What Was I Thinking?

About six months ago, I decided I was bored with my life. Like most people, I saw things that I wanted to do, but never did them. I was either too embarrassed or didn't want to go it alone. At the end of the day, I saw more missed oppurtunities. Now, I am a fan of accepting the choices we make. Those choices, however, seemed to define me as someone who had an adventuresome spirit, but lacked the courageous heart to back it up.

So, to correct this, I took my first leap and auditioned for a role (I didn't get it). I had to drive 2 hours to the audition and wait in a huge line. I was terrified the whole time and mostly considered backing out. The traffice jam on the way there was no fun either. My car almost over heated several times. But, I did it.

And I realized something about the "adventurous" people. They get the courage and motivation from the realization that comes afterwards. It's like a rush, a high when you see that you can accomplish something that is beyond your scope, beyond your level of comfort, and beyond what you are capable of. I'll explain.

So, last night was the official onset of the college football season in my house. There were four very loud and boisterous men in my living room, who were either shouting obsenities or cheering. Needless to say, the call to enjoy the fall weather was much louder because of this. Usually, I'd buzz a friend and see if they wanted to get coffee, but instead, I decided I'd take drive into the mountains. I'd just go, and hopefully I'd find a nice place to stop and write or sketch or take pictures. Well, it turns out I did. Here are some of the pictures I took yesterday:




Historical Bridge

View from where I was laying



There are woods and creeks everywhere



These landscapes are everywhere, so are the long, countryside fences.

However, in the midst of my personal mountain retreat, a friend of mine invited me to join her at a local festival. She said her mother was helping out and that she had to go. So I contemplated it for a moment... and then said yes.

It was at least an hour from where I was, and I didn't really have any money anyway. But I said yes. That little word created the evening as follows.

I went to this festival, it turned out her mother was not helping out, but on some sort of council that afforded us some extras. When I got there, I was immediately swooped up in their golf cart, where we road to the annual doggy parade. This was simply too cute for words. From there, my friend (L) and I went to look at the vendors. There were not many but it was still fun to walk and listen to the live band.

L's phone rang, and how she heard it through all the noise still baffles me. It was her mom, she had ride tickets that she was not going to use. So, we scurried over to her mother to collect these tickets. We were both wondering how many tickets there would be, when her mother produced two singular tickets. Apparently, these tickets would get us each wristband to ride as much as we wanted. Oh, the joy.

Our first ride looked something like this:

And that's where the life experiences started to kick in. If you carefully notice in this picture, there are white bars that look like wagon wheel spokes coming out from the center. Well, midway though the ride, one of these started to quite obviously shake loose. So, because I was stupid enough to watch Final Destination, I was picturing all the horrible ways this could go wrong. However, it did not. I told the man operating the ride about it, and he thanked me, quite enthusiastically. The ride didn't run for another 30 minutes.

From there, L got some fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade, which was free because the vendor couldn't make change for a $20. Then, we got some tasty street vendor food (mexican). I tried grilled cactus for the first time.

And then... I did something that was certainly not in my realm of comfort. Meet my foe:

The electric bull. Yes. I had never ridden one before. There was a whole throng of onlookers. They laughed loudly at everyone as they fell off, which didn't take but a few seconds to do. All the while, I'm trying to convince myself that I have the nerve to do this... ya know, to willingly absolutely humiliate myself.

The little girl in front of me was trying to put it off. We giggled a little together. "If you can do it, I can do it," I told her as she made her way up to the beast. And when it was finally my turn, people were already waiting to see which way I would meet my end. But, there's one thing I forgot to mention, I am strong. I used to ride horse when I was a little girl, and learned how to move with a bucking horse or beast. I was doing so well (according to the crowd who had started to cheer for me) that they suggested I only hold on with one hand. Uh, no. I was brave, but not stupid.

So, I eventually let go... it was going to come soon anyway, so I figured, I'd just end it in the best way possible, and I casually let myself fall off the bull into a blown up cactus.

So, I have pictures to prove, "Yeah, I did it."

I have the feeling inside me that tells me I am capable of more than I think I am.

I have a whole experience that would have be lost if I'd said no.

And...

I am also very sore.