Birthday Thanks!

I would like to thank everyone who helped make my 24th birthday a raging success, because I honestly had a completely amazing time!

First off, my brother and parents. They took it upon themselves to drive 3.5 hours down to celebrate, and took care of manning the grill and bringing all the food. They were also pretty good sports even when we were lost in the Mayr Family Farm Corn Maze. Thank god someone came along who actually knew the way, otherwise we might STILL be wandering around in there, lol. And I would also like to commend my mom for not freaking out too much with everyone skydiving, I know she hates the thought of me jumping out of a perfectly good airplane at 10,500 feet - but the plane door was open! And Zach was there manning my digital camera, snapping pictures of everyone. Without him I wouldn't have nearly as many great and memorable photos to keep the day's activities fresh in my mind forever.

Secondly, my grandparents. They drove all the way down in their RV just to spend a few hours with me, which meant a lot. I rarely get to see them apart from our annual family reunion and holidays, so it was a treat. They have done so much for me over the years and always supported me, and I am grateful for everything they do. I also get my inner strength and stubbornness from my mother, who inherited from her mother, so in an indirect way, my grandma is responsible for my successes. Thank you so much.

Thirdly, my amazing friends, especially Jake, who showed up with the rest of the skydiving posse. Jake went ahead and invited the rest of the people who showed up to skydive, and collected the deposits, so kudos to him for helping take initiative, having everyone else there just made the day even more fun.

Last but not least, everyone on the amazing AtmosphAir staff! This was my fourth time jumping, and every time I have gone there, they have exceeded my expectations. The owners, Alex and Bo, have been amazing, allowing me to come and visit and watch even on weekends I was not scheduled to jump, and feeding me great information for my upcoming article. Both of them bring an amazing energy and atmosphere to the place.

Chris, Jon, Patrick, Dan and all the other tandem instructors…I haven't had the pleasure to jump with everyone yet, but no matter which instructor I have had, I have always had a great time. I've had the chance to do some backflips, line taps and even pull the cord and deploy the canopy a couple times. Every time it just gets better and better and I wind up wanting even more.

Jordan, who has done both of my videos. I love both DVDs I got, and love showing them off to anyone who is interested. He has done a great job with filming and gotten some really good shots. I get a kick out of my first video every time I see it: the plane door opened for the first time and I don't even think, just shout "Oh no!"

I have talked with almost everyone there, and know some better than others, so if I haven't mentioned you by name, don't feel slighted. Everyone at AtmosphAir is responsible for the fun and friendly atmosphere, and a part of me is sad they will be closing for the season in a couple weeks.

RI football team forfeights...before even playing!

To read the article, go to: http://www.boston.com/sports/schools/football/articles/2010/10/05/st_georges_calls_an_audible/

OK, my personal opinion on this is that it is just ridiculous. I mean, yes, you want students to be safe, but saying, there is no way in hell you can beat a team? How demoralizing is that? Yes, nine out of ten times, they will probably crush you, but anything can happen out there. They could have an off day, have slippery butterfingers and fumble the ball, interceptions - there is always a chance for victory.

What if the 1980 U.S. men's Olympics hockey team had said "man, those Russians are going to crush us, let's give up right now," and walked away? They never would have won the gold, that is what would have happened. (Plus we wouldn't have the inspirational movie, "Miracle")

Or what if UW-Whitewater had thrown in the towel? My freshman year there was the start of their five-year hot streak (and they are still on a roll). We were scheduled to play Linfield in the playoffs and everyone, including my father, said we were going to lose. And you know what? It was close, but in the end we won 44-41. And we continued to go on a winning streak until we lost to Mt. Union at the 2005 Stagg Bowl.

Mt. Union is also an excellent team, and we have faced them every year at the National Championships since 2005. And yes, they are good - they have won 10 titles since 1993. (They were national champions in 1993, 1996-1998, 2000-2002, 2005-2006 and 2008) But still, we managed to defeat them twice in the past five years - first in 2007, and then again last year, in 2009. Don't get me wrong, they were close, down to the wire, but we beat them 31-21 in 2007 and 38-28 in 2009.

So come on coach, give the kids a shot. After all, what kind of message is that sending to the kids? If you don't think you can win or succeed, don't even try? Personally, I think that is a pretty poor lesson. Besides, it's not life or death - it's football. So let them play, let they try. After all, you miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take.

