Posture… And The Scouts Are NOT Coming

Last night my work had their annual Awards Gala.  It was a fun night and I was happy I got to sit with my friends from work.  It’s too bad they all could not make it to be there, but sometimes that is just how it goes.  I had to leave part way through the dinner to go play hockey.  With that in mind I dressed for the situation a little bit.

‘I have to go!’ I said as I got up from the table.

After the game i went back to the dinner for the awards part.  Doing so I had to put on the suit again and so when I came home I took a couple more pictures.  Which leads me to the topic of posture.

Take a look at this:

I am actively slouching here, but here is my Clark Kent.  Slumped shoulders, bit of a bent back, meek.  I look at the picture and think, there is a target, someone waiting to be picked on.

Here I am upright, shoulders back, back straight.  Showing power!  Superman logo or not, I look to be a different person here!  No one is going to mess with that guy, because confidence is radiating.

Good posture is important for a lot of things, doctors and stuff will say it is good for your body, makes things easier on your back, easier to breathe and such.  But it also shows who you are!

The Scouts Are NOT Coming!

I left the dinner last night to play hockey as I mentioned.  Last night we were playing Ferndale, which is mostly filled with guys from a different church now, Riverside I think it is.  Mostly younger guys, who seem to think the NHL might be looking at our league for talent.

We play in a non-contact league, a bump here and there is going to happen, but no hitting.  When we play the two other teams (and in pervious years against Ferndale) this rule is followed like 99% of the time.  What makes this important is that with that rule in mind people develop a play style that caters to it.  If you see a clash coming up you let up, or pull your weight back.  It makes for lighter contact, and a safer game.  We all have to go to work on Monday and that is kept in mind.

Ferndale/Riverside has NONE of that.  If you strip one of them of the puck you better watch it because a golf swing is heading for your shins or skates.  If you are heading into their end and they see an opportunity to hit you, they will.  The slashing is *so* not cool, and the ref gave them a few penalties for it last night.  Someone’s ankle could get broken!  The hitting in open ice is a bit different.  I think most of our team doesn’t really have a problem with it except for the fact that we are not expecting it or playing that way.  If both teams are playing non-contact, it’s fine.  If both are playing contact, that is fine too.  But if one team is and the other is not? The ‘not’ team has to turn it up because again someone will get hurt.

So last time we played these guys, I was coming down the centre of the ice, looking to the side to my man with the puck.  I could see peripherally that the way to the net was clear and I was going to get there and park.  Out of nowhere I get levelled.  I don’t have the puck, but I get smoked.  I say to the guy, ‘if that’s the way you want to play, I can do it too’, and I took his number.  Later in the game he’s got the puck by the boards. I’m coming at him. I could plaster him full speed not from behind or anything, he’s looking right at me.  At the last second I veer off and just take him a bit on the shoulder.  Hardly a bump, but he gets all bent out of shape because his stick came out of his hands.  “That was on purpose!”  he says to me.  All I can think is two things.  If that was on purpose I would have nailed him head on, and wasn’t his open ice hit on purpose?  these are the types of guys that can dish it out but they can’t take it.

Last night, same guy.  We are both going full tilt to the end of the rink chasing the puck.  I’m a bit ahead because I am flat out faster.  I see him move, he zigs with just feet to go to the boards, putting himself directly behind me.  I zag at the last second and he crashes into the boards.  A good chance for us to score ensues.  I get to the bench and I am able to process the whole thing in my brain.  If I had not zagged at just the right time I would probably still be picking Plexiglas out of my teeth!  He was totally going to run me into the end of the rink, on purpose at full speed.  What an ass.

Sometimes it is hard to keep your ego in check when playing a game.  But I think when it comes to deliberate actions, thought out plans of attack, there is no room for it.  The major leagues are not coming to the event to check you out.  I’m all for giving %110 on everything I do, but not when someone else's safety is at stake!