Sunday Fun-Day at CNP
Posted on October 16, 2020 by Ching under Hobbies.
I had the worst time at open play last Sunday but the rest of the day was good. Every now and then I will run into people who I absolutely hate playing with. This was the case last Sunday. We were doing winners stay and split format so then, on the next game when me and my partner split, and I ended up having to play with this guy who refused to stand at the non-volley zone (NVZ aka kitchen) whenever I was receiving. Whenever he was receiving, I would stand at the NVZ line like a normal person. Whenever I was receiving, he would stand clear back behind the baseline with me. So then after my return, we would both be running up to the NVZ which is the most moronic thing ever. I had no idea if he just learned to play that morning or what so I urged him to stand right behind the NVZ line a couple of times. Both times he just brushed me off and said, “I got this.” Maybe he was offended that I dared to tell him where to stand? Guys can have huge egos that are easily bruised sometimes. Anyway, I have no idea but it was more than just annoying — it frustrated the shit out of me. So finally I tried to explain why he needed to be at the NVZ line when I’m receiving — basically so that if the open that has a third shot that floats too high, he can just smash it and end the point instead of us both still running up and getting caught in the transition zone (aka no man’s land). I flat out told him he was giving up our advantage by standing behind the baseline every time I was the receiver. His response was, “Is there a rule that says I have to be up there? What if I’m better back here?” Well, everyone has a different playing style but there is a specific strategy to pickleball. And, I have to admit, it was at that moment that I judged him.
There are players who are just starting out and may not be familiar with the rules or strategy of the game but then there are players who have been playing a while and think they know how to play but they actually play like an idiot. And his response told me he belonged in the second bucket and I didn’t want to play with him after that. If he wanted to play like an idiot then he could find other players who wanted to play from the baseline him. As for me, I wanted to play pickleball and so I missed every single shot I had including my serves just so I could get the game over with and play with a normal person as my partner instead of this guy who thinks he’s playing pickleball but he’s really not.
There are people I do not enjoy playing with (like people who bang everything and won’t make an effort to drop the ball even though their strategy is clearly not working) but never have I ever gotten so frustrated with someone that I threw the game. Until that day. I think I was more frustrated by the fact that I actually tried to help. Had I not made an effort and been summarily dismissed, I probably would have been completely unaffected. Or maybe I got up from the wrong side of the bed that day and I was just in a stinkin’ bad mood. Who knows? But it was nothing that a few mimosas at Brunch and Bingo couldn’t fix.
My friend Karen came out to Chicken N Pickle partway through bingo to have lunch so we ended up staying for part of the Chiefs vs. Raiders football game. We shared a table with a lovely couple, Zach and Abigail, who I had actually met months before when I talked them into taking my Aqua Zumba class at VASA. This was before the pandemic. They were at the pool swimming laps (practicing for a triathlon) when it was about time for my class and I convinced them to stay and try Aqua Zumba.
I don’t always recognize people out of the gym and most specially if I meet them at the pool because their hair is often either put away or in a swim cap and people always look different with their hair done. Anyway, after sitting and chatting for a bit, Abigail asked me if I worked at VASA because she said I looked familiar. It was then that we made the connection. Zach and Abigal are so cute and fun. At one point the DJ started playing Pour Some Sugar On Me and they both started singing a long and I was like, “Whoa! How do you guys know a song that came out well before either of you were born?” Apparently, Pour Some Sugar On Me is a staple at most wedding receptions and these two have been to a few of them. I don’t really watch football but I had so much fun hanging out at Chicken N Pickle with Karen and these two that I’m actually looking forward to the next game day.
Abigail noticed our shirts and asked if we were part of a group so we had to explain the significance of the #TeamModel shirts. In short, we’re not part of a group or a sports team. We’re just a couple of fan girls cheering our guys on while they’re playing in a tournament out of town which we were both very sad about not being able to attend. However, our paddle heads did make it to Cincinnati thanks to Lauren McLaughlin of Live with Lauren (and No Smoke Productions) fame.
Karen also went with me to Mulvane to pick up some shoes from mom. It was the perfect day for a drive in the convertible.
This nice lady at the rec center let us play with her cute puppy, Remi.
Incidentally, we met another dog named Remy later that night when Tom and his girlfriend brought their dog to Chicken N Pickle.
I think I actually posted these pics already. Oops!
League that night was so fun, which made up for how much I did not enjoy open play that morning. Part of what made it fun is because Tom finally made the switch (#MakeTheSwitch) to Electrum. Now he’s not the odd man out in our group photos. Also, we did not have to play Karen and Han that night. They seem to be the only team we cannot beat, which I still don’t understand.
The three main teams jockeying for position in our Sunday night league are Psycho L’s (Tiffany and Donnie were Dropping L’s last session but they wanted to be Psycho for Halloween), Not Today Freddy Krueger (Karen and Han), and then Asian Invasion of the Pickleball Snatchers (me and Tom, thus the bloody hand snatching the pickleball on our shirts). Karen and Han’s team name is really just Not Today but they added Freddy Krueger at the end for the Halloween effect. I wanted to keep the Asian Invasion team name so Tom and I could still wear our matching red Asian Invasion shirts but I added the “of the Pickleball Snatchers” as an homage to the Invasion of the Body Snatchers movie which Tom has never even seen and is completely unfamiliar with because he’s too young.
Anyway, these are your top three teams this session. Maybe it seems boastful of me to put my team up there but Tom and I did win the league last session so there is that. Except, Karen and Han didn’t play last time and they are the one team that really gives us trouble and, again, I don’t understand why. We can usually beat Tiffany and Donnie in two pretty easy sets (like 11-3, 11-4) but Tiffany and Donnie beat Karen and Han in pretty much the same fashion. Yet, Tom and I usually always lose to Karen and Han in much the same way. It is completely baffling. I joked to Karen that my team’s best case scenario is for Psycho L’s to eliminate Not Today on tournament night so that we wouldn’t have to deal with them. LOL.
Whether we are winning or losing, I always have fun on Sunday nights. I think it’s because I prefer playing mixed doubles and also the level of play is challenging. Also, Tom is a great partner to have because he lets me handle my business most of the time but he also doesn’t hesitate to poach and step in at just the right time whenever I find myself in trouble. I’m not sure who our matches are against this weekend but I can’t wait play! Until the next blog, GNG.
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