, and that I wasn’t going into the room. Apparently, this is not a place where you can just hang out at with your friends without being paraded around. So I decided to leave with another friend. But two of my other friends actually took part and went from room to room. From what they told me, I’m glad I didn’t go inside. For one, none of the men spoke English. And second, they were clearly only interested in one thing. The most intriguing part of this experience was witnessing girl after girl being pulled by the arm from their tables to go to different rooms. It all seemed really degrading, although the women knew why they were there when they decided to go. I probably wouldn’t go back, but it was definitely one of the most fascinating cultural experiences I’ve ever had.

You can read more here:

http://everything2.com/title/booking%20club

This was not the kind of place where you want to take pictures. Otherwise I would’ve totally shared them.

yearof52adventures is discussing. Toggle Comments
- yearof52adventures 3:56 pm on June 7, 2010 Permalink
  
  this was a tough one and you’re convictions seem pretty spot on. Good on you for trying this out!
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AG 10:14 pm on June 2, 2010 Permalink | Reply
Tags: 13/52 ( 5 ), Korea ( 3 ), photography ( 2 )

Adventure #13: People Photos
I’m always slightly paranoid when attempting to take candid photos of people, but I think that some of the most interesting photos or could be photos are of the people in Korea versus the sights. So, I’m slowing transitioning to taking more people photos. Here’s one I wanted to share because the man in the photo knows I’m taking his picture and smiled for me as I took it. He was sitting outside a temple during a street fest, and he has a lotus on his head. Perhaps, he’s a monk. I’m not sure.

eatveggiesdrinkwine and yearof52adventures are discussing. Toggle Comments
- yearof52adventures 9:43 am on June 3, 2010 Permalink
  
  I really like this project. I’m going to go out and do the same thing myself today. Maybe we can encourage (cough cough – cough, cough) the rest of the blog community to try this out for themselves and post their results to the wall.
  
  I think his lotus hat is tops, though. Lovely idea!
- eatveggiesdrinkwine 8:40 pm on June 15, 2010 Permalink
  
  This would definitely be an adventure for me … I have a really hard time taking pictures of people I don’t know. Let me work up to this — maybe adventure #30?
AG 10:07 pm on June 2, 2010 Permalink | Reply
Tags: 12/52 ( 6 ), Buddha, Lotus Latern Fest

Adventure #12: Lotus Lantern Fest for Buddha’s Birthday
The Lotus Lantern Fest has been one of the best festivals I’ve been to here in Seoul. In commemoration of Buddha’s Birthday, the streets were decorated with lanterns. lantern making stations, and traditional Korean music. My goal in going was to make a lantern. And despite the crowds and long lines, it was accomplished. The night ended with a lit lantern parade.

(More …)
Kimberly Hula 11:37 pm on June 1, 2010 Permalink | Reply

I can spaz my way through anything
Some adventures make me uncomfortable. I know in some time I’ll have to handle a spider (what the what?!). I intend to get pierced (eek!). There’s just now a noisy bug in my window. These things I’d sooner not tackle.

But, but, but they are all things that better inform who we are and what we are capable. Even if only a bug.

So remember that what you do today, what you did yesterday, and what you are capable of performing tomorrow inspire me, him, her, Canada and the world to be all they can be.

You are just that amazing.

Sure are.

So I just thought to send some lovely accolades your way, and remind you to remind us of all you do.

So come on by the blog or the FB site and let us know.
http://www.yearof52adventures.com

We have some lovely things on the docket. Namely, an upcoming interview with Senator Bill Bradley and some airtime on Montreal radio. Whee!

As always, thanks for doing what you do. You are truly an inspiration.

