My new niece...

Today, McKenna Alice Johnson joined her twin sisters Alexandre and Lucia in the world! I'm sure the twins are going to be thrilled to have a new baby sister - maybe. I hope. I just happy there's another Johnson girl in the world. I can't wait to visit them all at the end of June.

Salad anyone?

I got home early yesterday from Sasquatch and headed straight to my P-Patch to pull up my lettuce. (Everything is ready to be eaten!) I gave away a head to a woman who was walking thru the gardens with her daughter and I took 5 heads of organic red leaf lettuce, 2 heads of butter lettuce, and a bag of mesclun mix (and that's barely half that's ready to be eaten!) - which after washing and cleaning it - become 8 bags of lettuce - 3 of which I've already given away. My meals this week consist of salads for lunch and dinner - tasty, fresh, snail free! Yum! I'm so happy about my P-Patch.

Where was I in high school?

The headliner last night at Sasquatch Festival was The Cure. I was all excited to hear The Cure though I didn't recognize their first three songs and then like one of every three. Everyone around me was rocking out but I was kind of wondering what the hell was I doing in high school? What music was I listening to? Who was emoting my high school pain? I just don't remember but it clearly wasn't The Cure.

Yesterday was a much nicer day - cooler and less annoying. It was actually a good day for people watching. The musical acts were pretty good - of course my favorite being the ones who pulled in audience like Michael Franti and Spearhead (who were amazing)! Death Cab for Cutie was pretty good but he wasn't nearly as engaging as I thought he would be. We started the day off with Cold War Kids, saw Tegan & Sara (great), The Blakes (only for a minute, I didn't think they were that good), then Michael Franti & Spearheads, Death and ended it with The Cure - who went on to play a 2.5 hour show. Towards the end, they started playing more songs that I had actually head of but by that point I was in the car waiting for the rest of my party to join me... and reading a very good article about man-made diamonds in my Smithsonian.

(We end the night at a very nice Best Western in Ephrata, Washington. Ephrata is a small town north of I-90 that was called Station 11 at one point. And I swear, all of the mid-range hoteliers must have all gone to the same convention last year for they all have same rounded shower bar that give the impression of a bigger shower... and I stayed in 6 hotels last year and none of them had this...I digress.)

Today's lineup includes Flight of the Conchords (hilarious) and the Flaming Lips who I so badly want to see but there is a divide in the group and some of us are staying and some are leaving early. And I'm joining the ladder group. I've had a great time but I didn't take Tuesday off and I'm not interested in getting home at 2:30 a.m., working a full day, going to a meeting and then going to practice. I kind of want to relax a little. So I'm going to split early. This is the most music I've ever seen in my life (film is another story) and I'm pretty excited to have had the experience and it was worth EVERY PENNY. But two days is enough... and I'll get home in time to enjoy what little bit is left of my Memorial Day weekend.

Not my usual Memorial Day weekend...

I'm sitting in a Super 8 Hotel in Ellensburg (on the east side of the Cascades), having spent the first day of Memorial Day weekend, not at the Seattle International Film Festival, not hanging out in my P-Patch, not begging someone to have a BBQ (not before July 4th Michelle!) but figuring out where to have breakfast before heading back to Sasquatch Music Festival. Sasquatch is a 3 day festival of a variety of amazing groups (for the most part) that takes place in the Gorge - which is similar to Blossom Music venue near Cleveland, except the GORGE carved by the Columbia river - it's impressive and aw-inspiring and creates a experience for really good sound!

The beers are outrageously expensive and there are more frat boys (and you can recognize them by their t-shirts and token one tattoo) then I've seen since college but the music has been pretty damn good so far and the rain held yesterday until almost the end of the concert. Beirut and MIA were fantastic. MIA had such HUGE energy (for as tiny as she is) and invited people on stage - the response was 200 people jumping up there. It was amazing. She was worth the entire day of waiting. Beirut started our day off and MIA ended (we went over to hear the Breeders but I'm not a huge fan.) I'm off to breakfast in Ellensburg (36 miles from the venue) and then back for some more shows. It's suppose to rain - again - so we'll see how long with last. The Gorge is in the high desert... but it's Washington - I guess you can expect the rain anywhere.

