Get Your Halloween Freak On!

Give the People What They Want!

Hey, long time -- no see. You guys got big Halloween plans? Not to be a buzz-kill or anything but personally, I'm not a huge fan.

So, after receiving several requests to add some new material, I am finally getting around to posting. Someone, yet another who shall remain nameless, asked that I post again if only to move on from my admittedly bizarre sick day blog which included a descriptive analysis outlining my facial features in a rather, um, unflattering close-up shot.

Gosh, that blog really weirded some of you out. Sorry folks, I can't be witty , sane, and pretty all of the time. :-) Even Jim thought I should post a different picture and as he is my ultimate litmus test -- that was not a good sign. Still, I politely declined, telling him that in the interest of utter transparency, I felt said photo should fully capture the essence of me being sick and bored out of my mind. I feel I was successful in getting my message across. So, now you know: if you ever see in me in person and I look like that close-up, then I am both of those things.

Lastly, after a fellow tennis player wigged out on me this last weekend, I received gentle nudging from a friend who witnessed said wigging out event to blog an anecdotal expose on the uglier side of tennis. And yes, my friends, there is a such a thing!

After some thought, I have decided to do just that. Hopefully, I will have it posted in the next few days. In the meantime, I have a 7:30pm singles match tonight so I must skedaddle. So, STAY TUNED!



tina signing off.

U.N.C.L.E!

And by that I am not referring to the 60's TV show, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E' -- I mean to say I SURRENDER ALREADY! I have picked up a flu bug that I can't quite seem to shake. Admittedly in the last week or so, I have overdone it a wee-little-bit tennis-wise. As a result on Monday I felt a little run down & nauseous but soldiered through a 7 hour day of tennis and conditioning. Yesterday, after a 7am lesson and 2 back-to-back doubles matches, I felt so drained and feverish that I skipped Singles Drills and headed home for bed.

This morning I was up at 5:45am getting ready for my 7:30 match but quickly realized I still wasn't feeling too hot and also had developed a sore throat overnight. I made the executive decision to call off both today and tomorrow's tennis-related activities and crawled back into bed. Falling back to sleep, I made a TheraFlu-induced promise to the Tennis Gods not to cheat and really take it easy for 48 hours in exchange for full recovery in time for 2 singles matches I am really looking forward to playing over the weekend, not to mention outstanding plans to hang out w/a friend that I haven't seen in ages.

Jeez, who knew being sick could be SO BORING? Seriously, taking it easy is like watching paint dry. Pretty dull. You know things have gotten pretty desperate when you find me resorting to taking pictures (of myself!) using my iPhone. (Gosh, I had no idea my eyes were so big and my forehead so, um, expansive. Especially when contrasted by my non-existent lips. It got me thinking that it might be wise to consider some bangs to hide some of that Danish forehead of mine! However bangs are such a commitment. I dunno.)

This afternoon I found myself in that weird state of mind where I had slept all I possibly could, yet didn't feel well enough to do anything remotely productive or brain-power consuming. No elliptical machine even. I have to keep my promise y'all. Hence I read a little, Googled about, caught up with my Mother, took photos of myself, the cats, the new vintage timber mantel -- all the while cursing the powers that be (in the nicest possible way) for making me miss tennis. By the way, meet my cat, Frank. He is frankly the BEST. :-)

Hell to the Yeah: Undefeated in 3.0 Doubles!

Meet my 3.0 Doubles flight partner, Jane. I was cashing in on a promise she'd made to let me take her picture for my blog. Figured taking the pic while we were out celebrating our undefeated status was a good a time as any. (And she even picked up the tab for all of us -- thanks! Next one is on me.)

Early this summer, Jane and I started playing singles against each other a few times a week, then took up a weekly doubles match with Nicki (aka The Warrior) and Kathy (aka Ms. Spin).

At summer's end, Jane and I decided to join forces for 3.0 Ladies Doubles. Since getting to know her, I've come up with many nicknames for Jane but my 2 favs are G.I Jane and Calamity Jane. She wrecks havoc on our opponents, especially at the net. And she is an amazing retriever. I am glad we're on the same side of the court. Jane is an awesome partner, always makes me laugh and is just an all around great person.

Word on the street is that Jane and I are being advanced to the 3.5 Ladies Doubles Flight next session, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet. Will keep you posted.

The "To Do" List: Hitting With Purpose & Building Points

Are you showing up to the court with a plan of action? Some players have one thing in mind when going into a tennis match and that's to return the ball over the net, get it in the court and pray that their opponent will not be able to do the same thing as often.

