never B4

A Segway to Celebrate a Segue

One segue inevitably leads to another.  This statement proved true for me and four of my college girlfriends this past weekend.  We all flew to Florida to celebrate this year in which we all are segueing from 39 to the big 4-0 and not long after we arrived we treated ourselves to Never b4 rides on Segway Personal Transporters. 

I saw the smooth gliding, nearly silent Segway ridden by its inventor, Dean Kamen, many years ago at a robotic's competition in NYC.  Ever since, I've want to try one.  Throughout this Never b4 year, I've searched for Segway tours in many cities but until this past weekend they eluded me. In Paris they were booked, in NYC they are banned and in Amsterdam they were just impossible to find. So, being able to find an operating Segway tour in Naples Florida on the very weekend my friends and I were celebrating a milestone segue, was a very happy coincidence. 

Sure, we were nervous and wobbly as we stepped aboard the 2-wheeled contraption and discovered our power was in our feet. Our Sarah Palin-sounding instructorguided us by hand at first, teaching us to lean forward on our feet to move forward, and rock back to stop or go in reverse.  She taught us to negotiate road bumps, cars and pedestrians with a twist of the handle that made the Segway turn on a dime.  She kept our speed under control by turning our machines on with the starter-level key but quickly taught us how to make the the smiley face on our Segway dashboard frown with faster maneuvers and even growl if we pushed our speed limits to the max.

We toured for 2+ hours around the historic sections of Naples but I can't tell you much about what I saw because I was so focused on the amazement of riding. I am proud to say that not one of us fell off our Segway like George W. Bush did 5 years ago.  I can also, thanks to a momentary steering problem of my own, attest to the fact that the Segway rides just as well on lawns as it does on pavement. 

Sure, we may have felt a bit foolish zipping around Naples on our Segways, but I don't think any one of us felt 40!  Click here for some photos and below you can watch videos of Cathy, Mikki and Pam taking their very first rides (sorry Eileen, I didn't get you on video).

I'd like to give a shout out to Cathy, Pam, Eileen and Mikki: first for enthusiastically embracing the idea of the Segway ride; and second for the many laughs we shared about our jet ski ride -- a Never b4 that is too bizarre to go into detail about here but one I know we'll laugh about for many reunions to come.

If you have have comments on our Segway adventure or Segway stories of your own to share, I'd love to hear them.   Simply click on the headline above, scroll down and add your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page. 

Last but certainly not least, check out my mascot Sahara's "About" page .  It's new!  Then, click on this "Help Me Find Sahara A Home"  to see even more adorable pics of her. 

The Cyclone Kicked My Butt!

Eighty-one years ago, hundreds of men sweat under the heat of the Coney Island sun to build, plank after wooden plank, the most influential roller coaster in the world.  Even though it's had its ups and downs over the years, I somehow I think Vernan Keenan, the designer of The Cyclone would be psyched to know that it still kicks butt.  And somehow I think that my dad, who rode this coaster more than 50 years ago, would laugh his butt off at the sight of me cowering in fear as I rode The Cyclone for the first time. (By the way, the Ricky Gervais look-a-like that I'm clinging to in the picture below looks more brave only because it was his second ride).

Even though the coaster is more of a landmark these days, it's still a master of thrills: anticipation swells as the car slowly ratchets up its 86 ft peak and then chaos bursts forth as it drops at 60 mph toward the sand.  However, it's when the coaster propels itself back up and around the first hair-pin turn in the track, that Keenan's 1920's knowledge of human biomechanics becomes painfully evident. Heads snap, knees jerk and elbows slap against the car's metal walls.

"Wee!" becomes "Ouch..." but only for a minute and fifty seconds. In less time than it takes Joey Chestnut to eat 59 Nathan's hot dogs, the coaster comes screaching to a halt and the thrill of "I did it!" takes over. 

As I sit here now with a nasty bruise on my elbow and a sore neck, I still say it was worth the ride.  Not for the thrills but because on Labor Day Weekend it let me appreciate the longevity of a creative idea and the hard work that went into building and maintaining this history-making coaster.  As a 2008 laborer whose creations are essentially disposable, I find it inspirational to think that something that can be dreamt up and built can thrill thousands, if not millions of people for decades. 

