I need a new sport

[This is not a normal paintball wound. The guy who shot me did it from much too close (less than 4 feet), without attempting to offer a surrender (which would have been given). It's by far the worst looking wound out of everyone who played with me that day.]

So I'm back from my little trip to Oklahoma. I was terribly homesick most of the time. The most fun I had was building heavy weapons (PVC and paneling) for two days, and hunting tanks in the final battle of the day.

As soon as I peeled off my shirt on Saturday night, after the big game, I knew I was going to be in trouble. I knew there would be bruises, but these were worse than I ever expected. I'm still trying to figure out the pattern - circle in the middle where the paintball hit (the top one actually has paint embedded in it), then nothing, then a major bruise around the outside. I don't know how that happened.

Anyway, I knew that as soon as Susan saw them that I would be in a lot of trouble. And I was. It bothers her to see me injured. Even though I'm fine. It disturbs her. I don't blame her. I feel the same way when she gets hurt.

There was some talk of me not playing paintball anymore, period. We finally decided that I will just play with people I know. I like playing with them a lot more than a huge anonymous crowd anyway.

We've also talked about me not playing competitive hockey anymore. The chiropractor is talking about "degenerative" and "chronic" damage in my neck and shoulder now. I'm worried it's going to get worse the more I get knocked around. I'm obviously not getting any bigger (at least not vertically) and my opponents aren't getting any smaller. I haven't played in the last two months and I also haven't had much neck or shoulder pain either. In fact, I've been able to hold and carry CJ more in the last two months than I have in the six months before that. So I'm debating that.

That means I'm looking for a new sport. I'm thinking of taking up cycling again. I used to love it and then I stopped when I hurt my neck. It's not any more expensive than hockey or paintball. Being small shouldn't be as much of an issue. And I already have a nice bike that I like to ride. I'm not saying I'm not going to get hurt - I've been hurt playing every damn sport I've ever tried. But maybe I won't get hurt so much.

It'd be really cool to know what a whole six months without pain feels like.