Bucket List Ammendment

So, the other day I did something a little crazy. Ok….probably more like EXTREMELY crazy. I’ve never been a big fan of that unsettling dropping feeling that often accompanies roller-coasters or large, sudden dips on the road when you’re cruising down the highway (fortunately for me Illinois drivers don’t really have to worry about that). Needless to say, if I had ever written out one of those “bucket lists”, one of the main goals & aspirations missing from that tally would have been skydiving. Yep. No thanks.

HOWEVER: my adventurous, persuasive roommate on the other hand has always –very unlike me- wanted to go. For some reason jumping out of a plane at 15,000 feet with another person strapped to your back hurtling towards the earth at 120mph sounded like a blast to her. Now, in the few years we’ve been roommates, Sandy has convinced me to do some pretty crazy things with her (http://www.stratospherehotel.com/thrills/ -uhh…yeah.), but I never thought she’d be able to talk me into skydiving.

Wrong. Through some serious coercion (just kidding. well…kind of. ☺) and a 50% off Groupon.com deal, I finally caved and agreed to accompany her and a few other friends on the adventure of a lifetime (the adventure I was worried might END my lifetime). Leading up to the day I did the best I could to not think about what insanity I’d signed myself up for. I’m not gonna lie –it was by far one of the scariest (well…up until we actually jumped), craziest things I’ve ever done, BUT, all that said, I’m so glad I did it!! Obviously there are certain risks that accompany such an extreme “sport”, but the company we jumped with was very reputable and I felt really safe with the pro I jumped in tandem with (...after he assured me he’d been doing this for 27 years & met his wife –the wife he intended to live to see again- jumping many years ago. whew.). The free fall was absolutely surreal (no roller-coaster stomach drop!), and after the parachute came out beautifully (HEEUUGE sigh of relief), the view was INCREDIBLE. What an amazing, unusual way to peek at the magnificent planet we live on.

So now my question is: what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Any bungee jumpers out there? That’s one thing I really don’t think I could ever do. Seriously. Just don’t tell Sandy.

☺ lindsay