Happy Non-Denominational Winter Celebration...

So it's been a little while since I posted. December has been a whirlwind of obscenely busy days at work, and crazy busy nights and weekends.
The first session with the Red Rockettes (my new league/home <3) ended with a nice practice. I was able to try a little light hitting and work those weaves. I think I will be loosening my trucks a little more to see if I can gain more agility, but I really just need to work on that muscle memory to get my feet and knees working together.
I want to wish all my bloggy friends (belated) Happy Hanukkah, Blessed Yule, Happy Christmas, and/or Kwanzaa. I have a rant about these holidays, but I will keep it to myself. I will just say one thing...THERE IS NO WAR ON CHRISTMAS! Get over it fundamentals, non-Christians are not trying to take away your holiday or ruin it for you.
There. Mini-rant over.

Next session with my lovely derby friends starts on January 6. I hope I can actually still skate when we get going, I have been nursing a bizarre knee injury for three weeks now. I don't even know what I did, but it grinds like gravel every time I bend my knee, so I've been offskates since last practice. Any of my local friends/family is welcome to come skate with us, all skating levels are welcome and it's not super expensive.
Love to you all, I have much Christmas Eve business to attend to, Santa plans for a pretty good Morning for my girls, but I better get his cookies ready!

Gleeful skating has returned!

No, I don't watch TV while I skate. After all the drama that has been happening in the derby world here in good old Salt Lake City, I finally got a chance to skate seriously. Not just "go to the rink and hope you're doing it right," but skate on the track with other ladies and play roller derby.
Through a friend, I gained an invitation to skate for an evening with our local recreational league the Red Rockettes. It was the most fun I have had in a very long time. The girls were welcoming and helpful. I did pace lines, scissors, and one legged glides (well, I TRIED one legged glides). I was allowed to actually skate in a scrimmage! Nobody hit me, as I am not nearly stable enough to take a hit just yet. I almost managed to keep up with the pack. I was able to receive a whip from one of the ladies who has been skating for years. I had so much fun, my faith in the sport has been renewed. I remember why I wanted to do this in the first place. I have made the decision that I will not be trying out for any of the competitive leagues for at least a full season, I am going to skate with the recreational league where there is less pressure to learn fast and more help to learn it right. It does help that this will be less of a time commitment and less expensive than skating in a competitive league. It does help that these people went out of their way to treat my friend nicely after she was thrown out of SCDG with no explanation. It does help that the warehouse they skate in is about six minutes from my house.
I'm back baby! I am still in love with the sport and actually get to play the freaking game! I will figure out what my next step is at the end of the season. I want to see how all the SCDG drama plays out, how WRD handles it, and if it is at all feasible for me to go to Ogden (the next closest league) three to four times a week.
All I know is that I love derby and I will play the game. Screw anyone who tries to stop me! Muahahahaha!

Wow. Just wow.

I have been informed of some less than savory happenings within SCDG. Apparently, some of the prominent members have been basically fired with no reason given as to why. The people who have been informed that they will not be returning for the 2011 season were good athletes, well loved by their teams with no disciplinary issues whatsoever. There are several women on the league which are less well liked, less talented skaters and have been actively ejected from games for insubordination and/or fighting. This is unacceptable. The ladies who will not be returning are strong and intelligent women who have been known to disagree with the president of the league.
I have decided not to go back for the second tryout with this league, and fear that they will be losing their WFTDA status very soon. I have decided to join the recreational league in our area for now, and will possibly consider the other nearby WFTDA leagues later on. Maybe Wasatch Roller Derby.
What a long strange trip it's been.

Angsty moment over.

So my last post was pretty pitiful. Not very derby at all. I am over it. Now I just need to get it together and rock out the next tryout. I have a second chance in two or three weeks and I have been strongly encouraged by several of my bestest derby friends to try again. I am working on the two skills that were most difficult for me, weaving and stopping. I went out yesterday and skated with some of the girls that did make the league, and we worked on weaving. By the time we called it a day, I was weaving nicely. Now just to make sure that the tryout judges see that change. I still don't know exactly what the problem was with my stopping, since I was able to stop every time I tried, so I am just working on making my stopping quicker.
New attitude, new tryout. I got this.

Now I'm depressed.

I just found out exactly HOW bad I suck. Apparently 33 girls passed SCDG tryouts. This is an astounding number. More so when you're one of the FIVE that didn't make it. WOW. That is a huge blow to a woman's ego.
I've never wanted to be part of anything more than I want to be part of this league and apparently I suck more than at least two of the girls who couldn't even turn a corner.
Hard work is not enough.
I suck.

First tryouts = fail.

So I heard back from Miss Mafiosa today. I didn't score high enough on my tryout to make the league. Apparently a lot of girls didn't score high enough. I was told that I was very close, and that there would be a second round of tryouts in two to three weeks. I was strongly encouraged to try again, as Mafiosa felt I'd likely make the second cut. She wants me to work on weaves and stops, which were my weakest scores, and if I can bring those scores up, I should be golden. She told me that I aced the interview, and while I didn't *quite* get my 25 in 5, I was close enough that they felt I could get there quickly. I was given to understand that the judges of the skills I didn't do well on were notoriously strict judges, since they have been skating for years.
So, I'm a bit discouraged.

