From the article;

"Crabbing is one of the charms of the Oregon coast, a place as well known for its seafood as for its surf and sand. You can fish almost anywhere. Or you can get down and dirty and play in the mud; a shovelful can hold clams, shrimp and other tasty surprises.

There's something therapeutic about stomping around in big boots and digging holes in squishy mud. Scientists say playing in the mud has lots of pluses: It helps increase brain and physical activity and reduces susceptibility to depression and allergens. Of course, these studies focus on why it's good for kids, not adults. But we're all just big kids, right?"

My own personal story about playin' in the mud and getting messy started when I was about 5 or 6. I remember goin' off with another kid my age, and we found some construction mud to play in. When we got back to his house, his mother yelled at me for gettin' her kid all muddy. Flash forward a few years, when I was about 10 or 11, and for some reason, I don't know why, this became a big sexual attraction for me. I would put on some favorite boots and jeans, go off to a private place, start messin' around in the mud, boots first, then jeans, sometimes all of my clothes. I'd bring myself up to this euphoric ecstasy and shoot my load, which then would immediately be followed by depression and anxiety. Why do I do this, what's the matter with me, etc???. This was way before the internet era, and I knew no one who did this, so I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. And to make it all worse, I realized that I was attracted to guys, (back then, being 'gay' meant you were happy...lol). I did start messing with other things, food, paint, oil, etc., always with clothes on, which made it all worse as I had to keep all my messed up clothes, (if I couldn't get them clean again), a secret from my folks. I did get caught a few times, and always made up some story, (lied...) about what had happened. So I led a 'double' life for a really, really long time; I was popular in school, dated girls, did all the things a 'straight' guy would do, but all the while, still getting messed up, doing things I really loved to do in secret.

Fortunately these days with the internet and sites like this one, it all doesn't seem to be a big deal thing after all. Though if I were 10 again, I'd still think twice before I would tell my folks;
"Mom, Dad, I get really sexually turned on by trashing my clothes in the mud, or paint, or food, whatever, and by the way, I'm Gay too!"