My poor blog...

I have neglected my blog. I made the team last Sunday. I went to Chicago to work on a movie. I went back to Milwaukee for my first team meeting as a Brewcity Bruiser Rushin' Rollette. Friends from Alaska came to visit for the weekend. Back in Chicago...and I joined Facebook which is a total time sucker...

I will write more & keep the blog going when cool derby stuff is happening. For now I am BUSY...

Thank you for all the derby wishes. I still cannot believe I made the team & that I am a roller girl! Yay!

I Got Drafted!

I'm a Brewcity Bruiser! I was drafted onto the Rushin' Rollettes team! The party continues tonight...

Tomorrow Is Draft Day!

FreshBrews For BCB

WFTDA Celebration with some fellow FreshBrews

WFTDA Day Party

WFTDA Testing Celebration Continues

Wig Night Fundraiser for Macc Fund- Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer

Only 2 More Practices To Go!

We are into week 10 with only 2 more practices until THE DRAFT!!!!! The next few practices are to be on misc drills & scrimmaging. I'm really loving the scrimmaging, as this is when we get the practice needed to learn to play the game. I'm getting super excited about THE DRAFT! We'll see how it goes...

Opening Night of Whip It

Whip It!

This week we were invited to a special screening of the movie Whip It. On Tuesday night, we watched the new roller derby movie directed by Drew Barrymore. It was exciting to see a movie on roller derby & to be actively trying to get on a roller derby team. What stood out to me the most was that Racer McChaser (my derby crush) was in the movie. It was very cool to recognize real life derby girls-- that we got to see skate at Regionals in St. Paul 2 weeks ago.

I thought the movie was a great coming of age movie with the backdrop of roller derby. Roller derby became the metaphor for following your own personal "bliss". Bliss happens to be the main characters name. Bliss has to break way from her parents (especially her mom's) ideals and follow her own path. As Joseph Campbell once said, "Life is all about, following your bliss".

If you see the movie, I must point out a few things that are VERY different than what the BCB are about. First, the main character lies about her age (she's only 17). The BCB check ID's & there is no exception to the over 21 age rule.

Second, they use a banked track in the movie. We don't use a banked track because of the cost & energy needed for set-up. We use a flat track. It allows us to play at more locations, against more leagues, and for a fraction of the cost that a banked track would be.

Third, Drew Barrymore's character often throws punches & extremely violent hits, resulting in her being ejected from the game. Although this can happen, it is NOT common. We have total respect for the women we play with & against. We try to make sure that everyone is safe. If a skater starts a fight our insurance coverage is put at risk. The BCB will not put their insurance coverage at risk, the safety of all our skaters at risk, for the actions of one player. On the violent aspect of roller derby-- we practice hard and condition our bodies in order to keep ourselves safe. There are EMT's at all of our bouts. We are focused more on the sport of roller derby then on the aspect of fighting.

I have been asked about getting injured doing this. Again we are training for this sport & are not trying to hurt each other. People rarely ask hockey or football players if they are concerned about the danger/injuries involved in their sports. But, women & young girls are rarely given the opportunity to train for a full contact sport that involves team bonding and development of character.

Most of the roller derby movies I've seen portray the girls as WWF type wrestlers/fighters. I have learned that there are 2 kinds of roller derby. The one that you see on the banked track with fists flying and the one that I'm doing on the WFTDA flat track. More sport, less punching.

Finally, the girls in the movie show off their ass bruises to each other as a badge of honor. This does happen! But, since my ass pad, I don't have any ass bruises to show off! Also, there is a scene in the movie where Bliss watches a football game with her dad. She comments on what a great tackle she has just seen. Her dad is surprised, as she's not into football. I had this happen to me. Now when I'm watching a football game I have a completely different view on the game. I dig the contact side now. It's "beautiful" when I see a good hit & tackle. I have a totally new appreciation for football now.

