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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 only have a few minutes. I’m shoveling a tuna on wheat down my throat. Anita will walk through the door any second. We’re gonna warm up before my match tonight. My first match in the lineup at number two doubles! (I usually play number three. Once or twice, I’ve been placed at the second singles as the sacrificial lamb, my contribution to the team win. If truth be known, number two singles isn’t scary; it’s cardio! And if my opponent is halfway nice, it’s fun. The best part of singles is I know all the balls are mine. Gotta go, I’ll update you on my number two performance later. Got home about forty minutes ago...I won! i won! i won! well, okay, anita and i won! but it was soooo much fun. i played the AD side and won! my backhand was on fire oh yeah, time for a hard apple cider. |
| pizza with scott and colleen and liam! yummy. still feel bleck..coughing is much better, though. |
| Severe weather rained on my tennis this morning. My clay court tennis. My - I've entered a tournament with a partner I’ve never met before - tennis. We need the rain, even though it put a damper on the tournament schedule; I play twice tomorrow. Now, I'm at work, instead of hitting backhands and service returns, and making jokes while apologizing for my bad shots, to a girl I don't even know, I'm sitting in my black leather office chair daydreaming about clay courts. No tennis for me. Data entry tops my to-do list. I hate Data, she's so boring. (sorry Data, but you know it's true) I've got my pandora.com internet radio on my "Maxine" station --which plays Alternative, Indie, folk music with jazzy undertones. Artists like Feist, Cat Power, Nora Jones and Hurts to Purr dominating my desktop stereo speakers, help nudge me along at my entry. With quick glances between paper and keyboard I peck away, eyes sneaking glances at the compie clock, which I swear is broken. Isn’t it lunch already? Not that I’m hungry, my mind begs for a break. Jeepers, it's only ten-thirty. I turn the volume up two notches. I love this song –Reason Why by Rachael Yamagata. Let me see how many names I can key in before the song ends. |
| Autumn bailed on me for lunch today. We were supposed to do some mother/daughter stuff and she called to say she and Shaun have plans. What? Shaun? What do you mean you’d rather do lunch with your husband than with your own mother! Sheesh! And on Valentine’s Day no less. I'd say somebody needs to re-evaluate her priorities. (just kidding, Autumn.) I’m guessing when she made our Thursday plans; she forgot it was the 14th. Of course I forgive her. But this means I have to go rummaging around my office fridge for food. I think I have some tuna deep in the back, underneath the soy granola bars and banana (bleck) soy pudding.
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| I can’t believe how busy I am at work. I went from having nothing to do to having three plates full of things to do. First, I’m working too many days in a row. Tournament season is gearing up; and it will be like this for months to come. Today marks day number ten and I’m going through a full very long day on Saturday. I will be ready for rest this coming Sunday. However, two projects I’m on are fun and exciting: First, I’m recruiting a Tennis on Campus team. I met a guy back in January when I was in Atlanta accepting my USTA Southern Media Excellence Award, named Jeff who works for the USTA Southern Tennis Association. He needs twenty-four teams to compete in a Section event he’s directing, or helping direct, or overseeing. We sorta made a trade…I recruit a team to enter into his event and he paints a Tennis in the Parks logo on the circular concert slab thingy I have in the front of my tennis center. (Jeff helps out with Tennis in the Parks among other responsibilities at Southern.) He wanted Mercer University to enter. I tried, but no go. Spring Break lands on the tournament dates and those college kids go home for break. Then, it occurred to me I could recruit a team from Macon State College After all, one of the players on my morning USTA Leagues 3.0 team is a MSC student. Her name is Lila. Plus, I know a guy who plays recreational tennis who attends MSC. Perfect. I called Jeff, “Are there any slots open for the sectional event?” my tone is breathless. I’ve been on the phone for the past hour encouraging these young adults to come on board. “Technically, yes.” He explains that while 25 teams have expressed strong interest in attending, he only has paperwork on about a dozen. He further tells me that it’s not a selection process; it’s first to submit first to participate deal. (double perfect) “Great.” I say. We chat a bit about grant money available and other specs. Meanwhile, A.J sticks his head in my office. “I wanna play.” He smiles. “In the section thing.” I had emailed him a quick note last night. I can’t believe he is here…at the tennis center, stepping his foot into my office. Awesome, I think. Then say, “We need three guys and three girls total. Do you know anyone?” He does, he will call them tonight. Then, this morning, Lia emails with good and bad news. Twin boys want to join the team, she’s also recruited a very strong female player…there may be grant money from the school…but, the school representative is on vacation and won’t be back till Thursday. I want her to call me…there may be something we can work out