ReCap of our weekend bout...

From All About Derby - he has a pretty good eye for the game and does a much better job than say, me, who was in it. Enjoy!

August 19, 2008 - Tuesday

Rat City Bout Recap Featuring the Jet City Rollergirls Category: Sports
On Saturday night, a piping hot Hangar 30 was the site of the Rat City Rollergirls 5th bout of the season. In the first game, a potential spot in the championship was in the balance as the last two RCRG champs, Grave Danger and the Sockit Wenches, squared off. And in the second bout of the night, the Throttle Rockets played host to Everett's own Jet City Rollergirls all-star squad.
Sockit Wenches vs. Grave Danger

Jet City Bombers vs. Throttle Rockets
First Half

Jam 1. Darth Skater took the jammers cap for the Throttle Rockets and skated away with lead jammer and a 5-0 grand slam run over Connie Torturous. Score 5-0 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 2. During the initial pass, Jet City jammer Polly Pickpocket made an awesome zig-zag move around Rocket blocker Crash Gordon to claim lead jammer. However, the Bombers still fell short in this jam as Dee Troit was able to post an 8-4 decision for the Throttle Rockets. Score 13-4 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 3. Leeloo was able to pick up lead jammer for the Throttle Rockets, but she still won a squeeker over Cia WoodnwannaBia by a 3-2 count. Score 16-6 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 4. Things looked good for Bomber jammer ReAnimat-her early on as she claimed lead jammer. But just after she did that, the Rockets defense reeled her back in. This gave Comet Atcha the chance to skate away with a 4-0 decision. Score 20-6 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 5. During the initial pass, Rockets jammer Crash Gordon was sent packing to the penalty box. Cia WoddnwannaBia had a chance to pick up some unanswered points for the Bombers, but the jam was called after she crashed to the floor after a huge hit and couldn't get back up. Score 20-6 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 6. Darth Skater once again took the jammers cap for the Throttle Rockets and she made the most of it by earning lead jammer and skating away with a 14-3 decision over Weed Whack-Her (who was sent to the box around mid-jam). During one of the scoring passes, Bomber blocker Nasty Nikki Nightstick came screaming out of the penalty box and landed a highlight reel hit on Rocket blocker Comet Atcha. I just had to mention that one. Score 34-9 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 7. Right after her penalty time was served, Weed Whack-Her came out of the box only to commit another foul and be sent right back in there. All the while, Rocket jammer Dee Troit was on her way to lead jammer and a pair of grand slam runs for a 10-0 run. Score 44-9 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.


Jam 8. With Weed Whack-Her still sitting in the penalty box, Leeloo earned lead jammer and coasted her way to a 13-4 run. Score 57-13 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 9. Comet Atcha was able to claim lead jammer for the Throttle Rockets and came away with a 9-2 decision over Polly Pickpocket. Score 66-15 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 10. ReAnimateher was able to earn lead jammer status and took advantage of Crash Gordon's trip to the sin bin with a 10-3 posting. Score 69-25 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 11. It appeared that Jet City was finally finding their legs as Weed Whack-Her executed a nice little block at the front of the pack which enabled Connie Torturous to spring out to lead jammer status and an eventual 8-4 decision over Astro Glide. Score 73-33 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 12. Just after the jam started, Jet City blocker Retro Bution threw a great hit that took out Rockets jammer Strobe Lightning. And later on during the jam, Lightning was waved off the track to the penalty box. This gave Polly Pickpocket the time to earn lead jammer status and claim a grand slam 5-0 run. Score 73-38 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 13. Darth Skater reclaimed some of the momentum for the Throttle Rockets as she was able to earn lead jammer and post a 4-2 tally over Re-Animateher. Score 77-40 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 14. Dee Troit continued the Throttle Rockets late pull-away as she was able to pick up lead jammer and also an 8-4 decision over Weed Whack-Her. Score 85-42 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 15. Even though Leeloo was able to earn lead jammer status for the Throttle Rockets, she still had to settle with a 4-4 draw against Polly Pickpocket. Score 89-46 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 16. In the final jam of the half, Comet Atcha closed out the scoring on a high note for the Throttle Rockets as she was able to claim a 4-0 decision over Connie Torturous. The halftime score stood at Throttle Rockets 93, Jet City Bombers 46

Second Half
Jam 1. Darth Skater kicked off the second half almost exactly the same way she did the first half; by claiming lead jammer and a 4-0 decision over Re-Animateher. Score 97-46 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 2. Things were looking bleak for the Bombers early in this jam. Rockets blocker Andromeda Sprain nailed Bomber jammer Connie Torurous with a vicious hit early on while Dee Troit was able to land the lead jammer. But in a wild turn of events, Dee Troit was sent packing to the sin bin during her scoring pass. And Connie Torturous was able to skate around for the full two minutes racking up four points on her first scoring pass and a pair of grand slams during her next two for a 14-1 pounding. Score 98-60 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 3. However, the Throttle Rockets doused the Jet City flames in a hurry as Dee Troit came out of the penalty box, claimed lead jammer and raced her way to three grand slams in a 15-0 decision over Polly Pickpocket. Score 113-60 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 4. Connie Torturous took the jammers panty for the Bombers and came away with lead jammer and a 3-0 run against Sirius Mischief. Score 113-63 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 5. Leeloo was able to earn lead jammer status for the Throttle Rockets and picked up a quick two points and called it off before Re-Animateher could score any of her own. Score 115-63 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 6. During the initial pass, Jet City blocker Nasty Nikki Nightstick blasted Rockets jammer Leeloo with a hit that caused a rather large pile-up at the front of the pack. Bombers jammer Angelica Del Morte was sent off to the penalty box during that initial pass, and Leeloo was ordered off not too long afterwards which brought the jam to a close with no points being scored. Score 115-63 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 7. Tuff Enuff took the jammes cap for Jet City, earned lead jammer and came away with a solid 4-0 run over Comet Atcha. Score 115-67 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 8. Polly Pickpocket was making her way through the pack well enough for Jet City early on, but when she got to the front of the pack, she was sent off for a cutting the track major. It didn't matter much though as TR jammer Andromeda Sprain was also eventually sent to the sin bin which ended the jam in a scoreless tie. Score 115-67 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 9. With Andromeda Sprain still in the penalty box, Weed Whack-Her had a chance to post some comeback points for the Bombers. But she was sent off after skating out of bounds for the entire back straightaway. Jam ended with no scoring. Score 115-67 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 10. Leeloo was able to earn lead jammer and claimed a 4-2 decision over Angelica Del Morte. Score 119-69 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 11. Polly Pickpocket was able to earn lead jammer for the Bombers and took full advantage of TR jammer Star Strucks trip to the sin bin with a nice 10-0 lead jammer run. Score 119-79 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 12. Connie Torturous took the jammers cap for Jet City and made the most of it as she earned lead jammer and came away with an 8-0 run over Star Struck (who was absolutely pasted at least three times by Nasty Nikki Nightstick in this jam). Score 119-87 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 13. Re-Animateher took her turn at jammer for the Bombers and skated away with a 5-0 run over Leeloo. Score 119-92 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 14. Comet Atcha was able to earn lead jammer for the Throttle Rockets and came away with a 6-0 decision against Polly Pickpocket. Score 125-92 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 15. Weed Whack-Her was able to earn lead jammer for the Jet City squad,. But she had to settle with a 4-4 draw with Darth Skater. Score 129-95 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 16. Re-Animateher was able to earn lead jammer for Jet City, but neither she nor Dee Troit could post any points on the scoreboard. Score 129-95 in favor of the Throttle Rockets.

