New Years Resolutions - Version 2013

Looking back at my resolutions from last year, I think I did a pretty good job of being a more awesome Carolyn. I went skydiving, read good books (Hunger Games anyone??), discovered new music (but also rediscovered some old music I haven't listen to since college and forgot how much I loved), made some good crafty things (my NC State and Spring/Summer wreaths top the list), started my plate wall, went to a place I've never been (both Spruce Pine and 1000 Islands covered this...and I guess technically Birmingham too, but that was for work - I'll eventually make my way to Montreal), definitely had great conversations, and most definitely tried to live my life as a good and positive person (even if it meant chasing down a purse snatcher).

I did change my mind on the whole DC thing, (mostly because I was just trying to figure out what to do with my life and it seemed like an easy escape) and instead decided to do something much better, which was start taking nonprofit management classes at NC State. And unfortunately I never got around to baking something really fancy, even though I baked a LOT. So all in all, I feel pretty accomplished and happy with what I did in the past year.

While totally overrated because most people don't actually stick to them and are never very serious about them past January, I do find resolutions a fun thing to think about because you have a whole year ahead of you that you don't know what's going to happen, and you can take steps to make sure it's going to be a good one and its a good way to improve upon your life (as long as you stick with them). This past year I definitely had kept my resolutions in mind, and putting them out there helped keep me accountable to them and reminded me what they were. Ha. And I think I did a pretty good job of sticking with them!

So what about 2013? I have a lot of fun things going on this year, especially the first half:

• FINISHING MY INVISALIGN! 2nd day of the year. It'll be amazing.
• One of my best friend's, Nichole's, wedding and all the surrounding events
• NC State basketball games (gotta get my student fees worth)
• Turning 27. Odd age. So we'll see how fun that really is. Ha.
• Getting a new niece or nephew!!
• Zombie Mud Run
• Heading to London for a study abroad reunion, and Barcelona for a few days afterwards with one of my best friends
• NC State football. We have a new coach. Let's see how this goes.
• Taking more classes! (HR for Nonprofits in the Spring, not sure about the Fall semester yet)

This year, I'm not sure what kind of resolutions to do. I'm probably just going to continue with the overall "Be Awesome" idea:

• It sounds uber cliche, but less so when you factor in that I've already been in a workout routine, but I'm definitely needing to start running more to get ready for the Zombie Mud Run and then my half marathon in early 2014. I'm a terrible runner, so the more practice I get in, the better. I'll keep up my kickboxing and yoga because I think that'll help too. However, I keep debating about whether or not I should avoid my gym in January and wait for the crowds to die down in the classes I go to.

• This is also going to sound cliche, but I need to start cooking more and cooking healthier. I find myself getting lazy and making pasta most nights, especially since I'm cooking for one, and all this holiday sugar has made me crave green beans and broccoli. If I can just plan my meals out every couple weeks and maybe even make some in advance depending on what they are, I'll be better off. And I'm going to use my Crock-Pot way more.

• I think I'll try to get around to that fancy baking thing this year. I really want to try making croissants. I have a recipe, I just gotta make it! And I really want to start making my own apple butter. That's an easy resolution to float over from the previous year. And same thing with the read good books, listen to good music, have good conversation, live as a good and happy person. If it's more of just continuing good life ideas, does that continue to make them resolutions?

• One new thing I'd like to try to start is writing at least one letter a week (or month...we'll see how well I can stick with this). It's kind of a "lost art" these days with email, facebook, and text messages, plus I love getting real mail and I assume others do too. And it would give me an excuse to buy fun and pretty cards and stationary!
• Do something "extreme". Last year it was skydiving. This year? Who knows. Hot air balloon ride? Ziplining? If Special Olympics does their "Over the Edge" fundraiser again where you rappel down a building downtown, that is high on my list. Who knows, I'm not exactly sure what else is out there to try. But it would be fun to do something that gets the heart racing. I'm not counting the Zombie Mud Run in this though.
• Volunteer more. Since I've decided I want to go into volunteer management, I've been kind of "studying" the different experiences I've been having volunteering, and thinking about the things I've learned in class. That's both a good and bad thing, but it can make them more thought provoking for me. My trouble is finding a consistent volunteering opportunity, so I kind of go where I can. Hopefully something will come along at some point where I can volunteer consistently with an organization.

