Comments on: Life is a Game of Dodge Ball

By: Results from the What I Learned From Metaphors for Life Group Writing Project } Group Writing Projects

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 12:15:29 +0000

[...] Life is a Game of Dodge Ball, by Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings [...]

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:53:00 +0000

Oh, sure, but that’s the sortof thing that doesn’t show up until much later. I’m just sayin’…

By: Karen Putz

Karen Putz — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:30:02 +0000

Being the evil mom I am, I signed my oldest up for a Dodgeball tournament. And the hubby played in one too. As far as I know, they came out of it without needing therapy.

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:41:52 +0000

Thanks, but I think I’ll let those days pass me by…

By: Oyun Download

Oyun Download — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 06:34:31 +0000

Great post, very entertaining. Reminds me of those old school days. I enjoyed dodge ball at school it was always good fun until you got hit. But it makes revenge so much sweeter when you get to hit them back in another game!

By: Luke Gedeon » What I learned from metaphors for life

Luke Gedeon » What I learned from metaphors for life — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:05:23 +0000

[...] Life is a Game of Dodge Ball, by Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings [...]

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 12:11:43 +0000

Can’t say as I’ve heard of this one, Allen, although I must admit, since I left school I’ve done my best to erase any thoughts of Dodge Ball from my brain. (As you can see, I’ve been somewhat, er, less that successful at that. But I’m over it now.)

Hey, thanks for dropping by with a comment!

By: Allen

Allen — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:33:06 +0000

Hi Robert,
Have you heard about the new dodge ball craze? The balls are virtual, but they still pack a lot of punch. And instead of kids aiming for you, it is an army of automated robots shooting virtual balls from semi-automatic canons. They don’t even play it during the regularly schedule gym class. Surprise attacks are coordinated in the middle of math or English class. Some schools like to take it to another level altogether and “test” kids while the are going to the bathroom. As you might imagine, parents are up in arms because their kids don’t learn as much, and the kids get so tense during the day that they have trouble sleeping at night. School administrators defend the practice as teaching kids what the real world is really like. Go figure. I enjoyed playing dodge ball when I was in school, but, really, what is this generation thinking?
-Allen

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:32:15 +0000

We had a couple of guys who were particularly good at hitting and avoiding being hit, so every now and then the coach would take a shot at ‘em and take ‘em out. Lots of cheers for that! But I tended to stay on the sidelines and avoid attention. Except, of course, for that one time… :-\

Hey, thanks for dropping by, Steven!

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:03:59 +0000

Robert,
Great post, very entertaining. Reminds me of those old school days. I enjoyed dodge ball at school it was always good fun until you got hit. But it makes revenge so much sweeter when you get to hit them back in another game!

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:48:27 +0000

Ouch, that hurts just thinking about it. But hey, I believe you, Patricia! Besides, going to Mars would appeal to me, too, since my lifelong dream has always been to “be a Spaceman”. Not an Astronaut, mind you – a Spaceman.

I’m glad you found a place to extend your voice, too. Thanks for dropping by! Y’all come back, y’hear?

By: Patricia

Patricia — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:37:28 +0000

Loosing part of my eyesight to a baseball bat the second day of first grade meant that I did not get much opportunity to participate in games in gym class. I spent most of the required PE experience doing sit ups and finally swimming. It must be on my transcript at school that I was not allowed to play "ball" involving sports as was my second grade teacher's remarks that I lied about our family vacation in my report. Well I did write a story about going to Mars with my family for vacation because my Father had taught summer school at a University far away and I had the mumps all summer, so I thought my class mates would enjoy a story more than reality from me. I think my classmates did enjoy it, but I had to explain the comments from the teacher even as I applied for graduate school. Now I am writing a blog and I can say just what I want, 'cause it's my blog and so there! Thank you so much for an easy reading, chuckling good post - no lie! Patricia Patricias last blog post..Voting

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 23:28:33 +0000

Aw shucks, Jeanne – thanks for the kind thoughts!

By: Jeanne Dininni

Jeanne Dininni — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:46:34 +0000

Fantastic lessons here for all, Robert — and told with your usual wit, wisdom, and down-home charm!

Jeanne

By: Robert Hruzek

Robert Hruzek — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:27:36 +0000

Wow, I had no idea so many others suffered the same torture I did! Well, almost the same, anyway.

I think that’s one of the strongest lessons this sort of thing can teach us, Joanna. Sooner or later there comes a point in our struggles where we either give up or forge ahead. And that’s the epiphany that can make the difference!

I’m reminded once again of one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies, “The Freshman”, starring Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando. Matt’s character has just come to the realization that he’s pretty much at the bottom of the barrel, and things can’t get much worse. Then he’s made an offer… and thinks to himself:

“There’s a kind of freedom in being completely screwed… because you know things can’t get any worse.”

Classic! And so true!