So tryouts were today....

and I didn't suck. I feel very confident that I fall in the middle range of those who tried out today. I will either be the top of the bottom, or more likely, the bottom of the top.
My ever loving husband has been very patient with me, and is definitely the best derby husband a derby girl could want. He is very tolerant of my obsession and encourages me (ie bullies me when I wimp out) when I need it. Love you babe!
I feel pretty good about my endurance, I didn't *quite* get 25 in 5. By my count it was 24 3/4 in 5. I asked FM captain, she said that while I didn't quite make it, I was very close and many of the other ladies trying out didn't get it either. I don't feel too bad about that since I was concentrating more on form than speed. We did weaving through cones, which I absolutely sucked at on the first pass, but rocked out the second try. One-legged skating was decent as it was for a lot less distance than I thought I would need to do, and I was able to stop when I tried to do so. I wasn't even considering the fact that there would be an interview. There were five people doing the interviews two of which were refs that I have been working closely with during my stint as NSO. We were asked not to interview with someone that we were well aquainted with, so I skipped them. I was able to interview with one of the ladies I have met before, but hadn't gotten to know well, Trixen Kixer. She was kind and honest, but I still felt like I was doing a job interview. I feel I represented myself well.
All in all, I feel like I did just fine, didn't make an ass of myself, and may actually make the league. I know that I did my best, the rest is up to the captains.
Now comes the wait. This might just be the worst part. Eeeep. Hopefully, the next post will be the one announcing that I made the league. SCDG here I come!

Skating under the influence....

Of cold medications.
I am about to lay down a big old whine fest. I love y'all, so I figured I'd warn you.
I got sick over the weekend with a fairly nasty little virus which kept me flat down for three days. I went back to work on Monday, miserable, and worked until I was too exhausted to continue then came home. Tuesday, same. Today I felt a little better, and worked as long as I could. ( I cannot have overtime and have to work an extra 1/2 shift this week) Tonight was another "Skate with a Derby Girl" night at the rink, and I almost didn't go. I felt pretty tired and knew I wouldn't be up for much. After discussing with my husband, bless his heart, I decided to just go and see what I could do, and what I needed to work on for tryouts next week (squee!). I sucked. A lot. I took down a kid on a scooter after nearly doing a lovely full split, almost taking down the FM captain with me. (Sorry Mafiosa!) My heart was racing after just one lap. I skated for about 15 minutes and let Ms Mafiosa know I was leaving, and why. She told me that she understood, wanted me to get better and knew that I was serious about tryouts. Almost all the ladies of the league were in attendance, and it was nice to see them all helping so many potentials. All I can do is hope that what I have learned so far is enough. I trust myself more than I have in months, and I have to trust that I CAN do what I need to to make the league. I don't have a lot of practice time before then. I feel better about at least trying to skate, even though I sucked hard tonight. Derby is about dedication, and I am dedicated. I have a fantastic support network, including some great skaters and the best husband andy girl could ask for. My kids want to be derby girls. I'm tired. I'm going to bed now, so I can get better and not suck.

Never point and laugh when a derby girl falls down.

Seriously.
Last night was the second in a series of "skate with a derby girl/fresh meat help sessions" and of course, I went. I got some help with my posture, and some tips on where to start crossovers for optimal power rounding the turns. I worked on balance and endurance. I can skate forever at 75%, but haven't been able to go full bore due to the fact that I practice at a crowded rink and prefer not to break anyone's children. I have just over two weeks. Can you say anticip............ation?
On to the "don't point and laugh" part. I was skating with Miss Mafiosa, the FM captain, and we were just talking and she was giving pointers on confidence and going over what I need to know. She encountered a vet from another league who is hoping to join SCDG and they had been half-heartedly trying to do a trick together. They attempted again. right where there is a high point in the track. They fell. I laughed. A lot. then I fell too. I managed to land on the rubber coated chain link fence which blocks the lap track from the bouncy houses in the middle. I skinned my inner arm on the fence and my elbow pad actually got caught on the fence. Can you say OW? I knew you could.
I now have four winner bruises, which are four different colors and swollen. I can't wait to see what it looks like tomorrow, as it is 10 times worse today. Maybe I will put up a picture.
On the positive side, I got a lot of compliments from other girls trying out that had come to the last "skate with a derby girl" night. THe last one, in case you didn't know was in August, roughly two weeks after I got my skates. I have worked HARD to improve and I feel so much more confident now.
Now to convince Mafiosa and Contessa that I should be a member of SCDG.
Think positive for me beloved friends. I need all the positive energy y'all can muster!

Time flies!

