Friendship

Last month I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid in one of best friend's weddings. Between myself living in Seattle, the bride living in Austin, and one of the other bridesmaid's living in London (lucky girl!) it was definitely a full-fledged friendship reunion, complete with catching up, manicures, champagne, and the occasional bout of happy tears.  And it got me thinking about friendship more.

Girlfriends really are a necessity in life: they cheer us up when we are down, tell us we look amazing even with those extra pounds, console us after a breakup, laugh with us over chick flicks, celebrate our achievements, and provide that sympathetic listening ear that frankly, men just can't quite match. I don't know what I've done to deserve it, but I have some pretty great friends.

I've had girlfriends send me flowers at work when they knew my mom was sick and in the hospital for an extended period of time.

I've had girlfriends throw me a surprise birthday party, complete with cake, on a day that wasn't my birthday as a makeup for all the b-day parties I missed as a kid from being raised in a strict religious family.

There have been numerous rides to the airport and assistance with moving; two tasks nobody likes doing.

I've received greeting cards in the mail for no other reason than just to say thinking about you.

I've had a girlfriend come pick me up and take me out to dinner, her treat, so I would stop sitting at home having a pity party by myself.

And I would like to think that hopefully, I am in return a good friend as well. 

As the bride, myself, and the other bridesmaid were leaving Austin the day after the wedding, due to last minute changes in flights and delays at security, we almost didn't missed each other in the airport.  After making it through security, I quickly headed to their gate, hoping they hadn't left yet.  The bride met me halfway, almost in tears at having to say farewell for a year or more, and the thought that they were going to jet off without saying goodbye. And the feelings were mutual. Which made me think – that is true friendship.

So to all my girlfriends, if I haven't told you or shown you lately - you are an amazing person and I'm honored to have you as a friend.

A Flying Trapeze and a Leap of Faith

"Do one thing every day that scares" ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I took these words to heart last weekend when I did my first ever flying trapeze class. Having bought a coupon off of Living Social, I'd decided it was time to go redeem it.

I'm not sure what I thought I was getting myself into when I signed up, but upon arriving at Emerald City Trapeze Arts, it dawned on that I would be jumping off of a platform 30-something feet up in the air while clutching a thin metal bar and swinging 20-something feet out over a yawning expanse of empty space. Oh, and guess who was nominated by the instructor to go first?

After about a 30 minute ground lesson explaining what to do (and not do) and getting rigged up in our safety harnesses, I made the mistake of standing closest to the ladder and before I knew it, the instructor says, alright you're first and snaps my harness into the safety line of the ladder.

As I began scaling the ladder, my adrenaline starting pumping. Honestly, it would probably be fairly difficult to actually hurt yourself, as you're strapped into a safety harness the entire time and there is a net at the bottom.  But there is a certain irrational and instinctive feat that takes over. It's the body's natural response to tell you that jumping from heights is not a good idea and you may very well plummet to your death or dismemberment, which my body was doing a good job of letting of me know this.

When I reach the platform at the top, I am greeted by a second instructor. I ask if it's normal to be nervous and he says yes, and that in fact, some people cry. Okay, good I think I'm not so scared that I'm going to cry, so check one for me. The instructor pulls the bar in and hands it to me. Grasping it with both hands, the steel feels more like an anchor than my flying companion. I leaned out over the edge of the platform as the instructor holds the back of the belt. Then the call comes, "Ready", I bend my knees, "Hup" and I jump.

And then I'm flying! I'm sailing through the air 30 feet up and this is one of the funnest things I've ever done. I'm so distracted by how utterly amazing and thrilling this feeling is that I momentarily forget to follow the instructors calls and don't quite execute the skill I'm supposed to be doing.

However, by my third turn, I've done my knee hang into a back flip well enough that I've graduated onto a catch. I'm once again nominated by the instructor to go first. Scared all over again that I'm going to be releasing from my bar to be catch mid-air by the other instructor, I climb the ladder. The instructor gives the call again, "Ready", "Hup" and I jump and swing forward. As I start to swing back I quickly get my knees up on the bar to be in the right position. As I start to swing forward again, I release with my hands and arch backward. I'm sailing in reverse, so I can't see the instructor on the other bar at all. The call comes, "Legs straight" and I release with my knees. blindly reaching out and.........

For a split-second I'm in mid-air and then instructor has caught me by the wrists!

Needless, to say I'm addicted and can't wait for my next class. In fact, I may even quit my job and join the circus. Watch out Cirque du Soleil!

So how about you? What have you done lately that scares you? Nothing in awhile? Then today might be the day to try something new.

Photo Credit: Emerald City Trapeze Arts

75 Random Facts About Me

I admit, this is a bit of a self-centered post, but really, what is a blog but writing about one's self in some fashion (thoughts, feelings, opinions, business, lifestyle, adventures) and hoping that others will be interested.  So just indulge me.

