Take em' to church...

Week Three:Christmas Mass

I would like to preface this week’s installment with a brief statement. I currently have no religious affiliation. I realize religion is a complex issue with many passionate people firmly entrenched on all sides. I also understand that I have many friends, and potential readers, scattered across this spectrum; from passionately devout to agnostic and even those who are fervently anti-religion. Regardless of your beliefs, however, I hope you can approach this entry with an open mind. I am not trying to find religion in my own life and I am certainly not trying to affect anyone else’s beliefs.

A healthy respect for all religions is important in developing a compassionate understanding of the world as well as its people, conflicts and progress. Therefore, I like to take any available opportunity to learn about the fundamental principles of all belief systems. From Judaism to Islam and Hinduism to Buddhism, every religion has its own fascinating history and useful tenets we can all use to enrich our lives (except Scientology. That’s enough, Tom Cruise). However, it’s obvious that we live in a society that is most heavily influenced by the ideals and traditions of Christianity.

Regardless of your level of religious involvement, if you were born or raised in the United States or Canada, you most likely celebrate Christian holidays and adhere to Christian ideas of morality and character. With that thought in mind, I realized the only times I have ever been to any sort of religious service was for a wedding, a funeral or a christening. And, as previously stated, since I am not currently trying to find religion, I’ve never had any desire or reason to go to church otherwise. However, the idea of going to church on some random Sunday didn’t seem like a very interesting addition to my list. After all, I want all of these experiences to be interesting or entertaining in addition to merely being new.

Now, before I go any further, allow me to make something else perfectly clear. I love Christmas and everything associated with it. I love the music, the movies and the TV specials. I love shopping for gifts, I love wrapping gifts and I especially love receiving gifts. I love the decorations, the food and the cookies. I even love snow around Christmas time and anyone that knows me can tell you that’s saying a lot. Finally, at the risk of sounding corny, my favorite part of Christmas is the tradition and the time spent with family and friends. It’s a joyous time when everyone can gather and truly appreciate everything and everyone important in their lives. Of course, it can also be a very hectic and stressful time. But as long as you can keep things in perspective and take care of your business, Christmas is one of the most enjoyable times of the year.

Therefore, when I considered checking out a variety of religious services as part of my little adventure, it seemed obvious to attend midnight mass for Christmas. Now I realize Easter is considered the most important Christian holiday, but let’s be honest, you really can’t compete with the pomp and presentation of Christmas. Also, to make this experience even more meaningful, I decided to attend mass at the Our Lady of Victory Basilica, easily the most impressive church in Western New York (http://www.ourladyofvictory.org/).

Growing up in the West Seneca/South Buffalo area I am very familiar with OLV. After all, I know many other people raised in western New York received the same threat of being shipped off to Father Baker’s when they were growing up. Also, despite driving past this impressive structure countless times in my life I have never actually ventured inside to take in all of its architectural and artistic glory. Therefore, this week’s choice goes beyond celebrating Christmas by attending religious services. It is also very much about finally taking the opportunity to explore a local historical landmark.

Now, attending midnight mass on Christmas eve/day is a bit more challenging than it may seem. My usual exhaustive Christmas eve consists of cleaning, wrapping, eating, unwrapping, eating, playing with my many nieces and nephews, eating and finally crashing out sometime around 10pm. However, this year I had to stick it out a few extra hours so I could accomplish my goal. I know it doesn’t seem like much but trust me, it took some effort. Fortunately, I wasn’t alone on this trip as I was joined by my wonderful girlfriend Jackie and her mother Valerie. Unfortunately, however, Jackie was rather ill so it was a challenge keeping her awake and interested.