Wow! Another two weeks flew by without a post (whine fest) from yours truly. I guess I have sort of hit cruise control. I missed one week of skating due to a particularly heinous back injury. I pinched a nervein my back, which still twinges at times. Once I could bend over and TIE my skates I was back at it. Oddly enough, Skating seemed to help decrease the pain instead of magnifying it as I expected.
This made me joyful. =)
I just moments ago filled out the official form to pre-register for SCDG tryouts. I am REALLY going to do this! Excitement and dread are warring for my attention right now. Am I good enough? Am I fast enough? Can I actually hang with these ladies? Or am I just making a fool of myself even trying out? I have been improving in leaps and bounds every time I skate, and I believe that, if given the chance, I will be a hell of a derby girl. I think that once I am skating more often than once weekly (which is all I can really afford right now since I have to skate in a rink and that costs money) I will improve even faster. I still have some confidence issues when I first put on the skates. I still have a few balance issues and need to build strength in my legs and abs. I think that regular skating will help me with these issues.
I have settled on a derby name, at least for now, until I run it by a few of the derby girls, or change my mind, or freak out.... I will not be disclosing this name until it is submitted to twoevils. Call it superstition. I know it isn't on the list and there are ZERO similarities, which greatly improves my chances of keeping this name.
I think that covers the bases.

SCDG League Championships!!!!

Last night was the SCDG league championship bout. I volunteered to come and help out as NSO, which was a complete blast! The bout was between the Death Dealers and the Leave it to Cleavers. The Cleavers were the defending champions, two years running. The Dealers have been the surprise favorites this season, and happen to be the team that my lovely friend Sushi plays with. It was a hard fought bout. The Cleavers fought hard to try to get that three-peat but in the end, the Dealers took the title. I loved being part of such a special day and it has just cemented my need to become an active part of the derby world. The Dealers were gracious winners and the Cleavers were just pleased to have been part of the whole thing. The Cleavers dedicated the bout to Barbara Billingsley, the original June Cleaver, who died yesterday, which was a touching moment. There were a few very tender moments, where some of the ladies who had chosen to retire this year were acknowledged, and the Cleavers gave their captain a boquet of roses as she is on LOA expecting her first child. This was a very nice glimpse of derby life. Way to go Dealers, maybe next year I'll be skating with you!

Click!

I don't know how I did it, but I finally got out of my own head and onto the track. After last week's fresh meat training night, I started to "just skate." The captains weren't a whole lot of help. There were about seven of us and many of them didn't know what the requirements even were, let alone have those skills ready. There were several other vets from the league there though and I spent quite a bit of time talking with Thigh Master, one of the Bomber Babes. She has roughly the same build as I, and faced a lot of similar challenges when she first started skating. We talked about crossovers, and general gutsy-ness. She was greatly helpful.
I just want to say that every time I have hit a stumbling block, one of the lovely ladies of SCDG has been there and helped me through it. Sushi, Thigh Master, Contessa Danger, Miss Mafiosa. I would never be where I am without them. THANKS!!! =*

I go to the rink to practice every Tuesday. When Sushi's there, she helps me out, when she's not, I just skate. I went this week with a new attitude and didn't even know it. I was skating around and the next thing I knew....crossovers. I didn't even think about it, just did it. Holy shit! Did I really do that? Yep! I did it. I can fall without killing myself or breaking my tailbone (again), I can stop (though it takes a bit of space), and now I can sucessfully crossover without panicking! All I really need to work on now is balance and endurance and I have the full list of requied skills. WOOTY McWOOT WOOT!

I spoke with the FM captain, Miss Mafiosa, and there is an official date for tryouts now. I have until November 20th to get ready. For the first time in several weeks, I feel like I can actually do this. I can be ready. I can kick some ass, take some names and maybe even chew some bubblegum! Now to figure out a derby name.... I'm taking suggestions (serious ones). Don't be shy, I'll consider all serious suggestions before deciding on my name.
Yay for me! Yay for skating! Yay for SCDG!!!!

Getting out of my head.

I have hit a roadblock. I can skate. I am actually getting pretty good. For some reason, I have been having insane panic attacks every time I get on my skates. WTF?!? I KNOW I can skate. I even tried a few crossovers yesterday while skating with the lovely Sushi. I can do this, why am I still freaking out? My body is capable of all the skills I need to have down within the next few weeks before tryouts, but I can't make myself do them. I don't know why I am suddenly all psyched out over this. Am I doing the right thing? Should I just give up? *sigh* I am going to fresh meat night at the rink. Maybe the FM captains will have some insight.
blah.

Uproar! Killer concert.

