August 31, 2009 by admin.

Won the tournament yesterday at Top Hats, started out rocky but locked it down to win. Today I started out like crazy but faded a little toward the end but won the finals 9-7 after being down a couple of games. It feels good to win this tournament since there were 54 players and they are having a $1k added event next weekend for Labor Day.

People were remarking on how my focus was better and therefore my play was better also, I am making progress and honestly I feel like such a fool for not trying harder sooner than this. We all say we are working on our game but do we all try as hard as we think we can? I think not.

At home watching the amazing Elizabeth Hurley in “Bedazzled” which is a pretty funny movie, she is so hot and the accent makes her exponentially hotter. Back to pool, not only did I do well this weekend in the tournaments but I also scheduled more hours of lessons with some new people. This week I will get word on whether or not the Wisconsin trip will happen, it would be great to visit another state for the express reason of giving a group lesson.

Knees are killing me right now, don’t know if it’s the shoes or if it’s because the tournament took 11 hours today. It feels good to be sitting on my big green bouncy ball here at the computer desk, pretty soon I will be off to bed and reading more of “Precision Pool” or some other book on trying to improve either my pool game or life.

Tomorrow I might go Golfing with Jeff Scott the owner of Bankshots, we are pretty good friends and he absolutely loves going Golfing with me since I am so bad at it but have a blast while stinking up the course. On a sad note his sister-in-law was diagnosed recently with Alzheimer’s, she is only 52 and it hit me like a brick wall learning about her condition. She is always in a good mood and laughing or smiling, it will be painful to see her otherwise and hope to see Chuck (her husband) soon so I can offer my help in any way he sees fit.

Anyways, off to bed shortly I need to get up early to either to go Golfing or work out and go for a bike ride. Need to get some sun I am embarassed to say that I am from Hawaii being as pale as I am now.

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August 30, 2009 by admin.

Went undefeated today with 29 players in the field, I won the hot seat and William just quit when we got ready to play the finals, he said he was tired and just took 2nd place money home. It’s unusual for someone to do that and I would be open to splitting the money with him for 1st and 2nd , but he said he was tired and was out the door before we could really talk about it.

Had a rough time in the beginning but buckled down toward the end, tables don’t play exactly straight there so I had to be very careful on some shots.  It’s great to see that there are more people playing this event since the pool room has never done really well overall and at least they could have a decent day when the tournament is going on.

Came straight home after playing as I felt tired after waiting around and such, also didn’t want to hit too many balls between matches because I get tired and sore that way too. Had a guy come up and mention the Billiard Digest article which was nice, actually I talked to several people today about what the article contained and explained  about the injury a couple of times.

Overall I am happy with my game and realize that I need to focus 100%, 100% of the time. John said I need to have fun but I did that for years and it only gets you so far, in my opinion you can’t just relax and “let it happen” when you want to maximize your game. One big difference is that I am adjusting twice for deflection when using English, once before I get down on the ball and the 2nd time after I have gotten down on the ball to see if my alignment is correct. Most of the time I am on line but every now and then I need to adjust and move over a little to compensate.

Would really like to win tomorrow and collect the $250+, it’s been a while since I have won it and so I’m motivated more than ever. Plus I am still learning how to do the balancing act of being confident without sounding like a douchebag/cocky asshole when talking to people about pool. The more we talk about it the better it gets though, if anything I keep even more quiet than I was before.

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August 29, 2009 by admin.

Last night I tried my hand at a little poker with Joey at the local dog track, it was a little intimidating and waited a few hands so I could understand the rhythm and pattern of play. You see, I have only watched it on TV and the last time I played for real is in the late 70’s playing 5-card draw with my grandfather. So there I was as naive and shaky as Bambi at a table of what I figured were professionals.

Actually it was pretty easy to see what kind of person was at the table, judging by chip stacks, demeanor, spoken words and darted looks. The dealer had to help me out a bit since I didn’t do a couple of things right at the beginning but after 10 minutes I understood enough to lose all of the money I brought. Since you can only buy in or have $100 in front of you (unless you win more) it’s easy to see who was winning at the table, strange law and it might be overturned early next month they say.