And for anyone who's wondering, yes I also ate a few Nathan's Hot Dogs while I was out at Coney Island.  And we also experienced these 3 other Never b4's. 
1. We saw our first ever hot dog vending machine (and if a hot dog vending machine isn't strange enough, it also proclaimed to be kosher!)
2. We caught a bit of a Rockabilly music fesitival
3. We got a glimipse of the most creepy carni game I've ever seen -- "Shoot the Freak" in which you can shoot a man standing in a pen -- thankfully, only with paint balls

If you have any Coney Island or Cyclone stories of your own, I'd love to hear them.  Or, if you did a Never b4 of your own this Labor Day weekend, don't be shy.  Let's hear how you did.  Simply click on the headline above, scroll down to the bottom of the page and add your thoughts in the comments section.

Enjoy Labor Day Weekend Like Never B4

Your other option is this: you could use your 3-day "end of summer" weekend, to do the things you've always done, the ways you've always done them.  That's the easiest thing to do, for sure.  But after 8 months of doing 1 new thing every week, I can guarantee you that if you do something this weekend that you've never done
before ...

1. You'll get your mind off work
2. You'll be a little less focused on the fact that summer is coming to an end
3. You'll have something funny, bizarre or maybe even a bit provocative to to talk about at BBQs, picnics or at work on Tuesday. 

Why am I throwing the Never B4 ball in your court?  It's because I've received emails from many of you and they seem to fall into 1 of 2 categories:

• You want to know how I get my Never b4 ideas.  This makes me think you want to try something but you're not sure where to start.
• You say that my antics are inspiring you to do X, Y or Z but you haven't found the time to do them yet.  This leads me to believe that maybe you're setting your sights too high for your first Never b4.

So, here's a smattering of attainable Never b4 ideas that don't take a lot of time, energy or prep time but they do pose a challenge.  Take one on and you'll feel good about yourself and you'll find your weekend just a tad more interesting:

Grill Something on Your BBQ that You've Never Grilled Before
Here are some ideas that aren't on the typical BBQ menu:  BBQ Pizza, BBQ Nachos, BBQ Artichokes, BBQ Garlic.  

Enter a Contest You've Never Entered Before 
A cooking contest, a drawing contest, a singing contest (check out a local karaoke bar) or start your own contest among family, neighbors or friends.  For example, "who can go the longest without talking" contest or "which family on the block can go the longest without driving their car" contest.

Share Something About Yourself That You've Never Shared Before
Take or make a video and post it on YouTube. If you have a political opinion and if you've never voiced it before, email or text message one of the Sunday morning talk shows.  Create a Facebook page and list your favorite books, music or movies to share with your friends (or create and email Amazon, Netflix and/or iTunes
recommendation lists to your friends).

Do an Activity You've Never Done Before
Take the coins piling up around the house and donate them to a charity...or as Gretchin Rubin did, use coins instead of bills for a day. Get up and watch the sunrise.  Explore a part of your hometown you've never visited before.  Try a sport you've never tried before.  Go to a nude beach. Tell at least 3 jokes you've never told before. 

Whatever you choose, you won't be alone because I will be doing something new myself this weekend.  Very soon, I'll also do a first for this blog and seek out guest bloggers to share their Never b4 stories.  More to come on that soon.

Good luck with your Never b4's. I hope you'll share your successes with us all next week.  In the meantime, happy Labor Day!

If you have other Never b4 ideas or comments you want to share, please leave a comment.  I love hearing what you think.  Simply click on the headline above, scroll down and fill in the comments area at the bottom of the page.

  

 

Two Loons on a Balloon

Finally!  After multiple deflating attempts, we scored a coveted basket spot on the Central Park's 150th Anniversary Helium Balloon. We soared 300 feet into the sky for a 10-minute bird's eye view of the Park below us and the vertical city before us.

