Tennis Warehouse-Mid Atlantic Chapter

[zapvor]

well....thanks AQ. now i feel like doo doo again

[Angle Queen]

Thanks, guys. Nice to have a little outside validation.

Our girls are 2 1/2 and 4 1/2. There's no way a third one was in the cards for us. No mas! I can certainly understand the age separation thing...but I gotta admit PaulMan, had we gotten the first one out of diapers...not sure I would have gone back for the second. In fact, that was the timeframe I gave hubs for having child #2. If #1 was diaper-free, one of us was making an appointment with some scissors. As it turns out, the stick turned pink literally one week before that appointment. Musta been meant to be.

Plus, I'm an older mommy...and the genetic numbers just don't look all that great after 35 and go through the roof after 40. Child #2 arrived two weeks before my 43rd birthday and that's more than enough reason to stop. Realistically, we both wanted a boy but that didn't happen so we're pleasantly content to raise two little cutie girls...and get our shotgun cleaning equipment out in another decade.

I call it a Job and a Joy. And my oh my how that one little (ending) letter makes a difference.

And...it all puts tennis in perspective. I love my girls; I love my time on court. If only for that 1.5 or 2 hours, I can be me -- the loud, aggressive tomboy. Instead of swimming in a sea of pink clothes, pocketbooks and nail polish (their choice, not mine, I assure you). But at the end of the match, win or lose, I've got a great family to go home to. And they will love me and hug me and kiss me no matter how sweaty, stinky, elated or disappointed I am.

[Angle Queen]

Originally Posted by zapvor

well....thanks AQ. now i feel like doo doo again

No, no, no, Zap. Wasn't meant that way. I have a lot of respect for the folks that make the world work. And that includes those that work nights, weekends and swing shifts.

[sapient007]

Originally Posted by tennismonkey

AQ -- you're right about watching kids being ridiculously draining. many a time i've stayed home with my 2 sick kids and it's exhausting. i look forward to going back to work. agree too about most gov workers being hard working, diligent folks. sadly the minority give the rest a bad name.

Originally Posted by PaulMan

^^^ AQ and TM, agreed on all counts.

How old are your kids? Mine are 9, 6, and 3. Two girls and a boy, in that order.

We saw how beat up we were when we had our first that we told ourselves we had to space them out to 3 years apart otherwise we'd go crazy. We also didn't want them to be spaced too far apart either. For us, the 3 year difference makes it much more tolerable as the older kid doesn't need much attention by the time the younger one comes out.

Originally Posted by Angle Queen

And...it all puts tennis in perspective. I love my girls; I love my time on court. If only for that 1.5 or 2 hours, I can be me -- the loud, aggressive tomboy. Instead of swimming in a sea of pink clothes, pocketbooks and nail polish (their choice, not mine, I assure you). But at the end of the match, win or lose, I've got a great family to go home to. And they will love me and hug me and kiss me no matter how sweaty, stinky, elated or disappointed I am.

this is all incredibility touching. now i miss my village of kids whom i've shoved in the suburbs of china hoping to never have to deal with them again.. but today i think i'll send them $100, that should supplement them for years along with the job that i've already given them at a nike factory.

[Topaz]

AQ...you've given me hope!

In other news...Yonex V-Core 98. Anyone hit with it yet. I did for a bit last night. Thoughts?

[BPeeps]

Originally Posted by Angle Queen

Thanks, guys. Nice to have a little outside validation.

Our girls are 2 1/2 and 4 1/2. There's no way a third one was in the cards for us. No mas! I can certainly understand the age separation thing...but I gotta admit PaulMan, had we gotten the first one out of diapers...not sure I would have gone back for the second. In fact, that was the timeframe I gave hubs for having child #2. If #1 was diaper-free, one of us was making an appointment with some scissors. As it turns out, the stick turned pink literally one week before that appointment. Musta been meant to be.

Plus, I'm an older mommy...and the genetic numbers just don't look all that great after 35 and go through the roof after 40. Child #2 arrived two weeks before my 43rd birthday and that's more than enough reason to stop. Realistically, we both wanted a boy but that didn't happen so we're pleasantly content to raise two little cutie girls...and get our shotgun cleaning equipment out in another decade.

I call it a Job and a Joy. And my oh my how that one little (ending) letter makes a difference.

And...it all puts tennis in perspective. I love my girls; I love my time on court. If only for that 1.5 or 2 hours, I can be me -- the loud, aggressive tomboy. Instead of swimming in a sea of pink clothes, pocketbooks and nail polish (their choice, not mine, I assure you). But at the end of the match, win or lose, I've got a great family to go home to. And they will love me and hug me and kiss me no matter how sweaty, stinky, elated or disappointed I am.

More people should be like you. I realize that I'm entirely too selfish to have children, but I'm the best aunt in the world I wish more people took parenting as seriously as you do, because I think it would make the world a better place. Kudos for doing what you do!

[JRstriker12]

Kids.....

I'm pretty happy at one. Me and my wife I go back on forth on a second. The thing that kills me are the first 3 months. No sleep.

[BPeeps]

Originally Posted by JRstriker12

Kids.....

I'm pretty happy at one. Me and my wife I go back on forth on a second. The thing that kills me are the first 3 months. No sleep.

