Happy International Laser Tag Day!

Yes, today is International Laser Tag Day. It is also Monday, therefore every laser tag center in the area is closed. Sigh...but it's ok because I played every day this weekend so I got my fill and have time to recap since I must have the day off from work for a holiday like this, right? Oh...well, my boss says no, back to work.

Anyhow, the weekend was good and I got in three consecutive days of tag. Friday we got the team together as best we could (3/5) at the Force arena to just get some arena time in and work out a bit of strategy. There were some moments that really reinforced that some internal strategy we’ve discussed has excellent results when actually put into play. Then Saturday was a Zone night. Had a great time as always, although I’ll acknowledge that something felt slightly off kilter. I won’t blame the pack, but something was a little off…five feet from Joe I continuously missed on a courtesy shot? Seriously? But perhaps I was just preoccupied with performing little skits at the counter to make our game master notice this awesome shirt…

 

It's officially Kevin's catch phrase, which seemed all the more apropos only because (as it turns out) apparently some people actually were not being all that nice to each other in the arena. My overly dramatic "what was that cardinal rule again?" and "Tyler, are you TRYING to make me cry?" laments were as phony and over the top as could be, but with real stuff on his mind these concocted dramatizations got no play and they went right over his head. Sigh...no payoff for my attempt at tag humor!

Then on Sunday, in spite of it being Easter (and the night of a big SU game) a group gathered for some SM5. Honestly, I still feel very detached from this, but I wanted to put in some time and effort. I failed miserably as resupply in the first game of the night and things were not improving much after that. But I did have one brief moment of glory in the last game I played before calling it a night. My entire team was huddled in the resupply alcove...a tight fit which momentarily made them sitting ducks. I saw the player from the green team make his move and in one of those perfect slow-motion split seconds I got my shot off a fraction of a moment faster than he did and deactivated him. Awesome moment, awesome feedback...for literally about a second. Then someone took me out, ironically before I could get my own resupply shots, but what can you do. I felt like I had taken one for the team and left feeling, well, a little less like I'd walked out of a scene from Invasion of the Body Snatchers...but also like I'd gotten something worthwhile out of this night, even if just in that second. So three nights of tag will be my effort towards the celebration of International Laser Tag Day. The light still shines! :)

 

 

Comments or questions?

Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com

 

More Learning Experiences

I jokingly say that the other night was the night that we all got put in our place…but in actuality it was just a really great learning experience to have our league team getting some practice with different game formats in a different space than where we typically play. In our home arena we are all top players, but this night was a whole other game. We were on different turf playing a different system and appreciative of the guidance from those who are the more experienced players here. We had four of us there from the Return of the Jim Jim Squad...or Vision/Fission...or whatever we actually end up calling ourselves for the league! :)

 

 

Working on specific skill sets was part of the game plan early in the night before moving on to some SM5 later on. It's quite a change from the norm, even though several of us have played a bit of Force before...it's been more limited in "real" play. For me a lack of patience in missiling is my Achilles heel, but "knowing is half the battle." So that's part of what I tried to work on. But when it came time for some SM5 there was a lot more for us to try to put together. I want to thank the group we were playing with for all being very cool about using this night for teaching skills and concepts well. Special shout out to Abby, Lenny and Nate for each offering some specific guidance and useful tips throughout the night.

 

 

One beneficial aspect of the night was getting to perch above the arena to observe a match with the arena's A and B teams.

 

 

 

This bird's eye view affords a very different perspective and reinforced a lot, particularly the importance of good communication and the primary purpose of particular roles.

All in all, this was probably one of the most beneficial nights I've spent learning and working on skills outside of my norm. Again, thanks to the whole crew who came out on Sunday to make it really worthwhile.

 

 

Comments or questions?

Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com

Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com

Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com

Empowerment Through Laser Tag

I've had a couple of conversations this week where laser tag has come up in unexpected contexts. In one discussion I was talking with someone about a few of my various side projects and it was pointed out to me that considering how many things I do that tie back to women's empowerment (mostly in the competition scene) that it was interesting to this person that I equally love laser tag so much. The implication being that because tag is predominantly played by a different group (mostly younger guys) that it somehow wasn't on par as an empowering activity for me as a woman. I considered this...then realized later on while dominating the arena that this is exactly why this is one of the most empowering things I do, and possibly because I am a woman. There is no better feeling than conquering a game of laser tag and then getting appreciation (and sometimes the agitation) returned from the other players, most of whom underestimate me when they first look at me and at face value don't figure me to be much competition. Shattering that misconception is the most empowering feeling, just short of having someone put a crown on your head. :)

