Old Dogs

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:17:25 GMT

Very optimistic, but you see, Tosh, this is where the gods of Irony would step in and give you the ED.

Hugs and ear-scratches,
The Pessimist

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:13:06 GMT

Normally I'd have to agree with you... but today not so much. This girl plays to win and cannot accept defeat.

Following the pattern of the kid who can't lose at rock paper scissors, a loss is simply the time to go from best 2 out of 3 to the best 3 out of 5, etc. Aging is simply another fight which has disguised itself... new objective, new rules, but ultimately winnable if given enough time and attacked with enough force. Given the objective is different, winning may not mean taking the game. Perhaps it means having the best story to tell afterwards and the warm fuzzy feeling of having lived in the moment without abandon.

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:44:23 GMT

Nice one Tosh!

We can all relate to the topic of winning, losing, and bowing out graciously. I have only found myself in the entirely unenviable position of hockey goalie once (Note: I use the full term and very awkwardly b/c I have no idea what I'm talking about...)

You'll notice I didn't say "ice" hockey as so many southerners distinguish the game. It was a NERF pick-up game, actually, at the kiddie play area during the World Juniors in Halifax a few years ago. I volunteered to throw myself around the mini NERF ring with eager young hockey enthusiasts all day.

So, at one point this tall, lean, dark haired fella walks up and asks if he can step in and play. I briefly call to mind the "kiddie land" age policy, look around at my band of feisty NERF puck-***, spy their parents sudden aglow, standing just outside the rubber ring, and I wonder who this guys is. Jesus? Moms are scrambling for pens and mementos; dads are unscrewing lens caps.

"Sure." I say, having no idea who he is, but being very certain that his presence there is an absolute THRILL to everyone.

Later that night, I see, the same young fella being interviewed on a local station just before his game -- a class act that Fleury.

But, the real point of this story is back ache. I'm not a conditioned athlete. I'm a gadabout fool, so for someone such as myself to run and dive around a rubber ring for 9 hours, the consequences spell total neck-to-ankle pain the next morning. Worth it? Hell ya. I even made a few saves although THANK GOD I had the unwitting sense to give up the net when the tall, dark, stranger popped by to play with the kids for a few minutes.

Life is good. :)

WOOF!

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:48:15 GMT

Are you kidding me Tosh?!

Did your dog-blog just auto-censor me? LOL!

You win some. You lose some. Insert "puck-hogs" above for puck-***

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:43:02 GMT

Yoga is good for backs and for libido it must be good for hockey! Can't wait for the show tonight.

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:29:51 GMT

I hurt my back gardening a few weeks ago and my husband said "That's ok, you can just stand there and tell me what to do. You're really good at that." Sure, there were a couple of days of pain, but I got the flower bed I wanted, and I (mostly) didn't have to do the digging. I even got him to buy me drinks afterwards (the fruity, girly kind like frat boys buy their underage girlfriends to make their pants come off easier). I was born to supervise. Play to your strengths and win every time.

re: Old Dogs

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 18:27:51 GMT

With older age, come aches and pains, poor eye sight, and all manner of fun (!) changes...
But with age also comes wisdom and perspective.
Sounds like you've gained a little of both!

And Tosh, if anyone ever tells you Old Dogs can't learn new tricks, don't believe a word of it!

re: Old Dogs

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:50:05 GMT

Sounds like someone needs a back run Tosh, ohhh if only you had thumbs! id teach how to do er.

re: Old Dogs

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:50:40 GMT

HA i spelt RUB wrong...it is late

re: Old Dogs

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:23:13 GMT

winning isn't everything.... but losing sucks!

re: Old Dogs

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:58:42 GMT

I totally agree - your body goes to hell when you get old. I seemed in good physical shape until I hit the dreaded 4-OH!!! and then it was one ache and pain after another!

I totally sympathize (and cringe) reading about Doyle's back pain - I'd rather suffer a knife in the knee than a bad back!

But... since there is nothing we can do about growing old (and the eventual accompanyment of aches and pains)... just enjoy the good days when they are there... and drink plenty of body numbing drinks when they aren't!

re: Old Dogs

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:05:36 GMT

as i am a young pup still, i must admit Tosh i still feel that everything is a competition. Now the competitions are how much can one drink, tournaments on PS3s to see who is the better NHL 09 player, beer league games, etc... If only i was still a child. those were the days, chocolate milk after hockey practice and running around acting silly.

Well lets hope you win some more Toshy. Woof!

re: Old Dogs

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:13:08 GMT

As a back pain sufferer and the wife of a 2X champion of disc surgery, I can empathize with back pain sufferers everywhere. It's a drag getting old.

I still manage to forget my age and overdo it sometimes, and then I'm back on the floor full of muscle relaxants and pain meds, which are so strong that I can't even get up to pee without help. Not very dignified.

Sometimes, whatever I was doing seems worth it, even while the pain is turning me in to whimpering mass of jello. Most of the time, though, I lie there thinking, "Man that was SO not worth this!" It is taking a while for this old dog to learn her limitations. Sigh.

re: Old Dogs

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:32:32 GMT

It is hard to grow older. As I am only ninteen I have very little experience in this but I do feel the years piling on even so. I can only imagin what it is like to have back pain from a hocky game, but I can relate with leg pain from a vicious night of broom ball and then the best cure is still cheap red wine.