My youngest sister is about to turn 18 next week. My mother, in her infinite wisdom, wanted to give her a great gift. She got her tickets to a concert called Uproar which is a great group of hard rocking groups. I only really knew two of the bands in the tour well, but those bands are bands that I really love. The concert opened with one of my favorite under appreciated bands Halestorm. They are fronted by a tiny little woman with a huge voice names Lzzy Hale. The only part about this group that is almost as cool as Lzzy is her "little" brother Arjay who is the drummer of the group. He is easily one of the best rock drummers I have ever seen/heard. He is animated and fun to watch as well as OWNING the riff. They were given the short end of the stick and only got a half hour to play, but the did play my three favorite Halestorm songs. It was cool to see a woman who can rock just as hard as any man in the business. She even mentioned the fact that she was the only woman on the tour.
Then came a group I am not familiar with. I didn't care for them. I personally could have just had that much more Halestorm.
After the group whose name escapes me, came Avenged Sevenfold. I had gotten them confused with a different group and was pleasantly surprised. I had expected an emo-whine-fest and I got hard rocking fist-pumping goodness. The visual aspect of the show was well done and appropriate to the music, which was much cooler than I expected it to be.
After Avenged Sevenfold came the other band I knew well, and was super excited to see. Disturbed rocked the house, played all the songs I wanted to hear and was just overall coolness.
If you're not into hard rock/metal, you woul dhave hated this concert, but I had forgotten how much I love hard music and going to concerts. However, I was also reminded that I am not 21 anymore. Wow, does my body hurt. All in all, it was a great experience and my kid sister and my husband and I had a great time.

Tagged by my sister.

So normally, I just post about skating and the (mis)adventures I have while trying to let out my inner Rollergirl. My sister is a member of a blog chain and she has tagged me. I don't know how to tag others, but I will answer the questions she posed to me. Answers are below.

Are you a night-owl or an early-bird? And would you change it if you could?
I'd like to say I'm a night owl, but in the past few years I have been working at a job where we start early and, sadly, my sleep schedule has adjusted itself accordingly. I cannot sleep late anymore, and I cannot force myself to stay awake past around 10 or so.

If you could go back to any moment in your past and make a different choice, would you? If it's not too personal - what was that moment?
I wouldn't change a thing. I would like to have discovered derby sooner, but there was no moment that could have changed this.

Do you believe in prayer?
Prayer is a very loose term. I feel that a person can be in contact with deity, but I don't believe that asking said deity for favors will acheive anything real.

If you won a $500 shopping spree, but had to spend it in ONE store - what store would it be?
Sin City Skates. Duh. (At least until WRD gets their skate shop going...)

What is your favorite food?
Whatever C. makes. Lately it has been what I call "yummy beanie goodness" and what C. calls "Tuscan white beans"

Who has been your biggest inspiration in life?
My mom. My mother is a saint.

Which room is your favorite room in your house?
I love my house in general, it is small and cozy so there is no need for a favorite room.

Are you a country-girl, or a city-girl? And I'm not asking where you LIVE but who you are!
I am a bit of both. I am overall a city girl, but I love to go camping and hiking. There aren't skating rinks in the mountains though. I have developed a love for skating and hate it when I go more than a few days off-skates.

There X. I have answered your questions. I can't figure out the taggy-thingey.
To all of my other intrepid readers, feel free to check out my sister's blog which is linked over there ------> Hers is "This is the Year"

On a completely unrelated note, I have been thinking about derby names. I will not post them here, as I don't want to broadcast them all over the interwebz until I make the league and submit them to the official roster. I have a few ideas, but am open to suggestions. Feel free to post your (serious) ideas in the comments section.

There will be another post momentarily as I went out last night and must share!

Skating with Sushi OR Man my legs hurt!

This week I was able to meet with the lovely Sushi who has offered to help me learn the necessary skills I have to have to pass tryouts.
Sushi is the awesomeness!
We met at the rink, and put on our skates. She had me deliberately take a knee, to prove I trusted my gear. This was hard for me. I have been a bit of a chicken since that first fall, since I managed to completely avoid my $200 protective gear and bascially sprain my butt. Eventually, I was able to take a knee on purpose.
We also worked on posture. I have been bending wrong. Gotta strengthen those thighs, beacuse MAN, correct posture is harder than I thought. I did manage to get in a few laps in the correct posture, with a proper stride.
We worked on stops. More specifically, I was informed that I can't just hit things to stop anymore. (I actually knew that, but have been scared to try real stops). I have the general idea on toe stops, and get the theory on T-stops. Plow stops I had already more or less figured out, but just need the strength to actually DO them.
She gave me a few exercises to work on to strengthen my legs and help me get up faster when I DO take a knee, or two, or faceplant. I have been working on some of these and boy are my thighs burning. I didn't realize how lame and weak I had let myself become.
I haven't even put my skates back on this week, due to an insanely busy work week, but I plan to work those stops when next I skate. I also have yet to even contemplate trying a crossover. *shudder* No. I can do it!
Faith and fear. I still trust that I can learn these skills and make the league in October, but I still have that little jerk of a voice trying to tell me I'll never learn it all in time. I just stuff that little bitch back down and skate a little harder.
I can't express how much I appreciate Sushi's help, there is absolutely NO WAY I would be able to teach myself all of this in time. She is an awesome friend and I hope I can live up to her expectations and example.

Keeping the faith.

