#37: Indoor Skydiving

Jumping out of an airplane was never something on my 40x40 list, but I was willing and excited to try the indoor skydiving experience at iFly Dallas. According to their website, iFLY creates true free fall conditions, just like skydiving, without having to jump out of an airplane. iFLY’s 1400 hp vertical wind tunnel generates a wall-to-wall cushion of air on which you can safely float.

My kids and I recently experienced their ‘Earn Your Wings’ flight package for beginners. After watching a brief instructional video and learning a few key hand signals (it’s impossible to talk inside the wind tunnel) from our instructor, Preston, we suited up for flight. There were 10 flyers in our group and we all lined up on a bench waiting for our turn. Everyone received two 60-second flights with Preston nearby to coach and assist as needed.

Maya, Luca and I couldn’t talk much while we waited due to ear plugs and large helmets over our ears, but I knew they were as nervous as I was based on their big eyes and uncertain expressions as they watched others take flight. Nonetheless, eight-year-old Luca eagerly stepped up to go first among the three of us and excitedly entered the tunnel. She was awesome, following Preston’s directions and quickly leveling out to fly on her own.

I was a little more nervous about Maya simply because they made a point to say anyone who had experienced a dislocated shoulder should not fly.  While she’s had no shoulder injuries, she did dislocate her elbow last year. It should be healed after three surgeries, but we both still get a little uncomfortable when she tries something new. Preston reassured us she should be fine and came up with a special signal for her if she experienced any discomfort or pain. Luckily, she had no need to use that and enjoyed the flight.

I was up next and entered the wind tunnel with arms stretched out and knees slightly bent just as Preston had instructed. He helped position me for a few seconds and then let go and I was flying on my own, slowly spinning in circles.  It took a lot more concentration than I expected to stay level, but it was a fun feeling.  Knowing there was a camera capturing my flight, I tried my best to smile and look excited but that was nearly impossible with the force of the winds.

We all felt much more comfortable on our second flights. There was also excitement since we had upgraded to fly significantly higher into the wind tunnel with Preston. It was a very cool experience, but leads me to the only negative in our iFly adventure. It was very expensive. I paid over $200 to book the outing for the three of us. When they called to confirm the day prior, they tried to upsell me on several things, including the higher-flying experience. By the end of our outing, I spent almost $300 for a 1.5 hour adventure.

While experience #36 was fun and new, I’m not sure I would do it again. Flying, while great, only lasted a short time and I felt the price was steep. That said, it made for a great 40x40…a new experience that took me out of my comfort zone, yet kept my kids and me safe and excited.

Check out Maya and Luca's flight videos:

Luca

Maya

#36: Standing Desk

Growing up I promised myself I would never have a desk job.  Sitting still is just not my thing. I am happiest, most engaged and most productive when I’m active. However, although I have a career I love, for the past five years I’ve been sitting in front of a computer 80% of the time. That’s made me a little crazy and, I believe, has been the primary source of some chronic back pain.

So I’ve closely followed research on the benefits of stand-up desks and finally decided to join the movement. As an article on Smithsonian.com stated, spending more of your day standing could reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Yep, sitting all day can be detrimental to your health and apparently studies have found that regular gym time does not cancel the negative effects.

My New Work Space

Given I love the work I do and it’s not likely to transition to be significantly more active, I thought moving to a stand-up desk was the least I could do for my health and sanity. It’s only been a couple of weeks, but I already love it. And while I opted for the Varidesk Pro Plus model that gives you the option to sit or stand, I’ve found myself keeping it in standing position 90% of the time.

Experience #36 has already proven to help my back pain…and a nice bonus: according to a BBC news report, standers burn an average of 50 calories more per hour!

#35: First Monday Trade Days

I’ve always heard about the flea market-style shopping mecca that is First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas. I decided a little late that it would make a great 40x40 experience. With only one cold, winter date available before my February 20^th deadline, my awesome sister, Lori, a Canton veteran agreed to face potential rain and frigid temperatures to join me. I have to give her extra kudos for driving 3.5 hours each way from Houston while I was surprised to learn it was just over an hour east of Dallas for me.

Display at Paul Michael

She was a great tour guide, walking me thru the miles of vendors and helping me know when to buy vs. look for better deals. I must admit I was pleasantly surprised by the overall Canton experience. I had a junky garage sale-style flea market in my mind vs. the upscale craft show-like experience it actually was. That was probably because Lori knew the areas to hit and the ones to avoid. We spent the first few hours walking thru Canton’s Arbors, which included everything from upscale furniture costing thousands of dollars (I fell in love with a copper-topped dining table for $4K) to t-shirts and jewelry. 

Matching Shoes

Surprising to anyone who knows our vastly different styles, Lori and I actually bought matching flip-flop style wedge shoes. I also bought a fun dress that was completely not my typical style, a few gifts for my kids and what I considered a signature “Canton piece”. As part of my 40x40, I hoped to leave with a special item that reflected my personality while also representing the crafty, artistic side of First Monday Trade Days. (Unfortunately the copper-top table was not in the budget for that.)

I found that perfect combination at T&T Ironworks where I was drawn to a fun metal sign reading “Grateful”. That definitely describes my overall perspective on life and it seemed perfect to represent this 40x40 adventure. I look forward to hanging it on our breakfast room wall as a reminder to my family each day of our many blessings as we say Grace.

Exploring Canton was a fun adventure. I experienced something out of my ordinary and purchased some really cool stuff, but the best part was spending a day with my sister. While I would love to see her more, distance and the business of life tend to get in the way. I appreciate her willingness to set aside other priorities and join me. Again, I am grateful.

