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 Pictured above is the memory I want to freeze in my mind of this time in my life last year, when I was ecstatic about playing a round of tennis on the College of Saint Mary tennis courts, thus making use of my wellness benefit while bonding with my fellow IT'ers. Little did I know that less than 24 hours after taking this blessed selfie I would be completely blindsided as my job was eliminated and then was escorted to my car, all within 30 minutes of arriving to work. So even as I strive to maintain this memory in all of its bright happiness, I have to admit feeling nauseous about the aftermath I was left to face over the past year. And while I know I'm in a better place at the moment, the anguish of it all is still painfully fresh.
Thinking it's time to get back on the court with my people... ball-pounding time is way overdue.
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I'm so ready for this year to be the new beginning I never knew I needed... for family to set out into new horizons... for new awareness of the world around me and, hopefully, newfound rounds of tennis once again.
I miss you, tennis, more than words can say here on this blog. *sniff*  I mean, we didn't literally tear up the tennis court, just to be clear so my tennis team and I don't get ourselves banned from playing tennis on the fitness center courts. But FIGURATIVELY my teammate and I tore it up out there like nobody's business. All kinds of things went right for us, from my serve being SPOT ON to the opposing players showing badminton-like tendencies, e.g. trying to smash the ball like a birdie instead of an actual tennis ball, two very different things weight-wise.
So. Fun.  Here I am on my way back to the office after a wickedly fun battle on the badminton court. I don't exactly look all beaten and bruised, but don't be fooled - I was actually stricken 3 times by fiercely smashed shuttles, one of which might have even left a mark on my delicate skin. But alas, despite all this fierceness, I suspect we will be back next week battling it out all over again.
That is, unless the tennis court nets are back up, then we will be at it in tennis form. (YES, please GOD let it be so!)  What's an IT Tennis Team to do when courts turn frigid in winter-like temps and nets are taken down and packed away for the season? The next best thing, of course: Badminton. Which is exactly what happened, as evidenced by this excited looking bunch of IT'ers whiffing birdies around an impromptu badminton court. And so it goes - BADMINTON until the return of TENNIS, another successful use of that wellness benefit and reason to leave the office to burn off those extra calories just waiting to be burned.
 Celebrating Friday Happy Hour with this bubbly Moscato sweetness, a gift received from a fellow tennis team comrade who must have known I would appreciate it after a stressful week of team reorganizing, long distance parenting, doctor appointmenting (well-checks), and empty nest maintenance/housecleaning. Feeling grateful for moments such as these.
 This is what tennis looks like at 57 degrees Fahrenheit. Twenty minutes later, it looks mostly the same but with a big sweaty forehead and no Creighton jacket. An hour or so after that? Envision a 7-6 victory by my teammate and me over the other 2 IT guys working in my office. And after all was said and done, I had 3 words to describe this match: Best. Game. EVER. (Oh wait, 4 more: Never. Saw. That. Coming.)
 I really don't know exactly how my #CsmITTennisTeam and I slugged through a 6-3 set over lunch today in what felt like 100 degree temps, but the experience was nothing short of MAGICAL with all of us bonding and enjoying the camaraderie. And not only did my doubles partner and I win the set, but I managed to even out my farmer's tan in the process, probably the winningest part of all.
 The tennis equipment build-up that first started with the fancy Wilson hopper continues on with new canisters of tennis balls, a most welcome treat - because we REALLY need to replace the old flat tennis balls we've been smacking around the court over the past several months. Things just. got. real.
 Just when I thought that weekly Friday match with the #CSMITTennisTeam had satisfied my tennis craving, I find myself saturated with US Open finals over the weekend, first with the women on Saturday and next with the men Sunday. *Woo-wee!* THAT is the way to spend a weekend, and now thanks to Sloane Stephens and Raphael Nadal, I'm starting the week feeling completely inspired to rock the planet... or maybe just a little piece of it.
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AuthorI am Brenda Swenson and sometimes I blog. Archives
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