Traaaaancing...
I've pulled myself away from Cake and my Winamp visualizations to type this up. Totally achieved nirvana for about 6 minutes, listening to War Pigs and watching swirling, blooming, spinning rainbows. Wow. Relaaaaaaxed right now.
OK, so Chip and Rogni came up on Friday for the disc golf tournament on Saturday. They got here, and that night we went out to Winder to play a round of night disc golf that the powers that be had so creatively named "Friday Night Lights." Found the place, and a bunch of guys just about to start playing, so we talked to them, they invited us to play through with them, so we did. Started off well enough. We were playing doubles, so it was two teams of these four guys, and then the team of me and Chip. We got through the first three holes alright; par or close to it each time. Things got worse, but hey, nobody really cared because Chip and I were self-professed beginners and these guys were unbelievably good.
The problem of the night came when I made an idle comment about not being able to get the distance I wanted from my drives. This was a mistake. These guys were nice. They were ready to help me. Too ready. One guy shows me the method some uber-pro uses to throw, wants me to imitate. I try.
"OK, so move your right foot in front of you. Now the left one forward. No forward. No forward. The other way. *points at ground* This way, son."
So I'm ill-balanced and tottering, shaking. Another guy comes up, points out the obvious. Tells me to separate my tangled legs and just practice the throwing motion.
Other guy: "Now just reach back like you're going to shake somebody's hand, then pull through *throwing motion - real slow*. Pull through *once more*. Pull through *i get it*."
One more guy: "Yeah, you're losing alot of your momentum when you stop right before the throw."
While I try to figure out how the momentum comment helps me when I'm not supposed to be moving (by their advice), I try the motion.
Man with the plan: "Twist more in your trunk than your hips. Spin with your shoulders."
I wind up, and really rip myself around. Disc enters Treetown in less than a second.
Men are stunned. I laugh nervous and try again.
Disc Journey II: Clarke Finds the Other Forest.
Embarassing night. Maybe took two or three technique things away from playing with the super dudes, but left the place having been thoroughly schooled.
As far as the tournament goes, there's far less to say. Went fairly well. The guys Chip and I were paired with were pretty cool. In the Beginners division like us, but better, for sure. Some stray throws aside, we threw pretty well. I think our final score averaged to about 4 shots a hole. A good many of the holes were par 4, so that's good.
That night, Chip, Rogni, and I, after a shopping spree stretching from Georgia Square to Academy to 42 Degrees, we met up with Anna and Richard at this cool place called Aromas. They serve coffee, wines, cool little cocktails, cheese trays, awesome stuff. Had never been there before, but now I'm definitely going back. Had an Irish Coffee and MAN was that thing strong. Good, but strong. Prices weren't bad either. About the average trip to Starbucks. Plus, the bartender used to work with Anna at Il Gelato, so we've got bartender connections now. If you're in Athens, check it out.
Going to finally do orientation tomorrow, assuming that my trend of unbelievable bad luck doesn't end up in the bus I ride to the food services office getting four simultaneous flats. It'll be nice to get that out of the way.
Nothing much happening this week. What are you folk up to?
OK, so Chip and Rogni came up on Friday for the disc golf tournament on Saturday. They got here, and that night we went out to Winder to play a round of night disc golf that the powers that be had so creatively named "Friday Night Lights." Found the place, and a bunch of guys just about to start playing, so we talked to them, they invited us to play through with them, so we did. Started off well enough. We were playing doubles, so it was two teams of these four guys, and then the team of me and Chip. We got through the first three holes alright; par or close to it each time. Things got worse, but hey, nobody really cared because Chip and I were self-professed beginners and these guys were unbelievably good.
The problem of the night came when I made an idle comment about not being able to get the distance I wanted from my drives. This was a mistake. These guys were nice. They were ready to help me. Too ready. One guy shows me the method some uber-pro uses to throw, wants me to imitate. I try.
"OK, so move your right foot in front of you. Now the left one forward. No forward. No forward. The other way. *points at ground* This way, son."
So I'm ill-balanced and tottering, shaking. Another guy comes up, points out the obvious. Tells me to separate my tangled legs and just practice the throwing motion.
Other guy: "Now just reach back like you're going to shake somebody's hand, then pull through *throwing motion - real slow*. Pull through *once more*. Pull through *i get it*."
One more guy: "Yeah, you're losing alot of your momentum when you stop right before the throw."
While I try to figure out how the momentum comment helps me when I'm not supposed to be moving (by their advice), I try the motion.
Man with the plan: "Twist more in your trunk than your hips. Spin with your shoulders."
I wind up, and really rip myself around. Disc enters Treetown in less than a second.
Men are stunned. I laugh nervous and try again.
Disc Journey II: Clarke Finds the Other Forest.
Embarassing night. Maybe took two or three technique things away from playing with the super dudes, but left the place having been thoroughly schooled.
As far as the tournament goes, there's far less to say. Went fairly well. The guys Chip and I were paired with were pretty cool. In the Beginners division like us, but better, for sure. Some stray throws aside, we threw pretty well. I think our final score averaged to about 4 shots a hole. A good many of the holes were par 4, so that's good.
That night, Chip, Rogni, and I, after a shopping spree stretching from Georgia Square to Academy to 42 Degrees, we met up with Anna and Richard at this cool place called Aromas. They serve coffee, wines, cool little cocktails, cheese trays, awesome stuff. Had never been there before, but now I'm definitely going back. Had an Irish Coffee and MAN was that thing strong. Good, but strong. Prices weren't bad either. About the average trip to Starbucks. Plus, the bartender used to work with Anna at Il Gelato, so we've got bartender connections now. If you're in Athens, check it out.
Going to finally do orientation tomorrow, assuming that my trend of unbelievable bad luck doesn't end up in the bus I ride to the food services office getting four simultaneous flats. It'll be nice to get that out of the way.
Nothing much happening this week. What are you folk up to?