Heroes, equinox, and two of my favorite things...


Tonight was the season premiere of Heroes - of which I've only seen a about half of the first season - but I had to miss it because I had to go swimming. I love swimming with Pygmy on Mondays. We went for a beer afterwards (whoops, kind of defeats the point of the swimming) at Molly McGuires and chatted about a million things under the sun, including our new found love of swimming. I came back home and luckily Lara had taken some notes from the season opener to get me caught up to speed. It's a very good show - great stories and even better characters. About Heroes: when I was out camping a month ago, Lara asked Megan and I if we could have a super power - like in Heroes - what would it be? I couldn't think of anything specifically that I wanted.... maybe to have incredible jumping power like a cricket or something very physical. Megan had the best response - she said her super power would be able to speak any language fluently. That is the best super hero power ever - I wish it!


Today is the first day of fall - and I'm pretty sure Washington state got the memo. It was cool, bright and rather chilly. The air had a bite. I am so glad I had a weekend of vitamin D in Denver (ha - that would be a great marketing strategy for a city that has 350 days of sunshine a year!) I had a great time in Denver - one of the first times really looking at it as an adult (the last time I was there was in 2000 - and I was at a wedding). The neighborhood where I spent most of my summers as a kid had little farmers market - and fun artsy boutiques and restaurants. It's a city struggling with growth (sprawl)as the Rockies hover in the distance and the clouds billow upward - providing a great backdrop. It also changed my perspective on this city that I had spent a lot of time in as kid. This was always the wild west. And it was. But it's not the "west" - Seattle is the west. California is the west. It's the last outpost of the "mid west" - before climbing into the Rockies. I'm still chewing on this one and will probably have more to say about it another time.


The girls, my whole reason for going to Denver, were just as fabulous as I expected them to be. They have to be some of the most well behavior, vivacious, gregarious 3-year-olds I know. Of course, I am completely biased and I just love them to death. They still say the cutest things: Alexandre "Aunt Michelle are you going to the Bronco's game with us?" I don't know. Maybe. "But I love you and if you come I'll give you a piece of candy." She would also quip about cleaning up after a crafty activity "oh, Aunt Michelle, I am just so tired. Cleaning up is just so much work." Lucia said similar witty things and things that made me laugh so hard. When exchanging toy paper money with Alexandre "Alexandre, I love you more than money." They got use to Marie's giant dog Holly. They danced like crazy girls. They yelled a lot of "Go Broncos" and gave their little sister a kiss (at least Alexandre did. Lucia would get close to her face and say "McKenny" very sweetly.) They were the best even when they coughed on you (both had colds) and made you go to the bathroom with them many times.


There are many other things to say about my Denver weekend - like watching someone grow old and looking at 4 generation of a family. I got to visit my Peace Corps friend Nikki and had a great conversation on the plane. I devoured a book over the weekend reminding me how much I love to read.


It was a great weekend, and like turning a page in a book to reveal the next chapter: autumn.

After a week like this...

I am so ready to get out of town for a little visit to Denver. I haven't been there in 8 years - last going for a two week visit after the Peace Corps for my "cousin" Jen's wedding. I'll see my fairy godmother, my friend Nikki, hang out with Marie and most importantly spend time with those damn fun (and cute) Johnson girls! I can't wait to see them! I got some fun crafty things we can do while we're there - besides hang out in the park next to the house. It's going to be in the high 70's, low 80's. Perfect weather and 3 year old twins - who could ask for anything more!

One of those days...

It was one of those days and it appears there are going to be a lot of them - super busy, no real lunch break, sneezes from fatigue (yes, that is a odd sign that I am tired - I sneeze), and just busy, busy, busy. And then I have to deal with my car. The alternator died over the last week, though I feel like it's been on it's way out for a couple of months. I had to jump almost every time I tried to start the start it.

My NEW auto repair shop, where I've almost spent $1k in the last month, wanted another $780 to replace the alternator and battery (though there was no proof that the battery actually needed to be replaced - it just had a low charge - because the alternator wasn't charging it.) I told them I would replace the battery myself (if it actually proved it needed it) by going to Sears and got the bill to just under $580. Ugh. It was another one of those situations where I wish I had a small house with a garage and I would just fix it myself... or with the help of some friends. I know people who have changed their own alternators so I know it's no that difficult. Bleh. Frustrating only because I'm spending all the money I was saving for a bike - as in bicycle - on my car. Though it's still cheaper than having a car payment every month.