I'm pretty excited about doing something completely different...

It's actually easier than you think ...

...

An evening full of talent...

Tonight the Law Center co-hosted a house party with Hedgebrook (a women's writers retreat) featuring Bishakha Datta, the 2008 Hochstadt winner (Hedgebrook award). Hot on the heels of our Gala, we invited a small number of donors and supporters out to this event. Though we had a relatively small turnout but Bishakha was incredible! She had spent the last 5 weeks at Hedgebrook working on a book about sex workers in India. She, as a feminist, had been forced to rethink her feelings of prostitution as she had learned and felt that it was the same as exploitation - it was exploitation, violent and wrong. Like many things in life, it wasn't always that black and white. Prostitution was all gray - like life. (She said, "Human beings are just messy things.") There are some women who are trafficked/sold into prostitution; there are few women who choose prostitution; but mostly there are women who end up there because of the opportunities life offers - which is to say very few... Stay home with an abusive husband who doesn't work - or go work and make money to support your family... Be sold into prostitution, get out after a year, go home, present the money you saved to your husband (who sold you into prostitution), get the money taken from you, and get thrown back out on the street, this time with your children. If your client pays you for agreed upon services, then it's a commercial transaction. If your client doesn't pay or abuses you, then it's exploitation. She has so many incredible stories about women. And she had a humble and non-judgement way of telling these stories.

Her organization had done much to create dialogue between feminist groups and the prostitutes who had organized themselves into an organization which translated into "unstoppable." She was a filmmaker, organizer, feminist and writer. And many of the guests tonight were also writers. It was amazing to be in a room full of so many writers. The ED of Hedgebrook (which I've known about since college) went to the University of Iowa and was part of the playwrights program - arriving the year I left. Her mentor was my mentor. There were a few people who were alumnae in the program. There was a woman who wanted to apply to the program. There were Law Center supporters and Hedgebrook supporters. It was a great gathering of impressive women.

Throughout the evening I was telling the story of how I was introduced to Hedgebrook as a playwright student at the University of Iowa. I kept thinking, why am I not the writer I was 10 years ago? And in the past it was a struggle to call myself a writer. But I found it easy tonight to say why I wasn't a writer. When I left from the Peace Corps, I was needing an agent. I had been produced at region theatres. I was ready for my next step in my writing career. On my last night in Cleveland, I helped tear down the set of my last play (both evenings were sold out), went home, finished packing up my apartment, drove back to my parent's house, packed my bags and woke up my dad to take me to the airport. Then I left for 2 years. I wrote nearly 1,000 letters (I kid you not) and wrote plays and short stories. But when I returned to the States, I became an activist - essentially. And that's the problem - is finding time to write. And that's what Hedgebrook does - is give you time to write - in a quiet place without the rest of the world pounding down on you. And it's great to be a part of it - even if it's just through house parties.

If only...

I called my doctor today to ask her if I needed to come in and get checked out because of my concussion. She was out but they would follow-up with the doctor on call. They called me back later - of course I should have come in right away but since it had been a few days and I hadn't felt "weird" since (nor had blacked out again, vomited, or been out for longer than 2 minutes) they were fine with me not coming in but to be careful and avoid (obviously) head injury. I told them about the muscle strain in my neck - whiplash from the hit and/or fall - and they recommended Advil three times a day and an icepack.

Of course, Weedy recommended that I get a massage. I wasn't sure I could find any time before this next weekend with my crazy schedule and called my favorite Ballard Massage Center (just 4 blocks down the street) and managed to get a late evening massage. My usual masseuse was out on Mondays - but this was the only time that I had even a tiny window of time. I was assigned to a guy who did great work on head and necks. And holy cow! After 30 minutes, I didn't even know that I had been injured! He worked my head, neck and muscles surrounding my vertebrae. Half of the time I wasn't even sure where my head was going or what he was doing but he worked out knots that were not from this recent injury and the strain for this weekends hit. It was amazing - when I stood up, the side of my neck was only slightly tender from being stretched, pulled, and worked on but not strained and sore. Massage was my lifesaver.

