More "What the HECK" moments

You might be the skydiving type.

Closest I came was a wind tunnel when I was 14.

You might pack a bag, hit the road and drive til the map turns blue at the drop of a hat.

Not this guy.  He just dreams of things like that.

You there, Mr. Spontaneity, with your moments notice, ready to travel the world, hitchhike to Woodstock, Lallapoolza, or the nearest Dave Matthews Band Concert with just a Benjamin in your pocket, some Red Bull and a bag of beek jerky, all just for the heck of it.

That has not been me.  Has it been you?


Here is what I am realizing that there are people like me that have the desire to skydive (literally and proverbially).  We want the wind against our face, the feeling of flying, the adventure of falling from the sky.  What we fear (again, literally and proverbially) is the sudden stop when we hit the ground.  So guess what?  We never skydive or hitchhike or really live in the moment of adventure.

Not so much a resolution, but more an observation and a desire, I told my wife I wanted more "what the hell" moments.  (Sorry for the language mom if you're reading this.  I'll go directly wash my mouth out with soap.)  These are the moments where you have an amazing idea for an incredible adventure or even a small adventure or even just something you have wanted to try and you say "what the hell, let's do that."

Let me explain the why behind both sides of the story.  If you lack "wth" moments, that reservation comes from a much deeper place, a place you live called "Leerytown".  The residents of Leerytown look normal but the lack some very key ingredients typically -- self belief or self confidence, courage, and the ability to not care enough about the opinions of others to where it prevents them from experiencing life.  (Dawson's Creek reference).  Much like the twisting tales of the guy who doesn't get the girl, residents of Leerytown have fewer WTH moments.

The flip side is the residents of let's call it Morrisville (second classic 90's tv show reference).  Zac was the care free, perfect haired leading man/boy of Saved By the Bell.  Zac was mischievous, yet kind, adventurous and always looking for another way to experience life.  Zac was the idol and the polar opposite of guys like me.  Zac skipped school (not condoning school skipping), he would start a band, join the surf team or run off to Vegas to marry our high school sweetheart (still have a crush on Tiffani Theissen). Whatever seemed like it had adventure and fun written on it, Zac did it without reserve or hesitation.

Don't get me wrong, I know Zac and Dawson are fictional characters in  pubescent, 90's tv shows and no way to gauge our lives.  

But I do think, if you reside in the same zip code I have for so long, we need more WTH moments.  We need to say once in awhile when opportunity comes knocking on our door "what the hell, I'm in."  Otherwise I think life just gets missed.  We become adults with jobs and kids and memories but a life that lacks color.

So this year I am planning on saying What the Hell (or Heck if you prefer). I still fear the sudden stop at the bottom, but not enough to keep me from jumping out of the plane!!!

So I am off to my first ever Surfset Class.  (It's indoor surfing.  I live in Kentucky, not California.)  And it all started with "what the heck."