Swimming!

I went swimming with Pygmy tonight at "Adult Senior Open Swim". She had been going to a couple of the open swims and wanted a swim buddy. When we got there, the Masters Class was ending and I hopped in with my sleek Speedo swimsuit (that I bought 8 years ago after getting back from Peace Corps), put on my swim cap (the first one that I've ever owned) and my goggles. It took about 5 minutes to get use to the lanes and the lane etiquette - I mean it's been since like 5th grade that I took a swim class on any sort of organized level but it was GREAT. After like 10 laps I totally hit a wall and of course swam thru it and just had a great time for the next 25 minutes. Then I realized that there is probably a more effective way to do this - swimming that is. Because it's been since like the 5th grade that I took any kind of swimming class. I hopped out of the pool and was thrilled. I loved it!

And I'm signing up for "Intermediate Adult Swim" for the month of November and December. I'm pretty psyched! It's so good for you - it's great core strength (awesome for derby!) and the community pool is, I kid you not, only one blck away from my apartment. (I live on 64th and 14th - Ballard High School is on 65th and 15th.) I can't wait. I love the idea of swimming and swimming at my community pool. Woot!

Pale moon rising over the cake of an incredible weekend...

There is an absolutely almost full moon (tomorrow) hanging out in a clear cloudless sky with the Cascades acting as a back drop. I finished an hour in my garden (amen!) pulling out mint that had taken over everything, and freshened up the soil with some compost before planting some more lettuce that I know will be happy with the turn of the season this week.

I saw three trees with orange leaves and I have been told repeatedly that Wednesday is the last day of summer - I'm just happy it last three weeks longer than I expected. There was a cold snap a bit ago and I thought our summer was going be only 6 weeks long (&!?#^#%@) - luckily it has lasted a couple of weeks longer - all bright, beautiful, clear (sometimes cool) sunny days... just gorgeous and one of the many things that Seattle is reputed for - and all coming to an end on Wednesday when rains comes rolling in and the low sixties.

Today was a long day - I was at a work event from 9 a.m. to almost 1 p.m. and then actually went to work for a couple of hours. (I had a work event on Friday that was super successful and fun!) I scooted home and headed to Discovery Park for a two hour hike before heading to my P-Patch. It was great to tear up the plot and plant new things. I was rather happy and relieved.

However, the icing on the cake this weekend was the Dockyard Derby Dames (DDYD) and Jet City Roller Girl Bout on Saturday. It was a match-off a year in the making and it was great! Each JCRG team played one of the DDYD teams for a 30 minute mini-bout (two-15 minute mini halves with a 5 minute break that served as half time). We were ranked pretty closely by our rank within our leagues. We were squared off with Mollys - I had been on the Mollys for about a month when I first got involved with derby (and was driving 103 miles round trip to skate. As my carpool buddies dropped off, it became impossible for me to keep it up.) I was thrilled to play the Mollys - as it was like coming back home or at least to your sister's house. We both had purple and black uniforms. Both our teams had a hard time winning though we always put up a great fight. Yeah, we were perfect matches!

We were at a serious disadvantage as our injured list is longer than our healthy list! A few people were out of town but we had a group of gimps who called themselves the "CC"s - Carnie Cripples. So a standard game day roster has 16 - 14 of which are playing and 2 others are on the roster "just incase"... we had 9 healthy skaters and no "just incases". And just as life would have it, we lost Vibe Raider, one of our up and coming blockers, 30 minutes before we were going to go on (dislocated knee cap) and had to rewrite line-ups. Everyone played 2 or 3 times in a row (read: exhausting). There were only three jammers and when you weren't jamming you were out there with the blockers smacking people around. It was great, exhausting and incredible!

