Dunk Tanks & other random experiences

So a couple of random experiences lately have led me to unexpected thoughts. The first was my participation in the annual Shorewood Campus picnic dunk tank. I am not a fan of dunk tanks. In fact I would go so far as to say I hate them. It seemed, even to me, to be an abnormal level of passion for something as benign as a dunk tank. Certainly there are better times to be had, but why my level of dis-taste. During the forceful submersion there is not much time for introspection and reflection but later curled up in the fetal position, I pondered. I often do my best pondering in that position. The conclusion I have come to in my best armchair psychology is that is has to do with vulnerability. It is a unique sensation sitting there quivering on the thin little plank. It is as Bill Cosby once stated a unique experience to realize the muscles on your back side have way more capability than you imagine. As I gripped the flat board with my caboose waiting for the plunge into the icy waters I realized I too could do amazing things in a pinch (literally). And I am not exaggerating, my blessed colleagues filled the water with ice. This is a tradition I have experienced every time I had to be in the dunk tank. After regaining the sense of feeling back to my extremities I realized that the vulnerability of sitting there totally helpless is not appealing to me at all. I do not like vulnerability especially when it is forced upon me. In fact I suspect I go out of my way to avoid it most of the time. Sad commentary indeed.

The other experience was participating in the annual StuCo Golf Challenge. Participating is not really an accurate word. I did not golf. I do not golf. It was in fact my first time on a golf course. I helped with some administration details and just general running around stuff. It appealed to me initially since my job was to drive a golf cart around most of the day. This was more enjoyable to me than my passengers I suspect. Any motorized vehicle in an environment with limited traffic requirements or laws is entertaining and brings out my inner Mario Andretti. My only attempts at the "sport" of golf was 2 trips to the driving range in high school PE and 1 trip to an indoor golf facility where you tee off into a screen. Sadly my club went farther than my ball so my golfing career ended shortly after beginning. I took that opportunity to ingest copious amounts of appetizers and beverages. So I thought maybe on this beautiful course on a perfect weather day I would find inspiration for the "sport" of golf. I keep putting the word "sport" in quotations because of my disregard for golf as a sport. I can honestly say that I have found no love for golf. Although golf carts are very entertaining right up until they break. I also feel there is a hidden metaphor in golf that may explain my disdain much like dunk tanks. In golf you muster all your strength to launch a ball as far as possible only to chase after it and hit again. Eventually you place the ball in a cup and the process begins again. In life I feel I inadvertently hit things away only to have to chase them down again and I repeat this cycle again and again. For me, golf is not a "sport". It is too much like failed patterns of life. So sadly I have not found a recreational outlet in golf. The search continues - but not really.

These are my random thoughts for today. Stay tuned - much more randomness to follow.