Joe T
Well-known member
Well I promised a book and that motivation helped keep me focused all week so here it is. I apologize for the length but I'm just a wordy sum *****.
How to Prepare for a Tournament in 5 Days
After a 6 Month Lay Off!
By Joe "Mr Mom" Tucker
Monday,
6:30am, Coffee, SSS
7:30 Cook breakfast, pack lunches, get kids dressed
8:15 first bus stop
8:40 2nd bus stop
8:50 2nd Coffee and clean like a maniac with Accu Stats playing in the background.
Kids were off for 3 days, house is trashed! On and off az whenever I’m in the bedroom.
10:30 Hit first balls in a while, 20 shots with 3rd Eye, 20 without. Good news only 2 misses. Next, not only because the break is so important but because if you’re breaking good, you’re rhythm is usually good, get out the BreakRak for 30 minutes and start trying to squat your rock.
11:30 1st son is back from school (what already) make him and you a snack Mental note, eat a little more all week, take vitamins and drink protein mix, gonna need extra reserve energy to make it thru a 2 day event without eating much.
12 noon Joshua’s therapist shows up for his 12-2:45 session, my son Joshua is Autistic and goes to school 2 ½ hrs per day and then get two 3hrs therapy sessions at home, poor kid has to work his butt off everyday. He’s autistic but at the higher functioning level and is a definite blessing that keeps us all on our toes. Some parents of autistic children have it sooo tough and that’s why we feel a little unlucky but very fortunate at the same time.
12:30 I go run errands,
post office to mail out 300 envelopes I labeled, stamped and stuffed over the weekend, bank, D&D and partners house to drop off new 3rd Eyes.
2-2:45 hit balls just running out.
3 back to the bus stop and in the house make sandwiches for kids and me (while Accu stats plays in the background.
3:30 Joshua’s second therapy session ends at 6:30
4 O’clock guess what it’s my Monday for playdate, play skippo and uno with the kids for an hour so they won’t kill each other with lightsabers!
5 get them coloring and sneak to hit some balls.
6 Bathtime with Josh and his therapist
6:30 cook dinner, I’m not a cook so it’s burgers and corn
7:30 az, email replies, process orders if there is any?
8:30 attempt aiming workout but Josh has other ideas of pulling out everything from under the pool table to build some kind of fort and gets very upset with me. Horrible practice for an hour but the extra distractions should definitely help my attitude!
9:30 clean up a little, get the kids to bed, cookies, milk and a little Monday night football, I was out by 11!
+ Phone conversations all day in between.
Tuesday;
6:30-9 same old, same old, SSS, kids fed, dressed and shipped
House ain’t too bad today so we break out the old Chalk & Cue vest given to me by Sherri of chalk and cue magazine that I like to wear while playing and the MP3 player, I haven’t worn either for 6 months so I want to make sure I’m comfortable with both for the weekend. Practice from 9-11:30 20/20 3rd Eye on and off, Aiming Workout (express version) then 11-11:30 get out the breakrak and work on the break, rhythm, aim and staying straight. First 20 breaks with the 3rd Eye then some without.
11:30 Son #1 bus, snack and play
12 Therapy starts, errands are run, PO, Bank, Laundry (dropped off) Show me a pool player that doesn’t go for the old wash, dry and fold and I show you a candidate for sainthood.
1:30-3 hit balls, just practicing running out, 15 ball rotation,
3 Son # 2 bus stop, make sandwiches,
3:30 Monthly cluster meeting for Joshua with all the therapists and admin, can’t stay but Beck is there, have to bring son #2 Joey to karate class 4:15-5:45, while he’s taking class I’m in the truck visualizing.
6 Chinese dinner, computer work, hit a few balls, homework, playtime and Pokers main event finals, out at 11!
Wednesday
6:30 you know the drill
9-10 house cleaning
10-11:30 3rd Eye, ½ Aiming Workout
11:30 Joshua, 12 Therapy and I break out some of my matches that were filmed last year to see that I can actually run out and try to remember how I felt (mentally)
1:30 drop off paperwork at Joshua’s school for his IEP meeting that Becky is taking care of so I don’t have to be there, Pick up laundry, hit balls 2:30-3 and watch a little more of ME.
