My Adventure On Ice

This is probably better suited for my very popular "Things You Don't Care About" posts, however I'm going to share anyway. Most of you will be departing shortly, however I encourage you to come back again when the subject is something more to your liking. Perhaps, "Tigers Sign Free Agent......".

I'll just cut to the chase. I've started curling. No, not hurling, although I find myself a tad under the weather today, curling. Yes, the sport considered the private domain of Canadians. The sport of bocce ball on ice. (I'll bet if one of my instructors reads this I'm in big trouble with that analogy.) Yes, that curling.

Now, what could possibly make me do something so incredibly silly? My desire to have played or seen every sport known to man? Nope, although that's an interesting idea. Boredom? Perhaps, but I was looking for some type of winter recreation. See, your friendly blogger is getting older and far, far less active. Yet, what other sport can you take up in the winter?

Skiing is cool, but I see my doctor far too often as it is. No need for any extra time with the medical profession. Bowling? I just never got into bowling. I still don't have much desire for the game. No, it isn't much different than curling other than the ice, I guess, but bowling and I aren't made for each other.

Unfortunately, I am not the type to just start running aimlessly or heading over the the local gym/house of ill repute to pump iron for no reason. Exercise just to keep in shape? Please pass me the remote and a doughnut. It just seems pointless to me. I need something with a bit of competition. I need the thrill of victory, if not the hope of the thrill of victory, to get my juices running. So, when I found the curling course being offered, I joined.

Let me make this perfectly clear to all of you laughing and rolling on the ground right now, it's darn difficult. I kid you not. The best analogy I can draw is to golf. Sure, it looks easy on television and I guess knocking the little white ball around isn't hard, but to do it correctly and successfully requires far more time and effort than most are willing to expend.

Unlike golf, where there are driving ranges, putting greens and a number of venues to practice when away from a course, where on Earth can I practice curling except at the Curling Club? That lack of reinforcement makes it difficult to impove quickly as we only meet once a week.

Two weeks in and I, well, I am not good. Surprise! Ok, not a surprise. My muscles seem to be responding better, I'm not so sore this week, but the actual curling isn't going all that well. I feel like I do in the middle of a golf lesson--align to your target, check your grip, stay loose, envision your shot, open/close clubface, keep your head down, one piece take-away, make a complete shoulder turn, etc...... I'm trying to remember about twelve different things and I usually don't recall all of them, thus I am in a routine of poor shot, poor form, poor shot, poor form.

We are heading for week three of five of this endeavor into making me look even more ridiculous than normal. I haven't decided if this little foray into curling will persist beyond that time frame, but I can tell you that I have a new found respect for those men and women who do this at the highest level. I even have respect for those who get hammered while curling. I can't play properly while sober, the odds of success after tipping a Labatt's or two diminish significantly. (Oh, for your information, the kegs are stored next to the ice surface. It's about 39 degrees in the arena.)