I did manage to get in some skating time this weekend. I was very sick all day long on Friday but Saturday morning I slept in and felt much better for it. I skated a bit on the running track Sunday morning, into a significant windstorm. This was more trouble than it was worth. The track is a very grippy surface, and I skate there to build leg strength. Working against the grip of the track and into the wind, I managed to tweak my knee a little.
As I was headed home, I got a gleeful call from my baby sister (who's half my age). She just got some rollerblades at a yard sale and desperately wants to try them out. Who does she call? Her wanna-be rollergirl sister. I can't turn down a chance to skate on a rink for free. That's silliness! So Lil sis comes over and spends some time with me and my family, which is helpful to her as she needs to stay away from some bad influences in her life...but that's a whole separate issue, which I will not post on da interwebz for the whole world to read. That's her story, not mine. ANYWAY... She spends a few hours with us then the two of us go skating. She spent most of her time trying to help some kidsthat were trying to skate and failing miserably. I spent most of mine doing my best to do laps on the taped derby track. I had placed my arch supports in my skates (for once I remembered them) and my feet were killing me after about 20 minutes. I don't know what it is about my skates that's that different from my work shoes but, damn.
So, I guess I am rambling again.
Anyway, I think I am getting about 3-4 laps per minute right now, which ain't bad considering I coast around corners since I can't crossover yet. I am comfortable with that for now. I think I'll have the five in one once I learn how to crossover. I have some anxiety over 25 in 5 though. My endurance hasn't always been the best. I have a lot to learn and tryouts are coming way too soon. I have a lot of skills to learn, but I have faith in myself. I know I can learn stops, falls, balance and all the other basic skills. *crosses fingers* I guess Rule # 1 applies to me also. Cardio. Learn it, live it, love it(ish).

Seeing improvements

I have been skating with a lot more frequency since I went to the SCDG "skate with a derby girl" night. I find that now, with my freshly adjusted skates, I can actually skate! No more eating rink with every turn. I went to the rink earlier this week and skated for an hour with no falls. Nope, not even one. Even when the bratty kids on scooters cut me off, I just dodged around them. I DID, however, bitch out one of said kids. There were two of them, maybe 9-10 years old. They were scooting all over the place with random direction changes. They both veered across my path, less than three inches in front of my skates. I still have trouble stopping. They are freaking lucky I can steer now, or they would have been broken and bleeding. I pulled one of them over and told him to pay more attention or I'd crush him. They were much more careful for the rest of the time that they were there. I have SO much more confidence now, after some tips from the lovely Sushi.
I did run into some of the girls at the rink, since they were practicing there that night. The ladies I talked to were very complimentary and encouraging. One even went so far as to use the phrase "You're pretty good". Talk about a self esteem booster! I have renewed faith in myself now and can't wait to skate. What happens next? I get sick. I have some sort of bug, which makes it very difficult to force myself to skate since I have zero energy. *sigh*

New attitude

Apparently, I am still a slacker. How did two and a half weeks go by without another whine-fest from me? Goodness intrepid followers, are you still out there?
If so, I actually have something positive to post for once! Last night was SCDG "Skate with a Derby Girl" night at one of our local roller rinks. It was both a publicity thing and a recruitment night for the league. Of course, I went. There was recently a change in the Fresh Meat leadership and I needed to meet the new Captain and Co-Captain.
I AM SO GLAD I WENT. I was actually able to meet, and talk to, more of the girls and they were all super encouraging and helpful. One of the ladies, who is now my personal savior, adjusted the trucks on my skates for me and explained why. I love you Kitty! I can now turn corners without eating rink. Several of the girls helped me with pushoffs and cornering. One actually offered to help me out once a week until tryouts, which are set for October. I love you too Sushi! I fell on my butt once, right in front of the girls and was actually congratulated for just going with the fall. One girl, when introduced to me stated she was going to be sure not to piss me off, because i look like a hard hitter.(I think that is mostly because I am huge and not in a completely bad way) I have renewed faith in myself, and now have glimpsed the camaraderie that I so desperately covet.
Bring it on! I can TOTALLY do this.
BTW. Booty block position keeps wannabes from falling on asses. Just so you know.

I am a slacker.

I am a huge slacker. I haven't been posting anything on this blog.
I have been at a bit of a stalemate with my skating. Work has been crazy lately, making it very difficult to force myself to go out and do something physical when I get home. Since I haven't been practicing, I am not improving much. I still flail around like some strange bird when I first start skating. I still fall pretty much every time I put on a pair of skates. My ever loving husband has taken it upon himself to fix that. Monday, he told me I would get no dinner until I had gone out and skated. unfortunately, my children insisted on coming with me. Children being what they are, they were bored senseless after about 35 minutes. I had to take them home, which means no more skating for their momma. *sigh* At least I put my damn skates on, right? Yesterday we had a friend over for dinner, so I couldn't skate then, and today it rains. I can almost stay upright skating on dry land, I don't think it's a good idea for me to try on wet pavement. Here's hoping tomorrow is dry when I get home. I have to practice. I need to get better, or I am going to look like an idiot when I try out. There is a new Fresh Meat captain and co-captain for the league, and I don't know these ladies well. I hope they are as welcoming as the awesome woman they are taking over for. I hope I don't make a fool of myself. I hope, I hope I hope.
This post is turning into a giant ramble. I must be tired. I'll post again another day when I'm not lame.
Love to my friends!

