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Article / Updated 11-16-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio When you were a little kid, you'd probably meet another kid at the playground, say your name, and within a minute or two ask, “Want to be friends?” And that was it. You had a new friend. As an adult, making new friends gets a little harder. Careers, families, and the daily grind can make it difficult to connect. But there is an easy way to make friends again. Just step onto a court, paddle in hand, and say, “Want to play pickleball?” You just made at least three new friends! Pickleball tends to be a more social sport than most, for a variety of reasons. The court is smaller than a tennis court, so talking with the other players is easier. Players often show up individually rather than as a prearranged foursome. A large portion of the pickleball population picked up the game in their 40s, 50s, and 60s. They show up to get exercise and often to meet new people. If you get nothing else from pickleball, we hope you make many wonderful friends. We did! Where do people play pickleball? The pickleball social scene is everywhere, from public courts operated by city recreation departments, community developments, and private clubs to homemade courts on the streets, driveways, and inside garages or basements to fancy custom courts in backyards. There’s little barrier to diving right in and meeting lots of like-minded folks! Joining a pickleball club As you play more pickleball, you may find yourself wanting more: more time to play, more players to play with, more fun. All these outcomes may await you through a local pickleball club. If you’re thinking about joining a club, here are some factors to consider: Cost: Are you willing to pay monthly or annual fees, and if so, how much? Location: How far are you willing to drive to play, potentially several times a week? Size: What size club are you interested in? Are you looking to meet a few hundred players, or are you more comfortable with smaller sized groups? If it’s a large club, how do they manage court usage and crowds? Culture: Do you want to join an informal group at the local park or one at an upscale country club? Try to get the feel of the club. Do they offer events for players of your skill level? Activities: Are you interested in lots of organized play like ladders, leagues, tournaments, and social gatherings or do you prefer more casual play? Does the club offer the kind of competition you enjoy? There are many benefits to joining a pickleball club, or forming a club yourself if you don’t find one near you. Starting a club may seem daunting at first, but folks all over the world are starting pickleball clubs with no prior experience — just passion for the game and some plucky DIY spirit. Pickleballers are unstoppable! Enjoying the benefits of a club Whether you join an informal club at the local park or pay for a membership to an athletic or country club, you can experience some definite advantages of being a “joiner.” Benefits vary, but you may get to: Drop in. Most clubs have several drop-in times a week. No hassle of finding partners and organizing a court. You simply drop in and play with whomever is there, which is a nice way to meet new people. You can also learn more about pickleball and hone your skills by playing with people of different styles and skill levels. Reserve a court. You don’t have the hassle in waiting for others to finish. Some (but not all) clubs have reservation systems, so you're guaranteed a court time. Learn from a pro. Most larger clubs have teaching pros who offer clinics and private lessons. Party on. Clubs are primarily social and make parties a priority because they add to the fun. It can be a perfect way to get to know the people you play with a little better. Play tournaments. Club-run tournaments are often low-key compared to large, sanctioned tournaments, so they’re an easy way to get your feet wet before entering any major events. Get discounts. Who doesn't love a deal? Often, clubs offer discount pricing for members on court time, lessons, and tournaments. Many clubs also negotiate discounts from equipment retailers. Volunteer. If you enjoy sharing your talents and giving back to the community, joining a club provides many opportunities for you to get involved and make a difference. To gain maximum enjoyment from the club experience, we recommend finding your tribe. You will instantly meet a lot of people who may have similar interests. From your new pickleball club friends, you can learn how to play better, what equipment to buy, where to get lessons, and where to find the best tacos in the neighborhood after you’ve won all your matches. (Tacos are for winners.) Starting a new pickleball club Anyone can start a club, including you! Most pickleball clubs begin as grassroot efforts, and their organizers are just regular people who see an opportunity to unite the players in their community. Sometimes the impetus comes from seeing a problem and wanting to collectively improve the local pickleball experience. Players organize into clubs for several reasons: Scheduling: Clubs offer a way to organize drop-in play, ladders, and leagues. Organizing not only helps players mix and mingle but can also help ease overcrowding by redirecting court traffic to less busy times. Communication: Forming a club