#19 Compete in a Poker Tournament

One thing I've always wanted to try my hands at was a poker tournament. I fancy myself as an excellent judge of character and a pretty difficult person to read. Most people who don't know me personally would tend to think I'm pretty cold and uninviting. Well for the most part that's true, but to my closest family and friends I'd like to think that I'm fiercely loyal, honest and would do anything for any of them.

Naturally I figured my harsh exterior coupled with the ability to read people fairly quickly I could hold my own against a few poker players. For the most part I was right. I'm rather proud of making it half way through a tournament of 21 players. Reaching number 10 or 11 is an admirable feat.

Now I always imagined my first actual poker tournament with money would be in a casino. As many times as I've been to Vegas I figured it'd probably be there. If not in Sin City I figured it'd be in a smokey, seedy casino with a bunch of asians down on Interurban Blvd. But found myself in good company at one of my long time work buddies Craig's house. Craig has poker tournaments every few months or so and I've been trying to invite myself to one of those for years now. Once I gave him my spiel about the 30 for 30 he finally gave me the invite.

The cool thing about Craig's tournaments are that they go towards funding his wife's 3 day walk for breast cancer. Half of the buy in goes towards breast cancer awareness and the other half goes towards the pot. So I actually feel pretty good win or lose the money is doing something worthwhile. I figured for sure the place would be filled with co-workers and people I usually don't get to talk with at work. But was pleasantly surprised to find out that I only knew about 4 people (including Craig) there.

All of these people were good folks that were really easy to get along with. We broke off into 3 tables of 7 people each. This tournament, I figured would be kinda play nice everyone take it easy. Boy was I wrong, it was all business. They knew how to run the show and it was down to a timer which setup bigger blinds and buy ins helping eliminate the tables quickly. Our table was your typical northwest nice. Nobody placed very aggressive bets and I took the table on the very first hand. Why not right? That's when everyone has equal chips and it's easy to gauge who's willing to push.

To my right was Joe. Probably the best player at our table he ended up with a stack of high denomination chips and held them for most of the game. Next was a nice gal who stayed in for a while and seemed to be playing mostly for fun. Then Cass who made aggressive bets that didn't always pay off. Followed by Ray one of Craig's oldest buddies who turned a losing streak into a huge handful of chips. Joe's wife who was equally a good player and was stacking her own chips. Then Alex who didn't really know what he was doing. We all went round and round no one at our table really dropping.

It wasn't until the first chip up when things started to get interesting. A chip up is where you take your lowest denomination of chips and eliminate them from the table. Cashing them in for the next higher chip. First chip up I was lucky to make it to. I made a few stupid aggressive bets that cost me a handful of chips. But eventually won a couple to turn it around for me. I pushed Alex into a few dumb bets that caught up with him and wiped him out. Joe nearly got me a few times but I was smart enough to back down when it counted. Cass ended up cleaning herself out until there were five of us left. Another chip up and the tables turned. Now my chip count was shy and after intermission we had other tables switch up to the remaining players left.

About each table had four players left each. Craig and his dad came to ours. This was no bullshit time his dad kept that game moving and would bitch him out if things were going too slow. They came to our table with a mountain of chips. I'm talking 12 stacks at least 6 inches high each. Against my 4 stacks 3 inches high. Craig's first hand with us he wiped Joe clean off the table. Easily our strongest player gone in the first hand...one hand?!? He moved fast, dealt fast, talked fast, bet and pushed fast. It wasn't enough time. I didn't know what I'd gotten myself into and before I knew it I was wiped out on that very second hand Craig played. At least I got beaten by the host and at least I made it against half the others playing.

That was however, a one two punch I didn't even see coming. Then I was downstairs with all the other losers playing pool and watching Hotel Transylvania 2 with Craig's four daughters. Not much longer after that things started to get awkward.