It all starts at warm-up! With a good eye and attentiveness you can start planning your match points in the first 5 minutes of the warm-up, although you will continue your fact finding and information gathering during the match, a good tennis strategist will already start planning their match before the the first serve and return. You should make mental notes about the opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. How is their reaction time? Do they have good balance and technique or are they wrong footed and look as if they have never taken formal instruction? Ask yourself what types of shots does my opponent prefer to hit? What are they trying to avoid hitting? Try to get a read on your opponent’s mental status as well. Some players will come to the court sluggish others will be amped up ( not to their advantage ). Does your opponent look nervous or overconfident?

When your information gathering has been completed it's time to move into the next operation and that is to EXECUTE the plan using the ingredients that your opponent has given you to make a really nice tennis dish called "Exploitation and Domination". I always tell my high school players that having a " To Do" list is one of the most important things a player can do for themselves on the court. It not only helps you stay in the moment and focused, but gives you a mini-plan for each and every point of the match. You'll find that your " To Do" list will promote mental focus that you never had before and you'll be hitting with purpose. Your list should be a nice blend of your personal strengths combined with your opponent’s weaknesses. To Do lists also require a good balance and understanding that placement over power is key. After-all, without consistency and placement, power is worthless.

There are several variations of mechanical shot combinations one can use in singles play, keeping in mind that every match is going to be different, a player may want to use some of these tactics based upon their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, a good player will have several variations to a lot of these tactics and not play the same points repeatedly with the risk of becoming predictable. It's easy to vary these purposefully planned combinations and a player should always be evolving and changing their game plan as needed during the match. Remember it's a two way street and your opponent will make adjustments if they are well schooled in the game.

Here are some mechanical variations that one might bring to the baseline before taking their serve to start any given point:

- Three drives in a row to the same corner, and then a sharp, slow cross-court to the other side.
- Four drives from alternate corner to corner, and then the cross-court drop shot.
- Alternate corner to corner until you decide your opponent is set in the rhythm, and then the slow, straight short shot back to the same side of court as your last shot.
- First a drop shot, then a lob deep to the opposite side of the court.
- First a drive, then a slice , then a drive, then a slice , and so forth, with continually varying depth until an error is forced.

Unless a player is going for a clean winner, a good player always hits his shot with his next shot in mind, and an even better strategist is planning two strokes in advance of the one he is then hitting. There are several types of baseline rallies that, unless deliberately broken up by one player or the other, will follow an almost invariable pattern. The most general type is the cross-court exchange to deep court. The one seen most often is the backhand-to-backhand variety. The forehand-to-forehand variety seldom continues for more than three exchanges. To break up either type of cross-court exchange, there are two excellent shots. One is the faster straight shot, paralleling the sideline, into the deep corner. The other is a slow and very sharply angled cross-court shot, which is still in pattern with the exchange, but has very different depth and pace, and possibly has different spin as well.

Week 8: (Not) Very Inspiring

I find it hard to believe that I'm already finishing up WEEK 8. Time really does fly. Nearly 60 days ago I began my tennis extravaganza, on August 24 to be exact. In this short amount of time, I have made huge strides in both my tennis game and physical conditioning.

Though, I agree, you probably wouldn't know that by reading my blog posts. Someone, who shall remain nameless, recently shared with me that they didn't exactly find my blog to be, um, inspiring. Don't worry about me, I can take it. But yes, I know -- hater! I mean I include quotes from Angelina Jolie on my blog -- how is that NOT inspiring?!? ;-)

Now, I am not trying to make excuses. I just feel that you, my faithless followers, deserve an explanation regarding my inability to inspire you too to drop pretty much everything and pursue a passion of yours like your life depended on it. So here it is:

Blogging is a creative process, people! For me, being creative requires a certain mind space. When it comes to blog content, the main creative challenge I confront is that I am REALLY tired at night. (Try some form of exercise for 3-7 hours a day, 6 days a week -- & get back to me.) While I don't know about you when I am very tired, one of two things -- well, ok -- one of three things happen. The most obvious being that I fall asleep. (Duh.) Second is that I turn into a chatty goofball with no ability to focus or be serious (Hello!) which has its drawbacks. Lastly is that I sometimes get cranky when running on empty.

