HappyUP!!! Day 627...Dedicated to the Ladies of CNBC

HappyUP!!! - a stock market rally (and why you see a picture of Erin Burnett and Melissa Lee...a couple of HappyUP!!!'s any day).
Why it happened - because it was way down yesterday?
Why it makes me happy - after a butt whipping yesterday (that is a Wall Street term), it was good to get a little bit back today....especially when we were 400 down on the Dow until it reversed 800 points to finish 400 to the good. For today, it puts a little extra money in everyones pocket.....something that the country needs.
NOTE: I did say "for today"

HappyUP!!! - scratch league invitation
Why it happened - I was hanging around...and our pro shop was desperate
Why it makes me happy - competitive golf.....with no handicaps.....straight up....mano y mano....against guys I don't know.....team counting on you.....lots of gut churning. I got the nod today for Saturday's match against three other clubs. Each club is taking their best 5 guys (or, better put, the best 5 guys they could get) and their pro and having it out. I'm really not quite ready for this type of event but, hey, when is someone ever ready. This is similar to the type of competitions I played in a quarter century ago.

HappyUP!!! - my ex-admin
Why it happened - today was Bosses Day
Why it makes me happy - she e-mailed me and wants to take me to lunch. How sweet is she? How good did I feel? HappyUP!!! to the max.....and lunch on Monday!

HappyUP!!! - meeting with an old friend next week
Why it happened - we finally got it together
Why it makes me happy - this is an old industry friend. We are going to get together for a drink and trade some war stories Tuesday. You can't beat that....something to look forward to.

JollyJottings

Talked with RH
Early golf
Stock Market
Playing with Wah
Scratch League
The Girls of CNBC
My ex-admin
Meeting next week

HappyUP!!! Day 626

HappyUP!!! - back 9 blitz
Why it happened - I hung in there
Why it makes me happy - I hit the first 8 greens on the back 9. If I hadn't skulled my pitching wedge after a massive drive on 18, I would have hit that green too. I made no putts so it was 9 pars on the back 9 after a lackluster front 9. The HappyUP!!! was the number of PURE irons I hit on the back side. You see the product of a shot from 200 yards on number 11 to the left (as well as Boz chipping up in the background). It was scary how well I hit the irons......when will the putts start to drop (No...I didn't make the one you see here).


HappyUP!!! - visit from Max
Why it happened - he was in the area
Why it makes me happy - I haven't seen Max in awhile. He wanted to check out my floors and my kitchen tiles for some remodeling he was doing. We had a nice little chat. It was a cool drop in.

HappyUP!!! - advisors
Why it happened - I lined them up today
Why it makes me happy - I had standing coffee with my spiritual friend....breakfast with the guy that manages my long term finances.....and then went to my chiropractor to adjust my back issue from last week. I got a lot done in one morning....all with people that I really enjoy interacting with. Good conversation....and spinal adjustment.....put me on top of the world.


JollyJottings

Coffee with my spiritual advisor
Breakfast with my financial advisor
Adjustment from my spinal advisor
Ticket free
Visit from Max
Back 9 Blitz

HappyUP!!! Day 625

Another target on the driving range - and it is a darn big one.

Enjoy the gorgeous - Harvest Moon

HappyUP!!! - TM exec meeting
Why it happened - I showed up
Why it makes me happy - we weren't really scheduled to have a regular meeting because we meet every other week. We have been having ad hoc exec meetings on the "off" weeks to discuss strategy on rebuilding our membership. We didn't firm up today but I thought, "you know, I better go up there in case any guests might have gotten confused." I have the key to the building. All the members were waiting for me! We had a great meeting and we all have action items that will take us where we need to be.

HappyUP!!! - golf...weather...etc
Why it happened - do I need to even say why
Why it makes me happy - the score wasn't there. I have a putter that is malfunctioning (OK....there could be operator error). I am making nothing...nothing. But I am hitting some incredible shots. One particular HappyUP!!! was a tricky little pitch that I hit all the way over a trap and across about 30 yards of putting green to 3 feet from the hole. I hit it EXACTLY like I wanted to and my instincts were perfect. I also hit a couple of 8 irons that were just stellar. I hit 12 greens in regulation which is only two off my record. I would have gotten 2 more but some unfortunate breaks prevented that. If the putter starts working today, I could have had a run at my best round. Oh well...that is what they make tomorrow for.

HappyUP!!! - info from a friend
Why it happened - my friend e-mailed it to me
Why it makes me happy - the information was excellent....better than hoped for.

HappyUP!!! Day 624

What a gorgeous day - to be out and just sucking it in. Eventually, we probably broke 80 degrees but for the morning and early afternoon, I am sure we were in that perfect mid-70's. No wind...no clouds.

This combination - will dominate my HappyUP!!!'s today.

HappyUP!!! - watching the geese
Why it makes me happy - they were all over the place today
Why it makes me happy - this set flew over my head ...way over. They went off in the distance, banked, and circled back. Much like an airplane approaching an airport, they were circling so they could bring it in on
the "runway." All 50 passengers landed right next to me next to the 9th green at Morgan Creek. Now, these geese are NOT a HappyUP!!! to the greenskeeper. They are quite distructive in digging up the grass...as well as a bit indiscriminate about where they "drop their payloads" (like right on the greens). But, the spectacle was just that spectacular.

HappyUP!!! - no wind
Why it happened - we had four days of wind...time for a break?
Why it makes me happy - as you all know, my goal is to improve my golf game. It's good to challenge yourself in the wind now and then. Right now, however, it was a distraction. October will be the last month of warm weather. I want to see how low I can go while we still have a solid golf season. Though I continually improve, I can do a lot better in the next 30 days. One specific goal will most likely be reached by the end of the month......6 months ahead of time.

HappyUP!!! - the stock market
Why it happened - who knows....I don't trust it
Why it makes me happy - though I have gone to a substantial cash position for my short term holdings, I still had enough in to get some benefit of a day that saw the Dow up over 900 points. I even SOLD one stock in the middle of the rally after it had gone up $4 a share. It ended up finishing the day lower. I was ready to sell this stock this morning...even if it had gone down some more. It just feels good to see things go in the correct direction after a couple of weeks of slaughter.

HappyUP!!! - golfing with my golf partners
Why it happened - the course was open on a Monday
Why it makes me happy - I could play with these guys every day. We were on the 10th green. The weather was brilliant. The greens were rolling as well as I had ever seen them roll. NOBODY was on the golf course because most people didn't get the memo that the course was open today due to Columbus Day. My golf could have been substantially better...even though I shot two solid scores today....but the day was perfect.

JollyJottings

Learning about shafts
My painter showing up on schedule

HappyUP!!! Day 623...

HappyUP!!! - the morning
Why it happened - I was on the golf course
Why it makes me happy - it was chilly this morning. It was windy too. Then, my golf partner, the Boz, says, "can you believe how lucky we are to be out here?" First, he was right. Second, it was good to know I was hanging with someone who got what I get all the time when I am out there. I don't know what this picture means to you. There are times when I am out there, alone, and the golf course isn't crowded. I stop at this pond and watch the ducks with their offspring.....the flocks of geese...etc.

