I’m so beat, played tennis three times: early morning with my usual group, mid day per Slowpoke’s request and night when she took her lesson, I ended up playing with Henry. He and his wife were very much on my mind, becasue the protest thing yesterday. They both are very active, she now works (not sure volunteer or taking a paid postion) full time at American Cancer Society. I found his wife to be a very good representative: great education (she was a researcher at North Shore hospital, again not sure if she’s PI. By the time we met, she’s already quitted and spending full time at Chinese school, ACS ..), gracious, sassy with good diction. I always believe when you start a campaign of any sort, first should have a probable cause (winnable case), and secondly pick a decent spokeperson to front it. Our school’s incident had neither; worst the two were more like quarrelling in pidgeon English than professionals who bring something of a value to the table.
Archive for April, 2007
Pretty women
Golfer is having a ball in Dallas. Women in Dallas dressed to the nine to go to golf tourneys, skinpie short skirts, high heels … there were even groupies hanging around at trendy hotel W when he checked in. Of course he said he didn’t …. but his colleagues did, :))). The dinner party was great, with few hedgies, and they’re heading out again. Tomorrow he’ll try to fit in a 9-hole, then the tourney then his particular client for dinner. There are only golfer geeks in the Northeast, he complains, lol …
Slowpoke in skirt
Slowpoke came home with her lacrosse uniform, top and skirt, in blue … I need to sneak a pic for the record.
The Professional
At one time, we had more than 20 people showed up on the same night for badminton. But lately, there were few nights hardly anyone showed up … so I generously labeled myself as the professional, lol. Last Wednesday there were only Mike, Simon and I. Today we had exactly a foursome: Mike, Sunny Simon and I. During the warm up, I used my left hand, cause too much pain with my right. “Of course it’s painful, we use our right hand/arm every day …” Simon said, referring to our almost daily play either tennis or badminton. I need to head to the pool more often, lol. We played 3 sets and Simon and I won all 3, especially very decisively for the 2nd set: 15:1. I think the pain just vanished, :).
Runner Zhou powers to victory in London
Wow, Zhou Chunxiu won the London Marathon this past Sunday. It’s usually dominated by Kenyans. She looked well-built, and hoping to improve her timing, guess for the 2008!
The Poacher
Martin came to teach at the Parkwood Sports Center due to an emergency few weeks ago and know on the staff regularly. He teaches at the the court next to me. After today’s the lesson, he came over asking me if I know Justin’s dad.
“Who?”
He explained Justin’s Sharon’s kid bro. Sharon is close friend of Pumpkin and an excellent tennis player. I thought their dad is at the center all the time .. well, but today.
“I’d like to coach him. He wants to make the team. It only takes a summer. .. Justin’s uncle is here.” He said.
Then ask Justin’ dad next week. I suggested.
“I won’t be here next week.” He replied.
Seriously, I don’t have Sharon’s number and felt it’s bit blatantly inappropriate, let alone poached it openly. While I was sitting at the Craig’s court watching, Martin came in, sat down and chatted loudly. Given the fact the two coaches don’t really know each other.
In contrast, Craig had his left thumb and index finger banded together, “I sprained it playing baseball this morning … picking up the ball is hurtful …” but he managed to teach, at least 3 solid lessons. During our lesson, when there were 10 minutes left, we told him that we’ll play doubles, trying to relief him: we love a solid lesson, but we also very appreciative of a good coach with great work ethic.
Brotherly love
Craig is kind of coach who takes his coaching rather seriously: 15 minutes into the 1-hr lesson, two brothers showed up (the coach/student ratio is 1:4).
“How nice to see you after 2 months! Or was it 3 months?” Craig exclaimed.
The taller one couldn’t be more than 10 years old, and both of them are demanding and vocal, dressed with oversized t-shirts and long pants. Oddly, they both have the figure as a bit of out of shape 50-year old. The younger one said he didn’t like his racket and wanted to use Craig’s.
He got his wish.