is one way to gather contact information and efficiently communicate with players in your area. Some important topics to communicate on include court closures or openings; local tournaments and events; advocacy opportunities; lost-and-found items; and club rules and regulations. Advocacy: Organizing local players into a club allows you to advocate collectively for additional courts, more gym time, and facility improvements, among other issues. In some cases, it may be necessary to represent the interest of pickleballers when cities or neighborhood associations want to limit the use of courts. Rules: Sometimes forming a club is necessary so that someone has the authority to set rules and regulations. When courts get overcrowded, bad behavior can occur. Rules about court rotation, sharing, and etiquette can go a long way toward keeping the peace and making sure everything runs smoothly during crowded play times. By starting a pickleball club, you’re becoming a trailblazer, which can be fun and rewarding. It's an opportunity to bring your community together and play more pickleball at the same time (a win-win.) Although forming a new club entails a lot of work, you can recruit volunteers to bring their unique talents to the table and you may well end up with lifelong friendships in the process. Here are some tips for setting up your own club: Decide where to play. Make sure the times you want to play are accessible and enough courts exist. Also confirm that you have the blessing of the venue owner, city, or park district before formally organizing a club at their courts. Give your club a name. Go with something that is easily identifiable and indicates the venue, town, or region your club plans to serve. Potential members need to easily be able to find you on Google and social media. Recruit members. Go to local events or other clubs and ask around to see who's interested, or just start with a few friends and spread the word. Distribute flyers and post on social media. One of the best ways to attract new members is to offer some sort of free weekly clinics for beginners. See Chapter 19 for tips on holding an introductory clinic. Identify the decision-maker(s). The organizer may be just you for a while, but be on the lookout for people to delegate tasks to. Fortunately, many people are passionate about pickleball, so finding others who want to get involved won’t be that hard. Determine dues. Determine monthly or annual dues (if any) and what benefits you can offer members in exchange for paying them. Have ongoing communications. Keep your peeps connected! Create a Facebook group, email list, website, or a simple newsletter to keep people up to date. If you have enough players, form committees to help with the club. You are only one person and can't do everything. Pickleballers love to help! It never hurts to ask. Don’t get discouraged. It’s important to realize going in that pleasing everyone all the time is impossible. Focus on the positive outcomes you’re achieving, and be sure to take time to step back and enjoy actually playing, too! After all, the love of the game is what motivated you to step up in the first place. It’s really cool to see a newly formed group gather to organize fundraisers and social events, or convince the park district to convert unused tennis or basketball courts into thriving pickleball courts. We see this positive energy for change happening all over the world. Imagine all the picklebilities — er, possibilities!

Article / Updated 11-16-2022

Ideal latkes (potato pancakes) are lacy and crisp — and this recipe delivers. Delicious potato latkes are always a hit at parties and dinners or as a savory snack. Serve them with applesauce, sour cream or yogurt. In kosher kitchens, sour cream is not served with latkes if they accompany meat or poultry dishes, but you may find applesauce on the table. Usually, you don’t need additional toppings for latkes when they are companions for main dishes like stews or any that come with a sauce. You simply spoon some of the sauce over the latkes, too. Light and Crispy Latkes (Potato Pancakes) Special tool: Food processor with large grating disc or hand grater Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings (12 to 15 pancakes) Keeping kosher: Pareve 1-1/4 pounds large potatoes, peeled 1 medium onion 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup vegetable oil, more if needed Using coarse grating disc of a food processor or large holes of a hand grater, grate potatoes and onions, alternating them. Transfer the mixture to a colander. Squeeze mixture by handfuls to press out as much liquid as possible; discard liquid. Put potato-onion mixture in a bowl. Add egg, salt, pepper, flour, and baking powder. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a deep heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet. For each pancake, add about 2 tablespoons of potato mixture to pan. Add 3 or 4 more pancakes. Flatten with back of a spoon so that each measures 2-1/2 inches. Fry over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Using 2 pancake turners, turn them carefully. Fry second side about 4 minutes, or until pancakes are golden brown and crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Stir potato mixture before frying each new batch. If all the oil is absorbed during frying, add 2 or 3 tablespoons more oil to pan. Serve hot.