HappyUP!!! - a great e-mail
Why it happened - my out of town friend got back to me
Why it makes me happy - I need to go and see this person.....and it is about time for a road trip. I should get this one on the books and go.

HappyUP!!! - the club is open tomorrow
Why it happened - it's Columbus Day
Why it makes me happy - GOLF.....ON A MONDAY....no golfless day this week! I am dying to get back out there on a day when there is no wind. I have had 4 poor scores in a row...but I hit the ball well. Time to get out and post a low one again!

A Rocky Prospect

There may be a HappyUP!!! - long after this pile of rocks disappears...

...but there is nothing fun - about what has to happen in the meantime.

Which obviously means there is only one - HappyUP!!! to this.......that this isn't parked in front of my house!

HappyUP!!! Day 622

HappyUP!!! - coffee with my friend
Why it happened - festivities caused a venue change
Why it makes me happy - I don't get much one on one with this guy. He is my best friend's brother...someone that lives closeby and will be a friend for life. He is getting into golf and was looking for some help

HappyUP!!! - festivites/fun run
Why it happened - it was a breast cancer deal
Why it makes me happy - the runners went right by my house so I got to check them out going by. I also walked down to the start line. There is something about people coming out for community events that is just fun. The cause makes it solid as well.

HappyUP!!! - a hole in 3
Why it happened - my playing partner shanked his first shot OB
Why it makes me happy - though it didn't count as an ace, I got to see a ball hit from the tee go into the hole! I'm also glad that wasn't me. I have never had a hole in one and knocking in a second attempt would be worse than never having one.

HappyUP!!! - a near ace
Why it happened - I hit one right at the hole
Why it makes me happy - it's exciting when you hit a shot, thinks it has a chance, see it hit the green, roll near the hole, and think it is going in. It's even better when someone in your group has already hit one so close that it doesn't look like he can be outdone. In my case today, it was an optical illusion. It was right at the hole, looked like it had a chance, but it was 5 ft short. Still, hitting a shot that pure is a HappyUP!!! I hit A TON of pure shots today...it's why I play golf....and a HappyUP!!! everytime I strike one like that.

JollyJottings

Festivities
Coffee with my friend
A Lot of great golf shots
Trimming the bushes
Chatting with neighbors
Golf with two guys I will play with again
Manageable wind
Hole in Three
A possible hole in one

HappyUP!!! Day 621.....

<----Check this out - this is an exciting picture of my TV remote. I know...you are going, "Wow...that's pretty exciting stuff, Nutster!"

Hey, it is - my previous digital camera couldn't touch this. My new Canon cost what?...two hundred bucks?

Do I really need to go out and spend $1000 - on an SLR? (I think that is what those cameras are called that you would have to change lenses on). Of course, if I had an SLR, I could wear one of those super cool camera cases around my neck and be THAT guy. (<-----facetious statement alert) I think this is pretty cool - and, once I really figure this camera out, should put me in a position to have too much fun screwing around.

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters Contest
Why it happened - I went to support my club contestants
Why it makes me happy - our club sent representatives in the two contests, Table Topics and Humorous Speech, to the area level. Both of our members won. Tonight was the NEXT level after that at the division. We didn't advance but I dig watching these guys grow....and seeing their guts churn! Plus, there were some pretty funny speeches there.

HappyUP!!! - an opportunity to make myself a nervous wreck
Why it happened - I did an outstanding job
Why it makes me happy - let's face it....we can be lazy and pass up things. Tonight, at the Division Contest, I was asked to be a humorist. This is a little filler part of the program where you go up and tell a joke. I had put off figuring out a good joke.....mainly because, at Toastmasters, it has to be a clean joke. Most of the clean jokes I know are short. I strung together 4-5 of them, personalized them and made myself the butt/sufferer in the joke, and busted people up. It was a little Rodney Dangerfield meets Johnny Carson kind of thing. Afterward, a lady came up and said, "Are you a comedian? I need a comedian for Friday Night Fun Night." I told her I wasn't.....she said I was.....and I took the gig. Now, I get to fret for about a month in putting together an act. I am sure, in the end, I will be glad that I did it which is the HappyUP!!! Gotta stretch

HappyUP!!! - a couple of good birdies
Why it happened - I pulled off some magic
Why it makes me happy - the wind howled today. I wouldn't have gone to the course if I knew how hard the wind was going to be blowing. Despite this, I birdied the hardest hole on the golf course and another one that gives me fits. We won't talk about the rest of the day....or my messed up hair!

JollyJottings

E-mail exchange with T.H.
Playing golf with an old friend and really nice guy I hadn't seen in forever
The painter showed up
Breakfast and banter with my favorite waitress
Finding an old earpiece...a Eureka!!! moment

HappyUP!!! Day 620....

HappyUP!!! - the lie you see pictured
Why it happened - that is where the ball ended up
Why it makes me happy - how in the world could this lie make me happy? That's easy....it wasn't mine! Nah, this wasn't really a HappyUP!!! because it was my buddy, R's, lie. We weren't playing against each other so I didn't benefit from this terrible situation. OK...this HappyUP!!! doesn't count. I'll still deliver three for you.

HappyUP!!! - chicken
Why it happened - I took some initiative
Why it makes me happy - this little marinade that I put together yielded some of the best chicken I have ever tasted! I'm not kidding. It's always great when you put together an awesome taste experience.

HappyUP!!! - my new camera
Why it happened - I bought it yesterday
Why it makes me happy - I am getting some great pictures. This is just a little Canon Powershot Elph but I can get some closeups that I couldn't get before. It's a HappyUP!!! for you to because, my extensive studies show, you love pictures with my posts much better.

HappyUP!!! - a windy round
Why it happened - uh....the wind blew?
Why it makes me happy - I didn't score as well as I would have liked but I did manage to hit a lot of quality shots that cheated the wind.....and didn't end up in lies like you see to the left. You have to know how to hit the ball low when the wind comes up. This was good practice.

EatUP!!!! BBQ chicken to the max

"It tastes like chicken" - is an old joke for describing anything that we eat that is kind of weird.

I think the joke is funny - because it means that the item is OK...but nothing special.

Eat some of this - and you'll never say that again.

Get yourself three boneless chicken boobs - put them in a cannister. Add:

Olive Oil........some
Soy Sauce.....not a bunch but some
Garlic powder.....how much do you like garlic
Freshly chopped basil....I like basil...fresh...from the garden
Freshly chopped fresno pepper (jalapeno's would work too)

Put the cannister in the fridge overnight - turn em and shake em occasionally

Throw those bird boobs on the grill - and take them off while still moist.

That, my friends - is some good eatin'

HappyUP!!! Day 619....TODAY is why I live in Nor Cal

How nice does this look? - teed off at 3:50 with the Boz, never saw another golfer all day (no waiting), and were done by 6:30. I guess the only downside to playing that fast is that we didn't get to enjoy the weather long enough!

