Great Weather Brought out Great People!

The whole crew! Philippe, Jake, Heidi, Rolf, Jim, Jean-Claude, Tony, Romain, Maude, Eric, Joyce, Michel, Jimmy, Gerard (in back), Rolland, Daniel, Danny, Sebastian, Francois, and Theiry, and other friends. The day was perfect! Although, I only have 10 fingers, how do I sort out these boules? Cyrille, you might have to cut your vacation to France short to help me out! What more can you ask for though than a day like this with all of these great friends! Tres Bien! (I'm trying to work on my French!)

Maude's Dip is a Hit!

It was such a nice day, and with so many players, Maude's dip didn't last more than one break time! I think this dish has the record for the fastest time to be gobbled up! Feel free to bring more next week Maude!

David brings new recruits in from TX!

David brought his daughter Heidi, and her husband Rolf... all the way from Houston! Joe mentioned that there's clubs in Texas, and it just happens that the Houston Petanque Club (3408 Ashlock Drive, Houston, TX 77082) is right in their back yard! Houston, we have incoming boules! :-)

Marley is on the Job!

Hey, Just because I'm little, don't think I can't drag new players onto the piste! I can drag this little visitor, Alex, onto the court with no problem! Joe can cover me by blocking her mother, Sally. Together we make a GREAT team! Jeff's new little buddy T'Choupi's got a lot to learn!

Campus Martius Crew is Serious!

Some of our new regulars try to examine the closest boule. Tony (center) knows right away, Jeff (examing) wants to make sure. BTW-Joe's keeping up his efforts to promote RICARD (with his sticker from NYC) to be involved in Petanque. Maybe for our club here in Michigan, and our upcoming event in Miami! Keep watching the calendar for details! And buy much RICARD in support of the cause!!

Jeff takes Charge in the Clean-Up

After 8 1/2 hours of playing petanque on Saturday, Jeff (Snoop) kindly offers to help in the clean-up, and surprisingly still excited to do so, as you can see! Everyone should come down when they can to see how nice the courts are (Saturdays, 9:00-3:00), not to mention the sandwiches from Au Bon Pain (in the background)!

More New Atrists?

Jeff is going to begin to get jealous with all of these new artists coming down to Detroit. Our new friends from West Bloomfield were searching for studio space, but found a great space for petanque instead!

Jazz Extrodinaire May Play Campus Martius!

I (Joe) can't help but say that Mr. George Benson is an incredible Jazz musician! I had a great time watching his band, and having a little talk with him and his band on Wednesday night at Meadow Brook Hall's "Music on the Lawn" event. Campus Martius would, without a doubt, bring benefits to its park and visitors by having his band come by to do some playing. Of Course!, I'd prefer that he do it while we're teaching a little petanque! Maybe he can come down and play some of that great saxophone he displayed tonight!... It'll surely get us in the mood for some relaxed, focused petanque play!

Marley see's trouble with T'Choupi

"Who is this T'Choupi character anyways?", official mascot Marley says... I hope he doesn't think he's going to be poking in on my territory! This little guy's got a lot to learn before he starts trotting around on my pistes!

Cooler Weather Riverside....

Another beautiful day at the Detroit River front for the Renaissance Petanque Club. The temperature riverside is at least 15 degrees cooler - making an otherwise unbearable day, comfortable. Don points in the close boule as Hal and Tony watch.

Tony Proves that New Petanque Players Can Be Great Petanque Players

Tony, new member of the Campus Martius Park Petanque Club, and weekday pointer for the Renaissance Petanque Club is new to Petanque, but nonetheless, a master pointer. He'll always offer words of encouragement when your own boules don't "get closer than his."

Thunderstorm Watches?, Warnings? Not Enough!

Despite televised thunderstorm warnings and watches Sunday morning, it wasn't enough to thwart the hard-core players! Joyce, Danny, Eric, Maude, Hal, Brigette, Joe, Dave and friends still came out to keep the piste busy Sunday afternoon. The afternoon turned out just great afterall! (Although many of us said we'd be there with our rain gear if we had to!)

Joyce is becoming a Distraction!

Joyce shows off her lucky "large coin", similar to Jeff's, which won her team's advantage of the initial cochonette placement (I think she won with the choice of "tails"?). She even advised her teammates to "throw it far, because Joe can't shoot out there". She's pushing his buttons!