Ow.

Well, I wanted to write about my skating journey, so I guess I have to admit to all the bad stuff as well as the good stuff.
I FINALLY got my new skates last week. I love them. They fit perfectly, or at least they will once the leather softens a little. I love them so much, I threw them on as soon as I got home and strapped on all my pads and went to the parking lot next door to skate around and get the feel of them.
I understand the difference between indoor and outdoor wheels now.
Indoor wheels have ZERO control on asphault. I don't have a lot of control anyway, because I am still trying to regain my skills. So there I am wobbling along, trying not to fall and kill myself and trying not to hit my children, who are riding their bikes around me pointing at a small child who is literally skating circles around me. (Not my child, but some random kid mind you) I managed to mostly get my bearings and skate a few laps around th eparking lot, I'm feeling a bit frustrated because it is harder than it was at the rink. Why am I suddenly worse? I slowed down to talk to my kid and all of a sudden, some evil twig reached up and grabbed my wheel. I fell. HARD. Right on my butt. What good does $200 worth of padding do when you don't fall on the pads? I have a fairly nasty tailbone injury, I may have cracked it. I can't really afford to go to the doctor to find out, because my insurance application is still pending. Blah. I went to scrimmage the night I fell, and I was talking to one of the refs for the WRG league and she told me it was my wheels. they are too hard and have no grip. Now I have to get some outdoor wheels so I can skate without killing myself.
So I have been working for a week now with a really sore butt. It hurts to walk, it hurts to sit, it hurts to stand, it hurts to lie down. Blah.
We had my hubby's family reunion this past weekend, which will be another post in a few days as I have to go to bed shortly. We drove for two hours to Bear Lake. Car trip=BAD. Camping with bruised/sprained/broken tailbone = BAD.
I think I have complained sufficiently for tonight. Sometime this week, I'll get in another post and talk about the reunion, because boy, my kids are hilarious.
Peace, Love and skating! (yes, I am still going to do it!)

Hard road ahead.

I went to the local roller rink with my friend last night. She decided I needed a chance to get out and skate. She also decided that she wanted to make sure the first time I got back into a pair of skates was NOT with the ladies of the team I plan to try out for.
GOOD THINKING MAYA!
So we went down to the rink, paid our admission fee, decided to upgrade to better skates (she wanted blades and I chose to get speed skates which is what I will wear in derby), and put the skates on.
WOW. I thought it'd be a bit like riding a bike, once you know how, you never really forget. I was mistaken. I stood up and felt a bit unsteady but otherwise confident. Then I tried to move. Just so everyone is aware, your center of gravity MOVES as you age, gain 100 pounds then lose 50. I have a lot of work to do before I can skate with those intimidating ladies I so long to join.
I did eventually mostly get my bearings (hee hee I so punny) under me, and discovered that I am actually more comfortable skating in a somewhat derby-like stance, bent over, than standing straight up anyway. I got ambitious and tried to do some crossovers. I have a good feeling that I will be able to do this as I get more comfortable on skates and was even able to get one foot slightly crossed over the other on the turn. I skated for an hour, with no pain afterward, except for one thing...
I fell down. yep. I fell down. It hurt. I didn't take my pads and all to the rink for fear of looking like a lunatic, so when I landed on my knee I got my very first rink rash. It's a sad little raspberry on my knee. It hurts. I feel like a big jerk now, because just yesterday I told my daughter to stop whining about her little scuffed elbow. Now that I have a similar scuff on my knee, I understand. Those things STING. I hope that this first fall being so small will help me not be afraid of the fall.
It was hard to get back up. Not mentally or emotionally mind you, but physically difficult to stand back up on skates, where I had nothing to grab and was afraid my fingers might get run over if I used my hands. But I got up. I continued to skate for a while until my feet were hurting from the rental skates and my skate partner was getting sore from using muscles she had forgotten she even had.
Thank you Maya, for taking me out and letting me be a fool in front of a few random strangers rather than letting me try my first skate with the derby girls.
Rink rash sucks. Can't wait to get another.

Celebrate the small victories.

