YYYYYYYYYYYYYeeeeessss 17:14 Giants! Cinderella comes true. What an amazing game, exciting, awesome .. oppps, I said that the Giants isn’t going to win super bowl with the current coach.. well, it’s the defense coach made it happened – ironically, Bill Belichick was THE defense coach when they won it Phil and Jeff. They might not win it should Tiki hadn’t retired. Did you see Eli got out of the pool of suckers??? ADN Tyree’s catch? The American footballers are made with somethig else, not human. No one in their right mind, can not only catch but also hold on to the ball in that position. I’d curl up sensing about the hit .. New Yawkers … YYYYYYYYEeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssssssssssss !!
Gone swimming
Finally, I made it to the pool 8am this morning! OMG I still remember how to swim. Everything looks the same, except the elevator is out of service. When I left, there was an elder man on wheel chair trying to get down through the stairs. I did 10 laps, without missing a single flip-turns but over 10 minutes: speed is gone so is my endurance. Next 10 laps was mixed with breast with free and breast plus few pit stops. When an annoying man joined the lane, I was about to start my last few laps. He went ahead. That’s fine, I didn’t have to work to hard to maintain the lead. But after two laps, I caught up with him. And again in another two laps. So I told him to let me go. He screamed, “then why didn’t you go?” The lane is standard, if the swimmer isn’t considerate, it’s very hard for the one that’s behind to pass at the end. So I gone ahead, swam hard, trying to maintain the lead. It actually it’s great. I ended up did straight 20 laps, caught up with him twice more. I never thought I’d do 40 laps. After that, I did another 10. So 50 laps in total. Wow … not bad for absent for so long .. SO Giants will win too, :-)
Tail it is
So Giants won the coin toss and starts the super bowl .. I’m very nerves, hasn’t seen the Giants in Superbowl since Phil and Jeff .. another Cinderella story that the bench warmer clinched the trophy. Now the baby face will do it!!! Let’s go Giants …. Let’s roll Giants ….
The entitlement
One’s entitlement often seems inequality to others. Our badminton group has been playing together for years on this one court, relatively harmonic, even with players come and go. There are no rules to govern but a sense of fairness. Before Michael, there was a Mr. Huang who’s responsible to open/close the door and set up the net, etc. When there are more than four players, which is the case most of time, we take turns. With six players, the winning dual reminds on court for another set. Regardless win or lose, they vacant the court for others after two sets. This is one of the systems we set up without discussion. When there are more than eight players, we only get to play a set, then wait for the next round. Simple enough? Yes, for those fair minded.
There is a player who often leaves early to pick up his wife, so we always let him play 2-3 sets uninterrupted. Using a Hong Kong saying, we do this is 人情, make him wait just like the rest of us is 常情. You’d think he’s appreciative to our consideration. After all, we’re all busy with pressing matters that we need to attend to.
Last night, his wife called for an early pick up just as we were about to begin. So he came back 45 minutes later to resume. By that time we ballooned to ten players already. He got on the court at the first turn. It ended quickly, a land slide game.
“Let’s play a singles” he challenged Jordan.
That didn’t sit well with us.
Sammy said,
“Oh no, too many people, doubles only.”
So he played another set of doubles. When he played again after waiting for his turn, he didn’t want to leave, saying he didn’t sweat.
Simon and Sam all got off the court.
There was a moment of stillness.
We all try to be courteous to others, don’t want the confrontation.
The players he wanted to play with, walked off the court and stayed off.
They knew it’s others’ turn.
I said out loud, “it’s girls turn.”
Katie hadn’t played at all. Not so much as boys or girls, rather others turn.
He stood on the court, looking at Simon/Sam, didn’t want to leave.
Katie said graciously, “it’s ok, I’ll wait.”
It’s usual the case, what you can say? So, he got to play again.
Not with Simon nor Sam, but with girls. Half through, he quitted.
“I can’t play like this ..”
By far, Simon is the better player and he had no qualm playing with the girls or weaker player. Same goes with Sam.
It’s interesting to see next time. .. What a 八婆 gossip-monger 🙂 .. I’ve spent all my 八婆 quota of the month, if not the year; and it’s only January. Good news is that my left hand is improving quickly. Jenny and I won a set last night against Katie n her hubby Paul, lost two sets to Yvonne and Michael.
It’s about time
Joke Djokovic played an amazing (sorry for having limited vocabulary) match, dumped Roger Federer. It’s about time that Fed miss the final – stay home on Sundays. Pete Sampras’ 14-slam record is still threatened. Fed looks uninspired, maybe he is feeling bored? :))
Da Tsonga dude
Wow, the Jo-Wilfred Tsonga dude played an amazing match, dumped Nadal to reach the final in straight sets: 6:2, 6:3, 6:2. Before this Aussie Open, I’ve never heard of him. At the first glance, he reminded me of boxer Ali. Pumpkin is watching a lot, first time I’ve seen her so into watch tennis, omg, :). Tsonga plays bit unconventional, so is his physique, he’s h-u-g-e, teddy-bear without a care in the world! The racket looks like a serving spoon in his hand, :). He jumps around like a toddler! How about 地包天 Djokovic Joker beat out Federer for a change? Two pretty girls are heading to the final, Ana Ivanovic vs Maria Sharapova – need to buy earplugs!! The Williams’ sisters are out, 🙁 ..
