So Happy, Getting Smacked Around, the Holiday ends...

These past 4 days have been excellent - so much needed rest and relaxation. It takes like two days just to relax and not think about work and the other million things we have going on and actually relax. The you spend Saturday in love with life and not thinking of the petty crap (helps to see a movie like Milk) - Sunday you're back in the saddle and even if you're not ready - you're looking towards Monday. Monday. Monday. But right now, we're not quite there yet.

Today, just to get ready for the rest of the week - I went to Wrecked League practice. This is a "rec" league but joke that they are "wrecked" - too injured, too old, too done to continue derby. That, of course, is not the case at all. They're a great group of gals who just want to play - not scrimmage hard enough to hurt anyone and when the jammer is too tired or wants to call it off (since we only have one time keep) they cry "uncle". It's pretty fun but you do get to work on some of the things you're trying to change or fix and it's pretty easy going for skaters coming back from an injury - or in my case - creating them. I got this nasty bruise/wheel burn while doing a warm up drill - I kicked myself. Yes it hurt.

There's some work to be done for work - there is another scrimmage to go to tonight - there is an apartment to clean up before heading into the next week. But there is also a nap to be taken and a turkey breast to be eaten. It's still Sunday.

Monkey, Sushi & Milk...

My cat Monkey is highly entertaining on a thousand levels. She's sees a dot on the wall and she watches it forever and will go back to it. Anything circular, it's hers to play with from bobbins to milk rings. Lately she's cracked me up because she watches TV and it's pretty hilarious. She's a big fan of the Discovery Channel - whether it is a nature show or Myth Busters. Once she jumped off my lap to get a better view of the sharks on TV. It kind of cracks me up. The other two cats aren't that interested in television and she'll sit there and watch it for an hour. I should probably start limiting her television watching.

Since moving to Seattle, I've fallen for sushi. I have to admit, I wasn't a big fan at first and it had nothing to do with raw fish or anything like that - it more had to do with exposure. I only ever ate at one place in Cleveland Heights and only on special occasions. I ate pretty typical affair. I would get store bought sushi once-in-a-while and believe it or not, Safeway had their own sushi chiefs and it was pretty good. And then I had friends who LOVED sushi start taking me to their favorite places and I became expose to the Dragon Roll, Spider Roll, Black Cod, and a million individual pieces that I can't even name - that I now love sushi. I love going out for sushi (though you have to budget for it) and I've eaten it twice over this Turkey Turkey holiday. Yum.

Last night, Katie, Lara and I went to see Milk - the new film about Harvey Milk. I knew about Harvey Milk - very minimally. I knew he had been the first openly gay elected politician and I knew that he, and a very progressive mayor, were assassinated. The film was great - as both an educational piece, a social justice piece and just completely frustrating. I was frustrating to know that we're still fighting for the same things we were fighting for 30 years ago. It's still the gay community vs. the conservative religious communities. That part was maddening. And just makes you feel like we still have so far to go. Still. Damn it. But he was a pretty charismatic guy who unified a community and in a very short period of time fought an incredible battle and gave more legitimacy to a movement. It was a good film. And it required beers afterward. And humility. Really, when I find myself getting completely frustrated about derby, work, relationships, volunteering - whatever - keep in mind that there are bigger fights out there. Much bigger ones.

Happy Thanksgiving!

This picture looks a lot like the pictures I use to color in school when I was a kid. I've had a great thanksgiving so far - cooking garlic smashed potatoes, cranberry relish - sewing - decorating my apartment. And I'm soon heading out to Kelly's house for a fabulous dinner and then out dancing. It ranks up there is one of the best days of the year (as long as you don't read the news, check your emails or think about work - all of which I've been able to avoid.)

Gobble Gobble!

Recessionista...

...is what the sign read about reduced price tchotckes at Firefly in Westlake Mall where I had a fake Thai lunch today. It cracked me up - so I had to go in and see what exactly was on sale - and it wasn't anything that I wanted nor was it at a price I couldn't find elsewhere but I enjoyed the good humor.