Jam 17. In the final jam of the night, Connie Torturous ended the game on a high note for Jet City as she was able to earn lead jammer and pick up a grand slam on her first pass and four more points during her second for a 9-0 decision over La Petite Mort. The final score was

Throttle Rockets 129, Jet City Bombers 104.

Three Stars

3. Nasty Nikki Nightstick. I gotta give her this star simply because she is all over the place in my blocking notes. Probably more than the rest of the players combined in this bout.

2. Darth Skater. I thought this was the best game I've seen her play since her comeback started earlier this year. She shined as a jammer, and also did well within the pack as a blocker.

1. Dee Troit. Pretty much the dominant jammer in this game. She had a pair of double-digit runs along with two more 8 point jams.
Key Jam Of the Game

The 6th jam of the first half when Darth Skater came away with that 14-3 decision that started a 37-7 run by the Throttle Rockets. Had it not been for those three jams, the outcome of this game may very well have been a lot closer, if not different.

Bad Girl Of the Game
Trixxxie's Trashn' Em spent a total of 6 minutes in the penalty box according to my count.

Overall, it was a pretty good night of derby! Both games despite their scores were actually freakishly close on the track. At the end of the day, it was penalties by one team at one point or the other that decided the outcomes. For the third year in a row, the Sockit Wenches find themselves back in the championship game while Jet City looked pretty impressive…especially after they seemed to calm down a little and get into a groove out there in the first period. All-in-all, it was an awesome night!

Ha!

When I got on the bus this morning, it was muggy and all I was thinking was someone needs to open the windows before I melt behind my shades. By the time my first pot of coffee was done brewing at work, a storm had blown in, dropping it down into the sixties. Suddenly, I was super under dressed and without an umbrella for a noontime meeting. Luckily other people are more prepared than me.

Here's a photo from this weekend's bout that cracks me up - I'm trying to pull a whip off of Trixxie's shorts (notice her looking at me grabbing her shirts) while Comet is elbowing me in the gut. It's pretty damn funny. To me.

A Dance Party in the Skies...

It's that terribly common to have heat lightening storms in the skies like the one we're having tonight. There is a very full moon (ok, one day waining), with giant clouds darting around it and a very exciting heat lightening storm. It really needs to rain. It's been hanging out in the 90s for the last few days with high humidity.

The weather made for a very exhausting bout yesterday. JCRG's travel team, the Bombers, played against RCRG's Throttle Rockets. I was so happy to play against them as many of my pals from PFM when I first started skating now play for them. Plus, they're just one of my favorite teams. So it was super FUN. We had a crappy opening but managed to come together during the last 15 minutes of the first half and the second half. I had a scoreless opening jam (bew) but managed to snap out of it and pull in a bunch of points and closed the game by pushing us over 100 - which was great. They were a great team to play though we were sweating buckets (and I mean buckets). We had a great cheering section at turn two of many, many friends and league mates.

Today I went to visit my garden today it it looks like a rental home - it needs a few repairs, an update here and there but looking pretty good all around. Tomatoes and corner are loving the heat. There's no "knee high by the 4th of July here." It's more like "knee high if you're lucky." There are some cucumbers fighting for some space and nearly dead flowers that need to be pulled up. The lettuce I planted recently hasn't popped thru yet. They might be a loss but I'll make a better effort to water my garden more often. Lettuce is a cool weather vegetable and right now it's tomato and corn time.

Virus...

I don't have one but I did go home early from work today feeling under-the-weather. When I got off the bus this morning all I could think was "I need to go lay down. I need to go lay down." Bugs have been going around at work and the derby league - everything from a common cold to Strept. I managed to get thru lunch before a colleague took me home to Ballard as she was out running errands. So I'm fighting a cold I don't quite have with a 4 hour nap, early to bed, pho (Vietnamese soup) and a bunch of dirty hippie home remedies, like Ziacam, Airborne and kombucha (which I swear by).

However, my computer almost go that AWFUL virus going around on the Internet. It's hidden in things Olympic websites (like looking up some information on Michael Phelps) and is called "XP Antivirus 2008". Lara go it at work. It crashed our reception's computer at my work. And I most go it on my computer but I realized what was going on immediately and hit the "control+alt+delete" combo to stop my Internet from downloading it. Phew. Though there are websites to stop it and take it out, who needs to deal with that especially when I need to go to bed early.

Olympics...

It's been a while since I've dedicated this much time to the Olympics. I think the last time I watched it this intently was probably in 1984 - with Mary Lou Retton and Atari "Olympics" as part of my experience. It was summer. (I didn't have to work.) Like many kids, I imagined myself as some kind of potential Olympiad but I could tell you which one. I knew that gymnastics was out of the question but maybe I could be come a runner or pole vaulter, perhaps a synchronized swimmer (very arty). I mean at 9 years old anything was possible, even become a champion ice skater and I had never skated before.

I have various reasons for not following the Olympics over the next 20 plus years: 1988 Olympics I was working - tons - taking care of two kids during the day and working at the China Lantern in the evenings - and off on the Outwest trips. 1992 - ditto. In 1996 - I was in South Africa on a theatre externship and the Olympics were very far from my mind. 2000 - I was in West Africa - actually home by then. 2004, who knows. And maybe all those years I've watched a little bit of Olympics, but just don't remember. And maybe I'll just watch a bit this year and think I really followed it this year.

It's pretty amazing to see all of these athlete's dreams being played out before thousands of people. And being an athlete or more athletic than I have been over the last 24 years (2 seasons of soccer and summer softball each year aren't the same as what derby has done), I have a great appreciation and huge respect for their training; their dedication; their determination and the courage it takes to be such an athlete and to live your dream before millions of people like that. And it's pretty freakin' exciting! Especially when there's an upset and shit talk!

