Float like a butterfly, stung by a bee

Last year for the fall series, Brynne suggested we have secret psych-up buddies. Each teammate was assigned another teammate, whom s/he was to secretly inspire. This year, even without Brynne's inspiration, we did the same thing, with Steffi leading the charge (I think). For the most part, the women on the team are all excited about the idea, and the men are all fairly much down on the idea.

For the most part.

Last year, Paul had, I don't recall why, Gu packets clipped to his nipples and shorts, asking anyone if they wanted a shot of Gu. This year, Paul's psych-up buddy helped him to a repeat, providing clips and Gu. Paul obliged and asked the team, if anyone wanted a shot.

Oddly enough, some were willing. He had takers.

DanO had an inspirational buddy, who made sure he stayed hydrated with his very own adult sippy cup.

The most spectacular psych-up idea was, however, from Mark's buddy. She, and oh boy does it have to be a she because of the idea, and a player new this year, painted the Mischief logo (in this year's colors, not last year's colors, hence the belief she's new this season) on two paddle ball paddles. She then wrote up an instruction manual on the uses of the paddles: either as paddles in the game or, tied together around his broken hand, as a splint.

The instruction manual was both entertaining and well done. The gift was inspiring.

Doyle picked up the paddles and was walking around swinging them. Of course, when you swing, you hit things. Say, bees. And when you hit bees, you, uh, piss them off.

The frost in the morning had gotten my feet so wet that I had to do something to dry them. I was tired of their being damp and cold, so I took them off and was walking around barefoot as the socks were drying in the sun. I stepped over a couple bags on my way to sit down, avoiding a yellow jacket that was buzzing around the bags.

Except that I didn't.

And it stung me.

I jumped up, screaming and crying, brushing my foot where I had just been bitten. I tried to turn away from everyone, because I knew I had just made a fool of myself, with the screaming, and that my face was going to be a screwed up mess with the pain and tears. My teammates are awesome, though, and took care of me. I iced the foot, and didn't seem to have any swelling, which is a BIG change from the last bee sting, which caused my ankle to swell to the size of my knee.

I can't believe that even WITHOUT playing, I still manage to be injured.