• Lastly, I plan to study hard, work hard, and play hard! 

I think that's good for 2013! I'm looking forward to finding out what's ahead in the new year :)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Flying Through The Sky

I'm not really sure who decided jumping out of an airplane at 13,500 feet was a good idea. And I'm not sure what exactly possessed me to agree with them. Perhaps it's because skydiving is something I've always thought was cool but never really took an initiative to do, mostly because of cost and because it was just never something that presented itself to me in a realistic way that I'd be able to do it. And perhaps it's because a Groupon came along, which forced me to do it because if I was paying in advance I couldn't chicken out, and who doesn't like to just save money on things?

Did I mention I have a slight fear of falling? Yea, you're probably thinking I'm an idiot for going skydiving where I am literally FALLING THROUGH THE AIR. Hurdling towards earth. Relying on a piece of fabric to prevent me from going kersplat into the ground. I'm the kind of person who if I'm on the 3rd level of the RBC Center, if I look up at the ceiling, I get a hint of vertigo. I'm totally fine with heights, it's more the falling to my death thing that gets me. But in making sure I follow through on my resolution of "being an awesomer Carolyn" I bought the Groupon with zero fear.

In the weeks leading up to this, I didn't once start freaking out and try to figure a way out of it. I just kept getting more and more excited. This is one of those things that I surprisingly never questioned what I was doing. I used the power of imagination to help keep myself calm. I imagined myself flying through the air and just enjoying the scenery. Plus, since you have to jump tandem until you've done it enough times, you don't have much responsibility or things to freak out about, like jumping at the right time, or pulling the parachute, or landing correctly. So I went into this feeling just excited, not scared.

So many people told me I was crazy or they couldn't believe I was doing this. I'm glad none of those people were at the Triangle Skydiving Center in Louisburg, which is where we were jumping from. Everyone there just acted like skydiving was something you do every day...which for most of these people, they do do it almost every day. It helped to keep me calm. It also helped having my friend Kia there to do it with me.

After filling out our paperwork, we suited up (Skydive Suit Up! Five points if you get that), put on harnesses and got briefed on how we jump out of the plane and everything that will happen leading up to it.

Skydiving Tip Number One: Try to make sure you're in the first load. You won't have to wait around for a long time and worry about things getting delayed.

It took us about 12 or so minutes to get up to altitude for jumping. It was such a perfect day. Sunny and not a cloud in the sky. As we were climbing, we had these altimeters that told us what our altitude was. Our tandem jumpers pointed out when it was 6,000 feet. That would be the height we would pull our parachutes. I clearly have no concept of altitude because I felt that we were SUPER high for 6,000 feet in the air. The whole ride up, I just focused on my breathing, deep breathes in and out, in and out. I didn't really look out the window much, just in case it would start to freak me out.

Skydiving Tip Number Two: Breathe. Focus. Meditate. Pray if you want. It'll help keep your nerves calm even though your adrenaline is pumping.

Kia went first, which was fine by me, once we hit about 14,000 feet. I didn't want to watch her jump, just in case that would also freak me out. The only moment of a slight twinge of fear that I had was when I accidentally looked up and saw the back of Kia's tandem guy go out the plane. That made it 100% real. Everything up to that moment didn't bring the realisticness of the situation, but knowing that Kia just went out the plane made me realize I was about to do the same thing.

Twelve seconds later, we were standing at the door. We rocked forward, rocked back, and then rocked forward right out the plane.

I only closed my eyes for the initial jump, but kept them open the rest of the time to make sure I didn't miss a thing. After falling a little, we turned to the right, and then spun to the left. At about 10,000 feet, I threw up the Wolfpack sign because I felt I needed to do something cool.

Yes, I do look terrified. But my screaming was more of a gut reaction because hell, you are flying through the air and all you see is the ground below you. My mouth got super dry because it was freaking cold up there, but in general I stayed pretty warm thanks to the gloves, neck warmer, and helmet.

You really don't feel like you're falling. You just feel like you are flying, because you are! There was no stomach drop feeling, no terror. I felt like a bird, or a plane, or Superman! One thing my tandem guy told me was that until you reach about 2,000 feet above the ground, you don't notice the ground below you getting bigger or closer as you're falling, and that is awesome because it enhances the feeling that you're flying because you don't notice much of a difference.

