The holidays are over, I paid my family dues, put close to 2000 miles on my car in two weeks, and my out-of-town guests have finally gone home. I feel like I can breathe again.

But now I am left dealing with the stress that comes from all of these commitments, car repairs, and house cleaning (both physical and mental). So I figured I would find a constructive method to help me relieve some of this built up tension, instead of going postal on my family and friends – at least they appreciate that.

I narrowed down my search to three fun, frugal, and physical activities that are guaranteed to help you let loose and take out some much needed aggression!

The last time I remember swinging a bat, I was on my sixth grade softball team, fighting off heatstroke, and hit in the face with a softball. Not a very pleasant memory. So I was a bit hesitant to put myself back in a situation where balls would be flying past my nose, but I decided the best way to overcome my fear was to get back on the horse and into the batting cage.

At Boomer’s, they supply you with a helmet, bat, and several cages ranging from slow pitch softball to baseball pitching machines that throw at speeds up to 70mph. Two dollars buys you 30 pitches (which is more than enough for a novice). During the weekday, you can purchase blocks of time if you want more batting practice: 15 minutes for $10, 30 minutes for $18, and 60 minutes for $32.

For my first try, I decided on the very fast pitch baseball cage. I probably hit 1 in 5 pitches, but it was a lot of fun nonetheless. Seeing that I didn’t do so well on my first attempt, my friends and I moved to the softball cages in order to have a fighting chance of hitting more balls. On a side note, all of the cages are also supposed to modify their pitches between ‘strikes’ and ‘balls’ for more of a challenge.

Pros: The batting cages can be a lot of fun and definitely a good workout. No wonder some of those professional baseball players are fit. The cost is minimal and even on a weekend it was easy to find an open cage. And we saw some cute baseball boys of our own putting in some practice time. Yum.

Cons: Beginners beware. My friend warned me that I would be sore the next day, but I scoffed at the idea. I mean, I hit the gym several times a week, so I would be fine, right? I was wrong. My forearms and upper chest were killing me, and it took me a few days to get the grip back in my hands – not very conducive for a virile young gay man.

For more information, visit www.boomersparks.com/park/sandiego/index.html.

Except for a few rounds of miniature golf every few years, I’ve never picked up a golf club (do my golf bar crawls count?). However, I thought whacking a few balls with a club would be a great way to release some stress; so I enlisted the help of one of my straights, because who else would I know own golf clubs?

With our clubs in hand, we headed to the Balboa Park Golf Course and purchased a bucket full of golf balls. Many missed swings and a few drives to 150 yards later, we were ready to go. I could only keep my composure so long before I needed a drink.

Pros: A basket of golf balls is cheap and it was easy to find an open spot. If you don’t own a set of clubs, you can also rent them.

Cons: There are a lot of seasoned players around, so be sure to mind your manners. And do not to let go of your golf club when swinging; at the Balboa Park Golf Course, there is a big canyon just below that it will fall into its demise.

For more information on the Balboa Park Golf Course, visit www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/golf/bpgolf.shtml.

Did you have a horrible week at work? Dealing with relationship drama? Do you ever feel the need to break something, but don’t want to deal with the clean up? Then get your booty over to Sarah’s Smash Shack for some good ‘ole madness and mayhem.

At Sarah’s Smash Shack, you can choose from a full menu of items to break in order to help release stress in a safe and controlled environment. On our first adventure, my friends and I decided to purchase two “House Specials” and a “Mystery Box,” for a total of 30 dishware items.

The whole experience was thrilling and cathartic. First, you get suited up from head to toe in safety gear, including a helmet, jumpsuit, gloves and boots. When you’re completely ready to break, you’re escorted to your break room and can setup your dishes as you please before you commence the carnage. There are even Sharpies in the room for you to write on the dishes whatever makes you angry so you can … wait for it … break it!

I actually got to meet Sarah of Sarah’s Smash Shack and she told me one customer actually brought in a photo of their neighbor’s house to put on the break wall so they could throw things at it! What a trip!

Pros: Breaking things is just plain fun and a great form of therapy. You can bring your MP3 player or iPod to have your own mix to jam out to when unleashing your anger. Also, the broken pieces don’t go to waste; you can contact the Smash Shack in order to obtain some for artwork, art therapy programs, and even student projects.

Cons: It’s the priciest activity of the three, and there are only two break rooms that accommodate up to four people at a time. But there is a nice lounge for large parties to relax in between breaking sessions.

For the complete 4-1-1 on the Smash Shack, visit www.smashshack.com.