From Google News:

Well, yeah… if he was supposed to do the touching…

OK, so we live in a fast-paced, hectic world. We all feel it. The need to be “with it”. The need to be “in the know”. The fear that the if we stay disconnected too long, life will shoot past us like a bullet train on the express route to Kyoto.

But there is a limit. There hits a point where we just have to say, “World — I gotta stop. I’ll get back to you. Don’t worry — I’ll catch up. You go on ahead. Have a scone. I’ll be there in a jiff.”

I know this. You know this.

Some people obviously don’t know this.

Like the guy I drove past on my way home this evening, who was bicycling… across a rain-soaked suspension bridge… during rush hour… WHILE TALKING ON A CELL PHONE.

That guy was so cutting edge, he went right back around to stupid.

One of the most painful things to see is the disc thrown a distance away from a receiver and to see them give up on the disc.

Unless we are talking really far away, do not give up on that disc until it is on the ground.

You do not know what the wind may do to that disc. You do not know how quickly you might make those last steps. And most importantly, do not underestimate the importance of a solid layout at an almost landed disc.

Staying committed to that disc all they way may not always get you the disc, but when you do get that disc (especially off of a layout) it is a special thing. Especially in the endzone.

… can’t speak… too horrible…

… must… gouge out… eyes…

We had the first Masters practice last night at the Commons. As this is the crowd that has “Ultimate time” imprinted in their bones, things, of course, got started late.

I’m not certain what everyone is out for. I know Brad is really hustling to get a Masters team together for Nats this year in Winnipeg, but I think a lot of people are coming out more for Nats in Halifax next year or just for the fun of it. Whatever.

It was a good solid practice for me at least. My goal was to go into the thing and just do the basics, but work really hard on them. So I ran harder than I have at any practice this year so far and I made much simpler cuts. Of course, playing with smarter, more experienced throwers means that you don’t waste as much energy on ignored cuts — if your cut is open, more often the disc is getting to you.

My mantra right now: “You are faster than you think.”

I’m also feeling better about my throws. I’m not trying to press myself to making the long hucks that I used to try so much. I do have the ability to throw long, but sometimes I’m not as “on” as others. What I’m doing now is recognising those times and not trying to throw my way into being “on”. The comfortable throws are the ones that are going to work for me that day. And I’m feeling much more confident as a handler now that I’m getting consistent with my break force throws. So much more of the field has opened up for me now that those throws are a consistent option. It also cuts down on my having to look to the lower percentage throw as my first choice.

Best of all, my ankle pain seems to have subsided, which is fantastic. I don’t know whether it’s been the ankle rolls or calf raises or biking 20 klicks a couple of times a week, but it’s feeling a lot better.

I really really want to go to Nats with the Masters team. Unfortunately, what with getting the wedding and honeymoon this year, we don’t have the spare cash to get a plane ticket for me to get to Winnipeg. I’ll look at my situation for the next week or so to see if anything can be “swung”, but it’s not looking good. Urgh.