Went paintballing yesterday at action paintball, and despite the initial stuff up, delays, the pain, frustration, running, sliding, swearing, it was great fun! I would love to go again, and probably will when John's young adult group thingy organises one. There is a certain satisfaction in shooting people back after they have owned your back the previous round. *grin*
Not only was it fun, but it also gave me a clearer picture of what real war is like. Replace paint balls with real guns, replace the momentary pain with instant death (I got hit on the head a few times), intense prolonged pain (shot in the back, side, arm, let, and groin. That hector protector was worth every cent), replace the slight confusing with utter confusion and panic, and thats 1/4th of the way to experiencing a real war.
Maybe if we still fought wars with swords and arrows, we will have less of them. No longer will your enemies by a speck at the distance, another co-ordinate in the targeting system, not some inhuman, artificial abstraction of human beings. Instead, they will be people who will look at you with hatred, perhaps pity, mayhap resignation, even respect, but they will be living flesh. They will wear faces you will remember, faces to haunt your steps, your dreams, faces you see when you look in the mirror, when you look into yourself.
Perhaps then, we will all know the folly and price of war.
/rant
Oh, and it was a professionally ran exercise. Friendly people, great equipment. Definitely recommended. Paintballs also hurt, a lot, especially in the neck. A neck protector is definitely recommended, even if it makes you a little hotter.
*nurses his bruises again*
Now on to burrs! Burrs are fantastically complex puzzles. I made a 3 piece burr, whilst being simple in construction, it foiled plenty of people's attempts to take it apart, and re-assemble it. IBM's site astounded me. How on earth does one go about writing a program that solves burrs!? I can not even begin to imagine how one designs a 6 piece burr. This is the start of a wonderful addiction...
Backups are almost done, once they are, I'll probably drop off line for a day or two, until the new system is up and running again. Mmmm, more speed... *grin*
Oh, and I applied for ADSL again, this time through a friend. Hopefully it will pull through this time. 56k just doesn't cut it any more!
The world is your oyster,
Steve