Taking Chances

I am not an adrenaline junkie. I don't find the idea of jumping off a cliff or out of a plane exhilarating. I don't like the rush that comes with being scared. Some people love it, get off on it in some way-that is so NOT me. Rather than finding it exciting, adrenaline makes me nauseous and light-headed with fear. Definitely not my thing.

This is more my thing....

Which is why you will usually find me on the beach rather than surfing, riding the teacups rather than plummeting in the Tower of Terror, and watching 50 First Dates over Nightmare on Elm Street.

Being uninterested in those kind of thrills doesn't mean, however, that I don't take risks. There are all kinds of risk-takers. There are all kinds of chances in life. I know people who have stayed in the same job for 30 years, even though they hated it, because seeing what else the world might have to offer was just too scary. I've known people who stay in 30 year relationships, no matter how terrible, for the same reason. People who are so afraid of change, they stagnate their lives rather than live them.

I am afraid of heights. I am afraid of deep water. I am afraid of sharks, open closet doors and roller coasters that go upside down. I am not afraid of change, chances and risking my heart. Change is sometimes the scariest thing of all, but I have managed to embrace it over the years and make it something exciting rather than something to fear. I've changed jobs, lost love, moved, traveled, explored, cried, felt defeated and yet always managed to drag myself back up and look forward to whatever tomorrow might bring. Because the scariest thing to me is the words "I wish I'd..." at the end of it all. I want to be able to say "Yes, I did it. I did the things I wanted to do. I lived."

Watching people who love extreme sports, crazy stunts and launching themselves off things is amazing to me- I wonder where they get the courage. Yet I've had those same people tell me I'm brave or crazy (or maybe both) in some of the chances I've taken in my life.

I will never be willing to jump off a real cliff-even if I'm being chased by a pack of crazed lemmings! But I am willing to jump off the cliffs of our every day lives. The cliffs that we jump off when we start something new, step out of our emotional comfort zone, or trust someone to love us. Its probably the closest I will ever come to an adrenaline rush, the rush of having someone tell you they will love you forever, and believing it.

Maybe its not skydiving. But I'll take it.

Nu Shooz!!!

Okay, so anyone who recognizes the spelling of my title as being the same as a popular 80's "one hit wonder" band....well you are officially as old as me!!!

Anyway...I indulged in some new running shoes today!

These are Asics, my favorite brand. The style is Gel Nimbus 14, which are almost the same as the Gel Nimbus 13s I've been wearing all summer. These are a little more structured, a little more support. Perfect for fall trail running and managing winter snow and ice.

I really wanted pink running shoes. But I tried these on and they were so comfy, and I found myself really liking the bright blue and neon green! Fun colors to brighten up what looks like another longggg winter.

I've been running for about 14 years now, in varying degrees of seriousness. Okay, I've never been "serious". My goal when I compete in a race is to finish-and hopefully not finish last. Thats pretty much it! But thats okay, and thats what I love about running. The only real race is with yourself. Its great for weight control, its great for your heart ( I recently had to go get a stress test/treadmill test and the doctor said he was fairly sure I'm not going to die from a heart attack!) and most importantly, great for your soul.

I'm an outside runner. I will run on a treadmill if that is my only option, but I hate it. I'd rather be outside. Even if its 10 degrees and I'm slipping around and falling in snow berms, there is nothing like breathing in the great outdoors while running. I'm a much better person when I run, calmer, easier to be around, less stressed. I feel better about my body, feel better in my head. Studies have shown that regular, consistant exercise can have the same effect on us as antidepressents. I believe it.

Go get some new pretty shoes and maybe try out a run on your nearby bike path or trail. You'll feel good, look cute in your new shoes, and who knows-you might find a lifelong passion in covering ground, sweating and feeling accomplished when its all said and done.

New shoes also make you run MUCH faster, did you know that? Try it and you'll see!!

Whats your Groupon??

I'm not afraid to say it, I'm a bit of a Groupon junkie. And maybe just a teeny bit of a LivingSocial junkie too, although I don't partake of their deals quite as often as I do Groupon.

My favorite Groupons are the beauty deals (duh!). Some of the deals I've gotten in the past include mani-pedi combos, facials, massages, haircuts, etc.

I love facials, but don't always love the 100+ dollar price tag. So Groupon has been my savior when it comes to facials.

I've been able to get some great facials for well under $100. In fact, I'm scheduled for a facial/massage combo next week-and I only paid $60 for it!!! Nice!!

I was looking through all the Groupons I've used, and in addition to tons of beauty deals, I've grabbed a few great restaurant Groupons, as well as kid activity discounts on things like horseback riding, indoor water park tickets and local shows.

I've only had two bad Groupon experiences. One was a Groupon I purchased for a cut and color at a salon. I've been "between" stylists for over a year now (my stylist retired after a horrible injury while playing hockey-yep, us winter girls are hard core!) and thought it would be a great opportunity to try a new salon. I made my appointment a day before an event I was attending (because I'm brave like that). Unfortunately, the salon owner/stylist called me the day before and cancelled on me. First I was told she had birthday plans that day. Then I was told she was having surgery. Funny how the story kept changing, and I probably wouldn't have been so upset if they hadn't tried to shine me on. I find people trying to lie to me hugely insulting. Luckily, Groupon is AWEsome about crediting your account if you have a problem with any of the services you purchase. So I got a credit to my account, vowed to never go to THAT salon again, and happily used my credit for a Groupon elsewhere.

My other bad experience was with a facial. The girl I scheduled with was so nice, and I felt like she was doing an excellent job. She was doing so well, in fact, that I decided to ask her if she'd wax my brows too. She did and they looked awesome. Until later that night....

 My eyes would not stop hurting, and I thought initially it just must be normal pain from the wax. Then in the morning when I woke up, my eyes were horribly swollen and raw. The skin around my eyebrows had come off with the wax! I don't really know if it was the wax she used, if I had a bad reaction to the products she used on me, or what. And she seemed very nice and knowledgable. I didn't get an email address for her or I probably would have sent her a copy of this picture. Needless to say, I'd be hesitant to return.

Overall though, my Groupon experiences have been excellent! I love getting good deals, but even better, I love the chance to explore different places, new shops and giving my dollars to local businesses.

Oh and speaking of giving your dollars-don't be a crappy Groupon tipper! Remember that Groupon users are supposed to tip on the full price of the service. So if you get a $100 haircut for $50, you tip a minimum of 15 percent on $100! Right? Right!

More and more merchants are using Groupon as a way to grow their business, and it can be a very savvy way for both business owners and consumers to branch out. Businesses can get a whole new client base, and those clients can enjoy a new salon service or find that perfect esthetician!

Get your Groupon. Groups of you, grouping. Oh I could go on and on....