HappyUP!!! - new camera
Why it happened - I got off my fanny (finally) after my old one gave up the ghost
Why it makes me happy - 1) I am back in business snapping photos. 2) I have not read the owner's manual and I have the basics figured out 3) The editing software that came with the camera lets me type in captions (see next photo).....that's trouble!....fun trouble! 4) This camera will let me take extreme closeups.


HappyUP!!! - today's round
Why it happened - I make it happen...everyday
Why it makes me happy - I tied my lowest round...a 74 on a 73.9 course rating course. I had a shot at breaking par of 72 today....and I didn't get much help in the way of breaks. I did hole out a bunker shot....that's a HappyUP!!! It's the first one since I started playing seriously again...and it was a great little shot.

HappyUP!!! - the service at Wide World of Golf
Why it happened - I needed a wedge
Why it makes me happy - I needed a specific wedge. I thought I got the right one yesterday. When I got it home, I realized that it was the wrong one. I went back today and they said they could have the right one by Monday or Tuesday. That's pretty good. Then, the guy said, "here is a Volkey which is real similar to the one you ordered. You can use it until your new one comes in." Wow. I try to support my pro shop at the club whenever possible but, when it comes to these sorts of things, you have to deal with a bigger chain. The bigger chain went the extra mile today....for sure.

Decision

(A Special Post for the good folks over at Sunday Scribblings )

Decide - to cut off all other possibilities

HappyUP!!! Day 618

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - we had a meeting scheduled
Why it makes me happy - I gave a speech. Our new member gave his first speech. We had members out so it was a skeleton crew...but we got the meeting done.

HappyUP!!! - being able to swing a club
Why it happened - I went to the chiropractor yesterday
Why it makes me happy - my back was tender....I tried to go easy on it. Tomorrow will tell if I may have overdid things. In the meantime, I was thrilled to be able to go out and make some contact with the golf ball today....any contact. I actually had a pretty good round. The driver was working very well today...that makes me happy because I am not having to work my way out of tough situations on the course.

HappyUP!!! - friends
Why it happened - I ran into an old one and got info from a new one
Why it makes me happy - my circle of acquaintances is bigger than I appreciate....many of these people are really more than that.....they really are friends that I don't get to see very often. The stumbling across these two different people reminded me of that today....and that made me happy.

JollyJottings

Spiritual discussion
Toastmasters
Speech
Finding a club
Finding a camera
Being able to swing a club
Solid round of golf
Hearing from a friend

HappyUP!!! Day 617

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with E
Why it happened - we set it up
Why it makes me happy - E's one of my buddies. We really enjoy breaking bread on a regular basis. We had a productive business discussion. We even got to chat with one of our favorite waitress friends.

HappyUP!!! - a market rally
Why it happened - who the heck knows
Why it makes me happy - yes, I know we were down 370 points for the day...but it was 800! Hopefully, the "rally" will continue tomorrow. If it does, it will be time to take some more cash out of the markets for now. This is not about "timing the market" as your financial advisor warns. I still have skin in the game. It's time to increase my cash position from 39% to about 50-60%.

HappyUP!!! - my adjustment
Why it happened - my back tweaked yesterday....and was no better this morning
Why it makes me happy - I only go to a chiro about once a year on an as needed basis. Today's adjustment had to be an all time record for the total number of pops. My chiro said, "dude, what are you doing for exercise.... besides golf? You were all locked up." THAT was all I needed. As soon as the back heals up (like by tomorrow...hey, I gotta play golf), it is time to kick in the core work and stretching that I was going to take up to hit the ball farther. Now, I have DOUBLE motivation.....avoid the pain and whip the ball.
JollyJottings

My CPA
My Chiropractor
My adjustment
Breakfast with E
A market rally
Talking with my appraiser buddy
Boz
Ice Cream
Call from my buddy, SC
Dar Williams CD
Info from V

HappyUP!!! Day 616...

HappyUP!!! - Golf
Why it happened - it didn't rain...so I golf
Why it makes me happy - almost holed a wedge. Almost holed a 6 iron. Pured a 5 iron. Made 2 birdies (I average about 1 a round). Also, a single joined us who is a really nice guy. It was nice to meet him. I have seen him around the club but never had a chance to chat.

HappyUP!!! - 20 more yards
Why it happened - demo days on the range
Why it makes me happy - PING brought out there computer. I hit my driver against one of their's that had a bit of customization for me. The PING may have gone 20 yards farther.....that's hard to ignore. I will be conducting a comprehensive driver search in the next month...that was already scheduled. This was good information....longer drives means MORE birdies.

HappyUP!!! - my convertible and glorious weather
Why it happened - I insist on keeping my convertible
Why it makes me happy - if you haven't driven around on a 70 degree day with the top down lately, may I make a suggestion...go try it. I'm not even going to verbalize why this is a HappyUP!!!
JollyJottings

Golf with a new guy
2 Birdies
20 more yards
Watching some baseball
Glorious weather
My convertible
Weight
E-mailing with an out of town friend

HappyUP!!! Day 615

While I don't think it was sunny enough to bring out the Mexican hats - it ended up being nice enough to squeeze in 36 holes of golf.

HappyUP!!! - our first real rain
Why it happened - who knows....it's way early
Why it makes me happy - it's the firs it rain of the year. It's radically different from anything we have felt for awhile. Hopefully, it is a harbinger of things to come. We really could use some good rainfall this winter...yes, even if it does screw up golf. (Did I really just say, "even if it screws up golf?)


HappyUP!!! - four 5 irons
Why it happened - I made some good swings
Why it makes me happy - in golf, you have shots that end up in a good place....shots that you hit good....and then you have PURITY. You can go rounds between hitting a pure shot. On four seperate par 3's today, I hit PURE 5-irons. One of them HAD to have scraped the flagstick for a near hole-in-one. The feeling that you get through your hands is better than s.....uh......spreading peanut butter on toast. The ball flight is perfect. Yes, we play golf for score but we also play for these shots. I snuck a 4 iron in off a bad lie that wasn't bad either.

HappyUP!!! - the text inviting me for the second 18
Why it happened - my buddy couldn't make it for the morning round
Why it makes me happy - I was going to leave it at 18 holes today....but I did learn a few things in the morning round that I wanted to apply. When I got the opportunity, it was a HappyUP!!! While the round didn't lead to a fantastic score, it did lead to more learning. Anyway, getting the call was the HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! Day 614

Yes...that's my golf ball - buried in the face of the sandtrap next to the 18th green at Morgan Creek

NOT a HappyUP!!! - but wait a minute! Look closer at the drawing on the golf ball.
What's looking up at me? - how can you get mad at something that looks like that. I have to tell you...
...it cracked me up! - and I promptly made an excellent extraction from this predicament.


