25 down ... twenty-seven to go...

What: #8 Play paintball

When: June 15th
Where: Futureball
Why: For years, I've heard various friends discuss playing paintball, and it was always discussed with descriptions of pain, boredom, and general disdain. Somehow, that intrigued me, and I kept thinking it couldn't be that bad because it seemed so fun. Also, frankly, when something seems slanted to the male gender, I usually feel like I need to give it a try to see if I can hang with the guys. So, paintball made it onto the list, and Groupon sealed the deal by offering a great discount at Futureball.

Right away, I was nervous about what to wear. Not in a fashionista sort of way, but more in a "do I have on enough layers to offer padding and is it a color found in nature so I blend into my surroundings" sort of way. Once at the playing field, I saw that I was pretty similarly dressed to other people - exceptions being those that arrived in full fatigues and camo - and we proceeded to then arm ourselves with gear. There was much giggling involved as we had to put on face masks that were gross and learn how to shoot cumbersome guns, but as the only two girls out of about 40-50 guys, we tried to tone it down to not draw too much attention to ourselves. Specifically, I tried not to squeal at all, and my goal was to have the sort of valiant moment that Sarah Jessica Parker had in this scene.

After a quick tutorial, in which I learned how unrealistic that scene is because you NEVER lift your mask on the playing field, we headed out to the first game. My stats on that round weren't great...I sat to observe too long, then got hit almost immediately upon moving and fired zero shots. But, that left lots of room to improve on the second round and I realized I was going to have to get dirty and run faster and fire more aggressively at the other team (who had on tiny orange arm bands, making it difficult to discern them as the enemy upon a quick glance over the many obstacles). Still, firing shots and evasive maneuvering made that round a lot more fun!

The least fun round was in a super creepy horror-film house in a mosquito-infested bog wherein I was soundly shot by a rapid-fire round that squarely hit the one unshielded part of my skull, my bicep (picture below), and my mask in such a way that the paint splattered up underneath and all over my face. So, game 3, not my favorite. It did, however, help me prove to myself that I wasn't going to whine and instead would learn from my mistakes and my teammates to improve for the 4th and final game. I actually did much better, and had to exit the field simply due to lack of ammo, not because I had been shot. (Side note: I could not believe how many paintballs are used per game...we had 100 to start, then bought bags of 500 more paintballs each, and still ran out!!)

So, paintball is not for sissies, but it isn't just for guys, either. We had a lot of fun, got a ton of exercise, and improved in just a few hours. This might be something we recruit other friends to come do with us again this summer!

The mark of a good day of paintball!

15 down ... thirty-seven to go...

What: # 75 Take a boxing class

When: March 6th

Where: Title Boxing Club 

We tried to look intimidating!

Why: In my continuous quest to find a variety of ways to stay active - and have fun doing it! - my friend had mentioned boxing as a great workout idea. By great, she meant intense and very sweaty. It was actually a wonderful way to beat the mid-week stress on a Wednesday, and not too hard to imagine who I was punching after a hard work week. There were a lot of punch combinations (hooks, upper cuts, jabs, cross punches), and a lot of repetitions, so it worked to get out aggression, and in between each round (8 total), there was a "rest period" which involved squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, and general tasks that did not seem restful. At the end of it, I definitely felt like I got a solid hour of cardio, and my shoulders have been screaming for days, so I know it worked on my arms, too! Now, I have a two-week pass to keep going to try it out a few more times, maybe kickboxing, too, and hopefully I eventually learn how to wrap my hands under my gloves because the first time I needed about three people to help me do it! 

Thirty-four down...18 to go...

What: #45 Take a pole-dancing, belly-dancing, or tap-dancing class

When: Oct 10th
Where: Vixen Fitness
Why: As a naturally lazy person, I always have to find new and exciting ways to keep me interested in exercising. Variety helps. A lot. And, while I've gotten back into rollerblading, and continue running (not as often as I should) and climbing (not as often as I want), I still needed something to replace going to the gym. And based on how sore I am, this might be it! I chose this workout idea based on a Groupon; I wasn't intentionally seeking out a new profession or anything like that. And, I went with a friend, which could be awkward in some cases, but I think it made it much easier to act a bit over-the-top in my moves and then turn to laugh about it with someone. The whole idea is a tad ridiculous, so it helps to not take it too seriously, which at times it bordered on that, and it made me a little uncomfortable because it should be FUN. And definitely funny. I mean, no one looks graceful on their first swing around a pole. Trust me. There are enormous mirrors in there confirming what I'm telling you. And the outfit is not sexy; running shorts paired with insane heels...it's a crazy combination. 

Still, my abs, my thighs, and my shoulders are feeling the impact, so it really was a great way to get some exercise. Now, where does one find a pole to keep up with the workouts at home? Any suggestions are welcome!

Twenty-five down...27 to go...

What: #3 Crash a wedding reception

Where: Confidential...
When: July 28
Why: As I looked back over my list, I realized I unintentionally completed this new thing already! I guess I was waiting for the "take a different name card and sit at a table with strangers" version, which isn't exactly how it happened, but it's still a legitimate crash if you ask me.

I was not invited. I was likely not wanted there. For a reason. It's a bit of a story that I'll skim over, but I managed to attend as my friend's "plus one"...my female friend, so it's not as if I was a legit date. It was a little awkward at first, but everyone that was surprised to see me there (ie: the groom) was really polite about it. And, I wasn't attending to cause any drama; in fact, I just wanted an excuse to attend a summer party and wear a cute dress! Mission accomplished!