Yesterday I skipped church to play in the Highland Open table tennis tournament. Highland is over by Chicago, right on the Indiana line. I played last year and did pretty well, gaining about 100 points in my USTTA rating.

This year--not so good. I played several guys with higher ratings that, had I played well, I could have beaten. Should have beaten. But I'm out of practice. Haven't played much this fall. And it showed.

I played in three categories. Lost to the persons with higher rankings, and beat the persons with lower rankings...except for that Asian gal. She beat me 3-1, and that's gonna cost me in points.

My brother Rick played, too. He took second place in the under 1350 category (his rating was around 1311). But in another category, he was dismantled by a tiny Asian girl whose future probably includes second grade. She was intense. But Rick still managed to take home a trophy, while I basically slunk away in embarrassment.

Got two spring tournaments, in March and May. I'll be ready for them.