Birthday Challenge: Days 6-10

6.  Created my own Mandala (Wednesday 4/2)

I've wanted to create my own mandala since I first saw Buddhist monks creating a real mandala in my college library. It's an incredible feat, creating a traditional mandala. The monks spend days or weeks building the mandala with colored sand. And then, once it is complete they wipe it away, signifying the cycle of creation and destruction, life and death.  I took three pictures of my mandala, as you can see below. Challenge #6, check!

7.  One day without sugar or caffeine (Thursday 4/3)

This challenge was particularly... challenging. Lack of sleep the night before, paired with no caffeine or sugar all day, was absolutely brutal. It was definitely on par with eating the jalapeno. 

I found that, unsurprisingly, the hardest part of the day was mid-morning, when my body first realized I was withholding caffeine, and then later afternoon, when the withdrawal headache and general fatigue really set in.  I tried going climbing and felt utterly useless.  However, on the up side, after very little sleep, no caffeine, and no sugar, I passed out at 7:30pm and got 10 hours of sleep that night. Talk about UH-MAZ-ING.

Here was my diet:
Breakfast – Unsweetened oatmeal and unsweetened/decaffeinated tea (I had the wild raspberry hibiscus flavor)
Snack – raw almonds
Lunch – Large Caesar salad
Dinner – Sushi

Challenge #7, check!

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8.  Ride a mechanical bull (Friday 4/4)

Hahaha.... yes this happened. And yes, I loved it! It was so fun, much more than I was anticipating. It's a little nerve-racking because you are up there in front of a bunch of random people... but no one really cares! Everyone is just there to have a good time. 

So, I got up on the bull two times.  My friend Liz and my boyfriend Adam also each rode the bull once too. Here are three crappy videos from the night (sorry, the lighting was horrible)!

Challenge #8, check!

9.  Get CPR/First Aid certified (Saturday 4/5)

I spent almost 4 hours of my Saturday in a classroom getting CPR and First Aid certified. The CPR portion of the class was really hands-on and extensive.  We had to practice compressions and breathing for a very long time, which is actually pretty exhausting. I learned that for adults you need to compress AT LEAST  two inches in order to be effective. Meaning, at minimum 2 inches for a small adult, and up to possibly 6 inches for someone who is very large or overweight. I feel confident that I have learned the skills to help someone in an emergency, but I imagine it would be very scary in the moment. The teacher warned us that sometimes ribs or the sternum will break... and not to be alarmed by snapping sounds when you are giving CPR.... !!!!!!.... 

However, when all is said and done, I feel like I am prepared and I understand the system. I think ultimately though, everyone handles emergency situations differently and it's difficult to know how you will react until you are put in that situation.  

The First Aid portion was a lot less hands on, however I did practice placing bandages and a simple splint. I also firmed up my knowledge of sudden illness symptoms, such as stroke, poisoning, heat stroke, hypothermia, etc. 

All in all, I feel now that I am better equipped to handle an emergency. Challenge #9, check!

Me and my man

10.  Play with a pig (Sunday 4/6)

MOST. FUN. DAY. At least so far in my 30in30by30 list! I went to The Gentle Barn to complete this item, and I have to say, I absolutely love this non profit. If you are an animal lover, you MUST GO. Two things, there is a picture below with me and a horned goat.  Her name is Emily and I am her sponsor.  There is also a picture below with a few potbelly pigs in a little hut... my other sponsored animal, Jellie, is hiding all the way in the back behind the pink pig.  

I will let the pictures do the remainder of the talking, but I will say that "playing" with pigs really equates to "sitting beside" pigs.  Either way, it was a total blast.

Challenge #10, CHEEEECCCCCCCK!