2012: Ending Radio Silence

I didn’t intend to enter radio silence… Sometimes it just happens, you know?

This has been a really weird reading year for me. I don’t feel like I’m reading less, but my pace is way below normal. I have 15 books in the queue to be reviewed, but that still only puts me at 36 books. 36 books after half a year? Unheard of!

I think part of it is that I’ve just plain been busy. Pool is taking up a lot of my time now, two nights a week minimum. I normally read a lot while we’re shooting, but it hasn’t worked out the past few months. Either I’m trying to blog during the match (like I am now!), or I’m socializing. Imagine that!

The month of June was especially busy with pool league. The first weekend of the month, I played in a 9-ball doubles tournament with my teammate Farrah. First place prize was entry into the National 9-ball Doubles tournament in Las Vegas (and a little bit of money to help get us there). We were the lowest skill-level players in the tournament, and we went all the way to the finals! Unfortunately, we did not win. We had one ball left to get, and I actually did get it…… but then I scratched (hit the cue ball into the pocket) so it didn’t count. :-( We had a second chance in the loser’s bracket, but it was not meant to be.

The following weekend, starting on Thursday, we had a 9-ball team tournament. In this tournament there are 2 spots available to go to Vegas. Alas, this one was not meant to be either. We won, lost, won, and then lost again to go out of the tournament.

Then the next Monday, Scott and I played in an 8-ball doubles tournament. Same prize as the 9-ball. I really had to cajole him into playing with me, because he’s a much higher skill level than I am and isn’t sure about partnering with me! We actually didn’t do too badly, but we didn’t win. We won our first three matches, but then lost two in a row. Out again. No Vegas for us.

Finally, that Thursday was our 8-ball team tournament. This one has 4 slots for teams to go to Vegas. Our odds were decent, because not only was the team both Scott and I were on qualified to play, but his other team was also qualified. And, we were in different brackets, so there was no danger of us having to play each other.

It was an incredible weekend. Both of our teams went straight through the winners side of our brackets to the finals. We played for 5 hours Thursday night, almost 10 hours Friday night, 5 hours Saturday night, and almost 12 hours on Sunday. At about 11pm Sunday night, Scott’s other team won their match and the trip to Vegas. An hour and a half later, our team did the same!  For once, we are getting a fully-funded trip — our airfare and hotel is paid for, and we even get a little spending money. Sure, it’ll be August and 112 degrees in Vegas. We can’t wait!!

And then the following weekend, we went to Baltimore and Atlantic City. Guess we can’t sit still! Tomorrow we head to Nashville for the rest of the week to spend the Fourth with my family.

Is that all a good enough excuse for not reading and/or posting? :-) I do have a review scheduled to go up tomorrow, and if I get enough time tonight, I’ll have at least one more up for Thursday.

Have a great Fourth of July!