Ray who held his own in the poker game down to the final 5 had not held his liquor quite as well.
He'd been slinging back whiskey shots and started to get obnoxious. Then he started getting belligerent. One of the last guys made a wise crack about him betting too slow and Ray got all bent out of shape about it. Practically throwing the table over and flipping shit over a slight sarcastic comment. It got to the point where Craig had to escort him outside. By escort I mean full on grab and throw this guy out. They tripped over each other but it looked like he tackled him full bore out onto the deck where they were scuffling. Imagine old style cartoons where there's a cloud of smoke with legs and fists coming out of it. Pretty much what happened. It got awkward really fast where Craig's dad just left. Super pissed off and inline to win money, he just took off. Shortly afterwards all four of his little girls left crying that dad and uncle Ray were fighting. It hit that level of awkward that instantly sobers you up. Me and a few others were looking for our opportunity to leave. We left shortly after Craig asked if we wanted to play another round.

Things I learned today:
Don't get in the middle of a fight between two best buddies. They'll work it out in the end

How not to get worked by the host

The more angry the drunk the more difficult it is to give them a ride

#18 Drive a Dune Buggy

Most of my 30 for 30 I wouldn't consider bucket list items. It's mostly an excuse to push myself to try something new or share a new experience. Not the case here. I've been wanting to drive a dune buggy for years! I finally got to complete this actual bucket list item over the weekend. 

My buddy Chuck and I took a weekend trip to Vegas. I'm no stranger when it comes to Las Vegas. This being my 7th trip to Sin City; I knew a lot of the ins and outs. Where to find good deals and which tourist traps to stay away from. But mostly I knew there was a place that ran dune buggies out in the desert. The last couple of times I've been out here I just couldn't make it happen. Usually the group consensus is that it's too expensive or too far off the strip. 

When the opportunity for this trip presented itself I made sure that dune buggies was on the itinerary. All of my Vegas trips end with me collecting new experiences and this one was no different. I'm a planner and I like to have an idea of what I'm doing when I go on vacation. I don't do idle very well and I don't understand it when people go on vacation to sit somewhere else. I just sat on a plane for 3 hours! Why would I want to sit by a pool, or at a slot machine, or even at a beach! The first thing I usually do is grab one of those Vegas life magazines in the room once I've established home base. I flip through, building my ideas of what to see and where to go. Towards the end of the magazine I spy a small coupon for $40 bucks off my dune buggy experience and their contact info. Bam! Done. Called them up and they gave us each the discount off of our rides. I also found out that they'll pick you up from your hotel and that you don't even have to drive a half hour into the desert! So I scheduled the time for mid day Saturday.

Saturday rolls around and we get picked up from the MGM. They drive us out about a half hour from the strip to HQ and we get fitted for helmets & goggles. My nerves start to rattle as I read through the waivers. A dozen pages of lawyer jargon sprinkled with a few clauses of death and dismemberment. 

Not to mention a few things about 80 foot drop offs and getting lost from your group. A little bit of you'll be financially responsible here and there. Then top it all off with watch out for the endangered tortoises that look like rocks. The employees are as nonchalant as possible putting us in late and pulling us out early of the safety video. The guy tells me to forget out that waiver BS and to drive the thing like I stole it.

Another short bus ride to a group of buggies all in a row and we're introduced to our group leader of "purple team" Keith. I set up my GoPro and take second in our line up. Buckled into my three point harness with some crazy straps attached to my wrists. preventing my arms from going outside the roll bars in case the thing flips over it won't break your arm. A rough shell, a kill switch, hard bucket seat with an inch of foam padding, go cart motors blasting behind my head. We're ready to roll; besides Chuck our group had a dad and daughter rounding up the team.

Keith starts off as point and has a large purple flag coming from his buggy to keep tabs on him as he breaches the horizon. Maddie chases behind him keeping a slow and steady pace. These things are slower than I thought. The girl in front of me isn't being aggressive enough. Before I know it I'm on her bumper and trying to make room. Up hills slow afraid we're not going to make it because we don't have enough momentum. Then braking downhill in a wide open desert.

I need a little more excitement than this. I pass her up driving over brush and rocks to take the lead of our team. Keith moves fast he's up and over dunes then down and around to the point where I can only hope to catch a glimpse of his purple flag. He gets too far ahead and I do what I do best in these situations. Don't listen and try my own methods.

