Bucket List | All Things Gwen

Posts Tagged ‘Bucket List’

I Did This: Rock Climbing

January 22, 2010

I always wanted to go rock climbing. My cousins told me I’d love it. I did!! I gathered a bunch of my “Fit Friends” and we went one day to Elite Climbing in Maple Shade, NJ. I felt like an expert wearing the harness. It was the same thing we wore during my aerials class at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts.

When we were there, I said a bunch of times that I could get addicted to this!

It was really cool to get all the way to the top! Of course, I could do the beginner walls no problem. It was awesome. The other walls … woah hard, especially the kind that are not completely flat. I was too short to reach sometimes … and I think that’s how I got hurt. I ended up messing up my shoulder. I felt it two days later after rock climbing and kickboxing the next day. Apparently my scapula got stuck to my rib cage. I couldn’t reach for anything, it felt funky. Luckily my friend, Amanda, an occupational therapist, manipulated my shoulder and literally separated it for me. I liked getting the stem treatment. I liked being hooked up to the machine with the sensor pads? it was a good pain. After some treatments and rest, I feel better. I just am hesitant to go back there right away …

So what’s my advice? Bring friends! Try it. STRETCH before — we are not spring chickens anymore!!! Do some arm circles, shoulder shrugs, squats, etc!

1 Comment »

Birthday Wishes

January 21, 2010

I used to love bringing cupcakes to school! Here's my niece, Gabby, on her 5th birthday. She made "brownie" cupcakes with Mom-Mom.

Oh my goodness! I’m almost 30!!! The big day — February 8 — is getting closer … and closer. Most people freak out. I’m not there yet. I don’t know how I’m going to feel. I’m like that — it doesn’t really “hit” me right away.

How do I feel right now? I’m actually really happy with life. I feel young, excited and thankful for everything I have. When I was little, I used to really think about my “birthday wish,” and I’d wish very carefully and strategically. Every year, it would be the same type of stuff, and I’d actually make a few wishes (not just one like you were supposed to). They were:

To Grow Up! I was always so petite and I never ate much. My parents and everyone used to say I’d never grow “big.” Now, I’m stressing out because SOMEONE keeps telling me I need to lose 10 pounds for my wedding. And, BTW, I am 5′ 1″ – not too shabby.

To Be Rich! Wouldn’t life be easier if you had all the money in the world?

To Get Married! I never thought anyone would fall in love with me. It used to really bother me. Now I have my Billy!!

What are my wishes now? I have to think about it. I know what they are, and I know what’s important to me. It’s just not as simple as “grow up, be rich, get married.” Life is different now, my challenges, goals and passions are not what they were when I was five!

1 Comment »

Haiti Earthquake: How to Help

January 14, 2010

It’s a sad time for the people of Haiti. A tragedy like this reminds us that life is precious and short and that we must live life for others … not forgetting about those around us. If you can, do your part to help.

It’s easy:

To donate $10, text “HAITI” to “90999″ and your donation (charged to your cell phone bill) will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts.
To donate $5, text “Yele” to “501501” and your donation (charged to your cell phone bill) will be given automatically to Yele Haiti, Wyclef Jean’s grassroots org. For more information, call 212.352.0552
Monday, January 18 is Martin Luther King Jr’s National Day of Service. Find a local volunteer opportunity!

As Dr. King once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?”

Photo by mutasim.billah.pritam.

2 Comments »