I Love This Sport

One of my favorite things is happening...the US Open (Tennis) in New York City. We went to it in 2004, and Oh My God...it was like a Disneyland for tennis junkies. More tennis being played than you can imagine. And more tennis superstars than you'll ever see in any one place in the USA.

Usually we watch the Open from our living room. Kathleen at work is known for taking off the second week of the Open for her vacation. At home she sets herself up from the vantage point of our living room couch and watches match after match on all the channels broadcasting the Open: ESPN, The Tennis Channel and CBS. She even sets up her laptop so she can watch two matches at the same time. As if that's not enough engagement, my dearest is also busy knitting yet another sweater, with of course the cats requiring attention intermittently. And she complains she never does anything!

Meanwhile I'm keeping an eye on my favorite champions and watching also for the next up-and-comer-superstar. I predicted Nadal would be a winner, but my crystal ball has been murky for women's tennis. Well, so has a lot of other people's lately.

But this year's eyes are all on Serena Williams. She's a fierce champion and an American, which are two things both the media and the public love. She also can be quite theatrical, and her presence adds some excitement to the whole Open. Tennis has never been sedate when Serena plays.

If Serena stays healthy, she probably is your best bet for the women's side. I don't know what kind of odds Vegas has on her, but you'll probably make more than even money. However, at this point, there's been so much hype about Serena returning triumphantly to win the Open that we may be convinced she already has done so before she steps out on the Women's Final Match court.

A lot of matches have yet to be played. So I'm taking a wait and see approach before handing Serena the US Open trophy. Actually, I'd rather be surprised by an under-rated underdog winning the Open, wouldn't you?

A One-Night Stand with Irene

You know, I've never known any Irenes until now. And now she's coming to our town with everyone's undivided attention. For about 24 hours or a little more than one night, Hurricane Irene is going to move through my life (and everyone else's) and leave who-knows-what-in-her-wake. It's so like those romances (well, one-night stands) we all indulged in when we were still sowing our wild oats.

But this Irene is different. I just had to buy my one-night stands a drink or two or maybe at most dinner and a movie. Hurricane Irene requires "emergency supplies". This means non-perishable food, gallons of water, radios, batteries and candles---and that's just the basics. Furthermore, it takes days to prepare for her while you're constantly trying to catch the latest news about her arrival.

But it's certain that she's arriving since she's a force of nature and we live in her "projected path." We know she's going to turn off the lights (and the power!). So we busy ourselves with tasks that require electricity since our power company was so "kind" to phone us with the news that there would be extended power outages. Such service!

This Irene may be the most memorable one-night stand I'll ever have. I'm sure she'll be beautiful, powerful and damn scary. No wonder they named this hurricane after a woman.

Fresh at the Farmers’ Market

We have a Saturday morning ritual: We go to the farmers' market. We used to go on Sundays, but the market in our neighboring town was a zoo! It was so crowded that I got pushed to the side-lines. Granted our neighboring town’s market has mostly organic fruits, vegetables, breads, meats and cheeses, and our town’s market mostly doesn't. But I can actually shop, pick and choose my produce at our farmers’ market, which is the whole point, isn't it? And, I regret to report this---our neighboring town’s market brought out the rudest behavior in people. Lots of pushing and shoving...Sorry everyone…I just can't get into it over tomatoes, corn and peaches.

So now we go to our town’s market. It's quite nice and located in the downtown plaza. Sometimes they even have a band playing (and not too loud!). The produce is fresh, local and very much in-season. The people seem cool and laid-back. And now I no longer have anxieties about being mowed down by somebody seeking tomatoes or flowers. It's such a happening and happy place that I took some video of the market, which I have yet to edit. (Maybe someday I'll get video on this blog too!)

Did I mention that Kathleen LOVES shopping at the farmers' market? She never forgets her re-usable canvas bags and smiles the whole way through the market. Afterwards, she tells me over and over again how we got "some good food."

I'm happy too for the opportunity to be mingling and shopping with my neighbors. The market on the plaza has become a meeting place for long lost friends and colleagues. Somehow it seems more likely to meet like-minded friends at the farmers' market.

I guess shopping at the farmers' market is now the "thing to do," and we're doing it too. Will you?

Hiss n' Spit

Ever see a real cat fight? It ain't pretty! About every month or so our cats wrestle and do a little hissing and spitting. Nothing too alarming. Actually, I think our alpha cat, Perrier, is just re-asserting her dominance. Meanwhile, Evian doesn't just roll over but puts up a little fight to maintain her dignity. Or maybe they're both just blowing off steam from living together all the time (they're indoor cats). But then, really who knows what motivates cats...?

Actually, Kathleen and I aren't that different from the cats. For the most part we get along well through life's trials and tribulations. But even we snap now and then. And fight like cats, hissing and spitting at each other. After being together 15 years, I think both of us feel pretty confident that the relationship will survive the fight. At least I hope so...

But then there's nothing like a good fight to clear the air. As long as you fight fair and know when to stop. Often in the middle of a blowing-off-steam-from-stress-fight, Kathleen and I catch a glimpse of ourselves and start laughing. We realize that we're really fighting over nothing. Or what we are fighting about is so trivial that it doesn't merit the emotion or the volume.

And then we make up---and somehow like the cats, life just goes on---and we often go out to Starbucks. Before you know it we’re drinking lattes and laughing. And in time, all’s well again.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

I've always had the expectation that life would be smooth sailing. But all through my life I've run into obstacles and blamed myself for them. I believed that I was the cause of the obstacles and that something was wrong with me. Something like I either must have a lot of bad karma to work through or like "life" is just supposed to be perfect, isn't it?

But I've lived and learned that one person's perfect is another person's hell. So maybe all those obstacles, or road blocks and detours, were guidance in a very indirect way. Oh, my will has been thwarted many a time. And I'll never know how things might have turned out if I had gotten my way. But at least at 50 years of age, I now know when to avoid, ignore and generally find some positive way to cope with life's obstacles and set-backs.

The learning curve isn't so steep anymore either. And I feel no compulsion to live a "perfect" life. I may not take life's obstacles in stride, but I'm less likely to curse myself or the gods.

I guess I can finally mount my Ganesh mask to a wall in my living room. Ganesh is an Indian god who is a remover of obstacles. Kathleen found the mask when she traveled to San Francisco on business. I don't think Ganesh eliminates the obstacles. He just makes me more comfortable removing them.

I needed an Indian god to teach me that obstacles will always appear in life. Now my "perfect" life includes even obstacles.

Nap Time

You know you're squarely into middle age when you look forward to your naps. Personally, I'm not a big napper. Now I like a good lie-down while listening to the radio now and then, but as far as going unconscious for long stretches of time I'm just not your girl. Oh, I like sleep, but I prefer thinking or really zoning to a long nap.

Now I've found that some people actually nap for hours, and they even schedule it into their afternoon's weekend activities. You've got to be real close to a person before they'll tell you about their nap schedule. Often they'll just be "busy" in the afternoons a lot. Or always. Sometimes you don't find out about the "napping" until you move in together when it, well, becomes obvious.

I know all this because I live with a Sleeping Beauty. She's a real sleeper. Hours upon hours of sleep. And she’s practically nocturnal too. She's like the cats. They sleep all afternoon, and so does she when she naps.

Every once in a while I try out this nap thing. The most I get is 45-60 minutes and then I'm up. It's just not for me. I'd rather listen to music while playing mahjongg on the computer. I guess I'm just not a napper. I'm a zoner. What are you?