If only my doctor's office had said "let me write you prescription for a massage" instead of "take Advil 3 times a day..."

Ha. If only more people had health insurance...

Dreaming of Garbanzo beans at a Bomber's bout weekend in Worely, Idaho...

Friday afternoon, Arson Annie picked me up from work at 2 p.m. heading to the airport to pick up our rental car for the weekend. Three Jet City Roller Girls who played on the travel team the Bombers, (Arson Annie, Weed Wack-Her, myself) a JCRG ref, (Penalty Le Pew) and an Rat City friend (Maude Elletee) were all going to carpool out to Spokane for a travel team bout playing the Lilac City Roller Girls Saturday night. We returned to Arson's condo to pickup the rest of crew and I took the first shift driving on the warmest day yet this year "over the mountains" on I-90 to the east side of the state. It was a pretty uneventful drive - I got us there, with my characteristic lead foot, in four hours. (At one point, on a side road by our Econolodge, I saw some sand piper type birdies in the road and yelled, run birdies run! as opposed to slowing down.)

Meeting up with Audrey Headburn (another Bomber), TJ (our announcer) and Jason, a friend, we went out to dinner at Europa on the recommendation of a skater who use to live in Spokane. It was pretty dead (though the city was packed because the Lilac Festival, a golf tournament and a tattoo convention or something like that.) The food was great - the desserts were amazing and our server couldn't have been better! She was super friendly, fun, recommended a very tasty place for breakfast and actually knew the woman who started the Lilac City roller girls (who wouldn't be playing on Saturday as she suffered a compound fracture in her leg, skating at a parade!) The Econolodge was a great deal, clean, with energy efficient lights, and comfy beds.

Relevant note: I did have a very strange dream that we were playing Sacramento (instead of Spokane) and I was very afraid to play them. Having a rather poor reputation of being rather dirty players I was afraid we were going to get very seriously hurt.

Saturday morning we went to a lovely little "French" cafe for a very delicious breakfast (or in Weedy and my case, two breakfasts) and then headed downtown, without much purpose except to find the "Lilac Festival" before heading to Worely, Idaho where our Bombers bout was being hosted (at the Coeur d'Alene Casino). We found streets lined with chairs in anticiaption for the evening parade (at 7:45 p.m.) We got some directions from some people and headed down to the city park down by the river. There was a classic car show, shaved ice (yum), a goat statue/vacuum that sucked up garbage (hilarious), a giant Radio Flyer, and tons of people out along a riverfront park in downtown Spokane. It was an absolutely lovely hour before we packed back in the car and headed to Worely for our bout.

The Casino was in the middle of NOWHERE (thankfully we had stayed in Spokane where there was plenty to do.) We got checked into our rooms, rested a tiny bit, changed into our uniforms (or bout-fits) and headed down for the game. The venue held about 2,000 people (in a side showroom off lobbies full of slot machine, card games, and hundreds of other digital games, all whirling lights, mirrors, whistles and bells.) The bouting floor was laid out on carpet and though it wasn't like skating in quicksand, it was still rather difficult. (You have to lay the floor out on hard floor, to keep it even and smooth. Otherwise, every time you push off in a stride, your feet just sink and it's like skating in sand or as Weedy said, skating on a mattress. If you stop moving your feet you stop rolling). Other than the floor, it was a great venue, with very professional lights and sound. Since this was our first bout as the "visiting team", we didn't have anything to do with setup. Though it was relaxing, it was slightly boring considering I'm use to starting "bout" day at 12 noon with floor set up and don't end until there is a beer in my hand at 10 p.m.

