Evolution 2008.......wait no, this is about something completely different.

Here is a shocker.....I'm not writing about fighting games for once. JK has suggested that I do the Evolution entries once a week to dilute the topics, and I agree it should be done. I'll post on the next game sometime this week when I have free time. But today, I'm discussing something else, something I have just discovered only 2 hours ago, and something I fell in love with instantly.....racket ball.

Tonight, me and three friends of mine went to the campus gym and played racket ball. It was my first time ever. Now for those that know me, I am not an active person. I'm not exactly inactive (though at times I can be), its just that most physical activities don't interest me. Not baseball, football, hiking, kickball, etc. But racket ball has captured my heart. Its frightening having a ball potentially hit you in the face and bust your nose (and my case break my glasses and get glass in my eyes.....yikes). Hell it could be worse than that (my balls). And yet the game is just so fun, hitting that ball off walls. Not to mention that when the four of us split into teams, its team Joe versus team Cobra, thats just funny to me.

But this made me realize that there are a few physical activities I do enjoy, but that I just don't get the opportunity to do because of school and other commitments.

My second semester I played floor hockey. No I'm not the fastest guy nor do I have much endurance, so I played goalie. That was a blast. I was terrible in the beginning, but as my skills grew I grew that much more attached to the game. Hell my team placed second in the inter mural tournament. Unfortunately, many of my former teammates are gone to different schools or I just don't see them anymore. Not to mention that on Tuesday nights I have radio club meetings, so it's a no go.

Dodge ball. Who doesn't love dodge ball. I am terrible at this game but I love it to death. I recently played with other members of WNTE, the campus radio club, in the annual Communications dodge ball tourney, where all of the communication clubs battle it out. And since I ride and die for WNTE, of course I had to play. Again we placed second (damn T.V. club!)

Ping-pong. JK will appreciate this one. For a big guy like me, ping-pong is very physical. Since I have terrible accuracy with power shots, I rely on good foot work for a strong defense. And footwork is very physical. So I huff and puff after each game. But I love it. And as JK said in an earlier post, we do our best thinking during pong.

Volleyball. Not only is it fun, but I am decent at volleyball. I have the best endurance in volleyball, simply because I don't move around that much. I also have fond memories of volleyball. I have played it with my friends in youth group, my family during my sister's birthday party, and with friends here at college. And I always cherish memories such as those. Memories. Thats a good topic, but for another time.

And last, but certainly not least, is martial arts. I took Tae Kwon Do for about a decade. I am a certified 1st degree black belt. But I had to bust my ass to get it. Of all the physical things I have done, that was the most demanding. Hell, there were nights I would start wheezing, and I had to stop, nights when I felt I would vomit and my teacher had to check up on me. But I loved it. Martial Arts was my first true love, and she never broke my heart. I have very fond memories of those days. Sadly from what I hear in passing, my teacher is a shell of his former self, and one of mentors is effectively gone....

But racket ball. I love it. And me and the guys are going to try and play about three times a week. And next semester I'll be studying Judo with the Judo club. It's exciting.