A Winter's Tale

Went to see The Ring yesterday with Katie--finally. We had postponed it a week at a time for the past three weeks. Various mix-ups and/or other events (going-away parties, etc) got in the way. But I think it was worth the wait. Deliciously creepy.

Tonight, we're playing Krystal's team in 8-ball. More than likely, I'm expecting batnandu to post me against Jeff. Hopefully, it'll work out. Marcus told me yesterday that he might not be playing because he's scheduled to work at Diem tonight. That might help...

Heidi told me that UPN cancelled Haunted the other day. I thought it was a pretty good show, but I suppose I'm glad that I now have an extra 40 minutes or so to my week. Sheesh. I really am a slave to the TiVo.

Depending on who you're playing, a 3:3 APA league race can be quite nerve-racking.

I was playing Ty tonight--we're both handicapped at 4, and he took the first game quite soundly. We traded a bit on the second game which I won, and the third game was a real challenge for me defensively.

My five was tied up with the eight ball, and he only had the twelve to run through before attempting the eight. I kept trying to leave him with a shot from against a rail, or force him into a bank or a kick shot.

One of my defensive shots left the cue ball against the rail around a diamond away from the side pocket; the cue was frozen to my five, which was frozen to the eight. My opponent had a keen sense of aim, so that even though he might not sink a ball, he could do enough to avoid giving me ball-in-hand.

Which in this low-percentage case, he did.

We would trade a few more defensive leaves before he eventually had to shoot on the clustered eight (I had combo-ed my two ball to sink his twelve). Thus breaking open the table, I was able to sink my two then my five, and finally, the eight.

The final game of the match is the kind that every pool player aspires to. I usually break a rack so that there are good options for running a number of solid and stripes, and perhaps a few good defensive opportunities. Quite often, however, I'll end up not sinking a ball at all, which allows some of my more skilled opponents to run the table out.

I was a little afraid of this scenario, given Ty's skills. But just following the cue's resonant cracking against the surface of the One ball at the apex of the tightly-packed spheres, I heard Nandu shout, "Go Eight!" My eye followed the eight ball creeping slowly toward the far left corner pocket. It decelerated, however, and hung a few inches from the depths of the pocket.

The twelve ball which had so hampered me in the previous game, however, rolled ever so slowly toward the eight ball. I could see the two balls line up perfectly, and then the eight ball fell into the void.

I had made an Eight-on-Break.

Now I don't want to give the impression that this is some ultra-rare, once-in-a-blue-moon occurence. On the contrary, I know some players who can consistently sink the eight ball on the break, some even in consecutive games.

But this is probably like what my dad felt when he hit his first Hole-in-One. And that's a good feeling, indeed.


Speaking of Tight Racks, there were two women at the bar following the match, both quite shapely and cute. One was loud and playful in a trashy sort of way, which just made me want to spank her... err... yeah.

And the other was just really, really great to look at.

Women. Sigh.


Word of the moment: Adept

Went to sleep at 6:15 last night (err... this morning...) for some reason because after trying to watch all three Godfather movies at Rob's place, playing four games of chess (in the we-made-a-mockery-of-the-game-of-chess sense) with Nandu and Jason, and eating way too much wonderful food prepared by Keely (plus Jessyca's delectable tiramisu, I went home at about 4:30, showered the smoke from me, and began to play Hoyle Casino (2 Texas Hold'em Tournaments) and Hoyle Card Games (Hearts and Gin Rummy).

Woke up around noon today, and watched some TV, and then went to eat brunch at Apr´s. John and I then went to CompUSA and I bought another SiPix for Jerry and some other stuff. Went to CD Merchants afterwards to look for used CDs, because let's face it. I'd rather buy a used CD to prevent the freaking RIAA to get any additional income. As a matter of fact, I think I may sell a good many of my CDs now--it's not like I listen to most of them...

But I digress. After CD Merchants, I went to Target and bought some cleaning shit for all the mildew growing on my mildew-resistant shower curtain. What gives? I did get to see what could be one of the most sultry women I've ever seen walking by me amidst the aisles of the store. Or maybe I'm just being hyperbolic because it's really just been far too long.

So anyways, I made some leftover pasta that Keely left for me with garlic and oil (when garlic starts growing roots and stuff, is the darker part in the middle of the clove OK to eat? I sure hope so, 'cause if not...uhhh.... uh-oh...). Cleaned the tub, and watched John Doe.

I was thinking about heading to the bar, but I'm a bit tired, and I don't feel like getting all smoky. So I'm going to upgrade my computer so I can use USB 2.0 devices. Yay.

Word of the moment: odalisque