Anyways, I lost what I brought which was no big deal but it made me realize how much fun it was, I foresee playing small tournaments in my near future. This will never replace playing pool don’t worry, I like the social part of poker playing but can only take it in small doses. And of course since I am as green as can be I want to maximize the money I put up so tournaments are perfect……..cheap and relatively quick.

Oh, the thought about pool, lately it seems that how a table plays has been affecting me more and more. Since I am trying to focus my game I am rolling the ball more and going for pinpoint position, this means I watch the cueball a lot more and expect a certain outcome 100% of the time. This also means I notice every slight roll off or dead rail on eveyr single table that I play on, and let me tell you there are no perfect tables out there.

A while ago I had an idea for a  Stimpmeter-like device for pool tables, even though it won’t tell you how to play on a table it will give you an idea on what to expect with a given set of circumstances. Will be going to Home Depot later to try and buy parts for what I think I need for my device, I’ve never built anything so wish me luck.

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August 27, 2009 by admin.

Just started a thread on rail profile on www.azbilliards.com, you can find it here: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1982449#post1982449

The gist of it is why the rails come to a point instead of being flat, therefore being more susceptible  inconsistent reaction due to the difference in ball size and correct installation. Hope to get some good posts from the greater minds in the game, it is a serious question and want to learn from it.

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August 26, 2009 by admin.

Today I had a lesson with a newer student Mr. Strout at Q-Ball then headed to Bankshots for some practice with Jesse, another student with whom I have been teaching for a bit. We played for a while before he dropped kind of a bomb question on me:

“How much would you charge to go out of state and teach?”

This came out of nowhere and I was speechless for a bit before I asked a few situational questions, it appears that he talked a few of his friends into putting some money together to fly me out there for a couple of day’s worth of instruction. After doing some research it looks to be about $1200 total, about $750 in expenses and $450 for a few hours worth of lessons over two days.

That doesn’t count for food and car rental because I figured they would provide transportation, but will list different package costs to cover those expenditures also. Lately I have found teaching very rewarding and have been branching out further and further, this is an amazingly flattering request and hope it happens!!

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August 25, 2009 by admin.

Mysterious Tubular Clouds Defy Explanation

• By Betsy Mason

These long, crazy-looking clouds can grow to be 600 miles long and can move at up to 35 miles per hour, causing problems for aircraft even on windless days.

Known as Morning Glory clouds, they appear every fall over Burketown, Queensland, Australia, a remote town with fewer than 200 residents. A small number of pilots and tourists travel there each year in hopes of “cloud surfing” with the mysterious phenomenon.

Similar tubular shaped clouds called roll clouds appear in various places around the globe. But nobody has yet figured out what causes the Morning Glory clouds.

This shot was captured by photographer Mick Petroff from his plane near Australia’s Gulf of Carpenteria.

Image: Mick Petroff/APOD

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August 24, 2009 by admin.

Received sponsorship money on Friday so that I can send it of this week, going to be playing the 8 and 10-ball events in Galveston which runs $900 total. It’s expensive yes but total to be won is $75k so it’s worth  it, also booked the room and flight so all that I need now is to find a decently cheap car to rent and it’s all set!!

Saturday went and played the Top Hat tournament, lost the second round but came back to the finals and split it with Ramsey. They had 27 players this week which is great since they haven’t ever really gotten much participation, for some odd reason they got 33 last week so I made sure to show up this week since I was in town.

Sunday played Bankshots like usual, had 45 players and for some reason I allowed the table rolls to affect my play a little more than usual. Since I have been focusing more I roll the ball a little more and am trying to be WAY more precise in position, so every little table roll will affect the outcome so that’s something else I need to try and accomodate with.

Didn’t finish very well at all and was mad for a bit, then went to practice which I enjoyed, even though I could have used the cash from the tournament I got some good practice in. Also I realized why I put so much emphasis and pressure on myself on how I do in tournament…….to a certain degree that’s how I measure my happiness.  It sounds silly but it’s true, the first thing people ask me is about what events I have been playing and how I have been doing in them, answering those questions alters my mood either positively or negatively to a certain degree. Sooooooooo, I put a lot of pressure (or at least used to) on myself to do well because I know the questions are coming and I will have to answer them.

