I almost got killed on the 404 today. >_<
So after a trip to Fairview & Ikea (where I got myself a wacky cushion xP), I decided it was time to hit home before rush hour came. I got on the 404 northbound, realized I was surrounded by a couple of trucks, but I wasn't too bothered. Like usual I tried to change to the outermost lane, since it's quite a few exits before Major Mac. I saw that in the lane to my left a beige/white Camry was coming up, so I decided to let it pass before cutting. But somehow, this car was driving at an awkward speed that was neither too fast nor too slow, so it ended up being right beside me. Even before I had the chance to decide what I could do next, however, THE CAMRY TRIED TO CUT INTO MY LANE. I honked him, GOT NO RESPONSE, & he continued to move closer to my car. I had to honk AGAIN, this time with my hand stuck on the horn, to really get his attention & it was THEN that he moved back in. During this whole fiasco I managed to catch a glimpse of the driver & it was an old man (I'm not an ageist, nothing against the elderly, just merely stating the facts). Kinda forgot what happened afterwards, but for sure I moved away from that car (lol) & ended up in the outermost lane as I originally planned.
It was only afterwards when I settled down that I got to realize what could've happened. Since he was on my left, I would've been hit if he were to crash into my car. Worse, the truck behind me would probably not stop in time & would've hit me, too. And that thought scares me. <shivers>
Anyway, came home, got a letter (more like a postcard) telling me that it's time to get my licence renewed (I completely forgot). Since WHEN did they raise the fee to 75 bucks?? So fucking expensive!!
I hate cars. xP

Kakeru @ 17:04 +

Just couldn't not blog about the AO semi between Maria & Kimmy...
First of all, very disappointed. Before the match I was going back & forth between the two on whom I think would win & whom I WANT to win. For a while there it was both Kimmy, but after seeing her performance at the quarterfinals, I wasn't so sure (even though Maria also played like ass at hers =P). Right before the match started though, I had this strong feeling Maria had the edge, but I still wanted Kimmy to win, just a tad (VERY SMALL tad) bit more, for the sole reason that this is her last appearance here. On the flip side, I was hoping Maria would get a chance to avenge her loss to Serena (ugh) at the semis 2 years ago (ugh ugh). So again, I was very wishy-washy. xP
I was expecting a very close match, a possible 3-setter that'll be seen as classic by future generations. Well, it was going that way for a bit, when Kimmy first broke Maria, only to have her break back 3 games later. Then as Kimmy got another break point, I thought she was gonna take the 1st set, but boy did I underestimate Maria's mental strength. She broke back once again, & soon she was up 5-4. It was then that Kimmy failed to hold her own serve & let Maria take the set. It was at the same moment that I realized while Maria was upping her game, Kimmy was doing the reverse. The only thing holding Maria back (& keeping Kimmy alive) was her serves, which were absolutely TERRIBLE. I thought, if Maria can better her serves in the next set, she'll win for sure.
Turns out, she didn't. Her serves only got worse, to the point where she double-faulted FOUR times in a single game. Yet, with her power & determination, she was on fire everytime she got a shot, & really pinned Kimmy down. Kimmy, on the other hand, wasn't pulling the tricks that she usually uses to get out of trouble; in fact, she had 7 break chances & lost all of them. To me, that's just the worst way to bow out. Even Vaidisova, who was down 5-1 in the semi earlier tonight (morning in Australia), managed to pull herself back up to 5-4 before Serena closed out the match. It's just heartbreaking for me to see Kimmy leave one of her very last Grand Slams like that. Having said that, she was graceful as always during her post-game interview, & the crowd gave her a much deserved standing ovation. I couldn't help but smile when she mentioned coming back as audience with her own kids in the future...=)
Anyway, now onto the final. I might hate Serena but I gotta admit she's gonna be a tough one. I still don't think she's playing the best tennis out there, but her drive is so strong it intimidates her opponents till they crack. Knowing Maria I know she's mentally strong enough to block that out & not fall for it. What I'm worried about is her serves. For the past 2 matches, she's been serving worse than ever (or in recent memory), yet she STILL managed to win them. That only goes to show you how great her game really is. I've also noticed that she's now a lot more accurate at aiming for the lines, which I believe will help her greatly when playing against a power player like Serena. She's also improved drastically at the net, which should only add to her chances. I have faith in Maria in taking this title, but she needs to put Serena down quick & then KEEP her down by staying consistent. Don't disappoint me. You already gave me & all your other fans a big scare with that 1st round performance of yours. You know you wanna kick Serena's ass. =P I know you can. AND YOU WILL!!

Kakeru @ 02:00 +