What a Difference a Year Makes

While writing a blog entry the other day, I came across this blog post I wrote about a year ago about my thoughts (dare I say "plans") of my future in pool. 

It was a good little read for me, to reflect what I was thinking a year ago.  While it upset some friends last year, it was quite the post.... basically talking about me stepping away from the game, but also sharing I needed to gain inner peace.

So, has anything changed?  Did what I envision materialize?  Have I reconsidered things in the pool realm?

Here is my take almost exactly a year later:

Do I miss league?  NOT ONE FREAKING BIT.  For some odd reason, there has be in influx of people asking me to join teams/leagues. It's like there is an APB out on me, "she isn't playing on any leagues, grab her now."

And my old teams reach out to me every once in a while, "we need you" or "you are missed."  It's sweet, I admit, but I'm enjoying ALL my week nights open for whatever might come up.  Mostly, I have been having dinner with friends or coworkers that I want to get to know better, to learn from.  Or, friends I didn't go out with the last 4 years of my foggy life when I was as hermit.  The other nights I might be just having quiet evenings at home relaxing and getting rest.

It's nice to be able to tell a friend, "yes I can meet tonight!"  Instead of, "sorry, I have league."

Part of the point of the blog last year was to also express I want to do more for others.  Playing league, while helping my teams, was a little limiting in that it was only a certain circle of people I was helping.  I have begun to give lessons more and I can state for a fact that of all things I do pool-related, that gives me the most high in life.

It's nice when just two weeks ago I was asked if I could meet with a team on a Thursday night for a "team lesson" on 8-ball and mental tips.  Normally I'd had to say, "Sorry, I'm at State."  This year it was, "what time shall I meet you all?!"

(I'll write more about this 'lessons aspect' later - how it came to fruition and how that particular team lesson went (and what /I/ learned from it).)

I am also going to dabble more into writing.  Not just this blog, but in magazines as well.  And a partnership blogging thing a friend and I will be announcing in a month or so. 

Of course still running the Omega Tour as well.

You can see that those three main things go right along with the theme of helping others, which I have so much more time for now because I do NOT have leagues I'm committed to.

No, what about competing?  Do I miss that?

Well... I was wrong about that part.  Don't freak out - there ARE women who admit when they are wrong. 

I did find myself a few times actually /wanting/ to play (either gambling, actually played some pool during the winter months I wasn't expecting, looking forward to a scotch event, or when coerced to play in an 8 ball tourney I ended up LOVING competing). 

I think for me, the love of the game is still there, and more so because I am still playing well (even with taking this "time off") has really helped me still like playing.  If my game had gone down like some predicted, I'd be FAR away from wanting to compete still.

I can see that I don't miss league or league events at all, but I do see I still like to play.  I guess what I'm realizing is I don't want to stop competing, but I still want to steer clear of league events (weekly or state or otherwise).

I can't even tell you why, though.  Maybe it's because I have the freedom to decide when I want to play or when I don't.  With league - the commitment is all decided for me.  Weekly, or playoff weekends are set, or I HAD to attend a state tourney or nationals. 

So, I'm not staying away from playing pool at all - if anything, helping others, talking about pool to certain people, writing more, and competing when I have the strong desire to is helping put pool even more right in front of me.  But more so - in front of others because of the Pay It Forward effect.

It's funny - I actually have more plans related to pool and yet less time to do it all b/c my bucket list is so full with so many different aspects.  Quite the twist of events, huh?

Giving lessons and doing more writing is especially heart warming to me and very exciting.  To be able to give back is bottom line the ultimate goal for me.  You know, that inner peace thing I mentioned in the beginning.  :)