1. I am deathly afraid of slugs, not just afraid, it's really more of a phobia
2. Due to being raised in a strict, conservative religion, I did not celebrate my birthday until age 19, or have a birthday cake until age 22
3. I have a swimming record at my high school – 200 freestyle relay
4.  I rarely watch TV, but when I do it's usually America's Next Top Model, So You Think You Can Dance or Jeopardy
5. I'm addicted to my To Do list
6. The first professional belly dance costume I ever bought was purchased in the Khan Il Khalili market in Cairo
7. On more than one occasion I've had women ask me where I got my hair extensions done
8. Before fires in night clubs were a big no-no, I've seen Green Day twice end their show by lighting their entire drum set on fire
9. One of my favorite games as a kid was building forts out of furniture and pretending I was a spy just like James Bond
10. I have a massive sweet tooth and have never met a cupcake I didn't like
11. Collage/visual journaling is my new favorite art form (see above picture for latest)
12. I failed the written part of my driver's test twice
13. I passed all parts of the CPA exam on the first try
14. I love watermelon and could eat a whole one by myself
15. My bucket list includes living overseas for a minimum of six months
16. Getting a B+ in school was devastating – so close to that perfect, golden A
17. I've played the violin for 19 years
18. Gwen Stefani is my ultimate life and style icon
19. Love the look of a made bed, hate actually making it
20. My favorite old Hollywood actresses are Rita Hayworth, Bridget Bardot and Audrey Hepburn
21. Veuve Clicquot (champagne) is happiness in a glass if you ask me
22. I was fortunate to never have any student loans because I was awarded enough academic scholarships to cover all of my tuition
23. I recently won a push-up contest at my office
24. I'm an INTJ – the most independent and one of the rarest (and most misunderstood) of the personality types, we work best when given autonomy and tend to be analytical and creative
25. My all-time favorite movie is Labyrinth – a Jim Henson movie with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly
26. I really dislike unpainted toenails
27. I represented UW at a business case competition in Hong Kong during my senior year
28. My favorite Seattle coffee spot is Café Vita
29. I've met Ashton Kutcher at a movie wrap party
30. I find cheerleaders offensive and think they are a set back to women's lib
31. Sitting still is very challenging for me and doing nothing is impossible
32. After years of pouring over the catalogue, the best gift I ever got as a kid was my American Girl doll, which I still have
33. I've surfed in Mexico and scuba dived in Egypt
34. My biggest pet peeves are flakiness and bad drivers
35. I take vitamins every day
36. My all-time favorite house feature is French doors that open onto a balcony
37. I missed the first class of the first belly dance series I ever signed up for (good thing I decided to take the rest of the series and not just cancel!)
38. I believe strongly in individual freedoms, including gay marriage and a woman's right to choose
39. I once accidentally tipped over an entire grocery cart full of groceries
40. I read my own Tarot cards
41. Every time I go to the fair I eat a minimum of three Fisher scones 
42. I have a nephew who is older than I am and I'm already a great aunt
43. I miss my cat who I had for 17 years
44. Journal writing is my outlet and the best form of free therapy ever
45. My older brother gave me his Nintendo when I was a pre-teen because I was walking over to his house too often to play it
46. I love surprises
47. I was previously engaged at the age of 18
48. Sometimes I really think I was born in the wrong country and should have been a European
49. I believe that the bigger the earrings the better
50. For as long as I can remember I've wanted to write and publish a book
51. I used to have eight body piercings
52. I'm bad at almost all team sports and get nervous when the ball comes my way
53. I didn't get chicken pox until I was 12 and it was miserable
54. I love anything pink and sparkly
55. My favorite holiday is Halloween
56. I would wear costumes everyday if it was socially acceptable
57. Before turning 21 I had a fake ID
58. I think afternoon tea parties are divine
59. I wrote a college term paper on vampires for a history of death class
60. I believe in living a life of passion and adventure
61. I felt guilty after killing a spider last week that was crawling on me, so I named him Ralphie
62. I can solve logic puzzles like nobody's business, or at least I like to think I can
63. Not having brothers or sisters close to my own age, I would play Monopoly and Clue by myself, which wasn't very effective
64. I graduated magna cum laude
65. I regret never having gotten the opportunity to see Nirvana play
66. I was co-captain of the gymnastics team in high school
67. I believe that dragons used to exist
68. I am a really vivid dreamer and have multiple times "woken up" from my dream only to be in a new dream
69. Despite having tons of hair on my head, wet hair in the bath tub makes me gag
70. I had my first legal drink in Bolivia
71. The only time I've ever cheated on a test, was in third grader when I was afraid of my teacher, so I didn't tell him I didn't understand fractions and instead copied off some else's paper
72. I have never understood why anyone purposely feeds pigeons - they are,  in my opinion, rats with wings
73. If I won the lottery I would buy a one-way ticket overseas and then later go back to school for something really impractical, like folklore or medieval studies
74. My family and I were once evacuated out of our house because our crazy neighbor was shooting at us
75. I can do the yoga pose Astavakrasana (see below)

Photo Credit: yoga.about.com