3:00 Son #2 bus stop, sandwiches, watch ME, a little computer work. Have to order more DVDs for 3rd Eye and Aiming Workout
4:10 leave for karate, 4:30-5:15 while Joey is taking class I’m in truck visualizing how to approach this weekend.
The biggest problem is that I’ll probably know more people there than anyone and have different relationships with all of them, friends, students, sponsors, partners, enemies, well not enemies, just some players that enjoy a little too much gamesmanship (and it seems to come out every time I get the lead on one of them). And a lot of locals that I haven’t seen in a while, some that genuinely would like to see me play well and some just pretending they would like to see me play well.
The question is “How do I want to socialize and what kind of mindset will be best?”
Answer, socializing by listening a lot and not talking a lot. And play? Well everyone gets my respect and everyone gets a Smooth, very connected (ball to ball) Joe Tucker, must SEE and FEEL each shot as clearly as possible prior to shooting it. I’m going to focus on not making early mistakes in an attempt to get the lead in every match by playing a few more safeties than usual, focusing on my speed control to stay in line as much as possible as not to give away any easy racks or racks that are suppose to be mine. And I may really go out in what appears my nutty world where I don’t mind doing a little extra stretching or exercising, I’ll have the headphones so I’ll probably do more singing to myself than talking to myself. High priority thought, MUST KEEP THE BLOOD FLOWING AND HANDS WARM. IF HANDS GET COLD, THE BLOOD IS NOT FLOWING, FIX THIS WITH BREATHING AND PUSHUPS IF NECASSERY.
5:15 Watch a little karate, Joey is doing very well but now he has much more to learn and practice.
6:00 cooking dinner, Becks home so she is doing bathtime with Josh and his therapist.
7:00 playing with kids, no ball hitting tonight, house is getting a little trashed. I go food shopping which is now viewed as a little escape time.
Home kids to bed, Becky is working on Class prep, she recently secured a job teaching massage therapy everyday 7:30-12:30 and they have simply tossed her in to the wolves without much help for preparation, She is also working at different hospitals as their massage therapist and trying to build up her own clientele at the same time so I have to let her do her thing.
Thursday; 6:30 keep the morning smooth but Josh is very cranky today but we pull it off.
9 Put away laundry, emails, clean house, update this journal and not worry about hitting balls this morning, we’ll do that from 12-2:30.
12:30-2:30 15 ball rotation, slowly, trying to get a real good feel for my cue ball paths. Repeating shots that I make mistakes on till I get it right
3pm Bus stop, sandwiches, watch Accu Stat with the Miz doing a player review while he played and beat a very good player by the name of Earl something.
4:15-5:30 Karate for Joey and visualization for daddy.
Beck is home tonight so I sneak out to Snookers where the tournament will be from about 7-10. This place has been home to me for about 15 years but they have now totally remodeled it and replaced the entire staff and I feel like a fish out of water. This place sponsors me and nobody even knows me. What do you mean you don’t pay for practice time the girl asks? Well at least the new manager knows me and rescues me from the dreaded counter chick.
Now to try and get the feel for the new place and the new cloth (it’s tan cloth now)
Practice doesn’t go to well, 3 or 4 people congregate over to my table and one just sits there complaining (for almost 2 hrs!!!) that our pool room is more like a nightclub now, how long he had to wait for his coffee, how expensive everything is, bla, bla, bla. At least I know what the tables feel like and have 1 more day to visualize it.
Friday morning I feel terrible, went to sleep a little later than usual, threw me off the usually schedule and I’m beat and figure I better rest as much as possible today so I don’t hit balls, I clean the house, take care of business online, run some errands and in the afternoon I sneak in an hour in the bathtub! I’m a definite bath, whirlpool or sauna person, dieing to go to Japan!
Later in the day I visualize during the karate class, playing on the new tan cloth, practice my mind set, go home and just take it easy, hit a few balls and just throw in the towel and get to bed early.