This short stressful week finally came to an end. After a little nap and PFM practice (which you might remember from my very early derby days) - which I hadn't been back to since I left PFM almost two years ago - I went to favorite grocery store to buy just a couple more things for tomorrow. And probably because I was hungry and the fact that I'm eating Turkey Day at Kelly's house (which means no left overs for me) I had to buy my own turkey. I wanted turkey sandwiches and day old turkey dinners. I became slightly obsessed with it and after walking around the store for 10 minutes pondering it, I ended up with a 12 lb turkey. (They were out of turkey breasts - which would have been so much easier.) I may wake up tomorrow and decide to keep it in the freezer if for a month until Christmas but for now I'm pretty excited about my very own leftovers.

I'm so excited that it's Wednesday. I'm so happy that I have nothing to do tomorrow until I head over to Kelli's. I'm making helmet panties (for another roller derby group), drinking holiday beer, and hanging out with Lara and the kitty friends. It's a pretty great evening.

It's Oh So Quiet...

... which is a very fun song by Bjork. It's also how I would describe the commute into work this morning and the stroll around downtown tonight. There were lights twinkling in anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday and just a sprinkle of people. I'm sure it will be much busier for the Thanksgiving Parade and the shopping that follows after it. But right now it's quiet.

And I can't wait until tomorrow.

I can wait to sleep in for Thanksgiving day.

Limits...

After a long day of planning our entire 2009 fundraising season, talking about budget stuff and other things that made my day run from 8 am - 5 p.m. (of non-stop thinking) I headed over to the HIV/AIDS Trail Unit Community Advisory Board meeting. It's funny, after nearly 1.5 years volunteering for this group, I finally feel like I understand what's going on and could actually talk about the complexities of HIV and vaccines. I came home just in time to meet Heidi for a swim - an exhausting swim. I am starting to feel the effects of the "Molly is going to kick your ass" training yesterday and I wanted to swim some of it out today so it wouldn't be so bad tomorrow.

And swimming gave me time to think. (I've gotten the arms and legs down at the same time - now it's just remembering to breath.) I was thinking of all the work I have to do in 2009. I was thinking of the fact that I'm now the Board President of Jet City Rollergirls. I was thinking of other committees I've been asked to join. And skating. And skating on the travel team. And swimming. And getting women elected to office and I was just wondering what I could manage? Years ago, I would have said yes to everything. But I've learned that saying yes to everything spreads the jam too thin on the toast (and making it rather bland). So I'm thinking. What is the number of things I can do and enjoy it - all.

Arm, arm, kick, kick, don't forget to breathe.

Church of Perpetual Rollerderby...

An absolutely beautiful weekend erupted on Saturday morning after a long "dark and stormy night". (I stayed in to rest, clean, do those "homey" things.) All the mountains were visible as there wasn't a cloud in the sky - bright - sparkly and chilly! I had an early hair cut and then headed over to swim class where we got into the back stroke - which I've always enjoyed. There are so many subtleties to swimming that I didn't know, didn't learn or just didn't remember. I headed up to a noontime meeting in Everett, at the Skate Deck and then we headed over for a Carnie baby shower -in a bar. It was pretty damn fun.

Saturday night, XE and I headed to Rat City's Black and Blue Burlesque - it was awesome. There were very sexy traditional pieces; hilarious "skits"; unique, clever and creative ones. I was laughing so hard at some of the performances that I literally had tears in my eyes. It was a great show, very artful and entertaining and from what I understand a journey for so many gals to be able to do this - and to see themselves as sexy and beautiful (which of course they were.) I went to a dance, dance party afterwards for a bit but headed home for yet another long, action packed Sunday.

And it was another beautiful, cold Sunday. I got up early in the morning to attend my "church of perpetual roller derby" by skating with some Carnies and others. At one point I thought, My Sunday morning worship includes 8 wheels, sweating, knocking each other around, and having a good time. But I also realized my whole weekend was perpetual roller derby - and not just Sunday. It's kind of your whole life.

