#32 Get a Bike

My husband is amazing for so many reasons. One of the coolest things about him is just how supportive and understanding he is of me. He has been one of my biggest fans through this whole blog adventure I'm on and is always excited to help me work on it. Our one year wedding anniversary is tomorrow and I was lucky enough to come home and find a pretty pink cruiser with a big pink ribbon on it for me! He knew I'd been wanting a bike for a while, but I just hadn't made it a priority.

We went to one of our favorite outdoor spots to enjoy a day in the sun. It's been years since I've ridden a bike. Like probably elementary school. I know the expression "It's like riding a bike" is pretty popular but I'm not sure just how accurate it is. I didn't forget how to ride, I was just pretty rusty. Which is probably an understatement. I attempted to ride around the parking lot a bit and finally found some balance. So off I went towards the track around the lake. I was off to a pretty good start until Rick got a little too close and this other guy came up behind me on his bike. I got nervous, which caused me to panic. I tried to stop, but didn't think about using the brake. Instead I tried to plant my feet on the ground. I guess my bike didn't get the memo because it continued to keep moving until I hit the dirt and crashed with my nice, new shiny bike. I have to admit, it hurt, both my body and my pride. My initial reaction was to cry and go home and call it a day, but I put on that brave face I know so well and sucked it up. It's really the only way to deal with anything that life gives you, yes it hurt, yes I was scared to get back on and fall down again, but I'm not going to let fear stop me from living and enjoying life. All you can do is get back up and try to enjoy the ride.

And I did. We finished the whole track for a total of 6 miles. :)

# 34 Yoga once a week for a month

So originally I had planned to go to a yoga class to accomplish this task, but things just didn't work out that way for me. I used to attend yoga regularly (like twice a week) at my old gym before I got my current job. Well since then I've recently moved and switched gyms. The hours really don't fit with my schedule, and frankly I'm just not that comfortable at my new gym.

So I started looking into yoga dvds, and an online friend mentioned a great yoga for fertility dvd. After reading the reviews on amazon I decided to go ahead and order it. I've really, really enjoyed this dvd. Of course nothing can beat a real life yoga session. It's always nice to have an instructor there to help guide you and to make sure you're doing the poses correctly, but this dvd is really fabulous for someone who already knows a bit of yoga. I think for a beginner it may be a little overwhelming, just because of how fast you transition between poses. The dvd includes some great sections on breathing and visualization as well.

Yoga is beneficial for so many reasons. I definitely have felt more centered and balanced since I've started making this a part of my weekly routine again, and I hope in the future I can make the time for myself to do this twice a week.

#37 Take a Self Defense Class

The timing of me taking this class couldn't have been any better considering April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Rick found out about this rape prevention/self defense seminar through a co-worker who takes Krav Maga. Knowing that I was looking for a self defense class to take for my project he signed me right up.

The course was a 3.5 hour course and was filled with women of all ages. It was sold out and there was about 30-40 women there. There was a bit of lecture time by a police officer where I learned that 1 in 3 women is a victim of sexual assault. I had no idea that the rates were that high. One of the biggest things that attackers have said is that the women do not fight back. For someone who does fight back the chances of survival are obviously much, much higher. Another really important point I learned was just how important it is to trust our instinct. We all know this right? But I've never heard it from this perspective before-- Animals trust their instinct completely. If they feel threatened they attack. As humans we are the only species to rationalize things. Instead of acting on instinct we make excuses and try to rationalize someone's behavior.

There's only so much you can be taught in 3 hours, but the instructors gave us all the basic tools to be able to protect our self from an attacker. We had to buddy up and practice all of the combatives (which included hammer hits, kicks, gouges, etc.). We also had scenarios that we had to act out with the instructors. The first scenario was using our "bad dog voice" (think of the way you'd discipline your dog... you wouldn't say it with a smile-- you'd be assertive). This was actually a bit tough for me, anyone who knows me knows that I don't have a "bad dog voice"...lol. Dodger and Cali totally know that too. But I tried and I did it. The second scenario we actually had to put everything together and fight off an attack from one of the instructors who was in a padded suit. It was intense. Especially since someone in the class had been a victim of sexual assault. The raw emotion was overwhelming and my heart broke for her. Everyone felt that...there were many who were crying with her. But the staff and all of the participants were incredibly supportive and we all celebrated with her as she finished her turn.

Overall it was an absolutely amazing experience. I was really, really nervous about attending. Especially since I went by myself. But I had a great time and I am soo soo glad I stepped out of my comfort zone to do this. Even though my hand is starting to swell and feels achy I can't wait to show Rick what I learned. I would highly suggest that all women take the time to attend something like this. The information is invaluable and it's one of the best things you can do for yourself. I think this will be a yearly thing for me.

Balsamic Baked Tilapia

Tilapia is probably my favorite fish. It's very versatile and isn't overly fishy. And although I love eating it (especially when Rick grills it with lemon and Tony Chachere's) I've never cooked it on my own. I was a little intimidated but this recipe really was very, very simple. I ended up using four filets instead of 2, but I didn't have to change any of the other ingredients to make up for that change. I also didn't serve it over greens, instead I decided to serve it with some yummy balsamic butter asparagus and brown rice. It was sooo delicious (seriously...like lick the plate good!) and Rick said he even liked it better than the way he cooks tilapia!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 (8 ounce) fillets tilapia fillets
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 4 cups mixed salad greens

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion and red pepper in the oil until onion is tender and golden, and peppers are slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Stir balsamic vinegar into the vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
3. Rub tilapia filets with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Place fillets in a small baking dish, and top with the balsamic onion mixture. Sprinkle fish evenly with blue cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven until fish flakes easily. Serve atop salad greens.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 329 | Total Fat: 17.3g | Cholesterol: 67mg

#100- Encourage Someone Else to Start the Project

So a couple weeks ago I mentioned to my friend some things I was planning on doing for my blog. She was curious and asked what blog and so I told her all about my 101 in 1001 list and how I've been keeping track of my journey on this blog.

She was inspired by the idea and started getting some ideas for her own list. I then emailed her my link to check out and she decided that this was something she really wanted to do. I'm so glad that I've inspired someone else to do this. It's really been a very fun, fulfilling project. It's been so cool to step out of my comfort zone, and to try new things. I've also really enjoyed being able to share my journey with my husband. He's so supportive of all this, and always willing to go along on my adventures with me.

I really hope my friend loves this project as much as I do :) and I look forward to cheering her on to reach her goals.

April's "Us" photo

Taken this past Saturday at the happiest place on earth (aka Disneyland)

#30 Read TCOYF

Also known as "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". This should seriously be mandatory reading for all women. It's not just a book to help you increase the odds of getting pregnant, but really a book to help you understand what is happening with you body every month. There is so much mystery behind our cycles and the changes that happen, and a lot of it causes girls to be confused, to feel "dirty" or misunderstood. But this book explains it all.

It's a large book and looks intimidating. But it's actually very easy to read. The author writes in a way that makes it clear, she gives examples, and even adds a touch of humor. It's also one of those books that you can come back to without feeling utterly lost or confused. I read the book off and on over a few weeks, but once I committed myself to reading it I had it finished within two days.