Once Upon A Dream

During a shark attack when one of your limbs is torn off, you do not feel the pain. The body goes into trauma; shock. Numbness creeps in. It becomes almost surreal.

Maybe the human body is made to react that way, but you feel it was because you didn't see it coming. You also feel that it would be better if it was one of those situations where you didn't know what hit you. But you know. The numbness chews at your essence. Everywhere you go. Behind every smile. Behind every spoken word. And the numbness is always hungry.

It's like putting every dream, every hope, and every confidence you had on something that showed no sign of giving way, but that crumbled at the slightest opposition. Marble turned dust before your eyes, and you just stare. Because that's all you can do. Stare. You can't pick up the pieces because your hands are not capable of forming dust into marble - what it once was. And you cannot believe what it will never be again. You cannot believe it for what it is.

If you were convinced that somehow, you were worthy, you are wrong. That would never have led such an outcome. The day you discovered everything you went through was a shallow lie, is the day you feel no longer.

You hid your tears to stay strong, journeyed into uncertainty in search for a better life for the one you loved, only to be thrown out unceremoniously. And you learn that all those value principles you uphold are a farce. There is no time for loyalty, commitment, and honour. You will be bitten from behind before you know it. The time has come to extricate yourself from those virtues, for they are cursed.

The Old Men Admiring Themselves In The Water

I heard the old, old men say,
‘Everything alters,
And one by one we drop away.’

They had hands like claws, and their knees
Were twisted like the old thorn-trees
By the waters.

I heard the old, old men say,
‘All that’s beautiful drifts away
Like the waters.’

by William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses?… What do you see?
What are you thinking… when you’re looking at me?
A cranky old man… not very wise,
Uncertain of habit… with faraway eyes?

 

Who dribbles his food… and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice… ‘I do wish you’d try!’
Who seems not to notice… the things that you do.
And forever is losing… A sock or shoe?

 

Who, resisting or not… let you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding… The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?… Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse… you’re not looking at me.

 

I’ll tell you who I am… As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding… as I eat at your will.
 
I’m a small child of Ten… with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters… who love one another.

 

A young boy of Sixteen… with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now… a lover he’ll meet.

 A groom soon at Twenty… my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows… that I promised to keep.

 

At Twenty-Five, now… I have young of my own.
 Who need me to guide… And a secure happy home.

 

A man of Thirty… My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other… With ties that should last.

 

At Forty, my young sons… have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me… to see I don’t mourn.

 

At Fifty, once more… Babies play ’round my knee,
Again, we know children… My loved one and me.

 

Dark days are upon me… My wife is now dead.
I look at the future… I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing… young of their own.
And I think of the years… And the love that I’ve known.

 

I’m now an old man… and nature is cruel.
It’s jest to make old age… look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles… grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone… where I once had a heart.

 

But inside this old carcass… A young man still dwells,
And now and again… my battered heart swells
I remember the joys… I remember the pain.
And I’m loving and living… life over again.

 

I think of the years, all too few… gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact… that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people… open and see.
Not a cranky old man, Look closer… see… Me!

 

(originally by Phyllis McCormack; adapted by Dave Griffith)

Strategic win!

Not so good stuff, but a loser always lives to fight another day.

Post-match Report 7th May 2014

A. Opponent details

1. Physical build-tall, medium, small/heavy, light, muscular/gymnastic,

athletic.

Tall, light, athletic.

2. Results this season

Won 21-17

B. Game details

1. SERVE – the opening stroke-move

(a) Does he serve low or high?

High

(b) Does he use a backhand or forehand serve?

Forehand

(c) Where does he serve: sides or centre?

Sides

(d) Where does he recover to after the serve, e.g. attack or defensive

stance in the MC.

Racquet high to attack smash.

(e) What do you think would be good replies to his serves, i.e. building

or attempted winning shots. Think of the different situations he puts you

in with his serve.

He often serves ¾ court and attempted winning shots were effective most of the time (smashes). I also did a building shot – an attacking clear that caught him totally off guard as he thought I was smashing.