Expecting a very large crowd, we arrived at the basilica around 11:15 for the midnight mass. The church was already filling up but we were easily able to find seating. While we waited for mass to begin I took the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the place. I have noticed a trend among Roman Catholic churches in my recent attendance at weddings, funerals and christenings. It seems many are abandoning the classic gothic/renaissance style in favor of more contemporary designs. Vaulted ceilings, marble floors and stained glass windows have given way to Berber carpet, wood paneling and trendy light fixtures. Thankfully, however, OLV has been able to maintain its architectural integrity. When I walk into a church I want to be impressed by the power and grandeur of a higher being, not feel like I’m walking into a conference room for an afternoon sales meeting.

Besides the basilica’s incredible architectural design, it was beautifully decorated for the season. Poinsettias and vibrantly lit Christmas trees were scattered among the magnificent statues on the already impressive alter as a small orchestra played Christmas music on rear balcony. In addition, a realistically designed nativity scene was on display adjacent to the seating area. The mass began promptly at midnight but it was the usual combination of standing, sitting, standing, kneeling, praying, sitting, standing etc. The priest delivered a short but entertaining sermon about celebrating a “merry” Christmas as opposed to the “cranky” Christmas that is often the result of the stressful season. Besides his anecdote, however, the service was relatively standard and ended without any real excitement, though I’m not sure what I was expecting.

I would love to say my experience at Christmas mass had a profound effect on me but that is simply not the case. Just as any other time I’ve been to church I found myself bored, uncomfortable and waiting for it to end. I’m not sure if it’s going to take an intense fire and brimstone kind of sermon to really stoke some passion in me but I’ve only been exposed to the standard version and that’s not doing the trick. However, I realize I appreciate this church, as well as other classically designed churches, for its art, architecture and history. I’m sure I’ll continue to be fascinated by these aspects of various faiths but I don’t foresee myself practicing any religions in the near future. Maybe I wasted a week here realizing something I already knew, but at least next time I know to bypass the services in favor of the guided tour.

Working up a sweat...

Week Two:Yoga

It’s only about 24 hours since I completed my first yoga class and I’m definitely feeling the effects. My shoulders and lower back are particularly tender followed closely by the back of my thighs and my abs (or belly if we’re being accurate). I’m not in any sort of real pain, just experiencing a bit of residual soreness. Thankfully, however, it’s the good kind of sore, the type that occurs from stirring up long dormant muscles or pushing yourself well beyond your normal level of physical exertion. It’s a level of soreness that’s more satisfaction than regret.

Trust me, I’m far from being a fitness guru. I do enjoy being physically active; after all I’ve been fighting the good fight since discovering my love of food somewhere during early adolescence. However, that said, I’m no Jack LaLanne. Therefore, the decision to try yoga was not to add another wrinkle to an already grueling exercise regimen, but instead was inspired by a class I took in college.

While enrolled at Buff State, I was fortunate enough to take a course called Voice and Diction in which each class consisted of a variety of stretches and breathing exercises. Although this basic description sounds similar to yoga, this was a theater class aimed at improving vocal delivery through proper posture and use of breath. Now I realize this doesn’t sound like a very meaningful step towards the completion of a Secondary Education degree, but I was more concerned with fulfilling an art requirement while padding my GPA with a nice little softball course. However, as the semester wore on I quickly realized the benefit of these exercises. During that hour and forty-five minutes every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, all the stress of a full class load and full-time job faded away as our instructor guided our breathing through visualization and mobility drills. Although these exercises were designed to loosen our bodies so we could better project our voices, I just appreciated that I felt physically and mentally rejuvenated at the end of every class. In fact, I continue to employ many of these strategies in my daily life with similar results.

My appreciation of these sorts of breathing and stretching exercises inevitably led to an interest in yoga. The similarities are clear but Yoga has the added benefit being a much more physical activity, which is definitely something I lack during these long, beautiful Buffalo winters. However, since I have a tendency to be a little lazy and kind of a wuss, I never made an effort to actually try Yoga. Of course, that’s why we’re here, right? To overcome my general laziness and fear in the name of new experiences during this pivotal year in my life.