Why would 2 people who live in Manhattan pay good money to get a view that a) we've seen before and b) can easily be seen for free from elevators and rooftops?  Some would call us loons but our initial motivation is hopefully clear to those that have been regularly reading this blog (for anyone new refer to the title bar above).  To be honest though, the overriding motivation turned out to be the finicky nature of the balloon itself and its Mount Everest-sized waiting line. 

My first solo venture to the balloon started 3 weeks ago at am on a Saturday morning, when jet lag had me wide-eyed and energized to do something exciting.  I wandered to the Park, caught my first glimpse of the soaring balloon and a waiting line that I thought looked surprisingly short. I figured I'd be back home with great pics to share before breakfast was over. 

I was very wrong.  What I thought was a short line, was actually a 3-hour wait because the balloon took a max of 4 passengers and each flight was 10 minutes long.  And then, about a half hour after I arrived a slight breeze kicked up and that balloon started blowing like the hair on a Weather Channel anchormen stationed in the eye of a hurricane.  Safety dictated they shut the operation down until better conditions returned and I took off thinking I could easily get on another day. 

Dave swung by the balloon several times after that but each time he found the balloon grounded.  I returned one other time and although the balloon was flying, the line was 8 hours long.  I certainly wasn't committed enough for an 8 hour wait and honestly, I was starting to seriously question the balloon's ability to fly a full day.

Then suddenly August 22nd arrived.  It was the last day of the balloon rides and my alarm clock went off at a ridiculously early hour - thanks in part to the bottle of wine that conjured up an even stronger determination to conquer the balloon.  If the sky hadn't been crystal clear I'm sure I would have shut off the alarm and rolled over. Instead Dave and I dragged ourselves out of bed and got to the park 45 minutes before the balloon was due to open. 

There were 18 people in line by 6:15 am (which is when I arrived) and within 20 minutes there were easily 30 new people behind us.  If the wind held off and the balloon held strong, I calculated we could be up in the air by am. That is, I was told, if no one with a reservation showed up and used their priority status to go before us.  Ugh!

Thankfully, the weather conditions stayed perfect: the sky was blue in every direction, the trees were thankfully still and the city was a-glimmer with the dew that had yet to burn off. Only 2 reservation holders arrived while we waited and at 7:45, we climbed over the edge of the basket, clipped our carabiners to the side and took flight. 

I've ridden the elevators I mentioned early and visited rooftop decks on several tall buildings.  I've even flown directly over Central Park in planes racing toward La Guardia airport and Dave has zipped over the Park at lower altitudes in a helicopter.  Therefore, neither one of us expected to be wowed by the view.  Yet to our surprise, we were.  Once we overcame, the unsettling feeling of the "give" in the basket floor and the slight dizziness brought on by the balloon twirling on its cable tether, we opened our eyes to a serene 360 degree view we had never enjoyed before.

The balloon's gentle pirouette at 300 feet gave us a gentle aerial tour of the entire Park -- Sheep's Meadow, the Boat Pond, the Boathouse Restaurant, the top of the Park's band shell, Bethesda Fountain, the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Castle Clinton (identifiable by the flying flag) and the ever-growing line of future
balloon-o-nauts waiting below us.

It also gave us a thrill, as you can tell by initial worry on Dave's face in the video below (thankfully I was behind the camera so you can't see how scared I looked -- but I can tell you, I was).

For anyone that missed Central Park's balloon rides, you can find other helium balloon rides in Boston, Chicago and Niagara Falls. It's definitely worth the money but I can't guarantee it's worth a wait longer than an hour or two.

Think we're loons for chasing this balloon?  If so, let us know.  Or if you have any other thoughts or comments you want to share, please leave a comment.  I love hearing what you think.  Simply click on the headline above, scroll down and fill in the comments area at the bottom of the page.

  

 

Barbados: Fun in the Sun with a Gun

Never did I expect to shoot a .22 caliber handgun for the first time on a tropical Caribbean island and never did I suspect that a shooting range could have a swimming pool open to the general public and a full bar.  Yes, a bar with a complete assortment of rums and a host of other tropical libations.

Ah, to discover the freedom of loose(r) rules and regulations is a definite perk of vacationing outside the U.S.  Speaking of vacation, I'm still on mine now and the beach, the Banana Coladas and the surf are calling so this entry will be short.