Inspired by the bright sunny day, I caught a ride with Glitter to the Ballard Farmers Market where I bought some "cool veggies" like lettuce and some carrots that far more successful than any of my attempts. I also stopped by at JoAnn's - with an intention to make a fun holiday skirt for me (and one for Glitter) for her holiday party. I also picked up some knitting needles in a size I didn't seem to have to try to get back in the "habit" of knitting. I took a nap, like a cat in the sun, before heading out to cross training with the Pink Pistols (also known as "Molly is going to kick your ass" sessions.) I had dinner with a couple of friends and am off to yet another action packed week - but thankfully a much shorter one. And I can't wait. I can't wait to do some crafty things, eat yummy food and relax.

It was a great weekend - I forgot about the crappy week that had happened. I forgot about the miserable economy that seems brewed in my coffee pot each morning. It was all about "perpetual derby" and great friends.

An aside - I wish I had the capacity for bioluminescence. Wouldn't that be neat?

Why I don't listen to public radio...

I left work pretty upbeat. I mean there are a thousand things to do and the sour economy isn't making my fundraising job fun or easy but I got a lot done and was heading off pretty satisfied. I got picked up and while driving home the radio blare on and on about the auto-industry bail-out which just set me off because I'm completely against it (why don't we extend unemployment benefits for my 15 unemployeed friends and the million others before we go giving out giant blank checks to an industry that ignored its own trends and fought the government on every since regulation - but I'm not in the mood to go into it.) So that got me riled up - which lead to me to call my friend Karen to make sure I wasn't completely irrational (she confirmed that I am not) and then I talked to her husband which just reminded me of the other thinks that are ALSO frustrating... and my older, very conservative brother called me and couldn't believe I was against it (but he didn't quite agree on my reasons he was still surprised) - I guess we can all have something in common.

And now my hard working day has turned into a completely frustrating day - that's what I get for listening to public radio.

Relax... in the dessert

I went swimming alone tonight - with like 40 other people. Pygmy had just come back from Wisconsin and thought she was going to be able make it but in the end was too whooped. I went anyway because work has been so stressful (was in Bellingham all day yesterday) and I am still on that manic upswing from Nationals - I just want to work out and be the strongest and fittest and fastest and most agile derby skater ever. (Don't worry - it will wear off to a normal, even healthy amount of fitness.) So I went. And I worked...on breathing... then kicking... finally with arms. I put it all together and swam for a while but it wasn't that much fun. Then I remembered the thing that Bruce (Carnie Coach) often tells us - just relax. Right. My last few laps were rather fun and it all came together so much more easily. Just relax.

Last year at this time I was in Egypt with Kelly and Lara. It was our 3 day there and we were were probably heading off to pyramids or museums or something around Cairo. It was a the beginning of very fun times. Recently, they found yet another pyramid buried somewhere in the desert that is like a 4,500 years old or something crazy. It's like the 113th pyramid that they've found (busy people - those Egyptians). And it's pretty amazing. The director of antiquities said that it's amazing what they find in the desert.

When I was in the Peace Corps there was a saying that "nothing ever gets lost in the desert." The sands shift around and those things that were buried a hundred years ago or even 20 years ago reveal themselves. And since the desert is particularly dry, many things stay intact - including thousand year old pyramids, bones, civilizations, etc. I always thought it would be interestingto take a giant vacuum and "Hoover the desert" just to see all the secrets it's hiding from the rest of the world. That would be pretty amazing. And humbling too.

Nationals... wow.

This weekend I was at Rollerderby Nationals in Portland. There is so much to write about - how lovely the city is - what a great time I had with the people I stayed with at La Quinta - the amazing derby I saw - Windy City (Chicago) stealing my heart - amazing derby. Absolutely amazing derby.

But I'm whooped and need to get to bed so I'll have to save this conversation for another day - it was awe-inspiring and AMAZING. Truly.

Sometimes...

You just have to take a break from it all and laugh. Natalee Dee.com makes me laugh - often. This is truly one of the reasons I don't like Jelly Beans... you just don't know what flavor you're going to get. You are mystified by the red - or is it pink? Is it cherry or strawberry or watermellon or soda flavored? The brown one could be chocolate or dirt. You just don't know. And though that can be fun - but not if you don't like them enough to appreciate the surprise.

