Opening Season two, 100 points and the Men's Bathroom

Last night was the opening bout of Jet City Rollergirls second season.   My team, CarnEvil, went up against the Pink Pistols - the 2008 champions.  It was a typical long day (except I wasn't in charge of much - and that was a relief - no lineups, no floor set-up, just a regular volunteer/skater for the most part.)  I wasn't sure what to expect - we felt ready - with a mostly new team of skaters, only three weeks worth of practice into our season - it was exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.  And it was a tough game.  We started out neck and neck with points and at one point managed to pull ahead by 12 points.  By half-time we were down by 25 points - which is nothing for us as we're often down at the half.  We met them point for point in the second half, though we were never able eat out that 25 point difference and we ended up losing 100-132.   It was a great game and if we had been able to hold Molly Python, it would have been much closer.  We were thrilled by the game we played!  We put our heart and soul on the track skated away rather proud of how well we did.

I had a particularly good game as I got lead jammer status all but once or twice (which is one of my personal goals for the year) and was able to skate around, grab 4-5 points (sometimes 8-10) and call it off before they had much of a chance to gain too many points on us. It was a really effective jamming game for me and I was thrilled.  I am also so damn proud of my team - many of them skating for the first time ever and all of us really working hard.  It was also great for me and everyone, to have a full roster for once.  It's easier to play a cleaner and more effective game when you don't have to go in two or three in a row before a break. 

 

I sold some raffle tickets at the after party and got home around 1:30 a.m.  I had told Pygmy that we would go to Ikea before Jon went to a Super Bowl Party (I needed a new futon couch - badly and had been trying to make it work my schedule more than a month).  I managed to get to her place by 8:30 a.m.  We got to Ikea for their 3 day sale at 9:15 a.m. not realizing the store didn't open until 10 a.m.  - which cracked us up.  I had read about the restaurant opening at 8 a.m. and offering free breakfast...  I have done this to Pygmy before - waken her up and dragged her off somewhere long before we needed to be there - and she's absolutely not a morning person.  (I am neither a "morning person" nor a "not a morning person" - I am a carpe diem - when I'm up, I'm awake and it's time to start living)... however I didn't get in as much trouble as I have in the past because Lucie insures that Pygmy is up earlier these days.    We ate the free breakfast and loitered in the kitchen area.  Pygmy went to the bathroom and then I did and when she saw where I came from, she started laughing thinking she had used the men's bathroom.  We couldn't figure out where she had gone when a man next to us was shaking his head - smiling.  He laughed saying that he had seen Pygmy walk into the men's bathroom - thinking she would realize it.  Between the beating I took on the track the night before and general lack of sleep, I thought it was the funniest thing ever. 

The store eventually opened.   We did our shopping - managed some great deals - kept the impulse buys down to one each (pop up containers, 3 for $3.99) and came home by noon having had quiet an adventure in shopping.

*photo of Torture racing Jude O'Chopp to the inside line. photo by Edgar Diaz