I flirted with the Dump Old Joe Movement for a hot minute, why?
because Joe is old, white and old.
Would I prefer young, not quite so white, and young?
Probably, but I think Joe’s doing a good job so why punish him
for two things he can’t control: his age and the color of his skin.
I am, however, a card carrying member of the Anybody But Trump Movement, why?
because Trump is old, white, and has been indicted on 91 criminal charges.
I never even glanced at the Kick Kamala to the Curb Movement, why?
Because Kamala is much younger at 58, a female person of color, outspoken champion of women’s rights to control our own bodies, brilliant, fights injustices and…
because people of color will determine the outcome of the 2024 election.
Whether the surface is a hard one or made of red clay or manicured green grass, the goal is the same: to win, to beat someone. To play better, smarter and mentally tougher than the opponent. To be more physical and aggressive. To charge the net when an opening appears. To cover the baseline when the shots go deep against you. The court is a battlefield and the scales of justice are often tipped by net cords and fractions of inches along white lines. The game is tennis, but the game of life is similar.
How often must we summon courage to charge the net when an opening appears – when the scales of justice have tipped too far in the direction of injustice, when we stand behind the baseline for protection from the deep shots fired against us by people whose purpose is to disrupt our rhythm, to create confusion in our understanding of what matters most. Yes, the game is life, but the game of tennis is similar.
For men who play singles, the winner is usually required to win two of three sets. In Grand Slam events, however, the rules change to three of five sets to determine the champion. If each man wins two sets, a fifth set is played. The fifth set is often the scene of one man’s surrender and loss to another man’s courage and inner strength. The first four sets are evenly played, but the last one is too much for the body or mind or will or all of the above for one of the guys and the desire to win or to not lose drives his opponent to victory. When the game is life, time controls how many sets we play. For some, the opportunities to play five sets never happen because winners and losers are determined at the end of three or four sets or earlier when players are forced to retire because of illness or injury.
I love fifth sets in tennis. I particularly like them when they are close and long, and I’m not even paying for my seat in front of the television set. Nope, I’m watching for free, but I have the deluxe box seats and have seen my share of Grand Slams in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York City. From my ABCs of Agassi to Becker to Connors to later Golden Era Greats Federer and Nadal I admire the passion and persistence of the five-set winners. There is a moment of high drama called match point when the difference between winning and losing in the fifth set can be measured in split-second choices and breaks in concentration. Match points can be saved and the game can go on for hours, but in the end, a match point is lost and the winner takes center court with a victorious smile and wave to the crowd.
Whenever I watch a five-set tennis match, I am reminded that match points in tennis have an advantage over those we have in real life. Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev understood the importance of the fifth set and its match point last night at the US Open in New York City. Their embrace at the net following the match showed their separate reactions to winning and losing match point, but we as individuals may never know when we miss the chance to win – or lose what we value most. Moving through the game of life we often struggle to identify those inflection points that will profoundly define our fifth set’s legacy, but maybe, just maybe, we will recognize one more opportunity to charge the net with courage, to leave the safety of the baseline to protect what we must not lose.
As Hurricane Idalia barrels across the southeastern section of the USA today, Pretty has gone for dog food and I’m watching the rain begin to softly fall through my office windows, listening to Alexa shuffle my playlist of songs I love. Feels like Home to Me by my favorite trio of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris reminds me of who and what are most important to me when the storms of life threaten to overwhelm.
Something in your eyes Makes me wanna lose myself Makes me wanna lose myself In your arms
… There’s something in your voice
… Makes my heart beat fast Hope this feeling lasts The rest of my life If you knew how lonely my life has been
… And how long I’ve been so alone
… If you knew how I wanted someone to come along And change my life the way you’ve done
… Feels like home to me Feels like home to me Feels like I’m all the way back where
… I come from Feels like home to me Feels like home to me Feels like I’m all the way back where I belong
… A window breaks down a long dark street And a siren wails in the night
… But I’m alright ’cause I have you here with me And I can almost see through the dark there is light
… If you knew how much this moment means to me And how long I’ve waited for your touch If you knew how happy you are making me I’ve never thought that I’d love anyone so much
… Feels like home to me Feels like home to me Feels like I’m all the way back where I come from
… Feels like home to me Feels like home to me Feels like I’m all the way back where I belong Feels like I’m all the way back where I belong
(Randy Newman, songwriter)
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Pretty and I hope all our cyberspace friends are staying safe from whatever storms threaten today – and every day.
Molly and me
Pretty and Ella with son Drew glued to golf tournament
“The celebration of a major milestone merits its own memorable imagery, and the 2023 US Open will feature both, thanks to the strikingdesign of this year’s theme art.Designed by Camila Pinheiro, a 40-year-old illustrator and mother of two from São Paulo, Brazil, this year’s theme art is an eye-catching portrait ofa 1973-era Billie Jean King in front of a bright and bold New York skyline, which will be featured in a variety of colorways. Pinheiro is the first woman to design the US Open’s theme art in a decade, and she says that the final product encapsulates both the perennial spirit of the US Open, and all that’s historic about this year’s edition, which will celebrate 50 years since King and her peers first earned the same prize money as their male counterparts at the event.”
Victoria Chiesa – US Open Insider Newsletter, March, 2023
On Monday, August 28, 2023 the opening night session of the US Open Tennis Tournament in New York City began with high drama on Arthur Ashe Stadium of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as the #6 seed nineteen-year-old American player Coco Gauff faced qualifier thirty-five-year-old German player Laura Siegemund in a battle that lasted almost three hours. Holy moly. These women came to play not only with their blazing rackets but also with their feisty words to the chair umpire about Siegemund’s delay-of-game tactics which continued to get on the last nerve of Gauff’s coach Brad Gilbert who encouraged Coco to badger the umpire to call time violations whenever her opponent served. Luckily, Gauff prevailed in a seesaw third set, but the traditional handshake at the end of the match was as frosty as a Wendy’s chocolate frozen drink. Note to Coach Gilbert: try not to be a distraction to Team Coco as she moves on to round 2.
A shocking upset during the day session of day one on the women’s side was the loss by #8 seed Maria Sakkari in straight sets to world #71 player Rebeka Masarova from Spain, a loss Sakkari seemed to blame in part for the odor of weed on Court 17. Wow. Come on, tennis fans. Try gummies – no odor – same high.
Day One on the men’s side saw #4 seed Holger Rune sent home in the first round with another upset loss to unseeded Spanish player Roberto Carballes Baena on Court 5. No one mentioned weed odor, but Rune’s defeat did smell a little. He was allegedly upset by his assignment to an outer court instead of one of the stadium courts since he was a #4 seed in the tournament. Come on, Holger. Your 20-year-old immaturity is showing; focus on your game…wherever and whenever you play, or we will send Brad Gilbert to sit in your player’s box.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama received the most electrifying ovation of Monday night on Ashe Stadium as she led the celebration honoring tennis icon Billie Jean King who was the ultimate pioneer for equal prize money 50 years ago. Come on, Michelle – please run for President.
American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles led the crowd in a “Brave” musical tribute to BJK.
Innocence, your history of silence Won’t do you any good Did you think it would? Let your words be anything but empty Why don’t you tell them the truth?
Say what you wanna say And let the words fall out Honestly I wanna see you be brave
Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be Brave
Billie Jean King, the tennis world salutes you for being brave in 1973, and the rest of the world salutes you for your ongoing advocacy of women’s rights for the past 50 years. Come on, Billie Jean, keep speaking truth to power. You have taught us the powerful lesson that pressure is a privilege both on and off the courts.
I'll Call It Like I See It 
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