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 |  of a tennis player, hiker, writer |
 A bird in the bath. well, just before.  On court 1. Lookin' to own.  In Jax, enjoyin' some solid juniors tennis.  I love my new phone cam.  * Clears throat * “Um, Robin here, your friendly neighborhood MC(Mistress of Ceremonies). Welcome to my blog. In it you’ll find my rants, ramblings and random updates on everything ME... …and since I’m the typo queen and master of misspelling, these will be present in most, if not all my posts.”  A few of my better entries - all quick reads: |
| i have two phone interviews tomorrow for two different articles i'm writing. plus, tomororw, i'll call Marshall and set up one w/ him. i mean, if he's interested. tonight, i have to develop my q's for both so i actually sound like i know what i'm talking about. |
| “Mom!” Laney says, plopping down on my carpeted office floor. –her back leaning against my small office refrigerator. “Did you hear what happened at JDS last night?” “No,” I say, fingers still typing at the keyboard. I cut my eyes in her direction for a quick second. “Well,” she starts out with a sort of laugh, “my car’s fine…but…” My fingers freeze with a jolt, then hover over the keyboard, before I stop typing altogether and swivel my chair to face her. She has my undivided attention. I glance over her, no bandages or broken skin. “You’re okay?” I ask, seeing she is…but I want her to confirm.. I make a mental note to fuss at her later. Why didn’t she call me last night? “Yes.” “Your car’s okay?” I finally ask, needing verification. “Yeah.” She crosses her legs. “Dontcha wanna hear what happened?” Of course I do. I wave my hand palm side up as if to say, “Go ahead.” “Well,” she settles in. “I pulled into a parking spot just in front of court 9 & 10.” She says this like it’s a question and I nod. “Well, I um, somehow got distracted and hit the curb. Then, I panicked. My foot hit the gas instead of the brake,” she pauses and a smile spreads across her face. My fingers give that wiggling motion –to say, ‘…please get on with the story’ “My car went over the curb and down onto the lawn. You know where I’m talking about?" Yes I know. There’s a very steep incline. “What?” Now she’s laughing. “Yes. Mom. I was sooo embarrassed. I pulled the emergency brake and cut the car off and just sat there.” Since laughter is contagious, I’m laughing too. The mental picture of her car sitting on the lawn pointing straight for courts nine and ten where tennis players are hitting… “Everyone was there, Mom. Everyone saw.” She hides her face behind long fingers. “I swear. At that very moment,” she looks back up at me. “…I said to myself, ‘I would have rather fallen flat on my face while walking across the stage to get my diploma than have this happen.” Her cell phone rings, she snatches it up and says, “Yeah, let me call you right back,” before sliding it shut. “So where was I?” “You just fell…while getting your diploma,” I joke. “Yeah. Right. So, John comes up.” John is one of her teammates. He’s in his forties. “He asks if I’m fine I say yes. And I’m shaking.” She demonstrates with her hands how visibly shaken up she was at the time. “Then,” she continues. “Judy comes up.” Judy is another teammate. “And Randy.” “Randy Dean?” I ask. “Yes. Well, they all start talking, trying to figure out the best way to get my car out. AND, they’re telling me how it will be okay, sharing their stories of when they were my age and how they almost had huge car wrecks.” Again, she tells me how embarrassed she was, how everyone knew. “Even Coach Hodge! And he was on court FIVE giving a lesson!” After her match, she hooks up with Judy who hugs her and says to her, “Everyone’s probably forgotten all about it.” No sooner are the words out of Judy’s mouth when two tennis players walk past. One saying to the other, “Did you see that car that went over the curb and almost into the fence by court nine?” Judy looks at Laney and says, “Okay. Maybe it’s tomorrow they’ll forget about it.” |