Last night we went to the official opening night of the movie Whip It. Since we watched the movie on Tuesday night, we were there to promote our league with the movie. We dressed in all our derby gear-- pads & skates. This was the first time I ever skated inside a movie theater. Another 1st for me at 40!

I PASSED WFTDA!!!!!!!

Today we had our test to determine if we could pass the national Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) minimum skills test. They packed all of the testing into 1 day.

I PASSED!!!!!!

My biggest worry was the test where we had to skate 25 laps in 5 minutes. To this point I had only done 24 & 3/4's laps. Today I did 27 &1/2 laps! I was so psyched. Time to celebrate!!!

The Brawl of America, St Paul, MN

September 18-20, 2009

North Central Roller Derby Tournament

Pass or CUTS~ ouch!

Today is the last practice of our week #8. Sunday, September 27 & Wednesday the 30th, is the start of our week #9. Week number 9 is the WFTDA Skills Tests which is this coming Sunday & next Wednesday. These tests are the minimum skill requirements for skaters entering into The Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). The BCB's are a WFTDA league, so we have to pass these minimum skills to be able to skate with the team, and to be drafted.

The skills:
Skating- posture, stride, crossovers and stops (basic roller girl skating position).

Speed- we have to complete 5 laps around the track in 1 minute or less. We must skate 25 laps around the track in 5 minutes. (this skill I have yet to master :( We have done this drill 3x's. On my first attempt, I did 22 laps. The 2nd time I did 24 laps. As of last night, I did 24 & 3/4ths laps. I'm very nervous about this skill. I have to get to the 25 laps by this Sunday. UGH!

Falls- we must perform single knee, double knee, figure 4/the baseball slide, and the 180 degree turn single knee falls.

Balance/Agility- we have to perform these skills w/out losing our balance or falling. Stepping from a standstill forward & backward, side to side in both directions, squatting while skating, squat and coast the entire straightaway & turn, hopping with both feet, moving forward and hopping with both feet simultaneously. We have to jump & clear an 3 inch object while skating forward. Weaving- maneuver through 10 cones placed 6 feet apart.

Skating With Others- giving and receiving whips and pushes. Pacing- varies speed while being"sandwiched" between 2 skaters, maintaining an arm's length distance w/out falling, tripping, overtaking, or running into another skater. Weaving Around Moving Obstacles- skate through a line of moving skaters that are arm's width apart. Unexpected Obstacles- skating within a pack of at least 4 skaters, who are falling in front of the skater at various unexpected times. Skater must demonstrate the ability to deal w/unexpected obstacles and avoid or fall with out hurting self or the fallen skater. Leaning- skates while leaning shoulder to shoulder with another skater without falling. Bumping- maintains or recovers balance while being bumped into & having wheels bumped by other skaters without falling.

Blocking- taking hits, responds safely (without falling or falling safely) to repeated heavy hits. Body Blocking/Frontal Blocking/Stall Blocking- performs checks with legal body parts delivered within legal blocking zones with moderate to heavy force while skating at a brisk pace.

This puts a knot in my stomach just writing what I have to do this Sunday & next Wednesday. The deal is, I HAVE TO PASS! If you don't pass, you cannot skate with the team & will be cut on draft day. Please, wish me luck & send me out some energy this Sunday & Wednesday. Oh Yeah, I WILL DO IT!

A whole lotta Derby~

We got back last night from Regionals in St. Paul. I'm blown away by the level of roller derby I saw over the weekend. These are the best teams in our region. I learned a lot & really started to "get" the game. The athleticism I saw out there made me truly realize what an awesome sport this is.

The tournament started on a sad note. One of the roller girls from the North Star Minneapolis team was hit by a car on Thursday morning. She was jogging ,with her 3 month old child in a stroller. She managed to push the stroller out of the way-- the baby is fine. But Moxie Mayhem, her real name is Stacey Morgan, was killed. We found out at the start of the game & it was her team that BCB was playing against--very sad for that team. BCB won the bout. The 2nd bout of the day was against Madison the #3 seed. They beat us.

