NASCAR, Wonderwoman and culture...

About 10 friends and family showed up last night to watch the Burning River Rollergirls. It was very exciting to have so many people there to support the sport and try to understand this game that consumes so much of my time and energy. Gabriel, only 7, sat on the floor next to me and understood the game right away - caught trips that the refs didn't catch and had rollergirls slide into him 3 times (each time I glanced back at his mother who was giving me "that look".) James and Heather go into it, my parents, Mike and Seka caught on to it eventually (Mike commenting at one point "this is just like NASCAR"). There was some great derby action - plenty of falls, steeling the inside, holding the jammer in the pack. It was fun to see a couple of the gals I had met at RollerCon there playing their hearts out. I asked my parents if they understood it and my mother was hesitant and my father replied, "Yep, it's just like NASCAR." Funny. Johnsons.

Carol and Rob's wedding on Friday was lovely - and very much just like them. The ceremony was at a church in Bainbridge and I raced downtown to grab a drink with T for a hour before heading down the Majestic Yaucht that boarded right next to Christies (strip joint.) There was dinner and dancing on the boat as we tooled around Lake Erie under a fantastic thunderstorm. It was fun to catch up with people I had seen in years -even years before I left Cleveland. There were a couple of funny moments, one of them, when Christina was like "you sure know how to dodge questions" - kind like Wonderwoman's protective wrist bands that can shield you from bullets. Are you staying is Seattle - bam - reflected. Are you getting married - double wrist bands - bhew bhew. What do you plan on doing next - bam. He he he.

This was the first time in the few years I've been away that I actually had problems with directions. I couldn't quit remember how to get to Karen's - I automatically drove to Rebecca's without remembering the names of the streets. I could quite explain how to get somewhere. Homes are up for sales. Businesses have come and gone. Some areas have been redeveloped. It was a good trip... it's also the first time when people asked me if I was going to stay in Seattle forever... I said well, the weather isn't keeping me there... but the culture.