here. Even if they don't make the section event, they can form a club and compete and it will be super. Needless to say, it’s all very ‘adrenalin rushing’ I so needed this. Second thing. Quick Start it’s a brand new approach the USTA had developed to get more kids playing tennis. It’s an awesome approach where they reduce the size of the court, shorten the racquets and use sponge or low-compression balls all while modifying the game to make it easier for kids to keep score. Parents are heavily recruited to help out. They help assemble the mini court before practice and also help with other tasks. We are about to move full speed ahead with this beginning with our Schools program. Yours truly is the Schools Program Coordinator. We use modified courts and equipment. But we aren’t stuck to using the modified balls. The key to success is to utilize all the modified equipment together and getting parents involved. Anyway. I was in a long meeting with my boss mapping out our approach…hence my three plates full of things to do...and he oesn’t even know about the Tennis on Campus thing I’m doing.  |
| On my lunch break. i should be walking as i didn't this morning. Instead, i made the last minute touches for the For Authors writing.com weekly newsletter. I'm the guest editor this week! Also, i turned in my other creative writing assignment late last night before the midnight deadline. whew. this time, i only had a few missing commas. AND, I’m finished with my tournament! *does happy dance* It was small and at first, i was upset by this. However, it ended up being a good thing. The other tennis center was having their courts resurfaced...something about a pigment in the paint messing up and fading...the company who provided the paint paid for the repairs so, it's all good, but had my tournament produced huge draws, we'd have been in a pickle. still have lots of loose ends i need to tie up. Plus, i have to get ready...there's another tournament here this weekend and i'm working the desk on Saturday. at least i'll be here, at my facility where it feels like home...away from home. |
| Holding my breath –the draws just went live (for my tennis tournament). No big deal. It’s a small tournament, right? My only real concern lies in the worry I’ve forgotten someone. You know, one of those phone in entries, jotted down on scrap pieces of paper en route to home, office, Cheddars, Healy Point Country Club to play a match… Or, maybe I forgot about someone’s avoidance request. With an event this short, and small, AR’s can be honored. I always say the following, “I’ll do my best to honor your request; however, I can’t promise anything.” So, I’m covered here. But…there were two peeps I begged to participate in order to make an event. These avoidance requests have to be honored. I triple checked everything, but I’ll suffer with anxiety until we actually start putting matches on court tomorrow night at six-thirty. That’s just me. Ms. Anxiety. |
| ugh! the tournament is eating up all my writing time. but it's all good. |
| Tennis all next week. Two practices, two short lessons...and least one match. i roll into the weekend running a tournament. ******************************************************** it sucks being the typo queen...i turned in my writing assignment just in the nick of time with several ugly typos in it. i know i should post in here and proof...this yellow background has a way of lighting up my typos in neon that i somehow don't see in regular ole Word. oh well. maybe i'll still get a few nice comments nonetheless. sheesh, when will i ever learn?
I am inspired by creativity in its many varied forms. I am motivated by humor in everyday life. I am amazed at the beauty that materializes when laughter/creativity sparks in the eyes of individuals whom otherwise appear ordinary. --Robin Bateman ~~Image #6000 Sharing Restricted~~   |
| I turned my head for like, five seconds and the To-Do List fairy seized the opportunity to tack on a handful of added tasks...All scribbled in I can barely read this squiggle, on brightly colored sticky notes, slapped all over my desk. What brilliant timing, too. What,? with my tournament coming up and all, yeah, a bigger work load. Bring it on. At this second, only twelve players have signed up for the tournament. Everyone loves to wait until the last minute, after the deadline, to call in and beg me –the tournament director to batch them in the draws. It’s very hectic. The phone rings off the hook. People put on their sweetest phone voices; “Is there ‘an-knee-waaaay’ I can get in the tournament…?” I can almsot see their eyes begging. I hesitate before responding. I know; cruel but fun. There was a deadline, after all. One that has been posted for over three months. “I know it’s past the deadline.” They always say. I guess i need reminding. Once I’ve determined which draw they want in and if I can slide them into it, I begin... “Hmmmm,” I start out. “I don’t know.” I drag the words out, sorta sing them in this yes I can, but we’re gonna play this little phone game tone. Every player obliges me here. They give me nice compliments on my previous tournament directing and add blurbs about how sweet I am. They want in. And if the draw allows it, I slide them it. It’s a win-win situation. Well, at least until the matches start, then some of them will lose. |
