Several readers have been asking if I have given up the blog. Nope. I just haven't written anything in about a month. Blog resolution for this year: one blog a month at least; more if anything funny happens. Friends/partners Jay and Paula went to Reno again with us over Christmas week. Club manager Laurie and her husband joined us. The six of us met early at the airport and chatted before boarding the Southwest Greyhound bus in the sky.... I mean airplane. We deplaned in Denver for a 2 hour or so layover and Laurie called to ask where we were. Paula told her to come meet us in concourse B in an eatery for lunch. Laurie said, "How do you have time for lunch? Our plane boards in 20 minutes?" It was then that we began to wonder why we hadn't seen Laurie and her husband on board or deplaning. They were in Las Vegas. Who says bridge players are brilliant?
I am about 20 points away from 500 and the dreaded B designation. Along those lines, one of my fave opponents, Barbara, asked why I was still writing a newbie blog. I gave her the Biig Al answer that I don't know much of anything about bridge so the title should stay the same. Speaking of Biig Al, I was sitting in the club prior to the game today getting agreement on a card with a new partner, Terry. Al wandered over and wanted to know where we were sitting. I said, "I don't know Al. When we get done talking we will take whatever spot is open." Al wandered off. Five minutes later he was back stating that he had saved us 8 North/South. Of course, he and his partner were at 8 East/West and I am absolutely sure that he figured he would start against us with three good boards. The first one probably was when I didn't bid a slam I should have known was there. However, they went down one on the second board and my partner bid a 6 club slam on the third board and made it. We aren't sure he should have but it made me happy and Biig Al not so happy. He growled as he left, "You two should have a great game today since we started you off with three good boards". We did. Thanks Al.
Jeri, the mentor/mentee program maven, guilted me into taking a mentee. I still don't think I am a very good teacher and don't really know enough about bridge to help myself much less anyone else but she was in desperate need and I am delighted that there are enough new players coming into the game that she needs so many mentors. I felt obligated to help out. My mentee and I had our first game at a pro/am game last night. We managed to get .22 part of a masterpoint so, that bodes well for the partnership. I like mentee Mary Lou and I'm hoping that we both will have fun together this year and help each other out; she getting table time and me learning to teach someone something (not one of my strengths). So, today Mary Lou played with her regular partner, Laura, and came in first North South. I told her she didn't need me as a mentor - she beat me. She said, "If we tell people I came in first after one game with you, you will have newbies lined up down the street to play with you". Uh oh. Maybe no one will read this far.
Jeri, the mentor/mentee program maven, guilted me into taking a mentee. I still don't think I am a very good teacher and don't really know enough about bridge to help myself much less anyone else but she was in desperate need and I am delighted that there are enough new players coming into the game that she needs so many mentors. I felt obligated to help out. My mentee and I had our first game at a pro/am game last night. We managed to get .22 part of a masterpoint so, that bodes well for the partnership. I like mentee Mary Lou and I'm hoping that we both will have fun together this year and help each other out; she getting table time and me learning to teach someone something (not one of my strengths). So, today Mary Lou played with her regular partner, Laura, and came in first North South. I told her she didn't need me as a mentor - she beat me. She said, "If we tell people I came in first after one game with you, you will have newbies lined up down the street to play with you". Uh oh. Maybe no one will read this far.
It's the little joys like that which keep me coming back plus the absolute love of the game. I wish all of my readers many masterpoints in 2012 before the Mayans do us in next December. Most point getter by the end of the world wins.
