16. Go one full day off the grid (Saturday 4/12)
Today. Was. Amazing. I was so productive. This day felt so liberating and I'm convinced I need to do this once a month for my own sanity.
I allowed myself to have some basic technologies, such as running water and electricity. I also allowed myself to run some errands and go climbing. Really it boiled down to no iPhone, iPad, computer, or television. I didn't even really use the radio, although I did use the record player in my bedroom while I was cleaning!
Challenge #16, check!
I allowed myself to have some basic technologies, such as running water and electricity. I also allowed myself to run some errands and go climbing. Really it boiled down to no iPhone, iPad, computer, or television. I didn't even really use the radio, although I did use the record player in my bedroom while I was cleaning!
Challenge #16, check!
This is me on most days.
17. Run a 5K (Sunday 4/13)
This was a really exciting but nerve-racking challenge for me. I've never been a particularly good long-distance runner. I grew up on sports that require sprinting and explosive power, like softball, tennis, and basketball. Anything over a mile tends to be somewhat difficult for me. So a couple years ago I thought I would add "Run a 5K" on my life bucket list. And when it came time to create my birthday challenge list, I thought I should make this a priority.
I had hoped to spend about 8 weeks training for the 5k, but a toe injury halted that training almost immediately. It was very frustrating and I felt very anxious that, without the training, I would not be able to run all 3.11 miles off the couch. However, about 2 weeks prior to the race, my foot was completely healed and I was able to start running again.
On the morning of the race, with my anxiety completely out of control, I lined up with about 700 people and at least 100 dogs and started my first 5k race. I ran the entire thing, with a snail pace of 12:01/mile, but I did it. No stopping, no walking. I completed my goal just as I wanted, and for that I am very happy and proud.
Not that it's a competition, but Adam blew me out of the water with a 6:30/mile and 9th place. Meaning, if you look at the results below, there were 250 people in between when Adam finished and I finished -- hahaha! I don't care, I'm so thrilled he did well and thrilled that I finished!
Challenge #17, READY... SET... CHECK!
I had hoped to spend about 8 weeks training for the 5k, but a toe injury halted that training almost immediately. It was very frustrating and I felt very anxious that, without the training, I would not be able to run all 3.11 miles off the couch. However, about 2 weeks prior to the race, my foot was completely healed and I was able to start running again.
On the morning of the race, with my anxiety completely out of control, I lined up with about 700 people and at least 100 dogs and started my first 5k race. I ran the entire thing, with a snail pace of 12:01/mile, but I did it. No stopping, no walking. I completed my goal just as I wanted, and for that I am very happy and proud.
Not that it's a competition, but Adam blew me out of the water with a 6:30/mile and 9th place. Meaning, if you look at the results below, there were 250 people in between when Adam finished and I finished -- hahaha! I don't care, I'm so thrilled he did well and thrilled that I finished!
Challenge #17, READY... SET... CHECK!
18. Cook from Mastering Art of French Cooking (Monday 4/14)
Man, this challenge was really touch and go for a while. I originally wanted to make Beef Bourguignon from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child. However, once I actually took a good look at the recipe, I decided it was way too much work. I like my recipes to be very low-effort. So then I found another promising recipe: Supremes de Volaille Archiduc, or, Chicken Breasts with Paprika, Onions, and Cream.
Ah yes, this sounds much better... much easier.
I did my grocery shopping at lunch, and was very pleased with myself that I had gotten it out of the way so early in the day. Then I realized when I got home that I didn't have any white wine, vermouth, or port. Ok. No biggie. Time to hit up Google for an appropriate equivalent. As it turns out, marsala wine would be doable, as long as I had some extra chicken broth or lemon juice to reduce the sweetness from the marsala. DONE AND DONE.
I started cooking, again feeling very pleased with myself for my exceptional flexibility, when I realized in the midst of the recipe that my chicken broth was frozen. NO, I had not put the chicken broth in the freezer. However, my refrigerater has a mind of it's own and decided that it was going to freeze just the chicken broth and nothing else in the fridge. Okayyyyyy. No biggie. I'll just defrost it. And, I dunno, let's add some mushrooms. Everything tastes better with mushrooms.
To answer your unspoken question.... YES, at a certain point it crossed my mind that I'm deviating quite a bit from the original recipe. Do I care? Ehhh not really. And guess what else? The dish was FLIPPING PHENOMENAL. This sauce was the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. Paprika cream sauce forever.
Challenge #18, check!
Ah yes, this sounds much better... much easier.
I did my grocery shopping at lunch, and was very pleased with myself that I had gotten it out of the way so early in the day. Then I realized when I got home that I didn't have any white wine, vermouth, or port. Ok. No biggie. Time to hit up Google for an appropriate equivalent. As it turns out, marsala wine would be doable, as long as I had some extra chicken broth or lemon juice to reduce the sweetness from the marsala. DONE AND DONE.