| Mark Madness took it on the chin last night with a Vol victory; 93-86. heck yeah, sweet action. With Duke Crews back on the floor, Lofton settling into his 3-pointer (and scoring in general) groove and JaJaun Smith all over it, the Vols are looking better. Yup Lofton + Smith x 3 / Crews + Chism = The Pearl Presence…My favorite team in MARCH madness…final four? I hope so. Although, I must say, I thought the Tide’s fans were pretty cool in those Mark Madness t-shirts…what brilliant marketing. (Mark Gottfriend is Alabama’s coach.) I like Alabama’s colors. I know, it’s such a girl thing to say…The big orange is sooo bright, and out there, and unforgiving when it comes to fashion. I like how all the schools do the pink for girls, though. I want a pink Mercer hoodie and a pink UT hoodie. Speaking of hoodies, my WDC hoodie came in the mail the other day. I ordered a 2x only because I sooo wanted one and they didn’t have my size( a medium, please). I heard they wouldn’t be restocking the hoodies because they take up so much room. So, I thought why not? I can wear it during warm-ups for tennis matches and practices…it’s big and won’t bother my ulnar nerves. My arms are doing a little better today; last night was the absolute worst. Thank goodness these episodes come in waves and aren’t constant, ya know? |
| My arms are tingling –in a bad –my- ulnar- nerves hurt kinda way. The pain itself is very manageable. It’s the tingling that’s driving me nuts. Plus, it made typing an issue all during the work day. And...I sucked during tennis practice tonight, too. But I’m blaming my poor level of play on the lights. We practice at the college courts, not at my facility…the college courts don’t charge to play and everyone likes saving those few extra bucks. More for beer, they say. But the courts are cracked, and have a faded white lines desperate for a fresh coat of paint. The lighting is this almost yellow lighting, not sure who installed those bulbs. Nonetheless, it was great to be out on (green on green) court – playing I suck tennis. Now, I'm home, nursing on a glass of red wine mixed with green tea, decaf that is, about to eat a small plate filled with an assortment of veggies --void of my beloved carbs. maybe i'll watch a bit of lady vols. |
| i'm really bummed. my mixed partner told me yesterday, he will no longer play tennis anymore. he cited a few physical issues. i had sorta seen this coming so i wasn't caught off guard --it's been months since we've played together...but it sucks nonetheless. plus, my friend, who also played against us in mixed, is moving to ATL. she accepted a position and will be gone in March. I'm happy for her really, but i will miss our mixed sessions. |
| Who in their right mind, moved carbs from the good list to the bad list? I remember several years ago, when whispers began, now those words are rooted deep in my daily eating activities. With countless breadless cheese roll ups—used to be called sandwiches, I’m fed up. I want my bread. Yes, I do reach for flaxseed and whole wheat, and I love these, but I’m so conditioned to the carbs are bad for you song, I avoid these often. I miss pasta. A heavy ceramic dinner plate, loaded with overcooked spaghetti noodles, smothered in marinara sauce--with a thick Texas-sized piece of toast, (drenched in butter) perched on the side. A long stemmed wine glass filled with a rich cabernet sauvignon washing down each bite…. And dessert! How can you eat dessert when carbs are stuck from the list? Sugar and carbs are synonymous. What’s a girl supposed to do? Okay, enough whining! I’ve been back in town for a few days and I’m almost caught up. I’m sure, some unexpected issue will arise, setting me back further, but for now, I’m close. Except for that dang mattress that keeps finding its way into my living room. During December, when I had company in and out of my house, the twin sized thing sat behind a cushioned bench, where it was retrieved at night, for the lucky ‘I-get-to-sleep-on-robin’s-livingroom-floor individual. During the day, it was slid behind the bench so visitors could walk through and maybe hang out in the LR. After a few um, nasty remarks spoken through clenched teeth, my dear sweet husband moved the eyesore (is that one word?) back into storage where it belongs. My living room? Looks normal? I did the happy dance. However, my charming daughter, laney deflated my short-lived happiness. She, for reasons unannounced, remodeled her bedroom, moving furniture out of her room and into…you guessed it, my living room. among some of the removed pieces was a stinkin' twin sized matress. (i feel cursed.) Anyway, I know, I need to blog all about my adventures in Atlanta where I picked up my award. I will. But for now, I have to find ways to make my living room look like it’s supposed to have all this extra stuff in it. |
