A night of risks (sans pics)

Last night was a night of firsts for me.

First off. After work my friend Derrick & I decided to go to the local Country Western dance hall, known as the Hall, and do something I've been itching to do for a while. I started to learn how to ride a motorcycle! That's right! For the first time in my life I drove a sportsbike all on my own. I have been on the back of a motorcycle before, most recently with one of my uncles, but never in the driver seat. I was a little apprehensive at the beginning, which would be normal whenever trying anything new. Derrick was patient with me and all my silly questions. It was like being in a classroom again, except it was outside in a huge parking lot. Did I mention I was rally stoked wbout this.

Eventually I rolled away on the power of the bike (with a helmet of course) and rode around the the Hall. I didn't go very fast or far, but just to get my feet wet was quite the thrill. Since it was already dusk when we started I didn't have much time on the bike. But that little bit of riding I did do was exhilarating! Derrick then decided to put me in the one position I do not care for on a bike. It's known as the bitch seat, and it is not a position of power. In fact you feel quite helpless. VRROOOOMMMM!!!!!! VRRROOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!

Later on that night Derrick & I met up with Andrew and some of his other friends at one of the local parks. What were we doing there in the middle of the night? Ice Blocking! Now growing up in the suburbs of Houston, I did not partake in any ice blocking. What exacting is this activity you might be asking? Well basically you find your self a relatively safe hill, procure a block of ice & then you proceed to glide down the hillside gracefully. Everything is as advertise except the graceful part. Please realize that this is Texas and since we rarely get snow, waiting for winter to come is not exactly a guarantee of snow & fun. Obviously the kids in this state have been making due without the white fluffy stuff. Another first in my life.

It was a fun experience fraught with danger since we did this activity in the middle of the night. And in a fenced off area of a public park. Exactly! Slide too well and you would be meeting Mr. Fence. Eat dirt and you wouldn't have to worry about that. If that wasn't enough fun, after a while we decided to play hide & seek. Oh yeah! A game I have not partaken in in quite some time. If you think my golfing days were far between each other until I was reintroduced, you know my hide & seek days were even further apart.

Strangely enough it was a wonderful evening between the intro bike riding, the ice blocking, and the games of hide & seek. I felt like I was back in grade school. In a good way of course. Our night was not over without the obligatory stop at the local grocery store for some ice cream and soda. We were quite a site walking into the store with mud and stains all over our clothes. My only regret with this night and blog is the fact I do not have any picture to show.

I never would have imagine I would be doing this kind of stuff back on my graduation day from Optometry school. But here I am. Enjoying what God has put in my life with all the atypical characters that dart through my life.