no motivation

I haven't been motivated to play lately and I don't know why. I seem to be slipping away from the "want" - to really play. Funny thing is I've been playing some the best pool I've played in awhile (except for last night - which is a whole other story). I'm contemplating the pondering thoughts of why I've had no drive lately and can't seem to stick to one answer.....hhhmmmm

I sometimes have to look at myself, my surroundings and wonder if I'm not just a little bit bored. I play on two teams - each which consist of mostly the same people. I also tag along to another two nights of play on which my bf plays. Then there is our weekly tournament which holds about 90% of regulars. I think I need a new set of faces to play with.

Last night I played extremely bad. Missed straight shots, played safes that didn't stay safe, and I let a player pretty much take advantage of every missed shot that I took. (I know that's the point of this game, but it sucked....BAD)! The more I think of reasons why I'm lacking motivation, the more I miss the game. Funny how that works! But all in all, I believe that I have pretty much exhausted my resources in which I confide on this mission. There are 3 main players on my teams who I'll always listen to for advice. These 3 players play VERY differently. Let me give you a quick run down:

My other half - A very smart player. Very technical. Thinks things through all the way. Plays a mean defensive game. Hates to lose. Underestimates his ability and will take advice from those who he believes are better than he....no one else. Also the person who I spend the most time playing/practicing with so I would say I play most like him.

My captain - Very good player. Been playing for years. Can make almost any shot on the table and gets out of very tight situations. Takes a few fliers and random shots, but 95% of the time - those work. Believes in himself and believes in you and for the most part is light-hearted about the game........[unless its a tournament ;) ].

The highest rated player on our team - VERY good player. Also been playing for years. Can run a rack before you blink your eyes. Gets shape on every shot he takes. Good coach and will tell you straight when you're messin' up and how to change it. Also will make you play cautiously when he doesn't believe your shot making ability. Hates to lose. His attitude can get in the way when he's losing and not much faith when the team is losing. Will show you new things to improve your game.

Now, because they all play so differently - when I find myself when looking at a shot I'm not sure how to take, all 3 of them run through my mind.....what would they do? Of course my bf, but the other two as well - I love. We're all great friends and I'm comfortable asking any of them what I should do or how to change it if I miss. The problem I'm facing, is that now that I can play, have my own style and know what I would do.....I hear the same thing over and over and over from them. "Why didn't you? You should have... Take it this way.... " I'm starting to believe that I have absorbed all I can from them. They have their own styles and are pretty much set there. I'm still learning and I don't know how much more I can learn from them. Would I learn from others? Am I already stuck in MY way of playing?

How do you know when you're ready to move out of the comfort of you own home, leave all that you know, and face the world on your own???

as the world turns

I haven't been getting in as much practice as I'd like lately. And when I do get some time, my mind seems consumed with life right now.

Life has been a bit stressful. Not like "oh, i spilled coffee on my shirt, I was late for work, I need gas" stupid crap stressful......but like "life is F&#$ed up right now" stressful. I won't bore you with details. Pool is usually my savior. Kind of like surfing used to be when I lived back home - before I moved to the desert. (Which by the way has officially reach disgusting 100 degree plus summer heat). When doing things I LOVE....my mind slips into a state of slight coma and nothing enters or leaves my mind. I get into rhythm and let my body do what its supposed to. I don't think about anything....I just do it!

For the past week or so, I've played decent on league nights. Not great, could use improvement, decent! Won all of my matches - both 8 and 9 ball. Not great wins, just wins. I'm one of those who thinks that even if I won, I feel like I played bad when it applies. I also know when I've played well.....even if I've lost.

Then there's practice. I some how have let everything but pool enter my mind when I'm at the table. EVERYTHING BUT POOL. Why you ask? Beats the crap outta me? How is this happening? Singing along to the music overhead, wearing the iPod, FOCUSING on my shots - nope! Nothing is helping. The minute I get my mind back on pool, my shot, the table layout, my last shot.....it all slips away. I just cannot stay focused.



...are you kidding me?

I was at a practice table one night while my bf was playing league - a team I'm not on. Was playing okay. Took some shots that I knew probably were not the best shots at the moment, but took them anyway (its practice right?) and managed to still win my games, though not in the best possible way. I also made some ridiculously hard shots work and got a few glares from opponents. Whatever! No one had stepped up to play after I won the last one so I decided to keep throwing balls on the table and keep shooting.

About 30 minutes goes by and a guy from the opposing team my bf's team was playing walks up to me -

Wanna play a quick game?

(Ugh ~ NO but okay. Only because you're actually playing league tonight and this is the one practice table available.)

Sure...rack 'um!

I break, eh - nothing special but manage to drop 3 balls. Three stripes. I take solids. (What? They were laid out nicely and I knew if I played right, I'd be out.) I didn't even stand up from my first shot and


You know you should have taken stripes? There were already 3 stripes down?

No shit....really? (I musta missed that part since I broke!)

Yeah, and if you had......

I kept shooting. Didn't look up once. Shot. Shot again. Shot again. And again and again. I got a little out of shape on my last ball.

Let me know if you want any help!

(One - I don't know you....two - I will NEVER ask you for help. I'm perfectly fine on my own and it was you who asked to practice with me since I had won and had the table ....remember. UGH!)

I shot and got PERFECT shape on the 8 ;)

I stood up - looked him in the eye - a fired the 8 in like a bat outta hell.

I'm sorry....you were saying?

The best part about that win is I knew in my heart that I didn't play well. That I can play much, much better than that. I guess I should get some practice in ;)