Let’s race to the next leg of the adventure trail, ne?

xoxo
Hula (Kimberly) – yearof52adventures

42.347618 -71.100288

yearof52adventures and Holly are discussing. Toggle Comments
- Holly 11:28 am on June 4, 2010 Permalink
  
  So many things make me uncomfortable, meeting new people, talking to strangers basically just putting myself out there. Thanks for the encouragement.
- yearof52adventures 11:32 am on June 4, 2010 Permalink
  
  So happy to have you here Holly! Keep us posted on your adventures and kudos to you on adventuring through discomfort!
faolan01 4:39 pm on May 24, 2010 Permalink | Reply
Tags: 5/52 ( 15 ), motorcycle

Adventure #5 – Rally Time
Adventure number 5 kicked off with a visit to Riverside Motorsports in Somerville Saturday, will last all summer and will include several other adventures along the way. While I was in getting my inspection sticker I picked up my Ducati Passport and first stamp for this year’s Passport Rally before taking a (very) roundabout route up to Beverley to add a second stamp at Eastern Cycle Ducati

The New England Desmo Owners Club Passport Rally is, essentially, a friendly competition and excuse to get out and go riding all over the northeast. This is the second year of what we hope to keep going as a running (and growing) event. The rules are pretty simple: ride to as many of the participating dealerships and events as you can and get your passport stamped at each one. At the rally in September everyone turns in their passports and the person with the most stamps in each category wins. This year they’ve added another way to earn points by submitting pictures of our bikes with our passports in front of certain landmarks spread throughout the region. All in all it’s a lot of fun, and finding as many of the places as possible makes for great adventures. For last year’s rally I did a 3-day romp through 5 states collecting stamps as I went, and I’m planning at least 2 or 3 trips for this year.

2 stamps down, a whole lot to go!

Ducky, faolan01, blueskiesinva, and 1 other are discussing. Toggle Comments
- yearof52adventures 11:56 am on May 25, 2010 Permalink
  
  that sounds absolutely amazing! what do these stamps look like? I like the idea of moto-adventure stamps!
- blueskiesinva 7:25 pm on May 25, 2010 Permalink
  
  Don’t you love summer?! This sounds like such fun!
- faolan01 6:55 am on May 26, 2010 Permalink
  
  Oh, it’s a lot of fun! The stamps are rubber stamps like you’d have in a real passport.
  
  **edit** finally figured out how to insert the pictures into the original post 😀
- Ducky 10:45 am on May 3, 2011 Permalink
  
  What a joy to find such clear thinking. Thanks for potisng!
skywatcher 7:55 pm on May 21, 2010 Permalink | Reply
Tags: 5/52 ( 15 ), bald eagle

Eagle’s Nest #5/52
I happened upon this adventure by a stroke of luck…

While talking with a friend a few weeks ago, he told me about an eagle’s nest and promised, “Once the babies are bigger, [my wife and I] will show you. If the nest is bothered when they’re too young, the parents will abandon them.”

So. This week I met them for the big visit, and we made our way across a field to a creek bed at the edge of the woods.

I’m not sure what the eagle prerequisites are for real estate, but this pair had set up house at the top of a very scraggly pine tree. Although large, the nest was not easy to find; you had to know where to look. Once I was pointed in the right direction, I pulled out binoculars and was able to see a large black bird sitting in the nest: Baby! The adult eagles were nowhere to be seen.

We moved west of the woods line so that we could get a closer look – and by “closer,” I mean that we were still a good 150 feet away. This, however, was too close for Mama and Papa, who arrived out of nowhere.

I can’t describe what I felt in seeing two bald eagles soaring overhead. I was, and still am, awestruck. They moved fast, and I had to anticipate their flight path in order to see them with the binoculars. As I gave myself vertigo trying to follow them in the sky, my friend – a wonderful photographer – snapped frame after frame with his camera. The eagle pair made “clicking” sounds and then resorted to a cry resembling that of a gull. Clearly, they were upset and trying to chase us off… although my friends surmised that the adults may just be trying to ascertain whether they could “pick off the small one” (that would be me!) Meanwhile, back at the nest, Junior knew his parents had returned and sat with his mouth open, waiting. We didn’t stay much longer.

As we crossed the creek and headed back uphill, the adult eagles followed us overhead to make sure we were leaving. By the time we neared the road, they had returned to the woods.