HappyUP!!! - PH's e-mail
Why it happened - it was a followup to a phone conversation
Why it makes me happy - PH gave me a call via the weirdest of wrong number coincidences yesterday. We had a great conversation....forgot to mention it as a HappyUP!!! yesterday. When I saw the e-mail today, it reminded me that I was reacquainted with a new friend. Huh? "Reacquainted with a new friend"....if you knew the whole story, it would be rather funny

HappyUP!!! - swingin in the rain
Why it happened - it was raining for the first time of the year...and we still wanted to play golf
Why it makes me happy - it was more of an off and on sprinkle to sprinkle plus. We were all wearing shorts. The golf was less than stellar...that's for sure. It was kind of fun to be out there not knowing if, all of a sudden, we were going to get drenched. I'm glad we played

HappyUP!!! - breakfast
Why it happened - I went out for breakfast
Why it makes me happy - I went to "my place" for brekko. The pancakes had a sour taste...that was actually really, really good. They weren't like usual. I also had a nice chat with my waitress buddy regarding literature.

HappyUP!!! Day 613

HappyUP!!! - my morning round of golf
Why it happened - I decided I needed a round to myself
Why it makes me happy - see the post directly below this one

HappyUP!!! - visit from my painter
Why it happened - we had an appointment
Why it makes me happy - choosing colors is NOT a HappyUP!!! for the Nutster. It's not a strong point either. Oh sure, I can mix and match colors.....gave up the GurAnimals long ago. The base color that I wanted, grey, was taken by my neighbor. This threw everything into a tizzy. My painter and his wife came up with a scheme that I think is going to work very nicely......a HappyUP!!!

HappyUP!!! - the VP Debate
Why it happened - I guess they need to do these silly things
Why it makes me happy - our girl, Sarah, did more than hold her own. This lady is a winner......and I hope for the sake of not having the Pelosi-Reed puppet in the White House....that her ticket is a winner. If Palin had a bad night this evening, I think the McCain ticket was doomed.

You Must Learn One Thing

"You must learn one thing
The world was made to be free in
Give up all the other worlds
Except the one to which you belong"

-from the poem, Sweet Darkness,
by David Whyte

It would have been hard to imagine - being in any place in the world this morning that was more peaceful to me than at my home golf course, Morgan Creek.

I teed off on my own - at 7:15. There was an overcast that gave the fall morning a different feel. It wasn't summer. It wasn't spring. Nor
winter or fall.

As I headed to the tee - I heard the geese flying overhead and looked up to see that harmonious V they form as they work together to make their long journey possible.

By the time I had reached the 4th hole - I noticed the sun having to do a little extra work to rise over the magnificent cloud cover.

...and I gave myself a pinch - before I smited my next tee shot. I grew up playing golf. I abandoned it to go and play in the business/corporate world for twenty years. Perhaps "abandoned" is a strong word.


"Neglected" my golf game - may be a more apt description. I have spent the last two months becoming reacquainted with the game that I used to play so much in my youth. Over the years, I had become jaded that I would never again reach the skill level that I once had.

I hoped that - perhaps by next Spring and with some hard work, I would approach levels seen earlier in my life. Recent rounds have demonstrated that I may already be there.....possibly even better than my earlier days.

Golf is a wicked game - this may just be a hot streak that I am on. Golf will humble you. This is part of it's charm. Time will tell.

One thing that time will not change - the golf course is where I belong. While I enjoy the company of my friends that I play with and they are an enhancement to my life, one of my real joys is to take in the surroundings in solitude uninterrupted by any sort of banter.

Someone said - "life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the number of moments that take your breath away." My breath was abated this morning....

....and it made me wonder - how many breaths do we all hold in each and every day as we live in worlds that we don't belong....but have been led to due the influence of society?

People say that I am a strange cat - and they are correct. I am strange. On the golf course or off, I spend more time in the world in which I belong as I can.

What thing do you need to give up today - that is not really your world....your essence? What is the cost to give it up? What will you gain by being able to spend more time in the world that you do belong in? What is stopping you? What can you do to change your direction....your path?

Society will do it's best - to normal-ize you. It is like a gravitational pull. You don't necessarily feel it...but it's there if you stop, drop an apple, and notice it. The pull may exist but it doesn't mean that you need to be sucked in by it. Materialism.....vanity......conforming over concern of what others might thing....reaching for a shot of booze/adrenalin/overproviding for kids/pick your addiction.......they can all feel normal after awhile.

But are any of these things really - "your world" or have you made them an obligation......that has nothing to do with you?

HappyUP!!! Day 612

HappyUP!!! - a new modern day record
Why it happened - I played golf
Why it makes me happy - no, the score wasn't the record. The number of greens hit in regulation was...I hit 14 of them on the 141 slope course that I play on. That is pretty darn good. Once again, the putts wouldn't fall. While it is a shame, there isn't a lot you can do on the greens when they are carved up and sanded. So, in the meantime, you work on the ball striking. I am not sure that I ever hit 14 greens back in my heyday 27 years ago.

HappyUP!!! - a call from my buddy, A
Why it happened - A is a nice guy
Why it makes me happy - not only is it great to hear from A, he may come and visit our Toastmasters Club. It's two HappyUP!!!s in one.

HappyUP!!! - a positive report on a referral I made
Why it happened - the referred and refereeeeee called me
Why it makes me happy - when you stick your neck out there and make a referral, you always worry a little bit. The report that I got for now is both sides are happy. Whew!

HappyUP!!! - golfing weather
Why it happened - who knows...it was weird
Why it makes me happy - my golfing buddies didn't seem to notice but I am always in tune with my environment. Tonight, it was just cool enough to not be warm. There was an entire cloud cover that made it a little dark. It was kind of like right after a spring rain...without the moisture. At the same time, it wasn't humid. It was a very strange yet very pleasant weather situation.

JollyJottings

Finding the crackberry
Getting Toastmaster book work done
Researching for a speech
Settling a petty disagreement
Playing golf
Kicking tail on the golf course
A report back on a referral I made
A call from my buddy, A

HappyUP!!! Day 611.......A Little.......Dare I say....Giddy?

There are a lot of days - when it is good to be me. Actually, a heck of a lot more days that it is than it isn't.

Does that sound cocky or arrogant - I hope not. I hope you feel the same way about yourself. If you don't, this HappyUP!!! deal is for you.

Today - was a banner day.

HappyUP!!! - today's golf situation
Why it happened - I was there early
Why it makes me happy - the weather was gorgeous. A touch warm but not close to uncomfortable. I got there early for my 3:45 game. A buddy was going out right then that I hadn't played with in over a month. One of my other regular buddies was going out too. I texted my 3:45 game and told him to join us out on the course. While he didn't take me up on the offer (a downer for me), it was great to play with W again.

HappyUP!!! - tying my course record
Why it happened - excellent chipping
Why it makes me happy - I had been working on my chipping....then I stopped. I worked on it a bit this morning again. It paid off. I only had 25 putts....my average is around 33. I didn't hit many greens in regulation but I was just off on most of them....and I got the ball down in two a lot. I forget which old famous golfer it was (I believe Ben Hogan....could have been Bobby Jones) who said, "the true joy of golf is turning 3 shots into 2." I experienced that joy today. If I hadn't had a bit of a flub on my 17th hole, I would have broken my own course record.

