I shot a gun probably forty years ago. In the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. It was a huge pistol. Reminded me of the gun The Lone Ranger used. I have a feeling I’ve lost most of you as you are too young to remember. It was a western show on Saturday mornings in the mid fifties.
My point is this was huge. Bullets were in the chamber, and I was told to aim and shoot. The kickback almost knocked me over. The end of my gun experience. I prefer mace.
Adam, your story was delightful. I would not have a rifle in my house even if it was a heirloom.
Sounds like a Magnum 45! I'm fifty, but remember the reruns. I prefer a smaller caliber, at the time. No more, I don't want to shoot guns anymore.
Before my dad passed away last year I wanted to get rid of the gun, but I want to keep it now. (but it is just revolver, easy to keep safe with a lock in a safe :-)
Love the self deprecating humor! I was never a shooter even though I am a Kansas farm boy. When my own boys were about 12 or so I wanted them to be conversant with firearms. We “trained.” They caught the bug. Both went US army. Thanks for the post!
I enjoyed this one a lot. Puts a different persepctive to things. I love the humour in this piece too. I remember shooting a gun at the range (tried some WWII stuff) and I was over it pretty quick haha. My shoulder was sooo bruised afterwards. It's fun and all but yeah, I'm good with that. Too much power in ones hands.
You’re one of my favorites, Adam! Love this! Definitely needed a chuckle this morning… and I also jump and do breathing exercises when I hear gunshots (Philly, Philly Philly) - but I’ve stopped hiding under desks!! Amazing writing, well done.
lol you’re reading my mind again. I’m sitting here writing about my breathing exercises as a top coping mechanism. And realized this week that it was likely the gunfire that made me deaf- too bad I didn’t have cigarettes in my ears!
Yeah, those cigarettes… not sure how well they worked 😂 I have found when I do conscious breathing meditation my life is always much better, or feels much better at least.
When I had to spend a year in my school's army cadets, I think I was the only person in my cohort who failed their shooting safety test on every attempt. Probably a good thing, as I'd no doubt have shot my foot off or similar if I'd been allowed near an actual live rifle. Anyway, us Brits don't really do guns like you do across the pond. We spent the Cold War assuming that we'd fight off the Reds with the power of reason, wit and a nice cup of tea.
I'm HSP too. Oh the stories of childhood and sensitivities...
I laughed out loud at your comment about using cigarette filters as ear protection. My Hobbit keeps suggesting I make spitballs out of tissue or napkins and use that as noise canceling headphones. um...no...that wet yuck in my ears would trigger a whole different kind of sensitivity. non-HSPs just wouldn't get it, but I KNOW you would.
My dad took me out to the farm fields of SD when I was three years old to learn how to shoot. The kickback on the gun was enough to send me flying! The bang made me cry. yeah. that didn't happen again. but my older brother would shoot for fun after school when he was 7!
Inspired me to share a couple bullet stories from my own family lol.
My dad once thought shooting a bees nest (very close to the house) with his .22 would be brilliant. We had bee matter allllllll over after that.
My brother was running away from a cougar (who was busy eating a deer) one time. He has one bullet for his rifle. When the family went back to see where the cougar had been. They asked… what are all these pock marks in the snow? His response - “It was here I dropped my bullet.”
We did the bee thing before, but with a BB gun, when I was a kid.
Regarding the Cougar!! LOL, that's pretty funny. I would've just fainted, effectively playing dead. Mountain Lions live right behind us here and come into town on occasion. Yiiiikes.
“After being rejected by the Army because I had a “heart murmur,” …” really? I served with a congenital heart murmur. But it has since faded away. I think would qualify myself of at least moderate to high sensitivity - but I repressed a lot of it in the name of survival.
It was more than just that but didn't want to include the whole list LOL. I'm glad though, because I think I wouldn't have done well in the military. Mine has faded away too!!
Guns are loud! Very loud! I'm not a jumpy sort, but jump when a gun goes off. My first time shooting various firearms was down in a little Texas town at a friend's house who lived on acres and no one was around except for those shooting targets affixed to hay bales. I thought, "this is REALLY dangerous". I hold that thought to this day.
I shot a gun probably forty years ago. In the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. It was a huge pistol. Reminded me of the gun The Lone Ranger used. I have a feeling I’ve lost most of you as you are too young to remember. It was a western show on Saturday mornings in the mid fifties.
My point is this was huge. Bullets were in the chamber, and I was told to aim and shoot. The kickback almost knocked me over. The end of my gun experience. I prefer mace.
Adam, your story was delightful. I would not have a rifle in my house even if it was a heirloom.
Sounds like a Magnum 45! I'm fifty, but remember the reruns. I prefer a smaller caliber, at the time. No more, I don't want to shoot guns anymore.
Before my dad passed away last year I wanted to get rid of the gun, but I want to keep it now. (but it is just revolver, easy to keep safe with a lock in a safe :-)
Love the self deprecating humor! I was never a shooter even though I am a Kansas farm boy. When my own boys were about 12 or so I wanted them to be conversant with firearms. We “trained.” They caught the bug. Both went US army. Thanks for the post!
