A timed match
I finally get to play my first match of the season. Thrilled. I went to yoga for over an hour and swam 20 laps – only because the pool was empty, couldn’t resist – that’s why I was running tight.
The opposing captain was very nice. I felt so good that he didn’t have a proper scrod card – which made my wrong score card looked so right -:).
I played our lady opponent three times previously, she led 2-1: won two mixed but lost to Jenn and I last summer. We broke her, then I went to serve at 2-1. My partner told me just hold the serve we could win. I promptly lost it at love. There were many long rallies and our opponents were gracious, we complimenting on each others good points throughout the match. We finally took the first at 4 after trading more breaks. The second set got off to a strong start, we jumped to 3-0 lead. At 5-2, there was six minutes left. I was very mindful of the very same situation at our recent match but chose not to drain the clock with the 90 second change over allowance. I served for that game and lost. She still wanted to continue, saying there are two more minutes left. Just at the same time, Fred Derman, the opposing captain walked onto the the court, and informed her about the five minutes rule.
What would I have done should we trailing behind?
I knew I would continue but would try to hold the game -:)
A refurbished trophy
My friend played well in the 2009/10 winter season and came up on top. The other day he saw a discounted golf trophy in a shop, liked it so much that he made the shop owner to refurbished it to tennis, and awarded himself for the win, three years after the fact. file 23160
Learning something new everyday, great.
We are no just crazy about tennis, some are down right nuts.
I’ve to admit that it is a love trophy.
Good eye, buddy.
Our 5th match has gone well, nice opponents and enjoyable games.
Taking a fly 坐飞机
My time at the Equinox health club is progressing well. I return to play tennis full throttle in January 2013.
Mission accomplished.
I continuously go to the club because of the year long contractual obligation. But most importantly, I enjoy the yoga and Pilate, and could tell them apart.
A few months into the yoga, one day the instructor introduces a new pose, prasarita padottanasana – Standing Forward Bend Shoulder Opener. The name looks intimidating but the pose is really simple.
“Stand hip-width with soft knees. Interlace your hands behind your back.”
Kim the instructor rarely demonstrates. She prefers to teach by words.
“Inhale and lift your chest up and exhale and fold over fold over your legs.”
She has a smoothing lovely voice. A tin island accent only makes her voice whimsical.
“Relax. Move your arms over your head.” The eventual goal is to have your hands touch the floor with your hyperextended arm.
Many yogis when practice, is to live in that moment. To find tranquility, to find inner peace; relax and to regroup. I can certainly live in the moment, find peace and to relax but most time, I find my mind wandering. Therefore, I often peek to copy what other model yogis are doing. So I don’t have to follow her wordy instructions, thus freeing up my mind.
One look to my right. I am stunned.
Oh my dear Lord.
Is this really a yoga pose? I suddenly feel tears filled my eyes.
What they are posing now is .. doing the airplane 坐飞机, a torturous position which was widely used to humiliate the alleged class enemies during the Cultural Revolution in China.
Calm down
I haven’t been sick in ages, so when I had a headache last Tuesday night, it took me a couple of hours to figure it out why my head felt funny. Diarrhea followed on Wednesday. I went to bed early last night, watched a few movies. When I was about to sleep, I got a text from my co-captain that we had swept.
Yapeee.
Today all the symptoms are gone and I feel great. Checking on the scores, I realized someone had changed the lineup. With the newly regained energy, I started to spam everyone, as if we haven’t had enough drama this season.
No, no, no, calm down, my co-cap said. The match were well. When he got to the court as both teams started writing lineups on napkins at the small VIP Transportation Lounge next to the clay courts.
..
There is no viewing area at the clay courts so one of the opposing captains went back home to Bklyn and I sat with the other lady captain and chatted for 2 hrs. Their team’s philosophy was to have fun, play everyone and took in a lot of new players that had no teams (while we aim to make the playoffs). We were discussing if we should drive our Manh ladies home since she had 2 and we had 2. Everything worked itself out and we left very cordially.
..
There are teams that are cordial and display good sportsmanship, which makes the league play so much more enjoyable, fun for everyone.
And .. my senior moment ..