HappyUP!!! - promoting Toastmasters
Why it happened - I made the commitment
Why it makes me happy - I think we will get at least two new members from it.....and that is what we are looking for.

HappyUP!!! - running into my old friend, V
Why it happened - I was out promoting Toastmasters
Why it makes me happy - I love V to pieces.......but we rarely see each other. When we do, it is years in between. We always lose each other's contact info. When we do run into each other, it's always a HappyUP!!! We committed to getting together soon.

Bonus HappyUP!!! - some tasty eating
Why it happened - I fired up the grill
Why it makes me happy - I had a chuck steak for lunch. I love chuck steak. I grew up in a financially challenged household. We would have steak sometimes....mostly chuck steak. My mom would justify it by saying, "I prefer chuck steak. It has more flavor." Today, I like rib-eyes.....but not when a rib-eye costs ten to twelve bucks and a chuck steak is three fifty. I followed up the steak with a delicious piece of grilled snapper this evening. Delicious!

Extra Bonus HappyUP!!! - the stock market was up
Why it happened - who knows...it's the stock market
Why it makes me happy - are you kidding? Did you see that 770+ point drop yesterday? We needed that 480 point gain today! A little salve on the wound always feels good.

JollyJottings

Golfing with W
Toastmasters
Outside speech
Visit to the Chamber
Canvassing
Tying my current golf record
25 putts
Steak
Snapper
Weather

HappyUP!!! Day 610

HappyUP!!! - picking up my printer
Why it happened - the place called me
Why it makes me happy - I needed my printer today. The guy at the shop is a good guy...I've been there before. I had fun over at his place

HappyUP!!! - BatteriesPlus
Why it happened - our Toastmasters timing light needed fixing
Why it makes me happy - I took our entire device in to the shop. I opened up the box. The lady said she had the battery....and then asked if she wanted them to solder the connectors on while I waited! I didn't even know soldering was involved. I think I have a soldering gun around but it was great to have that problem taken off my hands.

HappyUP!!! - e-mail from a friend
Why it happened - I shot a message out
Why it makes me happy - I think that I will be getting together with this out of town buddy soon. It would be a nice day trip.

NutBoz Leauge: Nut 6, Boz 3

(for more information on what this league is all about and get the results of all previous matches, go here)

<----2 1/2 mor feet and Boz would have had an ace

Boz Concedes on the 5th Tee!!!

9/28/2008...18 holes - Boz gave it up after only 4 holes. The two did play a full 18 but Boz could see the tremendous ass whuppin that was coming. He was 4 down after 4 and it was only going to get uglier and uglier. This was the ultimate defeat and humiliation as the Nutster went on to hit 13 of the 18 greens in regulation. Without the concession, the match would have most likely resulted in a 7&5 or 6&4 thrashing. "I don't know...I think Boz is going to regret this. He whipped me 7&5 in a pre-season match. It was painful but I took the beating," was Nut's assessment of Boz's decision to throw in the towel.

The aerated greens continued to plague the Nut as he had 11 birdie putts from 8-15 ft and only converted one.

"The stroke feels good. Most of the putts were riding just by the edge of the cup. It's hard to get the speed right with the sand. The greens will be back to normal in a couple of weeks and I just can't get myself to messing around trying to fix a putting stroke that isn't broken," commented Nutster after completing a superlative ball striking round.

NOTE: the wire services are working on the transmission of the picture of Boz's near ace on the demanding 16th hole. Boz hit it to just 2.5 ft from the cup and was able to tap in the birdie after the Nut made a birdie of his own from 10 ft.



It's About Who Wants It More

9/28/08...18 holes - Nutster takes down the Boz 2 up
They stood on the 17th tee all even. This tough par 4 was playing long and into the wind. Everything prior, including a controversial ruling against the Nutster, was history. It had now come down to desire. Nutster mishit his tee shot but it was straight. The Boz got a bigger piece of his drive but his pull wound up being his downfall. Nutster had a full 230 yds into the wind. He pulled out the 3 wood and hit a cut to keep it away from the tree guarding the green. The mighty blow found the front edge. Boz ended up on the cartpath and had to take an unfavorable drop into the weeds. He hacked it out as best he could, made a brilliant wedge shot, but couldn't get his 12 footer to fall. Nutster lagged his long putt up to about 4 feet and then drilled the cleanup putt dead center. Boz applied the pressure on 18 by hitting his second shot within 30 ft of the hole. Meanwhile, Nutster got a terrible break when his approach shot kicked dead right...missing the green and leaving an awkward pitch.

"I'm not going to kid you. I felt a little pressure standing over that shot. Boz had beaten me 3 straight times. There was no way I wanted to take a chance of it getting to 4. I'd never hear the end of it."

With the memory of whiffing a similar pitch just 3 holes earlier floating in his mind, Nutster calmly pitched to within 4 feet and, once again, drilled the pressure putt into the center of the cup.

Next match: today at 4. Boz has an attempt at redemption....or live through the week trailing the Nutster by a mighty margin.

A Change in the Wind
9/27/08...18 holes - Boz holds on to win 1 up
After being thumped 4 straight times, the Boz now has an official win streak going. Today demonstrated the fluke of match play. When you watch TV on golf, you see stroke play. Stroke play wise, Boz was whipped by 2. This indicates who had the superior skills going. We play match play here, however. After going two up after 6 holes, Nutster continued to suffer due to the condition of the aerated greens. "I couldn't get the ball up and down which is my game. It took me 4 to get down from the edge 4-5 times....that is a fluke. I'm struggling with gauging the modified surfaces. I'll get through this. When the greens get back to normal, it will be lights out," commented Nut after the round.

The next match is scheduled for tomorrow. Based on this reporters observation of how these two are playing, it looks to be a long day for the Boz if Nutster gets the chopped up greens figured out.

Boz Careers to Victory
9/26/08....18 holes - Boz wins 3 and 2
Boz manages to continue his winning ways and has definitely stopped the Nuts winning streak. Even with a couple of penalty strokes, he carved out a 75 on the 141 slope Morgan Creek track.

On the 12th hole with a 2 up advantage and with Nutster looking at an 18 foot downhill putt for birdie, Boz dropped an unlikely 40 footer with 6 feet of break. Boz immediately went into a gallup as he rode the pony wildly screaming, "I'm 3 up...I'm 3 up." The Nut ignored the antics and calmly rammed his putt into the hole for the halve. Nutster then 3 putted 14 which would have brought him within 1 hole with 4 to play. 15 was halved with pars. Nutster suffered a painful lipout and 3 putted 16 ending the match. With the match already finalized, Boz added insult to injury by holing out his bunker shot on 18 for a birdie.

Ever the sportsman, Nutster commented after the round, "What are you gonna do? It was one of those days when everything fell for him. I hit the ball great. I had 8 makeable birdie putts and only got one to fall. When a guy is playing his career best, you can't 3-putt four times and expect to win. The putter was good, though. The greens have just been aerated and sanded. I'm a feel putter so you can see how the greens favor a guy like Boz. He slapped the ball....and it went in. I'm actually happy for Boz because, if he didn't start playing better, I was going to need to find a new person to play with. I'm looking forward to a hotly contested match tomorrow. I am sure I will apply the can of whupass."

