Stuff I don't plan on giving up: Part 2

Every man needs a sport.

And I don't mean a sport you watch on TV. While there is, without a doubt, a certain need for men to gather together and observe the nation's finest athletes doing their thing, and perhaps supporting some team with which you feel some loyalty or connection.

And I'm not talking about coaching your kids' little league team, though that's certainly noble, too.

No, I think every man should have at least one sport that they actually participate in. It doesn't have to be athletic- just something in which a man can engage his competitive spirit. Something he can win. I maintain that being competitive helps a guy maintain his sense of vigor; it helps him give his kids the sense of focus and drive they'll need to succeed in the real world. And while we compete every day at work, there are few concrete victories in the workplace. In sport, there are. So having a sport is, in my opinion, absolutely key.

For me, that sport is racing. I do a few others, too- but racing is where my real passion is at. Lucky for me, my sort of racing (called 'autocross') isn't one where I'm likely to get killed or drop a couple of thousand dollars per weekend, which, I'd say, greatly increases the likelihood that I'll get to continue participating in. This one takes up about one weekend a month from March to October, and costs less than pretty much any other form of racing.

This year is sizing up pretty well. Five races into the season and I'm leading the regional championship rankings for my class by a healthy eight-point margin. I had my first real test of how sustainable this sport was going to be, already- we had a race just a week after the baby was born. My wife, God bless her, knew how important this was to me, and practically shooed me out the door. Life is good.

Of course, that first time, she had her mom to stick around and help her out, and as I've noticed with other friends, they just get to be more and more of a handful as time goes on. Still, I'm optimistic that I won't have to give this up.

I do have other sports that may fall, though. I've been fairly active in my local Ultimate Frisbee league for the last few years, and I love it- but Ultimate night falls between the other two nights where I have MBA classes, and I would like to get to know my daughter at some point. And I don't know how much I'll get out to play golf. But giving those up are a lot easier, knowing that I'm getting to keep the one that's really important to me, you know?

So, hon, I know you're reading this- thank you!