Article / Updated 11-16-2022

Hosting Thanksgiving this year? Guess what? It’s actually possible to host a fantastic Thanksgiving meal and not get completely stressed out! Try these Thanksgiving hosting tips, which come from several excellent articles on Dummies.com. And, have a happy, fun, yet peaceful, holiday. Find even more great advice in our “Have a Beautiful (and Tasty) Thanksgiving” collection. Carefully determine your menu: Start planning as early as you can and consider what you’d love to do versus what’s actually feasible. Plan to have a couple of items that are more difficult and take more time, and a few items that are quick and easy. Include room in your meal budget for beverages: Don’t forget the soda; wine, beer, spirits, and mixes; and maybe some hot drinks, like cozy hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks (maybe even spiked with some rum for the adults). And don’t forget the ice! Prepare some items in advance: The more side dishes and appetizers you can prepare in advance, the easier the big day will be. Here's a solid list of make-ahead Thanksgiving dishes you can prepare before the holidays. Follow a tried-and-true recipe for your turkey: There’s a time for experimentation in cooking and a time when you’re having 10 people over for dinner and you need to get it right. This would be the latter. Don’t be a hero: Ask for help, and the trick is knowing when you need it. Be realistic; if you simply have too much to do, make some calls. Can a family member make one of the side dishes or pick up the soda? People love being needed, and the goal is to have a fun, delicious Thanksgiving! Add color and style to your platter: An easy way to create a beautiful turkey platter presentation is to garnish around the edges with a few different types of fruits and vegetables, such as: cranberries, small apples, a pomegranate sliced in half, piles of leafy greens or fresh herbs (like whole basil), and red and green grapes. Set up early: If possible, get your decorating done and table set at least a day before Thanksgiving. It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about on the holiday. Ensure you have the essentials: Your shopping list should include supplies for your dinner party, including paper napkins, paper towels, disposable dinnerware (if you don’t have enough glasses, plates, silverware, etc.), pot holders and trivets, and containers for leftovers. Take a timeout: On Thanksgiving Day, build some downtime into your preparations. Your mind and body will work better if you can take a break. For 15 minutes or a half hour, put your feet up, watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, read an article, or just stare out the window. Involve the kids: Getting your kids involved in preparing for the holiday is good for you and them. Depending on their ages, kids can help with setting the table, decorating, helping guests, and cleanup. Older children can help with cooking tasks and the drivers can help with shopping.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-15-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio When crafting that perfect salad, you need to know how to select the best green for the bowl and whisk up a simple and delicious salad dressing. If you’re in a hurry, you need tips for pulling together a quick and easy salad, too. Get your salad bowls ready — here are some tips to get started!

Video / Updated 11-15-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio If your car battery has died, you may be able to use jumper cables to jump-start it with the help of some good Samaritan's vehicle. If you can safely use jumper cables on your vehicle, make sure that the battery on the good Samaritan's vehicle has at least as much voltage as your own. As long as you hook up the cables properly, it doesn't matter whether your vehicle has negative ground and the other vehicle has positive ground, or your vehicle has an alternator and the other vehicle has a generator. If either vehicle has an electronic ignition system or is an alternatively fueled vehicle, the use of jumper cables may damage it. To safely jump-start, follow these steps: Take out your jumper cables. It's a good idea to buy a set of jumper cables and keep them in the trunk compartment. If you don't have jumper cables, you have to find a kind stranger who not only is willing to assist you, but who has jumper cables as well. Place both vehicles in Park or Neutral and shut off the ignition in both cars. Engage both parking brakes as well. Attach one of the red clips to the positive terminal of your battery. It has "POS" or "+" on it, or it's bigger than the negative terminal. Attach the other red clip to the positive terminal of the other car. Attach one of the black clips to the negative terminal on the other battery. Attach the last black clip to an unpainted metal surface on your car that isn't near the battery. Use one of the metal struts that holds the hood open. The cables should look like this. Start the working vehicle and let the engine run for a few minutes. Try to start your vehicle. If it won't start, make sure that the cables are properly connected and have the other person run their engine for five minutes. Then try to start your car again. If it still won't start, your battery may be beyond help. If the jump works and your car starts, don't shut off your engine! Drive around for at least 15 minutes to recharge your battery. If the car won't start the next time you use it, the battery isn't holding a charge and needs to be replaced. If your car doesn't start, check out these tips for troubleshooting a car that won't start.