Campus Martius is the Best!

Just another picture of how nice the park is... Joe will be sure to be there next Saturday morning with plenty of boules to start grooming the next petanque superstars! Thanks to Njia Kai, from Campus Martius, for the great hospitality on Saturday...

Campus Martius Park offers Petanque on Saturdays

Njia; Jeff; Cheryl; James; Tony; Jeff; and Joe enjoyed a full day's worth of petanque at Campus Martius Park. Thanks again to Ms. Kai, the park will likely host all sorts of interesting events to come...

Tony Plays the Point Perfectly at Campus Martius

Tony is also new to petanque, but he certainly took to the game easily. That's one of the best aspects of Petanque, the immediate ease in playing (as well as it's positive social environment).

Cheryl Points Right to the Cochon at the Campus Martius Park

Only her very first time playing petanque and already we see that she's a pro at pointing the boule to the cochon.

Michigan Welcome for T'Choupi

T'Choupi, the Widen's new Havanese puppy, will be coming up to visit the club sometime in August. Perhaps he'll even throw out the cochon for the "team sorting" - we're using a special "click method for training"

New Sculpture in Detroit?

Petanque is becoming so popular in Michigan, and with possibly two clubs right in Detroit, perhaps the City will consider this as the new symbol of sportsmanship.

Petanque at the Campus Martius

Well it looks like Michigan Petanque Club, Detroit Petanque Club, and the Renaissance Petanque Club will have a new addition to the cadre of Petanquers... Campus Martius. We'll get the inside scoop on what goes on and report back to you here.

Petanque and Campus Martius Park in Detroit

Amazingly, Petanque is being played at the Campus Martius Park (in Detroit off Woodware, near Compuware) on Saturdays, (between 9am-3pm).

And Joe and I didn't know ANYTHING about it until recently! We're going to see who is running this (every) Saturday event and congratulate them and join in a few games.

Strange but true, sometimes Petanque DOES exist in Michigan without the help of Joe and Jeff.

What did YOU do during lunch today?

Lunchtime petanque is turning into an immediate success story. Meeting at around 11:30 a.m. - with plenty of courts to choose among, Jeff and Hal darted from terrain to terrain to find out the various "tricks" and "angles."

Renaissance Petanque won't be caught without the advantage to any challengers.

Renassiance Petanque Club has it's own band

Steel drums and bongos, the members of the Renaissance Petanque Club were able to enjoy Jamaican music while playing alongside the river.

The cool breezes kept the heat away, and plenty of foot traffic offered up a "New York" feel.

Joe's Sneakers - Dirty Bombs?

Whoa! I think some of the bright colors of Joe's Petanque sneakers are starting to give me a headache. We'll have to run a geiger counter over them next week to see if it's on account of radiation!

Even the Unborn Babies Play

The whole Carelli family showed up on Sunday for some mid-afternoon Petanque. Theresa was even training her unborn son in the art of Petanque (perhaps the youngest Petanque player EVER!). Perhaps we should name him: Marco (Foyot).

Dan always the Gentleman

Always the gentleman, Dan assisted Joyce with her chair.

Father and Son Play Equally Well

Sunday afternoon brought the Carelli family to the Royal Oak petanque piste where Dad (Dave) and his son Jay (on right) played very good games of boule. Dave's pointing was vastly improved with the use of his secret weapon, the tortoise-boule.

Jeff Practices with Marley

Soon to be a dog owner himself, Jeff tests out various Havanese petting and treat giving techniques on Joe's dog. "T'Choupi will be learning how to throw a cochon," claims Jeff.

Welcome Back Jimmy K.

Long time no see... It's good to see some of our long time members return.

It seems like comfort IS the issue at MPC

Chairs (and thrones) aplenty at the Michigan Petanque Club. What's next? Hammocks?

Great Sunday for M.P.C.

Anita, Mike, Cathy, Joyce, and Dan enjoyed Sunday with the breezes chasing away the heat and the trees providing shady relief.

Ice-Cream via Motorcycle

Nothing is simply ordinary when it comes to Petanque. Even our local ice-cream guy rides a motorcycle. He has a side car which supports the ice-cream cooler box, and another smaller trailer behind for more goodies. We informed him that the best time to come around was at 2pm
on Sundays.