Remembering 9/11

To celebrate and commemorate 9/11, I decided to go skydiving…again. This makes for my third time, and it was the best to date. I'll admit, I had a moment of panic similar to the first time I did it. There I am, riding in one of their Cessna aircrafts, decked out in a hot pink skydiving suit, yellow goggles and an altimeter on my left wrist, so I am consciously aware of the increasing elevation. The plan is to do a couple line taps and then have me pull the cord to release the canopy.

As we get higher and higher, I remember looking out of the plane and thinking that the clouds looked to me like floating landmasses. They looked so solid, yet there they were, floating at 8,000 feet. Maybe it is the thinning air, but everything seemed clearer up there.

I remember being a nervous wreck my first time, and nervous yet calm the second time. However, when that door opened, panic set in, almost as bad as my first time, and I remember saying "oh no!" and thinking "I don't want to do this, put me down!"

I know, ridiculous, right? I survived twice, so why the panic attack? After all, I rappelled down a 13-story building for fun a couple weeks ago. But no, the moment that door opened, panic set in. So I hung on to my harness, put my foot out on the metal step outside the plane, and leaned forward out of the tiny plane with my eyes screwed shut. And the next thing I know, I'm faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaling………..

Keeping an eye on the altimeter, my tandem instructor has me do a couple line taps. Then, when my altimeter reads about 6700 feet, I reach back and slowly pull the line, deploy the parachute's canopy! And if that wasn't enough, I got to steer the canopy part of the way down too. I absolutely loved the speed when spiraling!

AtmosphAir will be closing for the season at the end of October, but before than I will be going once more, for my birthday - I turn 24 on Friday, Oct. 8.

I want to do some crazy stuff next time around - backflips out of the plane and whatnot, but we’ll see what happens.

If anyone else feels like joining me for some good, old-fashioned, crazy-ass fun, you're welcome to join. There is a $50 deposit due before the date, and then it will probably be around $150 due the day of, so roughly $200 total, depending on how many people will be jumping. Interested parties can also purchase a video of their skydive for $79.

Mark the date: 10.10.10.

Start time: 9 a.m. for jumpers - they only have one class in October, so be prompt!

Over the Edge

Given the chance, would you rappel 13 stories down the face of a building? That is exactly what roughly 40 people, including Cottage Grove resident Michelle Schmidt, did Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 2.

Individuals had to raise a minimum of $1,500 each for Special Olympics Wisconsin for the opportunity to rappel down Madison's Hilton Hotel Sept. 2.

The unique event is the first new major fundraiser Special Olympics Wisconsin has initiated since the World's Largest Truck Convoy fundraiser in 2004.

Special Olympics Wisconsin President and CEO Dennis Alldridge said one challenge when putting the Madison and Milwaukee Over the Edge events together was finding a building where owners would let them set up the ropes system.

"Whenever you say 'we are going to have people up on your roof and we are going to have them rappelling down the side of your building,' we got a lot of 'oh really? I don't think we're going to do that,'" Alldridge said.

"The reason the Hilton here was very willing and accepting is they do training for the fire departments to rappel down the back of the building."

Although the main event was held Sept. 2, Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Bucky Badger and various media personnel were invited to go Over the Edge free of charge on Sept. 1.

Van Hollen was the first to rappel down the Hilton Hotel for Over the Edge Media Day. Van Hollen is the former chair of the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run, and his Department of Justice has volunteered to help with one of the activities or sports at Special Olympics since he was appointed attorney general.

"I have a great affinity for the athletes and all that they believe in and all that the Special Olympics does for them," the attorney general said. "So anything I can do for their cause, be it give them encouragement or publicity, is something I am very eager to do."

Other rappellers joining Van Hollen for media day included UW-Madison's own Bucky Badger, Karin Swanson of WISC-TV and Dan Simmons of the Wisconsin State Journal, among others.

Schmidt, a local agency manager for Special Olympics and one of the last rappellers Thursday, began her descent at 4 p.m. Despite signing up less than three weeks before the event, she managed to raise $1,775 for Special Olympics.

Schmidt has been involved in Special Olympics by volunteering and coaching for eight years.

"I just have way too much fun," she said. "I have more fun than the athletes, and it's something that just really keeps me grounded."