I went swimming with Pygmy last night - and it's getting fun again (it's just hard to coordinate breathing, arms AND legs.) It's definitely getting easier. Then I just vegged out and went to bed. I was spent from my work day - the cold rainy days we've been having and all the gloomy news. Sometimes you just need to veg.

Turns out that it's true....


"You shouldn't eat 30 minutes before swimming or you'll get cramps." And boy, even though I only had 1/2 of a stuffed pepper, I got a stitch in my side that relegated me to the open lane with a blue kick board. It was a good swim but truthfully, at this moment, it's not as much fun to be swimming. I am trying so hard to do it correctly and consequently, I am not relaxed. But it will get better. I am sure.

My day was feeling a little bit "dark" as a I was leaving a tough Monday at work. I couldn't help but read the 1,000s of jobs being lost - and thinking of my friends who are all losing jobs. Pymgy's group at work minus her grant funded job and a few other people (preventative health - dept of health) was laid off. (Lucky for her - her entire department at her last job was let go.) As much as I want to feel optimistic, I've been feeling so stressed out.

Then I got a call from my best guy-friend James - who recently left Cleveland for DC - a year after getting married. He's having a good time - getting to know people - embracing a city that is embracing the new president. It turns out that James graduated from the same high school as Obama (he was in the same class as Obama's sister and him mother and her mother knew each other.) DC is "Obama mad". And we had a good time chatting up the changes in our lives and being excited about the changes yet to come.

It was great to chat with him - and lifted the cloud even just a little bit. There is a lot to be hopeful about. Patience. It's all about being patient. I'll learn how to swim better. We'll have a great president who will lead our country through better times.

It's hard to believe I'm even saying this.

I'm pretty excited about it.

Post Election Blues...

I don't have them - I have plenty of other things to fill all the time I spent doing election stuff - swimming, crafty things, work, swimming, work, some derby, planning a party, work and more work. I also didn't -try - to so invested in this election because of the serious blues I had in 2004. Plus, I just find myself so happy...

However, I do have friends who have the post-election blues. The type of "blues" come with any big event for work, big events in your lift, elections are included. Some of these friends actually did a lot of work for the election and some of them were just so emotionally invested in the elections that now that they are over, they'd don't know to do next. They're sad. They're going to be early or they're finding themselves drinking more than usual (I would chalk that up to celebrating).

And even as I write this, I've spent the weekend getting caught-up on those things that have been neglected (like cleaning) and sleeping. I've taken serious naps both yesterday and today. Perhaps I have post-election blues - though I doubt it. I'm pretty damn happy right now and am ready for the next challenge...

American can always be counted on to do the right thing... after they have exhausted all other possibilities." ~Winston Churchill

Today was a great, relaxing, very-much needed day. I went to swim class this morning and no one showed up in my adult swim group (our class is divided into two groups) so I essentially had a private lesson. It was great. We worked on my arms - which I don't use quite correctly, or if I do I forget to kick my legs. Somehow I've been swimming my whole life - just not that well. By the end, I was kicking, breathing (and breathing out thru my nose), and had my arms mostly correct.

The complete downpour that had welcomed in the morning, had tapered to "just raining" and by the time we left swim lessons, it was bright and sunny with big puffy clouds. Taking advantage of the great weather, Pygmy (whose in the other swim group) and I went for a coffee; strolled around up and down Phinny Ridge (we often got to hang out after swimming) soaking up some sunshine and window shopping - and of course, celebrating the election. (I have had these great dreams about great things coming and just wake up happy.)

After discovering a few new shops, we parted ways and I headed over to my P-Patch to "winterize" the plot (removing dead plants, finally pulling up the tomatoes, clearing our some weeds.) I covered half the patch with leaves which keep the sun from bleaching out the vitamins and other nutrients from the ground. I might try a couple of winter veggies. I love the P-Patch - we just lose steam for each in the fall...

