Round 1

Today was my first game in the work table tennis tournament – Round 1 (quarter-finals) in the advanced bracket.  I’m probably seeded number 2 in the tournament – 3rd best player at work, but our best player is out injured so I've a reasonable chance of making it to the final.  Or so I thought.  The final score in Round 1: 7-11 11-4 11-5.  The only saving grace, I won.  But much, much closer than it should have been against a much inferior opponent, and a terrible, terrible first game – I was tight, I was nervous, and I couldn’t hit anything.  Fortunately got over it in the 2nd and 3rd games to avoid the shock defeat, but a tragic reminder of just how bad my glossophobia is (something I’ve come to recognize that I suffer acutely from).  This wasn’t speech anxiety, but a similar kind of anxiety that manifested itself when playing table tennis in front of a bunch of people.  I’m going to have to cope with my nerves a lot better if I’m going to progress.  Especially since my style of play should be crowd-pleasing – I’m a power player who likes to go all out on my shots.  Sadly, that style is very susceptible to nerves, and I refuse to adjust my style to the dark arts of spin.  You live by the sword, you die by the sword.     

PS It snowed today.  SNOW!  This is much earlier than normal.  It was quite pretty, and fortunately didn’t accumulate in most places.  But still, a bad omen for this winter.  I’ve already bought some ice melt stuff because I’m worried about being able to get my car down the long and steep driveway in icy conditions.