Playground Pettiness

Author: Amy Fleeman

Recently I took my two children to a popular new park in the area. It's a beautiful new playground, all wood, divided into different areas of play for different age groups. It's wonderful for me as well, as my children can play at age appropriate areas and I can see/interact with both of them at the same time. This is what makes it our entire family's favorite playground, a well that for many other families in the area.

When we arrived at the park this particular day, there was only one other family there. It was extremely hot, and I told my kids we'd only be able to stay for a small amount of time. I wanted them to wear themselves out a bit, but not pass out. I assumed my normal location on a wooden bench and settled down, knowing that I would be able to see and hear whatever my children were doing. It didn't take long before I noticed a problem.

There's this really neat seat swing that my daughter (4) loves to swing in. She had taken up a position standing by the swing, waiting for it's occupants to finish. After 10 minutes, I saw her run past me saying "no, leave me alone, I don't want to play" to a smaller child who was chasing her. This smaller child belonged to the occupant of the swing. That occupant, was her Mother.

In the Mothers lap was a infant, approximately six to nine months old. There are infant swings right next to the red chair swing, but the Mother was enjoying the chair swing with the infant in her lap. When we had first arrived, I didn't think too much about it. Unusual, yes. A problem, no. Until now.

Now this Mother is glaring at my daughter, who is running away from her daughter, because the Mother is still in the swing my daughter is waiting for. Everytime my daughter walked near the swing to continue to wait for her turn, this other little girl followed her. Her Mother was alternating her glare between me and my daughter, so I suggested that we play somewhere else until they were done. My daughter said firmly "No". The Mother turned and fixed her death stare back on me, as if to say "what kind of parent are you?!". I replied to my daughter "That's fine, but you need to be nice to the other little girl". Now she also glared at me. I just couldn't win.

She stood there, waiting her turn for the swing another 5 minutes before the Mother got all huffy, grabbed her daughter by the arm, and dragged her and the baby off to another side of the park. Once again she was glaring at me, keeping her eyes fixated us as she walked away. Cursing at me I'm sure. I apologized to her, because obviously, she thought we'd done something wrong. She didn't respond, kept that evil stare on us, and continued walking.

I wanted to cry, but instead I grabbed my daughter, told her that she shouldn't have been so rude to the little girl (after all, that's what little girls do, follow bigger girls around) and put her in the swing. I pushed her for about two minutes, called for my son, and headed to the car. In order to get there, we had to pass the other Mom on the way out, so once again I apologized, thinking naively maybe she hadn't heard me the first time.

Again, I got the stare of death and no response.

In the car, my son wanted to know what had happened. I wasn't even sure. "What had we done wrong??? Why was I apologizing to this strange, bitter Mother?" I thought to myself.

Then the answer came to me. Because I'm a nice person. That's it, pure and simple. I don't like seeing other people upset.

So, I told my son (and daughter) that what the other Mother had done was wrong. Instead of asking my daughter if she'd like a turn, or even addressing her with a simple "I'm not done yet sweetie, it's going to be awhile" she just kept swinging. Ignoring her, as if she didn't exist. She put her needs in front of not only her other childs, but she broke the cardinal rule of Motherhood; she turned her back on another child. You just don't do that.

I personally don't feel she should have been on the swing at all. That as soon as we arrived and my daughter walked over, she should have offered to get up. However, just because that's what I would have done, doesn't mean that's how everyone should feel or act. That said, I won't budge in my belief that she was acting childishly, not only because she didn't address my daughter in some kind of friendly manner (after 20 minutes of waiting), but by the glaring and pouting she kept carrying on with. Shame on her.

A couple of days later, I wished I had done things differently. I wished I had approached the Mom and asked if we could have a turn on the swing. I wish I hadn't apologized for something that I don't feel was our fault. But most of all, I wish I'd never met her and her bitterness.

The moral of this story is, don't expect a parent to do the right thing, they can be just as selfish as children. Maybe even more so.

Guide To Myrtle Beach Golf Courses

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has become well-known for its golfing, with many people traveling to what has become known as the Grand Strand, specifically for this purpose. The area includes more than one hundred golf courses throughout, with the golfing being offered on an individual basis and also through golf package deals. Depending on what you are looking for from a golf course, you will find it here. These courses are designed by some of the greats, such as Tom Jackson, P.B. Dye, Clyde Johnston, George Fazio, Rees Jones, Gene Hamm, Fred Couples, William Byrd, David Johnson, and Jack Nicklaus.

These golf courses are well-honored. The Aberdeen Country Club offers the "Meadows", "Highlands", and "Woodlands" nines, and has received Golf Digest's medallions for value and service, as well as the Blackmoor Country Club. Both Golf Digest and Golf Magazine have named the Arcadian Shores Golf Club as a "Course of Distinction", while Golf Magazine selected Grande Dunes as "Top Ten You Can Play."

