Thinking out of the Box! Amazing

joemonte, yeah--makes my heart race in a good way!!!! I actually did a few of those things before I was paralyzed...glad for the memories, as I really should take less risks at my age and condition, LOL... You have awakened my inner athlete!!!!!! Thank you. Never quite died, but lately having so much pain, not feeling athletic at all. Not even wanting to try much, unlike me.

I have done a 360 (0:19) in my playboat (Bliss-stick Super RAD 180 kayak), but only backwards, could never nail the forward one--trick is to use water formation/waves to create thrust and direction after getting enough paddling momentum. Also have slid (0:35) in kayak (Eskimo Diablo) down snow hill into icy creek--this is nuts! No way to steer kayak if you get off course, must roll over and grab the speeding ground...could easily wind up paralyzed!

Have run up trees and walls and flipped over (1:05), "free running" is what we called that as kids. Using the urban landscape as a gym! Or, beach (2:40) as gym, since sand is less scary than concrete. Did this my entire life, off and on. Also have done gymnastics tumble (1:36) as part of free running. I did this the night before I was paralyzed, and felt so good that I wanted to try a back flip. My friends talked me out of it, saying "at 56yo, maybe you should slow down a bit". I have wondered that if I had attempted the back flip, would I have become paralyzed if I didn't stick it? The next day I did become paralyzed, at first from the neck down, and then wondered if my antics the night before had contributed. Actually, not at all--was just disease process got to a certain point, the disease I didn't even know I had... I cherish the memory of my wild tumble before I lost the ability to do this sort of spirit-releasing run...

During college, enjoyed riding my BMX bike on indoors track sideways on wall (1:34), similar to the brick wall but easier because it had a bit of angle and I could ride down the wall without leaping off and pounding my knees.

Practiced wonderful balancing moves (1:45) with dancer friends, imitating Pilobolus dance routines and creating our own versions. Requires much more strength than what it appears.

Have done some spectacular dives off boards (1:55, 2:41), often landing as painfully as these guys! Once sprained my ankle landing in the bay from 15' board.

Surfed in waves like these (2:47) before the days of short boards allowing tricks. Howled a lot on my long board, and later, in kayak (Eddyline Nighthawk)--"Wave Wolf"...  Soooooo, am I awesome or what?!!!

1:59--Aaron Fotheringham? Love this guy!

2:25--did this guy survive? Whew...is that white pack a parachute on him?

I am the action lover, DJ! Never was too good at sitting still, especially in school! Now my athletic pursuits are keeping as mobile as possible, PT to control pain and maintain/build strength, and dancing to dubstep--which I only started after I was paralyzed!