I have to break this into 2 posts because it's way too lonnggg. So I'll be the first to reply with chapter 2, Gameday.
How to Prepare for a Tournament in 5 Days
After a 6 Month Lay Off!
By Joe "Mr Mom" Tucker
Monday,
6:30am, Coffee, SSS
7:30 Cook breakfast, pack lunches, get kids dressed
8:15 first bus stop
8:40 2nd bus stop
8:50 2nd Coffee and clean like a maniac with Accu Stats playing in the background.
Kids were off for 3 days, house is trashed! On and off az whenever I’m in the bedroom.
10:30 Hit first balls in a while, 20 shots with 3rd Eye, 20 without. Good news only 2 misses. Next, not only because the break is so important but because if you’re breaking good, you’re rhythm is usually good, get out the BreakRak for 30 minutes and start trying to squat your rock.
11:30 1st son is back from school (what already) make him and you a snack Mental note, eat a little more all week, take vitamins and drink protein mix, gonna need extra reserve energy to make it thru a 2 day event without eating much.
12 noon Joshua’s therapist shows up for his 12-2:45 session, my son Joshua is Autistic and goes to school 2 ½ hrs per day and then get two 3hrs therapy sessions at home, poor kid has to work his butt off everyday. He’s autistic but at the higher functioning level and is a definite blessing that keeps us all on our toes. Some parents of autistic children have it sooo tough and that’s why we feel a little unlucky but very fortunate at the same time.
12:30 I go run errands,
post office to mail out 300 envelopes I labeled, stamped and stuffed over the weekend, bank, D&D and partners house to drop off new 3rd Eyes.
2-2:45 hit balls just running out.
3 back to the bus stop and in the house make sandwiches for kids and me (while Accu stats plays in the background.
3:30 Joshua’s second therapy session ends at 6:30
4 O’clock guess what it’s my Monday for playdate, play skippo and uno with the kids for an hour so they won’t kill each other with lightsabers!
5 get them coloring and sneak to hit some balls.
6 Bathtime with Josh and his therapist
6:30 cook dinner, I’m not a cook so it’s burgers and corn
7:30 az, email replies, process orders if there is any?
8:30 attempt aiming workout but Josh has other ideas of pulling out everything from under the pool table to build some kind of fort and gets very upset with me. Horrible practice for an hour but the extra distractions should definitely help my attitude!
9:30 clean up a little, get the kids to bed, cookies, milk and a little Monday night football, I was out by 11!
+ Phone conversations all day in between.
Tuesday;
6:30-9 same old, same old, SSS, kids fed, dressed and shipped
House ain’t too bad today so we break out the old Chalk & Cue vest given to me by Sherri of chalk and cue magazine that I like to wear while playing and the MP3 player, I haven’t worn either for 6 months so I want to make sure I’m comfortable with both for the weekend. Practice from 9-11:30 20/20 3rd Eye on and off, Aiming Workout (express version) then 11-11:30 get out the breakrak and work on the break, rhythm, aim and staying straight. First 20 breaks with the 3rd Eye then some without.
11:30 Son #1 bus, snack and play
12 Therapy starts, errands are run, PO, Bank, Laundry (dropped off) Show me a pool player that doesn’t go for the old wash, dry and fold and I show you a candidate for sainthood.
1:30-3 hit balls, just practicing running out, 15 ball rotation,
3 Son # 2 bus stop, make sandwiches,
3:30 Monthly cluster meeting for Joshua with all the therapists and admin, can’t stay but Beck is there, have to bring son #2 Joey to karate class 4:15-5:45, while he’s taking class I’m in the truck visualizing.
6 Chinese dinner, computer work, hit a few balls, homework, playtime and Pokers main event finals, out at 11!
Wednesday
6:30 you know the drill
9-10 house cleaning
10-11:30 3rd Eye, ½ Aiming Workout
11:30 Joshua, 12 Therapy and I break out some of my matches that were filmed last year to see that I can actually run out and try to remember how I felt (mentally)
1:30 drop off paperwork at Joshua’s school for his IEP meeting that Becky is taking care of so I don’t have to be there, Pick up laundry, hit balls 2:30-3 and watch a little more of ME.
