13 July 2010

number 2: ride the ferris wheel



and we did. about a month ago, when the carnival was in town, we rode the big ferris wheel. all eight of us in one car: me, ward, ava, ezra, my brother, my sister-in-law and my two nieces. did you know that there are no seat belts in those things? that they are totally open air? that if you move your body just the right way the whole car will sway back and forth? PEOPLE, I DID NOT KNOW THIS. I rode the ferris wheel when I was a kid but I do not remember any of this. I remember the whole experience very differently. this time, I could barely stand to open my eyes. at least not until we'd made it around a couple of times. and it's possible I died. two, three, maybe four times. it's possible I had a tiny panic attack. and I'm pretty sure it wasn't good for the kids to see me in such a terrified state but I'm going to be honest here and say that I wasn't really thinking about the kids. though eventually, I did manage to pull myself together. eventually, I opened my eyes my like a normal person and looked out over the city of portland. and I took a few breaths and I took a few photographs but I'm telling you, I did not look down.

despite the terror, it's possible I enjoyed myself. just a tiny bit.

(number 2 from 39 things)

16 comments:

  1. good for you! the ferris wheel is my favorite carnival ride... by far :)

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  2. love this post!! I too who used to elbow my way to the front of a roller coaster and scream with delight going down can't even ride the tea cups at disney world anymore. I can't bare to look down or twist for too long. why??!

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  3. I've had this eyes-closed-dying experience before on a ride that flips you around. But when I opened them, no more dying! Glad you crossed off number two!

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  4. Is this 39 things to do before you turn 39? This is some list. I wonder if I am brave enough to do some of them. Maybe I'll start a 38 things list myself at the end of the year.

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  5. i ride ferris wheels, but not many others. and no roller coasters. so they way you describe yourself, that's how i think i'd be on a roller coaster. only white knuckled and possibly crying.

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  6. i would be right there with you babe.

    gorgeous photo...

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  7. This makes me WANT to get over my fear of these things:0)
    your processing is jaw dropping!

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  8. Love this! Too true and too funny! Ah, to be a child again, with no fear! :)

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  9. oh my gosh. i can so relate. i begged nathan to go on the ferris wheel with me - he will ride ANY ride but that one it seems. i finally went on with my friend at the ohio state fair remembering it differently as a kid or maybe just having gone on very small carnival ones? i very seriously almost had a panic attack as well. i had NO IDEA their where no seat belts in those buckets of open aired fear! just one little bump and you could fall out or the door could open! my mind was full of ferris wheel movie scenes and none of them were like this. never again.

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  10. My Hubby gives me such a hard time because I am always so nervous on ferris wheels, I remember we rode one the day we got engaged, he thought it was hilarious. Glad to hear someone else shares me fear.

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  11. ferris wheels are more terrifying than the scariest of roller coasters.

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  12. I love ferris wheels. The only way I'd get to go on is either an hour+ trip to Coney Island or waiting for the state fair every summer. I love the ferris wheel in coney island though. there's an inner and outer ring where the cars sit and the cars on the inner ring actually sit on a track where they will slide back and forth as the ferris wheel goes round. I always stand on line for the inner ring of course!

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  13. I love love love ferris wheels. I take pictures of ferris wheels and hot air balloons any time I get a chance.

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  14. Ahhh! I totally remember that about ferris wheels! I loved it, but also I worried about whether it was possible that it might actually sway full circle (which would not be good at all).

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  15. I love the Ferris Wheel! So many good memories on those rides, glad you have one of your own now.

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