Roller Derby Update

I'm still kinda sore from practice on Monday. It was all about endurance and after warming up for a bit, the coach came over and wanted us (the fresh meat girls) to try time trails. I've never tried doing the time trails yet, so I was a bit nervous.

As part of the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association) minimums, you need to be able to do 25 laps in 5 minutes. I felt like I was going to throw up as I watched the first group of fresh meat girls go.

Then it was the second group's turn. I lined up with the 3 other girls in my group and got ready. At the whistle we started off around the track. By the middle of the trials, my lungs felt like they were going to explode. In the end, I did 18.5 laps in 5 minutes. Not too shabby for my first time ever doing them.

I know that once I learn how to and perfect my crossovers I will be able to do more than 18.5 laps. I still feel like I'm tripping over myself though when I try to do the crossovers. I need to start going to open skate night more at Rollarama, but right now the budget doesn't really allow for that. It ranges from $4-$6, but it's also 25 minutes from my house so I've got gas money to worry about. I hope to start going more often though. I also got the okay from the owner to wear my protective gear (knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, etc.) there, so that will help me be able to work on the things that I don't have the confidence to try without pads on.

I also need to focus on doing more leg work and cardio at the gym so I can make it through time trials without feeling like I'm going to die!

Until next time, space cadets.

Winter Hibernation

See?? I cursed myself with that last blog post, saying that I was getting into the swing of things and updating regularly. Oh well, even though it's been over a month since my last post, I'm here again!

These dreary, cold winter days really do a number on me. I become such a recluse and hibernate until the spring comes. Seasonal Affective Disorder? Maybe, or maybe it's just that it's too damn cold to get out from underneath my warm blankets and my snuggling kitty. I know she's just using my for the body heat, but I'll take what I can get from my usually stand off-ish kitty.

I'm trying to fight off the duldrums though. Finding new and fun things to go out and do around town helps me get out on the weekends, and derby practice helps get me out of the house in the evenings...at least on Monday and Thursday nights!

Speaking of derby. Things are slowly progressing. I was practicing my t-stops in my little kitchen last night. It's the only area that's not carpeted, so while I watched some stupid show on TV I skated back and forth trying out my stops on both legs. My right leg stop is going pretty well, but the left leg is giving me the worst time! It's also a problem with my crossovers. I think I may just hack it off and become the first ever 1-legged derby skater! We also did some hopping/jumping practice on Monday. Scary!!

In other news, I recently celebrated my 30th (yikes!) birthday with some friends at the local burrito place, Bombers. On you birthday you get a huge margarita, so that's what I got. Check out the pictures below!

Happy New Year!!

Well, here we are. New year, new decade and all that jazz. I had a pretty rough 2009, so I am determined to make the best out of 2010. No more sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. No more pining away for lost love. No more living in the land of "what ifs" and "well, if I had done this...". None of that. Get on with life!!

I thought I was going to spend New Year's alone, but then my friend chatted with me on facebook and invited me to a cheap party up in Saratoga. It was really fun and I actually ended up seeing one of my fellow derby fresh meat girls there!! Kangaroo Meat Skewer was there with her girlfriend and a bunch of other friends. How funny is that?! So, we all rang in the New Year together, and even though I didnt' get my New Year's kiss, it was alright.

The next day, I went down to NYC to reprise my role as Yitzhak in my Hedwig shadowcast troupe, The Midnight Checkout Queens. If you don't know what a shadowcast is, it's where you act out the movie in front of the screen, a la Rocky Horror. We were performing at the Brooklyn Museum which meant hauling all of our stuff out there, which was quite the adventure. It was a lot of fun though, we hadn't done the show in over 2 years so it was really nice to see everyone again.

So far, I'm doing a pretty good job updating this thing on a regular basis. *knock on wood* Ofcourse, now that I've said that, it'll probably be a year and a half until I update again!! hehehe Until next time, blogosphere.