I, of course, am not disillusioned in thinking that I could be an Olympiad just like I'm pretty sure I'm not going to win a Tony. But it's fun to watch them live their dreams.

Derby will never be an Olympic sport - or at least not anytime soon - but it's a great time. Below is a photo from a scrimmage at RollerCon - I'm not quite sure what the hell is going on in this photo - perhaps I'm recovering from a hit or peeling around the corner so far that my body hasn't had time to catch up with my legs but it's a funny picture. And has nothing to do with the Olympics - just sharing.

Fall... already?

The last few days have been brisk - the kind of brisk that you expect at the end of September as a warning that the hot, sunshiny days are numbered - limited event. I'm not quite ready for these days 6 weeks into our summer. It's been a short summer - though glorious - way too short and the bit in the air makes me want to reach for a sweater and I'm not quite ready for that.

I eventually have to blog about this because it's just too noticeable sometimes and too funny all the other times. I am a klutz. If there is a crack in the sidewalk I will trip on it. If there is an tiny dip, my ankle will turn on it and I will perform an arms-flailing-recovery. I don't get hurt and I rarely make it to all four on the ground (or even one or two for that matter.) About once a year I skin a hand. My mother would probably said it's because I don't lift my feet when walking (pick up your feet Michelle!) and other's might argue it's because of weak ankles (but they're not, I am sure.) Friday was a very intense "I am such a klutz!" day. Walking around to meetings and such, I nearly fell about 4 times and they each garnered a response from passing pedestrians of "OMG! Are you OK?!" And I just smile and keep on walking.

Heidi will say that one of her favorites memories in Egypt was when we were in a boutique and I brought two scarves over to her. We chatted about which color would look better and deciding that neither did the trick, I took them back to the table they came from. She turned to say something to me and caught me just in time as I was flying thru the air, a scarf in each hand. She nearly died laughing as did about everyone else in the store - physical humor is funny! Truly.

I do think, by being such a klutz, I have developed a heightened state of awareness and my body is in constant state of "I'll catch you if you fall". Consequently, my recoveries when I do fall are quick and painless. It has helped me tremendously in derby and in dancing. I think because I'm always expecting to fall -that I rarely do when someone is trying to take me out... At least that is my story and I'm sticking to it.

Cars...

So I was sitting on the block of Union nearing 1st Ave for about 17 minutes on my way home from work. I couldn't get out of bed in time to make my bus this morning so I drove. And on my way home I decided to swing by the Post Office downtown to drop off 100 invitations to a 30th reunion for work. Well, that was a bad idea. I couldn't even get to the mail drop for the amount of cars on one city block was probably illegal. I managed to get over to the far right lane to head north towards towards Ballard and got stuck. For 17 minutes. On a short city block. And I don't even like to drive to work. I had to go to practice. I needed a nap.

So while sitting there (the only thing keeping me from getting out directing traffic myself was that I saw a police officer walk that way already), I was thinking of cars and for some reason I hearkened back to when I was kid and fell out of a car. Ok. That makes it sound like I was speeding down a highway and fell out and rolled into a ditch or something crazy. It was more like I thought my mom had parked and I opened the door and step out just in time for her to pull away. I fell out. Rolled around. Probably got yelled at for stepping out of the car (out of fear that I could have hurt myself even more.) It was in a parking lot. I fell out of a car. I'm pretty sure we wore seat belts - but maybe not.

It was something to think about. While sitting in a car, inching down one city block for 17 minutes.

Whooped after being humbled and inspired....

After 5 days in Los Vegas with nearly 3,000 roller girls in 107 degree heat, I'm whooped. I was humbled by some amazing skaters from other leagues across the country; made friends with ones in similar situations as my league; got to know some of my own league mates better and found inspiration as the game is growing and changing.

It was better that last year as I knew what to expect, participated in more fun activities like being a the L Word team v. Sex in the City mini-bout and as a "jeer leader" for another fun mini-bout team. I went there with eyes open and ready to learn - and that I did.

I forgot to gamble at the casino but did manage to stay up most the night a few times just to hang out with some friends; watch the “Billy Idol” dealer rev up the roller derby crowd each night at 2:30 a.m.; drank bottled Coors Light (bleh) and shared in the unofficial RollerCon theme of “sharing”.

Some highlights: While scrimmaging on a polished cement floor (read: slippery as snot) I gave Arsenio Brawl a whip, she got hit by a blocker, went down, but I hadn’t let go of her hand and managed to swing her back up off the floor, onto her skates and off she went. It was simply awesome.

Sierra Fist told me that I was “amazing” when we were dancing at karaoke. I have years of practice being a “lead” dancer because of the general shortage of men in salsa and meringue. Because of my height, I was taught to lead. I’m generally a good dancer – even if my dance partners are toasted.

I got to know two skaters from Riverside Roller Girls in Virginia who belong to a league that is very similar – about the same age, facing some of the same struggles and successes. It was fantastic to meet them and it would be dreamy to be able to bout them someday.

I also had a great time hanging out with some of my league mates. Some of us are on the same team and some of were roommates last year. But we’re a year older as a league, our problems are challenges and accomplishments are different. I also hung out with other skaters I knew from area leagues, photographer friends, refs and fans. It was fun.

There are many other stories from RollerCon but one of the best things that happened was in the LA airport coming home. (We had managed to fly past amazing thunderstorm clouds over the desert.) I had read the People magazine back to front and back again. I was too tired to stay awake on the last leg of my trip but wanted something to read until I fell asleep. I stumbled across David Sedaris’ new book “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” at the airport bookstore. I don’t buy hard copies of books but after starting a chapter in the middle I couldn’t say no. And as tired as I was, I couldn’t stop reading it. It brought me such joy! I forgot how much I loved to read – it’s been forever since I’ve made time to do so. And it inspired me to write. I am not a writer like David Sedaris – but I would like to call myself a writer just the same. And I think the last 5 days in Vegas provided plenty of inspiration.

Updates...

Shannon and Lyman have a new daughter - Fiona. Yipee!

I had a most splendid weekend - having gone to a wine (drink-too-much) tasting on Friday. I had a load of fun but learned many things about wine - some of which I new and some of which was new.

• Sulfates, which are a natural by product of wine, are not the cause of my headaches (and no, it's not from drinking too much of it either) - there are other things called aimes (or something like that) that might be contributing to "red wine headaches".
• Grapes like to grow in crappy, arid, lava rock soil. It's actually better for the grapes to struggle in order to make great wine. This is why eastern Washington (high desert, formally lava land) does so well with wines, and California, Greece (though their wine is kind of crappy.)
• There are two general types of fermenting - in a giant steel vat and in oak barrels. Those white wines that have a crip taste are made in vats. Those that have an oak flavor are made in barrels.
• Cab Fran is a type of grape. YUM. One of my favorites.
• There are many ways to enhance the flavor of the wine after you open it. Whites should only be chilled for about 20 minutes. Reds should be opened to let some of the flavor open up. You can also do like a water bong in your mouth to get more flavor out of your red.
• Cheap wines doesn't mean it's bad. I brought a bottle of one of my favorite wines and the sommelier exclaimed "OMG - my mouth is having an orgasm."

