Proof of Life

"Sometimes, you kick ass. Sometimes, the ass kicks you." - First read on OMGWTF massiveunderstatement.blogspot.com

Lets just say, that if I'm starting my blog entry with the above quotation, that I don't have much nice to say about league this week. So, I'm not going to say much and will turn to more pleasant matters. My fragile feminine ego burns with indignation and a desire to kick ass, a certain ass. Perhaps, someday I'll tell the story when it can be told as a tale of righteous vindication. Until then, just know, this week I sucked at league pool, and it wasn't fun.

But, while league has yet to catch fire again, I returned to the practice table and really enjoyed myself. I had my first coaching session in ages, and remembered how much fun I have when I feel like I'm learning.

Also, I revisited a frozen rail shot drill that I abandoned a while ago. (6 Balls on the rail, any order - no bumping object balls, no combos and no banks, kicks are okay). Before this week, I had successfully run all six balls only once--and that felt like luck. As I tried it again, I realized I had no idea how I had actually managed it. After many attempts, it just didn't seem like I was progressing, so I moved on.

(A Cuetable diagram is supposed to go here, but as I have quite figured it out yet, and its really just kind of an extraneous graphic element (its not exactly a complicated layout), you'll just have to use your immagination)

This week, in my first attempt, I ran all six. Out of the next ten attempts, I ran at least 5 balls each time, and successfully did all 6 two additional times. In one of my perfect innings I had to shoot my last ball up the long rail, which is kind of a failure in a position drill, but still, I finished. I even tried some different patterns and had a sense of what to expect the cue ball to do. So, something good is going on, even if it isn't showing up on game night.

Minnow drowns in pool.

Oxygen, please.

My short break was apparently not sufficient, as I'm finding myself not wanting to go to league or to practice. Normally, even when I decide I should take a break, its work to stay away from a pool table. And now its the opposite. After all, spring is here, the sun is out, there are other things in life (gasp, its true!)

So, I'm taking a little time to take stock and set out some new goals. Back in October, when I qualified for the Singles Regionals, I decided that I wanted to work towards that as a way to raise the level of my game. And I think I've done that. I've won my first tournament. Found a good coach. Even went up a skill level. And now its time to rest on my laurels, and think about what's next. (I'm not sure how comfy laurels are, but so the expression goes).

Reading back over the last few posts, its so obvious to me that something was missing, and I was trying my darndest to get it back. I've been playing some, and even had a couple of good matches, but my hearts just not in it. Hot streaks have to end eventually, but its hard to let them go. Alas, burn out is the inevitable consequence of being on fire, if you don't take a breather every now and then.

Early to bed.....

Well, I'm back after recovering from a serious bout of pool overdose, followed by a compensatory bout of unnecessary cosmetics shopping, followed by a mild bout of food poisoning. Hopefully, I am on the mends from all.

I got stuck playing 3 nights in a row, even though I have agreements from all my captains that they would allow me to juggle things so that wouldn't happen. Of course, being aware of the cluster f*ck phenomenon that is league life, I was sure it would happen at least once. And it did. Last matches all three nights. By the third night, I was a bit numb....I thought I had ball in hand, and picked up the cue ball after a good hit. My opponent was on the 8. It was case game. There was an outpouring of insistent sympathy in anticipation of my feeling horrible. And I was thinking "Well, that kinda sucks, but on the bright side, we can all go home." After all the pool I had played that week, I really wasn't going to sweat it.

The next week I wiped my playing schedule clean for a week and went on a binge of girliness, grooming and pampering that was such the antithesis of drinking scotch in smokey bars and playing pool until 1am. I was very, very happy. I even went to bed early....and sober. I dreamed of pool, of course.....