Ken Visits the Detroit Petanque Club

Friday Night -- Ken Chance gave his approval of the D.P.C. terrain, despite the fact that his team (Ken & Denise) lost to Joe & Jeff in 2 out of 3 games (and that final game on account of the field lights being switched off to throw us all into utter darkness. Kens play was really great, with solid shooting and good strategy. Denise was actually keen on continuing in the dark, using flashlights if necessary. I'll have to remember to stock up on camping lanterns for next time. Check out Joe's fancy petanque sneakers. (Joe says... Philippe's (from Petanque America) neighbor's 15-year old daughter from France said to get them when he was in NY, she says "their cool", so he couldn't let her down.)

More Brooklyn Bastille Photos

Seems Joe saw quite a production out there in Brooklyn. Here's some more photos of the event, which included a guillutine - (for those who cheat?) Apparently the way one keeps more than 100 teams playing well and playing on-time is to keep to 10 points or 30 minutes per game. The 30-minute mark denoted by Mario using an Airhorn! Bravo Petanque-America!

Renaissance Petanque Club's Official 1st Game

The weather today was HOT HOT HOT - but that didn't keep us from playing the first official petanque game at the new courts along the Riverfront (near the GM Renaissance Center).

The surface is hard-packed sand and there are plenty of new benches, trees and lawns. Along the river we do receive some cooler breezes (and if you needed, you could always walk through the gigantic array of in-pavestone fountains nearby).

Hal, Jake, Carol and Jeff played an 11:30 a.m. start - ending at 12:30p.m. 13 to 11 (Hal/Jeff just squeezed in a victory).

Riverboat cruises by, the Renaissance Petanque Club looks promising

After we get some official feedback on events, we'll let you know whether we can use the GM Promenade for FPUSA National Events. There are 13 pistes, which should accomodate plenty of Doubles/Triples matches. The many conventions in the area will help both promote use of the Riverfront walk, and the interest in the sport of Petanque.

Joe attends NYC Bastille Tournament

President of MPC, Joe, attends his first Bastille Day tournament in New York. Was it a tournament? or a party? You'll have to decide... The Blue Orchids jazz band confuses the intent of the event to the casual observer... But don't be swayed... there was definitely some serious games played! But as you can see, you can't seperate a great time off the piste with some serious petanque games on the piste when attending such a great petanque event!

Mario Runs Everything With His Expertise

With our new club, running a tournament with 100 teams seems almost inconceivable... but to Mario, from Petanque America, NO PROBLEM! Joe gains some valuable advice from the Petanque America crew for running inevitably LARGE tournaments in our near future!

Bar Tabac Always Draws A Crowd!

Bar Tabac is the King of Petanque in New York! There was so many players, some had to be turned away (over 100 teams of triplettes!), and there were even more spectators! The finals game went past 10:00 that night, so 9 hours of petanque seemed to be more than adequate that day... Then on to the live music and the pastis!

Bastille Day Tournament a Huge Success!

Christophe (owner of Bar Tabac), Loi (from Philly, and had a cold, so couldn't play :-( ), Philippe (owner of Petanque America), and Mario (aka Super Mario, from Petanque America in Miami) stand, on Saturday night, in anticipation of a great tournament in the morning!

Romain only has Double-A not Triple-A...

Finally, we realize that the problem was with the starter-cable (not the starter) leading to the battery - that was loose. Fortunately we were able to contact AAA and they jacked up his car, tapped the wire, started up the car (American-made) and Dan followed Romain to the garage.

Thankfully enough of the club members were around to both call for assistance, and keep things comical!

Would YOU trust these guys to fix your car?!

Eric and Sebastien lend a hand at repairing Romain's vehicle. Unfortunately, Sebastien's ice-scraper didn't seem to do the job (it was 86 degrees outside!) and Eric bashing in the side windows of Romain's car with that metal wrench/club didn't seem to get the engine started either. I guess if anyone has mechical problems in the future, we'd better just leave it to AAA.

Romain's Car Requires Another Measurement

After the day's picnic and tournament festivities concluded, that's when the REAL fun began. Romain's car simply would not start. Dan and Eric crawled underneath to tap at the starter box (but it didn't work), and finally we all gave the car a big push to the curb.

