Virgin Flight

Tonight, I took my first jumps at TSNY on the Santa Monica Pier. Jonathon actually pulled it off! It was so great to see Beth & Effe (from Club GetAway) and meet new friends like Tracy and PopTart. (Yes, that's really her name...must be an LA thing.) Here's a photo of the rig on the Pier with the yellow "rolly coaster" in the background, that's Jonathon pulling lines, Effe working Board and newbie flyer in the Bar...

And here's the office...

I learned my layout with Richie during our last class and decided to try it here. Here's a video...Jonathon and I are still working our timing. He called "DRIVE", I wasn't expecting it, thought he call "HEP" and released early...



Here's another layout, this one I held on till Jonathon called me off but hollowed way early in my force out and lost a lot of height...



This video is funny...me in the net after my trick...I call it "ALL LEGS"...


Best part of the night...dear friends Jeff & Elena (and Baby Maddie) stopped by to visit.

Funny story, Jeff & Elena were walking the pier but couldn't find the rig. They kept asking but nobody knew of Trapeze. Then they looked up. I happened to be flying but from their vantage point all they could see were legs but Jeff said "There she is! That's Jen! I can tell by those pointed toes. That's Jen!"

It was so great to hang with Jeff at a Trapeze Rig again. He was so proud of my progress - just 4 classes since we flew together last October, finds me a stronger and more confident flyer.

Made all my catches! I threw my Split to Effe and the newbie on the Board had trouble timing the return bar. Jeff asked Jonathon if he could climb the ladder and throw my bar. It felt like home being back on board with Jeff (and yes, he yelled at me for ALL the things I was doing wrong) but I threw my split, Effe caught me, Jeff threw my bar and I made my return. And in those brief moments...all is right in my world!

It's a GIRL!!!

My very first car and she's a ROCKET...

A BMW 335i hard top convertible; Space Gray Metallic; Gray Dakota leather interior and brushed aluminum trim. She sports a 3.0-liter dual overhead cam (DOHC), 24-valve in-line turbocharged 300-horsepower 6-cylinder engine with twin-turbo technology and Double-VANOS steplessly variable valve timing.

Buying a car is a boy's job. I couldn't have done this without Jeff & Nordine. Many thanks to Jeff for all the research, advice on what and how to buy a car, patient responses to my never ending questions and helping me build confidence. And Nordine, how many girls get to say "Mr. Universe bought them their first car?"

A huge thank you to him for negotiating me a sweet deal and standing behind me as I finalized all the paperwork. They didn't dare try to scam the skinny, blonde girl while Nordine had my back. Here we are at BMW Tucson picking her up.

To thine own need for POWER...BE TRUE! (Thanks Clyde!)

Later that night, we picked up Nordine's family - Keri, Armand and Isabella - for dinner and a drive around Tucson with the top down. We even cruised Miraval's parking lot.

Armand, Isabella & Keri

It was wonderful to spend this milestone day with such dear friends.

The next morning, I took off on my (abbreviated) "Jen Across America Tour"...Tucson to Santa Monica!

Pole Fitness with Kyra ~ Union Square, NYC April 13, 2008

Kathy, Brooke, Kyra, Rob, & me

Rob, Kathy & Brooke warming-up

Pole sitting and working through some Sass

Practicing my "Helicopter Spin"

Showing off a little of what we learned

My Trapeze Family Dinner - SOHO NYC April 12, 2008

Catherine, Dino, Kathy, Colleen, Tatiana, Joni, Judy, Lidia, me & Danielle

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our spirits have trouble remembering how to fly" - anon

Judy, Lidia, me & Danielle

Me & "D"

Joni, me & Judy

Catherine, me & Dino (my Lucky Charm)

Dino, Kathy, me & Hal

Me & Tatiana

Lidia & me

Lids & me (after much wine!)

Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

...these are a few of my favorite things ~

Taxi cabs

When colleagues become real friends; supporting each other, sharing stories & making memories

Maya Margaritas ~ on the rocks with Salt

Window displays on Fifth & Madison

Working out with fitness friends at Club Beautiful

Getting my derriere kicked in Grasshopper's Saturday morning intense cardio sculpt class

15% off when purchased with your Bloomingdale's credit card (I saved hundreds $$$)

Knowing exactly how to get to wherever I wish to go

Eli's chicken salad on health bread, super thin chocolate chip cookies, Pellegrino & picnics in the Park

Discussing politics, the economy and mindfulness while Carlos works his magic

Shopping for blue jeans at SCOOP

SOHO on a warm Spring evening

Wearing a pretty dress

Wine & girl talk with Colleen & Lids

Enjoying great food and wine with my circus family well into the early morning hours and still wishing the night could last forever (it will in my heart)

Talking about boys with "D"; though we still can't figure them out

Chatting for hours in the Jeep with Judy, my sister by heart

Street Fair food

Recharging my postive energy battery (thanks to Kathy "yes you can")

Pole Fitness with Kyra @ Crunch

Being home...East coast AND West coast!

A reminder from my Lucky Charm...

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar & seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous & exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." - Alan Cohen

56 days off the Bar...

...and I'm "jonesin' for my fix". TSNY has it right - "Forget Fear. Worry about the Addiction." Or we came up with this good line last night - "Trapeze! Cheaper than cocaine and a much better high!"

Even though I still can't fly for another 4 whole weeks (Good Grief!)...it's Thursday night and I don't have too many more Thursday nights left in this town. So I went back...to be with my friends...at our little rig in Brooklyn. (The pics are repeats but fond memories of past Thursday classes.)

I've never been a very good spectator. I thought it was going to be too hard to bear - being so close and having to sit by and just watch; smelling the chalk, hearing the calls, the feel of the Bar and tasting the adrenaline. But the exact opposite was true...being there laughing with my friends, witnessing their progress, and making plans for the day we all can fly together again...elevated my mood like very few things can.

I learned something tonight...being with my circus family and just being around Trapeze - something that I absolutely love - is enough to refill my strength reserves and send my spirit soaring again!