CHS Tennis

I started this blog over two years ago and one of the first things I wrote about was tennis. Today I finished my high school tennis career. It was an incredible 7 seasons. (One spring and one fall, seniors can't play spring.) I played JV every year until this fall, when I finally made varsity. I played part of the season with Katie, a sweet junior with beautiful groundstrokes. We were undefeated and beat KW and NC on what I see as the best day of our season together. Then I was partners with Cierra, a hard-core senior with a signature slam. We had a tough start, but pulled together in time to take second at North Regionals, defeating Sheridan and NC, and losing to Gillette. The last two days we had a good time. We had an absolutely incredible match with Cheyenne Central last night, winning 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 6-4. It was so hard and so beautiful. We were on fire. We were racehorses at the baseline and lionesses at the net. It is such a sweet feeling to have a well-earned victory. We fell today to Laramie and Rock Springs. I won't lie, Laramie smoked us and Rock Springs was better, but we did well. I am SO proud of my team. Jenna, Taylor, Jenny and Sam, Skye and TT, Cierra and myself, Katie and Meg, Shad, Dan, Jordan and Trey, Ethan and Jess, Eric and Tanner, TJ and Angelo, Dawg and Brandt. We had an incredible season and it was the best. Play like a champion forever.

Thoughts on life

I think we all need to believe in a higher being. I don't care if you think it's God, Zeus and Hera, or  Buddha, but I think we all need some kind of explanation for what happens in life. Sometimes, it's like karma is just slapping you left and right, and others it's as though you've just had a vial of felix felicis. There must be a motive, right?

It's just been a long day, and I just wonder sometimes. I don't know. Maybe it's all based off how bitchy people feel at a particular time and place, or maybe we're all just pawns in some great chess game. I don't know. I wish I did. I'd love to know why, why, why. But then, I suppose we all do. And I suppose, if we knew the system, we'd hack it and fix it.

Does it sound communist to say that I wish we were all equal? The same stuff, the same access. Everything we fight over is over someone's crap. Land, diamonds, water, nuclear warheads, shit like that. We don't need all this shit. We just need a little house, a garden, some water, and friends. Give me that and I'll show you how to live.

God help us. Bless us, keep us, and help us. 

hahaha

I love it when teachers say funny stuff. There's one I know pretty well, and we were talking and she just yells "dammit" and I laughed and she says "darn it" and it's totally normal. I like being friends.

ps. TENNIS STARTS THIS WEEK!! Frick yeah!

Sign-ups for tennis today!

haha! finished!

A/R Forever

1000 x 1000 px

By the way, I realized this is my 100th post. Feels a little bit special, maybe. . . .

Tennis

It was an epic day of tennis. Maria and I have a record of 14-1 and we made it all the way to the quarterfinals. It was really fun. I felt so happy to give a German girl her first ever PB&J. Yes, I was very disappointed that we didn't beat Laramie #2 in the quarterfinals, but that's okay. It was a good day.

On a scale from owl crap to chocolate....

(We'll get to the owl crap soon enough.)
At any rate, today I'm coming home from tennis practice and I want to know how much my stuff weighs. You see, I'm carrying my tennis clothes, tennis uniform, racket, shoes, Algebra 2 textbook, which is not what I usually bring home. I usually just bring my satchel and computer and water.
So, here's the final total:

Satchel (including clothes): 6 lbs 

Tennis racket, uniform,  and water: 9 lbs

Computer: 9 lbs

Algebra 2 text: 6.5 lbs (!!! A textbook!)

For a grand total of: 30.5 lbs. 

Seriously, why should we be carting that much stuff to and from school? I don't carry that much for a overnight backpacking trip. It's not like I even have as much stuff as some people. Bethany, for example, is unfortunately in 7th grade, where they just got new textbooks. She has three to bring home. Why? Why do we even need to bring in our computers? We didn't even use them, yesterday or today.

At any rate, my friend Maria and I are playing tennis. She tells me "Last night there was an owl on our house and it crapped all over. I think it's on the driveway too." We miss our next point. She says "You know if we win, I'm going to reward myself with the chocolate I have in my backpack. It is the best kind ever." We win the point. A little while later I hit a ball and say "On a scale from owl crap to chocolate where was that?" Good day. :)

I also discovered this really cool photo editor on my computer called Gimp. It's really amazing. I use this online one called Blibs editing, that I love. I can make my own desktops now, so if you have something you want me to try email here. It might happen faster if you comment and say "hey check yo' email" so....yeah. Here's my first.

From Tennis, Tennis, Tennis, Tennis, The Tennis Team

So, today, at tennis tryouts, we were all sitting at the lip-gloss table and trying to order pizza. Stephen calls Domino's. "Do you have the 5-5-5 deal? Coupon number? Uh, hold on." We're cracking up so hard. "Six....four, x....5....4. Not valid? Do you have coupons at your store? No? Ok." So we call Pizza Hut. "Conrad?! Hey, do you have the anything-anysize for $10 deal? No? Ok." We talked about going to Pizza on the Run, but it was too expensive so we call Pizza Hut again. "Hee-y, Conrad. It's Stephen. From tennis. Tennis. Tennis. Tennis. Tennis. From the tennis team. I played you yesterday." Funniest thing I've heard in ages.

Some New York Photos

Strange cookie-ad from Paradise Bakery

Out the airplane window. I love this one.

John and his badminton racket. Day 1.

Amazing farmers' market stuff

Me and Emily

At 18-Mile Creek

Maria Sharapova vs Elena Dementieva

So, I'm guessing no one watched the Sharapova/Dementieva match last night? It was really good. Sharapova won the first set, Dementieva won the second. Then in the third they were really close, but Sharapova pulled ahead and won. It was a good match and the footwork was nice too. However, there seemed to be an extrordinary numbere of double faults and hits that hit the top of the net (and didn't go over). Sharapova had fourteen double faults and Dementieva six, the last time I looked. Why so many?