New beginning...

I know, I know. It's been almost a year. I sincerely apologize. I needed "the time off" and focus on some very important things. I kept using my "facebook" account, so I never really completely vanished.

I really don't know where to start. I have been going through a lot of changes. Let me divide it in some several posts.

The good news is.... Toasti is back !

Special Guests

Toasti is back in Florida and has been practicing and working out a lot since his arrival. Four !!! Straight Pool tournaments are coming up in the next two month and I am very excited about that. The Lucasi Hybrid Invitational Classic here in Jax first, then the European Championship in Willingen/Germany, next the New Jersey State Straight Pool Championship in Parsippany/New Jersey and finally the World Straight Pool Championship in East Brunswick/New Jersey. Time for some serious Straight Pool practice...

Yesterday I had some very special guests visiting me here at the crazy Dome, Jeanette Lee and Rolando Aravena.

In February at his farewell party at Amsterdam Billiards in NY I told my friend Rolando I would be one of the first to visit him in his new home. Back then I didn't know that he would be the one to visit ME first.



I had my table recovered by the Billiard Factory, Jacksonville. Great job ! I'm all ready for some crazy highruns... LOL

Fulda !

I know it has been a while but I simply enjoyed my given time in Germany. Fortunately I spent a lot of time with my coach/friend/psycho-uncle Michael Wahl. He always finds something about my game.


"Thorsten, you changed your stance. Thorsten, you twist your wrist and come out with your ellbow. Thorsten, you set up your bridge to much to the left on certain shots and more. So, that's what we were working on. Take a look at his "desk" during a typical hour with him




Twice we drove to south of our state in Hessen to spend half a day practicing there with the youth selection team in the nice club of Astoria Walldorf. It also gave me the opportunity to meet a lot of good old friends. The following week this youth group came to Fulda for an eight hour workshop every day. Some very talented young kids and all of them a lot of fun.



For all of you who don't know one of the best custom cue makers, here he is - Michael Vollmer from Rohrbach. I used to play his cue for many years. For example I won the World 9-Ball Championship, the BCA Open and ran my 404 in straight pool with his piece of art. He is celebrating his 15th anniversary this year and made an especially brutal monster cue. Check it out on his website...
On the picture in the middle you see my old beloved Vollmer Cue !

www.vollmercue.de

What is Germany without it's fantastic food ? The first thing I did when I arrived was to eat a schnitzel with green sauce and potatoes in Frankfurt with my friends Wolfgang and Carola. This should be symptomatic for my Germany trip. I basically ate every hour. Half way through my stay I told my mom "Okay mom, from tomorrow on I have to be on a diet. Only salats, vegetables, fruits and healthy stuff." She nodded and the next day she said: "Thorsten, I have potatoe dumplings in a bacon sauce." I could not resist and ate three of them...



When you live in the States for so long and come back after 1 1/2 years you see your city with different eyes. For the first time I realized how beautiful my tiny little Fulda is. Even an ordinary street with trees seems so unique and picturesque. Here a bunch of pictures of Fulda !









One of my personal highlights was, of course my 29th birthday on July 14th. I took my friends to dinner in a very traditional German restaurant on the evening of the 13th. Afterwards we went to the trendy Havanna cocktailbar where we celebrated into my 29th. As prophesied I had my very first German beer at midnight. More food battles on the 14th with family of course !



But every good thing comes to an end. And my visit was limited. With a crying eye I had to leave my Fulda, but I know I will return on August 6th ! Summary: I spent time with my family and friends, had some quality practice with my coach Michael, got a new tip on my cue, grew another grey hair, got physically back in shape and ate too much good good food. Can't beat that !