Side story - two years earlier my brother, dad and I went on a turtle watching snorkel tour in Maui. Number one rule was stay put and keep an eye on your partner. Bound and determined to see a sea turtle the first thing I do is go swimming off in some unknown direction. I get caught in an undertow and pushed out 50 yards from dad and Nick. I get lost for about 40 minutes and eventually make my way back to the boat. They were pissed, & rightfully so. Worried I'd drowned or something. Worst part of all I didn't even see any turtles.

Same stubborn flight path here. Why stay on the tracks? I'll just plow up these jumps and over these rocks and debris. Sure enough I hit a dune the wrong way and get stuck. Now I'm that guy, the person everyone was following and is holding up the whole group. I turn the wheels, nothing. I rock it back and forth, nope. Hit the kill switch, listen to the rules..wait to be rescued. Keith ends up coming back to dig me out. I get scolded; we haven't even been out 10 minutes yet. I unbuckle and help dig out. Start her up and then hang out in the back. I took last place to avoid that embarrassing display again.

Blasting around rocks and dirt I start to figure out my place a little better. Instantly I'm right up on the person in front of me again. To avoid this problem I started to drift all of my corners. I was flooring it most of the time and if we hit a turn I could whip the back end of the buggy out to give me some much needed distance between the next driver. A couple more minutes in and we lose Keith again. He's really hard to keep up with. The four of us manage to stick together just as Chucks buggy breaks down. We wait up for our leader and do doughnuts around Chuck. It seems like 20 minutes have gone by as I keep doing the same boring circles around trying not to get lost from the group. Eventually Keith makes his way back to us and calls for a replacement buggy for Chuck. A few minutes later a big truck shows up and drops off a huge 2 seater buggy. They load Chuck up and we're off again. The bigger buggy was much slower and it wasn't far afterwards we stopped off at our half way point.

We get out and stretch our legs for a moment. I drink too much water and end up with it sloshing around my stomach for the rest of the ride. They bring Chuck another one seater replacement so he can keep up. The crew starts up again. I can't get my rig started. Click click click, nothing. Click click click, nothing. I lose sight of my group then finally I gas it just right and the engine kicks to life. They're not far away from me but there is an 80 foot drop in between us. I can't tell how steep it is but take the dive and roll out after them. It's like riding the roller coaster at New York New York earlier that morning. But I have control over this ride. I turn past a couple big rocks make my way through the sand after them.

A dirt bike rider pulls up along side me then kicks it up a notch getting in front of me and crossing over across my path. He takes a few jumps then is off out of sight. I catch up to my crew twisting and turning sweeping my big drift turns to keep from running into people's back ends. More sand, rocks and desert garbage chasing trails then seeing other teams of ATV's, dirt bikes and other dune buggies. A couple more straight aways and another broken down buggy for Chuck pretty much called for the end of our baha adventure.

Overall, it was a great time worth the few extra bucks to try something new and exciting. I think we did get hosed a bit because we didn't get our full hour. They took us back early and we never did get any time comped for the three rides Chuck went through. I would do it again in a heartbeat and for how convenient they made it to get there and back it was well worth it.

Things I learned today:

Listen to the rules and what your instructor says

Pay the extra couple bucks for more time

Drive it like you stole it

Don't leave your friends behind

There's a time to relax and a time to hit it hard 

#17 Polar Bear Dive at Night

This adventure started at the Knittle brothers annual ugly sweater party. These guys have a sweet corner apartment right on Alki directly across the street from the water. The party was great, as always and reunited me with a bunch of old friends I haven't seen in ages. During the last 5 years I've really noticed myself grow personally and socially. A party like this 8 yeas ago I would have made it 30 maybe 40 minutes..

I can remember leaving the house for the weekend when my old roommates would throw a party. Now it's the complete opposite. I'm watching people come and go in that 40 minute timespan and I'm closing the place out with the hosts. One, two, three deep you start to get to that point where you've settled in. We're past the point of no return. I'm not driving anywhere but I'm also not leaving my car. It's always good to have the blessing from your host that its cool to crash at their place. 