After about only 60 seconds of free falling, we hit 6,000 feet and it was time to pull the parachute. Thank goodness my guy had to do it because I was not paying enough attention to realize we were already to that point. I couldn't believe how fast it went.

Skydiving Tip Number Three: Eat beforehand, and eat something bland. That way, you don't risk getting a little nauseous when the chute gets pulled. Luckily I thought about this last night and just had some Poptarts for breakfast.

And then we spent about 5 minutes or so just floating along towards the ground. I was able to look around and see downtown Raleigh and even Durham. The whole way down I kept thinking, I can't believe I did it. I just went skydiving. Who would have thunk it?? And then we landed very smoothly and alive most importantly haha.

My adrenaline was rushing for a good hour or two afterwards because it was pretty crazy. But it was one of the coolest things I have ever done. The only bummer out of the whole thing was that the battery for the camera for still photos my video guy had on his head died. But I had the video, which is totally okay because I was able to get stills from it. All I wanted was the proof I did it, in case I never do again.

As far as doing it again? I haven't decided. You'd think the fact that I was able to do it once, I could do it again, but after watching myself go out of the plane, I'm still not 100% sure I could do it again knowing what's actually going to happen. Give me a day or two and maybe I'll be able to give you a better answer on that question. Either way, you should at least do it once. It's such a thrill and it goes by so fast, you don't really realize what's going on until it's over.

I keep thinking all day about what I saw flying through the air. And every time I have to stop and say to myself, "Carolyn. Those are real memories. They're not guesses at what you're going to see. You really saw that!!"

I did edit part of Kia's and my videos together, so to see the awesomeness, here you go! It's not perfect because I didn't want to spend hours editing it, so it starts with Kia, and then kind of restarts with me, but we were on the same load. It was just easier to trim things that way. And yes, I do look slightly crazed and funny and weird, but whatevs! Doesn't bother me because I just jumped out of an airplane!

New Years Resolutions

In general, I think New Years resolutions are pretty cheesy. They always end up being something that people claim they'll do, and maybe they'll do it for like a month, but then old habits set in. In general the idea is good, new year, new start, lots of hope for what you want to accomplish with your life, but a lot of times people seem to set unrealistic goals that they never intend on continuing through the year.

The most common resolution: working out. Never go to a gym in January.

With that being said, considering the rough end to my 2011, but the fact that I'm feeling very hopeful and confident about the future, I have decided to make some New Years resolutions. Well, it's mostly one resolution, but I'll give you the list of how I'm intending to make my resolution happen.

My New Year's Resolution: Be A More Awesome Carolyn. 

Pretty simple right? Here's how I intend to accomplish this:

• Go skydiving! 
• I already have my Groupon purchased, so this will be accomplished sometime in the next couple months.
• Move to Washington D.C. 
• I'm ready to live somewhere new, and I've already gotten a head start on this by starting my job hunt a couple months ago. Hopefully I'll be able to make this happen sooner rather than later.
• Read really good and interesting books.
• Suggestions welcome!
• Discover new and awesome music.
• Suggestions welcome!
• Bake something really difficult, with lots of steps and fancy ingredients.
• Also in the same vein, work on my decorating skills
• Create some crafty thing where I'm not saying "well, it isn't perfect, but..."
• Pinterest will help with this I'm sure
• Go to the flea market more in search of interesting plates for my future plate wall
• Helpers welcome!
• Go some place I've never been.
• Montreal is high on my list, as well as a lot of places in South America and Europe...but staying in the realistic mind, Montreal is probably going to be my most affordable option.
• Have really good conversations about anything and everything.
• Whether this be with new people I meet or old friends, and this means I need to read more than just headlines so I fully understand what's going on in the world, and listening to more NPR.
• Just live my life like a good and positive person should. 
• No more negativity, no more dealing with bullshit, enjoying my life as much as I can, even if it's mundane things like just sitting on the couch watching TV.

I think that's a pretty good list! Now, I just need to make sure I can check things off before December 12, 2012 seeing as how that's when the world is supposed to end. 

Happy New Year everyone! Here's to 2012!