I've mentioned this before, but I am starting to feel that (this time) I'm really emerging from the shadows of the grief clouds that have been hanging over me for the past year. Because playing pool has been such a large part of my life, I relate my pool game to the other parts of my life as well. If my pool game is going along okay, then generally speaking my life seems to be more in balance. At least lately it sure seems that way. On December 31st, I played in my usual Saturday 9-ball tournament at the pool hall in my neighborhood. For the first time ever, I made the finals. The tournament uses a handicap system so that when you're playing against a real good player, you get spotted "x" number of games to make the match more competitive. I was being spotted three games in a race to six; I had just tied the score at 5/5 and broke the next rack; nothing dropped and the 9-ball was in the middle of a cluster of three balls. My opponent hit the one-ball (you must hit the lowest numbered ball on the table first) into the cluster, which propelled the 9-ball directly into the corner pocket, ending the game and the match with one stroke. I settled for second place and $235.
This past Saturday (January 7), the same situation arose. I made the final for the second consecutive week and this time, my opponent was more like a freight train—he ran right over me, leaving me a bloody pulp on the tracks (second was still worth $50; a reduced entry fee made less money available).
While I would like to win one of these times, losing doesn't bother me because I'm playing mostly for fun and to improve my game...and I'm now doing both.
When I'm playing pool well, it's not frustrating (like the past year). I'm really hopeful that these latest successes bode well for 2012. Only time will tell.
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