Life, Love, and Paintball

I have discovered some interesting things recently, most of them centering around my first paintball experience. At the time, all that I could really focus on was the pain - those paintballs hurt, you should have seen my bruises and welts - but now that I have had about a week to reflect, there were actually some lessons to be learned from the game (I use that term loosely) they call paintball:
* Even though you think you can improvise and still win, going into battle without a plan is never a good idea
* Having the best weapon on your team will do you no good if you don't know how to control the stupid thing
* Just because you look freakin' awesome in the gear, it doesn't mean you will be any good when you get onto the battlefield
* Watching your back doesn't help when they're coming at you from all sides
* Four reasonably intelligent and mature (I use that term loosely) adults are no match for six twelve-year-old boys with paintball experience, camo, and a plan
* Charging straight up the middle will not work unless you manage to take out members of the other team
* If the other team doesn't know that you're out, they will keep shooting at you, so make sure they know you're out!
I had doubts, but paintball is actually fun - next time I want to play against other adults that are as hopeless as I am at the game! Had we been better prepared, perhaps my teammates and I would have come out with a few less bruises and at least one win. As it was, we came out with nothing but paint covered clothes, some sweet pictures, and a few lessons that can be applied metaphorically to any situation you may find yourself in.

* This self-help blog was brought to you by Dr. Dottie - next time I charge my regular rates for psycological therapy.