I started cooking, again feeling very pleased with myself for my exceptional flexibility, when I realized in the midst of the recipe that my chicken broth was frozen. NO, I had not put the chicken broth in the freezer. However, my refrigerater has a mind of it's own and decided that it was going to freeze just the chicken broth and nothing else in the fridge. Okayyyyyy. No biggie. I'll just defrost it. And, I dunno, let's add some mushrooms. Everything tastes better with mushrooms.
To answer your unspoken question.... YES, at a certain point it crossed my mind that I'm deviating quite a bit from the original recipe. Do I care? Ehhh not really. And guess what else? The dish was FLIPPING PHENOMENAL. This sauce was the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. Paprika cream sauce forever.
Challenge #18, check!
19. Finish reading a book that I had started (Tuesday 4/15)
Arno on a 5.12a in North Carolina I feel like I halfway cheated on this one. I mean, technically I DID finish a book I had started reading... but my intention was to finish one of those books that had been sitting on my bookshelf, half-read, for months or years. Ultimately though, I ended up finishing The Rock Warriors Way by Arno Ilgner. I chose those one for a couple reasons, but mainly because it required the least amount of reading to finish. I only had about 30 pages to read. Right now my life is super busy, so I opted for the smallest committment. I hope to write a more lengthy review of the book later, but for now, I will just leave you with two of my favorite quotes from the last section of the book that I read tonight.
"All living things, you included, are created, grow, and then die. Since you already have been created and aren't dead yet, you are most in harmony when you align yourself with the positive process in between - growth."
"The Rock Warrior's Way isn't a destination that you struggle to attain. It's here, now. It is the struggle itself... To follow the Rock Warrior's Way means to decide to walk the path. Then, simply be observant and pay attention."
Challenge #19, check!
"All living things, you included, are created, grow, and then die. Since you already have been created and aren't dead yet, you are most in harmony when you align yourself with the positive process in between - growth."
"The Rock Warrior's Way isn't a destination that you struggle to attain. It's here, now. It is the struggle itself... To follow the Rock Warrior's Way means to decide to walk the path. Then, simply be observant and pay attention."
Challenge #19, check!
20. Take a beginner ballet class (Wednesday 4/16)
I had been thinking about trying an adult ballet class for a few months now, and the birthday challenge seemed like a good opportunity to squeeze it in. Not surprisingly, my climbing partner, Mollie, was very interested in ballet too. Actually, she turned out to be much more hardcore about it than I was expecting, as she had been wanting to try ballet as a small child. However, sadly her mom nixed that idea and Mollie spent her childhood wistfully pining after the ballerinas and their tutus.
That is so funny to me (in a curious way, not a mean way), because I had actually rejected ballet as a kid. My parents could go into more detail, but I think perhaps I was a little too mischievous to be contained to the rigid nature of a ballet class. I mean, look at my face in the picture above. I am absolutely about to cause trouble. I probably just talked too much in class. I could see that happening.
Inevitably, I dropped dancing and made my way into sports. I must have been more at home there, running around and making noise. I played basketball, softball, and tennis growing up. I especially found my place on the softball field, where there is plenty of talking, yelling even. But, my goodness, look at that little me on the right... absolutely precious. I was clearly okay with the tutu.
So I tried an adult ballet class last night... and even bought ballet shoes (which were required, and, I might add, expensive). I really enjoyed the class, but even now as a grown person, I couldn't help but talk through class... mainly to Mollie, but also to the little girl next to me who was light years better than I will ever be. I just don't feel that my personality is conducive to the strict nature of ballet. But I really enjoyed the exercise and the challenge. Now that I bought shoes I guess I'm going to have to keep doing it. As you can see from the pictures below, I didn't exactly hate it. Look at that FOCUS!
Challenge #20, plié and check!
Inevitably, I dropped dancing and made my way into sports. I must have been more at home there, running around and making noise. I played basketball, softball, and tennis growing up. I especially found my place on the softball field, where there is plenty of talking, yelling even. But, my goodness, look at that little me on the right... absolutely precious. I was clearly okay with the tutu.
So I tried an adult ballet class last night... and even bought ballet shoes (which were required, and, I might add, expensive). I really enjoyed the class, but even now as a grown person, I couldn't help but talk through class... mainly to Mollie, but also to the little girl next to me who was light years better than I will ever be. I just don't feel that my personality is conducive to the strict nature of ballet. But I really enjoyed the exercise and the challenge. Now that I bought shoes I guess I'm going to have to keep doing it. As you can see from the pictures below, I didn't exactly hate it. Look at that FOCUS!
Challenge #20, plié and check!
RSS Feed
