Stress Relief

In the midst of midterm week, I am trying to discover some positive ways to get rid of the stress in my life. As a graduate student, I suppose I should know how to handle stress since I have been through college as an undergrad, but I think I've forgotten all the details that go into writing a 20 page midterm...and now I have gone and made myself stressed out again just thinking about it since I don't have it finished...it really is a vicious cycle.

To the point now...as I have been trying to get rid of some of this stress I have managed to find some good and not-so-good methods of relieving stress. On the good side, I have rediscovered racquetball, on the not-so-good side, I made an irrational decision to CHOP my hair off. But, why focus on the not-so-good...let's stick with the good.

I have rediscovered one of my most favorite things in life...racquetball. I took a class when I was in college and realized I really loved the sport...but haven't really played it much since then. So, I decided to get out my racquets again (they are named Lady Swinger and Marty Hogan) and challenge some folks to a few games. I guess Lady and Marty are not in peak condition, because all the games I've played I have lost...and not by a small margin. (And of course it was them, not me!) I played one game against Cason and one against Clint. For the most part, I think it was a big joke for them. Not only did I lose every single game, but they didn't appear to even be trying. To get the best picture, imagine them standing in the middle of the court, yawning, hitting the ball with their eyes closed, hardly moving at all. Then imagine me, running around like a spaz , trying to do more than laugh or swing and miss at the ball.

Why you might ask, would I consider this a rediscovery of one of my favorite things? I must not have a competitive bone in my body if I don't even care that I lost (significantly) in both cases. Well, while it did bother me a little to lose (and by so much) I am blaming it on the fact that I have not played in awhile, and that Lady and Marty are a bit out of use as well. So, until I can actually win a few games I think I might reconsider who I play against...there are a few ladies in the cohort who have never played...maybe that will be a better match for me! But, ultimately it is great because there is a lot of stress that you can get out by hitting a little blue ball as hard as you can in a big empty, echoy room and laughing because you are so terrible!

P.S. I really am not that stressed out. If I were, I would probably be working on my midterm instead of posting another blog (get back to me on Monday night, the story may have changed by then)

P.S.S. The haircut isn't really that dramatic, I was just going for dramatic effect in the blog...don't really think it worked though