We were up by 10 points as the half, even with only 8 skaters but the points slipped out of our hands and we found ourselves TIED (see on of January postings for an idea of what that was like) and as history would repeat itself - I was jamming (but in the box!) It was a total nail-biter! I skated out of the box, like hell on wheels, and tried desperately to grab more points than the other jammer (taking her out along the way!) but she had the advantage of catching my point (while I was in the box) - I scored 8 points - she scored 9. We lost by one. It was devastating and though thrilling at the same time to have played so low in numbers, have some questionable calls, and only lose by 1 point. It was also thrilled to play the Mollys. And if I hadn't been so exhausted and PROUD at the same time, there might have even been some tears.

There will be a rematch! There will be more long weekends. There will be a weekend trip to Denver to see the most beautiful girls in the world. There will be financial intuitions that will fail. There will be cases won (yeah, two last week!) and lost. There will be more friends that will lose their jobs and others that find better ones. There will be more injuries and more tie breakers. There are so many more things to anticipate. But tonight there is a huge pale white moon in the sky over the Cascades and the thrilled of such a weekend.

What a week...

I knew yesterday was going to be one of those days when my bus, already running late and a short bus rather than a long one, had to make an emergency stop on Elliot Bay Ave because a passenger right in front of me passed out. Coincidentally, we stopped at a stop where a doctor was waiting - to get on to a different bus. I hopped off and jumped on anther bus behind us (I was of no use) and headed to work... and the day just didn't stop until 5 p.m. when I ran out the door to catch another bus home and meet Lara at a bar before our league meeting/practice. I needed a beer. I needed fried food. I needed the intensity of the day to go down 15 notches. One my bus ride home, I found the gal who had fainted on my bus - obviously she made it thru the rest of her day.

Today, my work is hosting a great event "Get Schooled in Title IX" which includes a CLE (continuing legal education), a salon (panel discussion with a variety of female athletes including a national phenom named Jaime Nared - google her) and after that we're heading off to a Seattle Storm's game. Saturday, Jet City plays Dockyard Derby Dames in Monroe and Sunday I have a 30th Anniversary Reunion - again for work. Then it's Monday... again.

My P-Patch needs my attention - the tomatoes and corn are fighting for sun. Cucumbers have sprouted and lettuce is struggling to stay alive in late summer warm days. It's been unseasonally BEAUTIFUL in Seattle lately.

Hopefully I'll get to it - before the end of the month.

Tea....

I popped a "happy pill" in my bath tub tonight along with some absence salt to take out some of the poison from the day. It had been an antagonistic long day at work (um, who ever said that women's rights work was easy) followed by a long board meeting and a happy pill was just what I needed. The happy pill you buy from Lush - its orange and lemon scents melded together (thanks Audrey!) with a bunch of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda). It's warm, fuzzy fun that smells great and turns your bathwater into ice tea. Friday, the cat, licked my shoulder and for a moment the ice tea I was sitting in became a 1970's poisoned river from which the book Yellow Springs was derived - or maybe not - that's the kind of day I was having.

Tonight I talked to the Political Organizer of the Washington Obama campaign and she did little to reassure the panic I felt at noon today - when I called my mother and best friend - begging them both to get involved with the campaign. Pleating. My mother said she would call next week. (I figured she owed me from all the envelopes I licked closed for the various Republican campaigns as a kid.) My best friend felt like she couldn't do much about it (not true!) The thing is I think I'm still recovering from 2004 when I worked as an organizer for Planned Parenthood, Move On and other groups. I put in a gazillion hours from August to November and somehow I didn't win. (After crumpling in tears, my work sent me home.) The thing is, after that election, I don't have the emotional energy to do that kind of work. It's too much with work - derby -relationships - but I have less energy for four more years like we have now. So I'll find it - in the bottom of my gut - somewhere hidden and I will throw myself into it. Because I have to. Because no one told me that my work would be easy. Any of it.

One thing not related to politics or anything is just about bills. I became a beer drinker for three reasons 1. beer is cheaper than wine 2. it causes less headaches and 3. beer is cheaper than wine. I truly enjoy wine - love it - in fact. But I will take an IPA over a glass of wine any day. And that comes from my years of working in the ".org" as opposed to the ".com". I didn't make enough money to buy wine. I would go out with my friends and for $10 I could get to pints and throw in a buck for the tips/taxes/appetizer. The glasses of wine cost $12 each. I couldn't afford that. So I drank what I could afford and my taste is for "beer" over wine - but I do like wine. Tonight, I paid $50 for two beer and a snack. My total bill was $24 but when you get the check and everyone is like "split is X of ways" - you end up paying for peoples $16 glass of wine (um, that would be 4 beers!) I guess I'm just more sensitive - because I was that person that couldn't afford beer. And I had those friends that didn't drink. If you order caviar and I order fries -sometimes there's more to it than preference... like maybe environment or a million other reasons.

