Recreationanigans
Gym classes have never been my "thing". It's not really that I have anything against team sports, it's just that I'm not really meant for that. The real problem is that I fail at people. Put me in a social situation or, y'know, near other human beings and I get really self conscious and uncomfortable. In fact, it's approximately this uncomfortable. It's not that I'm anti-social or unpersonable. But outgoing I ain't. Naturally this tends to be detrimental to that darn "teamwork" thing that seems largely requisite in successful team sports. The exception is capture the flag. I'm a pretty darn decent flag and/or prison guard. So when my Activity for Stress Management class had designs on playing Ultimate Capture the Frisbee (a funky cross between capture the flag and Ultimate Frisbee, for those of you slow to catch on), I knew I would have to actively participate. (As opposed to standing around twiddling my thumbs, which is my general preference).
After designating a flag guard, most of my team seemed satisfied that they should focus on offense. I decided to guard the jail. I ended up helping to guard the flag a lot too, maybe because the idea of a perimeter guard or a general degense group never came up. Whatever. My point is-- I was actually a player. I was someone that the other team watched out for because I could and DID catch them. The bigger surprise came when my team finally got the other team's frisbee. It had to be passed back into our own territory in order to win the game though. I don't know how, but I happened to be the only person in a remotely decent condition to catch it (seriously, I had to run at least 10 yards, where was she aiming??). Long story long (geez, I'm wordy), I won us our first game. And it was cool. And I felt like a real person. Yey.
Further recreational exploits of late include bowling over the weekend! Wacky fun. I haven't bowled since my Individual Sports gym class Senior year of high school, so my first game sucked pretty bad. Then I went to a 1-pound-lighter ball and changed my grip and figured out my approach and did considerably better for the next two games. Except when I would try bowling left handed. :-P It really was a blast, and would make for a swell weekend tradition.
Today's recreation was again inflicted by Stress Management. In the form of swing dancing.
*twitch!*
I don't dance, see. So that, combined with the aforementioned discomfort I suffer around people had all the makings of a remarkably poor start to my day. So. We got into groups according to who would lead and who would follow. We were shown our way around the Jitterbug and the Charleston and then each group lined up together and we had our partners. Awkwarness ensued, but it was okay, because it was pretty clear that everyone felt pretty awkward. My partner was taller than me, at least. We spent quite a while just working the basics, then doing it close, then with spins, then transitioning from one step to the other and back. It was okay. To finish up we did a short Snowball Dance (which I'd never actually understood until today, not being one for dances or social things or life and whatnot). Had three different partners for that.
In conclusion: it was okay. I don't feel mortified or like I embarrassed myself (more than anyone else, that is). I didn't feel like other people were repulsed by me. So that's something. The problem that arose from this exercise: I couldn't take myself seriously for the rest of the day. And I drew dinosaurs all over my Life Drawing notes. That's probably related somehow. Ooh, and here's a bonus:
Arch Nemeses take note! My Doom Glare is effectively disrupted on occasions such as these!
Granted, it's highly highly unlikely that anyone will ever get me into such a situation again, but I like giving my dearest enemies a bit of hope every now and again. ^__^