50. Skydiving, 6/5/11

What a way to end my 50 for 50.

Experience the thrill of freefall on your very first jump. Skydive tandem, harnessed to a professional skydiving instructor from 13,000 feet! I was able to freefall for almost a minute on my jump. I shared a parachute system designed for two people with a fully licensed tandem instructor. Me and my tandem instructor exited the aircraft at an altitude of 13,000 feet (that’s higher than the top of Mt. Hood) and freefalled at 120 mph for nearly one minute before opening our parachute. Following my freefall, I enjoyed a spectacular 5–7 minute parachute ride as me and my tandem instructor steered around the sky, while descending gently to the landing area.

A professional skydiving cameraflyer accompanied me on my skydive wearing a specially designed helmet mounted with two cameras; a top of the line video camera and a Digital SLR camera. My cameraflyer obtained footage of my adventure in the airplane, in freefall, and at landing, capturing my expression and reaction to the greatest thrill of a lifetime! My cameraflyer was dedicated to me for my entire freefall – and, I got the added experience of seeing him fly and maneuver around just a few feet in front of me! I received a CD with digital photos and a professionally edited 6-7 minute DVD of my experience.

When you first arrive, you spend about 30 minutes signing waivers. How many times and how many ways can they tell you that if you are injured or die neither you nor your family members can sue them. Then, a short while later you are called in for a training session with one of the instructors. Again, after a short wait, you are taken into a room and meet your personal instructor as well as your cameraflyer, and then you get suited up and wait until it is time to board and off the ground you go.

While climbing to altitude, your instructor will point out sites like the different mountains and downtown Portland. Tim made me feel very comfortable and I never felt any fear, even when I sat in the open door of the plane at 13,000 feet, well, maybe a I felt a little fear right before he pushed me out of the plane, but it all happens so fast you have no time to be afraid. When it is time to jump they open the door, you look out, and whoosh you are falling. The jump was both terrifying and thrilling at the same time. The fall is one of the most thrilling things about the jump out. It seems like you are falling forever but it is only a short bit. Falling from the plane was intense, but looking up to see the plane disappear is the single most extreme memory I have - we fell to maximum velocity, it seemed to take an eternity and then the features on the ground came into resolution. It was truly epic. Then the chute opened and suddenly we were literally floating serenely. The overlook of the land is quite breathtaking. The views are spectacular. The time under chute was a few minutes and time enough to really take in the scenery, to breathe, and to appreciate the enormity of what I'd just done. Tim handed me the control cords and let me steer and stall. It was frightening - in a good way.

I was worried about the landing and being sore afterward, but it was so smooth that I was shocked that we had already landed. I wanted to do it again and again, and if I could have, I would have!

I want to thank all involved once again for opening the door to the world of skydiving for me. It has been a lifelong dream and I could not have asked for a more competent, professional group of people to train with. From the ground school taught by instructors to my personal instructor and my cameraflyer, every aspect of the program was top notch. I have to give a special thank you to Kat and Jan for spending this incredible experience with me. Needless to say, it was one of the most awesome experiences in my entire life, one I will not soon forget.

Absolutely brilliant. Do it. Fun. A challenge. Life affirming. A real bookmark in your life story.

Fear is Temporary…Regret is Permanent!

49. My tattoo, 6/4/11

Tattoos are not a new fad or fashion – people have been getting tattoos for thousands of years. While approximately one quarter of Americans have at least one tattoo, many Americans disapprove of the art form.

Finding the right tattoo is a very personal choice. When choosing a tattoo style or image, it is important to consider the reason that you are getting the tattoo in the first place. Whether your reasons are for self-expression, inclusion in a group, or paying homage to someone else, you need to think very carefully about the tattoo before you have it permanently attached to your body.

A recent study found that 17% of people with tattoos want to have them removed – if you choose the right tattoo in the first place, you can hopefully avoid being a part of this small percentage of people. Make the tattoo something that you can personally relate to. Often, the best tattoos will invoke a strong emotional response from the wearer. For example, don’t pick a flower just because it looks pretty, but instead choose something that means something deeper to you. Don’t ever get a tattoo that you are not 100% sure that you will love – regardless of what your friends and family will tell you. You are the person who has to live with the tattoo for the rest of your life, so listen to yourself when making such an important decision

Traditionally, tattoos were hand-drawn, but in 1891, the electric tattooing machine was invented. In modern history, the Christian religion has changed the perception of the tattoo, thus making it less common than it used to be. Today, the majority of the tattoos are done for cosmetic or spiritual purposes,

Often, the decision to get a tattoo is driven by the desire to express something about yourself to the world. Whether you want to express a certain personality trait, express your love for a particular person, or express your belief in a certain ideology, a tattoo is a common method of self-expression. When expressing yourself to the world through a tattoo, choose a design that speaks to you, one that evokes an emotional response when you see it. Even if the particular design does not always mean the same thing to someone else, it can be your form of self-expression.

Often, in order to fully express yourself through tattoo art, many people recommend that you develop an original tattoo design with your tattoo artist’s help. Having an original design will help set you apart from the crowd and make your tattoo unique to you (and what better way to express your unique perspective than with a unique tattoo). Even if you are not a great artist, the tattoo artist can take your ideas along with a standard tattoo and create something truly special for you. While I was not sure exactly what I wanted, I knew that I wanted something that spoke of who I am and what I believe. I spent many, many hours looking for the “right” tattoo. I finally found something I really loved and with the help of Rose at Pussycat Tattoo, we tweaked it and made it personal to me. I have to say, Pussycat Tattoos rock!!!