Thank goodness for that bath. The poison has all but vanished. I have another long day tomorrow - actually the whole rest of the week. But I'll find the energy. No one told me my work would be easy.

Can-Can Ladies...

Today I hopped on the bus, zig-zagging through the city to meet a board member in Pioneer Square for a meeting. I hop on the 49 and two little old ladies sitting across from me took notice of my fishnets. Nothing stellar - medium holes (worn with a short back skirt, fitted pink shirt with light honeycomb print) and black shoes. Look at her fishnets! Those are just like what the Can-Can Ladies use to wear! (well anyone can wear them now). Yes, true, but they had black seams up the back of their legs. Those Can-Can Ladies wore those kind of fishnets! Just like those. Those are so nice.

And yes, I am sure the Can-Can Ladies wore these... but now any of us can wear them. Even to work. Even to my kind of work.

Karma...

On Friday, at work, I had an instant of very good karma. And though a blog is not necessarily the place to get into details, some people from outside my agency I had tried to work with kicked me out of their sandbox (passively aggressively of course) and I just went about playing under the tree and doing my own damn thing. And it turns out it was a good thing - as it always it - the karma that I sent out in the world (by not getting into a pissing war with the others in the sandbox) came back around to me and I succeeded. Of course I had to run down the hall at work and yell "That's your bad karma coming back to bite you in the ass!" to, of course, no one who understood what the hell I was talking about.

Today I went to get gas before heading to the Fred for a couple of pre-bout errands and there was a guy who came over to me pitching a story of needing some gas for his truck - just enough to get to a local neighborhood... I told him I needed to get my own gas and really did he need to harass me so early in the morning - spending too much time in my personal space. He went on about how the pumps were cheating me (no they aren't, they're regulated), and if I could just help him out. As I was about to put the pump away he kept on going on and on about needing gas so I filled his little red can about a dollars-worth and hopped back in the car. And of course my car won't start - the radio worked, the lights went on but the alternator must have given out at some point - there wasn't enough juice to turn the engine over. Well the crazy guy comes back with his friend and asks a million times "is it automatic? Is it automatic? Is it automatic?" No! And it's not the battery and it doesn't have loose cables. Well, he's thrilled about the idea that the car is a manual and he and his friend push the car while it's in first and I pop the clutch - and it starts - driving it off the Fred. It was reluctant karma - I gave the guy gas - not because I wanted to and he helps me out - not because he had to.

Not about karma -today I played in a very fun bout - with skaters from a variety of leagues from all around the Pacific Northwest - I had a great time playing in a couple of jams with them and look forward to more. That is one of my favorite reasons to play derby - planning with other gals from other places. It's the best.

Surprise!

Tonight, as I was heading out the door to practice, I decided to try my trunk clicker to my car. It had stopped working months ago - maybe even February (I would like to say it was winter but that's months long and too hard to use as a gage). And to my complete suprise - it worked! I tossed my bags in the trunk and saved myself a few minutes of unlocking it with a key, etc. I popped the trunk leave practing and was just so happy. It's going to be nice when it's raining and I don't have to fumble with the key. It's not that big of a deal but it was a rather pleasant surprise. And who couldn't use a couple of those a week.

Or at least one.

Reluctant Creatures Abound!

I can't say I was 100% looking forward to this weekend's camping trip. The weather wasn't supposed to be that great - it was a long drive just to get to the coast - 5 hours - and I wasn't sure I wanted to be away camping in the rain...

