Aging -- Less Than Gracefully

I've been meaning to blog about the flag-football game on Saturday, Dec 9 (The First Annual Turkey-Bowl), but keep putting it off. It was fun spending time with friends; but starting a game I knew we couldn't win: not-so-much. Actually, even losing wasn't as bad as other worse "remembrances" -- those varied aches and pains that resulted from it. In the interest of full-disclosure, I've decided to go back and relate the day's goings-on.

That morning, just prior to picking teams we did have something happen that can best be described as: odd. One of the older ladies from church had come to watch and cheer -- I thought. All of a sudden, she stood up, blew a whistle, called everyone over, and proceeded to (attempt to) lead us in warm-up stretches. Notwithstanding the parentheses, "attempt" is the key word in the preceding sentence. Most of the kids walked over to her and followed her lead, but the Pastor, a few others, and I did not go along. Having someone attempt to hijack my stretch-time was on the far-side of bizarre, but the worst of it was the stretches she led in were not only unsafe, but also inadequate! Had I followed her lead I would have either pulled a muscle stretching, or not been stretched out and pulled a muscle during the game! Thankfully, that was the extent of the weirdness that day. We ended up moving our playing field soon after, so she didn't stay after the first turn over.

Just after the stretching incident we divided into teams; prior to the kick-off I looked around to see what we were up against. Based on average age and talent-levels of all the players on both teams, my initial comparison was "blowout" plain and simple. I've never been a fan of choosing teams of any kind by the "team-captain's-pick" method. In my experience, that rarely produces well-balanced teams, and I prefer competition. To me, it's more fun to play games -- any games -- when each team has the same chance at winning. When it comes down to "desire" rather than a "stacked deck" of talent, speed, and skills on one team, then I enjoy playing the most. As for our football game, suffice it to say that the average age on my team was just under 40, while theirs was just over 25. I'm living proof that "experience" rarely wins over "youth" in flag football.

Actually,I don't think I did too badly covering the teenagers and our 31-year-old Pastor. However, by the end of the game my legs had a strange, jello-like quality to them. You remember the old Jello commercials -- the ones they talked about the "jiggly-ness" of Jello? Well, that's what my thigh- and calf-muscles were doing by the end of the game. I remembered that feeling, too. I had it way back in high school; right after my first day of running 3 miles in cross-country. Back then, a hot bath and a good night's sleep would cure just about any of my problems. Today that's not the case. I could walk fine the next day (Sunday) at church, but some of the kids didn't. The problems I experienced came later, when crossing my legs, jogging, and attempting to run after my three year old as he tried to ride a bike with no training wheels for the first time in his life.

Every once-in-awhile I discover another one of those odd little things that let one know old-age is fast-approaching. The latest was realizing I not only have a preference in the type of Tums I like best (Smoothies -- Extra Strength 750), but also have a favorite flavor (Berry Fusion). Sadly, I also have a 2nd favorite type (ultra 1,000, maximum strength) and flavor (assorted berries).

Thankfully, I still don't have to concern myself with the flavor of my denture cream.