I learned lots of other things but all I can remember three days later. It was fun.

Saturday was for mostly relaxing and sewing helmet panties for RollerCon is week (yeah!!). Sunday was a retreat for the HIV Trail Unit Community Advisory Board (very informative) and some leisurely outdoor skating.

I planted new plant on the porch/deck and cleaned up the apartment. I'm just about ready to go to Vegas for 5 days! I can't wait!

Cheerleader...

I think my new role in this coming year (nearly half over) is going to be that of "cheerleader" instead of "leader" - in a few things - in life. And I'm pretty damn happy about it.

Surprises...

I was walking back from a many-times-delayed lunch meeting with another development officer (one of the reasons my own people make me crazy) when I called Rebecca back to chat about jobs and such. She asked me if I had heard if Shannon's baby had been born yet. I admitted that I didn't know, I hadn't spoken to her since July 4th weekend in which she had told the doctor, no, I don't want to be induced, please let nature take it's course. Rebecca didn't want to be surprised to see them walking down the street with a toddler (as I've neglected to tell her about some very important details in other people's lives, like the fact that my brother and sister-in-law had been expecting and that a mutual friend had surgery for a brain tumor.) I told her I would call Shannon right that minute to find out about baby...

Lyman, Shannon's husband (and the both of them being the BEST roommate ever!) answered the phone. Hi Lyman! I was just calling to see what you two are up to and if you had that baby yet (expecting to hear a crying in the background). "We're having a baby." Did you already? "No, we're at the hospital now." I started laughing, I was just calling you to find out what was going on.... and now I know. And there will be a new baby sometime by the end of today or early tomorrow and I can't wait to hear about it!

Punished...

I called today to find a cheaper auto insurance rate. It happens every six months when I have to pay my bill that I think "this could be so much cheaper". (I still want collision because my car is still worth more than $5k - at least according to the Kelly Blue Book.) I don't always have the time or energy to look into it. However, when a colleague was shocked upon learning how much I paid - I decided to put forth a little more effort. So I spend about 1/2 hour at work this morning making another half hearted attempt to find good but cheaper insurance.

The first place I tried, the online tool wouldn't work so I called them. I gave them volumes of information and the came back with a quote almost equal to my current insurance. I asked "why? why aren't you any cheaper?" The woman on the phone responded, "You know they don't tell me why you get the rate you do. It could do with credit (mine is good), or if you're married (what?!) or if you own a house (really!) or multiple cars. (grrrr.)" So I'm being punished for not being married and having manageable debt? Which of course, I didn't mean to say out loud but I did and she felt bad. This happens often enough. I feel this way paying my taxes, applying for credit and other things. And I KNOW it's illegal to "punish" people for not being married. But then why do you get better rates "being married?" How does that make you more responsible or a better driver? And it's not a debate I honestly care about getting into. It's just one way to ruin your morning.

Compression...

My leg had been bothering me since the last bout - enough so that I would wake up at night with a dull throbbing ache. I had taken out the Honey jammer, ReAnimator, by smashing her into the Honey blocker, Ta Ta. And we all went tumbling down. It felt like 20 wheels crashed in to my shins and calf, tightening up my leg though mildly effecting the performance of my game. But I had no proof of the injury, just hidden bruises and pain that woke me up at night - almost every night. And then one of the three visible bruises below my ankle move to the front/top of my foot and someone at work reminded me that compression (or better yet - R.I.C.E.) would help. Of course! I knew that. And proceeded to purchase an ace bandage for my leg and a foot wrap that was to give "mild" (read: holy crap that's tight) compression. After a short time, like rain in the desert, the bruises hiding below the surface bloomed. And there are about 10 wheel marks from my ankle up to my knee (around the front that you can't see from the picture above) ...from that first hit, in the first jam of the bout.

Besides a discovering series of bruises, it's been a lovely weekend: helped a friend move, went to a Rat City bout, went to a 50th birthday party, had BBQ and kickball with my team, skated outside, went to the Farmers Market, ate a lot of fruit and other tasty delights.

And other things bloomed this week besides bruises... flowers in my garden too!

Stagnant Air...

Tonight, after work, I more or less headed straight up to Everett for a meeting and decided NOT to skate. In the 2.5 years I've been skating, I've never voluntarily taken a week off - until now. I am not sick or on vacation - and the truth of the matter is, I'm still skating - but outside with my friends at Alki or at Myrtle Edwards (ME) with my teammate Mona. I'm enjoying the sun and the short commute. I'm enjoying using different muscles outdoor skating and I appreciate not going left for two hours straight (skate, turn left).

On my way up to this meeting, I had the station turned to classic rock (my favorite station was deep into honky-tonk - which I like for about 30 minutes), and they were talking about stagnant air. Reported in three counties. No fires, no burning brush, the air wasn't moving. Since my initial visits to Seattle, I've heard of this thru Heidi or on the radio while visiting. A low front has moved in and the air isn't moving. Kind of like LA, on a smaller level. This never happened in the Midwest, with it's breezy evenings and winds coming off the Rockies and Great Plains. Luckily, the stagnant air is full of oxygen.

Peas, Flowers, Derby Wive...

I went to my P-Patch tonight after work to pay some much needed attention to the peas who had been trying to reach the heavens. The plants had long given up their plight and were leaning down on the ground - rather yellowed. I started pulling off the leathery pea pods and was extremely doubtful about how good they would be. I decided I would only pick the more green ones and toss the rest in compost pile. I was doubtful that they would be anything but shriveled up and rather gross. Of course, when I got home with by bag full of peas, I read on the University of Illinois extension website, that I should have picked them - when they were still mostly green and immature- starting about two weeks ago. When I opened them up though, they were rather beautiful - sealed in a water tight pod, they were softer then I expected, waxy and greener too. However, let's face it. I'm not a master gardener - there is a pretty good chance that they will be starchy and not sweet and tasty.

The flowers are beautiful.