But I digress.  Barbados certainly isn't the Wild West so I don't want to mislead you into thinking that the Kendal shooting range didn't have any rules and regulations at all.  They certainly did and the most widely advertised of those rules was this...
 

Even though I could have used a stiff shot of rum to calm my nerves, I didn't dare violate the supreme rule.  Instead, I walked soberly and nervously into the range with my husband at my side and my instructor leading the way.

After 15 minutes of patient instruction from Robert our range guide, a well-worn black handgun, 3 magazines and 50 rounds were laid out in front of me.  Standing on the shooting range with that gun in my hand, I discovered the following:

• I'm left eye dominant even though I'm right-handed
• My aim wasn't as bad as I would have guessed
• Despite earplugs and a pair of hearing protectors, the .38 Super (the gun my husband was shooting) was deafeningly loud and scary
• I was honestly and absolutely afraid of what I could do with that weapon in my hands

Never b4 had I been so conscious that one wrong or calculated move on my part could seriously injure or kill someone.  I told myself the car I drive every day is as dangerous a weapon, if not a more lethal one.  Yet I couldn't ignore, that unlike my car, the gun in my hand was designed for the sole purpose of inflicting pain.  If I wanted to go crazy at that very moment and hurt someone, I probably could have quite easily.

I'm very happy to report that losing my sanity was NOT part of this Never b4.  Dave and I left fully in tact with only our egos a bit bruised when we realized that we were not the day's sharp shooters.  Regardless, we made a beeline to the bar to toast my latest Never b4 and revel in the adrenaline rush.

Have something to add to this post -- funny, serious, or otherwise?  If so, I'd love to hear from you.  Just click on the headline above then scroll down and add your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page.

Staggering Temps & Turnout

Thermometers squeezed passed 95, the sun beat down, A/C's cranked up and The Jedi Knights walked 2 miles in the midday heat. For the first time, I can proudly say I was one of them.

Were we crazy to be out walking in the sweltering heat?  My actions have been called crazy (or worse) in the past, but our heatwave walk wasn't one of those crazy moments.  In fact, pounding the pavement on Sunday was, by all definitions of the word, normal.  Normal, that is, in terms of raising money for and awareness of Autism. 

10,000 other walkers were on the Manhattanville College campus with us.  There were young parents pushing strollers, large hometown teams waving banners and mid-size teams like ours made up of neighbors and family.  The mood was boisterous despite the temps and even though teams worked hard to set themselves apart with personalized team t-shirts, it was clear we all had an important thing in common -- we each knew or loved someone with Autism.  In my case, it's the latter and it felt great to be home this year to take these steps with my family.

As the signs along the walk explained, more children will be diagnosed with Autism this year than AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined.  In fact, a new case will be diagnosed nearly every 20 minutes and boys are 4 times more likely to have Autism than girls. 

With these statistics, it's likely that you know or love someone with Autism, too.  If so and you're interested in making a donation to Autism Speaks you can do so here.  Or, perhaps there's another cause you're passionate about.  If so, I highly recommend joining a walk for your cause  -- even if the weather works against you. You'll be happy you did it.   

 

 

 

Breaking News....Station Squirrels Are Everywhere!
The Botanical Gardens train station in the Bronx (where I took the train home after the walk) is squirrel heaven.  How many do you see?

Have something to add to this post (funny, serious or otherwise)?  Click on the headline above then scroll down and add your thoughts in the comment section at the bottom of the page.

Gumby on the Wall

Orono Maine might not be one of the most exciting towns in the world but it does have the MAINEBound Adventure Center on the University of Maine Campus and it was there that I climbed my first rock wall. 

Yes, that's clumsy me up there dangling on that wall, a true Gumby (which I just
learned is the term for an inexperienced climber).   

(click on the pic for a larger view)

My hands were quivering under the strain of pulling and reaching for grips above my head and I had to stretch my legs farther than any lunge I've ever done in aerobics class, to go from one foot anchor to the next.  But I did it.  Twice!

