What was the most rewarding , from a personal best point of view thing you have done??

[lost-in-nj]

Me...
I HATE heights
when we went to Bermuda we went horseback riding....

the trail at the top was probably a foot and a half wide and it snaked down the hill...

and the drop was several hundred feet.....

There was also a rocky hill we had to go down to get back to the stables.. the horses know the
trail well but when you put your life into a horses hands (so to speak)
you give up control.....

well I did it... I had a blast and I felt SO good....

wanted to do it again but we had no time


and also getting on a plane by myself.....


lost

[Parche]

1. i didnt think that Gorns flew?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

:hi:


found plane

[lost-in-nj]

5. Parche

open up



what was it!!!!!???



lost


:hi: :hug:

[Parche]

21. Octobra of last year Gorn

When i was in Honolulu for the USS Wahoo memorial, I helped out alot of people that were attending....the most moving thing in my life....very emotional :cry: :cry: :patriot:




:hi:


found gorn

[lost-in-nj]

30. I remember you talking about this

your right


:hug:

helping veterns anytime is a good thing


lost

[seemunkee]

2. Climbing Mt Ranier

Hardest damn walk I have ever done.

[lost-in-nj]

7. my Mom LOVED

Washington

she had pictures of Mt. Ranier...

she went up Mt. St. Helen's after the explosion



lost

[YankeyMCC]

3. Two

My Presidential Traverse last summer was a personal best in the sense that it was difficult but also something I've been wanting to do for a very long time.

Perhaps just based on difficultly and material reward i would say completing Officer Training school, even above graduating college.

And of course none of this takes into account the many things involved in raising my son.

[lost-in-nj]

9. Raising a child!!!

And Officer Training School!!!!!!!!!!!\\
is it Police or military??

CONGRATS on finishing


lost

[youthere]

4. I pushed three human beings out of my body-on three separate occasions.

[lost-in-nj]

10. I pushed 2!!!

one 8 pounds
the other 9!!!!


congrats


lost

[Rabrrrrrr]

6. Lovin' my honey; deciding on no kids ever; learning to read, write, perform music; being a Christian

I also include any day in which I don't start a riot or burn a city to the ground to be a personal success day. As AA says, "one day at a time".


I would also have to include learning to read and learning to ENJOY reading and writing, and writing clearly and entertainingly, with those first three things.

Those are the five things that bring me the most joy, from a personal standpoint, and have been the most rewarding decisions of my life and the ones that I most often stop and think, "Wow - I am really, really fucking glad I made that choice."

[lost-in-nj]

13. first thanks for answering my thread

and I CONGRATULATE all of your personal bests.....


reading, writing, and being Christian is great
my dad was a minister....

lost

:hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. Very nice! I can't imagine being a PK. I think I would have hated it.

But one never knows!

In what denomination was he a minister?

And as a side note to anyone who saw my first post - I do not mean to imply that being Christian is somehow better than being anything else. Only that, for me, it's been a wonderful and excellent choice.

[lost-in-nj]

26. Presbyterian

he was an drummer and drug addict
then an electrician..

decided he needed a change.....


so a minister.....


he was so proud


lost

[LiberalEsto]

8. Leading a Unitarian church service

I've been incredibly shy all my life. I didn't even talk in class in college.
Our former minister encouraged me to do a few readings during services. I started getting over the shyness (in my 50s!) and worked up the nerve to do more. Over the past 3 years I've led maybe 6 or7 services. The most recent one, November 25, was about recognizing the divine spark within, and everyone raved about it.

[lost-in-nj]

16. I have learned 50 is going to be

awesome!!!

I am breaking out and doing things I NEVER thought I would do...



keep it up

lost

[LiberalEsto]

31. Go for it!

Hitting the 50s was far better than I expected.
:hi:

[MorningGlow]

11. Gave birth to MG Jr. with no meds

I was a sideshow--whenever the nurses and aides had a few free moments, they'd stop in to my birthing room to watch. Lots of whispers, "She's doing it without meds!" "No meds?! Are you serious?!" etc.
:rofl:

All in all, it really wasn't that bad. It's not likely I'll have another baby, but if I did, I'd do it without meds again, no problem.

[lost-in-nj]

17. I had my son with meds

and I had Toximia

my daughter

I had her drug free and regret not having my son natural....
and your right
it was not that bad.....
its forgotten as soon as the child is born......

lost

[Fleshdancer]

43. Same here!

Only I was preggers in Japan and my doctor informed me early on that I wouldn't be getting any drugs unless I needed a c-section.