I went skating with Weedy (my derby wife), Lara, Kelly Rae and Steph on Monday. Actually only Kelly, Lara and I skated and the other two walked (Steph not knowing how to skate and Weedy needing a break.) We had a great dinner at Cactus and on our way home, I was telling Weedy about my rather crappy Sunday. I was tired, slightly hungover (more tired) and had to unload the skate floor and return the GIANT rental truck. Luckily, there was a great group of skaters who turned out to help. As I was leaving the storage facility, I cut the hair pin corner too close and scraped the mortar facade on the building - causing teaspoons sizes of cement to fall of and scratching the truck. I was BUMMED - to say the very least. The storage owners weren't upset as it was just the facade and as long as the truck was ok... Heading down I-5, I had an empty truck and was going about 55 mphs - in the center lane, driving carefully when a flock of gulls came swooping down the road and right into the truck - there was little I could do - breaking was definitely not an open. At least one of them didn't clear the truck and exploded into a burst of feathers onto the freeway. That added to the shitty, slightly hungover, damaged a rental truck feeling when Weedy smirked. What's funny? Of course you hit a bird Michelle. Don't you remember when we were driving in Spokane and you were like "run birdies run" as you sped down the road toward them. OMG - that made me laugh. And it put things in perspective. She's such a great derby wife!

Last Game of the Season...

Last night was the last game of the season... we ended it by not being able to score just 12 more points. We're definitely a second half team and just couldn't pull it off. It wasn't my best jamming game but I was really happy with my blocking. Our second half was so much stronger for everyone. We just need to start that strong. And we'll get there. We have a break coming up - some outdoor skating, some team BBQs and other fun things.

This was a great place to be at the end of the season. Our team is nothing like it was in when we first played in January - but neither were any of the teams. And that was the exciting part - to see the growth and dynamic changes of our whole league.

(photo: me hold back ReAnimator.)

Championships & Champions!

Tomorrow is the Championship game of our first "official" season and I can't wait! I honestly wasn't that excited about them (just another game) until I went to lunch with my derby wife yesterday (Weedy) who always gets me pumped up. Actually, we use to work together at Planned Parenthood and would make each other MANIC about derby. I would nearly have a heart attack about two weeks before the bout and break out into a nervous sweat. Since we both left each other (both getting new jobs at the end of last year/beginning of this year), we manage our derby stress a little better. It's good to see each other but not that often. And I'm not going to spend a lot of time reflecting on this first year. Suffice it to say, I'm THRILLED and SO PROUD to have been a part of such a great and growing league and an awesome team! I am looking forward to a fuller season next year.

Also, this week, at work, we present oral argument before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals over the pharmacy refusal case - which started while I was at Planned Parenthood and I've been involved with on some level (usually media and fundraising appeals). It was a very exciting and dynamic day at court and there are reasons to feel we achieved some level of victory - though we'll see how the court rules. I attached some links that cover the case below.

Yet again, I am so PROUD to be a part of this organization and to be doing the work that I do. I love it, that in my life, I have worked for organizations who have gone before the Supreme Court to protect women's rights. I have written letters to donors talking about the impact of our work on domestic violence and women in the workforce. I have been a part of a team that pass legislation to extend rights to families. I have been part of great struggles for better health care for all. And people wonder how I can "be a fundraiser". How can you NOT when you're working for such great causes?!

The photos are from my team's photo shoot this past weekend... aren't Carnies just the cutest?

Links to the oral argument in the 9th Circuit:

http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/07/todays_plan_b_showdown_in_federal_court

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/370052_planb09.html

Hilarious!

I went to my P-Patch today where the peas are trying to take over the WORLD and pulled up all kinds of weeks (that will take over my garden if I blink) and decided to pull up my carrots because I thought they were getting ready to flower - and they are the smallest and funniest carrots ever! They're like a carrot snack!

Pirates and Ultimate Frisbee...

Today, I tabled at at the SeaFair pirates landing, for Jet City. It was a festival, the kick off to "SeaFair" and my teammate's uncle is a pirate. It was mostly a fun fest for kids and gave people a good excused to get dressed up, spend time with the kids and have tasty snacks. It was something I hadn't participated in yet and after an hour of handing out balloons, I headed to a valley in Redmond to watch my friend play ultimate Frisbee at Potlatch 2008. An aside: The potlatch is a festival or ceremony practiced among Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. At these gatherings a family or leader hosts guests in their family's house and hold a feast for their guests. The main purpose of the potlatch is the re-distribution and reciprocity.

In ultimate "potlatch" is the task of giving gifts to the other team at the end of the game - like My Little Pony stickers and wrist guards when your team is Dark Horse - which apparently had two different themes - My Little Pony and the fact that James Polk ran as a "dark horse" candidate (A dark horse candidate is one who is nominated unexpectedly, without previously having been discussed or considered as a likely choice). It was also another reason to drink beers and play silly games.

Ultimate is a very unique sport and I rather enjoyed it. It was easy to follow like football or soccer - offense and defense were easy to discern. Fouls were variations of fouls in basketball mostly. However, it's completely self regulating - there are no refs - you call fouls when you're being fouled. You play to a certain number of points or the end of 1.5 hours. You rotate in, you play rock-paper-scissors during time out with the other team, you discuss your foul, you drink beer and juice. You wear funny costumes - capes, hats, weird leg things - some of the interfering with play and other doing nothing to enhance it. You eat burritos and drink beer right before you go on the field to play. And then you run like hell for 1.5 hours and jump and throw and catch. Faye's team, which was a motley crew gathered from a couple local teams just to play in this tournament, were in a tight game against the number one Canadian team and they rallied and beat them 14-13. It was very excited - and as close to a nailbiter as you can get in a game that you just learned about.

Happy 4th of July!

Today was an absolutely beautiful 4th of July. Starting off as a cloudy morning, the day ended beatuifully. A motley crew of Jet City Rollergirls skated in the Everett 4th of July parade - our second year in a row - and one of my favorite events we participate in as a league. It's a short route, we make friends with lots of kids who love to see us on rollerskates and a lot of older folks who remember derby in their youth. A bunch of us then headed over to Star TaRiot's house for a very tasty afternoon BBQ at which time the sun peered out from behind the clouds. I managed to put sunscreen over my tattoos but ended up getting more sun (read: burn) than I have in YEARS. I am a new found lover of the sun, getting so little of it in Seattle, but I'm not interested in getting burned for all the reasons I grew up with - cancer, looking like a leather bag later in life, cancer, you know, the usual reasons.

We ate BBQ, hung out, talked about derby, crafts, how we met whomever, drank tasty beverages. Me and Arson headed back to Seattle around 5 p.m. so that she could head to yet another BBQ and party and I could head home to my empty apartment. I enjoyed a cat nap, ate some pizza and fresh cantaloupe, cleaned the apartment, put groceries away, unpacked my bag from my vacation last week and started gathering up stuff for a team garage sale.

I'm looking forward to getting to bed at a decent hour and calling it a great holiday.