So, by the time I get around to blogging I am leaning towards one of these states of mind, with limited ability to search my soul for any lurking inspirational yearnings, let alone recount the myriad technical aspects of my tennis program. In all seriousness, there really is a lot that goes into this tennis thing and I know I haven't done it all much justice. Hopefully as I develop more stamina (or begin drinking espresso at night) my recounting of this journey will improve.

Until then, my blog will most likely continue as a (sometimes) banal narrative allowing me free license to think-out-loud, chill a bit, and at the same time share my witty personality in even more agonizing detail then you might get in person. Though in my defense, I must be doing something right (or wrong, come to think of it!): I've already received one marriage proposal. :-0



tina signing off.

My Feet Kinda Hurt!

Just thought you'd want to know. Yesterday was a action-packed tennis day. 4 matches! That's 6 hours on the court. Happily, two of the matches were mixed doubles. Back-2-back even! Of the 4 played, I won 3 - lost 1. Not too shabby.

I was beat by the end of the night; didn't get home from my last match until after 11pm. So it was quite a treat to sleep in this morning until 8am. And yes, I did very much enjoy a cup of very strong espresso upon waking, which did wonders to jumpstart my brain. Now I just need to get my feet restored in time for my 6pm singles match tonight.

Plan to take it easy today to gear up for the rest of the week. Tomorrow and Thursday are 3 and 4 match days respectively. Then Friday, we're headed north to the lovely town of Stanwood for my cup team's match. If it was anything like last Friday, it's going to be a barnburner. As it's an away game we will be carpooling, which means just one thing: trouble! Hopefully we make it to the match. And since we will be in the general vicinity, I hope to finagle a quick look-see at the lululemon outlet store afterwards.


tina signing off.

I'm Just Saying...

1. We all do crazy stuff. Well, most of us do. And for those of you that haven't, maybe you should -- before it's too late. Mind you, there are varying degrees of crazy. The picture to the left highlights one of my crazier, um, adventures. (Nope, I will not divulge which theme room I stayed in.) Take it from me: Probably not the best idea to elope with someone you dated for, oh, 8 weeks. Romantic, perhaps. Smart, not so much. But crazy, yes! (And to make matters worse, do not talk your best friend into doing the same thing -- with his best friend. I am such a bad influence!) Still, if you just can’t help yourself, do yourself a favor. Skip Reno.

2. We all make mistakes. While mankind has discovered how to split atoms and managed to make 450 ton metal objects fly, sadly, we humans have not yet figured out the secret to perfection. Major bummer that we are fallible creatures. For example, while a teen-ager, it was a mistake for me to ‘borrow’ my parent's brand new car before knowing how to drive, drive to the U-District, and then while pulling back into our driveway, crash said car into the side of my house. It didn’t seem to matter at all to my father that I had run out of Dippity-do hair gel & needed to get to Pay-n-Save ASAP. A person's character is shaped in part how they handle mistakes made along the road of life. No pun intended.

3. We can learn from shoes. Seriously, this is fact. You can learn all you need to know about someone by their shoes. Call me what you will: Shallow. Delusional. Whatever! I have a few immovable beliefs and this is one. Shoe-reading is an art and I, my friend, have refined it down to a science. So trust me when I say to stay far, far away from any person wearing puffy black Reebok high-top tennis shoes. You can thank me later.

4. We all have a fatal flaw. And lucky us, turns out we’re pretty clueless about it. While we all have a stronghold of small defects, the flaw I mention is the invisible pattern that holds us back & hangs us up throughout our lives. Without realizing it, we are constantly being given opportunities to work this pattern out. In a strange twist of fate, while this imperfection is usually hidden to us, it can be strangely obvious to those in close proximity. Don’t believe me? Ask someone near &/or dear. Though it’s not always easy for them to put into words, see what they have to say. If they’re aware and honest, what they tell you may change your life. Or it may just really piss you off.

tina signing off.

FAQ's: Inquiring Minds Want to Know

I have been genuinely touched and surprised at the interest and curiosity other tennis-folk, and really, just people in general have shown for my, ahem, slightly time-consuming passion for tennis. Lots of questions get thrown at me. Some more than others. "Are you crazy?!" is high up there. And since I am all about people-pleasing (that's me being sarcastic), I decided to lift the guarded veil of secrecy and do my best to answer your questions semi-truthfully. That's right. I just might lie.

One of the more frequent questions I get asked is what I do for fun outside of tennis. As if there were such a thing. In fact, earlier today, Carole S. from Woodway had this to ask: "Christina, you can't possibly spend every spare moment playing tennis. What is your favorite TV show? Do you even own a TV??"

