If struggling with your chops, maybe someone hit you in the face. #brasslessons #lifelessons #music

This may sound self-explanatory but if your embouchure is really sore and you can not figure out why in the world you are not playing like you normally do, consider if you were just playing a contact sport, and if you might have been "clocked" in the face. Yeah, it's funny, kind of. Recently, I have been battling with my chops and only after trimming my beard did I see a dark mark above my lips - a bruise. It all came rushing back then - the flying elbow, my complaint to the basketball ref (that went unanswered!) and the light-headedness. Time to get some mouth gear. I am not sure if that would have reduced this injury but it is worth trying. I would hate to think that I would have to give-up men's basketball night. It is intense but some weeks, it is the only exercise I get, and I do love the run and the occasional 3-pointer I sink. Anyway, there is my strange advice for this post.