Apparently, I am a huge klutz. I can ride a bike for thousands of miles and not have an accident that causes serious damage. But then I'll be walking out to my car in a parking lot, then trip on a rock and hurt myself. I'll cut up wood in my backyard with a chainsaw, then later stab myself with a pencil.

I don't know why it has to be like that. It's better than the alternative.

So... here's the story on my latest accident. Went to a party. Stayed a few hours, but didn't drink any alcohol at all. Left the party and started to walk down the stairs. I knew they were slippery and wet, so I grabbed onto the railing. I slipped anyway. Took a beautiful tumble down the rest of the stairs, rolling and rolling, until my head arrested the fall against a concrete railing. The people who saw my fall said they were surprised I was still alive. After I fell, I brushed myself off, got up, walked to my car, and drove home.

Diagnosis? Bruise on left knee, bruise on back of left thigh, and bump on back right side of head. They'll go away in a few days.

I was lucky. However, there are some things you can do when falling that will decrease your chances of serious injury. I credit playing ultimate frisbee (and falling down hundreds of times) with teaching me how to fall correctly. Most importantly, go with the flow. Don't fight it by putting your arms out to stop the fall. That's the quickest way to break a wrist. If you can, protect your head with your arms. Try to land on larger parts of your body, such as your hips, buttocks, and shoulders. And last, try to even out the force hitting the ground by lying prostrate. You stand less chance of injury if your body weight is spread out among your legs and torso as opposed to bringing it all down at one point, such as your wrist or knee.

Next training for me: How to Use Stairs 101.