Article / Updated 11-14-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio Rummy is a card game in which you try to improve the hand that you’re originally dealt. You can do this whenever it’s your turn to play, either by drawing cards from a pile (or stock) or by picking up the card thrown away by your opponent and then discarding a card from your hand. You can play rummy with two or more players (for six or more players, you need a second deck of cards). You'll also need a paper and pencil for scoring. Learn how to play rummy and other basics including rules, scoring, and how to win! The objective of rummy Your aim is to put (or meld) your cards into two types of combinations: Runs: Consecutive sequences of three or more cards of the same suit Sets (or books): Three or four cards of the same rank. If you are using two decks, a set may include two identical cards of the same rank and suit. This figure shows some legitimate rummy combinations. This figure shows an unacceptable combination. This run is illegal because all cards in a run must be of the same suit. In most rummy games, unlike the majority of other card games, aces can be high or low, but not both. So, runs involving the ace must take the form A-2-3 or A-K-Q but not K-A-2. The first person who manages to make their whole hand into combinations one way or another, with one card remaining to discard, wins the game. How to play rummy Follow the rules and instructions below to understand how to play rummy from start to finish: Each player is dealt a certain number of cards from the deck. When playing rummy with two, three, or four players, each player gets ten cards; when playing with five players, each player gets six cards. With more than five players, you must use two decks of cards and a hand of seven cards. The two-player game can also be played with seven cards each. Designate a scorer and a dealer at the start of the game. Then, the dealer deals out the hands and puts the undealt cards face-down on the center of the table as the stock, placing the top card, turned upward, beside the stock as the first card of the discard pile. The player to the left of the dealer plays first. They can either pick up the card on the discard pile or the top card from the stock. If they can put some or all of their hand into combinations, they may do so. If not, they discard one card from their hand, face-up onto the discard pile, and the turn of play moves to the next player. The next player can either pick up the last card the previous player discarded or the top card from the stock. They can then meld some or all of their cards down in combinations. The play continues clockwise around the table. When the stock runs out, shuffle the discard pile and set it up again. Other rummy rules and tips Now that you know the objective of the game and the basic instructions to play, here is a small list of additional rummy rules and common tips to abide by: You cannot pick up the top discard and then throw the card back onto the pile. If you pick up two cards from the stock by accident and see either of them, you must put the bottom card back, which gives the next player an additional option. They can look at the returned card and take it if they want it. If they don't want it, they put it back into the middle of the stock and continue with their turn by taking the next card from the stock. When you pick up a card from the stock that you don’t want, don’t throw it away immediately. Put the card into your hand and then extract it. No player, regardless of skill level, needs to give gratuitous information away. Rummying with wild cards You can play rummy with wild cards by adding jokers to the deck, or you can make the 2s or some other number wild. You can substitute the card represented by a wild card when it is your turn to play. So, if a combination including a joker, standing in for the king of clubs is put on the table, the next player can put in the king of clubs and pick up the joker for use elsewhere. If you put down two 8s and a joker, you do not have to announce which 8 the joker represents, but with a run, such as 5-6-joker, the assumption is that the joker represents the 7. When playing with wild cards, you may not want to put combinations containing wild cards down immediately; you don’t want to give another player the use of a wild card by way of the substitution. Of course, if you feel obliged to put down the set or run, try to ensure that the card your wild card replaces has already been played in some other set or run. Once you've mastered the game of rummy, you might want to try the slightly more interesting and challenging gin rummy.

