Thank you all for your suggestions so far - and please keep them coming. Not surprisingly, many of you dear people have told me to go jump out of a plane. (I take it on faith that this isn't an insult, but is suggested from love...)
Well, skydiving isn't something I'd been eager to do, but neither is learning to knit and I think that one is going on the list... So I'm open to it if anyone can suggest a reputable operator in NY or LA. After that, I just need someone who doesn't mind jumping out of a perfectly good plane with me.
Any takers?
~Thanks again, dear friends!