Today’s Ultimate Blog Challenge prompt for Day 8 is to share a Video.  While I just started creating Videos about Healing and Intuition, I was leaning towards sharing one about something I miss very much and was just discussing with my friend back home in Seattle:  Wake Surfing.  This is the time of year when I would be on Lake Washington or Lake Sammamish boating and wake surfing.  I feel home and alive when I’m on the water.

I started water-skiing at age 16 and got into wake-boarding at 36 and was introduced to wake-surfing at 40.  You’d think I’d have it down pat

Wake Surfing 2014

by 48, but I don’t.  I still have fun because that is what it’s all about – getting out there and trying and having fun.  Wake-surfing is when a big wake is created behind the boat and you ride it on a surfboard.  You typically start with a rope to get up and then drop it when you hit the “sweet spot”.

So I checked out my personal YouTube channel and while watching the videos always makes me smile and throws me back into reliving the moment, I considered it won’t be very fun for you to watch 30 seconds of The Jyllinator TRYING to wake surf.  Sure there are some funny crashes and a few exciting moments where I drop the rope for a few seconds.  Then I ran across the video of my DVD recording of me SKYDIVING!!!  I knew that is what I would write about.

Skydiving was never something I wanted to do.  It would be safe to say it wasn’t in my awareness at all.  Until I met Christopher.  Thank you, Match.com!  It was July 12, 2013.  His profile was laden with ATVs, wake surfing, and skydiving photos.  I thought he might be too extreme for me but I sent him a Wink anyway.  He winked back.  We sent a couple emails then he sent me his number and we texted and then he called.  He lived 3 hours away.  We seemed to have a lot in common – lived many places, had interesting experiences and both wanted to move from Washington to somewhere warm.

We talked again the next morning.  I had plans to go boating and he was heading to teach.  He was a Skydive instructor.  He would be 1.5 hours closer to me.  He talked about me coming down to meet him.  I didn’t want to get in the way plus…I’ve got one word for you – BOATING!  I had my priorities!  (Right!!)

Shortly after we said our goodbye’s, I received a call that the boat wasn’t working and we weren’t going surfing.  I called Chris and we decided that I would come down to meet him.  Of course, Saturday traffic took longer than expected.  When I arrived, I was told that Chris going to be jumping out of the plane with his students.  I had to sit and wait with the other students and wonder if I would recognize him.  HA!  The joys of internet dating.

It was cool to sit and watch them land their parachutes in a nearby field.  Chris landed and came right over to me.  He said he saw the Blue Stealth Bomber (my car) pull in the parking lot while he was in the plane (so that is why he asked what I drove!).  He talked with some students and we went into the warehouse while he got the next group ready to jump.

I saw quietly and observed.  Chris came over and asked me how I felt about jumping.  I responded that I wasn’t interested, not on my bucket list, etc.  He did not relent.  He had such passion and excitement when he spoke about it!  He had me watch the “waiver” video and sign the forms “just in case”.  I suppose I could have been more forceful in my desire not to jump but the truth was, I didn’t really care either way (well, until I read the whole waiver!  Boy that was a doozy and scary enough in itself!!).  I actually got a little bit excited.

He scored me a camouflaged purple jumpsuit and wouldn’t you know it, I had my purple doc marten boots in my car for dancing later that night (yes, Purple is my favorite color).  I jumped with Stevie and it is all caught on video.

I will admit I was freaking out as it was my turn and I inched closer and closer to the door of the plane.  You can see me say “Holy Cow” as I am sitting on the edge about to fall out, head first.

Skydiving changed my whole perspective.  After I landed I went in to find Chris and the first thing I said was, “I can see why you love doing this.”

I went skydiving 2 more times that summer and considered taking lessons.  If you haven’t yet, do it.  JUMP and ROAR!!!

PS  BEST Match.com first meeting EVAH!