I got word that Reidell has officially notified UPS to come get my skates to deliver! About FREAKING time! Now I just pray that they are large enough. I re-measured my feet and compared with the sizing guide. I should be a 7 1/2, but Vixens only come in full sizes. I ordered 7 and hope I don't need 8. *crosses fingers* Little victory = skates are headed my way.
Work has been rough lately. We are super busy and are once again short handed and training. It seems like every time we get a new full time employee just about trained, they turn into raving psychopaths who hate their job. One month. It'll get better. I know it. *crosses fingers again* Little vitory = still have a job, which i actually like despite the latest rough patch.
I have been getting to know some of the ladies from Salt City Derby. They all seem to feel like I'd be a good addition and are very encouraging. Little victory = somebody else thinks this might work out for me!!!! Now I just need to pick a team to try out for. Leaning towards Death Dealers and Bomber Babes.
Gotta come up with $24 to go to this week's bout. I have already been invited to the after party and REALLY want to go. One more chance to get to know the girls when they aren't towering over me on their skates. (In case you didn't know, these ladies are Intimidating with a capital "I")
well, enough rambles. I'm going to bed now so that I can survive another day in this endless week.
Peace, Love, and Rollerskating!

Happy Independence day USA!

I love Independence day! What could be better than a day filled with parades, beer, picnics, and fireworks? I am not one of those "God and Country" types, who will spout off pseudo-patriotic rhetoric about how this country was founded on Christian values and blah blah blah, becuase I don't believe it was. I believe this country was founded on the belief that people should be able to CHOSE their own religion, lifestyle, etc. Read the bill of rights, it's right there. I am proud to live in a country where I am not forced to agree with the government. I love the fact that if I don't like the way my representative works, I can voice my discontent and vote his butt out of office next term (well, in theory anyway, I DO live in Utah.) I can honestly say that I am thrilled to be a woman in a country that allows me to live up to my potential, or fail, as I see fit. I support the men and women of the armed forces and applaud their decision to defend their country, even while I disagree with the war they are fighting.
So, a toast to my home! Happy Birthday USA, I love you!

Am I cursed or just stupid? (the skate saga continues)

I am sure my avid readers(hi Psyfy!)know that I have been having some difficulty in obtaining my roller skates. After demanding a refund from the first online vendor, and ordering from a more well spoken-of vendor, who shall for the time remain nameless, I still have no skates.
I received my refund promptly from the original vendor, and while I am frustrated with the fact that they failed to notify me that back order meant two months or more, I was pleased with the exchange. I would be willing to order accessories from this vendor in the future. Just not skates.
After a period of shopping around looking for price differences and reading vendor reviews, I re-ordered my skates from a different vendor. Two days later, Paypal confirms that the vendor has received the payment and my bank agrees. Great right? Usually items are shipped within three business days after payment is received. It has been eleven business days and still no skates. No word from said vendor. I sent an e-mail to the vendor requesting information on the status of my order. I received an immediate canned reply letter stating that due to a high volume of messages, the vendor will contact me within two business days. *sigh* Am I doomed to borrow skates from a (hopefully) league mate? Will I ever obtain the lovely Reidell Vixens which have rolled through my dreams for the last four months? Stay tuned to find out!

Pads 'n' All - The confessions of a Skater Girl: Awakening of the Soul

I have been thus far unable to fully articulate my feelings about Roller Derby. I am not exactly a writer, and I have a hard time opening up. I am working on this, which is why I started this blog. In my obsessive search for derby-related information, I came across a wonderful blog. Reading her first post, I felt like I could be reading my own experience, so, here it is. Thanks Skater Chick, for saying what I have been unable to.
Pads 'n' All - The confessions of a Skater Girl: Awakening of the Soul

So the skate drama continues....

I have requested a refund on the price of the skates which never arrived (or were even shipped). The vendor was actually pretty cool about the whole thing, and refunded the money right away. I have received said refund. Unfortunately, as the skates were discounted as part of a "package deal" with the pads...well, the refund won't cover the purchase price of another set of skates. And so I must wait again until the last little bit of money to cover the difference and shipping can be spared from our limited budget. Damn. Am I ever going to get this together in time? I need to be able to skate well and do it for two hours straight in order to pass tryouts.
I am also applying for *gasp* health insurance. It would be down right stupid of me to start playing contact sports without insurance. I am not stupid, and I think we have figured out how to squeeze the premium into aforementioned tight budget.
I am still frustrated. I haven't had a chance to talk to my Derby contact recently, as she is part of the SCDG all star team and they have been extremely busy the last few weeks. Hopefully, she has found a pair of skates I can beg, borrow or whatever for the time being. I really want to play derby. I really want to prove to myself and everyone else that I can do it. I told one of my bosses that I was trying out and he laughed. Yes, laughed. Fine. I'll show you! I will make the team, (I don't even care which team, I just want to play) and I will show you what I am made of. Just because I am a doormat at work doesn't mean that I can't kick a little butt.
Wow, long post tonight. We will see where this skate saga leads...