Tonight, it is congratulations to the Boz. It is shaping up to be a long weekend as the level of play in the NutBoz league has been turned up. By Sunday, we should see who DA MAN is.

Upset of the Year
9/25/08...18 holes - Boz squeaks out a 1 up win
The golfing community, fresh off it's high from a US Ryder cup win, was brought down to two shocking realities today. Tiger Woods is still not competing and the Nutster was defeated. It was a bad day for Nutster to have his worst round of golf in recent history. With poor play marking this match, Boz sat on the 16th tee 2 up with 3 to go. It was then that Nutster reached down into that place that only he can go and came up with his first ever birdie on the demanding 16th hole. At one down with two to go, it looked like the Nut would rally for the victory. The 17th was marked by Boz barely catching the lip of the cup and the ball barely falling in to halve the hole. Nutster's draw tee shot on 18 found the bunker. Boz hit the same shot but somehow carried it and ended up in a perfect lie. Stuck in the bunker having to hit a 6 iron cut shot over the lake, Nutster overcut it and missed right. Boz used the good fortune off the tee to his advantage and smoothed a shot to 30 feet. It was then that Nutster did the unthinkable. He was too anxious to see the ball he was chipping go in the hole and hit the chip fat. He snuggled the next one up and tapped in while Boz thee putted to halve the hole and preserve victory by the narrowest of margins. While Boz' round was marked by 5 penalty strokes, it was also highlighted by as many good breaks that made one wonder who the golf course was pulling for. Nutster made no excuses after the round, "I played like crap. This is a disappointment. Tomorrow is another day. This was my worst round in a month. Boz hit it better. I deserved to lose today even if it was by just one." It should be noted that this league is played at scratch even though statistics by the Northern California Golf Association say Nutster should get a stroke. That one stroke was the difference as the number 2 hole went to Boz and would have been a halve if handicaps were taken into consideration.

The question looms - is the Boz back? He is going to have to thump the Nut on one of the Nut's average days to be able to make the claim. He has to feel good about getting on the board tonight.

HappyUP!!! Day 609

HappyUP!!! - whipping on the Boz twice
Why it happened - you can find the NutBoz League post here
Why it makes me happy - winning and keeping the upper hand on my bud. It's good for him, too. He knows he is going to have to grind to keep up.

HappyUP!!! - weekly weigh in
Why it happened - it's a weekly deal
Why it makes me happy - I thought that dinner surprise from my neighbors was going to weigh heavy on me today. It didn't and I actually am lighter as of this morning than a week ago. Quarter 4 starts now. I'm 4 pounds down for the year....if I watch it and kick up some exercise, 2008 could be a great year weight wise.

HappyUP!!! - my afternoon round of golf
Why it happened - see NutBoz League
Why it makes me happy - besides beating on the Boz, the ball striking was close to, if not better, than on Friday. Golf is a game of streaks so I am sure that I will be doing some backsliding. The important thing is that, when you backslide, you don't go ALL the way back to where you were before. I keep learning about my swing and am enjoying the mental discipline, control, and to trust my swing. Trusting the swing is key in golf...and is easier said than done. With some greens that weren't chopped up due to scheduled maintenance, I would have had a run at breaking par from the Gold Tees today. I honestly didn't think that I would be playing this kind of golf until next Spring.

JollyJottings

Whipping on the Boz...twice
My afternoon golf round
A few strong 3-woods
Grocery shopping
Pastrami sandwich

HappyUP!!! Day 608

HappyUP!!! - golfing with the gang
Why it happened - it's the weekend
Why it makes me happy - they were all there this morning. Boz....his brother from out of town (unexpected but again welcome)....my engineering friend.....and even my banker buddy. The banker joined us on the second hole. Five guys out for a Saturday morning round of golf....that is some good living and great fellowship

HappyUP!!! - dinner party
Why it happened - my neighbor came and got me
Why it makes me happy - free food....part of which were my tomatoes in the salad. I had given tomatoes away and, low and behold, they show back up. I got some great tri-tip...I met my across the street neighbor. It was great time.

HappyUP!!! - guitar strumming neighbors
Why it happened - I went to the dinner party
Why it makes me happy - I have a feeling that these close by muscians may want to get together and do a little bit of playing and singing.....and it is going to be way convenient! No loading up cars or having to make a schedule. We may end up putting a little set list together. This has some potential. The best thing is that the other guys are probably all better than me. Some people look at that as intimidating.....I see it as free lessons!

JollyJotting

HappyUP!!! Day 607-A Great Day to be Me

Today was such a great day - I couldn't contain myself to just three HappyUP!!!s. Hey...some days are just like that!....and I will take every single one of them.

HappyUP!!! - my best round in years and one of the best in my life

(<----short birdie putt on the most difficult hole at Morgan Creek... number two. I hit a great iron there...wish I had made the putt but, with the greens sanded, you just have to be happy with striking the ball well)

Why it happened - I kept saying a breakthrough was coming. I've been playing a lot and working on my game.

Why it makes me happy - My best round ever was a 68... 28 years ago on a much easier golf course. One of the joys of golf is striking the ball properly.This morning, I did and shot a 74 on a course with a 73.9 course rating. While my second 18 was not as good score wise due to dodgy putting on the recently aerated greens, the ball striking may have been better. Today's golf showed me what I am capable of. Golf is satan's game. You never HAVE it and who knows what tomorrow will bring. Just Wednesday, I had a terrible ball striking round...but I learned from it. All of this leads to a real HappyUP!!! today.

(Below: another short birdie putt. This one on number 18 which always plays tough for me. Nope, I didn't make it but I sure stuffed it in there)
HappyUP!!! - Breakfast with a friend
Why it happened - we scheduled it
Why it makes me happy - my friend is embarking on a new venture. I am absolutely thrilled for him to have the courage to go out on his own. I think that he is going to do great and be tremendously more happy. I love his optimism. Plus, he has something to prove and I know that he will.

HappyUP!!! - playing golf with a guy I hadn't seen in 30 years.
Why it happened - he is Boz's brother and he is out here on business
Why it makes me happy - this guy was always a great kid for the tagalong little brother. He later went on and narrowly missed winning the Heismann trophy. If it wouldn't have been for a shoulder injury, he would have won it back in the early 80's. He was a quarterback and some of those guys can be pretty arrogant. Not this guy.....still the same ol great "kid" he was 30 years ago. He's got a hell of a golf game and was a joy to have him out there with us today.

Bonus HappyUP!!! - Boz played a great round
Why it happend - who knows
Why it makes me happy - he whupped me.....which does not make me happy. I was glad to see him play so much better. He EXPLODED out of a slump. He hit some exceptional shots today. Last weekend, he was down in the dumps....today, he was "riding the pony" (see NutBoz League post). That's golf!