Again I salute you. I am self-admittedly addicted to sleep. But thankfully the right people in this world are having children. My mother confronted me at a very early age and was like "If I'm to be a grandmother it won't be because of you...."

Lesson learned. I am selfish. At the same time, I truly admire those of you who make the choice to have children. Your patience and understanding is a gift.

I love children...I'm just not cut out to be a mom

[sapient007]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD425EnZt6w#t=2m12s

2mins and 12 secs = gold..

[datsveryinterestin]

played a little tennis today. i had the "bbo nightmare". its been installed for 2 weeks, played 2 hours max with it and today it was a trampoline. i love it when fresh but unless i restring after every hit it is way too annoying.
dunno if i should restring often, bother with hybrid experiments, or just find a different string. i think PolyPlasma 16g would be good, but never used it. dunno if pure is that different... ayyiyi
sigh... darn u BBO!

[Topaz]

Interesting discussion ladies. I honestly don't know, at the age of 36, which side describes me best. I've never felt my clock 'ticking' per say, but I'm also surrounded by children in my job. Now that I'm in my 'swan song' and looking to change careers I'm wondering if that is going to change.

I also sometimes think I'm way too selfish to have kids...there's so much more I want to do.

I always figured if the opportunity came that it would be a decision made by two people, and not just me. So, until that time comes...

[downs_chris]

Originally Posted by datsveryinterestin

played a little tennis today. i had the "bbo nightmare". its been installed for 2 weeks, played 2 hours max with it and today it was a trampoline. i love it when fresh but unless i restring after every hit it is way too annoying.
dunno if i should restring often, bother with hybrid experiments, or just find a different string. i think PolyPlasma 16g would be good, but never used it. dunno if pure is that different... ayyiyi
sigh... darn u BBO!

if you need BBO on the cheap...then let me know!

[JRstriker12]

Originally Posted by BPeeps

Again I salute you. I am self-admittedly addicted to sleep. But thankfully the right people in this world are having children. My mother confronted me at a very early age and was like "If I'm to be a grandmother it won't be because of you...."

Lesson learned. I am selfish. At the same time, I truly admire those of you who make the choice to have children. Your patience and understanding is a gift.

I love children...I'm just not cut out to be a mom

I also salute you BPeeps. I respect people who are know they aren't cut out for kids and don't.

FWIW - my favorite uncle never had kids, but he was the best uncle in the world to all his nieces and nephews. Really he was sort of a second father to me and in some cases stood in for a father for some of my cousins.

[JRstriker12]

Originally Posted by sapient007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD425EnZt6w#t=2m12s

2mins and 12 secs = gold..

LOL! Yeah, that's on my must see list.

[JRstriker12]

BTW- After our last match, when you pick up a copy of Brad Gilbert's "Winning Ugly", team MonkeyStrike (AKA Tennis Monkey and jrstriker12) are on the cover.

Third set tie breaker win. Wasn't pretty.

[tennismonkey]

Team monkeystrike plays a lot like monkey doo. We are azz tastic. but we get style points for pulling off shots with a high degree of difficulty.

[JRstriker12]

Originally Posted by tennismonkey

Team monkeystrike plays a lot like monkey doo. We are azz tastic. but we get style points for pulling off shots with a high degree of difficulty.

Like the overhead while falling backwards and standing 12 feet behind the baseline?

[Angle Queen]

Originally Posted by JRstriker12

I also salute you BPeeps. I respect people who are know they aren't cut out for kids and don't.

FWIW - my favorite uncle never had kids, but he was the best uncle in the world to all his nieces and nephews. Really he was sort of a second father to me and in some cases stood in for a father for some of my cousins.

This. If anything, it's not selfish. Selfish is to have kids and then expect someone else to raise them. A nanny, a school teacher, a grandparent. That's not to say those folks can't be instrumental in the development of a child but it's all about what the parent does in/with the time they have. Sometimes I worry I don't spend enough "quality" time with my kids, that I'm so concerned with all the other (overwhelming) aspects of my duties running the house. But I wouldn't trade my time with them -- whether we're folding laundry together, putting away clean dishes or weeding the flower beds. I'd like to say I try to turn even the mundane exercises into learning ones, but it just ain't so. I'm not quite up to the whole home-schooling thing; I happen to be a big fan of public education. But you can bet your favorite racket that I'll be looking to supplement it as I see fit.

And never underestimate being a great Aunt (or Uncle). My oldest brother, his wife and my sister are childless...but absolutely terrific to my crew. It's the phone calls and emails and little gifts (both material and of time) that are so meaningful. My only wish would be that we all lived much closer but it is what it is and they do a great job, even from a distance.

[Angle Queen]

Enough kids talk.

Gotta get my groove back. Big in-house Club Challenge/Ladder match tomorrow night. Yesterday's loss still fresh in the mind but I'm trying to move on to the next opponents (who we only know marginally). They're mostly singles players but have recently beaten a decent pair so I'm looking for a bit of a match. This is the losers bracket, so it's win or go home...but I'm startin' to feel lucky again. Mojo has kinda been on vacation lately but it's time to check back in.

[sapient007]

JRK, rogers cup in montreal.. i've already got dats on board via JWooow. we rent van and drive. what do you think?