We finally got started with our bout. I wasn't in many line-ups... The first one I played Pivot with Molly Python (a Bomber who also plays for the Pink Pistols) and we held the front like it was nobody's business, holding the jammer back and knocking her down for a couple of laps. I jammed twice, scoring 4 points each time (before they were called off by the other jammer). My third time up to jam (as the lineups were on their way to getting mixed up), I took off at the whistle and entered the pack, I scooted past the back blocker (B3), one of them totally whiffed trying to hit me but came back for her second attempt and hit me head on - helmet to helmet. There was a loud crack and I was suddenly outside picking garbanzo beans with my fellow skaters. We were all dressed in our bouting uniforms, in the bright sunshine, picking beans (that were already cooked and ready to eat - yum!) in the fields like those that lined I-90. We were having such a good time. I heard the whistles being blown and medics by my side trying to get me to turn over onto my back which seemed impossible at first. (I was actively trying to get up the whole time but couldn't.) She asked kept asking me if I was alright and I kept saying "where are the beans." (According to Gus, the jam ref - the one who keeps track of my penalties and points - I was crying when I finally sat up. Who knew?) I finally got up, seeing double, and went back to our team bench where I just looked at everyone (so confused that we weren't in the fields picking beans) and took off my helmet (convince my head was bleeding) and told everyone that I was fine - um though I was clearly wasn't as I had been knocked out and was suffering from a mild concussion. There was one more jam and then halftime. I thought I would be fine to play but in the end, Audrey took off my skates and I sat out for the rest of the game (which was rather anti-climatic).

The Bombers ended up winning! Our very first win! However, the game didn't end without a few more injuries including a broken collarbone and a sprained knee. They were all exhausted from the not-quite-but-almost-quicksand floor. There were plenty of issues with understanding how penalties were being scored and communication between refs. But it was a learning experience for all teams involved. We headed to the bar within the Casino for an after party and it was a great time hanging out the gals we just clobbered around. They were all very nice. I went to bed reluctantly (because being the social butterfly that I am, I still wanted to hang out, concussion and all), was awakened every two hours (just to make sure I didn't slip into a coma) but otherwise slept very well.

We had the Casino breakfast buffet with a gaggle of skaters and hit the road. It was a nice drive back, stopping at the Gorge for some sightseeing and Ellensburg for some late lunch and ice-cream. I stopped by my P-Patch on the way home - thrilled that my lettuces enjoyed the 90 degree Seattle weather this weekend! Maude helped me out by watering them as I picked a few weeds. They're almost ready to be picked and eaten! Yum.

What a fantastic weekend - all around.

There was a shooting...

In my neighborhood, on my street to be exact, last night. I didn't find out about it until there I met Lara at the bus stop and she was talking to her bus buddy Justin (who lives across the street.) At about 6:20 p.m. when Lara was talking out the garbage, she said she heard a gun shot. Justin heard the same thing and went running to his window. They both thought it was a car backfiring from the auto repair place just at the corner. No, Justin corrected her. It was a crazy guy who lives in the apartment building kitty corner from us who walked down the street, shooting his gun at nothing in particular at 6:20 p.m. He almost hit a woman who was coming out of the dry cleaners. She dropped to the ground after the first bullet whizzed by. He ended up hitting her car.

It was the topic of conversation on my bus as it turned out there were 4 of us who lived right across from each other. Another guy had feedback and information about the evening to add: like the dude just surrendered to police and was the guy who was often standing in the street screaming at no one about everything. Justin, the bus buddy, use to shoot guns competitively in Florida and knew just what gun it was (and he was right). I wasn't around for the excitement (due to a board meeting)but found nothing in the local section of the paper about it (just about what I could contribute to the conversation) except that a man was arrested for shooting himself with a staple gun.

It was one of the better bus rides home.

I'm starting to conclude that everyone in Seattle could use a little (or any!) of that big orange ball in the sky and some happy pills.

And these are photos with my Planned Parenthood friends...

At Our Gala...

I had a table full of Planned Parenthood friends and Derby friends... here's some pictures from the photobooth of the derby friends...

A very long week...