Feeling a little more positive today

So after my big old rant yesterdy about skates, I went to watch the SCDG practice scrimmage. I have been keeping in touch with the fresh meat coach and made a point on introducing myself to her. She said that some of her teammates may have some older skates that I could borrow in the interim and she'd see what she could find. She also mentioned that several of the rollergirls she knows have had similar experiences with this particular vendor back ordering skates. I feel much better knowing that there are some alternatives for me. Said coach said that she'd stay in touch with me and let me know when her team was planning to get together and skate so I could come and get to know some of the ladies and get my skating bearings. When I got home, I re-read the e-mail from the skate vendor who stated I could sub different pair of skates or simply request refund of the skates. I have chosen to get a refund and order the skates from a more reliable vendor, or possibly pick up a package deal I spotted on ebay today if the refund clears in time and the price of said package doesn't go to high. The more reliable vendor actually states on their site that they recently received a large order of the Reidell Vixens. They also ship UPS or USPS, either of which should get me my skates in 3-5 days. YAY!! Things are getting better for me all around.

AAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!

I am SO far beyond frustrated I can't even speak. After waiting for months to save enough money to buy my coveted rookie package, and weeks of not knowing if they are ever coming, I finally got a response from the vendor. Apparently, the Reidell Vixens that I ordered are on back order. Until JULY. So, when they finally get them, somtime around July 11, they will actually ship them and I'll have to wait 3-5 (or 15 the way my luck has been running) business days before they arrive. I have basically lost the entire summer of getting familiar with my skates. I may not be able to get in shape in time, and for the first time since I made the decision to do this, I actually feel like I might fail. I don't know if I simply picked the wrong vendor, or if these skates are actually that popular, or if I am simply cursed. All I know is that I am frustrated, I feel like events have conspired to prevent me from doing something I really want to do, and I just want to give up. I know I shouldn't give up over something this stupid, especially since I have already spent the money for the gear. It just seems that I finally find something in my life that I can do for ME, and every little stupid thing that could possibly happen to ruin it is happening.
Meh. I should stop whining and get on with it. Skate or fall right?

Pads are in!

I ordered a rookie package last week, as I am sure any of my "avid readers" (which includes me and probably nobody else) knows. Yesterday my protective gear came in! I am super excited. I haven't decided about the fit of some of the pads though. The site I ordered through didn't allow for selective sizing on the pads, it was all one size so I ordered large. I'm a big girl, large is a reasonable guess, but I have small wrists and elbows for my size and my pads may be too big. I put them on and they feel strange, but I can't decide if that's just because I haven't worn them before or if it is the pads themselves. Also, the knee pads may be too small, but I plan to lose a bit more weight which should basically take care of that problem. Helmet fits nicely! Still (not so) patiently waiting for my skates themselves though. Reidell! Ship faster already!

Hooray!

I finally saved up the last of my skate money. My rookie package is ordered, and hopefully the skates I want are in stock. "C" and I have discussed this at length and even though money is very tight in our home right now, I went ahead and ordered the skates. Unfortunately, now I have to wait again. *sigh* I can do it. I can wait for my skates. I will learn everything I can before fresh meat season starts in the fall, and if tryouts happen to come during the current season, I will try out. I have printed out the WFTDA rule book and will study it during "downtime" (yeah, right) at work. I am starting to get really excited!

I am sad.

I have been saving my pennies to get that coveted rookie package so that I can start skating. I have an absolutely awesome friend who has put money in to help me get there, but with our limited income in this house, I have had to put off ordering my skates for about two months now. I have to wait another few weeks. Frustration abounds. I REALLY need to get started building up endurance, balance and skills, but I cannot begin skating without skates. I could use the diversion since work has been extremely hectic and will continue to be so for another two to three weeks at the very least. If it's worth doing, it must be worth waiting for though right?

Salt City was robbed!

I went to the roller derby bout this weekend. It was, as expected, completely awesome. we got trackside seats, so I could reallly watch the ladies' technique. The Salt City Shakers were playing the Lava City High Rollers. Both teams fought hard, but in the end, Lava City won. It was a great bout. I had a brief moment to talk to one of the girls who was off-skates about when tryouts would be. She thought there may be some coming up in the summer. STOKED! That means I will have a little bit of time to get my skates and start learning the easy stuff. I cannot believe that I am actually getting there.
I have an actual sponsor. My good friend "R" has sent me some money to put towards my skates. My ever loving husband, "C" has been working on a side job to earn a little money, which will get the rest of the rookie package I desparately want paid for. Now it is a waiting game.
*sigh* pay faster client!

So my decision is made, now where do I go from here?

I have decided that I want to play roller derby. I think it looks incredibly fun.

I am in terrible shape though, and have not skated since I was a teenager. So now what? Now I go out and buy some cheap skates, because I can't afford really nice ones yet. I get out there in the parking lots and parks and skate my ass off. I get my balance back. I buy my little girls skates too, so that we can skate together making me less of a bad mom. I go to every bout that I can. There is a 5k walk/run coming up, maybe I will skate in it (as long as they will let me skate), to gauge my endurance.
Will this be enough? We will see. I believe in myself, and I have an incredibly supportive husband. My friends and family are all excited for me to have something that is mine.
Look out Salt City! Here I come!

this is a test.

This post is a test. I plan on writing more, but right now, I just want to see how this blog looks with a post.