Hatred and Badminton

Hate isn't a nice word. To say you hate something or someone is a big thing to say. And it's even more rare for me to say I hate someone I know. Even the guy in work who has some opinions I very seriously disagree with only merits mild dislike.

Right, the story is this: I play badminton on a Thursday and Friday. On Thursday it's at a little club with people who are slightly getting on in years. Myself and two friends who go are younger than everyone else by decades.

The object of my hatred is a woman who goes there. I hate her. I really...just HATE her. I hate everything about her. I hate her stupid pouchy face, I hate her stupid hair, I hate her gormless expression. I hate her voice, and I hate the way she talks about total shite that nobody finds interesting, and expects you to be interested in it all. I hate the way she serves so smugly. I hate her stupid laugh when her opponent makes a mistake. I hate the way she looks when she gets a point. I hate the way she looks when she does a crap shot. Most of all, I hate the way she treats a game of badminton as something to be won at all costs.

I'm not great at badminton, I like to think I'm getting better and can pull off some decent shots every now and again. But it really does depend who I'm playing with. Most people are fine, you can show some sympathy if they screw up a shot or congratulate them on a good one, and vice versa. However, to play with someone who you just can't relate to at all, when they fuck up you just...don't do anything. When you fuck up, you don't look at them. I hate it. When I am forced to play with this woman (twice this evening!), I freeze up, I just can't play. I miss the most easy shots, and it just makes you feel more wretched. It's not so much intimidation, more something else entirely. The last game I played with her this evening was a peculiar mix of hatred and laughter, at one point I just found it all extremely funny and just nearly broke down in hysterics.

One reason I hate her more happened this evening. One of the people on the opposite site tripped over and somehow managed to land on her face. She lay there with her hands over her cheek, saying how much it hurt. Her partner and I dashed over to see if she was all right (she was after a minute or two). But this other person, nope, she just stood there like it was just a temporary inconvenience. I mean when someone hurts themselves, you at least should go and see if they're OK.

But from what I gather, she should be pitied. She apparently has never worked, has no friends and the badminton night is the only chance she gets to talk to people apart from her husband. OK, that does kind of explain why she is like she is...

Doesn't mean I have to like her though.

This is rather surreal - a bluegrass version of Ace of Spades by Motorhead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFh6IU4ukjo

This band has done a lot of things including a few AC/DC tracks. Pretty cool.

Looks like the demand for the GTA IV trailer has killed their server, I either get a time out or a black page with nothing on it.