Bonus HappyUP!!! - more about my golf today
Why it happened - see above
Why it makes me happy - I hit more quality golf shots today than I have probably hit over the last two years cumulatively. It would have been very conceivable for me to have shot two rounds at par today.

AnotherBonus HappyUP!!! - perfect weather and no waiting on the golf course
Why it happened - who knows about the weather....the lack of people could have been due to the greens being recently aerated and sanded
Why it makes me happy - I played 36 holes of golf in about 6.5 hours. It is great to keep moving.

AnotherBonusHappyUP!!! - hearing from an old co-worker
Why it happened - I e-mailed him
Why it makes me happy - maybe I will get a free lunch and free use of his condo! OK....he's a good guy that was put in a tough spot. He's doing the best that he can and it's always good to hear from him.

HappyUP!!! Day 606

HappyUP!!! - another milestone.....600 days
Why it happened - I have a habit
Why it makes me happy - it isn't always convenient...but always worthwhile. This is often the best 5-10 minutes of my day....even my good days.

HappyUP!!! - a special birdie
Why it happened - I "manned up" and hit it
Why it makes me happy - I had many opportunities to birdie the 16th hole at my club....but never got it done. I have a contest with a buddy to see who birdies all of the holes first. I have 5 left to go....he has 3. It was 6 to go when I got up this morning so I am chipping away.

HappyUP!!! - printer delivered
Why it happened - I just did it
Why it makes me happy - my printer began malfunctioning yesterday. Rather than hope it fixed itself, I realized that this was a maintenance problem....and off I went to the repair shop. I was happy to FIND the place...happy it was still there....and happy I got off my fanny and took it in. It's not the most convenient place to go so I am really happy to take care of this.

HappyUP!!! - a smoothie
Why it happened - I was hungry
Why it makes me happy - I needed something before I teed off. Der Weinerschnitzel called my name. Jimboys Tacos was yelling too. I drove right by these places as I rarely am near either of these locations and I do like what they have to offer. I settled for a juice smoothie which I am sure was a better call that a couple of chili-cheese dogs or tacos.

HappyUP!!! Day 605

HappyUP!!! - started with a birdie
Why it happened - I played it safe
Why it makes me happy - I could have hit the 3 wood or hybrid and tried to get on the par 5 in two shots. Doing so would bring a bunch of trouble into play....trouble that could get me off to a bad start. Instead, I took a 4 iron near the front edge, chipped up, and made the putt. I was one under par....and that was a HappyUP!!! (No...I did not finish that way)

HappyUP!!! - up and down 4 out of 5 times from the sand
Why it happened - my sand shots were all decent to great
Why it makes me happy - every time you save par from a sand trap, you get a "dot" (a dollar). I was in a lot of traps today.....not a HappyUP!!!....but, if you can recover, it turns a negative into a positive.

HappyUP!!! - chatting with a friend
Why it happened - he was at the coffee shop we were using
Why it makes me happy - I like this guy even though we have a strange relationship. The talk today was interesting...I like interesting conversations

HappyUP!!! Day 604

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - the meeting was scheduled
Why it makes me happy - in addition to delivering a solid speech, we had a guest that wants to join. New people bring new energy, experiences, and enthusiasm. Outstanding.

HappyUP!!! - appointment for tomorrow
Why it happened - my friend called me
Why it makes me happy - his daughter is a little champ. She has been working on a project for our club and wants to deliver it personally so her and her dad will be stopping by in the morning.

HappyUP!!! - golf
Why it happened - the club was open...and I was there
Why it makes me happy - I had a productive practice session on the range employing some different practice techniques. I then went out and walked 18 carrying my bag. It's not the first time I have done that (it's the second) since joining this club. Hey, it's a long walk on this course.....CARRYING.....and I am not getting any younger! That was a HappyUP!!!.....to finish. Once again, the score wasn't there but the progress keeps showing up. I am hitting the ball in an entirely different fashion than I was. Now, it is about dialing it in.

Toastmasters
Hobby store
Business cards
Talking to J
E-mail from E
Practice session
Golf

HappyUP!!! Day 603

HappyUP!!! - finding cash
Why it happened - I opened a box
Why it makes me happy - do you know how many places I had looked for this dough? I think I have an idea of how it got where it did.....absentmindedness/laziness would be a contributor. Anyway, the second I saw it, I went, "aha!" Aha is usually a good HappyUP!!! indicator. This was a duel HappyUP!!! because I like that moment I find things I have been looking for......AND, I now get to use the dough

HappyUP!!! - The Shack
Why it happened - I transcribed it
Why it makes me happy - this is a good fictional tale. The Shack is a book that I had read and made a few jottings on. Today, I captured them....and got the feeling again that I did when I read it. I just need to put a few of the things in practice.

HappyUP!!! - Good Golf Tips
Why it happened - I had the Golf Channel on
Why it makes me happy - I have a great book on the mental side of golf. I was re-reading it last night and had the Golf Channel reinforce the lesson. These are things that I have been toying with and, as a result, playing better. Now, I just need to practice these rather than just play. The game WILL come back!

Quote of the Day

"In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists."

Eric Hoffer

HappyUP!!! Day 602

HappyUP!!! - a day in the Capay Valley
Why it happened - my brother set it up
Why it makes me happy - it's GOLF!...at a Fabulous golf course!....that I have never played before!...with 7 other guys!...including my brother and good friend!...with great weather!...and I played pretty well!...and I won my bets!
Does life get much better than that?!?






HappyUP!!! - the first tee
Why it happened - see above
Why it makes me happy - it's not often that you get to hit a ball from an elevated tee.....I mean ELEVATED. When an architect takes advantage of the landscape and sets a hole up like that, it is always dramatic. You get a view. You wonder, "just how far is this going to go?" You get to watch your ball carry in the air a loooooong time. There is a moment, though, when you step up to that tee for the very first time and just go, "this is cool!"....and THAT is the HappyUP!!! (see in photo to the left)



HappyUP!!! - a pleasant drive
Why it happened -we had to get to the new golf course
Why it makes me happy - I really should get out more often....see what there is to see....take a few more drives and just view the interesting little sites along the way. Today was one of those days. Ever been to Esparto? I hope not. Esparto is a little town that you go through...like we did. BUT, it is interesting to pass through.
Interesting things are HappyUP!!!s

HappyUP!!! - a funny line
Why it happened - I crack more than my share
Why it makes me happy - I like to make people laugh. We came upon an interesting hole today. There was water right in front of the tee.....you had no choice but to hit over it. Once over the lake, you had a choice to go to a fairway on the right or the fairway on the left. There was a creek that feeds the lake that splits the two fairways. If you choose the fairway on the left, the hole is a little shorter but it was a smaller landing area and you risk hitting into the creek that divides the fairways. One of the guys was having a hard time figuring it out so I explained his options and answered his questions. Then he asked, "how far to hit over the lake?" I said, "....if you are asking that question, you are playing the wrong tees!"

Nice Work, Guy!

....I'd be grinnin too!





Who are these people? - I have no clue! This photograph was taken as we travelled at a tremendously high rate of speed in our golf cart across a bridge at our golf club.

