Back, back, back...up against the wall, he jump's and he's got it!

Hi... Back again after a little turn in the spin cycle. Of life. And boy am I sore. Been busy playing hockey, writing papers, shredding riffs, getting cold, also tired, laying out, skating hard, pulling ribs, doing shows, staying up, taking meds (for my ribs) reading books, switching computers, walking fast, cooking vegetables, colliding hard, spending nothing, sleeping less and moving friends - next door. Anyways, yeah...I haven't typed any thoughts out onto computer screens in a while because well, I didn't feel like it. But today I do. It's cold and getting freezing. Soon it will be unbearable. An ice funnel pouring colds chilly breath over my body like a nasty wind of tongues. Rigid hands, frozen feet and numb faces galore. Thank goodness I have a big and warm insulated goose down woman's winter coat, a nice fitting Ireland toque and some killer boots. Thanks Mom and Dad and Mom again, because I'd probably still be running around with a baseball cap, old hoody and hole-filled sneakers complaining about the cold. Anyways, besides the pursuing madness of winter, something that is beyond my control, I have yet another nagging injury (ie. pinched sciatica nerve, tender hip, etc.) that is a result of my lack of control, age and my inability to realise this [my age]in time to stop what now hurts a lot. A number of head first dives, too many awkward and reactionary twists and turns, and two hard core, head on chest and rib smashing on ice collisions later - I find myself in tremendous pain in the rib area - but still with the urge and desire to play. What do I do, I ask my self and Katie and then myself again? Do I still play, which I very much want to do? Or take some time off? Needless to say, Katie and I differ in opinion on this matter. It's [ice hockey] extremely fun, great exercise and I'm getting better with each trip to the rink. Besides the puck off the cheek, burning lungs and lack of goalies - it's the best ten bucks I can spend. While my ability to accept a pass, take a one timer and make smart, on the spot decisions are getting better - my health is not. It makes sense. I finally find something to do during the winter months that doesn't involve eating, sleeping or drinking and this happens. I may have to take a little time off from some puck if I am to heal up, perhaps a 1-3 week stint on the IR depending upon the x-ray results (which were, surprisingly negative. Meaning, I must have teared the f out of my rib muscle or something because it f'n hurts big f'n time). Sure, the adrenalin and macho-ness on the ice helps minimize the pain, but where's all that adrenaline when I'm trying to get out of bed or bend over and tie my shoe? It's gone. All of it left on the ice with my sweat, skate grooves and the screw that I knocked out of that guy's helmet when I smoked him in the a slot a few Friday's back. For the record, I had the puck and was about to shoot. And for two, the guy was on my team. And for three, he was skating way too fast and cutting too close no matter what he was trying to do. Relax buddy. We all know you're a speedy guy with some half decent moves who really likes break-aways. We know this because you cherry pick even when there are no goalies. How exciting it must be to break in alone on an undefended net. Wow. Good for you man. Why don't you try playing some defence or passing once and a while, you know, to someone else besides yourself. Because, it's also fun to set some one else up from time to time with a sweet feed, like real hockey players do. Or back check. Or skate back wards. I actually feel pretty good about standing you up during a no-contact mid-day pick-up game and staring over your motionless body in pity. Well, that's what's up's with's me's. We'll talk again, I'm sure of it. Bye.