I had a much needed little nap before heading to one of my favorite local shops for a "trunk show" at Laura Bee Designs. I've bought designed purses from Laura Bee and a majority of gifts for friend's birthdays or going home to Cleveland have come from there (at least for those people who would appreciate something from Laura Bee.) Though these gifts, I've exposed other people to Laura Bee and now my friends shop there too (and once-in-a-while I get a gift from there too.) They donated a gift certificate for our auction and the winner of the certificate came in an order a bag and decided to have a holiday party there for her staff (and prepaid for 13 purses) - which is great! That $50 gift certificate was stretched far - raising money for the Law Center, bringing new clients to Laura Bee and giving a boss a "cool" holiday party for her staff. That made me happy.

The rest of the night was watching Shawshank Redemption with Lara whose been home sick for a few days - which is an awesome film that I haven't seen in years. Monkey is sitting on my lap purring... what a great way to end an evening.

Happy, amazed, drunk...

Even where the United States is held in special contempt, like here in this benighted Palestinian coastal strip, the “glorious epic of Barack Obama,” as the leftist French editor Jean Daniels calls it, makes America — the idea as much as the actual place — stand again, perhaps only fleetingly, for limitless possibility. NT Times.

Pygmy and I had a beer after swimming (for only 20 minutes) tonight. She didn't make it out last night to all the celebratory events - so we had to have our own celebration. And there were so many things to celebrate: our candidate winning, the first African American president, our candidate winning, a smart, optimist leader who has our attention, a world who wants to get to know him better, our candidate winning, hope, faith and inspiration restored to a people. We had lots to celebrate.

Today, the whole day, everyone seemed to be a little happier. At my grocery store, and I kid you not, every since stocker said, "Hi! How are are?" .A little old man followed me out the store and tugged on my jacket and said in his Norwegian (Ballard) accent "Congratulations!" I told him how I was so very happy and I had bought celebratory (post election hangover) donuts to take into to work . He told me how happy he was for us.

At work we all talked about where we were, if we ended up being a part of the group partying in the streets in Capital Hill (I was in Capital Hill but missed it - it was awesome), what we thoughts of the issues and other ballot initiatives. Where where you when Ohio was declared? What did you think of Virginia... it happened so quickly...Where you when... did you hear his speech?

I was telling one of my colleagues about all of the world leaders congratulating Obama and wanting to meet with him and work with him on all of the problems in the world. She said like a 5 year old brat, "It's my turn to play with Barack!" Which made me laugh. Of course, who isn't going to want his attention. The shiny new president - with all of his ideas and hopefullness. Isn't it like the sun is shining and rising after such a long gloomy time (as my friend Carol said, an 8 yeard depress). Isn't it amazing how hopeful we are? It's it amazing how hopeful everyone else is for us?

I left the bar last night - drunk - waiving an 18" American flag that I took from the bar decorations. I was so proud (and drunk) to be anAmerican. I was waiving it around, happy, so happy, cars were beeping at me as we walked around the city. I went into a little convenient store and the owner, Lebanese or Indian, I don't remember, asked me if he could have my flag. And I asked him if he voted and he showed me his sticker. And I gave him the flag. And I was really happy - Heidi and I talked about this - about those proud moments of being an American. And how maybe they're going to come back to us in waves. We're going to own more of those moments.

I think I'm just going to keep celebrating all week. I plan go to bed drunk (not from alcohol) every night, and live out this celebration just a little longer.

WOOT.

Oh, the Onion, was hilarious. As usual.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/nation_finally_shitty_enough_to

YES WE CAN!!

OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

Yes we did.

