American Gods by Neil Gaiman.
It was a bit light. Nice idea but ultimately not all that deep considering it's supposed to be about gods in general, which is such a vast subject. All the forgotten gods throughout time. Not terrible either. Better than I've ever managed certainly. Shadow was a bit simplistic. Has free time and sits around practicing card tricks. Dead wife says it's like he's half dead and well I guess, yes. Simplistic thought processes. But I enjoyed it as I read it.

Given up on Malazan, just randomly goes on and on in a pretty meaningless way.

Started the Magic Casement by Dave Duncan and LOVE the first page or so. The description of the weather, terrain/geography. At least the first page or so anyway. That kind of detail is so important.

Just about there with the tennis.

Things to do to play tennis well.

Serve:
1. Almost an eastern forehand grip.
2. Toss the ball while doing nothing else. Then raise racquet and take step.
3. Don't worry about getting a ton of spin or jumping up, worry about being very precise. Keep all movements well controlled and worry about getting just the perfect angle.
4. Really try to get the first serve in. Take just a tinsy bit off. Don't try to absolutely kill it. Be precise, With an eastern forehand grip, I'm going to hit it hard without really trying.

Groundstrokes:
1. On return of serve stand facing to the right. This keeps the backhand out in front of the body and at least partially keeps the left foot out in front for forehands.
2. Really try to get turned for the forehand. Left foot way out in front. Can easily hit lots of two hand slice forehand winners as long as I get turned. Use double semi-western grip for slice, drive and flat forehand. Run around the backhand to hit the slice forehand.
3. Try to keep racquet out in front of the body on the backhand. Use semi-western on right hand and eastern forehand going slightly towards continental on left hand.
4. Much better to take long smooth steps than lots of small steps I think...

Cross training:
1. Ride a bike. Way better than running.
2. Do a bit of easy running just to keep back good.
3. Some messing around with a weighted racquet.

Today I was down 3-1 and then won 11 or the next 13 games. Big difference was getting my footwork down. Of course how aggressive and hard hitting my opponent is, plays a role in how good my footwork is.

The main difference between good people and bad people is that good people are trying to see the good in others while bad people are trying to see the bad in others.

Trying to see the good in everyone is great, but if you spend your free time with someone with questionable morals, someone who has a track record of treating people badly, sooner or later you'll most likely get what you've earned. No matter that you were just trying to see the good in them; no matter that you were just trying to believe in them; such are nice notions but meanwhile, there were other people that you passed up. People who right here, right now, are good people. Instead you chose a less savory individual. When that person gets around to giving you the same treatment they've given others, you have actually earned it. By picking them in the first place, you have earned it

S. has decided I'm a horrible person and has blocked and unfriended both me and my wife. She did all this without ever actually speaking to me. Just texting. Texting ugly stuff about not much really. Nothing remotely to justify such a thing. Except I kept asking her to actually speak to me, trying to get her to understand how much it was upsetting me that she was only texting me and refusing to speak to me any other way.

And so finally she said I was trying to manipulate her, that I wasn't really upset at all. And this was a horrible thing for me to have done and blocked/unfriended.

Why do I pick crazy people to have as friends? Why? Why? Why?

I know why. But I also ought to know that this is what I get. I shouldn't be as upset as I am. But I'm really upset. I'm drive over to her house and sit on her front porch upset.

Because.... it's the breakdown of society. People who have been friends for more than 5 years ending things by text. Without ever having spoken to you about what they're unhappy about.

I try to take a step back... and when I do. It's clearly just a crazy person. And there's nothing to be done. It's not the breakdown of society. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not the banal culmination of the history of human interactions. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not further proof that we all just can't get along and all friendships are doomed. It's just yet another person who has some undiagnosed mental health issues. It's not remotely a representative sample. I keep picking out the most eccentric people I can find to be friends with. And they all have issues dammit! Never found one yet that was eccentric for the right reasons.

This one kind of takes the cake. She was constantly demonizing people. A 30 something who had never had a significant other. If I had any sense I shouldn't have gotten within 20 feet of her.

I keep trying to find people who are meaningfully eccentric because they disagree with some social norms. Instead I just keep finding people who are incapable of successfully following/understanding social norms.

I have romanticized eccentricism.

The experiences of my life are a skewed sample from which I can draw no meaningful conclusions because I've romanticized eccentrics.