Thunderstorms and a broken skater

Tonight thunderstorms scattered over greater Seattle have lit the sky with fantastic flashes and low lying rumbles at the bottom of the Earth's belly. Rain is pouring down in sheets and the Kitty friends are confused at this phenomenon. This will be a topic of conversation at work tomorrow because they're so RARE here. And they're so welcomed. And they're such news.

Tonight we broke one of our new skaters. She's been on the team for a week and while jamming around the corner was hit by an opposing teammate and went down oh so wrong and that was the end of the jam and her skating for a while... I am sick to my stomach about it. And I know she'll be back - because she's that kind of gal. But it breaks my heart just the same - she's one of my favorites.

Two things I noticed....

I forgot about being profiled for this website for my minuscule contribution to the fight against AIDS for HIV Vaccine Trails Network (HVTN): http://www.hvtn.org/community/volunteers.html

And water. I have a lot of stories about water. I'm a tiny bit of a control freak when it comes to water... I'll explain those in a later posting. I ran across an interesting story about bottled water today in the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2008024882_water30.html

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.

We, tree frogs and rain...

So apparently I am not allowed to have a bright sunny summer. I left the west coast having sat thru one of the coldest Junes on record heading to what is usually a hot and humid Ohio. I'll give you the humid. The sun pokes through clouds with the days being broken up by rain storms. But it hasn't been 90s and sunshine like it was a few weeks ago. I like rain storms but I would appreciate them a little more if there were thunder too - just to make it a bit more interesting.

There great little tree frogs at my parents house, where I am staying, that remind me so much of growing up. There is a pond in the woods where the bullfrogs reign and between the two it is quite an orchestra. There are also mosquitoes to boot.

Last night, we played wii blowing. I have been able to beat most of my family at this game - usually because I show up from the airport at midnight and they're rather intoxicated. Warbie (mom) beat me the first few games before Pere (dad) joined us. He knew all of these tricks to get the wii people (who have no arms but bowl) to jump up when you dropped the ball or dance around. Warbie had made Wii characters that looked much like us. Pere bowled a ridiculous 200, with me falling into the middle at 170 and Warbie trailing somewhere behind. It was a lot of fun and was much like playing board games as a kids. I am not nearly as good of a bowler in real life. My fingers are long so to find a ball that fits them I have to pick up like a 14 lb ball with I can't really control. If I get a 10 lb ball which I can handle, I can't get my fingers in comfortably and thus, I can't control the ball. It's probably better to stick to Wii.

The most beautiful girls in the world...

...happen to be the Johnson twins and their new sister McKenna. Of course, this is a completely biased opinion and I really could have spent a month with them, not just a few days. They're at that most wonderful age of asking "why?" about every single thing. And I'm just the type of aunt that will come up with an answer for every single question. We went to the Cincinnati Zoo, painted a bird house and a horse (that could be washed and colored again). We did chalk drawings on the driveway, learned how to play hopscotch (which Alexandra plays by jumping up and down yelling "Scotch, Scotch, Scotch, Scotch"), had many discussions about tattoos (why it didn't wash off, if it hurt and why my octopus dropped the bubble wand), went to swimming lessons, and read many, many books. We fed the baby, ate lots of food and went thru Aunt Michelle's orange purse many times.

I was sad to leave them on Tuesday morning when I took "the dog" (Greyhound) up to Cleveland. It was only $32 one way which was the cheapest option - far cheaper than renting a car or flying. Of course, I think everyone should ride "the dog" at least once every 5 years (about my average). Riding the bus makes you realize just how unique and special Americans are and their crazy Canadian neighbors. I was ready to clobber the college students behind me (one who said everything as if it was an action film trailer) but instead popped on my ipod with the first song being Queen's "Save Me." Ha!

I spent Tuesday night having BBQ with Mike and parents and drinking beers on the sidewalk with the neighbors, listening to the tree fogs with a roaring fire pit. I spent the whole day with Rebecca (as opposed to the usual 2.5 hours she's allotted when I come on whirlwind trips) walking all of Cleveland Heights and catching up on stories about people we know, ironies (mostly in her life), funny things that children do, families, relationships, the usual. At the end of the afternoon, we picked up her son whom I've known well since birth and her twin daughters (see a theme here?) who are also SO VERY cute. In the year since I last saw them, they have become little Houdinis, with wild blond curls. They had me read them every book on the coffee table before I headed home for dinner with the parents.

I schlepped my skates all the way across the country but I am not going to be able to make it to any of the Burning River Rollergirls practices - which they said I could attend. My schedule has gone up in smoke and it turns out that friends I really want to see (or that I only saw for 2 hours last time) are only available during practice times. I'll get to skate with the Burning River Rollergirls someday... and honestly, sometimes you just need a break from all-things-derby.

It's only Tuesday....


But in a week I'll be in Cleveland! Woot!

Rhymes with Orange

Nothing rhymes with orange and it's generally a funny comic strip. Today I received a lovely package of surprise orange in the mail today - and it a delightful surprise - orange! The pendant already has an outfit begging to be worn with it. My summer purse from Laura Bee is orange with a green ribbon. My car is red (only because it didn't come in "sunburnt orange" and "manual".) I love apricots, cantaloupe, and carrots (blueberries and bananas too). I have an orange button-up, winter jacket, many summer skirts and favorite sandals. My favorite earrings were orange (lost one) and I enjoy it so much that my new tattoo had to have some orange in it. I lobbied for our samba group to have orange as one of its core colors (and I won which made it difficult to find orange fabric in the early 2000 before it became the "new black".) I kept one of my samba costumes from when I moved from Ohio - the orange one. I'm not obsessed with orange but I do rather enjoy it.

I was introduced to it in excess in Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa when I was in the Peace Corps. Everything had orange in it. Fabric with green and orange plaid. Red and orange flowers. Orange fish on pale yellow. Blue, yellow, green and orange swirls. All beautiful and all in abundance. And at first you can't image wearing such combinations but by the end of the two years you can't imagine life without it. And if you can avoid it, you'll find a way to put plenty of it back into your life.

Even if you need a little help from your friends.

I like your t-shirt


A very popular 5 year old (who has been to a few parties I've been to in the past) came up to me last night (at my first of three parties) and said, "I really like your t-shirt." I said thank you and then when inside to tell her mother how much her daughter loved my black and white corset and if she wanted to get one, she could get it at Broadway Boutique. We laughed and chatted about how her daughter always wanted to wear such grown up things... as her mother, she kept telling her she had plenty of time to wear such things. I, myself, didn't start wearing corset until this year - she has plenty of time.

One of the parties was for my friend Kyla who is moving to Argentina. She's heading down to stay with a cousin and teach ESL - her boyfriend is joining her later. I have to admit that I am envious when I hear of my friends running off to do such things. There's nothing stopping me from applying for a job abroad, joining an organization where I would have such opportunities. I had my stint in the Peace Coprs. I could leave again... but I'm really just having such a good time here.