On Saturday BCB was up against Burning River, this game was amazing! If you saw this one, you'd forever love derby! BCB at the last 2 minutes of the game were down 97-87. Then they went on to tie the game up 109-109-- with multiple grand slams! Overtime, which in derby means that a final overtime jam will determine the winner. The jammers have to skate for a full 2 minute jam & which ever jammer scores the most points wins. I got to see the "passing of the star" which is when the jammer passes the star helmet cover to her pivot (who has on the stripe helmet cover) and the pivot player then becomes the jammer and can now score points. BCB WON 126-116! We were jumping out of our seats cheering them on. BCB ended up in 7th place in the tournament out of 10 teams.

http://www.derbynewsnetwork.com/

I know this is a lot of derby talk & it might be boring. The main point I want to make is that this sport is so much fun! The ladies at regional levels are true athletes. Go check out your local roller derby team & support them in your area. If they are anything like the BCB they will also be involved with local community service...

A fun side note: I now have a derby crush! Her name is Racer McChaseHer. She is the captain of the Detroit team. She plays blocker, pivot & jammer (all the positions). I'm in awe of her!

This is a link to the North Star team in memoriam of Moxie.
http://www.northstarrollergirls.com/

http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_13360612?source=rss&nclick_check=1

Going to Regionals!

We are driving to St. Paul, Minnesota tonight. The BCB's are the #9 seed in the opening rounds & play at 11:30am tomorrow against the North Star team. The winning team then plays again against the #3 seed Madison. We decided today to go and watch.

So for more info check out:
WFTDA North Central Regionals, September 18-20, St. Paul, Minnesota.

http://brawlofamerica.com/

I will write more soon. I have to pack now.
GO BREWCITY BRUISERS!!!!!!!!

Facebuster on the concrete floor!

This is week 6 of practice for us, and I'm still alive! I have more bruises and aches & pains, but I'm still hangin' in there...Last night was the worst practice for me yet. I was on the ground more than I was upright. The highlight of the night was my FACEPLANT! (at least I fell forward!) Not so great on a concrete track. There is a lot to say about this week of practices, but I'll just leave it at: it was a faceplant, bruises, body ache, being elbowed, forearms in the face kinda week...

The Tailbone Saver!

Practice last night was heavy on the blocking/hitting, counter-blocking (no more off skate practice-- skates on girls!) , pace lines, and endurance drills. The ass pad was a success! I went in and announced my humiliation about wearing it to anyone who would listen...no one cared. Let me just say, "I LOVE MY ASS PAD"! I noticed right away that it gave me a psychological boost. I felt like-- okay, if I get hit hard & fall hard, it won't hurt as bad with the pad. The 2nd thing I noticed, was that when I DID fall and it was really hard, (there was a very loud thud echoed around the warehouse) my tailbone survived. I was soooooooo glad I had my bum saver on! (I must get that falling forward thing down)...So with the bum saver/tailbone saver/ass pad on, I jumped right up & went in for some more!

The "Ass Pad" has ARRIVED!!!!

I got the Bum Saver in the mail yesterday. Tonight we have practice & I'm going to wear it. I am so un-cool...

This might not be for you, and that is okay!

We are currently in our 5th week of the 12 week official newbie practice. Yesterday August 30th, we started Blocking & HITTING! Up to now, we have been doing drills like: roller girl position(skate low w/knees bent & arms in front of you, bent at elbows), cross overs, controlled drops, pace lines, falling & recovery, footwork, run on toe stops, booty blocking, pack skating, smearing & swiping, sprinting and various endurance drills. Not to mention SQUATS, lunges, sit-ups...all the things I HATE!!!

I can feel my body changing...I feel stronger, and that is great! But yesterday everything went up a BIG notch. We started to block & hit each other. First we learned the correct way without our skates on. Then we put it all together with skates. That's where the real fun began! Man, I hope my bum pad gets here soon....

Each newbie was paired up with a vet. My experience went something like this...