I was so delighted I went! I was "off the grid" all weekend at Kalaloch (ka-lae-lock) in the Olympic National Park. Lara, Megan and I grilled fish, corn-on-the-cob, summer squashes, shrimps, potatoes; drank lots of wine; made super tasty s'mores; went on short hikes, took naps on a beach littered with glacier-flattened, smooth pebbles; skipped stones on creeks emptying into the ocean; found the roundest stones imaginable; watched the tides come in and saw the most tide pool reluctant creatures ever! (We saw sea stars, anemone, mussels, tube worms and small fish which out scored last summer when we only saw a dead headless seal.) The stars at night, when not fight puffy clouds, number in the billions. I got a touch of both wind and sun burn on my face while wearing long sleeve shirts and jeans. It was cool and sunny - a wonderful weekend of doing lots of nothing - eating, thinking, telling stories and being humbled by the ocean.

It was a cold and rainy night...

...as I pulled my hoodie up around my neck and popped open my "shoe" umbrella which has seen better days but has been put to good use since I moved to Seattle. I left the gym in a rain that, to me, is declaring the end of summer. My new workout with my trainer is declaring the end of summer too - as she intend on punishing me for taking June and July off - for outdoor skates in the park and other fun things.

I decided this week, after I pay for my gazillion car repairs (or at least two of them) that I would sign up for a writing class. I was intent on signing up for burlesque but that was going to cost me a fortune ($100 more than last year when I first looked into it.) And a writing class, like going to the gym, will work out my writing muscle and get its flabby self back into shape. I'm going to take a class at the Hugo House - which I've been to a couple of times before. I'm sure it's going to be fun. It will probably be like some of the classes I've taught before but it will give me an excuse to write and real deadlines, as opposed to the artificial ones in my head. I'm looking forward to the structure. And it will be on a Tuesday. I'm looking forward to it.

I don't want to be looking at myself when I'm 60 and wondering "why didn't I go to the gym all these years..." Why had I stopped writing?

The start of the week....

Tomorrow I'll spend most of the morning doing this last procedure for the HIV/AIDS Trail Unit study that I've been a part of for just over a year now. I am still a volunteer for the CAB (community advisory board). I'm so glad to have done it - I just wish it could have yielded more favorable results.

I'm supposed to go camping this weekend with Lara and Megan and I can't wait! I can't wait to eat like queens by cooking up some great grub, go on mini-hikes all day, hang out by the ocean, drink wine, tell stories, sleep under the stars, listen to the bugs and take deep breaths. I can't wait! I'm hoping the rain, which we hadn't seen for a while, isn't here to stay and just came by for a brief visit. I love camping.

Vulnerable...

Today I went to the dentist to get some old fillings replaced. Silvers have been replaced with plastic resins. The silver ones are destined to crack and break and it appears I got most of my fillings around the same time (probably 6th grade). The conversation with my dentist (who I think is fantastic) started out with "did you have any pain in the front of your mouth?" I said no. Nothing wrong. A couple of questions later, a look at the x-rays from last year and a month ago, and it turns out I have an abscessed tooth. Did I take a blow to the front of my mouth (when? think... when?)? A couple of tests (that are completely painful to the point of tears) proved that the tooth, even with the abscess, was still well and alive. But I remembered the elbow to the mouth (accidentally from one of my own fellow skaters) and that's what must have pulled the root from the bone. Now I have a snapped root. A root canal is in my future. They don't know when, exactly, which made for a pretty crappy appointment in general because I was upset - at the thought of more (future) paint.

Ridiculous

I got home at close to 9:30 p.m. tonight after a work meeting and an extremely long day. I put on some gym clothes, emptied out my trunk and in the pouring rain, tried to fix my broken seat belt in the back seat. Of course I didn't have the tool I needed. Thought I managed to unscrew many plastic moldings, the pig light revealed that I didn't have the tools necessary to get the seat belt apart. The manual told me that too. Why was I trying to fix my backseat seat belt on a cold rainy night after a long meeting? So I could put the seats down, turning my hatchback into a min U-Haul and collect tons of kids clothes, records, books and other stuff that my colleagues were giving to me for my team's garage sale - which was this weekend.

And as water was dripping down my back and while I searched for a lost black screw after a 13 hour day, I was thinking, this Michelle, is ridiculous.

Spending 10 minutes to find this NatalieDee.com funny picture of Pig Light to enhance my blog posting was just as ridiculous.

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...