fine whine

I did something today that I haven't done many times before - I injured myself playing with fire. My previous mishaps with the dancing orange devil lost me just my dignity and a little hair, but I think I might have a first-degree burn this time.

So what I was doing? Lighting fireworks. Potentially illegal fireworks, though the dangerous bit wasn't them, but the book of matches.

You see, despite all my other abilities and general dexterity, I'm no good at lighting paper matches. the conventional way. So I'm of the 'flip the cover and use that for extra friction' school, which, I might add, works great almost every time.

Except when the matchbook is old (or just odd) and the black striking line is on the same side of the book as the rest of the matches, in which case the entire book lights up, and I drop the flaming book and start swearing in the presence of my friend's parents and some young, impressionable children.

Oops.

Back when I was in high school, and carried a lighter or two (didn't smoke, just liked to light things) I never once even slightly burned myself. Now that I'm 'grown-up'... well, that just makes it all the more embarrassing.

And it hurts. Not just my pride, but the palm of my hand, too.