"When I hit you, you ABSORB it with your body. And counter block me, by shifting your weight into it" (the"it" being the vets hit). OKAY!?...When she hit me, she started low & then popped upward with her whole body-- like she was going through me. Basically, she rattled every tooth in my mouth & that rattle went upward into my head and ear & rattled my brain around. SERIOUSLY! I even bit the side of my tongue. I realized that I wasn't really ready after all...insert mouth guard, so I don't have to go to the dentist after this practice.... We repeated this blocking & hitting over and over again. Then we put our skates on & did it with wheels on our feet!

Today I went to a Body Pump class (after I put ice on my upper arms & took ibuprofen). The class uses weights to help build/strengthen your arms, legs & core muscles. Yesterday's practice made me realize that I need to get a lot stronger/tougher to do this! So I am adding extra workouts to see if this will help me. From here on out, it is full on contact & each practice will build from the last. This is the real deal moment for me. Someone asked me if roller derby was staged. Nope, it's the real deal. Any hits you see out there are REAL!

"This might not be for you, and that is okay". We were told this from the very beginning & now I get it. You just don't know how you're going to feel about being hit, until well-- you are hit! So here I am...getting my ass handed to me, wondering if I REALLY can do this, and yet I want to continue on. Because it's actually been FUN-- mixed in with some body pain. Yup, strange as that is...it fits with something else they told us from the very beginning, "Please...always have fun! This is the most important thing to remember". For now, I am still having "FUN!". So, I'm putting all my doubts aside and will see what the next practice brings...

Pancakes, Bout, Boot Camp and Orientation

This entry is to play catch up...I started this blog after months of derby stuff.

A SUMMARY:

While still not admitting that I wanted to SKATE on the team, I went to a BCB's fundraiser event. Basically, I went to check out the girls. To get a feel for what they were like. It was an all you can eat pancake breakfast held at The Urban Ecology Center in downtown Milwaukee (a very cool place! The UEC took over a neglected park in the city & turned it into this amazing space for kids & adults with tons of educational programs). While eating pancakes, Willie & I sat with a group of people we didn't know. We started to chat and we learned alot about the BCB's. These people were very open and friendly to us. So I ended up volunteering for the BCB's next bout.

The bout was the championship game on May 9, 2009, Maiden Milwaukee versus the Rushin' Rollettes, the Roulettes won. For volunteering I got a free ticket into the bout & I got a free BCB's t-shirt. My job was to make sure the fans (it looked like 1500 fans were there) didn't get onto the track and spill their beer all over. If they did I was there to clean it up. None of this happened, so I got to watch. I had no clue what the rules were. They flew around the track and made it look so easy! I WANTED to do that! So I ended up at a boot camp. The boot camp was the very next day on May 10, 2009. The BCB's offered boot camps from April through July once a month. These were not mandatory, but "highly encouraged" before the start of the official training on August 2, 2009.

When was the last time I had roller skates on my feet? A looong time ago...well over 20 years! I did roller blade about 10 years ago. (roller blades are made fun of--"we don't just have a pair we have QUADS!") I switched to ice skates when I moved to Alaska from Florida and from there onto hockey skates.

On the day of the boot camp I needed quad skates (old school!). We drove to Sports Authority and I bought a pair of "Roller Derby" Magnum M1 men's skates, for like 60 bucks. I skated for the 1st time (on quad) skates outside in the driveway. Then I went to the Bootcamp. Huh, this should be interesting...I get to THE WAREHOUSE where the BCB's practice. I was soooooo nervous & trying to talk myself out of this. Willie said, "Just GO and see if you like it!".

Previous to the boot camp: you have to have all the safety gear(helmet, mouth guard, knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards) to wear. The BCB's were great about letting us borrow their pads and SKATES. This way we didn't have the added expense of buying all the gear--before we knew for sure that this was really something we'd want to do after the boot camp experience. The mouth piece was the one exception for obvious reasons. So I bought that with the skates (they didn't have my size skates to borrow) on the same day as the boot camp.