Good thing the bride moves quickly - or she would have a set of rather small tire tracks across her train.

HappyUP!!! Day 601

HappyUP!!! - two victories
Why it happened - played 36 holes
Why it makes me happy - I really didn't play very well. I have to make sure that I don't mistake match play victories for good golf. Yet...a win is a win...unless it is two wins like it was today. It always feels good to win and to have a documented win streak of four in a row.

HappyUP!!! - Ryder Cup
Why it happened - it's played every two years
Why it makes me happy - there was some awesome golf being played. I'm actually glad I played 36 holes because I would have logged about 10 hrs of time in the AmbitiousBoy lounger watching TV. The human drama is incredible to watch. It is why we watch sports...to see performance at it's highest level. For goodness sakes, one best ball team shot 63...only to lose to the other team that shot 62.

HappyUP!!! - found out a friend is alright
Why it happened - another friend did some checking up for me
Why it makes me happy - I was a little worried when we hadn't heard from one of our Toastmasters. He is steady Eddie but he was missing at our last meeting without a headsup. This is not characteristic for him. We also had not heard from him since. It turns out he was just travelling. A relief is a HappyUP!!!

The Can of Ass Whuppin!

(See the update below)

My golfing buddy, Boz, seems to have a poor memory - he got on a roll and beat me a few times in a row. I must have been sick or something. Now, he is delusional and says it was 8 times in a row.....NO WAY!

He also doesn't want to remember - how many times I have whipped him in between when we can only play 9 holes during the week.

He also doesn't recall - the time I put the Can of Ass Whuppin on him about 5 times in a row.

As Mark Twain said - "the faintest ink is better than the sharpest memory." We will now have to keep track right here. Yes, dear readers, you will get the blow by blow of just who got the whuppin, the date, the number of holes, etc. You will also see a history much like the way I kept the Ol Nutter Almanac.

THE ARCHIVE (catch all of the past matches right here)

The Beating Continues
9/20/2008...18 Holes - Nutster whups on Boz 4 and 3. The Humane Society was called in. Nutster even took four to get down on the eighth hole which featured missing a ridiculously short put in an effort to bring Boz back into the game. Even with very mediocre play on the backside, Nutster sent Boz packin on the 15th green. Boz is going to need to up his game or he is going to be sent down to the minor leagues to practice and earn his Nutster Tour Card back. How long can this continue? (Hint: A Long Time)


A Royal Ass Whuppin...Again
9/20/2008....18 Holes - Nutster destroys Boz 5 and 4. Nutster found himself 2 down after 7 holes. He then rallied with a par, par, par, bogey, par, par, par onslaught that left Boz talking to himself. Boz had a big string of double bogeys but, even if he had been on game, he would have found himself down after that kind of blitzkrieg from the BLACK (all the way back) tees. Nutster started slow with 7 five's to start which included 2 double bogeys to put himself in a hole.....a hole he didn't just dig himself out of....he vaulted. Those back tees are back there. We are talking PGA Tour length!


Nutster A Rock Under Pressure
9/19/2008...18 Holes - Nutster whups on Boz 1 up. Today's match was way too close. I had three double bogeys which, in match play, is like wrapping a Christmas present for your opponent. Boz didn't return the favor......until the very last hole with the match all tied. We were both in the middle of the fairway. Boz played it conservative off the tee with the 3 wood. Nutster took the chance with the driver. The conservative play left a 5 iron in Boz's hands versus an 8 iron for Nutster. Then, with the entire match riding on one shot, Boz proceeded to shank the ball straight right into the hazard. Pressure? Who can say but he hadn't hit a shot like that all day.

An Ass Whuppin
9/14/2008....18 Holes - Nutster whups on Boz 5 and 4. For those of you new to match play golf, this means he was down by 5 holes with 4 to go....that is a severe whuppin. I played like crap....I think I shot an 84. Now, to be fair, I think I recall getting beat up by Boz 7 and 6 on a day where he played his best and I played my worst. I mention this so you can see how bad the whuppin can be. 2 and 1 is close....3 and 2 is starting to get lopsided. 1 up means it got decided on the last hole.

HappyUP!!! Day 600

HappyUP!!! - unexpected golf
Why it happened - Boz made the call
Why it makes me happy - our course was supposed to be closed to the members all week due to an outside tournament. It turns out that members could play at 4. Boz made a time. When he let me know about that, the anticipation of getting back on our course after a week got me stoked.

HappyUP!!! - stock market
Why it happened - crazy times...regulated times
Why it makes me happy - I was doing some wild trading as everyone knew the market would open way up. I also figured that it would retreat quickly. I was in and out of positions fast....some not fast enough. At the end of the trading, I broke about even. It was a day like has never been seen for an opening on Wall St. By the end of the day, I was back in a strong cash position and made a little bit of dough back that had been lost this week. This has been the craziest week in the market....ever. I am happy it is behind us.

HappyUP!!! - golfing and whuppin on Boz
Why it happened - it should always happen
Why it makes me happy - I am 2-0 since I have had to keep written records. Boz had beaten me about 4-5 times in a row (he says 8). This was after I had a string of beating him about 5 times (he says twice). We now have a pattern going. More importantly, I think I made a key swing discovery. I had gotten way too mechanical. This was making it impossible for my wrists to properly "lag" and then release fully into the ball like a whip. I seemed to have picked up some clubhead speed. Boz even noticed that my swing looked better. The swing started to feel a little more like it did "back in the day." We'll see....this could be a major and lasting HappyUP!!!



JollyJottings

Fun in the stock market
Getting away with some dodgy trading
An up day in the stock market
Breakfast with my buddy, E
Ryder Cup action
Finding out about unexpected golf
Hitting some great shots
Beating my buddy, Boz

HappyUP!!! Day 599

HappyUP!!! - 28 putts
Why it happened - been practicing....and missed a lot of greens
Why it makes me happy - I only hit 2 greens today. My score could have been through the roof. I have been practicing with my wedge, however, and it saved me some shots today. It's good when your practice pays off. Time to go practice the long game!

HappyUP!!! - stock market rally
Why it happened - WHO KNOWS
Why it makes me happy - I learned some things about myself today. The stock market disgusts me these days. The unethical at best and corrupt at worse behavior of the hedge fund makes the stock market a total crap shoot. This is unacceptable. We had a rally...then a pullback...then a rally...then a pullback (this is where I said, "enough" , and did some selling. I increased my holdings from 22% cash to 48%. THEN, the market went into hyper rally. Am I kicking myself for not staying "more in." NO! I would have been up a few more bucks but it was the reason and the principal that fueled my decision. This market is not right. I'll be looking for a good open tomorrow....perhaps try to buy a couple of stocks for IMMEDIATE trades....and then be selling off for the weekend.

HappyUP!!! - call from the burro
Why it happened - a person we knew from the past was arrested
Why it makes me happy - it was good hearing from this old friend. We used to be tight. Then, he got married... moved about 20 miles away....had a couple of kids. He lives an entirely different life. Yet, we can go 6 months without talking and we are right back to where we always were.