Article / Updated 11-14-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio If you're planning to convert a vehicle for your van life adventure, you'll need to put together a cooking area, complete with a stove, cookware, and other supplies. What do you need for van life cooking? One of the most important decisions you’ll need to make is which type of stovetop (or burner) you’d like to use. Stovetops come in many different styles, types, and shapes. Here are three main types that I have used over my van life journey: Single-burner portable stove with gas cartridge: For many people who just take their campers out on weekends or on short trips, a one-hob burner for warming up soup or packet meals might well be enough. I’ve always carried one of these around with me just in case my main gas bottle runs out, and it’s helped out when I’ve boiled up pasta a few times. My main gripe with the single burner is that if you want to cook a meal with multiple parts, everything ends up taking a lot longer, as each component will need a separate turn on the burner. Two-burner gas stovetop with grill: The two-burner gas stovetop with grill system is a great all-around option. This was the first type of burner I had in my van, and it allowed me the freedom to whip up Bolognese on one hob and pasta on the other. (I do eat more types of food than pasta, I promise.) The grills on these burners can sometimes be a little hit and miss, so it pays to buy a reputable model from a company like Vango. I loved cooking sausages on my grill for breakfast on wintry Saturday mornings. Three-burner stovetops: As you might have guessed by now, my personal preference is the three-burner stovetop. I need all the pan space I can get when I’m making meals, especially when the Omnia Oven (more about this below) is taking up the middle hob. Gas drop-out vents: If you’ve got any type of gas bottle in your van — propane, butane, or LPG — then you need a gas drop-out vent as an extra and crucial safety measure. Because gas is heavier than air, if there is a leak, the gas will flow out through your gas drop-out vent and away from your van. I know it might seem like a little thing to overlook, but it’s so important if anything goes wrong with your gas setup. Cooking like a pro on the road Good workers never blame their tools, which is why I’m about to reveal some of the best gear for cooking on the go. The only thing you need to be blaming from now on is how tight your pants are after all the good food you’re going to be making and eating! XL RidgeMonkey: The XL RidgeMonkey compact sandwich toaster is possibly the most versatile piece of cooking equipment I’ve ever used on my van life adventures. This little piece of genius was originally designed for fishermen to cook up their catch on a jet burner at the side of the river. Omnia Oven: If you want to go one step further and bake bread and cakes, cook chicken thighs, or make incredible stews or roast potatoes, then you need an Omnia Oven. This doughnut-shaped stovetop oven changed everything for me, especially while living in a camper van during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. The Omnia Oven works through convection. Heat is drawn up from the hob through the middle of the oven and passes up and over the food inside, providing heat all the way around the oven and creating an even bake. Nesting bowls: Mixing cakes and kneading bread can get a little messy when you’re trying to use pans and mugs. That’s why nesting bowls are such a great idea. Nesting bowls, as you might have gathered from the name, nest inside one another. Joseph Joseph makes a great set that includes a large mixing bowl, colander, sieve, smaller pouring bowl, and a set of cup measures all inside the largest bowl. The measuring cups are perfect for measuring (go figure) out baking ingredients, sushi rice, sauces, and much more. Bialetti moka pot: This stovetop espresso maker is the perfect companion at breakfast time or before a long drive. It doesn’t take up a lot of space and stows away in a cupboard or drawer easily, providing budding adventurers with an energy boost boasting sumptuous flavors at the drop of a hat. Handleless pans: You’ll have a hard time cooking without any pans, making them a bit of an essential item when it comes to stocking up your kitchen. The only problem is that they can be quite bulky, so grabbing a set of handleless pans that pack away neatly can really make cooking in a van a lot easier. I stored all my pans in a pan hammock underneath my sink. It was a good way to use space that would have otherwise been wasted and freed up a drawer for more dry ingredients. BioLite kettle set: This little piece of equipment can be used for both brewing up tea or cooking soups and stews, and is another genius space-saving utensil for tiny-home lovers. It also has an insulted handle to keep your hands scorch-free. Knife set: No matter your dietary preferences, it pays to have a trusty knife set on board for preparing food. As you know, I’m all about making life easy for myself, so having a good bread knife as well as a sharp blade for slicing everything from tomatoes and tofu to chicken and chorizo is essential, especially when you love food as much as I do. Handheld food processor: Zyliss makes a neat little manual food processor that is great for chopping up onions or making dips in your camper. It makes mincemeat (literally) of food prep and works your arm out at the same time. Just pull the hook and back like a miniature rowing machine, and you’re good to go!

