My Life, the Telenovela

Whether it’s just that I’m finally embracing my Latina side J or just that I’m a little out of control, I’ve been riding an emotion and mental roller coaster ride for the last few months. I’ve never been one to have extreme highs or lows, always being that steady, neutral person. I now fully understand what my friends and loved ones have gone through and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it.

The hurt, anger and frustration I’ve felt recently, for a period of time, overshadowed the excitement, fun and elation, but I’m learning from it. I’m growing into an emotionally responsible adult who is starting to understand what it is that I want, need, and most of all, deserve. Instead of letting these experiences bring me down and hold me there, I’m coming out of it with the realization that I am an exceptional and extraordinary woman and if you cannot see that and appreciate that, then you aren’t good enough for me. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s just the way it is.

I’m learning to have the “hard” conversations first, before I get in too deep, and I demand honest conversation. What are we to each other if we cannot open ourselves to those closest in our lives, to those we are intimate with, to those whose lives are intertwined with ours (if even for a short period of time)? Each experience is a learning one, so open your heart, mind and your mouth. ;) I know it won't be the last time I'm hurt, but I'm getting comfortable with that truth.

There is so much crap on social media, but when “19 Things You Need to Know Before You Date A Sarcastic Girl” (http://thoughtcatalog.com/crissy-milazzo/2014/10/19-things-you-need-to-know-before-you-date-a-sarcastic-girl/) came across my feed, I thought, “Yep, this is me.” And, let’s be honest, you don’t have to be dating a sarcastic girl for this little tidbit to be useful. It’s true in any situation. Every single one of these statements are true and it’s important that you pay special attention to the ones about emotions and shit. I’ve been called many things in my life (bitch, frigid, cold, selfish, etc) and some of them are true some of times, but the thing is if you truly felt that way about me, then you didn’t really know me. And that’s okay, because I know that those are temporary states of being for me.

It hasn’t been all bad, though. Work has been going pretty well and I’m currently on vacation for the next two and a half weeks. I’ve completed my first year as a board member for an ERP user group (with an amazing group of fellow board members) and I’m excited about the opportunity to sit on it for another year.

And there is the cherry on top. I’m going into my second season with the BCB (and my lovely Crazy 8’s) and cannot wait! I’m setting goals for myself and I plan on blowing them out of the water. And then there’s Interleague (IL). I tried out for the All Stars (AS) and was given a red shirt position. (A red shirt gets to practice with the AS, thereby increasing their own skill so that when the time comes, they can be considered for a roster position). I feel my derby skills being stretched and growing all the time and this just means I’m going to get better.

And my lovely Battlestars (BS)! Last season I played on the team and grew so much I knew that I had to keep with it. I’ve always had the goal of being on the AS because I want to compete for rankings, but I’m realistic about my current skill level, so I knew that my time with the BS was not up. I ran for co-captain and was lucky enough to be voted in (along with another lovely lady that is fantastic to work with)! I’m excited about what we’re doing with this year’s group of girls and I can’t wait to skate our first bout together. And get to wear the C on my shoulder, to feel the pride of not only being a part of this fantastic team, but to also say, “Hey, I might have contributed a little bit to this team, to these girls, to the support of our league, to my fellow co-captain and coach” and so much more than that. I’m looking forward to Taco Mondays, No Fun Thursdays, Shenanigans and general tom foolery.

I hope to get back to writing this little word vomit more often, since I realize if you made it this far you might just be sick of reading. Stay tuned and if you want to make sure you don’t miss future insights to my telenovela, make sure to subscribe my email.

PS – Because I know those of you who read the last post were hoping for more juice, hitting your sexual prime without a steady partner sucks! I feel a little like Oliver.... "Please, sir, may I have another?"

Sex on Fire

The definition of levity is humor or frivolity, especially the treatment of a serious matter with humor or in a manner lacking due respect. In my professional life, I'll admit to having a hard time holding my tongue when the obvious joke could be made, especially if sexual. My sense of humor has always been much like a 16 year old boy. Why, you ask, am I talking about this? Because I find myself having the most interesting, hilarious and informative conversations with my female friends that I finally had to break down and put some of it to paper (.com style).

I'm not sure if it's my general lack of concern for appropriateness that brings on these types of conversations or just that we women like to talk, but often times hilarity ensues. And I can count on my friends for very interesting information (don't forget to read A Magical Guide for Evolved People and What Not To Do). From arguments across the table regarding lube (silicon versus water-based) to stories of flinging candy (or nuts!) from a partner's erection to see if he can catch it with his mouth (now affectionately called "dick trebuchet") tears are often threatening to flow freely down my face.