My response: Hi Carole. Aren't you funny. Yes, just like most of the populated western world, I happen to be a TV owner. In fact I'm pretty sure I even have premium cable. And in case you were wondering, this is what a TV of mine looks like. Being a form-over-function gal many of my purchases, TV's included, are largely aesthetically-driven. (It's not just a TV -- it's art, damnit! Admit it, it's cool looking -- right?) Say what you will, but I'm funny like that. Kind of like my love for the Bang & Olufsen Beocom 2 cordless telephone. Those Danes sure know their way around design. Anyhoo, moving on -- let's re-focus!

As for a favorite television show. Is this a trick question? Would it surprise you to learn it's not the Tennis Channel? Truthfully, I discovered I have a difficult time watching tennis on TV. It just makes me realize that I am NOT playing. Once that happens, I get rather impatient watching.

I have a short attention span when it comes to a variety of things, TV shows being one. With all the drama and cruelty being played out in the world, I gravitate towards comedy, albeit the irreverent and dark kinds. Current faves are Californication and Dexter, which aren't exactly your run of the mill feel-good sitcoms. Not only do these shows provide comic-relief, they seem to satisfy my ever-present interest in human nature. Through the eyes and words of some really talented writers, you meet some flawed yet honest characters who are darkly funny and deeply human. Which is something you don't see on TV -- or in life really, very often.

Thanks for the question Carole! tina signing off.

Have I mentioned....

HOW MUCH I LOVE TENNIS?



I'm just saying...I kinda love it. A lot.

My Favorite 4-Letter-Word

P-A-C-E. Yes, pace. What did you think my favorite 4-letter-word would be? Jeez people, do me a favor and clean your dirty minds out with soap, will ya'? Some runners-up in the fav 4-letter-word category would likely be N-I-K-E (as in: see my adorable new shoes?!?) and let's see -- ok, J-E-E-P (as in: I'm counting down for mine -- a mighty fine bday gift). Sorry, I'm losing my train of thought. (Cast your vote: What color Wrangler should I get? Jeep Green? Sunburnt Orange? Red Rock?) Hey, focus! Back to PACE! Just got home from my singles match with Luis E. whose ground strokes had crazy-amazing pace! Flat, low and super hard. (As in: Holy crap!) I loved it. Love, love, love. To be honest, I was happily surprised that I returned all but a few and kept my return shots from being long. (How very timely that we covered this very topic in today's lesson. The revision in amount of racquet swing worked like a charm.)

I had asked to be matched with a strong 3.0 or newer 3.5 (just for the heck of it) guy. Dr. Luis was my man. I took the first set 6-1, he took the second 2-6, and we tied the 3rd, 3-3 before time ran out. We had a blast and plan to play again next week. Seriously, I must have lost at least 2-3 lbs. in 90 minutes. My pedometer clocked over 4000 steps by the time we were through. (Tonight's match left me dying for a cheeseburger. Yet vigilently I had to take into consideration that I haven't eaten red meat in over 6 months. I am afraid my digestive system would not be very agreeable to this particular food choice. Plus then I start thinking of all my Danish cow friends & viola! -- no more craving. Until the next time. Adding to my confusion, Jim tells me I crave red meat because my body really wants more leafy greens. But I don't understand -- how does my body confuse the two?!?)

In other news, I got the word today that I made it onto HS's USTA Mixed 6.0 Team A. A very exciting development indeed! Our season begins November 1, and team practices begin next week. (Not to mention, the team uniform is super cute. Priorities, you know.)

on that note, tina signing off.

Way to Go, Brad!

"I haven't learned how to work as well in partnerships as I do as an individual. I'm better alone. The key is finding someone with goals as ambitious as your own. Basically, I think there should be a reason for you to be a unit. Not just to be happy but to actually accomplish and change, and take on things you want to take on in this life. Someone who just really works hard and loves. That has not been an easy thing to find. "

- Angelina Jolie

Ingredients for Change

"Satisfaction is the death of desire. In order to achieve, to move forward, to invent things, a certain amount of unrest is probably necessary. And I hate to say it, but a degree of unhappiness too."


- Lisa Grunwald

Remembering

"The breeze at dawn
has secrets to tell you.
Don't go back to sleep.
You must ask for what you really want.
Don't go back to sleep.
People are going back & forth
across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.
The door is round and open.
Don't go back to sleep."