Owwwwww My Bloody Legs...

This past weekend I worked a shift with the Sport and Social Club. It was a 3-pitch tournament...I just can't bear to call it a 'softball' tournament, as they marketed it. Softball is with a pitcher on the OPPOSITE team, no rover, and with a real catcher....none of this throwing a female in that position to pick up balls off the ground. It's insulting to even watch.

Anyhooo, I had to get up at 5am, and if any of you know me well, I am anything but a morning person. Even though I knew I had to get up this early, I sat awake in bed until 1:45 - it's as though my body just can't comply with my wishes, and simply fall asleep. So, there I was, walking to the blue line on Eglinton at 5:40 am...to get to the subway to be picked up by another employee downtown. I wasn't aware that I would be working the whole 12 hours, but I ended up umping about 9 games, with a mere hour break in between. By the end of the day, I thought I was going to DIE. I asked the rest of the employees if they were sore and they all agreed.

I ended up calling my mother when I got home at 9pm. I asked her HOW THE HELL she worked on her feet ALL DAY at the Bay for 25 years?!?!!? She was 65 when she retired. She told me it was never her feet that hurt, but her hips instead. It's been years and years since I have had to work on my feet. I think back to working at the supermarket - shifts that were 8 hours long, standing in ONE PLACE. That is the killer. It's not being on your feet as much as it is not moving around.

So by the end of the day, I had throbbing feet, a sunburned face and neck, a sore lower back (which NEVER happens) and was a tad irritated at umping. It really made me question whether I want to referee volleyball. I'm not sure that it's worth the money or time. I was challenged, yelled at, ignored, and disrespected. I knew that it wouldn't be a wonderful job with no issues, but until you've done it, you have no clue. It's been years since I have played baseball, so the rules were a little fuzzy at first, which didn't help. I guess I have to decide whether I want to go in this direction at all anymore.

I slept like a log last night for 10 hours, which made up for my 3.5 the previous night. I also managed to nap in the afternoon. Back to the grind tomorrow. No rest for the wicked.

This two-job thing sucks eggs.

The good news? After being there all day, it gave me the itch to get involved in fast pitch again. I miss being the catcher. Crouching, giving signs, throwing to second base to get the runner out on a steal. Love it. The part I don't like? Running the bases, with my flat feet and my slow-ass.

It's embarrassing, really.

Even when I was thin, I was a slowpoke. I have two speeds when running:

Slow and stop.