CXLV: Fearful

Unlike my travelling sister Nicky, I think it would take an extra push or two (one being a sudden overwhelming desire, and two if you count the person who would have to push me off a plane) to skydive. That being said, I would choose skydiving over bungee-jumping any day. I'm glad the chances that that choice would be thrust upon me are slim.

Normally I am a person who thinks things through, worries a bit too much, and does not take risks; however, I have also been known to do a few uncharacteristic things. Most recently, these would include going to NYC on my own, sticking with my yoga routine, and baking.

Three years ago, I went on the world's highest and longest zipline. Now that was an interesting day. I was in Icy Strait Point in Hoonah, Alaska, a stop on a cruise with my parents and some relatives from Italy. We watched a tribal dance and then had some free time to roam around. I had seen people all morning zipping over the town and suddenly the spark of an idea glimmered inside my head--to be among them, although I had never done anything like that before. At first my aunt said she'd accompany me but then she changed her mind. I was suddenly adamant on ziplining, even if it meant going on my own and, as it turns out, facing a 1-2 hour delay. But I did it and it was unbelievable.

My first solo-adventure, captured with Neru.

These kinds of impulsive decisions are few and far between. Compare my ziplining adventure with what my biggest worry for the past month was: buying a one-year yoga pass with a student discount. Not only was I vacillating between buying a normal or plus pass (the latter is about $200 more as it includes mat and towel rental), but the worry of being caught with an expired student ID was eating away at me. Mostly because I cannot successfully or convincingly tell lies and I definitely cannot come up with ideas or excuses quick enough (puns, however, are another story--they are my pane e burro). But while I walked up the stairs to the studio, I decided that if worse came to worse, I'd just say that my newer student ID was stolen a couple of weeks ago and that I didn't have a chance to get a new one yet. Luckily this scenario didn't end up occurring. Like everyone except me predicted, the girl working there just took a glance and gave me the discount.

And that's what it's like living on the edge, my friends. I am the unconvincing yogic rebel.