Fiesta Texas and Heat Exhaustion

I worked at Fiesta Texas for 2 years in high school. Sometimes I forget that was 11 years ago, not last week.

Yesterday, my friend I met when we worked there together took me to Fiesta Texas for his company picnic. Neither of us would have been very interested in going except that we're nostalgic about our days working there. It was my first job ever. I have so many memories there. It's hard to believe I only worked there for 2 years. I spent many, many 13 hour days there, working at the roller coasters in the Texas heat. Sometimes with shade, sometimes without, but always with lots of water to drink. I was so used to being in heat that at home I comfortably kept the upstairs thermostat at 80 in the summer (which made my dad very happy).

So yesterday, we got there at 11:30 and the picnic started at noon. We passed the half hour walking around the entire park, checking out what was different and what was the same. The kiddie area is completely different, so we spend a bit of time there when I remembered that carrying sunblock around doesn't actually help unless you apply it. So there we were, 2 adults with no kids sunblocking up in the kiddie area. That's not weird at all, right? We both spent many, many 13 hour days working the single-operater kiddie coaster, so we lingered there sad that the name has been changed and the paint has been changed to stupid colors.

Then we ate horribly unhealthy hamburgers on white buns. At least there was lettuce and tomato, haha. I grabbed water instead of soda as my only chance at something healthy, and I made a point to finish my one glass of water, but obviously that wasn't enough.

Then we rode the train to the crackaxle canyon near the entrance of the Gully Washer, and waited in line to get soaked with smelly, gross water. We knew the line was long, but had no idea how long it would take. Every time we got a glimpse of the turn table that is supposed to be constantly turning, they'd stopped it to make loading and unloading easier. Both of us used to work at that ride and knew that stopping the turntable is the worst thing you can do when there's a line like that, but we kept waiting.

An hour into the wait we got to a sign that says "The wait is approximately 35 minutes from this point." Awwwwwwwww man, 35 more minutes. Well, we waited this long...might as well. Not long after that sign I felt dizzy and nauseous. Whoaaaa. I would have thrown up if I stopped holding back. I felt the color drain from my face, which was confirmed by Matt looking at me and saying, "Whoa, are you ok? Do I need to go get you something?" I sat at the curb in the line, because standing up was not an option anymore. Then I joked, "Wouldn't it be funny if I threw up without even getting on a ride?"

About 15 minutes later, there was a vendor parked in the line with lemonade. I was so happy to see cold drinks, but argh sugar water?! I just wanted water. Then he pulls out ice cold bottled water. $3 for one bottle, $5 for two. I'd pay anything for some water at this point, so I shelled out $5 for 2 and gave one to Matt. After several sips of water and holding the bottle up to my face, I felt a lot better. Then I finally got on the ride, and cooled off from being soaked on the ride.

That was a strange and scary experience. It's the 3rd time I've felt signs of heat exhaustion, but the first time from just standing around. The first time was after an intense mile run, the second while bike riding up and down steep hills in the Texas summer heat, but this time I was just standing in line. It was very surprising for me, who used to work double shifts in that heat, who loves hot yoga, to get heat exhaustion just standing around, but at 2:30 in the afternoon, having been outside for 3 and half hours with only one glass of water all day, I was asking for it.

Fortunately I was able to recover and enjoy the rest of the day. We had some ice cream, more water, and took it easy taking pictures for a little while, then rode the bumper cars, Road Runner, and the Rattler (the rides I spent the majority of time my working) before calling it a day. The bumper cars were a ton of fun because there's a trick to steering them. Matt and I know this trick very well, but most people don't. It takes more wheel turning than real cars with power steering and there's no reverse pedal. You can back up the car by turning the steering wheel all the way to the right.

Then we went back to Matt's house where I got on his scale that estimates your body fat percentage. I've always wanted to try one of those, but it wouldn't give me a valid estimate because my hydration level was wayyyy too low. EEEK After drinking a few glasses of water, I taught Matt Viparita Karani to help our feet recover from all the walking around.

No More WoW

WoW used to be a big part of my life. I was an officer always there 3 times a week doing everything I could to help the guild succeed. I always had a bag full of flasks and jokingly acted insulted if people asked IF I had any flasks to share. Of course I do. Since January 2009, I always did. I took a night off here and there when I had something else to do.

Eventually as raid time approached, I'd look at the clock with dread, like I have to get ready to go to work. Wait, this isn't work; this is a game. I had a lot of good times playing, but Brad and I got bored of it together. I could have kept playing out of habit and for the social aspect of it. Then again, it's more fun to be social with people who live near you (of course it IS possible to do both).

A month ago today I decided to stop paying the monthly fee. I dabbled in Champions Online a little and it was fun, but I didn't really get into it. I liked that I could pick it up and put it down as I pleased and not worry about what day/time I needed to be on, and that I don't have to wait until 10:00 for the raid to end so I could log off.

Life without WoW is strange. Brad and I began playing together before we got married 4 years ago. We've been watching a lot of Deep Space 9 as I started watching Star Trek everything from the beginning last year after I saw the movie. I'd like to find something more interactive for us to do together, but until then there's plenty more Star Trek to watch after we finish DS9.

We might get back into WoW later this year when the 3rd expansion comes out, but we'll see. We're not going to take off of work and get the midnight release like when the last expansion came out, but we might buy it and try it.