Dexter's Writings - Drafts & Notes - 2021

I didn’t want it.  But, had no choice. Dad was clear.  “It’s girly.  For sissies.  Not men.” “I’ll get him his racket,” Grandpa Godbey said.  You didn’t argue with Grandpa.   Grandpa and I didn’t talk on the five-mile drive to the old, disheveled Mountain View Sports store in La Canada, California.  Neither of us usually talked much anyway.  We had a special bond, though.  I was his first grandson and namesake: Dexter.    It was Mid October 1960.  Cobalt blue sky. I wore a sweater.  I was 13.  Going to pick out my first tennis racket.   We were in Grandpa’s ancient, red, Ford pickup.  Grandma hated that truck. Grandpa knew everything about concrete work and fishing.   Nothing, though, about tennis or tennis rackets.  Me neither. In my 7th-grade gym class, we tried every sport for two weeks.  Which is why I needed a racket. “This one’s perfect,” the clerk with blond hair as dish...

  16 Mar 21 -  What I’d like to focus on in final project.  Do Your Thinking Through Your Writing - This is Version 2 - Edited down for posting on Domestika Site Forum.... ************************************************************************** The first time Shaun mentioned that his project would be about his feet, running shoes, and running, I knew with certainty mine would focus on my tennis racket, my hand hanging on to it for dear life, and tennis. I’ve been playing high-level competitive tennis since I was 50.  I plan to write my final project on my 24-year journey (so far) with my tennis racket in my sweaty hand.  The overall theme is that tennis is life. To be good at and get the most out of both takes awareness of who and where you are. And who and where you want to be.  How high is your aim? How much are you willing to sacrifice and risk? Both tennis and life take practice, the intention to improve, and the will to stay focused on your targets....

16 Mar 21 -  What I’d like to focus on in final project.\ Spend 15 or 20 minutes writing about what you’d like to focus on in your final project. Write about some of the options you have, and explore through your writing if there might be a way to connect some of these options. For example, you could combine baking and traveling, or mountain climbing and philosophy, or gymnastics and video games. You are the unique meeting point of different passions and interests. Often we need an outside eye to see the connections between our different interests. ************************************************************************** The first time Shaun mentioned that his project would be about his feet, running shoes, and running, I knew with certainty mine would be about my tennis racket, my hand hanging on to it for dear life, and tennis. I had stumbled on playing tennis late in life. I was 50-ish. I was inspired by my two daughters. When they were six, I insisted they try a variety of dif...

  Written 13 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21 100 Words Each - 6 Different “I Dont Remember”   As I was writing by hand in my notebook, I was guessing at word count.  I figured somewhere around a page.  As I’m transcribing, I'll check the word count on each one for future reference. ***************************************************** # 1 - Birth  -- Words 160 I don't remember the day I was born. I don't know where I was exactly. In a Hospital in Glendale, California, I've been told. I know my mom was there. Duh! I'm not sure about my dad. He was in between Wars when I was born in 1947. Dad was a Marine Corps fighter pilot. He flew Corsairs in World War II. I don't remember what he flew in the Korean War. I've heard the stories about how he was shot down twice, wounded, and survived. About his heroism. And all the medals I saw in pictures of him in uniform. He was bigger than life. I don't remember if my sister, Charlotte, was there when I was born. She w...

  Written 12 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21 This part 3 of History of Hands - This assignment is to write 3 more 1 Paragraph pieces in a total of 15 minutes.   - The assignment here is the Same Theme (hands) - but different episodes/events/circumstances. ************************************************* #1.  Robin Ray Uncharacteristically, my hands weren't sweaty.  Weren’t shaking. My knees were stable. My stomach was peaceful, too.  I didn’t understand it.  I was about to walk on Center Court at the beautiful Palisades Tennis Club in Newport Beach, California.  And, play my first round tennis match against Robin Ray. I remember it was the Pacific Southwest Tennis Tournament. A big, major tournament by anyone's standards. It featured some of the best players in the world. Robin Ray included. Robin had played professionally on the ATP Tour. In his playing days, Robin had been ranked inside the top 20 in the world. I was about to play an honest to god bi...

  Written 12 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21 This part 3 of History of Hands - 10 Minutes Timed - The assignment here is to do 3 or 4 Memories of the same thing (hands) - but different episodes or circumstances ***************************************************** # 3 I don't remember my hands shaking or sweating that day in Huntington Beach, California. Or my knees shaking. But if they were in sync with the blaring cacophony of emotions screaming in my gut, I'd bet a month's vacation in Hawaii that they were. Driving to the world-famous Lindborg Racket Club in Huntington Beach, California, named for its famous National Champion and Gold Ball winner, tennis Legend, Lenny Lindborg, was bad enough. This was only my second tennis tournament. And I don't count the first one. It was a minor tournament and major disaster. A story of whining and crying for another day.  Here I was, putting my sweaty palms, shaking knees, and explosive stomach up for slaughter at National Hard C...

  Written 12 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21 This part 2 of History of Hands - 10 Minutes Timed - The assignment here is to do 3 or 4 Memories of the same thing (hands) - but different episodes or circumstances ***************************************************** # 1 I remember my first tennis tournament. I remember my sweaty right palm and the fear my racket might fly out of my hand and crack someone's head open. My family, that is to say, my wife, Stephanie, my daughter Vanessa, and I had recently moved to a beautiful spot. An island in the Newport Bay. In Newport Beach California. Stephanie was pregnant with our second kid. Soon-to-be Chelsea. Chelsea was born a few months after the move. Lido Isle has three tennis courts. They were not the reason we had moved there. Neither Stephanie nor I played tennis. Vanessa was only three. She didn't play either. Yet. I'd had a few weeks of tennis at La Canada Junior High School when I was in seventh grade. It was part of a Lazy Su...

  Written 12 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21 15 Minute timed - History of (body part) - Shaun uses feet - his Project is on running.  I choose hand (holding a tennis racket).  Must use Anchor Words - “I Remember”  ***************************************************** I remember the beginning of one of my longest, most exciting, and intriguing relationships. It was the first time I wrapped my hand around the handle of a tennis racket. I was in 7th grade at La Canada Junior High School in La Canada, California. Patty Gunkel. Oh, how I loved Patty Gunkel in 7th grade. In PE class, we had to sample lots of sports. The normals: Football, baseball, basketball, track. Then, also some of the less popular sports.   Gymnastics, for example.  I remember the rope climb and pommel horse. I hated them both. Also wrestling. Craig Hobson. Sweaty bodies intertwined in mortal combat. I hated it too. And wasn't very fond of Craig, either. He had a natural wrestler’s body....

   Written 11 Mar 21 - Transcribed 15 Mar 21 This exercise is to choose an object that may find it’s way into my final project and do an in-depth look at the fine details of that object like we did with the strawberry exercise. This is a 20-minute X writing. ***************************************************** My tennis racket. My weapon of choice. I sometimes think of my tennis racket as the sword of an ancient Warrior, Gladiator, or Viking.  I think of King Arthur, one of my childhood heroes.  His famous sword with special powers was called, "Excalibur.”  After recently watching "Vikings” on Netflix, I'm pretty sure I remember that Ragnar, or one of his descendants, had a famous sword with a famous name and near-magical powers and reputation.  An angel gave Charlemagne his famous and mystical sword, “Durandal.”  It’s was considered the sharpest sword in all existence.  Charlemagne later gave Durandal to his Paladin, Roland.  You may have h...