I meet tons of new friends, we debate the new Star Wars and compare horror dating stories while getting a few new ideas for my 30 during 30. New friends come and go. Old friends make the rounds and reconnect. The night grows longer...four, five, six. The house is getting warm. Why'd I wear this damn scarf? One of my new buddies stuffs it in the freezer; genius. Pull it out and it's good for about 10 minutes of relief. Mariah Carey's All I want for Christmas plays again for the third time. People laughing and having a good time. They all start to fade away a stuffed apartment becomes empty and then there were six. 

Someone passed out on the sectional. The brothers with a couple of gals. My new friend and I creating commentary for them hitting on these girls. Suddenly! Dave gets a crazy idea! He shouts Polar Bear! Come on we're jumping in the water. Being fueled with alcohol it doesn't sound like the worst idea in the world. It's only the middle of December and 3 in the morning. Dave tosses me a pair of swim trunks and I meet him outside. 

I've never done this so let's chalk it up to a new experience. We run across the street barefoot and Dave plunges into the black water just past the concrete steps. The show's on for our audience of one and I splash right in after him. It's cold, but not nearly as bad as I thought it'd be. The booze helps, I'm not freezing nor did I feel myself scrape my knuckles on the concrete or my toes on barnacles. These are injuries I find over the next couple of days. My body's in the water, I get a taste of salt across my lips. We swim out a bit but it's short lived. The excitement wore off and the challenge has been completed. We get back inside towel off and that caps off our night. 

Things I learned today:

Never would I ever go into Alki at anytime of the year sober. 

Drunken night swimming is probably a bad idea.

Living an interesting life leads to good stories which make social interactions very easy.

#16 Learn How to Fight with a Sword

Most of the things I've done so far were semi random experiences that presented themselves. This one however was something that was on my list. Something that I craved to search out. I've said it before but it ceases to amaze me at all the things my hometown has to offer. Seriously pick your poison. You want to go to a witchcraft book store? Seattle has it. You want to record music in the basement studio of some weirdos house? Seattle has it. Last weekend I ended up at some sketchy karaoke bar in Chinatown at 3am...because Seattle has it. So it wasn't a big surprise when I found a club that trains in broadsword fighting techniques. 

After my experience in the sensory deprivation tank I had a moment of clarity that I need to make a better effort to maintain friendships and repair those that have dwindled. I figured this would be a good one to invite one of my oldest and best friends Beau out to. Beau and I have had tons of adventures and have a plethora of stories about getting into shenanigans in high school. Of course he was down for some sword fighting.

Like most of my 30 for 30 it starts with an awkward moment of where the Hell am I? 

I find Beau waiting for me so I know I've got the right address or at least we're both in the wrong place. Nowhere around is there anything resembling a sword fighting class. 

If I was going to a children's tumbling and circus class maybe I'd be in the right place. Kids bouncing on trampolines. People juggling and practicing jumping and catching routines. Balancing acts and acrobats but no swords..we eventually found someone to direct us to the right area. 

This club basically doubles as a gym or workout class that you happen to be swinging blunt edges at each other. 

We met Eric the owner/operator of the club and he gave us the run down of what we'd be getting into. But before we could have any fun we had to take a moment to read the fine details. I sign my life away from being bludgeoned or decapitated. Standard, please don't be a dick and sue us forms that have to be a part of the society we live in. 

Eric starts to give us the run down and safety requirements to not get hurt or hurt anyone else. As he's explaining he grabs my sword which I already had pointed probably too close to his face and sticks it towards the ground.

Not long after more members start showing up. It's your basic group of white male nerds who've actually pushed themselves away from their computer screens to get a little exercise. We run around in circles getting warmed up and then separate far enough to practice some long swipes. Ground up, ground up - up down, up down. Lunges, squats and then reverse. 

After everyone is all warmed up we separate into partners and are taught a basic defense move without our swords. In this lesson you're being attacked with a "pretend" knife. 

You deflect the arm with the knife and counter with your own knife attack in the neck. Back and forth 10 to 12 times then reverse. Now your attacking and getting stabbed. Lots of moving and switching. Until it's time to switch partners then we practice a reversal and shove. 