2. RECEIVING THE SERVE

(a) Where does he position himself to receive a serve?

A bit to the front

(b) Does his position vary at all?

No

(c) What stroke-moves does he play in reply to: the low serve, high serve –

from his forehand or backhand sides?

Forehand smash

(d) What grip does he use to receive serve?

Standard

3. REARCOURT STROKE-MOVES

(a) What stroke-moves does he play from a high position at the sides or

centre? Does it differ on his forehand or backhand side?

He smashes most of the time. Weak backhand when encountering fast pushes.

(b) What stroke-moves does he play from a low position at the sides?

I’ve never caught him that way.

(c) Is he quick or slow to recover after playing a particular stroke-move?

Lighting fast in getting to the front.

(d) Where does he recover to: midcourt centre each time or in another

position to cover your possible replies?

Midcourt centre front.

(e) What sort of reply do you think he expects from you to his stroke-move?

He expects me to block.

(f) What sort of reply(s) do you think would be effective against him in the

situation from which you would play your stroke-move.

Now that I think about it, I should lift to his smashes.

4. MIDCOURT STROKE-MOVES

(a) What stroke-moves does he play from a high position at the sides or

centre? Does it differ on his forehand or backhand side?

Very fast and strong pushes from forehand. Uses overhead for backhand side.

(b) Is he quick or slow to recover after playing a particular stroke-move?

Very quick recovery, but too jittery.

(c) Where does he recover to: midcourt centre each time or in another

position to cover your possible replies?

He leans forward to go for the kill.

(d) What stroke-moves does he play from a low position at the sides?

If I remember correctly, he usually lifts.

(e) What grip does he use when defending in the midcourt.

Standard grip?

(f) What sort of reply do you think would be effective against him in the

situation from which you would play your stroke-move.

To be honest, my drives vs his were simply too weak. He spotted that out right away and a lot of the 17 points I lost was due to this. I should move him to the rear court/strengthen my drives and pushes.

(g) What sort of reply do you think he expects from you to his stroke-move?

He expected weak drives. Good analysis on his part.

5. FORECOURT STROKE-MOVES

(a) What stroke-moves does he play from above net level, just below net

level, from near the floor at the sides or centre? Does it differ on his forehand

or backhand side?

No tumbling shots this time, mostly from near the floor as my drops are quite fast.

(b) Is he quick or slow to recover into position after playing a particular

stroke-move?

Very fast.

(d) Where does he recover to, to cover your possible stroke-moves?

Mid court, a bit to the front.

(e) What sort of, reply do you think he expects from you to his stroke-move?

He is waiting to pounce, so I guess he expects placement in the forecourt.

(f) What sort of reply do you think would be effective against him in the

situation from which you would play your stroke-move?

Always to the back. Always to the back.

6. GENERAL QUESTIONS

(a) What is his favorite stroke-move, if any, in a particular situation?

It has got to be really strong drives from the midcourt, he knows how to take advantage of those.

(b) What is his strongest stroke-move in a particular situation, in relation to

your game?

Drives.

(c) What is his weakest stroke-move in a particular situation, in relation to

your game?

Oddly enough, it was his powerful smashes that got him into trouble. He has a problem with timing and estimation.

(d) Is there any recognisable pattern of stroke-moves he uses as building

shots to create a situation which increases his chances of attempting a winning

shot? In what situation does he attempt most of his winning shots?

His smashes, when successful, are very powerful and often result in me blocking to the front. He recovers with speed, and therefore charges to the front to pose a drive challenge.

7. DECEPTION

(a) In what situations does he use deception?

ALmost zero. The game was too fast.

(b) What particular stroke-move does he use for deception?

The disguised dropshot.

(c) How does he try to deceive you?

He drops when I expect a smash.

(d) How does he recover after using deception?

Walks to MC.

(e) What sort of replies do you think he expects from his deception?

Lifts.

(f) What do you think you might do if you know he uses deception in that

situation?

I think I should deceptively whip the shuttle cross court.

8. FITNESS

(a) Is he quick off the spot and does he get to the shuttle quickly?

