Part III

Thursday: LA Fitness = check

Friday: Mets Game = check


Saturday: Life Style Fitness...


This place is very nice. The second nicest place I have ever worked out in. The design of the site was first class. The facilities were all brand new, which is a bonus, but the quality of the materials used will make this place seem like new for years to come. The Exercise floor was huge. I got a great work out in and then played some racquetball. The racquetball courts were not very good. The wrong type of flooring was used and it was not sealed very well. The clatter between the floor and the foundation was annoying, but it was even worse between the court panels and the support walls.


After the workout, Brian went to retrieve JP from his treadmill run. JP ran a long way - over 15 miles. JP was very happy Brian went and got him due to a particular issue that it truly interesting.


We have all heard of chaffing. I am sure we all know what it is and I do not need to describe it. What I wager we all have not heard before is nipple chaffing. Specifically, the friction caused by the shirt runners have on creates an environment hostile to nipples. Why JP felt the need to discuss his nipples with Brian and I will be a mystery, but that is not my focus. My focus is on this problem that must affect thousands of men. Why would anyone participate in an activity where their bodies may be damaged on such a sensitive area? I am sure JP will not comment, but this is an erogenous zone for many men.

And why does this affect only men? It is my understanding women would have two bigger problems to contend with. It is also my contention that women would get far more movement in that area compared to men. Brian was quick to pounce on this one... he said the runners bra or sport support negates the friction for women. Excuse me, but do they not still move all over the place when women run? I do not make it a habit of starring at women running, but I have viewed examples before... those things are all over the place!! Here is the problem... if men complain... what the heck are women doing?


Sunday: JP's Birthday...


Although this party was missing some kids and a wife, the gathering was pretty sweet. The food was great. The dessert was outstanding! I enjoyed it all night long!! Best of all, I was introduced to Hearts.


Hearts is a popular card game which players are in competition for the lowest amount of points until someone goes over a preset number. You can "get" other players to do this by trapping, good strategy, but most deadly of all is card counting. A player that can count cards effectively will truly separate themselves from everyone else. It is an acquired skill, but since such a small number of cards count so heavily against you... knowing where they are and who has then can dictate how you play your hand, so you can avoid them!!


Great game... lots of strategy!!

LA Fitness

My second day, first full day if you discount my arrival at 4:30 pm the day before, I went to lunch at Red Robin premium burgers. I had a fabulous egg, bacon and cheese burger... enjoyed the company of the Daw's and then went back to Brian's for some MotoGP and Call of Duty2 gaming...

At 4:00 pm I went to LA Fitness... I completed my workout knowing that JP and Brian were coming to the site to play some racquetball. I knew it was going to be an energy output afternoon, but I also had that delicious Red Robin burger to hold me over until we caught dinner later that evening. I finished my workout at 5:15-5:30. Called the fellas for ETA' s and it was shaping up for a 6:30-7:00 arrival for them both. I reserved courts and enjoyed watching several doubles matches and some 1/1 battles. The level of play at this LA Fitness was either reserved to Yellow/Blue/Black level players or I was lucky enough to see a bunch of men trying out for a ladies league... either way you slice it I could beat anyone I saw playing. Some - I could be 2 on 1. There I sat waiting for my boyz to arrive. Waiting.... I call again at 6:30. "Where are you?" I asked Brian. Brian replied with, "I'm at JP's we will see you soon." Shortly after 7 pm they both show up... I am not mad - not in the slightest. I advise we will get as many games in as possible and then we can go get some dinner. (Hence - Grizzley is hungry, but I wants to play first.) Brian mentions subtlety... we already ate!!!!

WTF - you two pieces of crap ate??? No, they ate fettuccine Alfredo, salad, and some sides cooked up by Mrs. Parrish. I can not even begin to tell you how pissed I was.... not only am I waiting up here for you two... but I had to wait while you enjoyed a fabulous meal???? That was just low. Of course, JP added there are left overs... which was great since that is how I felt.

I took my revenge. Although they are both still learning the game, Brian and JP played a couple of hard fought matches. I think JP had very good court awareness, but Brian showed his superior experience by mixing up serves and shot types to eventually beat JP. They both lost to me, obviously, but Brian played especially well for coming off rotator cuff surgery in his non swinging shoulder some weeks before.

JP bet me that if given a 12 point lead, he would be able to beat me. JP lost that bet. 13-15. I enjoyed the subject of my next post... I dipped into that well several times while in Phx.

I'll be posting....

several different posts over the next few days highlighting my trip out west. The purpose of my trip was to hook up with my west coast friends. These same people were in my wedding party and are for obvious reasons are top shelf quality. As an added bonus, my other west coast nomad from Norcal, but in the near future headed to the south east valley of Phx, was out there house hunting.