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-10-2022

If you love to crochet, this Cheat Sheet is a handy reference to keep nearby. It includes standardized yarn weights, international crochet symbols, and a metrics conversion table.

Article / Updated 11-10-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio What are the pickleball rules? An official pickleball rule book currently runs about 75 pages, but you don’t need to commit all that to memory. The rules summary in this article will help you get out on the court and play your first few games today. Pickleball is a very social sport, so even if you don’t know all the rules yet, there’s probably another player on the court (or three) who are willing to help you. They were all beginners once, too, so don’t be shy! This article focuses on playing doubles, which is, by far, the most popular format. Layout of the pickleball court The pickleball court is laid out the same for both singles and doubles. It’s a rectangle that measures 44 feet long by 20 feet wide. This is the same size as a doubles badminton court, or roughly one third the size of a tennis court. Along the outside boundaries of the court, you’ll find the sidelines on the long ends and the baselines on the shorter ends. The court is divided in the middle by a net, or as we like to call her, “Annette.” A real heartbreaker, Annette’s measurements are 36-34-36 — she’s 36 inches tall at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center. Although a pickleball net is actually 2 inches lower than a tennis net, the height relative to the size of the court can make Annette a lot like a bad ex — hard to get over! On each half of the court is a 7-x-20-foot area directly in front of the net called the non-volley zone (NVZ), more commonly known as the kitchen. As the name non-volley zone implies, players aren’t allowed to hit a volley (a shot hit before the ball has bounced) while in this zone. Historians aren’t sure how the kitchen got its nickname, but one theory claims that the term was borrowed from shuffleboard. The court between the kitchen and the baseline is divided lengthwise into two service boxes by the centerline. (Historians haven’t spent any time researching that one.) The line that divides the kitchen from the service boxes is known as the non-volley zone line, or the kitchen line. How to serve in pickleball You can’t start playing a game of pickleball until somebody serves the ball. Here are the basic rules you need to know to get started serving: You must serve diagonally (crosscourt) into the service box. Your serve must clear the kitchen (the non-volley zone) and bounce in the service box that’s diagonal from you, on the opponent’s side of the court. If it lands on the sideline, baseline, or centerline, the serve is considered in. If it lands on the kitchen line, it’s a fault. The illustration below shows the path of a serve into the correct service box. The ball must go over the net. If your serve goes into the net without going over, it’s a fault. If your serve glances off the top of the net but still lands in the service box, it’s good and must be played. If it touches the top of the net and lands out of bounds or in the kitchen, it’s a fault. You must strike the ball below the level of your waist with a low-to-high motion. You must serve underhand in pickleball, contacting the ball below your waist with an upward swing path. In addition, no part of your paddle may be higher than your wrist. If serving off the bounce, you may not add force to the bounce. You can choose to hit the ball out of the air, before it bounces, by either tossing or dropping the ball with your non-paddle hand. Or you may choose to hit it off a bounce, but in this case, you cannot apply any upward or downward force to the ball. This is called the drop serve. You must stand behind the baseline and between the imaginary extensions of the centerline and the sideline. At the moment you strike the ball, neither foot can be inside the court boundaries, and at least one foot must be touching the ground behind the baseline (both feet can’t be in the air). You can’t stand way off to the side when you serve; you must be standing in the area behind the service box on your side of the court. You get only one service attempt. You get just one chance to hit your serve in. If your serve goes into the net or out of bounds, you lose your serve and do not get to try again. The two-bounce rule After a player serves the ball, the receiver must let the serve bounce before they are allowed to hit it. (Otherwise, the world would be left wondering whether that serve was going to land in bounds.) When the receiver returns the ball to the serving team, that team must also let it bounce before they can hit. After those first two shots have been allowed to bounce, any player can legally volley, which means to hit the ball out of the air before it bounces. The two-bounce rule is one of the genius ideas that makes pickleball great. It prevents the “serve-and-volley” strategy commonly used in tennis, keeping players from blasting a huge serve and immediately running up to the net to volley the next ball. For this reason, in