On Badminton

Do you like badminton a lot? Do you ever wonder why? I've been wondering lately why I love badminton so much. I was talking about it with Dan yesterday, and I said all this stuff about how it's good because you can hang out with someone and not worry about talking a lot, but that was really in reference to a hanging-out that occurred earlier in the day that was a lot of work, and very taxing on my poorly exercised conversational skills.
But really, that has nothing to do with why I love badminton. So what is it? What is it about whacking a small object back and forth that is *so* much fun?
I think that it does have a lot to do with 'hanging-out', if you will. It's very companionable, especially if you and your badminton partner are able to get a semi-decent volley going. I love volleying. You can have a conversation AND play badminton at the same time! It's so relaxing, the series of 'I hit it/you hit it/I hit it', back and forth. Not to mention, it's easy. You don't even have to whack the birdie, you really just have to tap it. Unless your playing with my dad, to win. Then you should really put some power into that swing, but anyway.
Suddenly, I feel like I'm writing one of those prompts we had to do to prepare for the CMTs. Ew.
So here's what I love about badminton: It's fun. It's easy, but it does take some skill. You get to use your reflexes. It's a companion sport. It takes place outside, unless you have a really big room. Did I mention that it's fun? It makes me laugh.

Well, yeah. Ok. So, for anyone and everyone who has ever wondered why I love badminton so much (BRENDAN), there you go. Written down! 500 words or less! (I didn't count. I don't know if I made it.)

Ballad/song/Work in progress

So, having a lot of spare time on my hands, I find myself composing silly lines - sometimes of poetry, sometimes attempted witticisms... sometimes, well, other things that I won't bore you with.
The point is, sometimes if I make myself be somewhat productive, I can get something reasonable and somewhat interesting (at least to me). This latest 'thing' isn't about anyone in particular, it's just a story. I was messing around with numbers in poems (not interesting numbers, just numbers and chronology, and well, you may not get what I was going for, but that's ok).

The first time that I saw your face
i was found - inside of space
no longer lost, without a place
that first time that I saw your face

The second time you said goodbye
i hoped that I'd learned not to cry
alas, my plan went all awry
the second time you said goodbye

The third time that you kissed my lips
i knew I'd only brushed the tip
you the iceberg, I the ship
the third time that you kissed my lips

The fourth time that I said hello
my knees betrayed me - turned jello
i hoped my voice was husky - mellow
the fourth time that I said hello

This last time though, I stand up straight
i fold my arms, lean back, and wait
you are most characteristically late
this last time, while I stand up straight

but when you arrive - and there, you do
i loose my arms, reach out for you
and hope that you'll reach for me too
when you arrive - ah, yes, you do.


Anywho, nothing spectacular, but I thought I should write it down all the same. Basically it's about some woman whose heart has been broken by some guy twice, and she's giving it a last and final go, and while she's waiting for him to show up, she's thinking about the times they had (...?). I suppose it could go on a lot longer, but frankly, I'm ready to go to bed.

(iceberg? ship? too ridiculously corny?) ah well. I think I might go back to writing poetry about trains.

Sometimes

I read xkcd and it makes me want to cry.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/barrel_part_5.jpg

Sometimes I read xkcd and I laugh so hard that I cry.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/holy_ghost.png
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/google_maps.png

Other times I read xkcd and have no idea what the heck the guy is talking about. Then I start wondering about the man behind the comic. Well, I often wonder about the man behind the comic.

If it wasn't cloudy outside, I would be watching the meteor shower instead of reading xkcd, or watching the olympics. Although I do have to admit that I think gymnastics is beautiful.

License

I finally got my license! I have to say, I really didn't know what I was missing until I was able to get around under my own power. The privacy of the car to pump up the music as loud as you like and sing at the top of your lungs - or screech, as the case may be - or just listen to the woosh of the wind and the churning or the engine... it's peaceful. Much more peaceful than i imagined. i always figured it would be annoying, because I like to read in the car, and if you're driving then you obviously can't pull out your book and read a chapter or two, but there are other things to keep you occupied. I guess what's really nice is that the trips I've taken in the past few days are the first I've taken alone in my nearly 3 years of driving - that and also the fact that I've had 3 years of driving experience. There isn't much frightening about driving alone (I thought there would be), and I think that when I drive alone, I have more confidence. I certainly have more confidence since I got my license - it's like confirmation that I've been doing things right!
And yet, with all that said for driving alone, I'm going to go wake up my hoser brother and see if he wants to come with me to Watertown.