Thirty-two down...20 to go...

What: #2 Do that headstand pose from my yoga class

Where: My bedroom and living room
When: September 29
Why: Awhile ago, I was in a yoga class that was a bit more advanced than usual, and one of the poses was the headstand. There were many variations. Some did it slowly and controlled from the tripod pose, others did it as a full hand-stand, and others used the wall to keep their balance. I couldn't do it in any form. At the time, I blamed my wrist for being too weak (it had recently been injured and I was still hesitant to put too much pressure on it), but then I found a video tutorial on YouTube that let me use my forearms, so I tried it today and after letting my body adjust to the idea of being inverted, I was successful at it. Then, to confirm my success, I shared it with a friend via Skype.

The first one I demonstrated was the one on my forearms, but then I tried another one on my hands and head and it actually was easier. It probably looked cooler, too, but we didn't get a picture of that one.

Thirty-one down...21 to go...

What: #54 See the Cascade Falls in Jackson, MI

Where: The Cascades County Park, Jackson
When: September 2
Why: It was always known in my family that I have a relative (my great-great-grandfather) that helped to build the Cascades in Jackson, but despite living within driving distance most of my life - and even visiting relatives on the other side of town - I have never made it there to see what, in fact, the Cascades really were. In my head, they were a somewhat altered waterfall of rocks, moss, and trees made to look really lovely in an otherwise natural setting. That would be quite a scene because, frankly, in this part of the state there aren't any waterfalls to be found. Turns out, I could not be more wrong about what I was about to experience!

Certainly it has gone through a few changes since it was first envisioned and opened in the early 30s, but after a recent renovation, it really is a place that brings people in to see it; families, couples, all generations were there enjoying the night. I was impressed, and I tend to have a pretty low threshold for things that seem a bit high on the cheesy factor, so this is actually quite impressive. Sure, the music does sort of add an element of the ridiculous (note: I'm not saying Bob Seger is ridiculous...he's a legend!), but there were also classical pieces played, and moments without the soundtrack to just hear the water. And the sheer size of it doesn't really come through in these images, so that also took me by surprise.


There are hundreds of seats set up in an amphitheater area where you can just sit back and relax and take it all in.

If that is too passive, you can walk up alongside each tier via stairways and walkways, but be prepared - I'm warning you - to get quite wet!