I definitely felt empowered during the games last night. I had an undefeated streak that began with the first game played against a smaller group. Initially all the players including two formidable looking teenagers clustered to one team leaving me alone on the red team. The game master tried to get them to balance the teams (although I said I really didn't mind) and those guys went to the green team while I stayed red playing solo against everyone else. Those teen guys were actually very good players and they worked well as a team, but I didn't let them get over on me. At the end of the game as we walked out one of them loudly announced "next game I'm on her team." By this time a lot more people had arrived to fill out a much larger game next round and that same kid said to one of his buddies "she just kicked our asses in there." The buddy sized me up and said "really?" with skepticism in his voice. I said "yes, really" and did it all over again. Making someone re-evaluate their initial assessment of what I can do is one of the most vindicating and satisfying results of a well played game.

Although I had been the top scorer all night, by the end of the evening a new group had joined and they came to play. They were all strategizing by the map on the far wall and they looked at me with no knowledge of how the night had gone up to this point. They said "Did you come to play hard tonight? Join our team." I smiled to myself thinking "Did I come to play hard? Get ready for it." And I was ready to really show them. Until...

I sensed during the course of the night that the Legend pack was running out of juice and needed to be recharged. Unfortunately this was the game when it really started to give out. I could tell...the shots were slower if they shot at all. I was only getting half the shots I triggered to actually fire. I had to play twice as hard to compensate for a pack that was half as effective without a charge. Damn, this was not the game where I wanted to see this happen. I really felt compelled to play harder and just hoped it would be enough. When we exited to check the scores I was (thankfully) still on top, but by an incredibly narrow margin that did not properly reflect what I thought would have happened if I had a fully charged pack. Please realize that I never blame the pack for my shortcomings in a game, but this time was different and the fact that I came out in first place in spite of this pack is what I was proudest about in this round. While my score was disappointing compared to my other games it was apparently still impressive to this group who "recruited" me again for the final game. They asked my advice on strategy, they followed my lead and they kept calling me their "ringer". Cool. We switched to the blue team (since my pack was dead anyway there was no real reason to stay on red) and with the Jinx pack (ironic, right) I had full power again and went at this game hard. I could feel that game was on point and our team came out on top. After the announcement over the speakers that the blue team won the opposing team was shouting "don't kid yourself, it's only because you had that lady on your team." Well...haters gonna hate. :) But this whole night felt incredible and incredibly empowering. Now I'm off to support some other women participating in a completely different kind of empowering competition...and when it's over I think I'll go back to the arena and do it all over again.

Comments or questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com
Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com

Tagging for a Cause

OK, you all know I love laser tag and sparkly hats, but this is probably the first time that these two things have collided like this...

Yes, she was running around on my team playing in full regalia with sash and crown and I love it! :) Shout out to Abby for running a successful laser tag fundraiser in support of suicide awareness and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I went to support, play some tag and represent my MMV crew (with a name that mostly fit on the scoreboard).

I used the new membership because obviously my tiara girls don't know me as Tivia, but it was a totally moot point as it appeared that Abby and I were the only pageant people in the house. Regardless, it was a nice turnout for a worthwhile cause.

However, when the night started I was a bit concerned that I might have to title this blog entry "Played So Much Zone Lately That I Can't Remember How To Play Force Anymore." My first couple of games were that rough! But I found my groove a little later on and also enjoyed playing a round of Royal Rumble tag. Essentially it started with two players with limited lives and then two more players were added into the mix and entered the arena every 45 seconds. It was a good time. Thanks to Abby for organizing the event and to all who were there to support and raise money while laser tagging for a worthy cause.

Comments or questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com
Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com

In Session All Weekend

As of this morning I am officially registered for Armageddon again. Because I am ready to be put in my place by the best of the best laser tag players...and come out the other side stronger and better for it. :)

By pure coincidence I was wearing my t-shirt from last year's Armageddon when I went out to tag last night in Albany after rehearsal. I was only about eight minutes away from the smaller arena I don't get to much, so I thought I'd check that out first. I think mixing it up and playing in different spaces when possible helps keep you sharp. And I have a feeling what I did in there was the equivalent of what some Armageddon players can do to me...but it is all in the game.

