Crash and Burn

Wow that was strange. A new experience. I absolutely hit the proverbial wall last night. I couldn't stay awake a moment longer. It wasn't like I was on a marathon of sleep denial or anything. Whatever the reason, I just crashed. And it's only four hours later as I type this but at least I can hold my head up and form a thought. 

Though I offer no evidence, I think that a perfect concoction of 'things' catching up with me. Working when maybe I should have stayed home, the end of certain hopes, the seemingly nondescript and short days, other miscellaneous issues. 

Hoop Nightmares

Writing about my hoop dreams yesterday, has for some unknown reason, brought to mind this brutal practice drill that more than one coach subjected me to. 

It's name I can't recall, though more than likely it's one of those things where I'll wake up at 3:00am and it will come to mind.

They would assign groups of three to a basket and those groups of three, was about the final and only rule. Basically it was whoever had the ball in their hands, against the other two. There was no such thing as fouls, out of bounds lines or violations. It was one guy trying to get it in the basket while the other two tried to stop him. But there also was an element of strategy with one (or both) defender(s) occasionally sneaking away from the scrum at the last instant in order to gain a logistical advantage in the following gaining of possession. because once the ball left the shooters hands, the two defenders suddenly became rivals in a mad scramble for the basketball.

Of course, if one had bully leanings and could just out muscle everyone else ,,,, there was a huge advantage.

Scores were kept and kings of the hill were announced.

This 'drill,' used I assume to enhance toughness and brotherhood, was surely no dream. Though it could be a nightmare depending on how many errant elbows and knees one received.    

Hoop Dreams

I used to have actual sleeping dreams about playing basketball. More than once the scene was relived and played out while in this prone state of sleep. The court was always where I started out. The ancient gymnasium of the Catholic school that I attended, grades one through eight. Scoreboard in the southwest corner of the gym, not digital but with hands for the minutes and seconds, that when engaged, would move, sometimes forward, sometimes backwards, at unpredictable intervals and where it was never certain to our young minds, which was the minute and second hand and most times they didn't work at all.

In the dreams I'm moving up and down the court, seemingly without effort, with an unlimited supply of oxygen to draw from, navigating the length of the court as if I'm in the greatest form of my childhood hero, Pete Maravich, minus the floppy hair and socks. (Though there was a time when I had floppy hair.) Jump stopping, bounce passing, defending like I never have before, in the passing lanes and with energy galore.

Then comes the jump shot .... the form is textbook but I can't make a thing. Though unlike real life hoops, the misses don't result in a lack of confidence. So, I keep shooting .... and continue missing.

It's nice to visit this land where the guys from every team in the history of the sport, who are expected to take the majority of the shots for their teams .... well it's nice to visit this place where they resided. Not many have ever expected them to be generous with the ball though out of the goodness of their hearts, they just might occasionally. 

There was the one dream where I made the shots but most of the time, no!!

The C-word?

Been feeling run down with chills for the last two or three days. The feeling accompanied by sniffles and an occasional cough. Not really getting worse or better. Not 'horrible' but not bright and chipper either.  

Exertion seems to help. The tough part is working up to giving exertion. 

I don't know if this is a mild case of the c-word or just a case of the common (other) c-word. (cold). If it is the former c-word, then hopefully this is a best case scenario. I've managed to avoid the c-word for almost two years, but it's been all around me at work. 

So, I'm sipping orange juice and covering up with blankets and random sweatshirts. 

Wishing that there was a record store open at this hour. And actually wishing for some Chinese takeout. So at least I have an appetite going for me.