2010...a new beginning

Happy New Year everyone.

We started off things right this year, new diet, more exercise and more curling.

Maybe I'll start the diet next week, need a couple of weeks off cause I'm sore from working out....more curling - got it covered!

Now that we are playing full games, I am much more excited making the 30min trek from my house to downtown Ottawa. Fighting the snow, traffic and idiot drivers, I found myself yelling HURRY! to a car in front of me because I was running a little late. I wanted to sweep him right off the road, the jerk.

It is great now, playing games! We get to choose our position (lead, 2nd etc) by putting a little peg with our name on it in the position we want to play which is linked to a sheet and rock color. So, all the teams are random. Our team didn't fair too well, we lost. Don't want to bore you with the excuses either. It is becoming easier to see a separation in the skill levels of individuals now. Understanding of game tactics, how much a rock curls, and possibly the most important...being able to control your throwing weight.

On a slightly different note: We (CCA) had a camera crew come this past week to shoot some curling footage for an upcoming YouTube commercial for the StartCurling.ca , HurryHard! commercials (check it out startcurling.ca) you may have seen on television. There will be a contest asking people to send in their own Hurry or Hard video. As soon as it is posted, I will send out the link. (sorry Anna, I wish you could have made it)

After the crew had left, I was asked to play for a team in an actual league of experienced curlers...thrilled at first, nervous the rest of the time. Will my teammates think 'oh great he has to throw again' or 'he sucks'. In fact it was the opposite, they were understanding and accepting that I was a beginner and may not be as accurate in my shots. Thanks for the help Lisa, Darren, and Robyn!!!!!

Sweeping, I had no problems. As the lead, my job was to mainly throw guards. I made a few, threw a couple through the house and hogged one (must have picked something on the ice). I even made a couple of take outs that were supposed to be guards...maybe the skip called it wrong. However, I made enough of positive impression that I now on the spare list....a polite way of being asked to play when the team has no one else.....BUT I'M THERE!

Should I buy my own broom? Hmmmmmm

Paul