She said watching the athletes participate and the fun they experience when they learn and master a new skill is her favorite part.

"It's just really exciting to watch," she added.

Although she said the fist step off the edge of the hotel seemed unnatural, she felt good once she started her descent.

"You have no concept of time," she said. "I didn't even notice my fear of heights."

Alldridge said planning for next year's Over the Edge event started right away after the Sept. 8 Over the Edge event in Milwaukee. Next year he plans to go after sponsorships with other companies.

One possible idea is trying to work out a promotion with Ford's Ford Edge vehicle.

"We think there is a way that they could have a Ford Edge out here and maybe people who raise $2,500, they would get a Ford Edge lease for a month," Alldridge said. "Any corporations or entities that have anything to do with "edge" in the name we are going to go after next year. We identified them this year, but just didn't have a chance to do much with them."

Alldridge is looking into holding the event in mid-October next year, with the possibility for a toss your boss promotion. He expects the event will grow in size and be very large.

"It's going to be ginormous. These events, once you get the word out, people will see this and go 'holy cow, I would really like to do that. How do I get to do this?' Every event that has happened, the second year is the growth year, because it is so new and unique," Alldridge said.

"Plus, unlike the Polar Plunge, this event is a success with 50-75 people," he continued. "It might not be for everybody, but we'd say for cause-conscious thrill-seekers."

Skydiving Interview: Chelsea Cushman

I'm still working on my skydiving article, but here for your pleasure is an interview I had with Chelsea Cushman, who went skydiving for the first time July 25, 2010.



Is this your first time skydiving?
Yup, I've wanted to for a long time, but today is the day it happened.

How long have you wanted to do it?
A good year. One of my friends has done it twice now and kept telling me how awesome it was.

What made you want to try skydiving?
Just hearing how awesome it was. I love a good adrenaline rush, and she said it was just the time of her life. I'm always up for that excitement.

Were you scared when you were up there?
Not as much as I thought I would be. The nerves kind of started to sink in when we were in the class, but then once I got suited up and up in the plane, it was all just excitement.

So when you were 12,000 feet up, you weren't scared?
OK, maybe a little the initial foot out the door. After that there was no time to think. It was just go time.

What was the scariest part?
Probably hanging there and waiting for the instructor to push us out.

What was the best part of it?
Once the adrenaline hits you and you realize you are freefalling, then you just live in that moment. Then afterwards when you are floating there and you take it all in.

How would you describe the experience?
One in a million. Just the time of my life.

Has anyone else in your family skydived?
Yeah, my brother and my cousin just jumped today too.

So you have a family outing today?
Yeah, a little bit. My parents were a little bit too scared to come watch though.

Would you do it again?
In a heartbeat. If I had extra time and money today, I would go right now, be like "Sign me up one more time."

How did you hear about this place?
My brother put it together. He just kind of had the idea in his head, and then he started looking up places online and found this website.

How were you feeling when the door initially opened?
A minute of panic, like "what if I fall out of the plane before I'm ready?" There is a million things, like "I'm so excited, I'm so nervous, I just want to fall, I just want to get it over with, I just want to go."

I just want the door shut...
When they first opened I was like "what if I fall before he's ready and then we don't do what we were supposed to do?" I squeezed so tight to my harness, I didn't want to let go.

Were you expecting the plane when they got those, the smaller ones?
No, I had a totally different vision in my head of what it was going to look like. I was like "oh, that's what we're riding in."

Were you thinking of a bigger plane?
Yeah, that we would have our group in one plane and then just fall after each other.

What was the freefall like for you?
The most, intense, exhilarating rush of adrenaline I have ever felt in my life. It almost felt unreal, like it wasn't really happening.

What else have you done? Have you ever done anything like this before?
I've been on roller coasters and The Giant Drop at Six Flags, but it is nothing compared to freefalling from a plane.

Were you surprised when you didn't have that stomach in your throat feeling?
Yeah, it is not like going on a roller coaster - the first drop and your stomach just goes up into your chest. There is nothing like that.

Would you recommend people try skydiving?
Oh my god, yeah. If they are up for a good adrenaline rush and want to live life, I say go for it. It is so worth everything. You just get this feeling like you are high on life when you get down. You really do, it is the best way I can describe it to someone. I was high on life.

