Not certain that I’m EXCITED about the Democratic National Convention coming to town. While just having hotels well packed with people and spare time on their hands in Charlotte makes it seem the mall I’ll be working at will have more potential buyers, Uptown is supposed to become a desert. Building workers are on vacation from hassles, those serving lunches have no need to be around– maybe we’ll find out later if the excitement was legit.
As for Labor Day Sunday and the semi-rememberance of a historic ‘Longest Day’ at the US OPEN, a year when every match went the maximum distance, I’m able to recall giving my best friend about 4 hours of tennis lessons and *still* catching nearly two full matches. Old Jimmy Connors beat Lendl in the finale, had to use his time out to clear some diarrhea, but a match for the ages between ‘tougher than anybody’ Jimmy and Ice Man Lendl. At 55 and kinda gimpy, I was inspired by that memory and 90 degree sunshine this morning, so I finally got my tail out and pounded some tennis balls against a wall for about 40 minutes. Way back on that particular Sunday, I could almost PAINT balls into locations with the new racket I had, a Steffi Graf strung at 56; today I used a Prince Lite Titanium Long Body at 60 and probably couldn’t get that small Graf head on a forehand return of serve up the backhand line I rely on. Surviving 4 hours and two outfit changes? Not likely on that either.
Brought water and a towel, didn’t overdo it, but something just clicked in after whats been quite a while without any practice, and forehands, serving location, two fisted backhand were all like, well….reliable! Letting out some aggression while considering a political note is legit too.
I think there’s an analogy there, between thumping away at a brick wall and feeling encouraged that progress was being made, maybe even that reliability thing. The GOP just ended their convention, and several others and I agree we have yet to hear a PLAN for the COUNTRY vs. just more “the Prez, does he deserve your vote after not getting us back to good jobs from the hellacious shape we were in back then?” People recognize the difference, at least the average customers I speak with usually do. Polls show people may be disappointed, but they’re still willing to give him, as a smarter guy they can trust more than that Romney guy, another chance to make it work right.
Can the GOP masses really believe the crapola churned out about winning when the speakers (other than wife Ann) barely mentioned Mitt, certainly not in as supportive a manner as they gave their own credentials for oh, maybe a 2016 run? They did the thumping against a wall or unsat-in chair, and for some reason think they accomplished something. Mostly they looked like a bunch of people, disappointed but steadfast in their convinction of rightness, wandering around waiting for something like a hurricane (or 2016) to happen. Watch any soap opera wedding and you’ll see the same type of (not really) happy faces for the guest of honor.
I got some worthwhile calluses from todays tennis ball whacking, doing something I haven’t attempted in a while. I think the Prez is going to be doing some thumping this coming week as well, utilize that vast and available amount of focused attention to get a major platform in place. The GOP seems content to tap lollipop serves to the masses, and I’d bet there are many more concerned with their next doubles match than whether he can beat Obama. Some will probably just be glad to know where he safely stashed his cash…
Glenn S.