What I think I loved most is the feeling of lifting my full weight, against the pull of gravity, with only the power of my arms and legs.  Having been a competitive swimmer, I know the feeling of propelling myself forward.  And as scuba diver, I've used fins (and weight belts) to drive myself down, but never have I used my own strength to lift myself up, way up. 

Thankfully  Nicole was playing the role of belay slave and even though she was half my height and less than half my age, she was on the ground, tethered to me with ropes and a harness of her own to protect me from a potentially painful fall.   If I wanted to go higher though, the best she could do was point out a good-looking anchor and yell up encouraging words.  To actually climb, well, that was up to my arms, legs and whether my brain could convince my limbs that the next move was a wise one.

Nothing was fast. Each move was methodical, a strain and an achievement.  After each move upward, the feelings of safety and curiosity battled for decision making power.

I never fell (or needed Nicole to save me) so safety clearly won the fight (twice). Yet, I never made it to the very top of the wall and now that I'm on the ground again, I can't stop wondering whether I can flash one of the other walls at the MAINEBound Center, by making it all the way to the top in one try. 

My curiosity is winning out now so I know I'll definitely be on that wall again soon.  I can't wait!

Have a reaction to this post (funny, serious, or otherwise)?  Click on the headline above, scroll down and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Pillow Fight!

Ever been tempted to bop a complete stranger on the head?  I certainly have and in celebration of today being World Pillow Fight Day, I bopped random New Yorkers, left and right, with absolutely no recourse.

KB, HB, GB and I all shared in this Never B4 with hundreds (if not a thousand) other pillow fighters in Union Square Park in NYC. Pillows flew, heads were bopped, and feathers filled the air.  Play the videos below to see some of the action for yourself.

Download MVI_0935.AVI

Download MVI_0934.AVI

Along with, Improv Everywhere who organized the now famous Frozen Grand Central, the organizer of today’s World Pillow Fight Day, Newmindspace, is part of what’s being labeled a “senseless culture movement.”

Sure, there wasn’t a specific message being touted by us pillow fighter today but were our actions, senseless? Is doing something just for the pure fun of it, senseless? Not in my book.  In fact, I want to do more of it!

Click here for pillow fight pictures.

Anyone want to join me for the NYC Bubble Battle in June? Click here to see some bubble footage from 2006.  It looks much more tame than the Pillow Fight but I’m guessing, just as fun.  If you’re interested, post a comment and I’ll keep you updated on the Bubble Battle.

A Wii Bit of Diving Heaven

This week I went to a part of the South Pacific called Manoa Lai to be the scuba diving guide on The Gabbiano, a marine research vessel with shiny teak decks, white sails and get this, 3 penguin pets.  I slammed the door on the negative 5 degree temps of Maine and jumped feet-first into coral-filled waters to drift with schools of parrotfish and tangs and the occasional curious dolphin.  I explored coral canyons, swam through blue holes and found an ancient medal on the sea floor.  The most amazing part about this Never B4 is that I did it all from my couch.

If, for one moment, you let me carry you away on this scuba diving adventure then you shared a bit of the realism that the Nintendo Wii gave me when I played Endless Ocean for the first time this week.  The designers of this game captured the most relaxing, and a few of my personal favorite, aspects of diving...

• The soothing sound of my own breath humming through the regulator
• The serenity of neutral buoyancy (to float without sinking to the sea floor or shooting to the surface, to just hover eye to eye with a fish)
• The saltwater haze that makes distances a constant mystery

I already see Endless Ocean becoming my de-tox method of choice after a stressed out day at work.  I wonder how much more relaxing it would be with a glass of wine?  Hey, now there’s one thing Endless Ocean has going for it that real diving doesn’t, I can drink and dive. 

That wine idea probably wouldn’t go over so well with the folks at Nintendo though because they clearly have an educational goal in mind with this game.  Whereas other video games are built to pump adrenaline through our veins, this game aims higher, to the brain.  So don’t rent it if you’re looking for a wild ride but if you or your kids are curious about fish and the ocean, it’s a fun way to learn.  Nintendo’s one big mistake in the education department is encouraging players to pet the fish.  Not very PC, Wii!  (Hey, was that rhyme also a pun?)

