Tag Archives: fun

Put Your Ass On The Floor

On the Sweetest Day of 2011, I just happened to visit the Incredi-Roll Skate & Laser Tag Family Fun Center(on Oklahoma) for some rollerblade fun. I always wanted to learn rollerblading, even though I never went out with that friend of mine and tried. He forced me for sometime before giving up on me. But this sweetest day, I gave it a try. It’s indoors so there’s no danger of getting run over by a truck and how many people will be there for the embarrassment part? I thought may be 10-15, but boy, I was wrong! The moment I entered this place, it was full of people. People on rollerskates, rollerblades. Zipping through the center.

I knew I didn’t want to do it right then, but I’m not a chicken. What’s more embarrassing? chickening out seeing some 7 year olds doing it or giving it a shot and rolling next them on the floor. Well, literally! I tried, it’s been a week and my wrists still hurt. But that’s not the point here. The point is I was able to do it, albeit, slowly. It was fun and yeah, a little embarrassing. I fell down once even before entering the ring. Once there I was ok-ish for a first timer on rollerblades who has never even tried anything that starts with roller other than those that end with coasters.

There are somethings that you shouldn’t do. I mean, you just shouldn’t do. Like you are on the rollerblades for the first time and go to rest-rooms to pee with the rollerblades on. The toilet floors are made of tiles and they slip easily. I somehow managed to get there, but after that was, well, funny. Tried the usual way, but the damned rollerbladed gave that back and forth rocking motion, which I’m sure would’ve ended up on some epic failure or funny video sites if shot. So, I held the water pipe that was running down the ceiling in one hand and tried with the other hand. That didn’t work out well either! I bet it won’t work out on a low waist jeans. Thankfully there was no one in there all that time; I zipped out without dirtying the floor or my jeans!

A couple of more laps, no falls, thumbs up from the guys who watch over people. All went well. I just re-chanted the words a guy told me while I was wearing the rollerblades. “First time? Uh oh, don’t leave that person, just stay next all the time. It’s all about the confidence man, you go out there and do it.” At first I was staring at my feet and soon realized that’s wrong when I fell on my ass. I could feel my legs just rolling and then all of a sudden upper body is falling back and is in air. I just put my wrists to the ground before my ass hit the floor. Ouch, that hurt. Learnt a lesson but couldn’t avoid the next three wrists-hit-ground-before-ass-falls while all the kids, what it seemed like, going at 50MPH right next to me. Anyway, it was fun. I should do it again, albeit, with the wrist guards.

At the end, I was just trying to find a seat to remove the rollerblades and going down the hall. This same confidence-guy saw me from a distant and gave two thumbs-up with a big smile. I should have known better and just continued on my blades. I twisted a little bit to see him, showed thumbs up and fell hard on my ass still holding the thumbs up. He might have regretted the two thumbs-up! For the next five minutes I was sitting across the tables, he never looked at me again!

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One Hell Of A Tiring Weekend – Skydive Plan Gone Wrong And Lake Geneva Again

If everything went according to the plan, I’d have had my first ever free-fall by now. But the mother nature had some other plans. Six friends and I had planned for a skydiving weekend on my room-mate’s birthday last Saturday. Two of them had come down from Chicago. The venue was none other than the closest Skydive Midwest. None of us had previous experience and were looking forward to having a great time. We reached the place a couple of minutes after our scheduled time and registered at the manifest. Basically, we just put our lives on the line and signed contracts saying Skydive Midwest will not be liable for any accidents. Six of us were to do tandem jumps and I solo (AFF). Don’t ask me why; I don’t know!

It rained during out skydiving

It rained during out skydiving

A French guy was my only classmate! My classes went until noon and by the time I was out my group also had training. And then it was the waiting game. It rained heavily once and the plane had to come back without any jumps. By evening, our turn had come. My group completed their tandem jumps by 6PM and was ecstatic and engrossed in the pictures and videos of themselves skydiving! I was scheduled to go in load 21 and it was only 17th load running at that time. Within an hour the weather changed – it got very dark; clouds moved in and wind picked up speed. AFF jumps were canceled for the day.