So here we are, it’s week two of my adventure and I’ve decided to finally give Yoga a try. The benefits of yoga are well documented so I won’t bore you with all the details. However, I will mention that I have taken interest in yoga for several reasons, including its effectiveness in stress relief, flexibility, increased strength and weight management just to name a few (for more info - http://www.yogaalliance.org).

After doing some research on various studios in the Buffalo area, I decided my best option based on class time, location and skill level was Buffalo Yoga, located in the Tri-Main Center on Main Street. Joining me on this daring adventure was my good friend Ryan who is always eager to take part in a new experience. The two of us had previously discussed giving yoga a try sometime and since I decided that time had come, I knew he’d be interested.

Ryan and myself arrived at the Tri-Main Center ten minutes early for our 7pm Beginners class. I’ve driven past this building many times but never had the opportunity to go inside. The main lobby was very nice and well maintained but as we emerged from the elevator on the fourth floor we had to navigate through a winding maze of fluorescent-lit halls painted the same dull gray from floor to ceiling. Thankfully, there was ample signage leading to our destination, otherwise we might still be wondering through that dismal labyrinth.

However, as soon as we entered the Buffalo Yoga studio, our previous surroundings were quickly forgotten. The studio was very warm and lit with a soft orange glow that provided a notably soothing environment. The faint trace of incense that filled the room was also very comforting as our instructor Darcy greeted us. Darcy was extremely friendly and supportive as she helped us get situated for our first yoga experience.

There were six students scattered throughout the room by the time class began. Darcy started us off by focusing on our breathing and introducing some basic yoga positions and terminology. Then, before I could realize what was happening, she took off. One position led to another, which led to one leg this way with the other arm that way and I was sweating like a champ. The truly surprising part however, was that all these motions were slow and fluid but strenuous enough to provide a productive workout.

At one point, we were holding a pose in standing position with one arm overhead and the other elbow resting on the knee when my legs started trembling. I thought I was about to collapse until I refocused my breathing and suddenly my whole body loosened and I felt totally comfortable. This was a point Darcy continually emphasized throughout our session, breathing stabilizes the whole system so you feel at ease while one part of your body is working and another is at rest. Please don’t ask me to clarify it any further I just know it worked for me.

In what seemed like a fraction of the time, the one hour and fifteen minute class was coming to a close. Darcy finished with a relaxation technique in which we laid on our back with a blanket supporting our head and neck while shed talked us through some breathing patterns. This process was crucial to the whole experience as it was like hitting the reset button on my entire body after a pretty intense work out.

Despite the residual tenderness previously discussed, I feel fantastic. My body feels loose and strong and I was totally reenergized by the end of the class. I really hope to make yoga a regular part of my life in the future, and while I will likely try some of these exercises on my own, I appreciate the importance of being in the studio with the instructor. Not only for the guidance they are able to provide but also because the ambience of the studio provides a very relaxing escape I don’t think I could achieve in my living room or bedroom. If you’ve never had the opportunity to experience yoga, I highly recommend it.

Let's Make This Thing Count...

“I try all things, I achieve what I can.”

Welcome to my 29^th year and welcome to my adventure! Fifty-two to thirty is my brainchild born out of the desire for accomplishment prior to hitting thirty as well as injecting a little bit of excitement into my life.

The plan is simple: On December 5^th 2008, I turned 29. Now that I am on the threshold of thirty, the final figurative benchmark in the twilight of my youth, I am making a concerted effort to live up to all the feel good stories and motivational posters I’ve ever seen. For each of the fifty-two weeks of my 29^th year, I’m going to try one new thing I’ve never experienced in my life.

I’ve already compiled a list of over forty different ideas and as the year unfolds I’m sure more new experiences will present themselves. I’m not worried about filling all fifty-two weeks at this early stage, but I am concerned with making sure everything I try is meaningful, fun or at the very least, entertaining. I’m pretty good with laughing at myself, so hopefully we can do that together when necessary.