Yes.

(b) Does he recover quickly after making a stroke-move?

Yes.

(c) How does he seem physically after a long hard rally if he wins or if he loses

the rally?

Very stable, determined and aggressive.

(d) After a long hard rally can he play another long rally or does he attempt to

go for a quick winner?

He seems to go for the winner. He is impatient during the rallies.

(e) How does he play when he gets tired?

He makes a lot of unforced errors – hitting out, hitting into the net.

(f) How do you know if he is tired?

We were all tired as we did a lot of crazy stuff before that.

9. ATTITUDE

(a) How does he react if he is losing? Does he have a negative or positive

attitude?

A bit flinching here and there but, mostly positive recovery.

(b) How does he react if he is winning?

Positive.

(c) How do you think you might play him when he is losing or when he is

winning? Would you continue as you are or change your tactics.

I will follow the advice of positive aggressive all throughout.

10. WHAT SORT OF PLAYER IS HE:

(a) Likes long rallies?

No.

(b) Patient, steady -tends to wait for mistake?

No.

(c) Attacking-goes for winners, etc?

Definitely.

(d) Plays a fast game?

Freaking fast.

(e) Plays a slow game?

No.

(f) Confident?

Extremely.

(g) What is he like in a tense situation: cool, nervous?

Nervous.

(h) Anything else you can think of?

I won, but I did not optimize tactics. I should have not been dictated by his pace and played his attacking game but pushed him back to the rear as much as possible. Or slowing the pace so I could use deception or my fast dropshots. Having said that, I won the game through the service. I served high, taking advantage of his bad timing and overeager smashing. When he served, I smashed steeply, observing his weak retrieval. However, I did not realize he was defending offensively, and therefore could not retrieve the smash when it went under net level. I also failed to realize there and then that his weakness was at the rear court.

Scores

Area	Me	Opponent
Technical skill	80	70
Tactical skill	65	79
Fitness	75	78
Attitude	85	80
Average	76.25	76.75

______________________________________________________________________________

Post-match Report 30 April 2014

A. Opponent details

1. Physical build-tall, medium, small/heavy, light, muscular/gymnastic,

athletic.

Medium, light.

2. Results

Lost 22-24

B. Game details

1. SERVE – the opening stroke-move

(a) Does he serve low or high?

High

(b) Does he use a backhand or forehand serve?

Forehand

(c) Where does he serve: sides or centre?

Both

(d) Where does he recover to after the serve, e.g. attack or defensive

stance in the MC.

Low defence in the MC.

(e) What do you think would be good replies to his serves, i.e. building

or attempted winning shots. Think of the different situations he puts you

in with his serve.

He is stable in defending smashes but I would focus on attacking clears to his back hand.

2. RECEIVING THE SERVE

(a) Where does he position himself to receive a serve?

MC.

(b) Does his position vary at all?

Nope.

(c) What stroke-moves does he play in reply to: the low serve, high serve –

from his forehand or backhand sides?

I always serve high, but he varies between smashing, dropping, clearing, or attack clearing.

(d) What grip does he use to receive serve?

Standard.

3. REARCOURT STROKE-MOVES

(a) What stroke-moves does he play from a high position at the sides or

centre? Does it differ on his forehand or backhand side?

He likes to lob it back from the forehand side, and backhand drop from the backhand.

(b) What stroke-moves does he play from a low position at the sides?

I forgot.

(c) Is he quick or slow to recover after playing a particular stroke-move?

He recovers in a nimble, relaxed way.

(d) Where does he recover to: midcourt centre each time or in another

position to cover your possible replies?

Slightly his backhand side, and to the back. To think about it, perhaps that’s why my attacking clears to his backhand were just of medium effectiveness.

(e) What sort of reply do you think he expects from you to his stroke-move?

He expects me to either smash(he wants to drop to the front to make me run), or attack his back hand corner.

(f) What sort of reply(s) do you think would be effective against him in the

situation from which you would play your stroke-move.

Interestingly, now I think I should fast-drop/check-smash to the left FC.

