#40: Go to a Capoeira class

Next on the list was an item that required urgent attention: #40 Go to a Capoeira class. This had been suggested by Jodhi, who was about to head overseas to join a travelling circus (called Cirque de Soleil or something silly like that); so this item had to get addressed before it became too hard to get us both in the same place at the same time.

Unfortunately, the only day that we could both do it I had started to come down with a bit of a cold. Glad that after a pretty easy first item, I could prove that I meant business on this list, I sucked it up and headed down to the class anyway. Little did I know, things were going to get a LOT tougher!

For those that don't know, capoeira is a Brazilian martial arts dance style. Two people sort of dance together; doing spins, kicks, blocks and handstands; but not really making contact with each other.

Luckily, and very interestingly, the class started off with a jam of capoeira music using traditional instruments - nice touch!

We swapped instruments too, in this next photo I'm pretty sure I must be out of time - getting too distracted posing for a photo!

Next, we did a lot of warming up....



... Then got into some exercises. Here, fellow student Erin demonstrates one particular move/exercise:

Then I gave it a go... I actually look a lot better in this photo than I thought I would!

After that: The basic steps of capoeira: The "ginga". Note how quickly I picked it up - my hands are *cough* perfectly in line with everyone else's!

Finally, we spent a large portion of the class practising our kicks. Everybody split into groups of more or less equal skill level and got a little practise pole each. Naturally, I had a pole to myself seeing as I was way far below everyone else!

You would have thought having a pole to yourself would be a great thing, but it meant that I felt obligated to use it as much as possible - if I was just sitting there recovering, it wouldn't be fair on the others who had to wait to kick over their pole. I was already exhausted - exercising in a very new way and being quite sick and out of breath. I tried my best though, and Jodhi was kind enough to take me aside to teach me a few other moves. I think by the end of the class I was even starting to get a couple down!

At the very end of the class Erin and Jodhi gave a little demonstration. They assured me they were really tired after the class and therefore not doing very well, but I was impressed, as I'm sure you probably are looking at this photo and video!

The class poses for the mandatory "bucket" photo

Jodhi and I do a brief "play" to show what I'd learned. From the looks of this photo, it seems all I'd picked up was how to smile at a camera...

There was only one thing left to do... Capoeira planking!



At the end of the class, Jodhi told me the capoeira pants he'd given me for the class were mine to keep. Thank you Jodhi, it was a nice gesture, and I realised that I didn't mention in the previous post that Greg gave me a cover for my iPad. Not that giving me something should be a part of the list, but I thought it was a cool symmetry that both items I've done so far ended with the person giving me a related gift.

He also gave me something else: The news that the class I'd just done was the advanced class! Monday nights were the beginner classes! Made me feel a bit better for being so far behind everyone else, but that didn't make my body feel any better...

The next day, I woke up quite sick and with all my limbs aching. It was a weird pain too - not the normal muscles that hurt after an intense workout... These were muscles I didn't know existed! Took me ages to recover from the double whammy of sickness and exhaustion, but it was worth it - Thanks again Jodhi!

... I'm even considering going regularly. It was a good workout and a lot of fun and an interesting and different skill to have. I just have to wait until I have the time to do it.

#20: Get an iPad

I wanted to start off the list by completing an item on my actual 30th birthday. Looking through the list, there was one item that stood out as perfect for the occasion: #20 Get an iPad.

Greg was on board, and despite the fact that they only had 16Gb iPad 2s (and Greg wanted 32Gb), we each bought ourselves a new toy! Thanks for the sacrifice by downgrading Greg!

Afterwards, we planked in the store.

The Birthday Party

My 30th birthday party the other night was great. It was cool to see so many of my favourite people in the same place... but there was so little time to spend with each of them!

The best bit was definitely reading out the list though. I'm really happy with how enthusiastically everyone took to the idea.

Here's the concept in its entirety:

Each invitee to the party was to bring along a bucket list item idea.
The item was to be something that I had to do before I turned 40.
The person who wrote the item had to do it with me.
I would be allowed to reject 10-15% of them, but the rest I had to do my best to complete.

The items were all written down on a piece of paper and put in a bucket, and I read them one by one. Every item that I liked, I gave the author a "Brad's 30th" bucket keyring. The keyring is so that we can take a photo together with it when we complete the task given.

As I said, everybody was so into it! I really enjoyed the cheers people gave for ones they thought were good, the laughs that were had, and the encouragement people gave me to add an item to the "good" pile or the "reject" pile. About half of the rejects ended up being because they were things I'd done before. I felt bad rejecting those, because some were really good ideas; but I guess that's fate... and I almost ran out of buckets anyway!

By the end of the night I had 50 items on my bucket list. The last item to come out was written by me (yes, I added an item to my own list at the last moment). It was simply, "Plank". A new fad going round Australia where people take photos of themselves lying flat on their stomach. Silly, really, but I'm starting to appreciate how hilarious it is. Anyway, everyone at the party (with a couple of disappointing exceptions) all joined in for a big group plank.

A few items have been added to the list since that night: two that were rejected on the night, but that I later decided were good additions; and two from a couple who were turned away at the door of the pub because they had their baby with them.

So now the challenge has been laid down! I've got a list of 54 items and 10 years to get them all done. I think I'll need that whole time!