In this exercise the attacker dodges your block and you have to switch your footing to shove them away. I totally ended up with the teacher on this one. I could tell he was getting frustrated with my uncoordinated ass. Because when it was his turn to shove he progressively shoved me harder and harder. Back and forth a couple dozen times.

Finally, we get our swords back and switch partners again. Standard strike and block technique taking turns. At no point do the swords strike. If you're hitting; you're too close for comfort. Then they bring a little movement into the mix. You strike as your partner backs up. Wash, rinse, repeat. 

The most advanced thing we got to do was a swipe down, strike forward, reverse up. Over and over.

If you read my post about the salsa dancing lessons you'll notice a trend about me. Anything that requires my full body moving in any sequence of motion is usually an uncoordinated mess. Except this time I didn't have music or alcohol to help out.

During one of my partner switches I'd made a joke about it being a lot like dancing. That guy did not find my quip amusing. Sorry dude, but it totally is. Four steps then repeat four steps then reverse. Same thing but instead of dancing with hot girls I'm reversing with sweaty nerds. I can't be too hard on myself after all no one is perfect their first time out. 

They wouldn't let Beau and I try the second half of the class. I guess it was too advanced? They all pulled out plastic one handed sabers. That was our cue to leave.

Things I learned today:

Keep in touch with your good buddies. It's easier than you think.

Watch your mouth when talking about someone's passion. People tend to be touchy when it comes to their hobbies

Fighting is a lot like dancing. A repetition of moves until it's fluid and muscle memory. 

Exercise doesn't have to be a boring treadmill. 

I found a good place to go if you ever want to run away and join the circus.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to do?

This list was created by asking each new person I’ve met this year what’s something you’ve always wanted to do?

I want to know, what’s something you’ve always wanted to do? Maybe its something on this list? Let’s experience it together!

Escape room
Archery tag
Ride a Bobsled
Learn about Wine by taking a class
Taking a Bartender class
Hashing = scavenger/run
Hogans alley
Get in a fight/ Boxing classes
Learn how to fight with a sword
Go to the ballet
Build a Rube Goldberg machine
Watch 30 epic movies I've never seen in 30 days
Trapeze class
Go scuba diving - conquer my fears
Shoot a mini gun
Build a downhill hill derby soapbox racer
Rappel down a waterfall
Visit a ghost town
Stay the night in a haunted house
Volunteer at children's hospital
Ride a snowmobile
Swim with dolphins
Learn how to weld
Go on a cruise
Learn to sail
Learn to play the piano
Audition for a reality show
Learn how to Ski
Compete in an eating challenge
Write a script
Bungee jump
Shark cage
Go to Disney world
Get my motorcycle endorsement
Go Rock climbing
Rebuild a car
Get paid for playing music
Ride water propelled jetpack
Try yoga
Complete a scavenger hunt
Ride a bike to work
Pickup a hitchhiker
Ride in a hot air balloon
White water rafting
Go to a hip hop show
Go to a country concert
Get a tattoo
Throw an EPIC party
Climb a mountain
Crash a wedding
Dirtfish rally car school
Start a YouTube channel
Voice acting audition - follow my dreams
Zoorb
Dune buggies
Go fishing
Go hunting
Take helicopter lessons
Take flying lessons
Competitive cosplay
Brew beer
Poker tournament
Go to Vegas single
Skydiving
Run a 5k race
Sell Something on eBay

#15 Try a Sensory Deprivation Tank

I have to get this one on the page while it's still fresh in my mind. I just wrapped up trying a sensory deprivation tank for the first time. Out of all of my 30 for 30 I've enjoyed most of my experiences. Not this one; I've never tried any type of drug (alcohol excluded) or have I ever cared to. I think this is probably the closest I'll ever get to a drug trip. Now, I'm not saying this was a bad time or that I regret doing it. This thing opened my mind to a place I didn't expect. 

