Attempt 43 dares in August.

J came over and briuht my sunglasses with her – I’d left them at her house after her birthday party. I put hem on for a few minutes even though we were indoors & it was night. (15 a check)

I didn’t manage to dare to…
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
26. Line dance.
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.

Hey all you daring individuals, anyone interested in pushing your boundaries again in September? The list is here, and I look forward to hearing how these mini-missions shape your month.

The elevator on my side of the apartment building is broken, so I’ve been taking the stairs. I could walk all the way to the A-side corridor, take the elevator up, and then all the way to the B-side corridor, but I’m too lazy. As such, I walk up (and down, though that’s less notable) 9 flights of stairs several times per day. I think this could be considered extreme. (29 – check)

This has inspired a bit more activity than my life has demanded of me lately, so I decided to keep up the momentum with my first run in Gothenburg. Slightly more than one mile. (9 – check)

Pancake asked for chili burritos for lunch the other day, so I served ‘em up speaking in a Southern / Western accent. (19 – check) The theatrics inspired me to make a bushy mustache and get further into my character. (35 – check). Fortunately I was also inspired to have a photo session with my mustache. (10 – check)

I still haven’t dared to…
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
26. Line dance.
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.

I’m wearing all blue today. Blue jeans, a blue shirt, blue shoes, blue undies & bra. (7 – check) This feels ridiculous, particularly because blue is not a favorite color of mine. But I don’t have any other color I could wear everything of. Most of my shoes are brown, and I don’t have any brown pants. So blue it is. I don’t think I look as weird as I had imagined I would … in fact I think the result of this challenging but ultimately uncreative color combination choice is that I blend in entirely on the street. I hardly even notice myself.

While dressed in this urban camouflage, I noticed a jump rope on the shelf of the second hand store I was browsing in this morning. I waited until there was a clear space around me, and then I gave it a flick and jumped a bit of rope. (17 – check) I immediately felt a pang of embarrassment – due to both breaking a ‘rule’ (no jumping rope in a crowded store) and doing it ungracefully – but no one said anything to me or even gave me a funny look. I think it’s because they couldn’t see me.

I still haven’t dared to…
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
9. Run a mile.
10. For 48 hours or more, change my profile picture to a picture of me winking.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
19. Have a whole conversation with someone in a different accent.
26. Line dance.
29. Something extreme! (para-sailing, skydiving, bungee jumping and the like)
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
35. Make a fake mustache and wear it around the house.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.

In class today I grabbed a book off the room’s library and read a page upside down during silent reading. Yay for 5th grade books with large print. Yay also that none of the kids caught me reading my book upside down and started imitating me – Mr. G would have killed me! (22 – check)

I came home and doodled my name at least 43 times (16 – check) – probably closer to 46, but it’s hard to count with the page all full of doodles like that. It was a strange experience. It made me wonder how many times I’ve written my name in my life. Hundreds of thousands, it would seem. And usually always in the same way. It took several doodles before I enjoyed the process of trying to write it differently each time – at first it hurt my brain to try to come up with new ways of stylizing this combination of 5 letters. A few goes with my left hand helped wake up my creativity.

I still haven’t dared to…
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
7. Wear all of one color for a day. (For example, blue shirt, blue jeans, blue socks, blue shoes.)
9. Run a mile.
10. For 48 hours or more, change my profile picture to a picture of me winking.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
17. Jump rope.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
19. Have a whole conversation with someone in a different accent.
26. Line dance.
29. Something extreme! (para-sailing, skydiving, bungee jumping and the like)
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
35. Make a fake mustache and wear it around the house.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.

Does in the presence of my husband count as “in public”? If so, (28 – check).

I keep forgetting to skip in and out of work. But today I took advantage of the hopscotch painted on the blacktop. (36 – check)

And I replaced my old toothbrush with a new one, and had a changing of the toothbrushes ceremony with a double brushing. (39 – check) It was totally weird. Right away toothpaste poured out of my mouth and onto my shirt because I had to have my mouth open extra wide to accommodate two toothbrushes.

I still haven’t dared to…
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
7. Wear all of one color for a day. (For example, blue shirt, blue jeans, blue socks, blue shoes.)
9. Run a mile.
10. For 48 hours or more, change my profile picture to a picture of me winking.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
16. Doodle my name 43 times.
17. Jump rope.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
19. Have a whole conversation with someone in a different accent.
22. Read a page of a book upside down.
26. Line dance.
29. Something extreme! (para-sailing, skydiving, bungee jumping and the like)
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
35. Make a fake mustache and wear it around the house.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.

check!

