Thursday, March 7, 2013

That's My Racquet

Tonight, at the end of all our activities, I sat down on the couch and announced, to the heavens, that my cold is terrible, terrible, ugh, snuffle! And Matt studied me and said, "Yes, you're so ill that you were only able to play tennis for hours today."

True. But, as I said to him, exercise is good for a cold. Studies show this. So he suggested that if it gets really bad, I might go for a run. Hmmph.

Here on the brink of spring, Thursday has yet again become Tennis Day. Thursday morning is match day for our Thursday team--the one I'm co-captain of--which usually occupies me from nine until after noon. Today we kicked off our season, playing our Easter week match early.

At four, I'm back up at the courts for Hank's lesson. Then I drive all over the place and drop Laura at swimming, take Hank home, try to feed everyone, etc.

At seven, we have an hour-and-a-half practice for our Sunday team. The coach fires balls at you like a machine and talks non-stop. "Becky, I'm not gonna lie to you, that was your ball. You gotta go get that ball. We see the ball and we go get the ball." Imagine this spoken in the style of an auctioneer.

So by the end of the day on Thursday, I'm tired.

I have a post brewing about the politics of our tennis team(s), but that sounds, um, kind of hard right now? I'll save it for when I'm more alert. But suffice it for now to say, you would not believe the number of different conversations that have to take place in order to generate the weekly lineup, that is, who is playing and in what order. Getting advice, building consensus, consulting stakeholders, getting buy-in. You would not believe. I mean, I really like to talk and even I am like oh come on. 

My co-captain is confusing interpersonal busy-work with due diligence, and I may have to wrest control soon.

More anon, friends.

4 comments:

Star said...

So nice of Matt to be ready with such thoughtful suggestions. I'm sure it was very comforting. :-)

M said...

Yeah, go ahead and give us the goods on the political situation which sounds like the real deal, unlike the faux posturing going on around sequestration. Catch some zzzs and then, well, whenever you're ready just unload it on us...in your inimitable style, of course.

puncturedbicycle said...

The women I sing with are like this, and very resistant to anything they see as chivvying. It's like they have a dedication to the messy business of true democracy, to the exclusion of the usual procedural stuff which allows you to, you know, reach a conclusion? The consultation stage of any business - arranging rehearsal dates, choosing a new song, deciding on the order of a performance - makes me lose the will to live.

Amy said...

"Becky, I'm not gonna lie to you--that was your ball." That is hilarious. I'm gonna say that to you all the time now! But seriously, you and the tennis. It's like I don't even know you!

After 8 years of pastoring a church and leading the women's ministry...I can bear witness to all the politics, negotiations, consensus building. Women are amazing! I love women! I are one! But it's exhausting sometimes.

Not to make this about me!