As mentioned, this is a much smaller arena. While I've never yet seen it played at capacity, it's really better suited for small group or one on one stealth games anyhow. When I arrived I became part of a group with three other young adults. Very appropriate competition. The game master, Alli, told the others about me saying "she's really good". I'm flattered to have made an impression because I play here so limited. Then the two women said that the guy with them was good too. Ok, so he's the one to watch.

We went into the vesting room and one woman said she wanted to play on my team. We made introductions and headed into the arena where she whispered to me "they can kind of be jerks about this" to advise me of the competitive way the others in the group play. I said, "that's ok, so can I" and with that comment it was like she gave me permission to go full out. And so, I did.

There were no active bases this game, so all the points were earned from direct tags. I felt like a person dancing a around the arena with the way that game played. So smooth. The opposing team was decent competition, but the benefit of my experience showed and I ran that arena hard and took every shot. I didn't check my accuracy, but it had to have been quite high because the shots came so smoothly. I really like the equipment we use there. They have brand new Rift packs and you can tell they are new and shoot really clean shots.

At the end of the round we walked out of the arena and someone commented "I think we all just got schooled." Yes, my points were on top. With no bases and only two targets it was a reasonable score for this situation, but I won't post it like it's the best representation of my playing. Instead I'll save that for what happened next.

One game there seemed more than sufficient, so I went over to my Infusion arena twenty minutes away. I arrived to find a pretty decent sized group about to play. I was primed for success. The girl who won the previous game said she would show us how it was done. I smiled on the inside before...well, really showing them how it's done. :)

Towards the end of the game one guy was aiming his phaser right at me through a window in one of the alcoves, but I smoothly diffused that with one shot as the game ended. He shook his head and said "you just wrecked me." Thank you and good night.

The next day after the show I thought I'd go back. I conducted an experiment...is the power in my hat? I had performed earlier and my hair was still full of hair spray so I played what might have been the only game of laser tag I ever have without my Photon hat (other than in a tournament). Spoiler alert...it's not about the hat.

They told me there was a birthday party  with a bunch of 18 year olds and they asked if I wanted to get into that round. I believe I said "hell yeah" with the expectation of a typical laser tag group of rowdy guys to target. I know that was a bit of a sexist expectation...and yet I was still surprised when it turned out that they were 18 year old girls. Now, as a woman who plays laser tag I wholeheartedly support other women playing tag, but I'll just say it wasn't quite the game I was expecting. I won that game by a wide margin and then figured I'd seek out some stronger competition at Zero Gravity. And I found it.

When I walked in there was a full house and an intense looking group. I noticed a marine recruiter's card on the counter and wondered if this was a group of potential recruits in the mix? This was some awesome tag...few intense rounds and I left happy I got two days of quality tag in Albany. :)

Comments or questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com
Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com

Tagging Into Another Year

"Happy Birthday Tivia! Hope you get to celebrate in the best way, with the pew pew!" - RivalBlue

Indeed, I did get to celebrate in the best way. My birthday included arriving at my office to find my desk draped in Happy Birthday decor, a delicious sushi lunch, cake with co-workers and a fun night out enjoying music in the evening following...laser tag!

What is ironic about how I spent my birthday is that so often when I explain to people that I play laser tag I find myself defending it by saying "it's not like what you imagine when you think of laser tag at a children's birthday party." Well, last night I suppose it was in a way...only with much bigger kids!

I began and ended the night with a couple of wins and appreciated that I got some solid competition throughout the evening from Joe and Paul. And that there was a reasonably sized group of players considering it was a weeknight with nothing particularly special going on. But it was special because it was spending my day doing what I love with great people and having a wonderful time playing it out hard with those who played it hard too. I couldn't ask for a better way to spend the night. We did go out to a bar afterwards with intentions of watching Joe and Tyler in their band, Dusk Till Dawn. Unfortunately, this night it didn't look like the band was going to take the stage until Dusk...or possibly Dawn...and I had to work the next day. However, it was still a really chill night out. And to wrap things up I even heard from my favorite resident "bad guy"...

Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday To You
Happy Birthday Dear LaaaauuuRRRRIIIIeeeeeeeeeeee
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!
Hope you had an awesome day. Love ya……D~

Thanks to all who made it a really special day!

Comments or questions?
Contact: tivia@tiviachickloveslasertag.com
Websites: www.tiviachickloveslasertag.com and www.photonforever.com
Blog: tiviachickloveslasertag.blogspot.com