4. MIDCOURT STROKE-MOVES

(a) What stroke-moves does he play from a high position at the sides or

centre? Does it differ on his forehand or backhand side?

He is a very patient and safe player, and this is where he smashes.

(b) Is he quick or slow to recover after playing a particular stroke-move?

Quick, as he never loses his balance. But in doing so his smashes are not powerful.

(c) Where does he recover to: midcourt centre each time or in another

position to cover your possible replies?

I didn’t observe.

(d) What stroke-moves does he play from a low position at the sides?

He drops or clears.

(e) What grip does he use when defending in the midcourt.

Standard.

(f) What sort of reply do you think would be effective against him in the

situation from which you would play your stroke-move.

Low defense to lift.

(g) What sort of reply do you think he expects from you to his stroke-move?

I don’t think he expects me to reply.

5. FORECOURT STROKE-MOVES

(a) What stroke-moves does he play from above net level, just below net

level, from near the floor at the sides or centre? Does it differ on his forehand

or backhand side?

Above net level: dropshots, just below: very mild drives, near the floor: lifts. Nope.

(b) Is he quick or slow to recover into position after playing a particular

stroke-move?

Slower to recover as he doesn’t possess the explosive power to arch back in position.

(d) Where does he recover to, to cover your possible stroke-moves?

Did not observe.

(e) What sort of, reply do you think he expects from you to his stroke-move?

A smash I guess.

(f) What sort of reply do you think would be effective against him in the

situation from which you would play your stroke-move?

I feel I should try dropshots.

6. GENERAL QUESTIONS

(a) What is his favorite stroke-move, if any, in a particular situation?

The attacking clear to my backhand side.

(b) What is his strongest stroke-move in a particular situation, in relation to

your game?

The attacking clear to my backhand side.

(c) What is his weakest stroke-move in a particular situation, in relation to

your game?

The backhand drop.

(d) Is there any recognisable pattern of stroke-moves he uses as building

shots to create a situation which increases his chances of attempting a winning

shot? In what situation does he attempt most of his winning shots?

The attacking clear to my backhand side.

7. DECEPTION

(a) In what situations does he use deception?

Didn’t observe.

(b) What particular stroke-move does he use for deception?

Didn’t observe.

(c) How does he try to deceive you?

Didn’t observe.

(d) How does he recover after using deception?

Didn’t observe.

(e) What sort of replies do you think he expects from his deception?

Didn’t observe.

(f) What do you think you might do if you know he uses deception in that

situation?

Didn’t observe.

8. FITNESS

(a) Is he quick off the spot and does he get to the shuttle quickly?

Not really.

(b) Does he recover quickly after making a stroke-move?

Not blazing fast but very relaxed.

(c) How does he seem physically after a long hard rally if he wins or if he loses

the rally?

Not really affected.

(d) After a long hard rally can he play another long rally or does he attempt to

go for a quick winner?

He loves long rallies.

(e) How does he play when he gets tired?

He seems to make milder contact with the shuttle.

(f) How do you know if he is tired?

He starts to connect with the shuttle wrongly.

9. ATTITUDE

(a) How does he react if he is losing? Does he have a negative or positive

attitude?

He is generally very unexpressive.

(b) How does he react if he is winning?

Unexpressive.

(c) How do you think you might play him when he is losing or when he is

winning? Would you continue as you are or change your tactics.

I would further pressure his backhand.

10. WHAT SORT OF PLAYER IS HE:

(a) Likes long rallies?

Yes

(b) Patient, steady -tends to wait for mistake?

Yes

(c) Attacking-goes for winners, etc?

No.

(d) Plays a fast game?

No.

(e) Plays a slow game?

Yes.

(f) Confident?

Reasonably.

(g) What is he like in a tense situation: cool, nervous?

Cool.

(h) Anything else you can think of?

I got to find ways to put him under pressure. Up the pace perhaps.

Scores

Area	Me	Opponent
Technical skill	76	78
Tactical skill	50	76
Fitness	76	70
Attitude	60	73
Average	65.5	74.25