Lion's Paw at Ocean Ridge Plantation has been judged by Golf Digest as one of the "Places to Stay" and "Best in the Myrtle Beach Area." Oyster Bay Golf Course is seen as one of the top fifty public courses in the country. Golf Week selected River Hills Golf Club as one of the top fifty in the southeast, while River Oaks was rated one of the top five on the Grand Strand by Golf Course Magazine. Tidewater Golf Club and Plantation has been ranked number one on the Grand Strand and one of the top thirty-two public courses in American since its debut. Golf Digest refers to True Blue as the seventh best in South Carolina and the number one course in Myrtle Beach.

Many of these courses have outstanding reputations. Brierwood Golf Club, just north of Myrtle Beach, is the most played course on the Carolina Coast. Myrtlewood Golf Club Pinehills Course is believed by some to be the best-kept course on the Grand Strand. Designed by Ray Floyd, holes two, three, and four of "The Cypress" at Arrowhead Country Club are said to be the most scenic in America. Myrtle Beach golfers voted one of the holes at Colonial Charters as one of the "dream holes", and hole number nine at the Indian Wells Country Club has been named to the "Grand Strand's Dream Eighteen." The three toughest holes to finish on the Grand Strand are thought to be at Eagles Nest. Caledonia Golf and Fish Club has often been thought of as the best course built in the past twenty years.

For more information about Myrtle Beach Golf Courses and what Myrtle Beach has
to offer, please visit our website devoted to golfers looking for the best golf deals.
You can read more on our Myrtle Beach Golf Packages website:

2006 Los Angeles Dodgers Preview

Stance and swing 6 tips for better golf2005 Overview:

Led by newly signed 2nd baseman Jeff Kent (.289 29 105), the Los Angeles Dodgers posted an unimpressive 71-91 record in 2005. 1st basemen Olmedo Saenz (.263 15 63) and Hee-Seop Choi (.253 15 42) joined outfielder Milton Bradley (.290 13 38) and late season pickup Jose Cruz (.301 6 22) to provide the majority of the team's offense for the year. Catcher Jason Phillips (.238 19 55) and outfielder J.D. Drew (.286 15 36) also helped add some pop in the lineup as Los Angeles ended 2005 a full 11 games behind the Division Champion San Diego Padres.


Pitchers Jeff Weaver (14 11 4.22), Derek Lowe (12 15 3.61) and Brad Penny (7-9 3.90) combined to provide a majority of the team's quality starts while reliever Yhency Brazoban (4 10 5.33 21 saves) anchored the back end of the bullpen.


Off Season Moves:

The Dodgers signed a bunch of free agents in the off season to address their needs. Free agent Nomar Garciaparra (.283 9 30) was signed to play first base, Bill Mueller (.295 10 62) to play third, Rafael Furcal (.284 12 58) to play shortstop and Kenny Lofton (.335 2 36) to play centerfield. Milton Bradley was sent to the A's and the team added NY Met Jae Seo (8-2 2.59) and Giants free agent Brett Tomko (8-15 4.48) to the starting rotation.


The LA Dodgers addressed their bullpen needs by picking up closer Danys Baez (5-4 2.86) and reliever Lance Carter (1-2 4.89) who was signed from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.


2006 Analysis:

Mueller, Garciaparra and Furcal were all solid pickups and should help reduce the need for Kent to do all the scoring in 2006. The Dodgers are hoping Garciaparra can play healthy for a full season and they expect him to surprise skeptics who believe he is damaged goods. Furcal is an anchor in the infield and has an absolute canon for an arm. Fans should expect him to step up his game another notch in 2006 after the Braves let him get away.


Seo had perhaps the best 2nd half of any of the Met pitchers last season. The Mets felt his 2005 season was essentially a fluke so they were willing to trade him for reliever Duaner Sanchez. The Dodgers are hoping Seo can provide a significant amount of quality innings in 2006. Fans shouldn't expect Tomko to do much better then last year but the Dodgers still need him to improve on his 8-15 record though. Fans also should be confident that the off season bullpen signings will help. Both Baez and Carter will be welcome additions. Baez in particular was chased by a few different teams and the Dodgers were lucky to grab him.


If a few of the offensive pieces can come together the Dodgers might surprise some people in the NL West. Most experts would point to the fact that the starting pitching is still too shaky to pick the team for any serious contention in 2006.

Stance and swing 6 tips for better golf

he perfect stroke is that elusive thing we all strive for, asleep in our beds at night with a smile on our faces as we dream of that drive going straight and true down the middle of the fairway or that putt dropping in to the cup at the end of its smooth 50 yard run.

