Up and Down Week

This was a challenging week for me. My confidence was all over the place, up one day and really down the next. I confronted what I perceived to be inappropriate negative behavior at work, then felt bad about it afterward. I tend to go to the extreme when I'm not happy. I understand how out-of-balance I can sometimes behave, especially when my confidence is low. It impacts me in ways that keep me from functioning like a normal, healthy person. I used some of the tools I'm adopted, so I didn't stay low too long. I kept myself busy over the weekend and also rested. I watched "Date Night" this afternoon and wondered why it wasn't better when the beginning was so strong. The second and third acts were ridiculously contrived and silly. Really weak. So many comedies are weak these days. It's as if Hollywood has forgotten how to make a big splashy good film. I like Tina Fey. She's funny. I need to watch all episodes of 30 Rock. Gwen worked on my website this weekend and it looks really good. I hope to put it up when my book is picked up. I sent 15 queries out yesterday and today. The last month has been nothing but rejection. I've lost a lot of confidence in my story and that's not good at all. All I need is just one agent who sees the potential in this project. The full manuscript is still with three agents, but after the two prior rejections of my full I'm beginning to have doubts. I saw a good piece on Drew Brees on 60 Minutes. I love his attitude. Yesterday I played racquetball in a squash court with Spike. It was fun, though it's hard to hit the ball hard. The court feels crowded, but she had a good time. I made her run! I'm nearly finished with "Before I Fall." I love the writing. Great read. I'm very impressed. It's up there with Hunger Games as a really strong YA book. I need to put a list together, a YA Shelf of Fame. So far, I'd include three books, "The Hunger Games," "Before I Fall," and "The Other Side of Blue." All three books are fabulous.

No Agent Yet

Hmmm. Nothing but rejection, I'm afraid. Didn't grab me. Not interested. Didn't love it. Not for me. I have three fulls out, one partial and about ten unanswered e-queries. I'm sending more this week. I'll look everything over and modify if I have to. Meanwhile, the days go by. At least I'm being productive. I get up early and put in a full day. I kept my apt. relatively clean this week and I hope to keep it that way.

Weekend with Cousin Ross

Ross traveled from Alberta to stay with me for a few days this past weekend. He had a great time together.



We saw "Machete," went out to Spettro's, visited the Farmer's market, saw Rodney's art show, went bicycling, ate at Lynn & Lou's, went to Napa for the afternoon and had sushi.



He's going through a difficult time right now, so the visit was necessary to help Ross stay centered and consider his options. He'll do fine. He's such a positive and upbeat person.

Smile

I was putting together my top 10 Beach Boys songs of all time when I listened to Heros and Villains from Smile. I'd remembered the album had been completed a few years ago but never listened to it. I've been listening all week.

I watched the two-disc DVD last night. Very moving. I love everything about this piece, and totally understand Brian Wilson's inner demons. I have a few of those myself. I can see why everyone considers him a genius. This song in particular is so rich and layered. I haven't gotten tired of it at all, and I've listened to it probably 20 times or more. I love it. Good Vibrations will forever be my no. 1 Beach Boys song, but Heros and Villains is climbing the ranks. It may actually be no. 3, just behind Wouldn't it be Nice.

Club One Racquetball Finals Match

I knew it would be a battle and I wasn’t disappointed. My and Tyrone’s racquetball match Thursday night for the Club One championship (and bragging rights for the next several months!) was everything I thought it would be and then some. I started off strong with a 4-0 lead, putting everything away while T seemed tight and left the ball up. My lead increased to 11-6 until T stepped it up and starting making great shots and serving well. Before I knew it I was down 11-12. That’s when the crazy BS crept into the game. T made a low kill shot that skipped the floor. T walked to the back of the court as if conceding the point, but Robbie (our club pro and ref for the match) thought the shot was good and so did Sydney (the line judge). They didn’t hear the skip. Tyrone then insisted it was side out and wanted to serve because Robbie thought the ball was good. I was furious, but played on. Tyrone scored another point and shouted one of his victory yells. He then lost his serve and I scored a point, then Tyrone scored again and I was down 12-14. I told T he didn’t deserve the game if he was taking cheap points like the one he took when the ball skipped. The trash talking escalated (I won't repeat them here because I don't want my blog getting an R rating). T made a huge mistake by serving short twice and I quickly scored another point. At 13-14, I killed T’s serve in the front court and took serve again. I scored a point and tied the match at 14. I served a drive serve which T hit high. I hit the ball down the lefthand side and T left his shot high again. He gave me a perfect setup, which I drilled a down righthand side, a perfect passing shot that he wasn't able to retrieve, giving me the first game 15-14. I then gave the loudest victory yell I’ve ever screamed in racquetball. It was so satisfying winning that game.



I dove so many times my right elbow was swollen.

I started the next game strong as well, scoring 3 quick points, but then T got hot again and I was down 3-6. Then I was down 4-11. I rallied back and it was 7-11. Then 9-12 before T tore a muscle in his leg and couldn’t move. He was unable to finish and I won be default. It was an anticlimactic finish to one of the best and tightest finals matches I’ve played at Club One. I kept my perfect season intact (10-0!) and own bragging rights until our next singles league in 2011.




My right side is also as sore as my elbow, but it’s a good kind of sore. I sure love this game!



Tyrone had to be carried out of Club One. He's the greatest guy off the court, but inside the court he turns into a crazy monster. That's all right because I turn into one, too!

Richard watched the match and helped cheer me on. Afterward, we went to La Cheval and I ate everything in sight. We then drove to Walnut Creek to pick up his kids at Ann’s. I ate a large smore and half a chocolate bar. The ride back to Oakland was hilarious. The kids were telling crazy stories that were so funny.

I played racquetball again this morning with Dorian and felt surprisingly good. I’m really bummed though that Tyrone will be out of commission for the next several months. Meanwhile, I’ll be playing in as many singles events as I can in preparation for the California State Singles Tournament in the spring. I’d love to do well in the A division

The Match

I wanna win! Thursday night at 6, Tyrone and I play our Championship match for bragging rights at Club One. If I win, I'll have gone undefeated for the season. If T wins, he'll be the top racquetball player for the next few months. I want this title and will dig deep to get it. I must do this!

Across the Universe

Finally saw this Julie Taymor gem. Loved it. Absolutely loved it. Apparently, there were critics who didn't care for it. It gave me at idea. Officer Mike of Critic's Patrol. Critic's Patrol is an organization designed to expose incompetent criticism for what it is: incompetent. "You have been charged with critical incompetence; put your hands in the air and relinquish your critic's license." More on this later...

The hours zoom by. Zoom by!