The evening ended at a 30th birthday party - themed for the 1930's Depression - for a friend whose a derby girl for Rat City. There were 4 burlesque performers who did a variety of fantastic acts (some of them were rollergirls too) before the party became a dance-dance party. (I love dancing!) The music was great though it was pretty funny to have all of these people dressed in 1930's costumes (or rags) dancing to M.I.A. and the Cure. It was odd and would throw you for a second. I rolled home late and crashed out with the two kitty friends.

Today might have been the perfect day. It was sunny and not too hot. I went to the Ballard Farmer's Market, out to lunch, worked in my p-patch, went to crossing training with another skater, grocery shopped and cleaned out the fridge - all of the fabulous things you can do on a Sunday. And it was father's day - I called mine a couple of times but didn't get him.

And though the sun is setting an a very nice weekend, the University of Iowa was flooded again. All of the buildings in the art campus and my resident hall that were flooded in the 1993 Floods (when I was there) are flooded again. Its tragic to see all the devastation caused by this never ending rain - from the sopping wet corn fields to the homes that have been destroyed.

Amazing what a little sun will do...

Just when you don't think you can bitch about the weather anymore, you've drank an entire pot of coffee because you can't get over that morning hump, your friend can barely complete that aerobics class, you're sick of your 10 month winter wardrobe, you're sitting in your office feeling so uninspired when the sun peeks and you realize that you and 650,000 other people feel just a tiny bit of hope.

The people in Cedar Rapids don't feel much hope.

Damn winter..

I know I've been bitching about the weather - a lot - but its been absolutely freezing! I haven't been able to take in my leather jacket to get a button repaired because I'm fearful not to have it. I wear a wool wrap in my office! I had to pull out a hat on Monday and am about to start looking for my gloves. In the paper yesterday, it was declared the coldest June since 1911! Today it snowed in Pullman and the DOT had to pull out the big trucks to plow Snoqualmie Pass! And they're getting more snow. Come on! It's the second week in June! Grrr.

Don’t Minimize Our Accomplishments, my new tattoo and a short bus

As another skater went on to explain when I was talking about our win this weekend, “You DID NOT play the 11th ranked team in the Nation Michelle”. OF COURSE NOT! But we did play the B team from the league that produced that team. (And that does mean something - even if just a little.) As my friend as work said “don’t minimize your accomplishments.” It was an awesome game and I’m thrilled to have played in it. Here’s a recap of it if you’re really interested.

Last week I got a new tattoo... It's a rare thing to have both money and inspiration. I had the inspiration - got a friend to design it and saved up the money. It's an octopus on roller skates - a derby octopus - wearing knee pads and a helmet that a starfish clung on to (we look similar - the octopus and I - just see the photo below.) The bubbles connect the fish on my shoulder (which all somehow work with the fossil on my ankle.) I went out with some friends right after I got it and she was like "I could never get a tattoo - I mean what I am going to do about with when I'm 65?" My only response was "I haven't even begun to think of 65." I mean that's forever away - right.

My express bus this morning was a short bus - literally. It was about half the size of the regular morning express bus. This stop is usually the last stop with seats (so I can sit and read the paper on my way to work.) We blew past a couple of stops because we were packed full. It was kind of ridiculous - with gas as expensive as it is - and for it to be an express morning bus - to be a short bus. I just hope it's not a sign of anything else. Just a short bus.

For the Love of Derby...

This weekend three leagues came together to play two Jet City Roller Girl teams. The Jet City B52s who had played the Bellingham Betties three weeks ago when we were in Spokane, hosted them for a grunge match. And the Jet City Bombers (travel team) played Portland's Axel of Annihilation - their "b team". (The Rose City Rollers are ranked 11th in the nation!) It was a nail biting game for both teams. The leads weren't easily established - and went back and forth between the teams. Everyone was playing so well but both Jet City Teams managed to pull away with wins! And it was so fantastic to be playing - three teams - not in a tournament - just for fun - for the love of DERBY! A game thrown together in three weeks. It was a great represention of the sisterhood.

We, as the Bombers, played really well together. It was an exciting game. I was a consistant jammer (not a superstar but getting points each time) and had some great assists from my teammates. The after party was a fun fest at a local dive bar where we took over the dancing/karaoke and ate fried bar food. It was all of the reasons I play derby.

Obstacle in my salad and winter weather

I was eating my salad (organic, homegrown, from my P-Patch) during lunch at one point this week and I found a twig. Actually two. And a little dirt (I cleaned it rather late at night). And a slug. I looked at the slug and it grossed everyone else out. I stopped eating the lettuce but finished the carrots and the tomatoes. For some reason it didn't bother me. I mean it was a small slug. It came from an organic garden. It was just another obstacle in my salad.

And there's something about 50 degrees and freezing cold rain that just makes it hard to believe it's summer... that it's June. Really already.

www.nataliedee.com

The new niece...

Beautiful picture of the new the niece and her sisters is to the side. I can't wait to visit!

Of course I had a million (or at least three) things to write about today but I'm pretty whooped - having gone to the gym, my P-Patch to pick more delicious lettuce and then to practice - I'm ready to call it a weekend and head into the work week...

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...

Snickerdoodle Mochi-Pie

"You know, they were all snickerdoodle mochi-pie." My friend Glitter was explaining how her friend Jen was, you know, making out, all in each others face, all snickerdoodle mochi-pie with her girlfriend and consequently missed the fact that they were playing a song for the wedding party and not for other guests to jump out on the floor. It was the bridal party dance and they were just guests. And consequently, in the snickerdoodling they missed the cue, ended up on the dance floor and in the way of the photograph. "I'm just not like that. I'm not a big PDA person." I'm the same way. And so are so many people I know. And so it this blog.

The thing is in the last few weeks, stuff has been happening to people and because they're not all snickerdoodle mochi-pie about it, I haven't known always what has been motivating their actions. And believe it or not, they don't have to tell me - though it has caused some confusion among other people. But here are some of the things they're not snickerdoodling about: A couple of friends have received their pink slip (one from a company she's been with for 8 years), one has a really sick kid, a few are having serious relationship problems, more are having health problems, some are having general family issues, another hates her job.

There are all of those things that simmer beneath the surface, and influence decisions people make. And sometimes we don't know that. And sometimes you have to start each day a little more gently or patiently because someone didn't snickerdoodle mochi-pie in your face to let you know what's going on.

This is why I play derby!

And I'll have to tell you about it when I have a chance... I'm spent, still slightly hungover and completely in love with my team!

