Sunday, June 24, 2007
Bruce, thanks for posting the stories, enjoyed them both.
I hadn't thought I'd lost the risk-taking gene, but a comment today made me wonder. Talking with some running friends and the subject of giving blood came up. I said I didn't give blood anymore because of the risk of nerve damage to my arm (1 in 130 chance). One of my friends (who hasn't known me too long) piped up: "Tim, I'm surprised you ever make it out the front door!" Maybe she has a point, or maybe I want to blend risk with some sense of control. So, the AMC Outdoors article really struck a chord with me by addressing the issue of "control."
Are you a risk taker if you only want it in measured doses? I went from a scuba diver to a cavern diver to a cave diver--I never looked at it as risk taking because of the incremental steps taken before I ever found myself a half mile back in an underwater cave. To me, it's a mistake to automatically categorize cave divers, rock climbers, sky divers, etc. as risk takers--yes, some of them are, but only a few are out there pushing the envelope. In cave diving, usually it is unqualified scuba divers who pump up the mortality rate, and I don't know if I'd classify them as risk takers because they probably have no idea how risky it is ...
Risk takers to me? Entrepreneurs who borrow money to try and get a company off the ground, the first folks who had lasik surgery, people with high cholesterol who eat fried shrimp; the only physical activity-related group that comes to mind are mountain bikersz: who have created, and know they will create in the future, some serious bodily harm.
I hadn't thought I'd lost the risk-taking gene, but a comment today made me wonder. Talking with some running friends and the subject of giving blood came up. I said I didn't give blood anymore because of the risk of nerve damage to my arm (1 in 130 chance). One of my friends (who hasn't known me too long) piped up: "Tim, I'm surprised you ever make it out the front door!" Maybe she has a point, or maybe I want to blend risk with some sense of control. So, the AMC Outdoors article really struck a chord with me by addressing the issue of "control."
Are you a risk taker if you only want it in measured doses? I went from a scuba diver to a cavern diver to a cave diver--I never looked at it as risk taking because of the incremental steps taken before I ever found myself a half mile back in an underwater cave. To me, it's a mistake to automatically categorize cave divers, rock climbers, sky divers, etc. as risk takers--yes, some of them are, but only a few are out there pushing the envelope. In cave diving, usually it is unqualified scuba divers who pump up the mortality rate, and I don't know if I'd classify them as risk takers because they probably have no idea how risky it is ...
Risk takers to me? Entrepreneurs who borrow money to try and get a company off the ground, the first folks who had lasik surgery, people with high cholesterol who eat fried shrimp; the only physical activity-related group that comes to mind are mountain bikersz: who have created, and know they will create in the future, some serious bodily harm.
