{stories and snapshots from my new york city life.}

10.04.2011

Jennie, Get Your Gun

A few weekends ago, I shot my first gun. Pow-pow-pow. Twenty-two years in Texas I never so much as touched a gun, but one weekend in upstate New York and suddenly I'm packin' heat.

photo by Pat Yeaman

Our friends Joy and Joe invited us to spend some time at Joy's parents house about 3 1/2 hours outside of NYC. A long winding road leads up to their beautiful, sun-drenched house, and when day slips into night, the view from their living room is this:

I just don't know how people live this way. It's so primitive.

Anyway, Joy's parents--much like Joy herself--are awesome. Warm, funny and very laid-back. Joy's mom is a great photographer and Joy's dad is retired NYPD and incidentally, the perfect candidate for teaching us how to shoot skeet. I never really knew what shooting "skeet" was, but basically someone pushes a button, a little orange disc flies through the air and you shoot it. 

A very pregnant Joy showed me how to send the skeet flying.

photo by Pat Yeaman

I took my skeet-launching job very seriously. Looks like I'm detonating a bomb. Or a whoopie cushion.

Vin was first up to shoot and ended up hitting his target nearly every time. I swear, that guy is good at almost everything he tries. It's kind of annoying.

So freakin' smug.

photo by Pat Yeaman

Then it was my turn. I was more tentative, which you can see in my body language. Fidgety fingers, tension in the forehead. Even when my mouth isn't yappin', I speak volumes.

"So you're saying there's nothing over there that I can injure or kill by shootin' this thing? Got any squirrels in them trees? Trespassing neighbors? Humans of any shape or size?"

Then I shot the damn thing and whoa! Kick-back! I always heard about that, but when you actually feel it, man is it ever weird. I shot exactly once and backed away--that was enough for me. By the way, I know I look super-sporty and all, but it turns out I'm an absolutely horrible shot. A fetus has better eye-hand-coordination than I do.

photo by Pat Yeaman

Have you ever shot a gun? How'd you fare? Were you good, bad or ugly?

12 comments:

  1. I can remember shooting a line-up of beer cans...I think that was it for me. Guns scare the crap out of me (smile).

    What an awesome day you enjoyed outside the city. I am glad you took the time to share it with us.

    Velva

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  2. Dear Jenn
    My husband (retired Port Authority cop, not NYPD) & I loved having you & Vin visit out home. Thanks for including the kind words about it in your blog.
    Pat & Richie Yeaman

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  3. Haha I love your story!

    I actually really enjoy shooting a gun - I grew up on a small farm (similar to your primitive photo, lol) and would shoot at cans and bottles we had set up. My uncle had handguns & rifles.. it was a bit scary with that kickback, but gave me a thrill everytime! :)

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  4. I did shoot a pistol at my brother's place once. I was kinda scared I'd end up with a blackeye from kick back, but I survived unmarked! It was a cool experience, but I'm not anxious to do it again. My husband on the other hand loves it and really wants to go to a shooting range when we head to Las Vegas in a few weeks.

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  5. I've never fired a gun before. I'm a bit scared! You look totally rocking though Girl.

    Both of you are so cute and too sweet looking to be holding guns!

    hugs (^.^) hope to hear from you *
    amyflyingakite.com

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  6. I love shooting skeet! Am I good at it? Nope.
    One of the best dates I've ever been on was at a shooting range. Hillbilly? Maybe. But he had some military-grade weapons and we were out in the middle of nowhere and it was a fabulous time.

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  7. omg im so afraid of guns but you make it look so cute.

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  8. Cor blimey Jenn! Awesome pics by the way! You look ultra cute in stripes, with man!

    I shot an AK-47 in Cambodia years back and the kick back was insane! There was also the choice to try out Rambo's weapon of choice too...MK60 i think it was?

    x.o.x.o

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  9. Wow, you look like a natural! And this is probably the most girly thing I could possibly say about the matter but you dressed sort of perfectly for the occasion -- the gun could be an accessory.

    My brother was a paratrooper and then a narcotics officer, so shooting cans in his backyard is sort of the typical passtime when I visit him. I'm actually pretty good! I did best with handguns, but automatic weapons were a little harder. Not that I as of yet have any good reason in life to know how to fire a machine gun.

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  10. That is so cool! I need to make friends like yours---all these awesome locales you always get to go to and staying at those cute little homes---totally need to get on that.

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  11. oh my gosh...hilarious! a fetus with better hand-eye coordination? jenn, you are so hysterical. I like that fidgety picture. so cute.

    I shot a 22 when I was a kid at summer camp. Then I didn't shoot anything until I went to a shooting range with my hubs, years later, to get over my fear of guns. I shot some handgun and ended up being a pretty good (for a girl:P). I surprised myself (and the hubs) and I think he was slightly annoyed that I did better than him.

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  12. Ha! This is awesome :) I actually signed up for a rifle shooting class in a few weeks here in Manhattan. I grew up in Kansas around farm kids who all knew how to shoot deer and turkeys and now that I'm almost 30, I guess I'll take a shot ;) I am loving your blog!

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