Maybe I can start a movement!

I hate smokers. Not because they smoke, they can dig their own grave, I don't really care about that. But why can they not properly dispose of their cigarettes? The world is not your ashtray, Tin Lung.

I have now chastised two different smokers for throwing their butts on the ground. The first one apologized, said I was right, and picked up his garbage. The second one said, "What? Oh, sorry." but left his butt in the street. In his mild defense he had thrown it into traffic, and I like to think that he would have gotten it if he could have (this probably isn't true). Either way I hopefully shamed him enough to think twice about doing it again. As such I consider both of these encounters a success.

This has emboldened me to become something of a litter vigilante. I realize I have no problem calling people on this. DO NOT LITTER. It's a terrible thing to do. Don't you live here? Why are you throwing garbage around your home? What the hell is wrong with you, you lazy ingnorant ass? If I had my druthers, people would be forced to eat whatever it was that they did not dispose of properly. And by properly I mean you recycle your recyclables. It's so easy! The labeled cans are on every corner and yet you throw your bottles in the street! You're just lazy, and selfish and you should hang your head in shame! SHAME.

I think the world needs a little more of this. Of people stepping in and calling other humans on their horrible, detrimental habits. If people started to realized that others are watching and that they are accountable to their fellow citizens, I think maybe things would improve around here. No more turning a blind eye, from now on anyone who litters in front of me is getting shamed.

Ice, Ice Baby, too cold!

Well, I finally caved and went ice climbing. The truth is that it’s not as difficult, or deadly, or terrifying as you would think, but I kind of don’t want to tell you that because it was freezing and exhausting and I want some credit goddamnit! It was really cold out there. Anyway, I survived and I guess I could recommend it if you’re the kind of person who has a deep desire to be freezing and exhausted and wants to climb ice in the first place. If you’re not, then I think maybe both of us will have more fun if we just sit here and eat cadbury eggs.

Cool Runnings!

So, another "not on the list but totally awesome" thing was accomplished recently. ARE YOU READY FOR THE AWESOMENESS? Maybe you should sit down. It's a lot of awesome. I went bobsledding at 55 mph on the Olympic track in Lake Placid. Can you count all the kinds of awesome in that sentence? Let's count them.

1) Bobsledding! How crazy is that? How many people have done that? (Probably tons, but don't burst my bubble). Bobsled is now my favorite olympic sport.
2) Which brings me to OLYMPICS. Do you know how much I love the Olympics? A lot. I love them a lot. And now, in some friend of a second cousin once removed kind of way, I have participated in them.
3) 55 mph. I think we can all agree that I would have won bronze.

Really, they should call it "Stretching in a Kiln"

So this is another thing that was not on my go, life, go! list but that I consider to be both an Experience and an Accomplishment. On Saturday, in the midst of a 28.5" snow storm, I went to Bikram yoga with Laura. That's right, while it was piling up outside I spent 100 minutes in a 105 degree room trying not to die.

Bikram is HOT. I have never been so hot. At one point I reached up to move my hair out of my face and I realized my ears were sweating. MY EARS. I had not previously thought this was possible. Bikram is also INTENSE. I had never been yelled at to "push it! push it! push it!" in yoga before, either. During the course of the class my face turned purple, and at one point I had to put my head between my knees to keep from fainting, but I did all of the poses (with varying degrees of success) and I didn't throw up or pass out, so I'm really quite proud of myself.

Afterwards I had a wicked headache, I think from the dehydration, and today I am sore as all get out, but I did it. In your face Choudhury!

Winter Camping and Hiking up Mt. Marcy

Another thing I did that I did not think that I would do and that I didn't put on the list but which I suppose qualifies for the list:

I camped outside in January and hiked to the top of Mt Marcy - the highest peak in New York. This required snowshoes and down bags and GEAR. Serious capital G, capital EAR gear. As a result I now own waterproof pants, waterproof mittens, and for a short time I had my own goggles.

This trip was eventful, and I haven't entirely figured it out yet, but some of the facts are these:
We hiked about 20 miles all together to an elevation of 5,344 feet
It got down to -5 degrees, the views were incredible,
There was a ridiculous rain storm with winds of about 50 mph that took down trees ( and which prevented us from totally seeing the summit)
My boots did not fit and caused bruises all around my shins and blisters on the balls of my feet
And, at one point a fisher (the ferret's overgrown cousin) stole our breakfast of cheese, cookie dough, and grits.

Quite frankly I did not think that I would be able to deal with all that and a lot of the trip surprised me. For one thing, I was only cold for about 30 minutes the entire 3 days and when we were hiking I stripped down to just my base layer. Everything accomplished hikers tell you is true, you really do get hot. Also, I made it both up and back down that stupid mountain. For a woman of my physical prowess and outdoor caliber, that's no small thing.