I didn't think it was all that bad either (I was in labor for only 13 hrs) and if I have a second child, I'll most likely go through labor without drugs...preferably at home in the tub with a Doula.

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. Helping another person to move beyond fear and belief, and thus accomplish something

that they would not have otherwise. Usually small stuff, but hey.

I know how pretentious that sounds but aside from loving another person, that has to be it.

[lost-in-nj]

20. oh Peake

anything that makes you feel good is a good thing....

helping people is an awesome


thanks


lost

[XemaSab]

14. Seeing 600 species of birds for North America

It was a big challenge for me, and it took a lot of time, money, and personal strength, but it was worth every second. :D

This is a Brown Noddy. I got it on May 1, 2007, at the Dry Tortugas in Florida.



I'm at 619 now, and damn 700 is a long, long, long ways away. It'll probably be another decade before I get there. Even 650 would involve quite a bit of travel. I think the next thing I do will go work on birding Mexico, which should be fun. :)

[lost-in-nj]

22. Are you a birder??

I LOVE to watch the birds....


I hope you make 700..... soon

we have wild Turkeys, hawks and there is an Eagle here....

he likes us!!!!
I have Goldfinches eating my Echinachea in July-August

I love to watch them


lost

[XemaSab]

39. Yeah I bird. It's good times. (Prepare for too much info ahead)

Right now I'm at 619.

This is what 700 would entail:

Alaska is the big juicy nugget. I'd have 32 target birds for a June trip, but they're scattered all over the state, and to do it right you have to go out to the outer islands, which is $pendy. If, by some miracle, I got all of them, I'd be at 651, but I'm expecting it to take multiple trips to even begin to crack that number.

Texas in springtime would have 12 target birds. I've never been there in spring, so I'd expect to hit most of them. This would take me to 663.

A trip to Maine in springtime would also have 12 target birds, but many of them are more commonly found in the winter, and I've already been there so the 12 species are stuff I missed the first time, ya know? :shrug: So that would be 675.

This is where things get tough.

I'd still have 30 regularly occuring birds left to get, but 7 of them are Arizona specialties (stuff I missed the first four times I went there), 6 of them I could get on a North Dakota/Minnesota/Michigan blowout, 8 of them are Colorado grouse and finches, 4 of them are stuff I missed in Florida last year, and the remaining 5 are found all over the place.

I'm honestly expecting this to be 10 years' worth of trips, if not more. :(

But yeah, birding is awesome! And addictive! It'll take all your time and all your money faster than anything! :P

[SPKrazy]

15. What comes to mind is overcoming (mostly) fear of public speaking

baptism by fire

in grad school got a job teaching DWI classes on Saturdays. Two classes a day 70 people per class. First class at 8 am. No one (including me) wanted to be there. I was the "enemy", and my job was to teach a curriculum to them and to cover a certain amount of material as required by law.

It was an eye opening experience. My trump card was that I could relate to them well. I was scared to death but the rhythm would get going and I found that I had fun.

Since then, I've spoken a fair amount in public, and mostly I've felt successful at it. It is still that I get pretty nervous beforehand, but I kick myself into doing it and it comes off smoothly.

My biggest problem is that I talk too much and end up leaving things out that I planned to cover.

Anyway, may not seem like much, but a recent survey found that people would rather die than speak in public. :P

:hi: lost!!!!!

:hug:

[lost-in-nj]

23. well you are WAY ahead of me

I did it once......
I will try to NEVER do it again

good for you.....

:hug:

lost

[TZ]

18. Helping to organize and run a benefit dance for a good friend...

Who had temporary paralysis in his legs due to a lower back injury. As both a landscaper/dance instructor he had no income to speak of while recuperating...It ended up being about 200 people and I voluntarily got up in front of all those people and gave a thank you speech from my friend..And I was utterly terrified by public speaking..It's still not my favorite thing but I can do it, and fairly well if pressed. Plus it was fun. Plus it was great helping out a friend....
Me:

The crowd:

[lost-in-nj]

25. see post 23

I congratulate you.....


Public Speaking is scarey....



lost

[NMDemDist2]

24. I quit drinking my life away

and I continue not to drink every day.

next month it will be 16 years without any kind of drink or drug.

It's been an amazing journey to know myself, face myself and then turn that face to the world.

Every thing else I've ever done, the whitewater rivers, the acrobatic airplanes, the wild horse training, hiking Alaska, everything else pales in comparison.