| Dolphin Trainer Camp starts next week. Since Nicole agreed to cover the one day i couldn’t get covered so now I get to go. *does happy dance* I can’t remember the last time I went to the beach –we usually go hiking. I’m excited. Laney’s got last minute shopping to do but at least I got my stuff out of the way…I went swim suit shopping last weekend and picked out two suits I liked. My favorite one was missing a button. i so hated putting that one back on the rack. And, I had to leave one I really loved, doing the eneey, meeney miney moe thing to decide. I hope to get lots of beach time in while Laney leans how to train dolphins. I’d like to get a match or two in as well, but bryan’s foot is still under PT’s rest restrictions. |
| i get an "F" in blogging. I know. *hangs head in shame*. Every morning starts with solid intentions. Then, poof! the day is practically over--creeping away on tip-toes like a kid who snagged a few chocolate chip cookies from the jar without permission. quietly, almost unnoticed. |
| At 4:00 today, the temperature will reach 99 degrees. However, it will feel like it’s 103. Add ten degrees to the 103 and you get 113. 113 is what I’ll feel when I’m on court during World Team Tennis. The thought is debilitating. I’m dressed in light colors –mint green adidas tennis outfit and I’ll wear my whit Falcon’s cap, bring my shammey and plenty of watered down powerade to help keep me hydrated and cool. Cool? Hah! Not happening today. I’ll do my best thought, to stay in the point. Try and focus and MAKE myself move my feet. Practice my return of serve –my fave shot, and work on my serve placement. |
| off to the doctor this morning about my ear. which really does feel better but still isn't back to normal. i'm supposed to play a tournament match friday evening--on clay. hope i'm up for it. back at work and feel like crap. i'm supposed to have a lesson tonight but i'm baggin it. on a good note, both Autumn and Laney came to eat lunch w/ me in my office! |
| I've been reading short stories lately. The Scheme of Things by Charles D'Ambrosio. It was published in the New Yorker but I'm not sure when. Sometime in '04 I think. I read it in The Best America Short Stories. Other ones i like include: First Four Measures by Nathaniel Bellows Natash by David Bezmozgis I love the Best American Series. There's the BA Essays, Nature Writing, Sports Writing...and a few others. Those are the ones i like to read. gives you a look at what's fresh across the nation. "You're going to get knocked down. It's whether you stay down or whether you get back up and fight that counts." --Chris Lofton 
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| i'm madly rushing around...cleaning up one of my articles, and then getting ready for World Team Tennis --which starts at 4:00. BUT...tip off is at 1:00 and the basketball world will be glued to see if the Atlanta Hawks can upset the Celtics on Boston's floor. (fyi for those not following: Boston is slated to win the entire tournament and was expected to win this playoff series w/ the hawks 4-0 since the hawks are the worst team in the playoffs). Sooo, Atlanta winning all three of it's home games has made for a very exciting series! I have to go to World Team Tennis. I helped coordinate, plus i'm one of the captains. It will suck not watching the end of game on tv. "Let's Go HAWKS!" |
| So maybe I have a valid excuse, maybe I don't. either way, I still fee like a loser. How could I forget? OMG! It's lunch on the lawn day for laney. The parents bring in food from the outside...you know, Inglside pizzas or sushi rolls {laney's fave} from Makata's. Last night, I made a mental note and verbally reminded myself -out loud! Then, I workd on the tournament, getting the seeds and draws ready. I was interrupted by a phone call from Larry, our department head. -at 10:15PM. Never a good thing. Had an emergency -I'll skip that for now cuz all's well that ends well. But said emergency made it where I didn't upload the tourney last night -putting a bit of extra work on me this morning. This morning it's up and out the door to pick up trophies. At work I had a glitch with the tournament software. The phone never stops ringing; parents