Book Review

I confess I'm not much of a sports fan. Basketball kind of got 'ruined' for me as a fan the season I spent scoring for the men's basketball league in grade 12. :( So the first I heard of Steve Nash was a few years ago when Doug began waxing eloquent about this short white Canadian who'd just won MVP playing for a US NBA team.

Once the name was brought to my conscious notice I began hearing snippets of interviews and articles etc. I began to develop a respect for the man as a person, not just as a talented dedicated athlete.

Wanting a change from my usual reading genres of mysteries and sf/fantasy, I tossed this book into my bag at the library the other day.

He sounds almost too good to be true - a young kid growing up in Victoria, BC expressing a desire in grade 8 to one day play for the NBA and then doing his darndest to make it happen. While he had an innate talent for any sport he put his hand (or foot - he played soccer before tackling basketball) to, he was also willing to work and work hard at developing his skills to a much greater level than raw talent.

Blessed with some great coaches in his early years, ones who were willing to be honest about his flaws and help him overcome them, and to support and encourage him, he managed to stick to his dream. It wasn't an easy road, though, and his ability to overcome adversity in many forms and never lose sight of his goal is inspirational. Perhaps, dare I say it, heroic?

Oh yes - short in this instance means 6'3" according to his published stats. :)

On a personal level I'm dealing with a 'bad' back. I remember hosting Nell Znaimerowski in the 1980's and telling her I had a physio therapy appointment at 8 am and to help herself to breakfast if I hadn't returned by the time she got up. She said "Oh, you've got a bad back, right"?

Somewhat taken aback I said "How did you know?" "Oh" she said, "all weavers have bad backs."

I wound up postponing my road trip today. I have to get back on my feet properly because my travel schedule begins in earnest Labour Day weekend. I won't have the luxury of recovering from a bad anything soon. As a self-employed weaver there are dates and events that I really must attend to or there won't be any income. :( Cancelling Convergence/CW and a few other events already this year were a great disappointment, but they were 'luxuries'. Come September, they will be bread and butter and I need to get as healthy as I can by the end of the this month.

The good news is that my ankle is vastly improved. Both the chiropractor and massage therapist have assured me that my back would get better as my ankle healed. Today the chiropractor said that the change in pain location is actually a good thing - an indication that things are improving. I just have to take the time to rest and heal. I've got until Monday when I have a student coming. :)