For those of you that don't know, a sensory deprivation tank is the ice box looking thing behind me in the picture. It's filled with about 8" of salt water that's heated to the body's temperature. The air inside is also regulated to body temperature to give you a feeling of weightlessness. Everything is pitch black inside; like can't see your hand in front of your face dark. This is all to give you a relaxing experience and leave you alone with your own thoughts. 

Not a great idea for me. Although this is always something I've wanted to do and would try it a second time if someone really wanted to go. I wouldn't really recommend it, not unless you have a strong sense of yourself and what you're limitations are. Luckily I had my little brother try this out with me and he had a completely different experience. 

From the moment I laid down in that water I was a little skeptic. I chose to go in the buff to get the full experience to try and avoid any distractions. I really thought I'd just spend an hour worrying about work and stupid things beyond my control. Boy was I wrong. The first thing that happened as soon as I was relaxed enough to shut my mind off I saw images of screaming faces. A small purple swirling blob which morphed into faces and at one point Batman's cowl. It didn't really scare me but more or less just kind of made me think of how F'd up are my thoughts going to be if this is the first thing right off the bat. I don't have any trouble sleeping at night and it's pretty easy for me to shut my mind off when I need to. Being naked in this tube I had small bubbles roll off me which distracted me enough to pull me out of those images. 

Not long after that I saw green circles and had started to wander making some connection to an odd moment in my childhood that overwhelmed me with a feeling of guilt. All of a sudden I remembered accepting $20 in advance for a car I was supposed to wash when I was 10. I never did wash that car and have always felt bad about it. Fast forward to my teenage years when I was supposed to build a rockery in exchange for a new bed..which I still sleep on every night. I never built that rockery. Link that to me being 25 and buying my first home. The lady that spent hours with me, interviewing, processing and going to work for me to secure my loan. Which I switched last minute to use a different lender. She wrote me a letter telling me how I stole food out of her child's mouth and that it was one of the most insulting things a person has ever done to her. Connect that to every girl I've ever gone out with and never called back. For no reason or another that we just didn't connect and then complaining when the same thing has happened to me. Overwhelming guilt, for letting some of my best friends in the world become strangers. Or broken promises of visiting aunties I haven't seen in years. I bumped the side of the tank and snapped out of my guilt trip. 

Line of pink with blue lightning lingering down into a blue cats cradle of strings. Strings that touched all over the universe. All of the connections I've ever made. All of the connections I may have missed. Where were these people? Have I done them wrong? Have we even met yet? Then blackness,  a darker level of black taking me into a higher level of consciousness. I was able to hear my subconscious. Able to answer myself with an amount of clarity only your soul could see. 

Am I doing the right thing? Yes..You're exactly where you're supposed to be. Is my career choice the correct one? Yes..You're exactly where you're supposed to be. Am I doing enough for others in my life? Yes..you help more then you realize. What about love? Where is she? Where's the woman I'm supposed to end up with? .....Look, look, look, look....look, look, look, look, look. 

A slight illumination of orange from the right corner of the tank. The more I look the more it fades. My body feels like its moved 90 degrees from its starting point. I must be near the corner better stretch out to make sure. My arms extend all the way out. Nowhere near a wall, nowhere near a corner. I practice my skydiving X shape. No extremities touch but I feel them. Feel my feet twitch like they're ready to move. Feel my fingers tingle like they're close to a wall. Another illumination of red out of the left side of the tank. I pull my left arm out of the water and can see it moving in a haze. 

A calm of white puts me under again. Where am I? Can I communicate with the dead? I call out to the two most important people I've lost. But nothing..just an old recording of my Aunt on repeat saying coookie. Which is what she used to call the cat. What else can I ask myself? I ask if I need a faster car? Do I need a faster car? Do I...need a faster car? Do I need a faster car? Do I...need a faster car? Do I need a faster car? Do I...need a faster car? No answer there. It's about this time where I'm feeling like I've been in this thing long enough. I've had to ask myself if my eyes are open or closed at least half a dozen times. Blinking to answer myself. 

