As a result of thinking about places in the US I want to visit, I’ve already set the wheels in motion to visit New Hampshire in July. I’m not just randomly going to New Hampshire for the hell of it, however. I’m going in order to attend part of the Global Rallycross Championship, which is a type of event I’d never really thought about attending live. This got me thinking about all sorts of things that I’d like to try (or work harder at) before kicking the bucket. Here’s a preliminary list…
Attend a Car Racing Event
As previously stated, I think I’ll be taking care of this in July. I’ve always been a big fan of live action (as evidenced by the absurd number of concerts I’ve seen), and I’ve recently become quite interested in cars and the types of people who have the balls to push them to their limits. I don’t really understand NASCAR–I can appreciate that it’s difficult and that the drivers are talented–but I’m not particularly interested in watching cars go round and round in circles. I am, however, very interested in seeing cars race and scramble on mixed surfaces and jump over each other a la Rallycross. I think it’s a motorsport I could really get into. So, I’m going to try as hard as I can to get up to the Global Rallycross Championship event in New Hampshire. Two birds with one stone. Love it.
Learn to Shoot a Gun Properly
With my limited time in the military, I got to shoot some things. I have extremely basic knowledge of the M16 and the M60, but I have never touched a handgun in my life. I’ve always felt a little sketchy about owning a gun simply because I could see myself accidentally shooting off my pinky toe, and I hear you really need that one for balance. Yet, I’ve been watching Top Shot, and I am being reminded that I like precision, perfection, and competition. These are all things that can be achieved in learning to shoot at a range. I suppose if I had the help of an instructor, I could learn to shoot safely, and I could work towards becoming a good shooter. I could see this being a fun pursuit, and it could be an excellent stress relief.
Train at Woodward at Copper
In a former life, I was a gymnast. I know my 30-something-year-old body cannot do the things I once did, but I can still have fun on trampolines and in foam pits. Given my love for striving for perfection, I would really enjoy working with a coach again and seeing where my limits truly are. I’ve researched the facility, and I even got to go to Woodward’s camp in Pennsylvania back in the day. I trust these people and would be interested in seeing what kind of potential they can drag out of me. They are closed until June, which will give me some time to work on strength and flexibility on my own, but then I’d really like to sign up for a session. Yikes!
Catch Some Air on a Snowboard
I’ve been boarding for six years now, and I’m still terrified to leave the ground. I have a lot of mental blocks here, mainly because I’m self-taught, and I just don’t have the confidence in my technique to do anything cool. Again, I’m not trying to kill myself–I realize that I break much more easily than I used to, and I certainly need to be careful. That said, I know I can do more, and I want to. I’m not going to allow age to be a lame excuse. Fortunately, this is another two-birds-with-one-stone venture, because I can do ramp and aerial training at Woodward. This is much scarier to me than trampoline training, but it is directly applicable to the next thing on the list…
Go Heli-skiing
I want to be able to ride the Chugach Mountains in Alaska SO BAD. Ever since I saw Warren Miller’s Playground and heard about Points North Heli-Adventures, I have been sort of obsessed. I could honestly go now at my skill level (if I had the money of course), but I know I would not get as much out of it as I would if I had more confidence. I think training with coaches is going to be imperative in gaining the necessary skills to absolutely rip it down those scary-ass mountains.
Learn Some Basic Auto Repairs
I’m not looking to become a mechanic here, but I want to learn more about the basics of how cars work. I know how to change my own oil and fix a flat tire, but beyond that, my lack of knowledge is embarrassing. I own a Ford. I can accomplish this easily with just a little effort.
Play in a Prize-Eligible Fantasy Baseball League
I am a giant nerd when it comes to baseball (thanks Grandpa!), and I love how stats-intensive the fantasy game is. I’ve won my league twice now, and I’m starting to believe I know what I’m doing. I keep saying that I’m going to fork over a little cash and play in a prize league. After all, the rewards are pretty monstrous if you win. I’m nervous because it is a male-dominated game, and frankly, some of those dudes are intimidating. I just need to suck it up and try it. If I lose some pride and a few bucks, who cares, right?
Practice Formal Meditation
This is the last one I’ll list for now, but possibly the most important. I recently read Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, and it had a profound affect on me. I’ve started implementing some of the simple meditation techniques on my own, but I think I could benefit from either learning from a teacher, or at least taking the practice to a more formal environment. There is a Buddhist meditation center literally blocks away, and I need to just gather my nerves, get over my fear of “doing it wrong,” and get out there. I even had the perfect opportunity to start while visiting the Hanuman Temple in Taos, but alas, I was too scared. Silly silly girl.
I’ve got my work cut out for me, huh?
Normal is the New Weird 