Now, let's just take a moment to think about that last one. How in the world does something like this happen? Sex is fun and the imagination can certainly be applied to change it or spice it up, but what prompted this? "Hey, hon, open you're mouth, I'm going to fling a piece of candy at you. Oh, and I'm going to use your dick." Fun was had by all, but where do you go from there? And yet, very intriguing, once you've heard about it. Who wants to try?

And then there's the question incredulously asked of me, "You mean you haven't had sex with your skates on?". No, because the idea never crossed my mind. And then I start picturing it without any further details and I start laughing. I have to know.... "So, what, he just grabbed your hips and rolled you back and forth?". "Yep." Well, then, that seems reasonable, because you wouldn't be able to keep your feet up in the air for long if you were on your back, because that shit is heavy.

I was going to write more about the serious side of sex, but I'll save that for another day. Whether you're vanilla or kink, let's talk about sex, baby, because maybe you'll learn something new, too.

Reflections Inward

I think I've spent more time in the last few months reflecting on my life, who I am, and what my future holds than ever in the past. I've always believed that there isn't any decision, choice or mistake I've made that is worth regretting, that in the end those things make me who I am. But who am I? And today I started thinking about the influence my friends have on me.

Do you think you can pinpoint the parts of you that are really your friends? For instance, my taste in music hasn't changed, but it's definitely broadened. Or at least, it's been a while since I've sought out any new music. And I find myself on this quest now to find more music that is different to add to my playlist, because I've re-discovered that great quality of music to move and shift with my emotions and personality (because let's face it, we're not the same person every day for every hour). Indie pop, rock, oldies, etc... and of course, booty music!

Food is another example. I've always been an extraordinarily picky eater. There are definitely things that I still don't like (you can't convince me that an olive or mushroom taste good, sorry), but I've tried so many new things over the past year it's hard to imagine I had refused to even try them before (prime rib, oysters, octopus, swordfish).

And travel.... by myself and without a plan. When I started to plan my trip to Greece, the idea stressed me out that I would go without a plan. But then I let go, and it was amazing! And I can't wait to do it again (by myself and hopefully with others, too).

Each of these things, I can pinpoint the person(s) who influenced these aspects of who I am now. Are we really just reflections of the people we have in our lives, or is it just that I'm more sensitive to this now than I was before?

Who am I? I'm the girl that now says, "Shut up and dance with me." Because life really is dance and everyone in your life is a partner that shows you something new, I think.

Melancholy, Table for One

I sincerely hope that these bouts of melancholy are not going to become common. I've never been one to succumb to being overly emotional. Whether it was my upbringing or just my own natural response to negativity, I've spent my life living on a pretty even keel. It takes a lot to truly anger me (although when you do, you should be afraid) and most things just roll right off my back. Likewise, I don't often get over excited about much. I have a sense of humor that is definitely off-color but also a little off-kilter, because humor is how I deal with most situations. And yet, I find myself, for the second time in as many weeks suffering from apparent melancholy.

I've been feeling inadequate in so many aspects of my life recently that I'm not sure what to do. I applied for what I would consider my dream job with my dream company and have had nothing but crickets in the deathly silence. I even went so far as to attempt to contact the hiring manager directly after not hearing anything from the normal channels. I know that I could bring a lot to the company, but this has definitely put a chink in my professional armour. Add to that the frustrations I've been having in my current job and I feel as if I'm slipping, as if the excellence that has brought me to where I am in my career is gone and I will not succeed. Overreact much?

I'm also struggling with body issues. While this is nothing new, and many women have the same problem, I'm certain it's amplified by being single again. As if there aren't enough things for me to worry about, how do I compete with women who are prettier, thinner, more athletic? I know it isn't a competition, but the laws of attraction dictate there has to be something there first. And even if I ignore all that, what about the fact that I'm falling short on my own expectations for myself? I know I'll never be that size 10 I was in my early 20's, but even my realistic goals seem so hard to accomplish.

 And finally, today's musing. Would you continue to do something that you know will likely end in a spectacular crash and burn that could leave you broken, because the ride is amazing and life changing?

Confessions of a Lonely Woman

Friday night I was in a car accident, and while I won’t go into the details I will say that this has been a humbling experience. I was very lucky that no one else was involved and that I wasn’t hurt badly. I’ve a pretty bad bruise across my stomach and legs from the seat belt and some neck and back pain, but all in all, it’s not bad.

Saturday morning I called the insurance company, put in the claim, reserved and picked up a rental car.  Basically got the ball rolling to get this bad situation figured out. Once all that was done I spent the day with the Bootleggers, first for practice and then a scrimmage for the 301’s. It was a great day, but I was definitely worn out.