I’ve seen hawks, of course, and ospreys while kayaking – a Great Horned Owl even lives nearby – but this was the first time I’ve ever seen a bald eagle in its natural habitat.

blueskiesinva, faolan01, and yearof52adventures are discussing. Toggle Comments
- yearof52adventures 4:07 pm on May 24, 2010 Permalink
  
  what an amazing and opportune adventure!
- faolan01 4:45 pm on May 24, 2010 Permalink
  
  wow, that sounds great! the picture is beautiful, is it one of the ones that your friend took?
- blueskiesinva 6:36 pm on May 24, 2010 Permalink
  
  Yes – he’s an incredible photographer, isn’t he?!
skywatcher 6:52 pm on May 17, 2010 Permalink | Reply
Tags: 4/52 ( 15 ), dog adoption, puppy

Canine Commitment #4/52
Okay, so this adventure wasn’t on the partial list that I made public in my first post, but it’s something I’d been thinking about for quite a while. The time was right, opportunity presented itself, and…yes, I adopted a puppy from the SPCA!

Our nine-week-old addition is slowly but surely becoming acclimated, and I’m becoming used to having a “baby” in the house again – although I could do without these midnight trips to the backyard :-\ Lots of plans for my future hiking/camping buddy!

blueskiesinva, Holly, yearof52adventures, and 1 other are discussing. Toggle Comments
- faolan01 4:41 pm on May 18, 2010 Permalink
  
  SO cute! Good luck with your new adventure buddy!
- yearof52adventures 11:17 pm on May 18, 2010 Permalink
  
  What an adventure! He is adorable! Thank you for going to the SPCA, too!
- Holly 11:25 am on June 4, 2010 Permalink
  
  Puppies are fun and the waking up doesn’t last forever. I’ve been fostering two puppies for a local shelter the last three weeks and I don’t know if I’ll be able to give them up. The reason I took them is after finding this website and realized that life is too short. Sometimes you have to be spontaneous and just do it. And it doesn’t matter what that is. I think we all really do regret the things we haven’t done.
- blueskiesinva 1:53 pm on June 13, 2010 Permalink
  
  Update on my “little girl”: she’s an early waker (sigh) but she keeps her crate dry. A very sweet girl, and she went for her first swim yesterday – jumped in the lake and loved it! That’s my little retriever : )
abstractangel7 12:36 am on May 17, 2010 Permalink | Reply

Hi, adventurers!
Forgive me, I’m still figuring out how to use WordPress.

I’m excited about my newest idea for an adventure, so even though we’re supposed to post AFTER the fact, I’m sharing it first– I’m going to try and go to every Farmer’s Market in the Chicago area next week! The list of daily markets was featured in the Red Eye recently, and I was trying to figure out which ones would be easiest for me to get to, when I thought….why not try and go to all of them? Not this week, because it’s very busy for me, but next week I could attempt it. Seems most of the markets are open from 7am-3pm, and I’d be able to figure out which ones I’m interested in returning to in the future. I’m kicking off the week by attending the Eco-Fair at Navy Pier next Sunday, so this will be a good theme. (In addition to using whatever I buy for fresh nightly dinners!)

I still need to come up with an adventure for THIS week.

Thanks for reading this! 🙂

abstractangel7 and yearof52adventures are discussing. Toggle Comments
- abstractangel7 12:54 am on May 17, 2010 Permalink
  
  EEK!! I just looked again, and most of these markets don’t seem to begin until the 2nd week in June!! I don’t want to just visit a couple, the point was to try and go nuts hitting them all in a week. So I guess this will be delayed until further notice…. thanks for reading anyway 🙂
- yearof52adventures 7:45 am on May 17, 2010 Permalink
  
  BUT this will be a GREAT adventure for the coming weeks!
  You are so creative and lovely – I have no doubt you’ll think up something spicy for this coming week 🙂
- abstractangel7 10:18 am on May 17, 2010 Permalink
  
  thank you!
ConstanceKW 5:02 pm on May 15, 2010 Permalink | Reply

Thanks to the inspiration of Kimberly an…
Thanks to the inspiration of Kimberly and others here, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying my own “quest” for 52 adventures, one of which includes starting and maintaining my own blog for one year.