want their children's play times... among my other usual Friday admin activities. I was multi-tasking like a maniac. Laney's tennis banquet is tonight -which I will miss cuz I have to WORK! Then, it's off to Shaun's birthday party! Can I take a breath yet? The tournament Sat. and Sun. and World Team Tennis rounds out my Sunday evening. Sooo, when she called -laney that is--to say, "Mom." She pauses. "Yeah?" my tone is breathless. "Do you have any food?" "Oh crap!" only I was thinking the other word..."That was today." I rattle off the food I have in my office fridge. Most of it soy products. Being allergic to dairy sux...and I know she doesn't really want, but I name anyway. Who knows what a hungry stomach will take? "I'm outside of court eight," she tells me "What?" I didn't realize lunch on the lawn was moved to Tattnall Square Park! OMG they are right here! I threw some stuff in a bag...some Doritos, a box of dark chocolate - mint flavored...soft peppermint, a ziplock baggie of cut up cantaloupe and a banana. She has a drink. Her friends are sitting in a large circle and all say hello. "Laney's mom." They call me. I'm invited to join, but I decline. Already feeling like a heel, who wants to sit down to see delicious spreads other caring parents brought for their seniors. Laney whips out the chocolate and one boy asks, "Can laney share? I love that stuff." and a few agree. She gives me a hug and says I'm good. (Isn't she sweet?) I love her. Tomorrow's grad night. The seniors meet at the fields and leave to Universal studios to raid the park at 7PM. She's just happy she gets to go to that. Now, it's my lunch time and I feel too guilty to eat my soy yogurt and soy cheese sandwich. |
| I finally worked on my novel this past weekend. I tightened up one small scene. i'll post in here for you now. Dressed in dark clothing, the three of them moved quickly, weaving through the labyrinth of the unlit third floor office building. "You DO have the flash drive...don't you?" the words hissed over Stephanie's shoulder. She could feel her heart thump hard and fast against her chest. Clandestine illegal break-ins weren't part of her normal everyday activity. "Of course I do." Kerry's murmured response held what a the heck do you think I am, an idiot? tone. The trio had sixty minutes to check three, maybe four, computers located on two different floors --before they could sneak back downstairs, walk a block to where the car was parked, and head for home. "Here we go," Steph said pulling off into a cubical. All three collapsed into chairs. Kerry's finger poked the power button to boot up Brad's computer. Nervous shallow breathing replaced speech. Every eye glued itself on Kerry, the computer hacker. Steph heard the hum, before they saw...the overhead lights pop on, illuminating the entire floor. Her flesh crawled with fear. Everyone froze. Stephanie's mother cursed softly. "Hide!" Kerry whispered. The women dove underneath nearby desks and pulled office chairs in front of them. Kerry remained seated, the pads of his fingers tapping on Brad's keyboard. Scrunched beneath her hiding spot, Stephanie had a perfect view of Kerry's leg. She saw his hand fling an object in her direction. The flash drive! She cupped her mouth to stifle a gasp and watched the drive skid across the floor. It ricocheted against the leg of the desk in front of her with a "clunk". Then, it changed directions. Now it headed toward her, spinning like a merry-go-round, before stopping its forward movement...inches out of her reach. Helpless, her eyes transfixed on the spinning drive, she heard a voice. "What's going on here, Mister?" the security guard asked, voice filled with stern authority. The sound of keyboard clicking never stopped. "I'm updating the system." Kerry's voice matched the security's authoritative tone. I know there are still typos and changes i want to make. but i think, I'll tighten up all the scenes i like. Not sure if this approach is the right one, but it's the one i want to take...the one that leads forward on the path of learning...so, even if it's the long way around, i'm on it.