All in all... I give the trip 9 out of 10. The only sour point of the trip was the Mets loss on Saturday. I thought we roughed up Webb pretty well, but did not get it done. Taking the series was a consolation prize... the sweep was within the Mets grasp! I attended the Friday night opener... it did just that. It spread those Dbacks wide open. You know... for a good ole NY style beating!

More to come... but I wanted to at least let everyone know I am home safe and sound.

2nd Place in League Tourney

I did not bring that killer mentality when I stepped on the court. I truly despise playing racquetball on Sunday afternoon. The tournatment championship game proved to be no different. Then the opponent comes off the court and says "Wow, I really got lucky there, are you feeling alright?" I mean why don't you just kick my daughter watching the game and call me a sissy.... is everything alright???? Hell no, I do not like losing, but I especially do not like losing to myself. Since as we all know, the mental game is everything...

I dropped the first game after turning over a big lead again. Up 9-1, I was able to play the side out game for 20 min. At the end of the fun fest, the score was 11-9 his favor. I dropped that game without much of a fight.

2nd place in Purple division.

I am moving up to White, which will be fun because so is my good friend Andy. Andy was league champ, even though I did get him in the tourney... it will be fun to stay together as we get better and better skill wise.

On to WHITE!

* Two away from my goal division... Bronze.
League Skill Levels: Gold, Silver, Bronze, Red, and White... thus far I have conquered = Green, Yellow, Blue, Black, and Purple.
Someone asked so... here is the consolidation.
Green = 10-0 League and Tourney winner
Yellow = 10-0 League and Tourney winner
Blue = 9-1 League and Tourney winner
Black = 8-2 2nd place league and Tourney winner
Purple = 5-6 crappy deal for me - mailed it in early due to a circumstance (3 losses by forfeit)
Purple = 8-3 good season
Purple = 9-2 third place season and 2nd place Tourney
White = TBD...

Division Champ - Beaten

I played the division champ and won. The first game I was up huge, but I also found a way to give the lead away and lose the game. I seem to love adversity!!

I dropped game one 15-13. That was a very bad sign due to my current conditioning level. I am strongest at first and then taper off, with a slight boost in game three knowing there is no fourth game I can officially empty the tank.

I bounced back in a hard fought game two. I think I was able to gain and hold the lead due to smarter service instead of my usual drive serve. I switched to a deep lob and high floating Z serve, which certainly mixed up the temp and speed. I did switch often to the drive serve, so in the end it was the mix of serves that proved to be successful.

In the tie breaker... I got a lead and just leaned. Fortunately - his shots broke worse than mine.

2-1 - division winner taken down.

9-2

Well another season in my racquetball league has come to a close. I finished in third place, if you can believe it.



Division Champ: 10-1

2nd place 9-2 (and I beat him)

3rd place 9-2 (me, but the 1st tie break is game record vs to match records)



So, the player I beat soundly had a better win-loss-tie record in route to completing his season. Also, due to some family events, I needed to take a Loss By Forfeit to the Division Champ. All in all, I am happy with the season results.



I think it is pretty safe I'll be moving up to White. (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Red, White. and where I am currently at Purple.) If I do move, it will be the first time I have done so without winning it outright... (Green, Teal, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Lavender, Grey, and Black were all conquered with almost flawless victories.)



My first tourney match is what I wanted to comment about. After each season we have a tournament to give players a second crack at winning. It is a seated bracket, so naturally I was facing the 6th place opponent. Not all players participate in the tourney mostly due to schedules and availability.) In game one, I blew him out winning 15-3 without much effort. My serve and positioning on court sealed that deal. Game two, I felt as though a bag of bricks was placed on my back. My dad has an arrhythmia... and ever so occasionally I get it odd beat going in the pumper. If I relax, it usually goes away. I already walked off the court during the season for this very feeling... I was up huge in a tie-breaker game and I decided to take the loss and just chill. This whole odd beat scares the crap out of me. Not to mention, it is a bleak reminder that my days are numbered on earth. For obvious reasons, I lost game two. I played it pretty much cool. I did not overly push myself and served nice easy lobs to his backhand. The tie-breaker started out the same way. I was down 0-7 in an 11 point match. I used all my timeouts. After coming back on the court know I cannot stop play at a significant level I just accepted how I felt vs what I could do.

I broke his serve; got back in the box and started chipping away at his lead. Over several side outs the score leveled and then I pulled ahead. 10-7 I was up and my opponent was able to tie it up. I got a side out at 10-10. Next point wins... I put a great serve in a different way from what he was expecting and I took the game. Not a pretty win, but a win nonetheless... and I am especially pissed about how I felt. There is nothing medical science can offer me. It is what it is... a condition that will not necessarily kill you, but it sure makes you pause each time it creeps up.

Next up... the division winner.... muhahahaha! Time to end his run.

I like runs...

anything in order specifically sequencial order.