V and I went to the second hand store together to look for some things I can wear to work. I tried on most everything in the changing room, but I tried on a pair of shoes in the middle of the store. (25 – check) I got a bunch of stuff and worn several items already, which could count for #43, but better yet … I went to the glass counter where there was a basket full of watches. I put two on (neither was working) and asked V for the time. So that’ll be my (43 – check), which is satisfying because I didn’t get it done last month.

Got home and shaved my leg hair so I could wear one of my new skirts. (24 – check) I went on to paint my toe nails (34 – check) and put on some makeup (including a lovely teal eyeliner that V brought) (30 – check)

I should have photographed myself winking at this point, perhaps with a fake mustache on … ah well.

I still haven’t dared to:
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
7. Wear all of one color for a day. (For example, blue shirt, blue jeans, blue socks, blue shoes.)
9. Run a mile.
10. For 48 hours or more, change my profile picture to a picture of me winking.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
16. Doodle my name 43 times.
17. Jump rope.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
19. Have a whole conversation with someone in a different accent.
21. Write an inspiring message on an outside bench.
22. Read a page of a book upside down.
26. Line dance.
28. Belch loudly in public.
29. Something extreme! (para-sailing, skydiving, bungee jumping and the like)
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
35. Make a fake mustache and wear it around the house.
36. Play hopscotch.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
39. Brush my teeth with two brushes at once.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.

After Oslo, V and I decided to head to Copenhagen for some more Scandinavia adventure. We packed a lunch for the journey, that included grapes. I started popping some in my mouth, one at a time. I thought I’d reached my limit at 12, but then I realized I still had cheeks and was able to bring it up to 25. Maybe I could have fit more, but it was at 25 I stopped feeling like a lady, or even a human. (27 – check)

I met up with several old friends, which involved calling despite a long time without speaking. (3 – check)

I forgot my toothbrush and had to buy a new one there. Now that I’m home I’ll have a little toothbrushing tango party before I throw the older brush out.

I still haven’t dared to:
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
7. Wear all of one color for a day. (For example, blue shirt, blue jeans, blue socks, blue shoes.)
9. Run a mile.
10. For 48 hours or more, change my profile picture to a picture of me winking.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
16. Doodle my name 43 times.
17. Jump rope.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
19. Have a whole conversation with someone in a different accent.
21. Write an inspiring message on an outside bench.
22. Read a page of a book upside down.
24. Shave your hair.
25. Try some clothes on in the middle of the store – not in the changing room.
26. Line dance.
28. Belch loudly in public.
29. Something extreme! (para-sailing, skydiving, bungee jumping and the like)
30. Try out some makeup! Be creative with it.
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
34. Paint my nails.
35. Make a fake mustache and wear it around the house.
36. Play hopscotch.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
39. Brush my teeth with two brushes at once.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.
43. Repeat my favorite dare from July.

V and I spent a few days visiting a friend in Oslo. While we were there I made a wish in a drinking fountain (33 – check), but I don’t remember now what I wished for. I guess that means it didn’t come true.

More memorable was our hike that went past a crazy big ski jump in the forest. There were some surprisingly not-young fellows practice jumping with the jump covered in moist astro-turf instead of snow. It was really amazing to watch them fly through the air and just kind of hang there until gravity took over and they made their landing. We decided one fellow was our favorite, so when he came back up the lift to jump again I gathered up a bouquet of wildflowers and presented it to him. (1 – check) We told him he was our champion, and he said that he is also a champion to himself.

It was a nice moment, and even though it was only last week, I was summer and I still remember it. (11 – check)

I still haven’t dared to:
3. Call someone I haven’t spoken to in a while.
4. Make and drink a veggie shake.
7. Wear all of one color for a day. (For example, blue shirt, blue jeans, blue socks, blue shoes.)
9. Run a mile.
10. For 48 hours or more, change my profile picture to a picture of me winking.
12. Go to the movies alone.
13. Go to a restaurant and order just dessert.
15. Wear sunglasses indoors.
16. Doodle my name 43 times.
17. Jump rope.
18. In my underwear, slide down the hallway and dance, in true Tom Cruise style.
19. Have a whole conversation with someone in a different accent.
21. Write an inspiring message on an outside bench.
22. Read a page of a book upside down.
24. Shave your hair.
25. Try some clothes on in the middle of the store – not in the changing room.
26. Line dance.
27. See how many grapes I can fit in my mouth.
28. Belch loudly in public.
29. Something extreme! (para-sailing, skydiving, bungee jumping and the like)
30. Try out some makeup! Be creative with it.
31. Ask a McDonald’s cashier what s/he would recommend.
34. Paint my nails.
35. Make a fake mustache and wear it around the house.
36. Play hopscotch.
37. Skip into and out of my job/work one day.
39. Brush my teeth with two brushes at once.
40. Go on a kiddy ride at the mall.
41. Make a homeless person dinner.
43. Repeat my favorite dare from July.