| I so blew my, um…diet. Well, it’s not a diet per se. but my ‘let’s try and avoid fast foods’ NYR thing I somehow put on my list. Yeah, I know, WTF was I thinking? I ran to get some errands done during lunch with Autumn and she casually mentioned Krystal’s . I was so all over it, grabbing a bag full of steamers. I love that greasy mostly bread for burger place. (They have the best grits at breakfast time for those of you who like slurping your first meal of the day.) Actually, if I remember correctly, theirs are on the thick side…just the way I love them. ************************* Anyway, Jexy gave me big hoop earrings for my birthday. Only they are in the shapes of hearts; I call them my Jexy Hearts. They’re adorable. Big silver heart earrings. Laney says all the girls at school are wearing them. I smiled. It’s nice to know I’m in step with teenage American girls. In time for my ?? birthday, too.  you like 'em? oh, hey, look...I'm wearing a wdc hat! can you tell? ******************************** Well, the weather is threatening my trip to Tennessee – snow and icy rain. I’m packing nonetheless. I’m staying at the Westin in Buckhead tomorrow night! WooHoo! I so cannot wait. Then, Saturday, I pick up my Sectional award. I have a teensy idea of what ‘m gonna say, besides thanking my editor and a few others…I just don’t know. Well, okay, so I do know, but I’m hit with this . “Oh my gosh, robin! You aren’t gonna say that?! are you? Why does self--doubt always rain on my parade? Despite that little wrinkle, I’m super excited. Even if the TN trip does get snowed out, I’m having a blast in Atlanta, at the Westin…on my birthday! |
| http://www.bookcrossing.com/mybookshelf okay, so here’s the thing. If you’re a reader, this site is for you! It’s a way to recycle your books and follow the journey they make. Here’s how it’s done. 1. register for the site at www.bookcrossing.com 2. donate a book(s) and ‘release’ them. Before doing so, you have to fill out a form on the site, and paste a label in or on the book designating it as a bookcrosssing book. (make sure your label has instruction about the site if the finder is not a bookcrossing member. 3. then, journal a quick entry describing where you left it. 4. monitor your book’s ‘travel’s on the site. Also, if you find bookcrossing books, make sure you key in the appropriate information on the site, so the releaser of the book will know what has happened. I'm planing on relasing A Painted House as my first offering. I'll keep you posted...oh, i may, if i have time, add to this entry, later today. |
| Nicole just called in. she can't come to work tonight. Yours truly will have to pull 12 hours. |
| Holy smokes! It’s 2:30 and I haven’t had lunch yet.! And worse, no Pepsi Max. I’m supposed to play tennis tonight. This is so not the way to get my game on. Yikes. Let me grab some easy peel bumble bee tuna, a quick salad and get on it. I’ve signed up to participate in the
I’m also taking an online class where we all submit excerpts of our writing and review everyone’s stuff! I think there are ten people participating and we do this once a week. Sooo, that’s lots of reviewing. I've created a new forum called Sports Arena where everyone can make posts about their favorite sports or athletes, among other things. As soon as i open it up to everyone (i'm still working on it) I'll let you guys know. And, I’m doing the www.bookcrossing.com thing...I’ll keep you posted on how that goes. Let me refuel so I can kick butt tonight. |
| Oh my gosh. The Jankovic match just ended! Three sets with Jankovic wining. -2;2-11. ************************************ It was almost 1:30 before I walked up to get the paper from the box. I know, kinda late. I lazed around, reading, and writing before I ventured out. The box is only one tenth a mile from my front door, but I didn’t fee like putting on shoes and a jacket until 1:30. No. It had nothing to do with last night’s tequila drinking. Two shots --Scouts honor. Everyone piled over for chicken wings and bryan’s famous wing sauce. During the socializing, someone opened a bottle of Tezon. How dare they? I so was enjoying my Draft Apple Cider, too. I loved my Sunday-move-at-my-own pace morning. And the only reason I went to get the paper instead of Bryan, was because he’s sick. Sore throat…he can barely talk. So anyway, I get up to the end of the driveway and snatch the paper out of its box, turn to head back but freeze. Something didn’t feel right. I whirl around to have a focused look and sure enough. Somebody – my bet’s on a small group. – whacked four mailboxes off their stands. Mine included in the vandalism. Oh joy. Maybe tomorrow’s mail will just be bills and I won’t care that I don’t get any mail. |
| Every time I get one little corner of my world organized, the other three become insanely jealous and create messes of untold proportions. Life never wants me to feel like I have a handle on it. Organization, in particular stands with her hand on her hip, smirking, daring me to try. “But it’s on my NYR list,” I whine, hoping she will give me a break. “Hah!” Like an idiot, I stand mouth agape. “Where in the book does it say I have to help you get organized?” Her words pierce my resolve. Injured, I flop down into my office chair. Fighting with LIttle Miss Organization was not on my To Do List today. I grope through recent, and not so recent memories…did she ever help me? I was certain she had. Why then, was she standing there, unforgiving, cruel, spiteful? Asking --was out of the question. A few deep breaths and I had ridden out her pain injected comment. Why had I bothered seeking the advice of an expert? Silly me…screw you, I almost say but bite my tongue, rather my bottom lip, instead. Then, I remember how I’m supposed to have given up whining. Oh great, twelve days in and I’m already a gonner. So, one hurtful comment from one person and I’m ready to call it quits? Heck no. I snatch up my pink iPod, my motivator of late, hop up and toss my head back. “Hmph!” I say in return, “who needs your help?” Then, while shuffling through papers, I realize, this was the message she was trying to deliver all along. |
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