Final Results: Jean-Claude, Mike, and Francoise Take 1st Place

We couldn't have asked for better weather or company during our Bastille Day picnic and petanque tournament. (more photos to follow). There were four games played by each of the eight teams with the top two teams (Gerard/Romain/Anita vs. Jean Claude/Mike/Francoise) going to a final.

and what a final it was! Jean Claude/Mike/Francoise were down 6 to 12, but they pulled a magnificent comeback (point-by-point) to finally arrive at 13 (and victory). Congrats to all of the players for participating and playing Petanque at a very high standard.

(More photos to follow as the day progresses)

Anita and Mike Concentrate in Final

Down 6 to 13, Mike concentrates to hold Anita and her team to 12 points.
In true Petanque gameplay, he did hold them at 12, for the win.

Winners take All

Great job by all, but especially to the final two teams. Here they are, in all of their glory. Congrats to Gerard, Romain, and Anita (three wins, two losses) and the Champions, Jean-Claude, Mike, and Francoise (with four victories!)

It looks like food and petanque go well together. I want to thank you all for your generous contributions, both with the picnic feast, and also to the club piggy bank. Without your generous consideration, we'd just be a couple of people, standing alone on a clump of dirt!

See you all next week!

I can't wait to hear about Joe's performance and observations at the Brooklyn Petanque Tournament!

Detroit Petanque Club Gets a Recruit?

Wait a moment, is Gerard joining the Detroit Petanque Club? Nah, he's just wearing the colors of Michigan Petanque Club, when it used to be called the D.P.C. way back then... We should ask him how he happens to keep his laundry in such tip-top condition...

Gerard Offers Some Advice to his Team

Gerard, as do all of our more experienced players, offers us advice in petanque strategy. Where at first, it is merely a game of rolling your boule closest, transforms into a more sophisticated game of boule placement and defensive positioning.

Joyce enlightens us all with her smile

What would the Michigan Petanque Club be like without "Rubby Duckie" - Joyce? I wouldn't want to find out. She makes sure that we all are in good spirits, and brings the social level of our club to an all time high.

New Club Banner

Dave makes his point, in front of the handmade "Petanque Tournament" banner whipped up by club VP Jeff.

Jeff adds: "Joe can order all the fancy store-bought banners he wants, but for my money, DPC will go for the $15 cheapo banners everytime. We're humble and creative downriver..."

Maude keeps the sun (and rain) off her game

Jeff isn't the only one with gadgets. Don't let Maude (who happens to play the Milieu (shoots and points) role) fool you - she is a serious player who can open a can of petanque whoop-ass on you!

Mike studies Roland's Throw

Roland, a powerful shooter (and dangerous pointer) makes his move. Mike watches carefully. That was the only game Mike/Jean-Claude/Francoise lost that day...

Ken quite serious, walks the terrain

Our friend Ken plays against Joe frequently on weekday evenings. And he beats him everytime. How does he do it, when he rarely practices?

Perhaps it's his serious concentration. Perhaps it's his grasp of the German philosophy of winning.

Welcome Back Clarence

Clarence made his appearance for today's tournament (and we hope he will return for the Summer's games). He has always been a great pointer, but what I can't understand is that if he's not practicing, how is he still pointing 100 times better than I do (and I play multiple times in a week!?)

a Toast to Bastille Day and M.P.C.

Lest we forget, the day's tournament was to honor Bastille Day (July 14th) in France and all that it stands for: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (and lots of Petanque playing).

Camille Offered Jeff Lots of Advice

One of the great things about having a large club, is the amount of advice we receive from our experienced players. Camille offered Jeff plenty of sensible strategy advice which brought us to "almost" the final round!

Eric and Maude - Milieu Players

Eric's shooting and pointing are well-known. But now that his wife, Maude, is also shooting (and well!) the two are quite formidable! Tournament day, as chance would have it, they were on the same team!

Roland walks up to the boules to see the layout

It is always a good idea to take the time to walk up to a "boule layout" and see how they are distributed. There is, many times, a winning strategy if you plan out both: shots to take, pointing risks, and defensive manuevers.

Study Mike's Methods...

This photo was taken hours before his final victory on the Petanque field. For the sake of future tournaments, perhaps we should all take a moment to study how he prepares for serious petanque play. Notice those fine sturdy chairs with their canopies... (avoiding sun damage?) and the many heavy boxes he's brought to the terrain (lifting exercises?)