Boot camp was in the warehouse that the BCB's practice in. It was 3 HOURS! Now realize, I have been a sack of potatoes for well over...well a loooong time! Boot camp scared the crap out of me! I arrived at the warehouse. There were boxes filled with gear for us to use. I found pads and a helmet (thanks Pound!) for me to use. I sat on the floor by the other "fresh meat" and I put on the gear and skates.

The track-- which is a concrete floor, has the red marks for the actual legal derby track marked on it. After we skate/warm up, it started... we hear the whistle blow & we do drill after drill with water breaks fit in. Drills like basic roller girl (RG) position=bend at knees & hips with shoulders back, crossovers, endurance, stops, falls, run on your toe stops & sprint until the whistle blows ,come to a complete stop, skating with others-- pair up with another skater & do whip/assist= you reach out w/your hand for her to grab & you pull her past you- then you switch. 3 Hours later it was over.

I SERIOUSLY could hardly move. My quadriceps were gone. I was shaky in my body, I felt like jello. I recommend that if anyone wants to go to a derby boot camp working out 1st would make it so much easier on your body! I went down the stairs to the parking lot, Willie was waiting for me. Thank God I didn't have to drive after that workout. He took one look at me and thought, she hated it! He asked me, "How was it?" I said, "it was the hardest thing I had ever done but, I LOVED IT!". The best part to me was the whip/assist part. I loved whipping my partner around. Even though I was completely out of shape & now physically wasted, I knew I wanted to TRY to do this!

Willie took me to Leon's Frozen Custard stand(a Milwaukee must do!) as a reward. When we got home I went right into the bathtub for a super hot bath(I should have used ice!) with mineral salts for hours. I couldn't walk right for days. Sitting down- I had to use my arms to lower my body down. I felt my quadriceps were torn. I was a mess for a good 3 weeks before my inner thighs/groin were not at the fore front of all my thoughts. Thigh pain was always on my mind. At one point, I questioned if I had actually really injured my poor body(is it because I am 40 that I feel this bad? Or, is it just because I'm so out of shape?). But finally all the pain & soreness and that ache-y feeling-- like I had the flu went away. I planned to work out before the official newbie training started. I didn't. Call me a glutton for punishment or I'm just an idiot!

Next up was the Newbie Orientation on July 8, 2009. This was a mandatory meeting where we found out how the official training would go. We learned about their mission statement, that they are a skater-owned and operated league. About the WFTDA skills test, the draft, cuts, team placement, roller derby & BCB's history-- they started in December 2005. What to expect being a roller girl, how to take care of yourself, ice therapy, build your hamstrings, squats!!!, safety equipment, buying new skates(leather or synthetic?), skater name registration, BCB's bylaws, attendance policy, code of conduct, participation agreements, medical & emergency contact information, proof of health insurance, And the 2 BIG ones: 1) This might not be for you, and that's okay! 2) Please...always have fun!

So there you have it! After the orientation I had 3 weeks and 3 days before the official training would begin. The orientation is when I truly felt committed to doing this. I started to skate outside in preparation (endurance) for the beginning of The BCB's Official Training...I quickly realized that my training was not enough! I'm getting in shape at the practices rather than already being in shape and learning the game, not the ideal way to go but that is what it is.

Julie and Julia

I saw the movie Julie and Julia the other night. I think this would have been a much easier blog to do. Cooking my way through a year of french recipes, instead of getting into shape by trying out for a roller derby team. But, a year of that much butter is NOT the way that I should go. Maybe I should cook my way through the weight watchers cookbook...that would be better. But, I really don't like to cook...so I'll stick with this derby blog instead. Today the Julie and Julia thing made me think about what I learned last night. I learned that nation wide, in the derby, there are "derby wives". Yup, I guess you pair up with another roller girl (she could even be on a different team) and, I don't know...cook together? I think it's something about having each others back, sharing a bond of friendship, a relationship with the shared link of roller derby love. I'll have to get more info on this. All I know is that it is happening out there & I just heard about it...I'll keep ya posted...

