Learn CPR, check

Learning CPR turned out to be one of the easier items on my list (worse than trying 10 new restaurants, but better than learning Spanish). Amanda and I took the class together yesterday at the local American Red Cross. We got out early and put the unexpected free time to great use taking pictures of ourselves.

She demonstrated her CPR technique on me (below) ...

... and then I returned the favor.

Even though we were somewhat in danger of being run over by a car in these pictures, our new CPR certification kept us from being worried.

The class basically consisted of watching a lot of video, practicing on dummies, acting out Check! Call! Care! to our classmates (Amanda delivered by far the most animated performance), drinking Coke that expired in 2006, and passing an open-book, open-ask-your-neighbor test. But I definitely feel that I've got the technique down.

The class also covered performing the Heimlich maneuver and using a defibrillator. The most important thing to know about that is that after you turn it on it will tell you exactly what to do, so you never need to worry about not being able to use one.