ID-1O-T Error
Biggest bonehead move of my EJ career: I mixed up the Rubber Cement and the Contact Cement on my workstation, and didn't realize it until 80% of the blade was covered in it. The bottles are aesthetically very similar. DAMN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!     

I had to let the blade dry and harden, before taking a fine and very fine grit sand paper to it. It's kind of back to normal, but I can definitely tell a difference with it on the pips side. It's hitting noticeably harder, and I've had to change my stroke to accommodate, which isn't good. The next thing I'll attempt to do is flip the sides of the bat, putting the inverted on the side that received the contact cement, since I feel that side could use the speed anyway. I'm still so pissed off at myself for doing that...can't believe it.

Tourment Upcoming
My coach has encouraged me to enter the U1400 AND the U1200 group in the Washington Open, so we'll see how I do (Same advice from LDMovies  ). Coach thinks I've really improved from week to week, and that I'm even more consistent with my chops since the tournament. I feel differently of course because I feel as if my chops are not garnering enough backspin especially if I end up closer to the net rather than the back of the table. What I have done is started to more consistently send my shots with a much flatter trajectory than before, which has led to some difficulty. But I still contend that the opponents at my level have a harder time with the high lobs to the back of the table. Must be the level. 

Reflectoid experiment
I have decided to try the Reflectoid 2.0mm rubber on my forehand as an experiment. I have really noticed that I rely on my forehand loop to finish certain shots, but only when I'm close to the table from about 2-3 feet in. I rarely if ever loop from mid distance. Sounds as if slow loops are doable from close to the table, and pretty effective from what I've read. Of course, this is all technique dependent. My chops with my current rubber are completely inconsistent, albeit deadly if it lands.... I'm trying to figure out if I'm better served as a chopper who opportunistically puts away a ball, or a more all around player who converts defense in to offense when he wants or needs to. With the Reflectoid, I'm hoping the rubber is offensive enough for close to the table forehand smashes and/or slow loops. I've heard mixed reviews on that, but for 14 bucks, I'm willing to test it out, especially after speaking to Tom at Zeropong directly. For the record, it IS a spinny/tacky rubber, just doesn't have any speed because it uses a dampening sponge, which for chopping makes sense. So, will I find it too much of a sacrifice on the offensive side? I'll see.

My First Ratings Came Out...

I have no frame of reference to know if this is a good start or not, but it is a baseline piece of data:

We all gotta start somewhere, 1047 isn't bad I'm told.  My coach seems pleased.

Incidentally, the ratings show that I played one game less than I did....a minor annoyance, but I kinda want credit for that win.

My first tournament...

I know that to some of the more veteran table tennis players out there, this may seem like a pretty trite post.  But I recently had one of my first tournaments.  

And I won ALL of my games!  I am so STOKED!!!

Now, keep in mind that I was an unrated player, and as such I was not allowed to continue passed the round-robin part of the tournament.  But I DID play everyone and managed to win all of my matches handily.  The top rated guy in the division was 1077, so I’m hoping that gets me a decent first score. 

Tournament style?

Some things, I found out that in competition I play much different than I do at the club.  I tend to chop a LOT more.  Much more modern D…I didn’t expect that to be the case.  Honestly, I thought I was going to naturally rely more heavily on my recent pushblocking attempt, because that was what was more comfortable.  But the chopping just came naturally.  My opponents couldn’t handle any of the backspin that I was throwing at them, and I hit some pretty good forehand smashes and pips side kills when I got a weak ball.  Plenty of long balls and netted balls off all of my mid or long distance chops.  I even started chopping with my inverted more often…deadly.

Now, that’s not to say that my style didn’t involve a lot of drop shots, push blocking and close to the table play, it did.  Anytime I caught the ball off the bounce, the quick timing of that shot caught my opponent off guard and I won everyone one of those shots I landed or didn’t send into the net.  Chop blocks, I have a much more unconventional stroke, but it worked marvelously.

At 40, I can’t believe I was so happy to be winning a bottom division tournament…well, not win but defeat everyone in it.  I didn’t know what to expect. 

Coaches abound

Another thing, the atmosphere was very interesting.  Everyone I was competing against had a coach present.  Thankfully, my coach happened to be there, as he was following a few other students who entered the tourney.   He’s very involved, which is nice.  Gave me lots of tips, warmed me up (which was huge).  Had I not warmed up previous to my first match, I know I would have lost.  Incidentally, my first opponent who I beat 3-2, ended up winning the U-1100 division. 

Cho

What is up with the cho’ing?  I’m sure I’ll get some negative comments for typing this, but I find it rather contrived when non-chinese players use this as a method of celebrating a point.  It’s natural when a chinese player says it, but when an American player uses that term, it feels like they’re trying to hard to be of the Table Tennis culture.  Just indicate your approval in English.  (or whatever your native language is.  JMHO.

So, I’m anxious to see my rating.  The tournament was last Sunday, and yet I haven’t yet received any correspondence of my USATT membership or the rating.  Wonder how long it takes?  One thing is for sure, I haven't been this excited about a hobby or sport in a LONG time.  I just absolutely love it.