Lately it seems I have been learning quite a bit about tournaments and dealing with the challenges around them, it’s very interesting and rewarding to say the least. It’s like every event is a huge learning experience and there are always people around to share things wit. Thought about practicing tonight but decided to stay home and clean up a little, also starting to plan out clothes for the Galveston trip. Can’t wait can’t wait!!!

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August 23, 2009 by admin.

It’s pretty amazing to me that they would put something out like this, I thought Cosmo had the monopoly on all relationship articles and geared them toward male-bashing.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/08/25/tf.13.signs.dating.loser/index.html

(The Frisky) — I’ve had a bumpy ride as a single gal and have dated many guys who weren’t worth my time. But that doesn’t mean a girl can’t be a dud, too! Case in point? That tragic and terrible VH1 show “Megan Wants a Millionaire,” about a girl who’s just looking for a rich to pay the bills.

For all you men out there, check out the 13 signs that you may be dating a loser. See someone you recognize? If you’re smart, you’ll lose her.

1. Dirty-flirty double standard: She flirts with dudes in front of you, shamelessly. Then, she gets super mad and makes a scene if you so much as give a cute waitress your order.

2. She needs to do everything with you: It’s one thing to share experiences, but it’s another thing to need someone to hold your hand all the time. When it goes beyond wanting to spending time together to demanding it constantly, you have to wonder, what’s her problem?

3. Party pooper: She’s mopey when you’re not giving her 100 percent of your attention. When you start having fun, she’s wants to leave.

4. Sex as a weapon: Putting out is the bartering chip she’s been using since her school days, but it’s a cheap ploy. A clever woman who respects herself doesn’t have to abuse her sexual power.

5. Baby, I’m yours: She wants to have kids so she can stop working and mooch off you. Now who’s the child? The Frisky: 10 reason not to have kids

6. High-maintenance mama: She’s constantly complaining and barking orders. Everyone around her rolls their eyes at her demands. Why doesn’t she get off her duff and do it herself? The Frisky: What’s wrong with being selfish?

7. Friend indeed: She forces you to show off to her lady friends with grand displays of obedience, love, and virility. But she never wants to hang out with you and your best bros. Why is it she expects people to thinks she’s impressive when she never does anything to impress them?

8. Parent trap: She blames her life’s problems on her parents, yet she depends on them, a lot. The Frisky — 22 things to teach sons about dating

9. Social climber: She’s always looking for someone richer to kiss up to. When it comes to making new friends, she’s a total snob.

10. Beauty is only skin deep: She thinks she should be famous, but she hasn’t done anything to warrant admiration besides look pretty. The Frisky: Narcissism keeping you single?

11. Eau de desperation: She reeks of needing a man, and she will stop at nothing to bag one. When she’s single, her female friends even feel like they have to hide their boyfriends for fear she will try to pounce.

12. One-way street: You’re constantly doing things for her, but, as Janet Jackson would put it, “What have you done for me lately?” If she’s going to act like a princess, why doesn’t she treat you like the prince of a gentleman you are? The Frisky: Enough with the princess routine!

13. Go fish: She’s always looking for compliments. You have to constantly reassure her that she’s amazing, but her response always seems to say: “I know.”

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August 21, 2009 by admin.

bdprofilefujiwara.pdf         NEIL FUJIWARA won his first professional tournament in October of last year, defeating Tommy Kennedy in the final of the Seminole Pro Tour that had come to Bank Shot Billiards in Jacksonville, Fla., where he was the house pro. He’d been playing for almost 20 years at that point. Six months prior to that match — the turning point in his professional career — he’d been forced to undergo spinal cord surgery that could have left him paralyzed for the rest of his life. He credits that surgery with not only improving his game, but adjusting his attitude, as well. “The surgery may have been the reason I was even there in those finals,” he said. “I’d always put too much of an emphasis on winning, but after the surgery, I was just happy to be there.”

          Born in Pearl City, Hawaii, on the island of Oahu, in 1973, he moved with his parents to Montebello, Calif., just outside of Los Angeles in 1984, switching up from relatively peaceful island “sublime” to big-city “ridiculous.” His mother recommended bowling as part of an adjustment strategy. He was at it for about five years but shifted to pool when someone stole his bowling ball. Though initially angered by the crime and loss, he was ready for something else.

