Day & Night

[Day Write]

Late Sunday night, I worked frantically to finish all the homework I had put off to the last minute. As usual. I don't know if my work ethic has taken a slip (as my French teacher has suggested, to my horror and dismay), but it seems that I've gotten into a regular pattern of goofing off the entire day on Saturday and paying the price late Sunday night.

On second thought, I actually did get some things accomplished on Saturday. I finished filling out most of the UC applications; the only thing left is the two essays. If I wasn't such a masochist, I would probably just edit the two essays I wrote last year, but most likely I will end up writing two completely different essays. Frankly, I am not looking forward to those essays at all. I am sick of writing about my weaknesses, my worries, my growth, etc. The UC essays tend to be very straightforward and avert from creative writing. Unfortunately, the only thing I feel like writing now has nothing to do with myself and my self-reflections. Ick.

So where was I? Oh, right. So I was doing my French homework with Sick Puppies' "All the Same" music video playing on Youtube. I was a little bit curious about the band, so I went on Wikipedia and looked them up. Their story is a little interesting, I must say. Vocalist/guiarist Shimon Moore met kickass bassist Emma Anzai in high school and together they co-founded the band. The band has been together for about 11 years now, and even though they've switched through bandmates over the course of years, Shimon and Emma have always stuck together. Not in the romantic sense, but as very close in an almost sibling sense.

So while I was reading their profiles, something struck me. I ended up reading some of their interviews, and it only got me thinking even more. I don't want to reveal what gripped my attention, but I will say that it sparked a pretty awesome idea in my head.

The funny thing about inspiration is that it never comes to you in the same way each time. The idea for EP took many years to take form -- basically it was a bunch of small ideas that collected into one mass over time. With the other long-term piece I have been working on (HTSAH), the idea came up suddenly one day, but initially I left it untouched because I wanted to focus on other things.

But THIS, my friends, was the kind of inspiration that slaps you in the face. I am so psyched about it that I just want to submit myself completely to senioritis and stay at home for the rest of the week.

Just kidding.
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[Night Write]

So I just ended my high school team tennis career in one of the most regretful, disappointing ways possible.

For some reason, I've been the deciding match for four very momentuous games this season. Personally, I think it's a sign that our team is much weaker this year, but of course I'm not going to say that to my teammates.

So in the end, it came down to two matches: Y's close three-setter and my close three-setter. Y played a good match and it was unfortunate she eventually lost. So basically, the score became tied at 3-3, and once again, I was the deciding match. But in all honesty, my match should never have gone to a third set. I was up the first set 5-2. I don't know what happened. I might have gotten overconfident, lost complete focus, or my out-of-shape fitness began to kick in. Possibly all three, for I ended up losing the set 5-7.

My coach talked to me in the break between the first and second set, so I managed to clear my head. Unfortunately, I think the 7-5 comeack from behind boosted my opponent's spirits immensely. After that first set, the rest of the match was brutally close. That girl lobbed me like none other. Plus, I was fairly fatigued, and the last thing I wanted was to engage in a lob war. Basically, I kept trying to keep the points short, which ultimately resulted in many risky plays. It payed off in the second set though, which I ended up winning 6-3.

By the time we started the third set, the sun had almost set completely. I would play brilliantly for awhile and then lapse into a completely unfocused mess. I was actually winning 3-0 until their sly little coach decided to call for line judges. When my coach informed me that my opponent had called for line judges, I was pretty surprised, because I hadn't made any close calls and she hadn't questioned any of my calls at all.

AS IT TURNS OUT, SHE WASN'T EVEN THE ONE WHO WANTED THE JUDGE! My mother told me later that I had hit this serve that my opponent didn't even touch. Apparently, the serve was out -- but the girl didn't even call it! THE COACH DIDN'T LIKE IT (because obviously, I'm winning by a big margin) SO SHE CALLED THE JUDGES AND TOLD ME THAT "HER PLAYER" HAD CALLED FOR THE LINE JUDGES. I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses, but what she did really halted my momentum. I ended up losing the next three games to tie it at 3-3. The score eventually reached 6-6. I had been winning 6-5, but by then it was so dark that I could barely see the ball. Maybe I should have requested to move to a court with lights then, but at the time I didn't think I had a choice. And since the girl was serving at that point, she had the advantage and ended up tying the score to 6-6.

Well what do you know? That's when the coach informs us that there is an available lighted court approximately a mile away where we can finish our match. Really, how convenient you decide to do this AFTER YOUR PLAYER'S SERVICE GAME!

Long story short, I played a not-so-good tiebreaker and lost the final set 6-7, and thus my team did not advance past the first round of CCS Teams for the first time in my high school tennis career. And yes, my last match on the tennis team turned out to be an epic three-setter that lasted over three hours and left my legs quivering like jelly. But honestly, I do not feel proud of that match at all.

All in all, I am really disappointed in how I failed my team twice as the deciding match -- when we lost to PIedmont Hills -- the first time as far as anyone on the team can remember that the girls' tennis team lost a match in the league -- and tonight. Unlike the loss to PH, I did not cry today. I am too exhausted to maintain feeling pissed at myself.

Maybe I should just stay home for the rest of the week.

Just kidding.