Romain has the Maestro Touch in Pointing

Romain, with his magnet on the string, and his short cigarellos, has the skill of the champion. Just don't let him take you for a ride in his car (see above).

Ken Carefully Measures the Boules

One of the classic scenes in Petanque is the measuring of "seemingly equidistant boules."

These measurements are crucial as a single millimeter can decide the winning team.

Jeff Attempts another Shot

Jeff's team: Camille and Joyce, almost took it all, but not for a painful loss to Gerard/Romain/Anita - 3/13 (ouch!)

Ramsey and Keasts Show a Good Performance

The Michigan Petanque Club welcomes the Ramsey and Keast families to our humble
terrain. All beginners (except for Clare who played a whole one other time with us) they fared well, with Rob's team showing 2 victories, as did Clare also with two wins, and Mike's team with a win and three close near-wins. Not bad for folks who never rolled a boule before. We all look forward to playing with/against you in the future.

Sebastien Lines Up The Shot

Sebastien lines up his shot, as his wife, Francoise looks on...

Let the Feasting Begin !

Delicious food for all! I cannot link all of the contributions to their contributors, but I can attest for what I ate!

I ate about 5 deviled eggs (I know those were from Joyce) they were yummy, as was the Zuchinni bread (from my wife, Denise) -- I also took heavy plates of fruit, the watermelon being most refreshing. Ok Ok I also had lots of Clarence's cookies too...

One of the nicer things about Petanque is that we can take the time to socialize. I can't imagine how you'd eat a deviled egg in equestrian jumping!

...and some more responses about what food will be at Sunday's event: Deviled Eggs, Vegetables, and Watermelon!!! Bring a big appetite! 

Bastille Day in Brooklyn - Joe is going to have a blast

Ricard Bar Tabac Closes Smith Street to Host Annual Petanque Tournament

Ricard, Bar Tabac, and Petanque America once again take over Brooklyn's popular Smith and Dean Street intersection and surrounding blocks to celebrate France's Bastille Day with the largest 4th annual Petanque tournament in the United States.

Over 7,000 people and 100 Petanque teams are expected to participate in the French fete, with all dues donated to the local Brooklyn Community Board. Guests will enjoy Ricard cocktails, the world's number one pastis, an anise-flavored beverage. Throughout the day, Ricard prizes (tees, hats, keychains, etc.) will be given out, and the winning Petanque team will be presented with a special Ricard gift. Live jazz / swing music by The Baby Blue Orchids will keep the day festive, and Bar Tabac Chef and Pit Stop Chef/Owner Laurent Brunacci, as well as Saul restaurant's Owner/Chef Saul Bolton will prepare mouthwatering dishes and a full brunch inspired by his upbringing in the South of France, including beef and merguez sandwiches (outside food and drinks will cost $5 each).

WHEN & WHERE: Sunday, July 10th from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Bar Tabac, 128 Smith Street, Brookyln, New York (F Train to Bergen Street).
718-923-0918 or bartabac128@aol.com
(Streets to be closed off: Smith St. b/w Bergen and Pacific; Dean St. between Hoyt and Court)


Bastille Day (July 14th) celebrates French independence, and in honor of this holiday, Francophiles in New York play Petanque ("pay-tonk"), a popular European lawn bowling game that originated in Provence in the early 1900s. Brooklyn's Smith Street will provide the sanded arena for the competition.

Picnic on Sunday - so far: chicken & fruit salad

Okay, so far I've had some responses: we have someone bringing some fried chicken, and some fruit salad.

Let's see who can perhaps bring some dips, pop/water, some sandwiches, some dessert things... I'll post them as soon as I get 'em!

FW: Joe back in New York for Bastille Day

Joe Zajac will be in Brooklyn, New York for the Bastille Day Tournament (Sunday - July 10).

This event has been held in New York for a number of years, and has brought tremendous crowds of players.

Sand is dumped into the streets of Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, and bulldozed - enough for 100 teams of triplettes to play.

This huge and fantastic event is hosted by Petanque-America, with sponsorship by Ricard (pastis) and Bar-Tabac.

If you want more information:

http://petanque.us/events/brooklyn2005/index.html

We wish MPC President Joe the closest boules.

