You're not using those testicles are you?

I need to get out and be more social. This is one of the points on my "Ways to improve Joel" list, so this Sunday, when The Whammer called to see if I wanted to play football I agreed to go. Not at first, I didn't. There was some soul-searching involved first. Some self-motivating. I had already blown off church for the umpteenth time in a row, and the rest of the day was already looking bleak at 12pm. Something outdoors, physical, and social is exactly what I was needing, so I rolled through the shower, found some shorts and shoes, and headed off to Beverly Hills High for a pickup two-hand touch football game with some of the employees at E!

A lot of people showed up. Way more than they were expecting, so we split into four teams by having four girls be captains and choosing the teams. Ok, so I didn't know a lot of the people there, and they all seemed to know each other. Also, there were a few athletic guys there that definitely had an edge on me physically. Sure, I get that. But there's no way that I should have been chosen last! I was chosen last! Last!! I'm 6'2". 165 lbs. Thin, yet athletic for my frame. But, I guess I'm not seeing what everyone else sees, because when they look at me, they must see a bad athlete. Last! What is this? Junior High? Am I still the worst? Give me a break. What a bunch of idiots.

It's not like I was being outwardly social or anything, though. Look, it's the beginning of the year, and I'm just starting to leave my apartment. I'm not good at just going up to groups of people I don't know and introducing myself. I guess I should change that. It probably would have helped me when they were choosing teams. Anyways, on to the game. My team started off badly. I was getting open each play, but my quarterback couldn't get the ball to me. He was horrible, and through my suggestion we switched QBs. This was a great move for our former quarterback, because he started catching balls left and right. This was a bad move for me, because I didn't get another ball thrown to me the rest of the game. Zero catches for the whole game. This was Junior High again. Only throw to your friends. I was playing against The Whammer, and he wasn't getting the ball thrown to him either. I told him that we could have just gone jogging together. Oh well, I think they're playing next week, and I'll be ready. This time, they're going to throw the ball to me occasionally, or they'll have to hear me bitch the whole game. I kept my mouth shut for the most part this game, since I didn't know anyone and didn't want to come across as an asshole. But, if it happens next time, they'll get to understand how big a jerk I can really be.

Today, I can't walk. I haven't run like that in years, and it's no surprise to me how sore I am today. I even woke up at 4am in pain. I couldn't move. I couldn't roll over. I couldn't get out of bed. I had to lift my right leg with my arms to get in and out of the shower this morning. It feels good, though. All I have to do is wait a couple days for the soreness to go away, and I can start running again without having to worry about getting more sore. That's the worst part about working out, the first few days. Once you get over that hump, things get a lot easier.

So, let's recap the past week. I was shot down by a girl that I really liked. I was picked last out of a bunch of people for a football game. I didn't get one catch in the football game. And now I'm so physically punished that it takes me 3 minutes to get in or out of my car. That's quite a blow to the ol' ego. What does it all mean? Am I supposed to be learning from all this? What's the lesson?

I feel fine. I'm writing. I'm just going to keep doing what I do, and the little things will soon fall my way.