What's Roller Derby?

I took this out of the BCB's book they give out at the games.

The Objectives:
Each pack starts with: 1 pivot from each team (they have stripes on their helmets), and 3 blockers from each team. There is also 1 jammer from each team located behind the pack (they have stars on their helmets).

The whistle blows and the pack is off. Two whistles blow and the jammers start sprinting their way through the pack. The first jammer that gets past the pack (legally!) is your LEAD JAMMER.

When the jammer comes around again, they begin scoring points based on how many opposing players they pass (legally). The jam lasts a maximum of 2 minutes, but the lead jammer can call it off.

At the end of the game, the team with the most points WINS!

POSITIONS:
JAMMER: Tears through the pack & scores points by passing members of the opposing team. She wears the helmet with a star.
PIVOT: Sets the pace for the pack and is the last line of defense. She wears the helmet with a stripe.
BLOCKERS: Tries to stop the jammer and makes life difficult for the opposing team's blockers.

Fresh Brew Orientation

I have had lots of questions. So, I will start to answer some of them here:

Freshbrew is what we are called. It's much nicer than what we were 1st called at the boot camps over the summer (I will get to the boot camp at another time) which was Fresh Meat. I assumed we would be referred to as fresh meat all the way until the next round of newbies 1 year from now. I don't know who changed it to Freshbrew, but that's so much nicer-- Thank you!

Who are these Roller Girls? They are from every walk of life. Stay at home mom's, professionals, lawyer's, artists, retail/business owners, waitress, massage therapist, journalist for the A.P., college students, etc... They have busy full lives going & are roller girls. Ages 21 and up. You have to be legal drinking age. All different skill levels, sizes & shapes. Our coach said, "what other sport out there can you be over 6 foot tall & 200 pounds and still be an athlete? As a women, you don't have to fit into a certain (body image) category with roller derby...". This is what sold me on doing this. I went to a fundraiser they had & met the ladies. They were a great group of women. They are athletes. They are about empowering women. They are about community service here in Milwaukee. In their own words, "The Brewcity Bruisers represent ladies of all shapes, sizes, ages, backgrounds, attitude and skill levels. It is our goal to promote women's strength & self esteem and to create a sense of camaraderie and friendship among our members that will also be extended to the community through support to local businesses, arts and charities". I think they are bad asses & very multi-dimensional!I hope I make the cut to skate with them!

What's the TEAM???? This is where I should have started. The League is the Brewcity Bruisers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are the umbrella that has 4 teams. The teams are the Crazy 8's, Maiden Milwaukee, Rushin' Rollettes, and the Shevil Knevils. Each team has 20 roller girls. So the league is 80 women. I don't know how many spots are open for us freshbrews, there are about 25 of us trying out. The draft will be on Sunday, October 11, 2009. On Sunday, October 18, (if I make the team)-- all league practices start with your team! The 1st bout is on January 16th. So, how long this blog will go is to be determined at the draft/cut.

The Brewcity Bruisers are part of The Women's Flat Track Derby Association-- "Real. Strong. Athletic. Revolutionary.". We have to pass the WFTDA Skills Tests to get onto a team. These are minimum skills required to be a roller girl, as to not hurt others or yourself. Like FALLING FORWARD & getting back up within 2 seconds. I need to work on this one!

One last note for now... we have to pick a derby name. So any suggestion would be great. I already have one that I am using, but it can be changed right up to the draft. Then you have to register your roller girl name (this is nation wide, you cannot have another girls name). I will keep the one I am currently using as a secret for 2 reasons. One, I might like your name better. Two, it is on a 1st come 1st serve basis to register your name. Someone could get the name before me if their team picks before the BCB's. (I have to 1st get on the team to register my name). That happens after you get drafted onto a team.

There is tons more to say, but I am fitting this blog in with the rest of my life. So to be continued... and with more photos...