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 I wrote this April 6th but couldn't quite finish it until lunch today. I hate when I have a two week lag time in between blog entries. Mr. You Can't Write, aka--the Suck Factor emerges around day three or four, standing, toes curled, knees bent, ready to pounce on my self confidence. He's noisy, too. My eyes cut to the left and I see his smile, spread with smirk, in my periphery. How dare he? It's day three? Or four? Somehow, I let his presence dictate my writing. (yeah, I know, shame on me). The next thing I know, it's day eight and Suck Factor successfully enticed my beautiful muse to accompany him. Offering her promises of merrymaking along with other fun activities on white-sand beaches, whistling tunes of "Buffalo Gals" (one of my muse's fave movie tunes). Who does he think he is anyway? My muse hops up, ignoring my protest calls. "I helped you write your article," she says, throwing the words over her shoulder while grabbing her backpack. This is true. I did write an article over a two day period and my muse sat right next to me the entire time. Why to I still feel like a loser? Whose bright idea was it to write a blog entry everyday? Furthermore, why can't my blogs just be accounts of the day...why do i have to make them...entertaining? Then, as each day passes, I hear Suck Factor's lingering words echoing in my head..."Yeah, go ahead and blog/write...you know it will sound like crap. Do it...post it...on the internet...I double dog dare ya." Stranded, without my muse, I stare at the blank computer screen, my iTunes set on my Write it folder, the one loaded with plenty of Dave Matthews tunes. Fingertips hovering over the keyboard like bees on holly trees during springtime. NOTHING. No muse and a wounded self-confidence. It sucks being a writer under these conditions. Doused in self pity, I pound away at the keyboard typing really stupid things, just to hear Suck Factor say, "I told you so." It's funny, with each typed word, determination settles in and I want nothing more than to shut Factor up. I keep typing, answering his immature silliness with my own immature silliness. At least i'm answering. Juvenile rambunctiousness beats surrender. When all is said and done. I know I am the winner!
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| :::::::::::::runs in…socks sliding on hardwood floors::::::::::::::: I have two blogs I wanted to post but this one barged in front of the queue: Laney slept through her alarm! The region tournament is today. No time for breakfast, She rushed around the house gathering up her tennis clothes. This will be the first year I can’t attend. Two employees have personal / physical issues, leaving no one to cover for me. (the senior men and women are here today – at least my courts are being used). I’m really nervous for her today. She’s had to play singles this season after playing doubles for the last two seasons…she’s had a shaky record, which means she won’t be seeded. Even though she’s played on the adult mixed doubles league…I’m not sure she has the singles stamina to make it to the third /fourth playoffs. She’s made it to state every year --eighth through eleventh…I truly hate it i'm at work, and may miss her last high school match wearing the Cavs uniform. ("Oh god" *reaches for a tissue*) . No matter what, I’m proud of her high school tennis career. Laney called. She won her first match, but lost her second to a girl who plays usta sanctioned events often. She seemed okay. I still hate it I’m here and not there. |
| I'm participating in a local MDA event to raise money. if you support this charity, copy and paste the link into your browser..." https://www.mdaevent.org/ParticipantInfo.aspx?j=6fa0f5cf-4956-4213-ae58-12867638... |
| Laney had a lesson with her tennis coach while I played my match on Friday morning. I lost by the way. At least I burned enough calories for French fry eating later. Laney and I decided to eat and shop after tennis. Teenagers are always hungry. Plus, teenage girls never turn down shopping, especially when someone else treats…well unless it somehow interferes with boy time, then they might bag it, otherwise they’re in. Anyway, we hop into her Honda Accord. Laney shoves the keys into the ignition. “Mom,” she says looking back over her shoulder before she pulls out. “I heard this really cool song the other day, and a few times since...” We bought her XM satellite radio for Christmas…she listens to the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s stations, among others. I’m curious to know which song she places on the cool list. “It goes like this,” she says. We’ve weaved our way around the parking lot