Carrots and the Midwest

The weather lately has been very reminiscent of Aprils in the Midwest. Yesterday was sun, rain, hail, snowballs (I swear it was like some mini snow ball fight between the gods in the skies and those on earth) back to sun ending in freezing rain. In my two years, three winters of being in Seattle, this is the most peculiar weather ever. Luckily for me, my vegetables don't seem to mind. I actually have carrots sprouting! I tried to grow carrots three times last year to no avail but all of my veggies, lettuce, peas, carrots and beans are quite happy with the snow and sunshine mix.

Last night the Dairyland Dolls (Madison, WI) were in town to play the Rat City Roller Girls. I have such an affinity for "those things Midwest" (and not all things Midwest) but besides being so damn cute in white milk maid uniforms, I wanted them to win! And they did! (And really, everyone loves Madison. It's like Evergreen, WA or Oberlin, Oh - a great progressive, college town where good things happen in the heartland.) They fought for every point against Grave Danger. They did a bunch of things really well - one of them being their incredible communication. They were always talking to each other, letting each other know where they were, when they were called out for too many penalties, who was going where. They also worked really well together with their "friends" (or in pairs) - it was a delight to watch them play. And they played so cleanly. They were awesome. I love those Midwestern gals.

Snow...

I swear this is like a Midwest winter - late spring snows! As I walked from one happy hour to another, it started sleeting. I was only wearing my leather jacket and cloggs -trucking up a hill (on my to school both ways.) And I couldn't help think of my poor veggies in the cold snow! If I get some time tomorrow, I'm going to go to my P-Patch and build little tents for them or something. I'm not sure my lettuce can handle the cold.

My first happy hour was to talk about my recent friend's trip to South Africa. She went with some other students from the University of Washington to work in a women's legal center center in Cape Town. And she had a horrible experience. The more we talked about it, the more it was about dealing with the other students, living in a house with 17 other American who thought they knew what they were talking about. She was frustrated, angry and didn't want to go to law school anymore even volunteer. I sympathized with trying to deal with Americans who thought they knew everything (though young, she's already had one career and spent 6 years as a stylist). Though the more we talked, we started laughing about public transportation, riding in the combi, fearing for her life, laughing about the drivers. We talked about how great her experiences were when she was just hanging out with other South Africans (away from the Americans), the Zimbabweans she met and how she wants to travel some more.

Americans can be a tough group to deal with sometimes. It's great to get out there, experiencing the world and different cultures... and we all have to start somewhere, but it's tough when you're hanging out with so many of them who are having that first experience together.

Mack Trucks, winter, the world

Yesterday I got a deep tissue massage to work out the back kink, muscle tweak, thing I did to my back at Greenlake on Sunday. I don't ever seem to get to get a massage to just relax and feel good, it's always to fix a problem. And my masseuse, who is also an athlete and works at Ballard Massage (which is awesome and two blocks away), worked the back spasm out. I was drunk happy and grateful for the spasm to become just a sore muscle. I drank lots of water, went to practice (only giving about 80%) and went to bed early. But I still felt like I had been hit back a Mack Truck today - all day today. I tried to avoid taking Advil but I felt awful, sore but happy. Oy.

And winter came back today - it was cold and rainy yesterday but was worse today. If it hadn't been for the teaser Saturday I would be at my wits end (though I'm happy that my garden is getting a good drink of water). One of the many tiring things about winter, is that I'm absolutely sick of my cloths. I'm sick of wearing the same things for the past 9 months. I can't wear open toed shoes or short skirts. And forget shopping (which I don't like to do anyway) - you get to the store and the clothes on the mannequins are for people who live in sunny south Florida - not rain soaked Seattle. I want to wear my cute and fun things. I want to wear my bright orange sandals that I love so much and not be cold.

And then there are people rioting over food all across the world... I really don't have much to complain about.

A lovely weekend....

The first 70 degree day occurred on Saturday and it might as well have been a national holiday the way everyone celebrated. Any excuse you could find to be outside got you there... I started the great weekend with Friday off of work - just for fun. (When I schedule the day off I needed it but as the week went on I didn't really need it.) Friday was running around outside, skating a Greenlake, a nap with my cats and a baseball game that evening - my first one at Safeco field. It was fun - I was hanging out with a bunch of Wenches. A guy in our section got a wave going (after many tries) that looped the stadium 4 times (so much fun).

Saturday was an early haircut, outside, outside, outside - a bunch of laps around Greenlake on my skates (and a pulled muscle in my back when I reach down to fix my toestopper.) Another cap nap. Running errands for an event that evening. A walk at Golden Gardens (the Pacific is so cold). Lunch. Dinner outside. Off to the event. Home not too late and waking up to rain.

I was under the impression that it was a "weekend" of sunshine and not just one day. But it was good enough. I'll take it.

All dressed in pink for a great weekend of burlesque!

All the trees are sporting bright pink spring jackets! Its like "Fashion Week" here in Seattle and green leaves (the "new black") are starting to appear. There are a couple of trees by my office that are ready to declare this winter done! Amen! I just wish it was.

This weekend I went the Moisture Festival's Burlesque in the Round at the ACT theater downtown and it was an amazing show! Simply incredible! There were only two "traditional" burlesque acts. There was a "neo-burlesque" act out of Portland that looked like a bunch of raver kids, eating their candy, texting on the phone and chasing after "bunnies" (whose coats they stole). There was a group called Duo Madrona - the only trapeze act invited ever invited to the circus competition in Paris. Their strength was astonishing and their act barely made the trapeze move at all. Amazing. Then there were my favorite The Aerialistas! They are an incredible group of women, who do these amazing acrobatics in the air - with huge drapes, hoops and other objects. They were dressed as the cutest cupcakes in the world! They wore cute blond wigs, with cupcakes, and did their act with smiles on their faces as they held each other by their ankles. Nanda was a group of male performers much in the vain of "Crouching Tiger". All of their movement was choreographed (with sound effects) and as they would bounce off a pole and rip off a shirt. It was fantastic. There was Chica Boom, a Latina burlesquer, who had this great "Mexican wrestler" story and ended up fisting a donkey penata (a long story for later.) There was this award winning cabaret very psychedelic show and a few "cute" burlesque act. Nothing could beat it - such super creative, high energy, live theater. I loved it. And I loved Seattle for giving me the opportunity to experience it.

Tonight, I raced the spring sunshine home hoping to beat the impending rainstorm that had come rolling in off the coast. The clouds were dark and low and I was sure it would start raining any minute (much like this weekend had been - rain, sun, rain, clouds, rain, rain, sun.) I popped on my outdoor wheels and headed to Greenlake to get some outdoor skating in before rain. And it was great - the stress of the work day rolled off like sweat and it seemed to only sprinkle at one end of the lake. It was a great was to end the work day... and start the week.

My other favorite photo...

Breakin' up a whip! Yeah!