I had a request for more photos. I love photos too. But, both of our digital cameras have been dropped. I do not have a working camera right now. Sorry! But when I get a new one I'll be sure to add lots of photos then.

Yesterday's internet purchase...

I bought the "ass pad " (it's really called a Bumsaver) yesterday. Because at Sunday's practice 8/23, we started to do booty blocking (just what it says), smearing/swiping (you skate in front of the other rollergirl-- in a position like you are going to the toilet (sorry, but this is the only way to describe it). Our coach says, "like you are going to take a shit". And, smear/swipe your booty into the front of that rollergirls body. Yes, booty smearing/swiping. Then there is the shoulder to shoulder, side of your body, hip & leg push.? (i can't remember what this drill was called?) Basically, push as hard as you can against the other girl's shoulder, side of body, and leg (while skating forward around the track) until the strongest girl PUTS the other out of bounds.

In the course of these drills, I was pared with a much smaller girl. I found that she was small, but solid MUSCLE! We were engaged in the "PUT the other out of bounds" when our skate wheels locked into each other & she started to fall. In the process she elbowed me hard in my right breast. Then she caught herself by switching her balance to her other skate. I on the other hand, was PUT out of bounds by her. I landed on my ample booty hard... (this reminds me of 2 winters ago in Denali trying to learn how to play hockey at Speaks outside lake. When Oliver's grandmother put me down & I could hardly walk for 3 days after!)

We have been told REPEATLY by our coach, who has been teaching us to fall FORWARD with tons of drills, that falling on your booty is like, "damn, you are soooooo a beginner! Not good! You can get hurt falling backwards". We do falling drill after falling drill so it will become automatic to fall forward. Falling forward is good, we have all the pads for protection. Falling backwards can = injury!

Now I've fallen on my booty (which is BAD) and it hurts! Now I'm the most UN-COOL girl out there in pain! So, I think ASS PAD! Let's really be the most un-cool girl out there! No one wears one-- NO ONE! (Even the place I bought it from, Sin City Skates website has under the bumsaver description, "Pad yr ass if you must, but pls learn to slide forward when you're falling! SERIOUS protection that could help in the meantime."). It crossed my mind before I started this to have one, but again NO ONE wears one! I'm trying not to look like an "ass" out there, so I didn't get one. But again, the 40 thing...I really don't want to get hurt & I already look like an ass...So I decide I NEED a bumsaver. At least until I can learn to fall correctly, ie FORWARD ONLY!!!!! I will let you know when I get it in the mail & actually wear it to practice! This should be embarrassing!


PS. I am very sorry if I offend anyone with the curse words. I have thought about writing this PG, but this is how it is.... so I decided to just write...uncensored. I hope you are okay with that. If not, I am truly sorry if I offend!

Today I bought an Ass Pad!!!!!

I should start at the beginning...
Willie & I moved from Denali Nat'l Park, Alaska to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the middle of January 2009. Willie's nephew Jamie mentioned that, "the roller girls in Milwaukee (sometimes) would stop into the bar he worked at & party together-- after they had just kicked the shit out of each other on the track..." This one little comment started it all. "They have roller derby in Milwaukee? I've never been to a bout before. Maybe I could volunteer to help them out? Maybe I'd make some new friends...I don't have any friends in Milwaukee yet. I wonder if I could SKATE?--No way! (thinking all of this to myself) What am I thinking that I could be a roller girl? You are 40 years old now. You are completely out of shape....Blah, Blah, Blah....I can't do this!!!! BUT,

when I turned 40 I made a promise to myself that I would TRY to grow more as a person in all ways-- Mental & Physical. And I think Roller Derby is the perfect fit for me being mental & trying to get more physical! So I told myself that I would 1st admit that I want to SKATE on the roller derby team & 2nd stop those thoughts in my head telling me that I am too old & out of shape to do this at 40. SO,

today I bought an ass pad!

Back on Wheels!--it's been a looooong time...

Sportin' the Mouth Guard