The group came back with everyone except the organizer doing what was planned for the weekend. I went again on Sunday morning; everything was perfect except the north winds. I decided to visit later in the day and left.

Btw, I must tell you, the staff at Skydive Midwest is so amazing. We loved the day spent at Skydive Midwest. Though I didn’t get to dive, it was worth spending a day with friends; attending the classes with a wonderful teacher(Susanne); another young lady staff I talked to; patiently waiting; watching people; cute announcement once in a while; and lovely Laura at the manifest (I think she is the one on the mic :-) )

Fountain at The Riviera, Lake Geneva

Fountain at The Riviera, Lake Geneva

After returning from Skydive Midwest on Sunday, I took my friends to Milwaukee Arts Museum and a bit of lake side for site seeing. We then headed to Lake Geneva (fourth time for me!). The plan was to rent a boat and spend time but due to time crunch we decided to take the boat tour around Lake Geneva. I skipped it this time. The group had been on boat and I walked around the shore path(between the lake and the houses) for sometime. I didn’t like it this time much as my role was reduced to that of a guide!

Anyway, I dropped my friends to Kenosha Metra station and came back to Milwaukee in the evening. On my way back, the weather was good and it didn’t look as windy as it looked in the morning. I was supposed to go Skydiving in the evening if the weather turned out good; but, I dropped the plan as I was too tired and didn’t feel like going. Now, I need to rent a car again to go skydiving which costs me around $50!

Whatever it is, my personal record of jumping from a whopping 6 feet above the ground still stands unbeaten!

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Storm The Bastille 2011 – Milwaukee

The Bastille, the medieval fortress and prison in Paris, was stormed by the demonstrators to acquire the ammunition on 14 July 1789. This day marks the start of the French Revolution and is celebrated as a national holiday in France. The same is celebrated in across the world. One such place is Milwaukee. Yes, the place I live now!

Bastille Days is North America’s largest outdoor French themed festival held in downtown Milwaukee in Cathedral Square Park. more…

Storm The Bastille

Storm The Bastille

As part of the celebrations, Storm The Bastille, a 5K run, was started back in 1985 which kicks off the festival each year on the Thursday evening at 9PM. Thousands participate in the run each year. This is an untimed fun run.

I had no intention of participating in this run especially just a day after The Lost Track. I was only planning to go there with my friends who were willing to participate in the run. At the very end, I decided to give it a try. I’m not a runner, in fact, I have hardly run 1K before!(ok, except once in Mangalore in an event organised by my employer; I finished within top 20 I believe).

Getting ready to storm The Bastille

Getting ready to storm The Bastille

We were a group of 6 and we had decided to stick together if possible. It started off very well, with the event anchor making people stretch and warm up. Once the storming started, there were big air balls on the route being kicked, punched. I got to punch it once too!

After the initial 200 meters or so, I lost the group and started running alone. I was later told that the group stuck together throughout except me! It was a little embarrassing to be overtaken by people twice my age, I continued nonetheless.

Storm The Bastille Map

Storm The Bastille Map

I slowed down once to drink water and then I walked from Buffalo to St. Paul Avenue. I started only when I was cheered by a group of bystanders shouting, ‘just a few blocks away’, ‘you can do it’ etc. I high-fived some of them and took off only to stop at the very end and asked an acquaintance of mine, ‘was it 5K?’ I really didn’t know. I was thinking I had covered only 60-70%.

I don’t know my timing; I didn’t care to time it. When I reached the end, I saw a timer go off 1-2-3-4… I didn’t understand!! It must have been under 30 minutes. Anyway, timing wasn’t important to me, the participation was. I have come to realize that I really enjoy running! Hope to run more!

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