“It seemed like a more fascinating game,” he said. “I was small for my age, and I liked the way that everything was so contained, that physical size wasn’t a factor.”

          By his sophomore year in high school, he was shooting pretty much every day. After graduation, while attending junior college, he started working at Varsity Billiards in nearby Norwalk. “I think that’s where I really started committing myself to playing better,” he said. “I didn’t do so well in college, because I was too distracted.”

          During the ’90s, he improved steadily, winning his first-ever tournament at Varsity Billiards as a ‘C’ handicapped player. With $80 in his pocket, he began considering pool as a potential source of steady income, while his interests in the sport expanded to embrace other aspects of the industry. As the 20th century drew to a close, though, he went out on the road as a player, traveling with Tang Hoa and Dave Hemmah, following the Russell Stewart Billiard Channel Tour. Having worked briefly for Predator Cues as a sales rep in Las Vegas, he was offered a full-time job as an account representative in Florida. Fujiwara jumped at the chance, traveling with his mom to Jacksonville, where they arrived on September 11, 2001.

          Over the next six or seven years, Fujiwara moved up from account representative to sales supervisor, while supplementing his income with a few odd jobs, unrelated to pool. By 2006, he’d climbed to No. 32 on the BCA rankings list, and Bank Shot Billiards approached him about becoming the room’s house pro in 2007. Currently sponsored by Tiger Products and Predator Cues, he recently worked with Tony Crosby at the 2009 Super Billiards Expo, under the Concept Cue brand, promoting Sniper break cues and the Concept line.

          In March 2008, Fujiwara felt a pinch in his neck, while going through a few stretching exercises at home. He didn’t think too much about it right away, but within 24 hours, he had lost all feeling and mobility from his chest down. He couldn’t even move his legs. Paramedics rushed him to the hospital, where, in a matter of days, he underwent spinal cord surgery that bolted a metal plate between his C6 & C7 vertebrae to maintain their stability.

“ It was,” he recalled, “a damn scary 24 hours.”

          He awoke from surgery in the midst of a detailed dream in which he’d been playing in a specific pool tournament, wearing a very specific teal shirt (a photo of him in that shirt is still the most commonly utilized photo of him in event reports). His dream ‘overseer’ flashed the image at him and suggested to him that he might never play or so much as walk ever again, which was a very real possibility entering surgery. He awoke in a panic, sweating profusely, to discover that his dream was just that — a dream. Life as he’d known it, though, had just changed forever.

          “I had to learn to walk all over again,” he said. “And it took nearly seven months for me to fully recover.” Only a month after surgery, though, he was back at Bank Shot Billiards, initially just to thank the friends and colleagues who’d taken up a collection to help him with incidental expenses. He played his first post-surgery tournament with the aid of a walker, shuffling around the table like a member of the geriatric set, out for a therapeutic stroll. He won the tournament, which relieved everyone in the room, Fujiwara especially.

          About five months later, on Oct. 12, he was sitting in the hot-seat on the Seminole Pro Tour, facing former U.S. Open champion Tommy Kennedy. On the brink of his first-ever win at a professional tournament, he faced that match with a previously unknown sense of serenity. “I was pretty much in the zone at that point,” he recalled. “My game had improved since the surgery. It had slowed down a lot. I was paying attention to the things you’re supposed to pay attention to in a pool game.

“I was just elated to be there. I was thinking, ‘This is amazing,’ and when it was over, I didn’t do any fist pumping or anything like that. I just sat there, grinning like an idiot.”

— Skip Maloney

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August 21, 2009 by admin.

Big thanks to Dennis Turner of DK Turner Designs for updating the website and making it all spiffy. He showed me recently how much traffic there was coming to the site and wanted to thank everyone and actually give them something to read.

Mostly I will be posting about tournament finishes, lesson stuff and about my life in general, if there is anything you folks want to know about please let me know and I will do my best to provide comedy gold.

Anyways, there is a lot to write about the past few events and I need to find out how to past post some things if possible so that the dates are somewhat accurate. Off to learn more about the blog settings, will be posting shortly!! Thanks again!!

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