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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Softball & Tats

I'm not a huge fan of bringing attention to myself.  I think that's why the whole running/lifting/solo time at the gym works so well for me.  I'm the only one who has to rely on what I'm doing.  Yes, I know I work with a trainer, and that he's kind of rooting for me....but I am the only one who benefits (or sucks) from the work I do.

I think this is why the whole softball thing is was difficult for me.  I put so much pressure on myself to do well, and then when I suck, I'm pissed at myself, which makes me put even more pressure on myself..... Yeah.  You see where this is going.

The hubbs and I have been doing some serious sleuthing to figure out why I've been sucking so bad in the batter's box, but hitting the piss out of the ball at the cages.  And he figured it out.  My feet need to be offset.  In the box, in a game, I grip the bat like I'm going to club someone to death with it, line my feet up with the plate, and swing like I want to kill something.  I'm like Frankenstein....all stiff.  I'm so freaking tense.  In the cages, I stand with my feet offset, which is a much more relaxed (for me, anyway) stance.  It allows my hips to open up, I can take a big step, and I'm much more mobile (read: able to better hit slightly outside or inside balls).

We tested out this theory on the field today.  Not at an actual game, but he pitched to me and I swung away.  And holy moly....I need to relax and remember to keep my feet offset.  I actually put a whole bucket's worth of balls in play!

Another problem of mine is that when I'm catcher, I suck at throwing.  I can never get the ball back to the pitcher without him having to scoop it off the ground.  So I wanted the hubbs and I to work on some throwing.  He stood at home, and I stood at third.  And almost every single ball I threw to him was money.  Seriously.

Why can't I do that shit in a game?

I know why.  Because I hate calling attention to myself.  So I just kinda of "short throw" the ball back to the pitcher.  Not step or anything.  When I'm getting the ball back, the next batter is usually already in the box, and the umpire is there, and I feel bad taking the time to properly set up, take a step, and get the ball back to the pitcher.

Chris said I gotta slow down the game and make it mine.  I'm finally starting to believe him.

In other news, I went back to the Tattoo Factory on Monday evening to get my new tattoo fixed.

This is how it looked:

I really loved the design.  I gotta thank my buddy Barry for that.  But, when the tattoo artist was doing his thing, we obviously had some issues.  Notice the top part of it, where there is all that shading around the paw prints?  At first, he thought it might be bruising, or some of the stencil that was being stubborn and refusing to wash off.  But after a week, the stubborn smudges stayed.  And me, being the perfectionist freak I am, couldn't deal with that.  

I went back, and we decided that he would put shading behind the whole thing.  (Trust me, there was a lot more discussion involved, and I am totally convinced that the tattoo artist completely knows what he is doing.  He is more than competent, and that's why I went back to him.)


I was super nervous, because even though it looked good, I was worried the shading was way too dark. But he said it would lighten up after a couple of days.  In fact, he had said that I might even have to come in one or two more times, just to get the right shade in there.  He can always shade in and make it darker later, but once he goes dark and it is too dark, I'm fucked.    

Plus, I bled like a mofo.  I didn't have that problem with either of my other tattoos, or even this one on the original go at it, but the shading...yikes.  He wanted to use a certain type of needle, but after trying that one I bled waaaay too much, so he had to switch to a different one. What a trainwreck.  Luckily, it still didn't really hurt all that much.  

By today (Wednesday afternoon), the shading has already lightened a bunch.  And actually, looking at the original tattoo in comparison to this one with the shading, I actually do prefer the shading.  


It might continue to lighten as it heals, but I'm supposed to stop in tomorrow evening so he can check it out and see how it is doing.

Next blog.....the NutriBullet has arrived!  

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