#15 Paintball

On 2/20/10 my friends and I ventured out to play paintball arranged by friend Neal. Why I wanted to do this?? Something that inflicts pain? I'm not really sure.....it just sounded fun. Well, I actually had on the list "or laser tag", but my friend Neal saw Paintball and said..."I want to arrange it".....so I let him go for it!

We needed 10 people to play and only had 8 show (go Facebook events and the fall of people learning the value of what a RSVP really means). Which meant that either we had to forgo the game and forfeit Neals $100 deposit or pay for phantom people. Since the latter option was cheaper (and we could use their paintballs), we paid for phantom people and played 4 vs 4.

Most of us had never played paintball before, but we had Neal (the paintball geek) there all geared up in his paintball attire with his fancy automatic paintball guns to teach us the ropes. I had arrived wearing multiple layers of old clothing and padded bra's (yes plural!) as instructed. We then donned our masks and loaded our paintballs with orange paintball pellets.

The game was 4 against 4, with the goal to take out the other team. I was on Team with Neal trying to help us beat the other team. We did pretty well with the exception of some "friendly fire" where I got shot repeatedly in the back. We lost pretty badly that time. Eventually we played girls vs guys. The first game the guys played minus Neal and the girls kicked the boys butt---GIRLS ROCK!.......And one of the last games I have to say I was the last girl standing.

The pellets are marble size and if they break when they hit you from a long distance away they don't hurt too badly. BUT if they don't break OUCH.....and if you get shot at close range---OH, I thought I would die! I have to say that Neals automatic guns are so much fun to shoot!

I thought I survived the day with only had 4 bruises/purple marks on my body, but the total count ended up being 5 as another popped up a day or 2 after the event. The most painful bruises were from the paintballs that did not break and 2 were from the "friendly fire"!

At the end of the 3 hours we were tired, a little sweaty, bruised, covered in orange goo from head to toe (cause yes, when you get hit in the head it sticks in your hair). But it was super fun. Would I do it again? Sure.........just next time.......More padding!

#14- Artisan Works- Benefit for Rehema Home

Last nights event was provided for by God.

Artisan Works http://artisanworks.net/ was on my list because it is a unique venue which people talk about and I have wanted to see it, so when I heard that there was a benefit that supported Christian based orphanage in Kenya that took care of abused, neglected and HIV positive children in Kenya I knew that I should go.

The event was called Elevate 2010 and the organization is for Rehema Home http://www.rehemahome.org/elevate/. Rehema means "mercy". The problem..........it was the same night as the Casting Crowns concert---one of my FAVORITE bands. I lamented but kept being led that I needed to support Rehema, and because of this I was blessed for the entire cost of the evening!!

I have never been to a benefit before (mainly due to the cost per person)but being led to go I figured I was going to "waste" my money on a concert ticket, wouldn't it be better to use that toward a good cause and as a bonus check something off my "40" list! So I purchased the ticket. Within a week I received a unexpected check in the mail for $15 MORE than the ticket cost from someone that I did an interview with more than 6 months ago!!! First off I never expected to get paid for that interview and second, 6 months later....and the timing???--all God......AND He provided me enough money for a drink at the benefit too.

So one of my girlfriends told me I had to wear a dress, a black dress. Which of course meant I needed to go shopping ergo a problem, I have NO money and no time to shop. Last week I had 20 minutes, so I ask God...."God, I'm going to run into this store, could you help me out with a dress in 20 minutes for 20 dollars?". WELL, let me tell you, HE can do better than that! I got a little black dress, in my size, the only one on the rack for......get this.....$11.99!! And yes, in 20 minutes. I had a visa gift card from some survey I filled out months ago worth $15, so essentially a free dress-AWESOME! Another girlfriend lent me a wrap to keep warm, I already had accessories...I was set.

I went to the event solo (yes another stretching Susan beyond her comfort zone) but knowing that there would be people there that I knew. Sure enough one of my new friends from Swing dancing who I told about the event had come, a friend from high school was there, and then a new friend via facebook who actually works for Rehema came up and introduced himself to me.

The event was a fun evening with food and entertainment. I bid on a piece of artwork in the silent auction and was surprised that I was outbid (not many people were bidding, but I'm glad that they were able to raise more funds).

Artisan works was an experience. A bit overwhelming for me. Too much stuff in too little of a space, a bit of sensory overload. I joked with my high school friend that its an autistic persons nightmare because it really is sensory overload.

Last night ended up being about connecting with old friends, new friends and me being obedient when God calls me to do something. For when He nudges me to do something, He will provide. We hopefully made a difference in the lives of some children, if even one life is forever positively impacted by the Love.....it is all worth it!

#13 Go Orange--SU Game for Valentines Day

Its Valentines Day, but Today there was no pink or red for me, its all about the ORANGE!

Myself and 2 girlfriend made a day of it and went off to the SU game. My friend L has season tickets, so she and her dad have VIP access and she was all set to give us the "Dome experience". My friend D and I got our tickets a little late and since SU has been doing so well, the best seats in the house were nose bleeder seats, but I did not care, I was just happy to be going.

We set off early in the morning since we had to pick up L's Dad in Syracuse. D had made each one of us baggies of valentines day candies for us to enjoy during the game--how sweet was that! and Yes, I ate my ENTIRE bag!

L has an Arch parking pass so we got to fly past all the people and park 20 steps from the dome. We got there early enough to experience the back court and then see her company's box (those are some nice seats). Then D and I hiked up to our seats where the atmosphere was thin and you almost needed an oxygen tank (hee hee). We were in row YY, yes only 2 rows from the top. We were so close to the top that it was actually cold up there because we were close to the dome top that you could feel the air coming through, when we hiked down during halftime we were shocked how warm it was down below. Actually you could see the court really well from where we were though. So I remembered my camera, but when I went to take a photo---NO memory card! Thank goodness for the blackberry.

L said that if I ate anything I should eat a hot dog. Those of you who know me know my stance on a hot dog---it is non-food......something that is usually inedible....but when in Rome. So I ate a hot dog and it was actually pretty good (I just had to not think about what i know about about hot dogs!)

THE GAME: OH MY! Tense, Tense, Tense....They were playing Louisville Cardinals and L said that Louisville was known to play dirty and yes I think they did. There was one guy who kept plopping himself down and making it look like a foul, I wanted to hang that young man up by his toes--oooh that made me mad...... It came down to the wire and SU LOST.......what bummer. 66-60

I was part of the largest college basketball crowd this season with 31,035

The ladies and grabbed a quick dinner after the game and meandered on back to Rochester. Honestly I think it was probably one of the BEST valentines days I have ever had!