Are you Type A or Type X?

"Get ready for a momentary intoxication of THRILL!" This is what we heard for a solid hour and forty minutes as we shuffled in line to ride the newest roller coaster at 6 flags Magic Mountain: X2. Make no mistake. This ride was designed for type X extremists with a completely vertical 200 ft drop, 76 mph turns, rotating seats, real fire flames and deafening music.

I was terrified to go on it. When I was young, I loved roller coasters. Heck, I've even been sky diving! But for some reason I've become a total nut case about riding roller coasters. It might be a combination of 1) too much stress with anticipating the first gigantic drop and 2) fear of breaking my jaw from screaming too loud. Silly fear, you might say, but I have my reasons.

So after the stress from the Goliath, Viper, Batman, and Riddler's Revenge, I was ready to throw in the towel. But Katie and Matt, our little sister and brother who are visiting us this week (what a blast it has been so far!) found a sign for X2.

The ride experience begins when you first step in line. As we zig-zagged our way to the loading zone, we were entertained by giant plasma TV's showing people doing crazy things--type X things. All the latest music was being played and we were surrounded by tattoos, abnormally huge earlobes, and skin-tight zebra pants. I suppose these were the true characteristics of those who are type X, as the posters throughout the line kept telling us.

Every now and then, we could here the ominous click, click, click, as the X2 slowly cranked its way to the top of its deathly drop. The threats became more unbearable as we got into the loading chamber. Mysterious voices were sneaking through the loud speakers: "X2......Is everybody in?... It is surely about to begin.....X2......" I was petrified. Why did people want to do this? Matt did his best to console me, but I had too many worries. What if I got brain damage from all the twists and turns? What if I was too skinny for the ride's straps? (I almost fell out of the Tower of Terror when I was 13 because there was 6 inches between me and the lap bar)

Everybody loved the ride. I, well, I didn't really have an opinion because my eyes were sealed shut for the entire thing. I survived, and that's what mattered. It's weird, though. I couldn't even tell when the giant drop was. Blind people must get really bored by roller coasters.

Of course, Matt, Katie and Jeremy wanted to go on it again. I figured it wouldn't be too bad. If I didn't die with my eyes closed, it would probably be just as safe with my eyes open. We stood in line for another hour and fifty minutes. Tired of all the Type X advertisements and movie clips, we passed the time by playing Guess My Number. Katie and Matt are really good at that game!

Whoah. With my eyes open it was a whole different experience. Scary. Thrilling. Confusing. Hot when the flames shot out. Noisy. A lot like flying.

But I still like sky diving better. It's funny, really, because sky diving seems more type X than a roller coaster, right? Wrong. Sky diving is less scary because there are no mysteries about what's going to happen. You know that for the whole time you are going nowhere but down.

So I guess sky diving equals type A and roller coasters equals type X. I'm proud to be type A. What are you?