The other day, the commentators were talking about challenge calls during Federer vs Blake match. They mentioned that Federe is opposing the instant challenge call .. but he’s using a lot during the match. And kind of late to invoke the challenge. Then Mary Carillo (her leaving ESPN in 2011) said, “Sharapova is that way too, late to request the challenge call .. but they’re not cheating, like looking up to their box to decide ..” Hello, is Mary gone mad or forgetful? Maria Sharapova looks to her father and coach all the time, they would give her signals .. .. it’s the controversy at the US Open. Short memory???
Lefty
I’m officially a lefty, played two night this week with my left arm, and was doing fine, ha. Jenny and I had two wins out of three sets. She did most of the dirty work, but I helped out a bit here and there, :). My left arm is getting more power as I play more – 熟能生巧?, but can’t compliment on the forms. The other day I bought couple of shoes for dancing. Since my right arm hurts, so I figure dance would be fine. Right? But the girls eeewww on the dancing shoes, guess I’ll have to keep looking or use one of my old ones.
WS bonuses
It’s the bonus time on Wall St and Lucy Kellaway captured the essence dead on: ‘A 28-year-old analyst protested to his boss last week that he really couldn’t live on less than $1m and that a swanky flat had been bought in expectation of something much bigger. “That’s not a bonus! It’s a tip!” .. One banking boss quietly deducts $10,000 from the bonus of anyone who is being too obstreperous. .. ‘ lol .. not sure which is bloodier sport .. look at Manning, the concentration/composure a QB must have. Just an inch away – instant threat – couple of 300 pounders are getting to you to take you down. In that split second, he need to find the path for a perfect pass. .. the footballers are made of something entirely else. NFL really should take the game to play in the Roman Colosseum, the ultimate home.
..
now he’ll have plenty time for Jessica. Hey, Tony, why don’t you take her to my party this Sunday? Come on over, 6pm sharp .. :)) good food and great companies .. ..
The game
Happy with the Giants so far .. 3 TDs !!! .. why didn’t they schedule the game at 1pm instead? Couldn’t resist the temptation, I went to play tennis. I did some backhand drill, that’s the only thing I can do. My forehand was very tender, doable .. tried to avoid to use it at any cost. I lost the doubles with Simon 6:0 to Charlie and big bro Eric, but won a tie break with big bro against Peter and Charlie. Peter was mad! I haven’t lost with big bro yet, :)) … wtg …
A pop on my shoulder ..
My right arm is useless due to pain or tennis elbow. But not playing hurts even more 🙂 so I went to the badminton last night. The lower right arm wouldn’t cooperate, so I had to make ado with my left. It felt funny and looked silly probably. I played a set with Yvonne (?) against Jenny and Tina .. ya the Tina I haven’t seen in ages and she said she’d come, another reason I went last night. We had good match, but at the same time I felt frustrated, 心有余儿力不足 missing shots left and right. We lost 15:9. Then I lost with Robert to Mike and Katie. John left early, Simon had no one to play, looked bored, :). I played a set with him and won. During the match, I switched to my right arm trying to save a lethal return. The pain made me stopped in the middle of the swing. Well, I was trying to see if I could play with my right arm too, not meant to cheat. ..
That was my ordeal of yesterday, or past couple of weeks.
Andrew gave me a zhongyi Chinese medicine practitioner Danny Sun, said he knows how to treat tennis elbow. Danny sounded old over the phone, with missing teeth perhaps. He has a small co-op where he has his practice. It’s cramped, has strong food odor and he only looks like in his 50s and very agile. In person, he doesn’t sound like the old guy I perceived. There are pile of papers on his small desk adjancant to the door. “Oh, you’re practicing calligraphy?” That’s so so so neat. He smiled, “oh, not at the moment .. but sometimes I do.”
Without asking too much, he told me to lay face down on the table and began tuina, massage that last 40 minutes or so. Nothing overly unbearable, but it wasn’t a cake walk either. He massaged my neck, shoulders, back. Then turned face up, he massaged more on my arms. Next step was sit up right. He pulled my right arm straight up, relax my lower right, put in behind my head and began rock it back and forth gently. Then without warning, he snapped it hard (pulled back). There was a pop and sharp pain, but normalcy returned immediately. As if nothing had happened. “Did you hear it?” “yes.” “I have to loosen (prepare) it for the pull.” He gave me his hand, asking me to grip it hard, I was able to. Then he asked me to hold up the stood I just sat on horizontally. I was able to too. Without any discomfort. “You shouldn’t feel any pain. .. but your back will feel bit of pain for couple of days to come .. ” he told me. Pain? What pain? Who’s pain? Where’s pain? When’s pain? ?? AAAmazing. Tennis anyone? Please?