[lost-in-nj]

27. Congratulations!!!!

I ... well I have a problem...
but I know it

you have an AWESOME personal best


wow


:hug:

lost

[NMDemDist2]

29. One day at a time is all I can do and my years don't guarantee me tomorrow

it's not a struggle anymore (and hasn't been after the first 30 days) but it would only take one weak moment in time......


oh and BTW, I have learned to love public speaking in those strange little cult meetings I attend :rofl:

[Breeze54]

28. I gave birth to 3 wonderful boys and raised them with love and care.

They are my heart! *beaming with pride*

I :loveya: them always... it was worth it.

[lost-in-nj]

32. YEAH!!!!

I raised a boy and a girl....

and it blows my mind..... where they are and what they are doing with their lives....

are these my children!!????

wow

lost

[Breeze54]

33. I know!! I'm in awe!! ~~ Did I do that?!

Brings a tear to my eye...

We went through hell, at points in our lives, and they made it!!!

I'm astounded and so happy for them! :D

:hug:

[antigone382]

34. Participated in a home birth this July.

It was hot as hell and it took 21 almost completely sleepless hours, and it was absolutely the most incredible experience of my life. The mother was amazing. If I ever have a child I would like it to be the same way.

[lost-in-nj]

35. WOW

just WOW

i could not do it

the nurses at my OB/GYN offered....

I was afraid...

good on you

:pals:

lost

[GigiMommy]

36. After the lost of our first sweet baby, we had her (and I was on bedrest)...

She's the love of my life!

[BarenakedLady]

37. My babies, of course

Going back to college at age 38 is pretty high up there too. :D

[TexasBushwhacker]

38. Not to be morbid, but ....

I took care of my mother during her last 6 months of life. She had breast cancer that had spread to her bones, bone marrow and brain. It was the hardest thing I ever did, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

On a happier note, I finished a screenplay (something I'd always wanted to do) and I was a school teacher for 9 years.

[Jamastiene]

40. Bottle feeding my Sunday Girl from 3 or 4 days old all

the way to 16 weeks old.

When she was sucking her bottle, her little eyes would look straight into mine and she was just like a baby, but she was a kitten instead.



I tried to ween her too early (did it wrong) and she would stick her whole face down into the watered down dry food I made for her. She ended up getting ringworm from that and I had to give her a bath with special shampoo every day for 3 weeks to get rid of it.



The vet said to go ahead and un-ween her and put her back on the bottle until she started asking for whatever I was eating and hand feed her something to get her eating solids and still relying on the bottle for most of her nourishment. That way I could ween her the right way and she'd start eating solids better.

She grew up, of course, and now she is 15 years old. I love my Sunday Girl. She's like a real daughter to me in a lot of ways. Everything I do, she joins in and copies me. She learned so much from mimicking what I do. She acts like she works on small electronics (well, she sticks her paws in and fidgets with them like I do with my "paws). She helps my aunt too. She acts like she is trying to lift my aunt to help her get out of bed or off the commode until I get there. She puts her head under my aunt's arm like she is trying to give her support like I do with my upper body. When I'm looking for something to cook, she paws at the canned chicken to let me know she wants her favorite human food (chicken and rice) and she knows which can it is too, because it is a shorter can than most of the other cans. She thinks she is human. She acts like she's human. She doesn't like cats, including Yogi and Domino. I don't know where she got that from though, because I like cats.

Anyhow, here is a picture of us at Christmas a few years ago. I have some more recent pictures of her, but not uploaded anywhere at the moment.

[NNadir]

41. I got married.

[merh]

42. I survived.

n/t

[crim son]

44. Having my third child, my son, when the pregnancy

was going to be difficult for health reasons, and furthermore the husband was scheduled for a vasectomy which was to take place a week after the rabbit died. During the pregnancy I became clinically depressed and all the crappy health consequences came to pass... BUT:



I wouldn't trade this guy for the world. He is something special; he really, really is!

[femmocrat]

45. Went back to college, finished my degree, and subsequently got a real teaching job.

Before that, I thought I was stuck in "substitute teacher" hell for the rest of my life!

[Joe Fields]

46. I have saved two people from dying.

[1gobluedem]

47. I taught my SO's daughter to read

She was in second grade, falling way behind her class and her twin, her parents didn't have the patience, the extra work in school wasn't working. We formed a 'reading club' that included her twin, read together every Tuesday for eight months, and I'm elated to say that today she's in fifth grade, is in the top reading group in her class, and is an avid reader, loving the series books that I loved as a little girl.

Reading is so important. If we hadn't worked so hard on it that crucial year, I don't know what would've happened.