Early Morning Thoughts

7 hours of badminton training yesterday has left my body half numb. I can barely move my right arm and legs. It's been two weeks since Len and I formally trained with Len being sick and all so I think my body got semishocked with the drills yesterday. I felt disappointed about my net play because I was suffering from cramps and could barely move my left leg. Tried to improve my backhand as well which has been my biggest weakness all these years.

Without Peter around, I just practiced mixed doubles play with Rb and tenten. Partner is still down with the colds (Get well soon partner! Miss ka na namin! Wala ka sa crispy tenga expedition namin ni bossing last tuesday. May kanin na sila!). Rb and I got battered by bossing Mike and Karen. Tenten and I played one hell of a game against the power partnership of Terry and Marie. The upcoming Pamilya Badminton Farewell Tournament is getting everyone fired up already. Debate continues to to rage on about who will partner with whom and I predict my phone bill will once again soar to the high heavens. Marie and I also practiced for Addidas against JP and Tenten and I consider it a miracle that we even scored two points against them. Our first set was a love set (my second love set in my entire badminton career) while the second set was a miraculous 15-2 (our score of 2 was the miracle!). We looked like a bunch of badminton newbies against their powerhouse team. We were scrambling all over the place. But it was good practice--they thought me to run and be as quick as I can be inside the court.

In one week's time SB will close down and the thought of our second home closing saddens me. Our court may look ugly and battered but it's home to us. That is where our friendships blossomed and that's where our hearts lie. I learned to play real badminton in SB almost a year ago today. And in SB I found my heart and my biggest passion in life. Where else can you play from 6am to 12mn and pay only 80 pesos the entire time?! Where else can you take a 5 hour yosi break (without ever lighting one cigarette) and still have a court reserved for you? In SB everyone is family-- we even get to partner and play with the staff. There's even no need for a guard anymore since we practically open and close the place anyway (libreng bantay!). Honestly, I'm gonna miss that place and it breaks my heart knowing that my days just sitting infront of that ugly green trashcan facing the riverbanks parking lot is numbered. SB will always be home and it will always have my heart.