And this is where things started going a little sideways for me. Coming home to an empty house isn’t something that typically bothers me. In fact, I’ve enjoyed just being able to do what I want, when I want. Saturday evening was a different matter. I suddenly felt extremely lonely. I took all the steps necessary to get the situation moving forward, there wasn’t anything else for me to focus on so the emotional impact started to hit me.

There are times in your life when you just need someone to wrap you in their arms, give you a kiss and tell you that everything will be right with the world. That this moment of shakiness will pass…. It isn’t something that I’ve often felt, having spent most of my life pushing my emotions down. It makes me feel uncomfortable, to be so vulnerable.

My friends have been supportive and have offered the comfort that they can and I am so grateful to have so many caring people in my life. I realize my friendship with my ex is strange to some, but yesterday he really helped me out. We had a very good conversation about the accident, relationships, moving on and putting yourself out there. It’s good to know that we can talk honestly about what is going on in our lives.

Today, I went to the chiropractor to check out my neck and back pain. He doesn’t seem too worried, although once he saw the bruise to my stomach he decided we should get x-rays. So, tomorrow I’ll go in for a treatment and to hear the results of my x-rays.

This afternoon the adjustor called to tell me that my car would be totaled out, which is what I expected, so I went to the tow lot to pick get my belongings out of the car. I took another look at the damage and I am so thankful for outcome. It’s sad I have to get another car, but I walked out alive and well, without even a ticket. I think I truly live a charmed life.

Tonight I go shopping for another car…. 

Catch Up

Forgive me, readers, it’s been 4 months since my last blog. I know you’ve all be sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for my next entry. I will apologize for the length of this blog, but so much has happened since I last posted….

On Derby: When last I posted, I was preparing for my last home season bout as a rookie. That game has come and gone and I ended my rookie season as a championship winner. My team won for the 4^th year in a row, and now I’m lucky enough to say that I contributed to one of those wins. It was a very tough game, as the Maidens were out for our blood. We were tied at the half and again at the end, going into the first over-time jam I’ve experienced. We were all standing by the benches, unable to stay seated for the heated jam that would follow. It was, to say the least, the most amazing ending to my very first season as a rostered skater.

I followed that up with an amazing interleague season, skating on the B team (Brewcity Battlestars). I skated in all but one game, and I cannot even begin to express how much fun I had, finally getting the opportunity to skate with girls from the other home teams. I got to skate in 2 of the 3 Brewhaha games (ensuring that I wouldn’t party until Sunday night – of course, I made up for having to wait 3 days), and while we did not win either of those games, we played two teams that really pushed us to work together as a team and made us all want to work harder, to be better. I participated in my first “travel” bouts, riding for hours on a coach bus with the All-Stars and other Battlestars, through Iowa and Nebraska, to play two very fun games. The Sunday drive home after our hangover bout in Iowa reminded me a little bit of college, with a bloody Mary bar, drinks and “walk-offs”. I even made the Battlestars “Dream Team”, voted on by Battlestar management. What a way to end my season!

I’ve been traveling a bit more for work this year, so I also got the opportunity to skate with the Battle Born Derby Demons (BBDD) in Reno and OC Roller Girls in California. The BBDD skate outside by the river, which was a lot of fun, although an interesting twist, having people around to watch practice. In the OC, I tried banked track roller derby for the very first time. I had to join the “freshies” before being allowed to skate with the league members, but it was totally worth it. I learned not only how to do transitions on a banked track (which is definitely different), but also how to roll off the railing. I kid you not, they teach you how to skate up to the rail, hit the base with your toe stops and roll off, a skill that is definitely not necessary in flat track derby. After the first hour of basic skills, I joined the full-league skaters in some game-like drills and then got to scrimmage. What a rush! Only one penalty (and not the one everyone was expecting me to get) for a low block (a pile up on the inside of the track). It’s kind of thrill to not only hit someone, but to get to legally hit them into a railing. J

On my recent trip to Athens, Greece (more about that later), I had the opportunity to co-lead a practice of the Athens Rollaways with a skater from France, in the shadow of the Olympic park. The team is very new with skill levels ranging from brand new skaters, to some ready to take on contact play. It was great seeing the girls take learn the drills we were teaching them and see them improve over a short period of time. International derby, gotta love it!

This summer I also joined the coaching team for the recreational league, the Brewcity Bootleggers. I love the opportunity to teach new girls derby, to share my passion with them, to see them grow as athletes and friends.  One of the girls, every time she sees me, says “Hey, coach!” and I can’t help but feel proud of myself. As we approach this year’s draft, I’m excited to see the girls who are interested in being league members’ show off what they’ve learned and how much they’ve grown over the last year.