And thank you... to Kathy to who was the subtle outspoken Obama supporter among those who were not; Shanny & Shlymy who worked to make sure the vote in OHIO happened; Weedy who worked to GOTV and so many millions of hours;(I heart you); Rebecca who made it worth it to thousands of volunteers; Lara who decided it was time to make a difference; the other Rebecca, my favorite Rebecca, who as my best friend, always didn't agree but in the end agreed to make it happen; to all the rollergirls who made IT HAPPEN; to all the Roller Girls (mostly Carnies) who bought "Roller Girls for Obama" shirts and wore them ALL OF THE TIME; to my father who, for the first time in thirty years, had someone show up at his door to ask him to vote, who also felt inspired by a candidate- for Obama and he gave them a positive TWO THUMBS UP; to Sandra, who always believed it would happen; to CAROL who called me first - because she knew OHIO would DO IT; to Arson who believed early on; to the thousands who volunteered time, sweat, tears and emotion to believe in a man who BELIEVED IN US; to Nanci and Teri who remembered how hard it was the last time and made sure we succeeded; to my mother who always believe in me and put the importance of voting in my life EARLY on as I stuffed envelopes for the Republican Party... and to Countess who is passing it on to HER CHILDREN, ... to all of those who "reach for their ballots"; to Denise who lost her job but not her HOPE; to Pygmy, who I was wishing was with me the whole night, whose views are tied together with mine like a friendship bracelet from the 80's; to all of those who fought for every single vote: THANK YOU!

ALL OF THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE OF YOU.

YES, we did...

We want change...we want change, we want change, we want change...

And it came to us tonight.

Welcome to the next 4 years of your life.

I hope YOU ARE READY to work for it.

I am.

Thank YOU.

YOU.

ARE YOU READY?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY

Optimism...

I could tell you about the gazillion of calls I took tonight - ranging from "quit calling me" and "I will do everything in my power to make sure your candidate never makes it to office (yes, f*ing scary)to "I appreciate all of the things you're doing, thank you so much" and "I'm getting my classmates together and we're going to stand on street corners with signs - can you tell me what is legal."

I could tell you about the INSANE number of volunteers we had in the offices this weekend. I could tell you about how hard it is to fundraise right now and how much work I have to do until the year.

I could tell you about being cautiously optimistic - but I'm not there yet.

I could share with you the BEST chili recipe of all time. I've make it three Sundays in a row - that is how freaking fabulous it is. And everyone who eats it thinks its absolutely amazing: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/print/index.php?r=1598 - from meat-eaters to strict vegetarians. (Thanks Rebecca for this magazine subscription!)

I could tell you about the freezing cold rain and the absolute dark that descends upon a "fall back" Seattle. I could tell you about a man who wanted to jump off the Aurora Bridge this morning, snarling traffic and making me an hour later for work. I could tell you how he succeeded in his unfortunate wish.

I could tell you about having a beer after work, after volunteering on this very LONG, Monday, November 3rd. And typing in my blog and playing the Dixie Chick's version of Fleetwood Max's "Landslide" and tell you that I'm not optimistic tonight.

But I think I am.

Just a little.

Monsters playing dodge ball...

Friday after work I joined a bunch of friends for Thriller - the video and the making-of. It came back like it did when I was 10. However the thing I couldn't stop thinking about when I saw it as an adult was "Wow - they did a lot of coke in the 80's" and "I wonder if half of them (dancers) survived the AIDS epidemic." It was a fun walk down memory lane... a bunch of us when out for a few tasty beverages and walking back to my car I noticed monsters playing dodge ball at the Seattle Central College tennis courts. It was pretty funny to see vampires, ghosts, pac man, superman and others jumping around trying to avoid a little orange ball.

Saturday was adult swim classes - which I am doing with my friends Pygmy and Lara. While waiting for the class to check in - I ran into my friend Julie who had moved from Cleveland over a year ago. She had been on the staff of Cleveland Bridge Builders - I went to a going away party for her and we had played phone tag a bunch when she first moved out before giving up... I ran into her two weeks ago at Greenlake! And now we're in the same swim class together. It was fun - only 30 minutes. I got some great feedback to make my kick better and go confirmation about my stoke - on the crawl stroke. Only. So far.

The weekend was also full of Obama/Gregoire volunteering (7 hours each day) - and a very fun Halloween party on Saturday (I did dress up as "The Christmas edition of Judy Jetson") at Glitter's house and a fantastic practice tonight (after our captains ripped off the band-aid and told us to get our acts together.) I'm pretty whooped but pretty happy on this cold, rainy Sunday.

A long, hopefully happy, week lies ahead!