I left Vegas early on Saturday morning in order to make it back to Phoenix for a Bocce Ball tournament with Jeff. We entered a double elimination tournament with 16 total teams and the games started early in the morning. It was $40 a team, which included beer and food...and mandatory Fireball Whiskey shots! I was actually really scared that we might have to forfeit our first game and it kept looking that way. I landed in Phoenix at 9:30am but the tournament started at 10:00am in North Phoenix. And of course things never go as fast as planned and I didn't arrive until 10:45am! :/ Luckily, we were up right as I got there and Jeff and I hurried our way to a 15-8 victory over our first opponents!
If you've never played Bocce Ball, it's pretty simple. One team throws a small white ball anywhere on the field. Then the object of the game is to throw your 4 heavier softball-sized balls as close to that small white ball as possible. Teams take turn tossing based on who's closest and then points are scored for every ball you have closest to the small white ball before your opponents balls. Yes, lots of ball in bocce ball. After our round 1 victory, Jeff and I started to choke. :( In our second round, a 12-8 lead quickly became a 12-15 loss. Then in the loser's bracket, a 7-0 lead became a 13-15 loss. Needless to say, it was disappointing how we lost, but overall the tourney was a lot of fun and I hope to play again next year! Thanks Jeff for inviting me as your teammate!
I spent the rest of the weekend in Scottsdale hanging out with the parents and then finally made my way back home to Tucson on Sunday night. Then I decided I wanted to join a pool league, so I inquired about the Tuesday APA Pool League at the Fox and the Hound. There was a team looking to pick up a player, so I was like, "sure, why the fuck not!?" This league is a fun league with handicap and the system is set up so that it's 5-on-5, each of the 5 members of a team taking a turn against an opponent from the other team. New members (that's me!) start with a rating of 4 for guys and 3 for girls. The scale goes from 2 (lowest) to 7 (highest) and based on who you play, you have to win a certain amount of games to win the match. My first night, I got matched up against a 5, so he had to win 4 games against me and I had to win 3. He was pretty good in my opinion, but I held my own... ...until I started to choke badly. After splitting the first 2 games, I lost the 3rd game when I had a 5-ball lead but scratched on the 8-ball. FM! In game 4, I had a solid shot at the 8-ball but I missed and then he put it in. FML! Finally, in game 5 the 8-ball was right next to the pocket along with the cue ball, but I needed to use a bridge, which I never use, and then I ended up shanking the cue and missing the shot and giving him ball in hand. FML! So I ended up losing my first night 1-4 and was really sad. :( Everyone was nice and just chalked it up to first-night jitters, but you know me and my competitive nature. I was pretty upset with myself inside. But anyway, I'm excited to join a pool league and look forward to having another thing to do on Tuesday nights!
So a lot transpired in the last week, my hand forced by things I have mostly gotten over by now. But the MIH doesn't stop there. I'm traveling to Alberqueque in August for Brian and Kelly's wedding, Phoenix for Labor Day weekend, and then shortly after I have trips to San Diego for Kyle's bachelor party, and a secret trip somewhere that I can't tell anyone. :) Matt and I came up with a new motto for me, "Make Everything Happen!" So if you ask me what I'm up to these days, I'll just tell you "I'm MEH!" :P