Did you do anything goofy in the air? A backflip?
No, that would have been sweet. I'm planning on going again, so next time around I'm definitely doing some flips, some crazy maneuvers, anything they can throw in there, I'm game.

When do you think you'll go again?
As soon as I can. It's not [expensive] when you think about it. It's so worth every penny, like I would find a way to scrounge up every last penny I could do to do this one more time.

Be Not Afraid and Let Your Dreams Take Wing...

"Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back" - Babe Ruth
"Life is lived by the bold" - Ryan S.
"Fear is only in our minds" - Evanescence

For most of my life, I've let fear rule my choices. I've backed off and pulled away when it meant putting something, some part of me, on the line. About a year and a half ago, I lost a friend in a car crash. She was only 19 years old, and her life ended. Losing her made me realize that I couldn't go on the way I was, letting my fears control me and life pass me by.

Yesterday (Saturday, July 17) I decided to conquer one of my biggest fears - my fear of heights. I have no problem going up heights, that has never bothered me. But I have a HUGE fear of falling from heights. What was my plan to conquer that fear, you may be wondering. The answer is simple: skydive.

When I arrived at AtmosphAIR Skydiving Center in Fort Atkinson, I was feeling excited and completely terrified. The whole time, I couldn't stop giggling, I was so terrified. We had an hour of training to go over the equipment, how we can expect to feel when we are preparing to jump, and the procedures to follow in the plane and in the air.

The time finally came for me to get in the suit and harness and board the plane for the 12,000 foot ascent into the clear blue sky. As we we heading up, I felt like if I just reached out far enough, I could snag a handful of cloud. A couple guys jumped at around 6,000 feet. One of the guys was hot rodding on the plane, his body blowing in the wind while he hung onto the wing. We climbed another 6,000 feet, and then it was my turn.

I wish I could say I was brave for my turn, and I kind of was. There was no blubbering, no begging for the plane to return to the ground, but I did keep repeating "Oh my God!" over and over. Then Chris, my tandem instructor, opened the plane door and I realized just how high 12,000 feet really is!

Chris kept telling me to step on the metal step outside the plane and put my hands on the harness. Only, my left hand had a mind of its own. Every time he moved my hand to the harness, it just went right back to that plane door! I remember thinking "wait, if my hand isn't on the plane door, then what will I hold on to? I'll fall!" Yes, I know, falling is the point, but my subconscious wanted to take over.

Next thing I know, I'm flipping backwards out of the plane and plummeting toward Earth at 120 miles per hour, falling about 60 feet a second! I was free-falling for about a minute before the parachute opened.

Despite everything: the speed, the height, falling and trusting that parachute to open correctly, I felt no fear after I was out of the plane. Once I was actually in the air, all I was thinking was "this is completely amazing!" I could actually see some of Madison's lakes! Even if I wanted to, I couldn't stop laughing! It was the absolute most exhilarating moment of my life! I found myself not wanting that free fall to end, and when I went down on the ground, I wanted to do it all over again! I can't help but feel that should I do it again, I would have no problem jumping out of that plane.

Until next time, may all your dreams take flight and your heart be light.

I'm BAAAAACK!

I know, I know, it's been a long time since my last post, about 7 weeks to be exact, so I'll fill you in on why the long hiatus and what I have been doing over the past two months.

On Friday, June 4, 2010, I interviewed for the Regional Reporter position that opened up at the Sun Prairie Star. The interview went well, and I walked out of the room feeling optimistic about my chances. Three days later I received from Chris Mertes, the managing editor at the paper, offering my the job, and my first day of work was June 9.

The first couple weeks were exhausting, due in fact to the place that I did not have a place of my own, so I was staying with a friend and commuting from Madison every day. I finally found a place of my own and have had my own apartment for just under three weeks. I tend to unpack a little at night, so I haven't completely finished yet.

I also recently purchased a bearded dragon, named Braxen. He's such a tiny guy and so cute! I wind up working 40 hours a week, which is nice because my hours later in the week are usually more flexible. It's a lot of work, but I am enjoying working there.

I've also been checking out some martial arts gyms in the area, and I believe I am going to settle on Paik's Traditional Martial Arts in Madison. I am going to try and post once a week now, but bear with me since I still do not have cable or internet...or working A/C for that matter, but that's irrelevant.

Check back later for more updates! Thanks!