After getting back from my derby junkie weekend, I jumped right into Monday - as it was Cinco de Mayo - which I celebrated at a local bar with my friends Dani and Derrika. Tuesda was Seis de Mayo (because why not), Wednesday was practice that was only ok. Thursday was the Northwest Women's Law Center Gala (with a splash of derby drama to make it more exciting). The Gala was great fun and mostly successful. We raised more money than expected. Friday was a Carnie Bachelorette party for Beelzababe and Foul Play. We jumped from bar to bar, getting them shots and daring them to do very bachelorette type things. (However, by that point in the week, I was whooped and my liver was forbidding me to drank another sip.) Saturday was shopping and running errands, a little napping and a fundraiser in the evening. Sunday was sincerely a day to relax. I ran more errands, cleaned, visited my P-Patch and ate meals with food from all the food groups. Monday starts it all over again... with a dinner party tomorrow, board meeting and practice on Tuesday. Practice on Wednesday and Thursday before heading out to Spokane Friday afternoon to play Lilac City Roller Girls.

phew.

Below is my New Year's Resolution at work! I love how well my P-Patch is doing this year! If you put your mouse over the picture, it will tell you what's going one.

Convertible Suntan, Sacramento, Derby Junkie

Saturday started off with our first "international" derby scrimmage, as the Terminal City gals came down from Vancouver, BC to bout with us first thing in the morning (ok, at like 10 a.m.) I excited, slightly wired from early morning coffee and thrilled to be playing with gals we didn't know but were comparable in skill. We played a super fun scrimmage and I took off with one jam left to "wash up" in the roller rink bathroom, took part in a group photo and ran out the door into the pouring rain - heading to the airport to catch a flight to Sacramento.

I arrived in Sacramento and Pia Mess picked me up on her way down from San Francisco. Both of us were down there to support the Socket Wenches (which Pia use to play on and I had friends on). We dropped off our bags at the hotel, I cracked open a beer and we headed to the bout with the Socket Wenches. It was very warm (and I was thrilled to actually be "hot".) The first bout was a blow out between the Sacred City Roller Girls "B" team and the Silicon Valley Roller Girls, which Pia was helping to coach. After this game finish, the Socket Wenches when up again the Sacred City Roller Girls, whom my travel team had played 7 months ago (we got creamed.) It was an very riveting and close game - a perfect game for 3 of Lara friends who had never seen derby. There were some serious reffing problems (like serious) and some dirty cheating but in the end, it was a damn good time.

We all headed to an after party (Pia headed back to the hotel with heat exhaustion), crashing to bed around 2 a.m. I got up early enough to catch the Continental breakfast and hang out by the pool (but not in it) until it was time to head to a scrimmage in Stockton with all kinds of gals from all over California. I've been to California 3 times - twice on the "outwest field trips" in high school where I only visited national parks like Yosemite and Lassen Peak and this weekend. We gathered up some skaters and Pia opened up the roof to her convertible and we took off for the 45 minute or so drive to Stockton. It was a a beautiful drive and I got a convertible sunburn on my face and shoulder (compete with a half sunburn on my front, because part of me was in some random shade.) We stopped by a delicious taco stand near Stockton where everyone was celebrating Cinco de Mayo! It was festive everywhere!

We arrived at the venue and I geared up to bout. I felt a lot like I did on Saturday - excited and slightly wired but this time is was from being slightly hungover. The floor was slippery as hell (painted cement) and I managed to take myself out 3 times jamming just trying to crossover. It was hilarious and though I love jamming, I just couldn't get use to the floor (my wheels are just grippy enough for wood) and I spent more time blocking. It was fun to play with gals from all over California and hear their stories, why they're there, what brought them there and what derby has done to change their lives - all fantastic stories and all the reasons I'm a junkie. I got a ride back to the airport with a skater's boyfriend who rented a convertible and we chatted about environmental design and trying to make the world a better place while getting some more sunshine driving along I-5 in the sunshine state.

And now I have my Sacramento convertible suntan to take me to the week...until I can get my next derby hit...