Do you like pain??

I haven't shut up this week about my 3 new things - mainly because I'm a huge chicken and I'm afraid of change and newness so its a big deal for me to try out a new grocery store, much less all this crazy nonsense I've been up to. The reason I didn't reveal any of them until they were actually over was because I still thought I might wimp out and not even go.

The first two turned out great and not scary at all.

Let's review:

1. Softball - awesome

2. Open water swim - awesome

2.5 Tried a fried oreo last night - pretty good

 And that's where the streak ends.

 

3. Paintball - picture me running off the field crying and refusing to play anymore, similar to a 5 year old having a temper tantrum.

I was pretty nervous about going, but Eric had been before and loved it and everyone just kept telling me that once I got hit with the first ball, I'd realize it wasn't so bad and plus with all the adrenaline, I'd barely feel it.

Um, I appreciate their help, but, LIARS.

First of all, it was massively humid today, with temps near the 90s, and we all had to wear long pants and shirts to soften the blow. See, this should have been my first indication that lying was taking place. 

When we got there, all these guys were in like full on army camo and full body padded suits and stuff. Warning sign #2 that I ignored.

The first game I actually didn't get hit, but I also failed to see what was fun about sweating my ass off in these hot clothes, wearing a disgusting mask covered with other people's sweat, and crouching behind a giant wooden barrier.

 

What's wrong with this picture is, I could be sitting in the AC reading blogs.

 

Arms up means stop shooting me.

During the second game, I got hit on my upper leg, and it hurt like hell, and not just for the split second everyone had told me about, more like for the next few minutes.

I had to look and saw I had a huge raised welt, so I asked Eric if that was normal. He glanced at it and nonchalantly said "oh, ya". And that was when I knew....I had made a tremendous mistake. 

 

I'm not one of those people who has a "pain tolerance" and, as cheap as I am, I am most certainly not on board with voluntarily paying for pain, I struggle enough with that when ordered recommended by a doctor.

So, we kept going, and I continued to get more welts and broken, bleeding skin. What better way to spend my Sunday?

Finally, we were on this field with these giant blow up barriers, and everyone on my team got out but me (probably because they were actually running around trying to win, not whimpering behind the barrier like me). So, 2 or 3 people from the other team surrounded me and they shot me from approximately 5 feet away (or so I was told by the spectators, and bear in mind the previous welt was from across the field). At which point I teared up, then got embarrassed, then started really crying from embarrassment, and ran to the car.

I spent the rest of the day taking pictures, on my new blackberry, and calling my friends and crying.

The rest of the group seemed to have tons of fun wiping off blood and comparing war wounds, and one person said "it's just like getting snapped with a towel, so I don't think it hurts that bad". That may be, but, when faced with the option of pain free Sundays, I'll go that route from now on.

Here's what you come home looking like if you are man enough to actually play the whole time.

 

I may not understand the lure of paintball, but I've heard that some people don't consider getting up at 4:30am to run for 7 and a half hours a perfect Saturday, so teach each their own.

I'm curious to hear if other people have played paintball, and if you find it fun....or if you consider any pain inducing activities to be fun.....