08:24PM Black Cats, Ladders, and Broken Mirrors...
...They've all got nothing on me. I am officially a jinx on anyone I root for at the Australian Open. Case in point number one: Maria Sharapova. After making it through the early rounds, she loses to Serena Williams in the semifinals by running out of steam. (Sharapova steamrolled Williams in their two encounters last year).

Case in point number two: Andy Roddick. Tonight was his semifinal match against Lleyton Hewitt. He had gone the whole tournament dropping just one set, and there I was sitting in front of the TV watching him drop two successive ones. I couldn't bear to watch any more, so I switched it off. When I turned it back on again fifteen minutes later, the channel was showing a volleyball match, meaning Andy lost.

To get the results I want, then, maybe I should root for Williams and Hewitt?

I don't know. I think I might jinx myself. Ü

02:26PM Caught Up
This month's obligatory lyrics offering comes from Usher. Ü I love this song; it's so danceable! Too bad I don't know how to street-dance.

Usher - Caught Up
I'm the kinda brotha
Who been doin' it my way
Gettin' my bread for years
In my career
And every lover
In and out my life
I hid love and left her tear
Without a care
Until I met this girl who turned the tables around
She caught me by surprise
I never thought I'd be the one breaking down
I can't figure it out why I'm so

Caught up
Got me feelin' it (caught up)
I dont know what it is (but she's got me twisted)
But it seems she got me twisted
I'm so (caught up)
Got me feelin' it (caught up)
I'm losin' control
This girl's got a hold on me

Oh no
Let go baby
Now listen
My momma told me
Be careful who you do cuz karma comes back around
Same ol' song
But I was so sure
It wouldn't happen to me
Cuz I know how to put it down
But I was so wrong
This girl was mean she really turned me out
My homies say this girl is crampin' my style
And I can't figure it out but I'm so

Caught up
Got me feelin' it (caught up)
I dont know what it is (but she's got me twisted)
But it seems she got me twisted
I'm so (caught up)
Got me feelin' it (caught up)
I'm losin' control
This girl's got a hold

Caught up
Got me feelin' it (caught up)
I dont know what it is (but she's got me twisted)
But it seems she got me twisted
I'm so (caught up)
Got me feelin' it (caught up)
I'm losin' control
This girl's got a hold on me

And I think I like it baby
Oh nooooo, oh no
Oh, yeah uh, ohhh noo, ohh
This girl was mean
She really turned me out
Yeah, yeah, yeah suga
My homies say this girl is crampin' my style
I can't figure it out why I'm so

Caught Up
Caught Up
I dont know what it is
But it seems she's got me twisted

08:01PM My Racquet Racket
Last year, I only had one tennis racquet. In December, though, I found out my cousin Camille had once taken tennis lessons; when she moved to Canada, she had left her racquet behind. Kindly enough, she said I could use it.

I thought it could become my spare racquet. Instead, it's now my main racquet. My first one? Marielle's using it!

You read it here first, folks. My sister Marielle is now hitting tennis balls. After months of saying she'd make badminton her sport, she's emulated her sister and taken up both tennis and badminton at the same time. Granted, she started hitting the ball like a shuttlecock with lots of wrist movement, but she learned her lesson from the tennis pro and is now trying to keep a fixed wrist on every stroke.

This is, of course, a good thing for me. During our hitting sessions after her lessons, I now am forced to learn how to aim the ball so that it goes to her strength (the backhand) but doesn't go too far (she hasn't mastered how to move to the ball yet).

07:42PM What's Old, What's New: Year In Review
Last year was a pretty eventful one for me, even if it doesn't reflect in my entries here. So, as is customary, here is my year in review.

1. Learned to drive, and consequently became my sister's chauffeur.
2. Got depressed over my grade, and then learned I didn't do as badly as I thought.
3. Wrote a corny entry.
4. Bought new reading material when I couldn't find my old comic books.
5. Went missing in May. Not really, but online it looks like I died.
6. Worked hard.
7. Spent many late nights watching live tennis.
8. Finally started to play tennis, without having to bug my parents.
9. Watched my last season of The Amazing Race.
10. Passed my comprehensive exam. I'm now qualified to punish myself with thesis-making. Ü
11. Wished my country was more sports-oriented.
12. Realized that Christmas isn't the same anymore.

Hmm, I didn't think my year had been that eventful. How was your 2004?