pickleball, the serving team is not considered to be at an advantage at the start of each rally. If you have trouble at first remembering to observe the two-bounce rule, just count the bounces in your head: “One … two … game on!” Another way to think about this rule is that the ball must bounce on each side of the court before players may volley. So, after you’ve watched the ball bounce on your side of the court, either on the serve or return, you can forget worrying about counting those darn bounces. Starting positions The server is the only player required to stand in any particular place on the court when the point begins. (Actually, there is a rule stating that you must stand on your own team’s side of the net, but we can’t imagine why you wouldn’t choose to do so). However, the two-bounce rule clearly influences where the other three players should stand at the start of the point. Here’s the breakdown for each player: The server must stand behind the baseline. The rules state that the server must serve from behind the baseline and between the imaginary extensions of the centerline and sidelines. The server’s partner should also stay behind or near the baseline. Again, the two-bounce rule requires the serving team to let the return bounce before they can hit it. In case the return is hit deep, both members of the serving team will want to stay back as far as possible so that they won’t have to backpedal to hit the ball. The receiver stands behind the baseline. The two-bounce rule requires the receiver to let the serve bounce before they can return the serve. The receiver should also stay well behind the baseline in order to more easily deal with a deep serve. The receiver’s partner stands up at the kitchen line. Because the two-bounce rule affects only the serving team and the receiver, the receiver’s partner doesn’t worry about the two-bounce rule and instead focuses on being in the most offensive position at the kitchen line, ready to volley the next ball that comes to them. If you’re not sure where you’re supposed to be standing, remember that all players should ideally stand behind the baseline at the beginning of the point, except for the person standing directly across from the server. Also, remember that when it’s your partner’s turn to serve, they need you back there with them. It’s their big moment! Stay back and support your partner when they’re serving. Only the receiver’s partner should be up at the kitchen line.

Article / Updated 11-08-2022

What does it mean to be a tiny home dweller, and can everyone make the change from living in a house to living in a converted panel van? Speaking from experience, getting into the mindset of a tiny home dweller isn’t something that happens overnight; it takes a lot of thought, compromise, and self-evaluation about what you want to get out of your new lifestyle before you can fully commit to this way of life. Luckily, I’ve already done all that thought-provoking soul-searching and got the T-shirt to prove it. And while you can’t physically borrow said T-shirt as it isn’t real, I can help you kickstart the process with some useful advice about what it takes to become a vanlifer. You'll learn how to think like a tiny homeowner, decide how long you want to travel, and most important, whether you think van life could be the lifestyle for you. Is it hard to live in a van? Don’t worry; I’m not going to ask you to sit down and meditate or chant some mantras (though by all means, feel free if you’ve had a busy week so far). Getting into the mindset of a tiny home dweller does, however, take a little bit of inner reflection and a willingness to change your outlook on the world. Living in any kind of tiny home takes a little bit of adjusting time. To go from a house with two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, living room, and dining room, to a house with one room and a toilet cupboard (in the case of a van), is a massive change. You’re about to give up a lot of the things you rely on daily, things that have become commonplace, like a dishwasher, a flushing toilet, your guitar amplifiers, a flushing toilet, your shower … oh, and a flushing toilet. Why did I mention the toilet three times? It’s the one thing people most often tell me that stops them from living the van life. Giving up the luxury of a flushing toilet is too much of a change from their normal routine. When I first started building my tiny home, I had a lot of these same reservations. Would I be able to manage? How would I feel in such a small space? Could I really give up the TV? Honestly, and I genuinely mean every word here, I did not miss any part of living in a house. Sure, emptying the toilet down another toilet while I lived in a van in Yorkshire and the new routine of showering at the gym took some getting used to, but after a few weeks, it just became the new normal. Is the van life right for you? Now, I’m going to get a little deep here, so you might want to make yourself comfortable for this next bit. What is the most important thing to you in life? Is it working hard and saving up for a house or a big trip? Is it getting out into the open and spending time with your family? Is