3:00 Son #2 bus stop, sandwiches, watch ME, a little computer work. Have to order more DVDs for 3rd Eye and Aiming Workout
4:10 leave for karate, 4:30-5:15 while Joey is taking class I’m in truck visualizing how to approach this weekend.
The biggest problem is that I’ll probably know more people there than anyone and have different relationships with all of them, friends, students, sponsors, partners, enemies, well not enemies, just some players that enjoy a little too much gamesmanship (and it seems to come out every time I get the lead on one of them). And a lot of locals that I haven’t seen in a while, some that genuinely would like to see me play well and some just pretending they would like to see me play well.
The question is “How do I want to socialize and what kind of mindset will be best?”
Answer, socializing by listening a lot and not talking a lot. And play? Well everyone gets my respect and everyone gets a Smooth, very connected (ball to ball) Joe Tucker, must SEE and FEEL each shot as clearly as possible prior to shooting it. I’m going to focus on not making early mistakes in an attempt to get the lead in every match by playing a few more safeties than usual, focusing on my speed control to stay in line as much as possible as not to give away any easy racks or racks that are suppose to be mine. And I may really go out in what appears my nutty world where I don’t mind doing a little extra stretching or exercising, I’ll have the headphones so I’ll probably do more singing to myself than talking to myself. High priority thought, MUST KEEP THE BLOOD FLOWING AND HANDS WARM. IF HANDS GET COLD, THE BLOOD IS NOT FLOWING, FIX THIS WITH BREATHING AND PUSHUPS IF NECASSERY.
5:15 Watch a little karate, Joey is doing very well but now he has much more to learn and practice.
6:00 cooking dinner, Becks home so she is doing bathtime with Josh and his therapist.
7:00 playing with kids, no ball hitting tonight, house is getting a little trashed. I go food shopping which is now viewed as a little escape time.
Home kids to bed, Becky is working on Class prep, she recently secured a job teaching massage therapy everyday 7:30-12:30 and they have simply tossed her in to the wolves without much help for preparation, She is also working at different hospitals as their massage therapist and trying to build up her own clientele at the same time so I have to let her do her thing.
Thursday; 6:30 keep the morning smooth but Josh is very cranky today but we pull it off.
9 Put away laundry, emails, clean house, update this journal and not worry about hitting balls this morning, we’ll do that from 12-2:30.
12:30-2:30 15 ball rotation, slowly, trying to get a real good feel for my cue ball paths. Repeating shots that I make mistakes on till I get it right
3pm Bus stop, sandwiches, watch Accu Stat with the Miz doing a player review while he played and beat a very good player by the name of Earl something.
4:15-5:30 Karate for Joey and visualization for daddy.
Beck is home tonight so I sneak out to Snookers where the tournament will be from about 7-10. This place has been home to me for about 15 years but they have now totally remodeled it and replaced the entire staff and I feel like a fish out of water. This place sponsors me and nobody even knows me. What do you mean you don’t pay for practice time the girl asks? Well at least the new manager knows me and rescues me from the dreaded counter chick.
Now to try and get the feel for the new place and the new cloth (it’s tan cloth now)
Practice doesn’t go to well, 3 or 4 people congregate over to my table and one just sits there complaining (for almost 2 hrs!!!) that our pool room is more like a nightclub now, how long he had to wait for his coffee, how expensive everything is, bla, bla, bla. At least I know what the tables feel like and have 1 more day to visualize it.
Friday morning I feel terrible, went to sleep a little later than usual, threw me off the usually schedule and I’m beat and figure I better rest as much as possible today so I don’t hit balls, I clean the house, take care of business online, run some errands and in the afternoon I sneak in an hour in the bathtub! I’m a definite bath, whirlpool or sauna person, dieing to go to Japan!
Later in the day I visualize during the karate class, playing on the new tan cloth, practice my mind set, go home and just take it easy, hit a few balls and just throw in the towel and get to bed early.
I have to break this into 2 posts because it's way too lonnggg. So I'll be the first to reply with chapter 2, Gameday.
