There's gotta be a redneck joke in getting lit up like this...

It's amazing to me how I can just get completely lit up as a goalie and still have about a bazillion times more fun and satisfaction than when I played out.

I mean, at both positions, there's a period of time where you're just gonna suck because you don't have the skillz and you don't know what the hell you're doing. As a skater, that was a period of intense un-fun for me.

As a goalie, even though I got lit up pretty much all night at practice, as long as I can talk about it a bit with Scott TFCG or the coaches, I can let it go and be happy before I'm even on 249 (for the non-locals, that's the freeway the rink is on).

I guess life sort of builds up to certain challenges and you learn the things you need to learn to face them with relative stability. If you can't tell, I'm feeling obnoxiously zen right now. I'll give the touchy-feely a rest for a minute.

It was a practice this week and Scott TFCG came out in his awesome Quebec Nordiques jersey to work with me and the other goalie (who is several months ahead of me), so we did some positioning drills and then the players did some drills around the net and shot on me.

Apparently I have an issue with turning perpendicular to the net. I don't even realize I'm doing it, so it's going to take a while to fix that.

Honesty Time #1: Practices are kinda like eating steamed broccoli. There's a bit of pleasure from the virtuous feeling of doing something good for you, but really, you're never sitting there thinking, "Oh yeah, this is desert island food right here, baby. I want this shit All. The. Time." I don't mean to be all Allen Iverson about it, but there ya go. Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right?



On the other hand, games are like a big bowl of chips and queso. And if you're making some nice saves and your team is playing good defense, add a margarita to wash it all down. It's the nectar of the gods. I'll spend all week looking forward to Sunday since it's a game week.

I'm still having an issue of not getting into the game fast enough. Just like last week, the first three shots on me during the scrimmage went in. I'm not sure what it's going to take for me to get over that, but I'm more irritated about that than just about anything else. I hate putting my team in a hole from the start. :(

And can I just say, MAN are these teams out of balance. Holy crap. The green team is so much better in just about every way than the red team. And it's not even so much the red defense as the red forwards who don't backcheck or forecheck with any kind of intensity. They're clearly intimidated and outmatched by the green team and it was really frustrating to watch. They're more true novice though, so it's understandable and I don't mean to be a bitch about it, but it's a really stark contrast to the green team.

Also, I'm such a "heart" person when it comes to hockey, it almost feels like a bit of a betrayal for the green team to be shooting on me! Damn them. And Stinky especially, though I did stop his first shot on me and he was all, "Oh, damn. I'm stinky AND I got stopped by the sucky goalie!" and I was all, "HA! HA! Suck on that, Stinky!" But then he got two more past me at which point I was full of rage and wanting to hurt him with my stick.

Honesty time #2: You know why he really bugs me, other than for stealing the puck off my stick that time, is that his aesthetic is very similar to Pouliot's. Obviously, he's not that good, but he's got a long, pretty stride and sort of a dangling, dekeing style. I think he may even tuck his jersey. So... you know, I'm hating that. Luckily, he does get the puck poked away quite a bit because he keeps it so far away from his body. He's lucky he's ON the green team because their D wouldn't let that happen if he played against them.

Anyway, what else? I'm rambling a bit. My high is wearing off, too, and I'm starting to feel "ugh" but that's okay. It's part of the process. I'll feel better tomorrow. By Wednesday, I'll be wishing it was Sunday.

To end on a good note, I'm still in awe of how supportive and kind everyone is. I know it has to be frustrating to have a goalie you can't trust between the pipes for you, so it means a lot for folks to continue to have my back. And of course, Scotty, I know you want me to hate you, but really, you're the best. You're not Mr. Awesome, because I gave Aeros photographer Fred Trask that title, but you're darn close. Thank you. Sincerely. Sorry for the F-bombs lobbed your way tonight. (Stinky, I'm not sorry for the ones I lobbed at you.)

Oh and I had a couple of Stars of the Game: Steve gets the #1 star for roughing Scotty up during the scrimmage. Stick tap for that, man. That was sweet. Dave S. gets the #2 star for helping out with the drills and mostly missing the net, and also for taking it easy on me during the scrimmage (and for getting after Stinky about playing like a hot shot... which I don't mind so much as that's just real hockey, but I'll take whatever concessions and protection anyone is willing to throw my way right now).

Okay, so next week is a game and I'm gonna try and have one goal: Square to the puck.

No wait: SQUARE TO THE F**KING PUCK, GODDAMMIT!

Yeah, that's more like it.

Let's go into the week with some Tragically Hip and "The Lonely End of the Rink":