it living within your means in order to have more time to spend working on a passion project that you might want to turn into a career? In some respects, tiny home living can help with all three of those choices. I worked full time while living in a van for over a year, saving my wages every month for my European travels. Equally, I know people who have done the same thing and put their money toward buying land in a different country. Living small certainly gives you more time to spend doing the things you love, too, whether that’s heading out on a trip with your loved ones, or working less and putting your energy into writing a book or honing your photography skills. I can best summarize the feeling that made me want to live in a tiny house as “wanting more.” You’ve got to want that change more than anything else, to be prepared for things to get a little bit tough at times, to live a life that can be uncertain but with infinite rewards and exciting discoveries every day. The pros of van life I think one of the best parts of living the van life — and this is a theme I often come back to in my book — is the lack of rushing around or the need to do anything to a timescale. There’s no should in the van life vocabulary; you do what you want, when you want, making your own hours if you work on the road or just enjoying life on your own terms. Say goodbye to the stressful morning commute or eating your breakfast while watching mind-numbing morning television shows if you’re taking your job with you. Say goodbye to waking up listening to the next door neighbor’s toilet cistern rumbling through the wall or the sound of the garbage truck reversing down your street. Every day feels more relaxed when you wake up in a new place, listening to the ever-changing sounds of nature or sometimes no sounds whatsoever. For a lot of people, this lack of structure and routine can feel a little like freefalling. Again, it’s no real surprise; since around the age of 4, most of us have gone to school at a certain time, eaten meals at set times, gone to university and, eventually, to work in a preplanned structure laid out for us. To go from this to a life where you make the rules can be freeing for some, but make others feel lost. A motto to live by Here’s something I want you to think about, and this is something I tell people who are thinking about living the van life on a daily basis: There is no dress rehearsal for life, so don’t waste time dreaming about your perfect life when you could be out there living the dream. Admittedly, I’m not a philosopher and I haven’t had many public speaking gigs thus far in my career, but I think you get the general idea. If you’re reading this from the office instead of sending emails, then don’t wait until you’re retired to give travel a go. If you’re retired but thinking about waiting for the right time, throw caution to the wind and get out there and give van life a go. I know too many people, young and old, who have sadly passed away before getting to live their traveling dreams. Don’t wait for tomorrow; make that decision to live a different life today. I’ll now wait 30 seconds for your applause before carrying on with the next section. Deciding how long to be on the road I think we can all agree that you’re now fully committed to giving van life a try, what with buying this book and my rousing speech earlier. The next question you need to ask yourself is: How long would you like to be on the road away from home? Or, and here’s the million-dollar question: Do you want to take your home on the road with you? Before I go any further, I know that while it’s physically possible to “up sticks” and live the van life full time, not everyone can or wants to give up the life they have built to live on the road. For some, it’s just not viable due to work locations, while others might love their jobs and not fancy the thought of giving up the empire they have built. Generally, there are three categories of van life travel that can help you figure out what kind of lifestyle you might want: Weekend warriors: As the name suggests, weekend warriors simply travel over a weekend. Whether frequenting campsites or wild camping in the hills, scheduled short trips away give you something to look forward to, a chance to live as free as a bird on the weekend while still maintaining a steady work/life balance through the week. Short-term — one to six months: Planning a short-term adventure of one to six months could be a more manageable way of fitting van life into your current life. So many people buy a van and convert it as a cheap way to see the world, always knowing that it won’t be with them forever. Of course, there’s nothing to say that building a van for short-term travels can’t lead to weekend excursions later down the line or a potential move to full-time travel if you decide to take your job on the road with you. Full-time travel: Obviously, if you’re thinking about traveling full time, then you need to either be in a position where you are financially stable or plan on working on the road. I managed to travel full time, working two days a week writing articles and budgeting costs accordingly along the way.