Saturday started as it usually does...with a Tai Chi class and a Kung Fu class. Afterwards, I hustled home to change, and was then off to Bush Park for another lacrosse game. We had previously beaten our opponents of the day, the Southside Predators, and were hoping for a repeat of that performance.
It became apparent early on that it was going to be a looooong game. We only had 10 people. A good team needs at least a handful of substitutes on the sidelines to give the players an occasional rest...but there just weren't any. We had to play Iron Man, as we call it, where everyone plays on field for the entire game. If you've never seen a lacrosse game, you should know that there's a lot of running involved. And fighting with sticks. And more running. So playing Iron Man is a challenge, to say the least.
Tom, otherwise known as Green Goalie, had managed to injure himself at another sporting endeavor, leaving us without a trained goalie for the day. Our valiant team captain, Lee Shelton, donned the pads, grabbed the giant fishnet that we call a goalie stick, and headed resolutely towards the goal to take his place.
"Guys, I'm telling you right now that I'm going to be cheating quite a bit during the game today...but none of it is intentional," Lee told the refs before the game. He was totally serious, too. Hey, when you have to play a position you don't usually play...stuff happens. The refs laughed and promised to keep an eye on him.
Here's the short report of my own, personal performance. As if you've been waiting for it with baited breath, of course. Hey, it's my blog, and I'll write what I want...so there. Anyway, here we go:
I got nailed once and hit the ground flat on my back. I'm not sure when or why, exactly.
I tried to hit one guy, but got the angle wrong, and ended up doing a diving roll to get back to my feet. When I stood up, I promptly turned and swatted the guy I'd bumped, only to hear him say, 'Uh...the ball is over there now. Sorry.' Crap.
I took several shots at the goal that had absolutely no chance of scoring whatsoever. My 'Bugs Bunny Slowball' approach only works once in a while, it seems.
And I got completely burned by a guy who was racing towards our goal. I should have just plowed into him, but foolishly tried to knock the ball out of his stick instead. He dodged, shot, and scored. Double-crap.
On the good side, I knocked two of the opposing players completely off their feet. One of those was floored by a two-fisted punch to the shoulder. I felt like a Spartan there for a second.
Our faceoff man for the day, the fabulous Todd, just wasn't having any luck at all that day. His opponents were just too quick, or had an awesome technique, or some such. During the beginning of the 3rd quarter, I asked for a chance, and he gladly let me take the face. Would you believe that I started winning all the faceoffs? That was fun!! I'm not quite 5'-9" and a solid 195 lbs, so if I suddenly decide to bowl you over when the whistle blows, it can come as an unpleasant surprise...which it did for #5. Once they got used to that, I tried something else, and it worked too. It was a great feeling to contribute, let me tell you.
Checking an opposing players stick in such a way that it spins out of his hand, thus effectively dislodging the ball, is called 'pinwheeling'. Got me one of those, too.
In the end, they just plain outmanned us. We played our guts out, but couldn't catch them once they pulled ahead. Even so, we had a ton of fun, and are already looking forward to next Sunday's game against Metro.
Now if you're thinking that I'm bragging about my amazing athletic prowess, let me tell you about the rest of the afternoon. Ever watch Sanford and Son? Red Foxx's character, Fred Sanford, had a kind of wobbling walk that was quite distinctive. Once I had cooled off from the game, driven home, and then managed to extract myself from the car, I spent the rest of the day wobbling just...like...that. Nothing worked quite right until Sunday morning. And it was quite a silly sight to see. Yeah...some tough guy.
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Today's Sunday, and I've recovered. We managed some serious house cleaning because we had a little surprise brewing...my dear friend Larry's birthday is Monday, and we were planning a party for him. We all thought that I'd give it away, but it went off without a hitch, and the gang showed up at 5, ready to have some fun. He seemed pleased with the party, and with the sword we gave him, and we all had a blast laughing at a couple of our favorite movies. Sometimes, the movie is funny by itself, and other times, our commentary was far funnier than anything on screen. So Happy Birthday, Larry!
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I was reminded today of how much I love...well...dance. Ever since I started watching 'So You Think You Can Dance', I gained a new appreciation for the deep and powerful emotional beauty of certain styles of dance. I've mentioned this before in a previous note, so I won't really get into it again, but my feelings are the same...I'm moved quite deeply by certain combinations of dance and music. Some things really seem to get inside me, dig deep into my heart, and I just love that. I often can't explain what emotions swell within me when I watch this stuff, but it feels absolutely wonderful.
Here are a couple for your viewing pleasure:
And my All-Time Favorite, the top 10 from season 3 dancing a contemporary piece choreographed by Mia Michaels. I've posted this before, but it was removed. I'm hoping that this clip doesn't get yanked, because I. LOVE. IT.
The Moment I Said It
Have a fabulous week, everyone. And take a moment here and there to let some beauty into your life. It'll be good for you.
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