On Love: Well, everything must come to an end and unfortunately, my marriage came to an end this past May. It was an amiable separation and subsequent divorce, and I’m glad to say that we’ve maintained a good friendship. For the most part, the responses of our friends and family have been very supportive, for which I am eternally grateful. Despite our friendly de-spousing, negative feedback can be very stressful, and I’m glad there was so little. So, once again, after 13 years, I find myself single and starting to muse on what the future brings for me.

So here are my musings…. After being in such a long relationship, I think it’s appropriate to not rush into anything again so soon. And yet, do you completely close yourself off to the possibility of something, just to not rush into something? The idea of being single is both exciting and scary…navigating your own the emotions, let alone those of others (and trust me, I’ve never been good at either of those). Is it worth it, that moment when you realize that there may be more? That first kiss? The kind of intimacy that makes you vulnerable? The warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you are able to make someone else feel special? Or, when it dawns on you that what you feel is not returned? Is it all worth it?

I don’t know what the future brings for me in the relationship department, but I will attempt to approach it in the same manner I do most everything else. With an open mind and, hopefully, with success.

On Body: It wasn’t always so, but I now consider myself an athlete. I’ve spent the last two years working hard to become a competitive derby player and I feel like I’m accomplishing that goal. I practice hard and I’ve started cross-training to make my game better… running (getting ready for my first 5K in two weeks!), taking fitness classes, even going back to tap dancing (can’t wait for my first class). And yet, I struggle with body issues and disappointment. I realize that this is normal for everyone, and it isn’t every day, but some days it’s difficult to just feel good about myself. To be fair, I also have those days when I feel fantastic. So, how do I make those days more frequent?

On Leisure: I made it a goal to be more social and outgoing, like I used to be when I was younger, and I am very happy with my progress. Not only have I spent more time with old friends and made new ones, but I recently took a vacation to Athens, Greece by myself. What a thrill! About two and a half weeks before I wanted to take vacation, I purchased my flights in and out of Athens, and didn’t plan a darn thing. I contacted the local roller derby team to see if I could skate with them while on vacation and was actually connected with one of the girls (Vefi) locally, who was gracious enough to let me stay with her for the week. I played each day by ear, visiting (and crawling around) the Acropolis and the museum, took a ferry ride to a nearby island (and while I missed the stop the first time around, made it safely to the port after a quick detour and enjoyed a lazy day at the beach and more climbing around old stuff J), took the local buses and subway to get around both Athens and the island (the subway was easy, but I had to make sure I counted stops on the bus routes to make sure I got off at the right place) and spent my last night in town dancing with the girls before hopping onto a bus to the airport at 2:30 am to catch my 5 am flight.

Having barely made my flight home (connecting thru Warsaw), I felt bad for the girl sitting next to me. I hadn’t slept in 24 hours, smelled like sweat and cigarettes (not my own) but we still had a good chat. With a 6 hour layover in Warsaw and the desire to not spend the next 9.5 hours in my own stink, I discovered a public shower…. On the other side of passport control (which later became an issue). Everyone should experience the joys of a public Polish shower in the airport, without the benefit of a towel. Paper towels are not a very good substitute….but I somehow managed to get dry enough to get back into my (mostly clean) travel clothes.

Feeling refreshed, I went to the information desk to figure out how to get out of the airport and to the city center, where I was sure the Hard Rock Café was located. I’ve been collecting the hurricane glasses since college, and couldn’t resist the opportunity to add to my collection, especially since the Athens location had closed prior to my visit. What I didn’t know was that, having already passed through passport control to get to the shower, I had passed the point of no return. After wandering around trying to figure out how to get out, I finally caught one of the passport control employees to ask about leaving. She told me, in no uncertain terms, that I could not leave….but why would I just leave it at that? I was determined to see a little of Warsaw. Who knew if I’d ever get back to Poland? I insisted that there had to be a way, and a second employee came out and voila! I was on my way to catch a bus. Where Greece was hot, Poland was quite cold, and my burn out t-shirt was not cutting it. I made it into town and by luck (there were no English signs anywhere, unlike in Greece) got off the bus exactly where I needed to be… the Hard Rock was in sight, although not open yet. I found a café to enjoy breakfast while I waited for it to open, got my glass and sweatshirt (because, damn, it was cold!) and headed back to the airport after a little walk.