When the kid complained again, Craig told him …
“It’s not the racket, it’s the hand holding it…” – We teased Waldo all the time that he should buy a left hand racket, lol or better yet, buy a game 🙂 … –
The older one complained that he can’t hit back hand.
“Well, then you should have come often, so I can teach you.” Craig told him. The brothers can’t play. But apparently Craig took it perhaps as an insult that his students didn’t come.
Many coaches would have been happy or careless that 2 of his lousy students absent for a long period of time. As soon as they walked in, Craig whispered to me ..
“You’ll enjoy this…”
I did.
The brothers appear to be brat, but they were really sweet to each other. The younger one fall, and the older one picked him up and dusted him off. They each told Pumpkin when one of them is teamed up with her ‘to hit the ball to his bro …” I cheered for all of them.
When it was 4:4 and the bros were in the same team, they would each shout to other,
‘Are we losing?’
“4:4” .. Craig repeated.
“Are we losing?” they shouted again.
Another kid AJ said across the court,
“It’s 4:4”
“So we’re winning then?” The older bro insisted ..
LOL …
Did I get dumped?
By Sunny? You bet.
He dumped me so fast, that I didn’t even get a chance hitting a single shot with him. When I got to the court, he and Waldo were playing. As I put down my bag, tied my shoe laces, Kai showed up. So Sunny told me as matter of factly ‘to play with Waldo’. Sure. I haven’t seen Waldo for a while too :-((… lol. His European tour was quite a success, he banded up with a group of Belgian kids, and did it cheaply.
Not the Japanese kids?
No, he said, it would have been too expensive. He let the Belgian kids use his name to advertise and was able to bring ‘some money home’. Profit only? Wait a second, didn’t your golfing buddies ask for pretty blonde groupies? Nein, the Fraulein are eating too much sausage and drinking way too much Bier…
I love tennis
Slowpoke took her first lesson with Kerner and enjoyed it. Kerner is a slim man with only-god-knows age, has husky voice: don’t know it’s his natural or teaching (yelling) too much. After all, the court is huge and you are not likely to be there alone. He gave her an evaluation, by the time they got to her bank hand valley, he said, “well, if you’re strong enough, you can consider using single hand back hand valley …” She just did that, with a gracious slice. I was floored: it’s beautiful, almost picture perfect. Ok, textbook perfect, to be political correct. Where on earth did you learn that I asked. “Watching TV …” ??? “Since when you actually watch tennis on TV? You only watch Will & Grace … ” I floored once more: I watch the Opens every year and picked up nothing, :-(. During one of the coachings at the net, Kerner asked what’s her most favored sport? She didn’t reply immediately, as usual. Kerner said, “I teach tennis, but my favor sport is soccer …” Perhaps thinking between starvation or a delicious dinner … you know that’s how I treat my kids… :), she surprised me by saying, ‘tennis’. Do you really, really? I nearly tossed her into the air … well, that’s untrue, but you can use your imagination. After the lesson, she whispered, “I like Kerner, he’s strict yet humorous.” Should I press her for saying like tennis the most among swimming, skiing and lacrosse…?
Everyday partner
Sunny called in the morning to play tomorrow @ 7am. Gosh, I haven’t played with him for so long. Last night I played with the Friday night group, Simon showed up after few hours with the 4.0s in the park, drinking a bud. I end up playing with Simon almost every day except on Mondays: Tu/Wed we play badiminton, Thur night is the 4.0 in town and Fri is the group that he some time does sub, and Sat/Sun we usually play at SAndy‘s. Playing at SAndy’s is nice, they’re very hospitable, but they don’t start till 10am or so, that’s when I already done mine with Sunny n company, lol. Michael called later to see I’ll play, he’s Jet n David the green. “Sorry, I said ok to Sunny.” Then I said, “I might end up playing with you anyway. You know he’ll dump me when he sees a better partner, lol .. ” Actually it’s pretty close to the fact, :-(, lol …