I can’t promise this game will thrill a teenager as much as Resident Evil but if they don’t like it, maybe you should sit down and try it with a glass of wine after a long day...or dive in right now if you want to unwind for a minute.

To continue with this scuba diving theme, the winner of my Never Again Award for this week is the scuba diving cat and dog.  Although this video cracked me up, it’s just plain wrong.  So I say “never again, please!”  Click here to judge this bizarre video for yourself.

"People Who Know Her Say: Martha Stewart Is A Real Bitch."

This was the only thing my snowshoeing guide told me that I already knew (or at least heard many times). Whereas, I didn't know any of the following:

1. That you needed to walk slightly bowlegged when snowshoeing to avoid tripping over the front of the shoes.
2. That February was Snowshoe Hare hunting season but that it was one of the least popular hunting seasons in Maine, falling way behind Moose (Sept/Oct), Deer (Sept - Dec) and Bear (Aug - Oct).
3. That the only other people we would see in our two-hour outing would be a few snowmobilers heading toward Sebec Lake to ice fish.
4. That, at this time of year, landlocked salmon like to swim right beneath the ice on the lake, whereas the trout tend to stay near the lake bottom and ice fisherman set their baits accordingly.
5. That if we stopped and the crunching sound of our snowshoes no longer echoed across the lake, that we would hear the creaking sound of the ice shifting (and impressively absolutely no other sound).

Snowshoeing is one of the things I've been wanting to try since coming to Maine last year and yesterday I did it for the first time. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day or a more friendly and knowledgeable guide in Ed Mathieu. Clearly, he taught me more than just how to snowshoe but just the act of meeting him taught me something interesting about myself as well.

Last Wednesday I decided that snowshoeing would be my Never B4 for the week. Yet on my way to meet Ed yesterday morning, I spontaneously did another Never B4. I bought a knife and hid it in my jacket pocket!

I think the knife idea spawned just as I was about to leave home yesterday, at the moment I wrote Ed's name and phone number on a note for my husband. I realized then that name/number were the only solid things I knew about Ed. I also knew what I read about him on his website:  that he had been a Maine guide for over15 years and his business had been mentioned on the CBS Sunday Morning Show. However, when you're about to be alone in the woods with someone for hours, the authority of a website wanes quickly.

Knowing the story of Meridith Emerson and being able to recall the picture of her dead body on that hiking trail in Georgia didn't make me feel any better, nor did the fact that I internalized the Kathryn Faughey murder a bit too much because it happened just three blocks from our apartment in New York City. Clearly, these memories got the best of me because I sought out Mountains Market in Dover-Foxcroft Maine (the town where I was to meet Ed) to buy the biggest folding knife I could. I didn't know what I would actually do with it if I ended up needing it (and since then my husband told me it wouldn't have done much), but at that moment I felt better just knowing it was in my pocket.

A few hours later I was stomping around on top of 3 feet of snow surrounded by whitened Pines and Gold Birches, learning things from Ed that I had never known before, gossiping about Martha Stewart's rumored personality and posing for pictures. I felt 90% like a kid and just 10% like an adult (purely because I had that sharp, secret in my jacket pocket).

Part of me does feel foolish for buying that knife because Ed was great and I turned out to be completely safe with him. The other part of me is proud that I took responsibility for my safety. I guess when Thomas Wolfe said "you can never no go home again," he was right.  In my case, I couldn't go back to stomping through the woods without a worry in the world like I did when I went camping as a kid.  But I'll certainly settle for going 90% of the way back and if I can somehow maintain a 90:10 ratio of kid-to-adult in my experiences, that would be great.

Now my question to YOU is this: have you (those of you that are NOT honest-to-goodness kids under 18 years of age) ever aimed to do something sort of child-like but ended up letting some of the "adult in you" sneak in?  If so, post a comment with your story. Or, if you want to post some thoughts on my story, please do.   

If you'd like to get automatic updates when new Never B4 posts are added, you can subscribe to my RSS feed or get automatic email alerts.