Thanks Curt I really appreciate that 😄 My brother caught the bug too and became a police officer 👮
I enjoyed this one a lot. Puts a different persepctive to things. I love the humour in this piece too. I remember shooting a gun at the range (tried some WWII stuff) and I was over it pretty quick haha. My shoulder was sooo bruised afterwards. It's fun and all but yeah, I'm good with that. Too much power in ones hands.
Thanks so much Kathy! I’ve also gotten bruises on my shoulder before, it hurts!! In my youth I would’ve enjoyed shooting WWII guns, but no more 😄
Right?! It def hurts. The adrenaline though, holy shit. But yah, don't need em haha. The novelty dies off.
Yes! We loved it because of that for sure. 😸 That said, I am now an unintentional gun owner who is for strict regulations on guns.
Hahaha. I’m all for strict regulations as someone from a place with gun regs. But hey, America, land of the free hahaha.
I really enjoy your writing! Very cool to remember those good old days with humour!
Thanks Jenni, that is very kind of you to say! 😄 Yeah, if you don’t look at the “good old days” with a little humor you’ll probably just 😭 all day 😂
You’re one of my favorites, Adam! Love this! Definitely needed a chuckle this morning… and I also jump and do breathing exercises when I hear gunshots (Philly, Philly Philly) - but I’ve stopped hiding under desks!! Amazing writing, well done.
The breathing exercises are a must for people who are HSP!! 😅
lol you’re reading my mind again. I’m sitting here writing about my breathing exercises as a top coping mechanism. And realized this week that it was likely the gunfire that made me deaf- too bad I didn’t have cigarettes in my ears!
Yeah, those cigarettes… not sure how well they worked 😂 I have found when I do conscious breathing meditation my life is always much better, or feels much better at least.
When I had to spend a year in my school's army cadets, I think I was the only person in my cohort who failed their shooting safety test on every attempt. Probably a good thing, as I'd no doubt have shot my foot off or similar if I'd been allowed near an actual live rifle. Anyway, us Brits don't really do guns like you do across the pond. We spent the Cold War assuming that we'd fight off the Reds with the power of reason, wit and a nice cup of tea.
Yeah, we Americans are pretty crazy with all of our guns. If you haven't seen Red Dawn (1984) just watch it and you can get into all of our heads.
I'm HSP too. Oh the stories of childhood and sensitivities...
I laughed out loud at your comment about using cigarette filters as ear protection. My Hobbit keeps suggesting I make spitballs out of tissue or napkins and use that as noise canceling headphones. um...no...that wet yuck in my ears would trigger a whole different kind of sensitivity. non-HSPs just wouldn't get it, but I KNOW you would.
My dad took me out to the farm fields of SD when I was three years old to learn how to shoot. The kickback on the gun was enough to send me flying! The bang made me cry. yeah. that didn't happen again. but my older brother would shoot for fun after school when he was 7!
Good story. :)
Inspired me to share a couple bullet stories from my own family lol.
My dad once thought shooting a bees nest (very close to the house) with his .22 would be brilliant. We had bee matter allllllll over after that.
My brother was running away from a cougar (who was busy eating a deer) one time. He has one bullet for his rifle. When the family went back to see where the cougar had been. They asked… what are all these pock marks in the snow? His response - “It was here I dropped my bullet.”
We did the bee thing before, but with a BB gun, when I was a kid.
Regarding the Cougar!! LOL, that's pretty funny. I would've just fainted, effectively playing dead. Mountain Lions live right behind us here and come into town on occasion. Yiiiikes.
Thanks for reading, Dungeon Mistress!
“After being rejected by the Army because I had a “heart murmur,” …” really? I served with a congenital heart murmur. But it has since faded away. I think would qualify myself of at least moderate to high sensitivity - but I repressed a lot of it in the name of survival.
It was more than just that but didn't want to include the whole list LOL. I'm glad though, because I think I wouldn't have done well in the military. Mine has faded away too!!
I went clay pigeon shooting once, my shoulder was bruised for a week after, still fancy trying a shooting range, but not many around.
We used to do that too, and our shoulders were often bruised after it. I wonder if they have like a little pillow you can put behind the stock?
That'd be a good idea even if they don't.
They MUST have that, they have everything known to man for guns.
Are you the cutest kid ever in these pics?!
Yes. But remember, I had a gun 😬😆😆 (not that I wanted it)
Guns are loud! Very loud! I'm not a jumpy sort, but jump when a gun goes off. My first time shooting various firearms was down in a little Texas town at a friend's house who lived on acres and no one was around except for those shooting targets affixed to hay bales. I thought, "this is REALLY dangerous". I hold that thought to this day.
They are SO loud!! Like you NEED hearing protection or you’re going to do damage to your ears!
EXACTLY! 😁 We wore ear protection, like heavy duty ear muffs. They worked! Still loud, though.
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL and LIMH 😂 That was great! Red Dawn was intense, too.
Thanks Melanie! LIMH, I think I need to watch that again!! :-)
It's a perfect, overcast and drizzly evening for watching it here! You guys totally should, esp if your son has not seen the Patrick Swayze original.
He hasn't! I need to have him watch this insane movie Lol
It terrified me when it came out. That's how good the acting in it was. Plus, my hubs was in Europe in the military......
This was one we sneak watched on HBO as a kid 😅
You're kidding??? Your parents did not approve? Or just didn't know you knew how to get into HBO at that time?