I hate surprises when they suck.

So I changed my blog. Probably didn’t need to tell you that. Not sure when it occurred to me, but earlier this week it struck me: my blog is ugly. Like, remarkably hideous. Bookshelves in the background? Really? Who am I, some scholar that reads lots of books? Well, yes actually, but I have a kindle so I never actually buy real books anymore, therefore, I don’t realllllly need a bookshelf. So it felt phony, misleading somehow. Maybe you were thinking, “Man, Sami owns a lot of books,” when I don’t. I’m sorry for that, but now you know. Kindle.

We won our cup game…by 76 points. We drove a total of 16 hours (on a bus designed for children or small people or Santa’s little helpers) for a game that, honestly, I was embarrassed to be a part of. Though, let’s be real, I was once on the other side of those 76 points and I gotsta tell ya, it is much better on the winning side. The final score was 106-30. I think we held them, or maybe they held themselves—no one is too sure—to 5 points in the 2^nd half. A win is a win, I suppose, so we will take it and move forward to our game this Saturday. Which will likely be a far more interesting game for reasons I will now disclose.

Sigh…here we go.               

I hate surprises…especially the kind that suck. Then they aren’t even surprises, they are just betrayals. Surprise, I want to breakup; surprise, you’re outta toilet paper; surprise, your flight is delayed 5 hours; surprise, we just fired your two best friends from the team. Surprise? How about stupid. Yeah, I like that better. Sam and Sid were fired Monday night. Don’t ask me why, cause I won’t be able to give you a real answer, just the crap that we were force-fed. I know most of you haven’t seen us play, but Sam was good—a starter and our 3^rd most consistent scorer. And Sid was a solid PG and a leader for the team. We picked up a new PG I am told who gets here Thursday. Hope she’s been running…like a lot. We are supposed to be getting this post player as well, though that remains to be seen. They are both Serbian (like our new coach). Subtle. Oh, and did I mention Monday was also Sid's birthday? Nice touch. 

Last night we got together for one last team gathering, and to say bye. This morning, Sam and Sid left, taking with them my future amusement. My social life hinged on my friendships with those two. Oh sure, I am a riot and I like to have fun, but I am not really the party planner.  If no one said anything, I would sit in our apartment all day hanging out. They planned. They got me out. Like only true friends can, they peer pressured me into things I didn’t wanna do. That was a joke. A tease, a gag, a kid, a leg-pull, a laugh out loud. I literally did everything with at least one of them, though usually with both, with exceptions, naturally. We shopped together. We ate together. We lifted together. They dyed my hair for me after the salon botched it, then told me everyday for a week straight I looked good brunette, when we all know I don’t. They got me through 8 turnovers, ice-less drinks, and excruciating bus rides. They understood my need to randomly sing out loud; they never once judged my reprehensible, slightly pathetic and certainly limited cooking propensity. Oktoberfest…nuff said. They shared in my binge candy consumption and immediately ensuing self-loathing; they embraced my unique table manners and eating methods. They got my jokes and caught my quiet, sarcastic utterances. And now, they’re gone. So, I’d like to welcome you to the inauguration of my imminent depression. 

Life goes on, as they say, but what do they know. “They” also say, “distance makes the heart grow fonder” while also asserting “out of sight, out of mind”. Well, which is it? “They” should just put a cork in it. I need a vacation. Fortunately I have Paris to look forward to. It is right around the corner now, but not without a couple stops before. First is our game this weekend. We are home which will be nice and we face a very beatable team--a team we beat in pre-season--though I suppose that means quite little for the team that we are now. All things aside off the court, I still want to compete and win on the court and I am very much looking forward to this game.