and are stopped at the corner of N. Ingle Place and Northside when she starts singing…“I’m as corny as Kansas in August...” I join in. I love this song, coming from one of my favorite musicals, South Pacific, I know the words. The tune is called A Wonderful Guy. “…High as a flag on the fourth of July.” We’re both singing now. “If you’ll excuse an expression I use…” it was great fun. We kept singing bits and pieces of it through lunch – only we ordered breakfast food --and all throughout VS shopping. It’s been over a year since I’ve stepped foot in a Victoria Secret store –that’s too long of in interval if you ask me. And holy crap…there was a GUY working there. It was weird, thumbing through lingerie, with him standing behind us asking how can he help. Great mother / daughter times. ”…as normal as blueberry pie…” Here’s a youtube link for those interested in viewing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMO72_TF9JY |
| okay, i know i need to recap georgia's amazing entrance into the big dance. i was glued to the tv all weekend long. the TN game even was exciting. i hateed it they lost, but oh well. got my Cinderella name tag on, and still can't believe the dawgs did it! |
| I’m still in shock. Felton’s dawgs are going to the SEC semis? Are you serious? Isn’t this the same team who only won FOUR reg season games? Who played a lame out of conference schedule? Isn’t this the team whose coach was up for getting his walking papers? One in the same. And oh my gosh have these boys put on the pressure and in doing so added heaps of excitement for the SEC. Not that it needed anymore excitement. What, with Friday night’s weather and live coverage of the damage to the Dome – a hole ripped through the roof! Debris falling right on the fans and on the court forcing a delay of game in the Bama vs Miss. St. game and a rescheduling of the dawgs vs cats game…who needed any more drama? Again, Georgia won in overtime, coming through, with so many clutch shots, including Zac Swansey’s three pointer in OT. I swear, I saw him release the ball and I yelled out “Oh no you didn’t.” I squinted my eyes in what I knew was gonna be a miss. Boy was I ever surprised. “Sweet action!” The dawgs only get a few hours or recover before its back on court after tonight’s TN vs Arkansas game. “Gooooooooo Dawgs! Sic ‘em. Woof, woof, woof.” |
| Due to severe storm damage, SEC Championships have been moved from The Dome. Okay, so here’s the deal: The Dawgs play the Wildcats at noon today in the Georgia Tech Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Those who purchased tickets for today’s action are out of luck cuz the GTAMC only seats like just under 10K. And to think, I almost bought… The winner of the UGA / UK game returns this evening to play Miss St. Also this evening, not sure where or exact times, Pearl’s boys face Arkansas. I heard media crews already have moved their equipment to respective venues…maybe I’ll still get to see some TV action. |
| Bama vs Mississippi State are in a delay! that's right. the unofficial word is, a tornado touched the Georgia Dome, ripped two holes in it's ceiling and stopped play. they keep showing the replay...you can hear the loud noise and see depris fall from the ceiling. Who knows when the Dawgs vs Wildcats will start. |
| Maybe I couldn’t make the SEC games, but there was XM satellite radio on my Internet [computer] at work. I cleaned my office while listening to the play by play! Sorted through papers during the some eight lead changes and five or six ties…. Through Wayne Chism’s scoring –23 points!!! And oh my gosh… Lofton’s three-pointer with 11.4 seconds left in the game had me squealing like a schoolgirl with an all “A” report card. Yeah, I’d say this internet radio is the next best thing to being there. no wait, that would be at home, in front of my TV sipping on a cold one. Pearl’s Vision plays tomorrow against the winner of the Vandy vs Ark --game in progress now--IN THE SEC SEMIS! sweet action, baby. |
| Oh my gosh! Last night's hoops action was on the money as far as excitement is concerned. Dennis Felton should be proud. Too bad his boys didn’t start out the season like this…. With at least seventeen lead changes, the Georgia bulldogs came out on top last night to snag a win over Ole Miss in the first round of the SEC! Dave Bliss banked a shot with 0.4 seconds to go in OVERTIME for a final score of 97-95. Sweet action, baby. The bulldogs play tonight at 9:45 and the Vols hit the court any minute now. Pearl Vision! I almost bought tickets, too. the vols playing in the dome(Georgia Dome Stadium). instead, i'm at work on my lunch break wishing... |
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