To date, I’ve completed 18 “adventures”. For more details, check out: http://www.2010adventurequest.wordpress.com

1. Ate something I’ve never tried before – Fried Pickles!
2. Attended a writing workshop – Story Studio Chicago
3. Completed a 3 week Intro to Yoga Class at Chi-town Shakti
4. Took a trapeze class
5. Visited the Willis Tower Skydeck and the new glass shelves
6. Attended a roller derby competition – Windy City Rollers
7. Went on an “artistic date” – A sunrise stroll on the beach with my dog (in mid-winter)
8. Attended my first Quaker service.
9. Enjoyed a hot stone massage.
10. Downed a shot of good tequila
11. Parasailed in Mexico
12. Cooked a complicated multi – course Greek meal.
13. Did something (many things actually) non-basketball related at the Final Four
14. Visited the Art Institute of Chicago
15. Experienced a Reiki Treatment
16. Made my husband’s and my favorite childhood recipes (Maid Rites and Mac & Cheese Casserole)
17. Participating in a Read-a-thon and raise $1000 for charity
18. Toured a famous Chicago cemetery.

Thanks again, Kimberly – I’m loving the challenge!

Jalene, blueskiesinva, abstractangel7, and 1 other are discussing. Toggle Comments
- yearof52adventures 9:46 pm on May 16, 2010 Permalink
  
  Wow! High praise! Your adventures sound amazing and I’m so glad to have you on board! Keep doing what you are doing. You are doing an amazing job!
- abstractangel7 12:27 am on May 17, 2010 Permalink
  
  Sounds great! Thanks for sharing!
- blueskiesinva 9:29 pm on May 18, 2010 Permalink
  
  I went to your blog – it’s wonderful!!
- Jalene 11:37 am on May 3, 2011 Permalink
  
  Thanks for sharing. What a pelasure to read!
inkstainedangel 8:16 pm on May 12, 2010 Permalink | Reply
Tags: 1/52 ( 21 ), 2/52 ( 22 ), 3/52 ( 18 ), 4/52 ( 15 )

Adventures 1,2, 3, and 4 Oh my!
Not one, not two, but four adventures in one blog post!? Well, this is ground breaking! You’re just going to have to read more and enjoy. 🙂

Adventure #1- The Garden

This is my on-going adventure, and lately adventure is an understatement. The weather up here has gotten freakishly chilly, and most of the viney-plants that I planted earlier last month have all died. I have about two sugar pumpkins, a squash, and a cantaloupe left of six jack-o-lanterns, three sugar-pumpkins, three squash, three watermelon, and three cantaloupe. I have enough seeds, and enough time to re-plant, but right now its a mess. And because of the weather, all the seedlings I have inside perished from lack of sunlight. All there is left to do is persevere and try again! (And I have to tell my mom to stop buying new seeds, because I have no place to put them yet o.o)

Adventure #2- Cooking Dinner for 8

Holy crap! Eight people, and my mom tells me to cook?! I can hardly make Mac&Cheese from the box without help from my younger sisters!

I wake up in the morning as my mom is getting ready to go to work and getting dinner started. She looks at me as she’s putting a couple of frozen lamb-shanks into a large black casserole tin. I look at the daunting mess of dirty dishes in the sink as I remember that I forgot to take care of them last night. But before I could open the dishwasher to clean up the disaster looming over my kitchen counter, my mom says,

“We’re having shepherd’s pie tonight, and I need you to make it,”

In my head I’m screaming my head off. Outside, my sleepy and groggy body manages to let out a “what?”

“Can you cook tonight?” she asks. I look back at the dishes, and back to her and shrug. (More …)

Staysha, Malerie, faolan01, and 1 other are discussing. Toggle Comments
- yearof52adventures 7:46 am on May 17, 2010 Permalink
  
  Way to go lady! YOU are on a roll!
- faolan01 4:49 pm on May 24, 2010 Permalink
  
  4 great adventures you have there! congrats on making the big family dinner!
- Malerie 2:01 pm on May 3, 2011 Permalink
  
  Fell out of bed feeling down. This has brihtgeend my day!
- Staysha 2:23 pm on May 4, 2011 Permalink
  
  Hey, good to find soomene who agrees with me. GMTA.