Unfortunately reality bites when we get to the tee and make our shot, those niggling worries start in the back of out minds, are my feet too far apart, is my eye on the ball, is my chin too far in is my back swing too shallow, this indecision and doubt might be throwing you off your game, so take a little time and read through these tips to improving your swing and stance, if you do not learn anything at least you now know you were doing the right things all along and that doubt can be lifted and replaced by the dream stroke you always had inside of you.

1. Is your stance too narrow? A narrow stance can cause balance problems for a golfer, it also causes an unstable base and this can lead to more balance problems and so the vicious cycle continues. To solve the problem of poor balance you should take a slightly wider stance should be used, your toes should be slightly splayed out. The lead foot should be splayed out around 30 degrees, make these adjustments and you break the cycle, your base is stabilised and your balance restored.

2. When the club addresses the ball are your hands too close to your body?
This can limit the arc of the club and can cause it to be too narrow, to improve your arc you should reach a little more this produces a wider arc and improves distance.

3. Avoid swaying during the back swing, if you have a tendency to sway backwards this can seriously impair your swing, this is because you are not turning about your pivot point and the weight becomes too much for your rear leg, you should feel free to move your weight to your rear leg but only to the inside, you should concentrate more on turning than swaying to solve this problem.

4. One thing that will loose you power when you are playing golf is keeping your club too close to your body on take away, the way to correct this problem and get that power back is to extend your arms away from your body, like you were going to hand your club to somebody on your right had side, you must maintain your balance throughout.

5. To get a wider arc and more power you need to ensure that your right
elbow stays out from your body, too many golfers keep the elbow too close into their body and this causes a loss of power and severely limits your game.

6. Concentrate on not moving your weight on to your front foot during the back swing, this can cause a reverse pivot, that will lead to a loss of power, you must ensure that you move your weight to your back leg but not so much that you risk a loss of balance.

I have been involved with teaching and playing golf for over 20 years and share some helpful tips a at golf golfdust training I hope you find it useful.

Tennis Makeover in 20 Minutes a Week � Part 2

art II

1. Consistency � (we covered this in Part I)

2. Depth � this is a more advanced version of the above where you aim to keep as many balls in a row in, except this time the ball must land in the back half of the court. If it lands inside the service box then treat it as "out" and start scoring again from zero.

Be as strict on yourself with your line calls as you would be in a match. The key to improving is to be totally honest. If the ball is out, it is out. Start again and seek to improve. Kidding yourself with dodgy line calls just so you can write down a new record will get you nowhere. When you truly beat your old record you will know it. That is where the power of these exercises comes into play.

You need to develop your self-image. You need to know within yourself that you are getting better. That your consistency and depth is improving. You can only achieve this through integrity to your own tennis game.

3. Placement � using the same highest count, create games for yourself and your opponent where placement to a particular side of the court is the goal. Once again, treat the ball as out if it lands in the wrong half of the court.

Use crosscourt forehands and record your highest number in a row. Then go to the backhand and do the crosscourt exercise again. You can also do down the line ground strokes as well.

Advanced Placement
As skill levels increase you can have one person hit down the line whilst the other player goes crosscourt so you get the side to side movement from both players. Record your highest record and then switch so you get to experience and develop both sides of your game. I can honestly say that this exercise is the one I always aim to be doing well as I approach a tournament.

The mental toughness this exercise builds is brilliant. It simulates match play along with the pressure of recording a personal best. If you have enough pride in your game to take this seriously and push yourself to be your best then you will get the most out of this.

4. Rally speed (Power) � this exercise is a measure of the time it takes for you to consistently hit 10 balls up and down the court. You need to do this with someone of an equal standard. You rally the same ball back and forth. Do not do this with a coach with ball feeding. It will lose its purpose.

Here's how it works - the count begins on zero when the first ball hits the strings. As it travels down the court you count every contact on strings from 1 � 10 to determine your rally speed (5 shots each). A good level is around 14 seconds. Male Pro's often rally in the 13's and have the ability to increase that into the 12's. The key to this exercise is how consistently you can maintain your level of speed. I recommend consistency to be at 3 out of 5 rallies making it to 10 in a row (elites 4 out of 5) otherwise you are rallying at a speed you are not consistent enough at yet.

Tip � record the date each time you break your old record so you can look back and see how much you've improved. It also becomes useful when looking through your record book and realising you haven't beaten your PB for a while. Personal incentives to improve are powerful.

In the 3rd and Final Part of this Tennis Makeover Series I will be sharing with you the number we aim to achieve with Pro Players. These numbers can be used as a measuring stick between you and the Pro's.

Scott Groves is the author of Psycho Tennis, 23 Mental Laws of Tennis, The Power of Subconscious Goal Setting, and more. Also a former ITF Pro and has been coaching for 14 years. For more information visit www.PsychoTennis.com