   
Thus we came to know Monica as a pocket merlin,
   
whose head teemed with eccentric plans, strange longings, and quaint fancies.
   
living to tell the tale of nine lives
- Pismo Beach, CA
Flying onto the handlebars of my ATV while cruising the sand dunes and then having to get the car towed on the way to the emergency room. Eight stitches, lower lip.
- Lake Tahoe, CA
Managing to avoid a jump by flying into a tree instead. Unconscious at impact with a concussion that followed later.
- Lan Kwai Fong, Hong Kong
Getting so drunk while playing "Never have I ever" that breathing was no longer a motor function and instead had to be consciously thought about.
- Channel Islands, CA
Kayaking into a dark sea cave and having the water level rise to close off both the entrance and exit. Subsequently choosing the path of least resistance and back-paddling out right before getting thrown into the rocky ceiling.
- Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
Taking a wrong step and sliding 10-feet down into a glacial crevice. After getting wedged in pretty good, four boys pulled me out.
- Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
Ignoring instructions to stay 10 meters away from the seal pups and kayaking into their shallow rock pool. Getting stuck and having to thrash our way out without disturbing big mama seal.
- Rangitoto Island, New Zealand
Wearing flipflops to hike a volcanic island, snapping the flipflop strap, hiking ten minutes before realizing we were not on the track, and making the last ferry departure on time.
- Kolob Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah
Being the first hikers to tackle the springtime Subway hike. Prepping for the technical rappels and swims, feeling pleased with our game of I Spy the Cairns, losing the cairns, spending 10 hours backtracking, walking in circles, hitch hiking back to the car.
- Without casualty: Skydiving over Lodi, bungee jumping at the Bridge to Nowhere, guerilla sledding at Lake Arrowhead, abseiling and navigating underground caves at Moaning Caverns, CA and Waitomo, New Zealand.
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