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Ha – I just remembered what I did last year for Valentine’s Day. I went shooting at Coal Creek Armory. See, Gypsy Queen was training to be a spy, (apparently you can dream REALLY big after cancer) and we all know that to be a good spy you have to know how to shoot. We were going to go for her birthday a few days earlier, but after drinking a margarita at El Charro we figured it probably wasn’t the best time to go shooting. Then we found out that ladies shoot for FREE on Tuesdays at Coal Creek! And what with it being a year ago, Valentine’s Day was on a Tuesday, perfecta!

The only thing I was concerned with was that the place would be full of bitter women that based their sense of self-worth on if they had a date for Valentine’s Day or not. Luckily it wasn’t, there were no bitter women there at all. There was a bitter guy though, although he let it out with humor. He made a big cardboard woman and wrote, “love sucks’ or something like that and sent it clear back to the far wall before obliterating it with some semi automatic something or other. There was a strange mix of people there though; us, that guy, a family, you know Mom, Dad, and kids all together - what a beautiful sight to see, and a one couple. Gyps and I shared a .45 I think, and went through at least 2 boxes of ammo? We took turns shooting which worked out fairly well, except Gyps has since determined she likes .25’s better. Her hands are much smaller than mine so the .45 was a bit much for her. It’s my favorite gun, well I do like 9 mm too.

Funny though to see how differently we approached shooting. Gyps was very careful, she took her time, aimed and fired. And she kept the target practice sheets. She also improved as the evening wore on, getting closer and closer to the bulls eye. I, on the other hand, unloaded the clip within seconds. I used to shoot with my old boss and he got me hip to the joys of unleashing a clip as fast as you can. If you haven’t done it, try it! It feels great, like a good cry, or a deep belly laugh will, just in a very aggressive, testosterone-ish, manly way. He said that’s probably the closest I can come to know what it feels like to be a guy. Now, I in NO was endorse unloading it on someone those target practices at Coal Creek do just fine. There is so much power in those guns; it’s hard to think about it for me. Kinda like if you’re going to jump off the high dive you have to make up your mind on the ground, climb up, and just jump off. If I stop and think about it – I won’t do it. So, when I shoot I just let her rip, and I don’t pay much attention to aiming – I go by feel – the Yoda way. You know what’s really weird though? I’m not a half bad shot, either.