#34: Reading Glasses

This post may be more appropriately titled ‘Facing the truth’ or ‘Admitting I’m old.’ For 39 years I had perfect vision, and then all of a sudden I found myself squinting and struggling to read ordinary text on my computer screen. I tried to ignore it for a while and then one day while shopping at Anthropologie I tried on a pair of reading glasses simply because I thought they were cute, but I was amazed how all of a sudden things looked clear to me again. It was an eye-opening experience. Literally.

I purchased a couple pairs of inexpensive reading glasses but didn’t love the way they fit or looked so I decided to break down and see an eye doctor. After all, if I was going to wear glasses I wanted to be sure I actually needed them and had the right ones.

It was only the third time in my entire life I’ve had an eye exam. The first time I was in elementary school when my sister was struggling to read in class so my mom took us both. The second was about 10 years ago when my PCP said it would be a good idea to have an eye exam, and since insurance covered it, I agreed. That time the doctor actually seemed a little annoyed that I was wasting his time with my perfect vision, so I hadn’t bothered to return.

This time was different. The doctor nodded when she asked my age saying, “Yep, this is when it typically happens…” After a full eye exam she wrote me a prescription less powerful than the +1.00 lenses I had been using. It turns out my vision, though noticeably different to me, is not too terrible yet.

Not wanting to drop $500 on frames at the optometrist for such a mild prescription, I opted to try Warby Parker, an online, socially conscious eyewear company that donates a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair purchased. The process was super convenient. You can view their frames online and then select up to five to try on free at home. It’s a great concept – they send frames with clear lenses, so I was able to wear them at my computer, walking around, etc. Rather than feeling pressured to choose at a storefront, I was able to test several frames to see how they fit and stayed on. I also took some selfies to help decide which ones looked best on me. Once I selected a style, I took a picture of my prescription, uploaded it on their site and got a great pair of anti-reflective, anti-scratch glasses for $95. It was actually a fun experience and I like my new glasses.

Experience #34 makes me feel old, but at least I can read clearly again and I guess it’s all part of facing my middle-aged reality...only six experiences to go!

#33: Embrace Color

If you know me, try this little experiment...close your eyes and picture the last time we saw each other. Was I wearing a black? Odds are that I was. For most of my life I've steered clear of color.  In fact, the clothes in my closet are sorted by color, which is easy to do since 90% of my wardrobe is in the black/grey family. It's not that I'm gothic or anything. Quite the opposite actually. I've just always liked the classic, simple look (and slimming effects) of dark solids. A few years ago my husband suggested we paint our kitchen red and I was completely appalled. I hadn't thought about moving beyond neutral tones and wondered how that would affect our resale value? But somehow he talked me into it and I’ve been grateful ever since.

So, I used the 40x40 project as an excuse to escape my comfort zone and add a little color to other parts of my life, including redecorating our master bedroom with bold colors that I've grown to love, adding lots of bright, colorful (though still solid) pieces to my wardrobe and even adding new color to our walls in a recent remodel.  

Small steps but I'm breaking out of my comfort zone and liking it. Having this goal as part of the 40x40 project influenced me to take some new risks in embracing color – I even had my nails painted dark purple one day. Crazy, I know.

#32: Dog Park

Oliver

As I mentioned previously, I’m a dog person. Yet while I’ve always been intrigued by dog parks depicted on movies or TV, I had never actually been to one. Inspired by the 40x40 project, my kids and I recently took our 4-year old Jack Chi, Oliver, to a local dog park. Although it was minutes from our house, we didn’t even know existed until we started looking for a park to visit. Such a great surprise!

Being a first timer, I was a little nervous about the experience, so I Googled dog park etiquette before we left and learned a few basic rules:

• Clean up after your dog
• Dogs under 4 months should not be at the dog park
• Remove your dog immediately if they display any aggressive behavior
• Don’t bring or use treats or toys when other dogs are nearby

My favorite rule came from PETA’s dog park website:
We reserve the right to choke, pinch or shock any visitors who put choke, pinch or shock collars on their dogs. Buy a harness!

We visited the Villages of Bear Creek Dog Park. Like most parks I researched, they have large and small dog areas. Oliver weighs about 20 lbs., so we immediately headed for the small dog section. Both areas are double gated - something my research also told me is a MUST for a good dog park. I quickly understood why when we entered and half the dogs ran over to greet the new visitor. My favorite part of the experience was how excited the dogs were when a new friend entered, but it was difficult to prevent a dog escaping in the process, so the double gate kept everyone safe.

Oliver chasing Olive

There was a rack for leashes by the entrance so once Oliver seemed comfortable (he’s very friendly, so that didn’t take long), we removed his leash and let him run freely to explore. He was so excited about the new adventure that his tail wagged the entire time. He first sniffed around exploring the surroundings then quickly made friends with several dogs, including a six-month old dachshund named Olive. He ran freely though the park, but I noticed he would periodically look around for the kids and me. I’m not sure if he was making sure we were safe or checking to be sure we hadn’t left him, but his concern was adorable regardless.

We only stayed about 30 minutes, and Oliver was completely exhausted from the adventure. He fell asleep in the car on the short drive home with a smile on his face.

Experience #32 was fun and long overdue. I have no doubt we will become regular visitors at The Villages of Bear Creek. Just one piece of advice for anyone enjoying the dog park experience…watch where you step. I learned that one the hard way.