My Internal Clock

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I set a goal about 3-5 years ago to practice at least once a week. My practice session hours are usually only from 1-3 hours at a time, once a week. If I can get extra sessions in, that's even better. :) Believe it or not, it seems easy, but it can be tough and tricky to find time to practice once a week!

If I have a tournament over a weekend, I try to find one of the weeknights to practice. If I am in town for a weekend, I plan my whole weekend around which day I am going to practice (Saturday or Sunday).

I realized how hard-wired this goal was this past weekend!

I wasn't able to go practice on Saturday b/c the A/C went out in my house. My Mom needs the air cold due to her emphysema, so even though it wasn't hot inside, it was too warm for her. So, I dealt with our A/C choices when the tech came over all day Saturday. On Sunday I wasn't about to leave Mom because she was coughing for hours and hours - I felt so bad for her. :(

On Monday, I felt this amazing urge to practice. By the time I got off of work at 6pm, my whole focus was on - getting the pharmacy, checking on Mom, and then going to practice.

The feeling to practice was so automatic, and the urge was so strong, it felt like an internal clock! Check out this definition of "internal clock":

When the clock is in sync with the day to day pattern of the individual, tasks necessary to sustain life occur on a more or less regular schedule. The importance of the internal clock cannot be underestimated.

Well, that explains it to a T! Hey, that's what practice means to me!:

• "sustain life"
  
• "regular schedule"
• "importance...cannot be underestimated."

Looks like "internal clock" is not too far off of a description for my practice routine after all. :)

Already?

Looks like I've already fulfilled my monthly goal of playing one pocket - and it's only May 4th! :)

I went to the pool room last night for conditioning because I didn't get to practice over the weekend, and wanted to so badly work on staying down and a smooth stroke.

I put on my ipod and starting to play 10ball but after only about 3 songs, my friend, Steve, came up and wanted to play one pocket. I can't pass up the opportunity to play one pocket! Plus, I figured once the weekly tourney started in 45 minutes, I'd go back to conditioning while he competed.

Well, he forgo-ed the tourney! We ended up playing one pocket for a good 3 1/2 hours.

Steve gave me 11-5 and I told him he couldn't beat me at that spot, but he played really good, took his time, and focused on the shots. Dang it! lol. He won the first 4 games, then I won a few, but his coin was on 4 games a few times. He warned me he was going to get to 5 games, but I whittled it down to only 2 games by 11pm. :)

I was tense at first - trying to hard to impress him. Then the effects of moving balls near my hole started to affect my shot making ability. I noticed my shoulders were tense but I finally started to relax and take my time. When peeps stared to watch, I began to play better. For some reason, guys are still shocked when they see a chick playing one pocket, lol. I played better toward the end when I succumbed to "it's ok I'm not winning" to then focusing on the smooth stroke.

11-5 is a big spot and it sure was tough to swallow I didn't really win at it, especially because I feel I've learned so much about the game in the past two years. But, I have A LOT to learn. And, playing only once a month is really not doing me any justice if I want to become the best female one pocket player in Texas.

Have I mentioned I love one pocket? I do!! So glad I was able to play that beautiful game for so long last night. :)

Lost Luggage Concerns

Dang Lost Luggage.

Hopefully this doesn't happen to none of us traveling to Vegas soon for all the National tournaments coming up!