Just like Inception there's supposed to be a music cue letting you know your time is almost up. I hear a woman's heels clicking. Click clack click clack click clack and pull my head out of the water. There's soothing music and it's time for me to sit up and make my way out. I shower off and get dressed. Then meet my brother outside. I tell him a few things and he practically spit takes the water he was drinking. His mind was empty, his room was blank..no colors, no guilt just a hot bathtub full of water. 

Things I learned today:

Very seldom do expectations meet reality 

A level of meditation and clarity are not always a good thing 

Be aware of one's self and self interest 

Communicate today and speak your mind as tomorrow is not guaranteed 

Make time to relax, let go and breathe

#14 Go Indoor Skydiving

Today I went to ifly in Southcenter to tryout indoor skydiving. Ever since this place opened I've wanted to try it out. But never had any real reason besides curiosity. When the opportunity presented itself I jumped on it. Like most extreme sports or experiences I've found that you're paying for the story or the opportunity to try something new. You're certainly not paying for the time spent doing them because they don't last very long. All said and done I spent 120 seconds flying. Two one minute rounds. I'm not complaining because it is something I'll remember forever and if anything it's only given me the taste for real skydiving.

At first I was a little bummed out that you have a spotter in there with you. But I've been through enough safety courses to be able to appreciate what they're doing. First you have about a 15 minute course to learn their basic hand signals and the position you have to be in to have the most control and therefore fun. Our teacher was very spritely, I mean this girl was full of energy and practically dancing around the place. It's not hard to see why, that seems like it would be a fun job. Flying around everyday and dealing with mostly happy people trying a potential new hobby. How could you not smile and bounce around giddy with life.

There were 4 basic hand signs to remember as well as 2 body positions. A finger making the number 1 sign means to keep your head up. Make the number 2 sign and it means spread your legs apart further. Number 2 bent down like a claw meant to bend your knees more. Finally the hang loose sign meant to relax. The most important thing to remember was to keep your body in an X shape with your hips arched. Then hold your hands about eye level. This allowed you to raise or lower your height.  

Heading up to the doorway to that tube I had little fear aside from forgetting everything I had just learned. I watched probably 7 people go before me so I wasn't afraid of coming off any worse than the others. I was more worried about throwing up in that thing. That pretty much would have been my worst nightmare if that had happened. I stepped up in the form of my X shape and dropped in. Instantly I was lifted up about 3 feet from the grating below. Any slight adjustment I made with my arms or hands was a huge shift while in the air. My spotter Sophie made sure I didn't go crashing into the walls. I kept trying to keep all of my lessons in play while floating around for my first minute. Then before I knew it it was over and I had to head back to the entryway. I'm not even sure I took a breath while in there. Trying to remember to breathe was amongst the last things I was thinking of.

The second go around I paid extra for them to spin me around and turn the fans on full blast to the ceiling. For round two I'm pretty sure I forgot to breathe the whole time I was in there. I did a lot better with remembering the appropriate form and didn't go into the walls as much. At about the 40 second mark this really tall guy Peder comes into the tube and grabs a leg and an arm. Taking control and getting a good spin on me they turn the fans on full blast and spend us about 20 feet higher. Fans cut and we go falling back down just inches away from the grating below. Then back up to the ceiling all while spinning in a circle. This was probably the best part of the whole experience. It felt more like a ride at this point rather than me feeling like I'm fumbling around trying to maintain control.

Once the whole group had finished their turns it was Sophie's turn to show off. I have no doubt this is to sell more lessons and show people what you can do if you stick with it. Her display was rad; no joke, she moved like Spider-man! Had the same arches and form flying up, down and all around this tube of air. At one point she was upside down moving in a full circle around the thing only moving her fingers and hands slightly. It was incredible to see what those professionals can do. Afterword, Sophie told me that I had great form and was one of the best in the class. It was nice to have that reassurance that I was actually doing it right. Overall, this was a fun time but I think I'm ready to jump out of that plane with the big boys and girls.


Things I learned today

Pay for the experience not the time spent during and you won't be disappointed

Pay extra for the picture package: internet logic states pics or it didn't happen

No one gets anything right the first time they do it

Skydiving isn't really flying, it's just falling...with style

Life's not about the breaths you take but the breathtaking moments