Making it Lovely

Tag: world record

  • Roller Skating with Eleanor

    Roller Skating with Eleanor

    I recently took part in a record-breaking attempt to be the longest line of roller skaters, and I dragged my family along. I wanted to skate with Eleanor! August is too young still, and so is Eleanor really. Details, details.

    Eleanor, in Roller Skates

    She already has a pair of adjustable Fisher-Price skates with wheels that lock, so when the guy at the skate rental counter recommended them, I balked. The real deal, I demanded! We were given the cutest pair of ancient skates — toddler size 8. E hated them (“too slippery!”). So we swapped them out for the plastic Fisher-Price skates that she knew and loved, locked the wheels, and took one (long) lap around the rink as E held on to the wall. We both loved it.

    p.s. I think the world record attempt was successful too, but I haven’t heard any official word on that yet.

  • Trying for a World Record

    Trying for a World Record

    (And Why You Should Have a Life List)

    Orbit Skate Center in Palatine is trying to break the world record for the longest line of roller skaters. I found out about it from my Derby Lite ladies, and since breaking a world record is on my Lovely Life List, I figure I ought to go be a part of this one. If you’re in the Chicago area, you should come out too! There’s open skate beforehand, but you have to register in advance to be a part of the record.

    I know a lot of you have life lists already but if you don’t yet, I want to convince you to make one. It’s not about coming up with an arbitrary list of “things to do before you die” and crossing them off; it’s about figuring out what would make you happy and then opening yourself up to those experiences. I probably would have heard about this world record attempt and thought, ‘oh, that’s nice, I hope they make it.’ Having it on my list made me consider it more carefully, and it proved to be the difference between wishing them well versus being a part of it. Now I hope we make it.

    The weekend after the world record attempt, I’ll be in the Color Run. Running in a 5k is also on my list and that seemed like the most fun way to do it, so I somewhat impulsively signed up even though I’m new to running. Sometimes accomplishing items on my list happens naturally or even accidentally, sometimes I have to really work at them, and sometimes I have to take a leap and do something that I’m a little afraid of. Either way, I’m always a little happier after. Life Lists are awesome like that.