.

Picnic and Petanque - July 10th - Noon

Come join us for our Bastille Day Picnic and Petanque Tournament.

We'll enjoy our picnic at Noon at the Royal Oak piste. Since we only have 1 picnic table, please bring a picnic blanket (or chairs) to lounge/eat upon. We ask that our members bring some food to share.

At 1:00 pm we'll mix for the doubles/triples tournament ($3 per person to play).

The format for the tournament will be very clear. We shall play doubles or triples depending upon the numbers, and we shall designate shooters, pointers, and new players - and mix them into fair teams.

Then everyone will play a first game. The winners go to the "Winners Circle" and the losers, to the "Consolante Circle."

Then, if there is time - we'll have all of the "winner circle" play each other, and all of the "consolante teams" play each other - unless there are many teams, then we shall "randomize" and play four games.

Afterwards - we shall chose the winning team from the Winners Circle, and the winning team from the Consolante.

If there is a tie in the number of wins, then we'll use the points for/against to determine the victor.

If you wish to play in the tournament, please be at the piste by 1 pm.

Skipper, First Mate, and Sea Biscuit on MPC/DPC Canoe Adventure

Monday morning, Joe, Jeff, and their trusty mascot, Marley "Sea-Biscuit" take to the high seas (Oakwoods MetroPark) for a little canoeing. Though Jeff was terrified that Marley would fall into the drink, it seems Marley has pretty good sea-legs. He even tried out a little swimming before jumping back into the boat.

Tour De France - Check it Out

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/cycling/tourdefrance/blog.htm

Check out the second most popular sport in France...

Joe Dumps VP In the Huron River

After a brutle board member meeting during the holidays, Joe decided he had to get rid of VP, Jeff. Paddling out to the remote area's of the Huron River, Joe found a great spot under those lilly pads for the disposal. It turns out that boules--being fairly heavy in sets, like cement boots--are good for more than just petanque! :-) So the new VP, Marley, guides Joe back to the dock...

Petanque Everyday

Jeff enjoyed three consecutive days of Petanque playing during the July 4th holiday. Here we see Monday night's event with Jeff's wife Denise and some friends (Linda & Chuck) in Livonia. (We played on their lawn - less accurate rolling but nice and shady).

Mike Displays His Sense of Style to MPC

Mike and his classy chairs. President Joe seems to like the color choice, and those nice sunshades really are unique. Is that a Petanque bikini Joe is holding up? I'm not sure if that's the new dress code to be enforced by MPC . . .

No Thunderstorms - Just Breezy Weather

Eric was playing magnificently on Sunday. The holiday weather was with us.

Dave Shows Us How Much His Game Has Progressed

Sunday's games went extremely well. We see Dave laying in a fine point as Cathy looks on.

Festival of the Hills Fireworks were Great Fun!

We all were able to play some good games, take in some food, and meet some potential new members. But those members who couldn't stop by missed a great fireworks display! It lasted about 40 minutes, and our group couldn't decide if the fireworks or our new member, Dave's little Maddie's giggles, were more fun to watch!

Do You Think This is Enough Potential Petanquers?

Do You Think This is Enough Potential New Petanquers?

It was definitely a busy night! Maybe 50,000 visitors? Joe biked around and handed out flyers for the club... and we had many on-lookers at the piste, hopefully we'll see some new faces on Sunday! We all had a great time though, and that's the most important thing!

Anita has the fully equipped Petanque bicycle!

Anita has the fully equipped Petanque bicycle!

You have to see that she's cleverly mounted her INTEGRALE boule bag to her bike! This is the perfect hard-core petanquer! Joe thinks it could be a little better if it were OBUT!? :-) (Sorry Jeff!--and Anita!)

Theresa is a great liason!

Theresa is a great liason!, Dave's wife, Theresa (far right), helps out by spreading the great word about the sport of petanque and our club. I think we'll see some new members this Sunday from her great efforts! Thanks to Mrs. Carelli!

Another Girl Petanque Member!?

Another Girl Petanque Member!?

Member Dave's daughter Maddie already took to throwing boules during the fireworks... this onslaught of girl players just must be stopped guys! Even though she looked so cute in her patriotic fireworks-day dress... But, we need to band together and recruit more young boy players... Maddie's already learning the ropes, we can't waste any more time!