We unleashed the Lion

Today was an intense day.  I don't mean that in any sort of negative way.  I mean it in the context of the word that it involved some serious concentration and exertion to the point where I'm physically exhausted as I write this.  I can't remember the last time I could say that, so it's no common occurrence for me.

The "appetizer" for the day was to attend the early spin class at the fitness center.  Spinning is bike riding X10 (if you get a good instructor) and after 45 minutes of pushing in ways I haven't pushed in a long time I was physically wiped.

That set the stage for the "main course" - paintball.  Two of E's kids wanted to go to the local paintball place today.  I don't even know what word to use here that would appropriately convey what this place was like.  It wasn't a paintball "range".  It was a huge, wooded area with several different scenarios meant specifically for paintball wars.  One scenario included a city with various buildings, another had a series of trenches and bunkers, another involved shooting at each other in the woods and trying to "capture" a skull. It was crazy cool.  And it was incredibly well run.

There were probably 60 people there and I'll be honest, it was the best $20 I've spent in a long time.  That included the entire afternoon playing game after game.  That included rental of the equipment.  And it involved doing stuff that reminded me of being a kid.  Here are a couple of pics from the day - that's me in the first one, and one of the scenario battlefields in another.

I'll tell ya - I was born to do this kind of stuff.  Hiding behind things, strategizing to make sure we don't get outflanked, crawling from bunker to bunker while paint balls whiz just over your head.  It was just cool.  I made friends with people who were obviously regulars there who invited me back, and I expect I'll see them again.

At the end 5 of us were chosen as being an "elite" team who had a special ribbon so that everyone else hunted us.  We could shoot them anywhere, the the only way for them to to "kill" us was a headshot.  Bad ass!

The end result was 4 hours of fun, a couple of very impressive welts (paint balls friggin' hurt!), physical exhaustion that didn't set it until it was finally time to sit down (it was 90 degrees and humid here today) and a day I won't forget.  I felt like a kid on a summer day again.

For a long time I was the only woman there, just as I was the only woman on the wrestling mat when I was training in Arizona.  No matter.  I don't define myself by things I enjoy doing.  I'd rather do this than go to a bridal shower or some other traditionally more "feminine" pursuit ten times out of ten.  The irony of it all is that tomorrow I'm going to get a pedicure, and next week I'm going to get my hair colored - both things I very  much enjoy as well.  That's my balance.

I'm just about to pour myself into bed, and the title of today's blog entry is a lyric from a song that was on the radio on my way home from spinning this morning.  It was a beautiful morning and somehow this song just fit.  I turned up the volume and just Jammed out.  It's Jeremy by Pearl Jam...