Irene:
you forgot that i already paid you 5 matches for queens league… you bought my share from GNE and i was short for some $ and then i paypal you the balance. it’s like a few days ago…
regards,
xxx
Madison Keys turned to tennis at 4 when inspired by Venus Williams’ dress
MELBOURNE, Australia – As a 4-year-old she watched Venus Williams (turned pro: 1994 at age of 13) playing on TV and fell in love with her dress.
So began the tennis career of Madison Keys (Born: Feb 17, 1995 ).
“I really wanted a tennis dress,” said Keys, now 17. “My parents told me that if I played, they would buy me one. I was like, ‘Hey, I’ll try it.'”
Keys now has a closet full of tennis dresses and enough talent to have reached the third round at the Australian Open on Wednesday.
No drama but my own
We swept both matches last night: the LI 8.0 (4th) and the Queens 7.0‘s first match. No drama, everyone’s happy. Congratulations kids!
I could put a happy ending period here. Pix on FB.
But ..
King was scheduled to fly out of JFK at 10:50pm and he told me that he’s down with a mild cold, headache and sleepy at about 5pm.
Quickly, I divided the night:
6:30 to the club, setting things up – we were hosting
7:10-8:10 home, to check on him, despite him saying, it’s necessary ..
8:20-9:00 at the club, taking care of the league match and the full house 9pm-11pm that followed
9:10 to JFK
When I returned to the club, finally had a moment to check my emails, I found one player informed me at 6:48 that he needed to cancel. I wasn’t too worried, because there’s 17th player who signed up at last second. So I called Mr. 17th, who readily agreed to come.
The result from our Queens match came in: a sweep.
The result from our home match concluded too: a sweep.
The 9-11pm players have arrived, ready to play. The club house was humming and everyone was mingling well. Jim surprised me with two gift certificates (one for Jenn), he organized with our usual suspects. THANK YOU all so much kids! … When couple of players asked me about lineup, I checked my email to show them … then it struck me, Mr. Cancel did not sign up. (I forgot to check line up before calling Mr. 17th. What else is new?)
So I took out my kneeing pad, and began begging my 8.0 players: who wanted to play?
No one wanted.
Mr. 17th looked not too happy and I totally understood.
Golfer called, asking if I was on my way home. We needed to leave for JFK.
So I pleaded with Mr. 17th: just wait for me for an hour, I’ll be right back ..
He laughed: JFK? An hour? Are you kidding me?
Just when I was at my wits end 热锅上的蚂蚁, three guys rushed in. Two were on the line up and George. I was overjoyed and hugged him. Go away you crazy woman ..
..
We got to the airport quickly despite of thick fog. His flight would delay till midnight. I got back to the club in a little over an hour time. The matches were very competitive.
Two gift certificates
My tennis kids surprised me and Jenn with two gift certificates on Jan 13, a chaotic evening. I didn’t know what to say, except feeling lucky to be able to hobnob with a group of great people, on and off the court. Thank you!
Pay to play
One of my dear teammates has the misfortune to have to collect match fees from other mates on the team for me. Six matches in a row.
The pay records on Metro
This Manhattan mixed 7.0 team is my largest, and also the team that I had the most online payments:
17 out of 60 (my math is terrible – I paid 66 instead of 60; one mate paid after I satisfied the season = 67 match fees in the account)
When I captained my first team in 2009, I did send out the note telling the mates where to pay and when was the deadline. Only one veteran paid 6, out of 66. I should not complain because the percentage is improving over the years.
Each league runs differently. The Metro winter teams need to be paid in full by a deadline (usually a month after it starts); the summer teams pay to the club directly where it plays, like the Long Island winter. (I never played on the LI summer team.)
My very first season on the job: Queens 7.0 mixed 2010
There must be a reason that the Metro winter needs us to pay it in full while the season is just under way. Because it will take them four months to issue a refund (canceled court, over payment ..) without an explanation. As if fiduciary doesn’t exist.
My current team: Manhattan 7.0 mixed 2013
It’s during my third captains’ meeting, when I learned that most captains/teams made the players to pay online, before the deadline. One of the captains said to me,
“Irene, don’t be shy about asking them to pay, this is a business.”
I never thought this as a business. But after many seasons and teams, I began to feel the burden of ‘reminders’ and ‘instructions’ when no one listens -:). It may still seem fun to the mates but at times, it certainly feels like a work for me. What’s the button says?
Work is for people who don’t play tennis.