However, just to clarify, not everything on this list is going to be a life altering experience. I’m not setting out on a journey of self-discovery and I have no expectations of drastically reinventing my self. Similarly, I will not choose any completely meaningless activities solely for the purpose of doing something new. I mean, I’ve never eaten a whole tomato, but that doesn’t mean I’ll throw one down, chalk up fifty words about it and call it a day. Besides, tomatoes are totally repulsive.

Rather, this list is comprised of activities I’ve always wanted to try but have never had the opportunity. From laziness to fear to the lack of time and money, there are countless things I’ve never had the chance to experience despite my various desires. Therefore, this entire undertaking is serving as a catalyst to actually get out and accomplish some pretty exciting things. Granted, I realize turning thirty isn’t going to be some drastic event in my life, I thought it would serve well as a symbolic deadline to learn how to live a more active life.

There is a quote I love from legendary football coach Vince Lombardi that sums up what this whole thing is about to me. “The quality of a person’s life is directly proportional to their commitment to excellence.” In other words, a good life takes effort. It’s easy to settle into the grind of adulthood: wake up, go to work, eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed. Rinse. Repeat.

If you want more excitement and fulfillment in your life you have to work at it. Maybe I love some of the new things I try in the next year and they become a regular activity or a favorite hobby. Maybe I fail miserably at something or hate it so much I don’t even see it to completion. That’s fine, at least I’ll know for sure and if the desire ever returns I’ll be better prepared. Either way, it is reflective of what I hope to gain out of this entire adventure, a continued desire for new experiences and the habit for putting forth the effort necessary for a fulfilling life.

Now, without spoiling any of my upcoming adventures, I will tell you that some will certainly be more exciting that others and I’m sure some will even seem commonplace to many of you. However, the point of this list is to try things that are new and meaningful to me, even if that meaning is as superficial as a good time or, as is often the case in my life, ridiculous, obnoxious humor. But even with that in mind, I’m keeping this list positive. Therefore, I’ll have to pass on my brother Patrick’s idea to poop in a litter box. Sure it’s a funny story to share with the grandkids someday, but it’s just not the direction I’m trying to take here. Thanks anyway man.
All of this brings us to the first week and my first new experience.

Week One:Start a Blog.

I’ve always liked the idea of keeping a journal but, unfortunately, I never felt like I had anything important to say. Sure, I could write daily about what I had for breakfast, the latest gossip from homeroom or whatever other random thoughts crossed my mind but, thankfully, I’ve never taken myself that seriously.

However, when I first came up with this idea I thought it was necessary to document all of my new experiences. This way I could keep track of my various adventures and keeping a record would inspire me to follow through on the entire plan. I have read that writing is a powerful neuromuscular activity that connects the conscious and subconscious minds. Therefore, in addition to serving various therapeutic functions, writing can act as a driving, creative force in a person’s life.

Considering all this information, it was obvious that I should publish my writings in a weekly blog about each activity so I could also share them with my friends, family and any other curious parties that may stumble upon this site.

So I would like to thank everyone who has taken his or her time to visit my blog and read what I have to say. Hopefully, over the next fifty-two weeks, I can provide some meaningful insight, inspiration or entertainment as I attempt to expand my horizons and enrich my life while accomplishing this enormous task. I plan on having a lot of fun tackling new experiences, meeting new people and learning many things about the world and myself. Thanks for your support.

P.S. I am actively seeking the assistance of any interested readers to provide some assistance that is crucial to the success of this undertaking. First, new ideas are always welcome. Although I have compiled plenty of ideas, a different perspective could supply some fresh, new activities that could lead me in a direction I never considered.

Second, please provide feedback. Let me know you’re out there so I know I’m not alone here. Positive feedback is obviously great, but any suggestions for improving or refocusing this project would also be appreciated.

And of course, it will be a long year, so at some point I may start to slack. If that proves to be the case, I welcome any swift kicks in the ass to keep me motivated. I don’t have any intentions of quitting on this so please help me keep it rolling anyway you can.

Thanks again.

Let’s make this thing count…