Upon arriving in Chicago, I drove two hours to Michigan (can you believe I’d never been there before?) to join some friends on the beach. I made it just in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset, dinner at a local brew pub, drinks and games and late night girl talk. It was 3:30 in the morning before I finally turned in, and I’ll admit I was running on fumes at this time. As usual, I was plagued by the inability to sleep in the next morning and found myself wide awake way too early in the morning. After a lazy morning, we found our way back to the beach (I said I wouldn’t wear the swimsuit I bought in Greece here in the states, but I didn’t really have a choice and it wasn’t so bad). I tried paddle boarding for the first time and it was a blast, despite many failed attempts to stay upright AND paddle.

All in all, this year’s vacation was so much fun, having rediscovered my love of exploring and I can’t wait to continue my adventures in the future.

I am a work in progress, a force to be reckoned with, and I will not go quietly into the night (Independence Day, anyone?). Do not underestimate me. Instead, embrace me, let me know you care, help me, share with me and know that your interest in my life is appreciated. 

Rookie Year - Drawing to a Close

Today is a bittersweet day. I'm preparing for my very last home season bout of my rookie year and I'll admit I have mixed feelings about it. I am excited to be joining my team to defend our place as champs and to finish up this season undefeated. I'm nervous about how I will perform in this evening's game and I'm beginning to feel the pressure.

I could never have imagined that I'd become this close to my team and league mates and that this crazy, wonderful world of derby would mean so much to me. Keep your eyes open for the follow up post. I just can't even begin to articulate what is going on in my heart and mind right now.

Feelings of Mediocrity

Is it possible to have an overwhelming sense of mediocrity while your team succeeds in winning a tough game, moving on to the championship game? Absolutely! This bout this past Saturday was a fight to stay ahead of the other team. By no means was it my worst game, but in each of the previous games I've felt as though I made progress.Whether it was just the other team's dedication to making us work harder or my own lack of skills that night, I certainly could have done better.

On an extremely positive note, towards the end of the game I was put in a power pack (a pack that is stacked with your best blockers and jammers to help keep the bout from sliding out of control) a couple of times. As a rookie, I realize this is probably one of the most amazing things that can happen to me this year and I'm thrilled my captains had enough faith in me to put me in at that time. This season, we've been lucky to not have to rely on power packs much. We typically start each half with a power pack and then rotate through the rest of the team for the remaining half. Our team has been so strong this year.

I'm going to really focus on my pack work and hitting the next 2.5 weeks so I can really lay out some of those pesky girls in pink!

Semi-Finals

Tonight is the home season semi-finals for my rookie year. I can't believe this year has flown by so fast. It's 8:16 am and I've been up for almost 3 hours. I made the mistake of staying up too late last night because I thought, "It's no big deal. I don't have to get up or even set an alarm". I've learned my lesson. Whether its the nerves or just age creeping up on me, I couldn't sleep in, despite not even getting 6 hours of sleep. What to do for the next 12 hours before I need to be at the venue?

Well, I've played some facebook games, I'm currently writing a blog post (guess there is some benefit to not sleeping in; you'll have to forgive if my steam of consciousness jumps around a bit, but I blame lack of sleep.) and I'm also waiting for my nails to dry. I don't paint my nails on a regular basis because the polish never stays on for more than a day, no matter what I do. But it is one of my rituals, I suppose you could say, for bout preparation. I always try to use team colors and change up the design as much as possible. Today's polish design is a colorful french manicure. If only I had steadier hands. 

Tuesday is my birthday (yeah, me!) and I'm going to celebrate tonight at the after party. I am a true believer that whatever your age, you should definitely take the time to celebrate yourself, and what better day to do that than your birthday. I actually celebrate for at least a week, so starting today makes sense. Also, what better place and time to do it than at a party where many of my friends will be having a great time already? Who says getting older sucks? I'm smarter, happier and more confident than I was in my 20's, so bring it on!

I think it's time to do some skate maintenance for tonight's bout. I'm going to risk messing up my nails in order to have freshly cleaned and lubed bearings. Come back for a recap of the bout and see if we've managed to retain our undefeated status and go into the championships for 1st!

Time to be a Teatotaler

Today starts my week of complete abstinence from alcohol. For those of you who know me, this is tough, but worth it. I am not a superstitious derby girl, but I have become dedicated to being an athlete. I'm sure many in my life would have a hard time reconciling this to who I've been for the last 10 years, but it's been a great change for me. A week may not be enough, but I think it's worth it.

So, next Saturday is the semi-finals for our home season. There is so much riding on this single elimination bout (yep, you read that right, single elimination). As my team is currently undefeated, a loss for this game would mean playing in the grudge match for finals and a disappointing break for our great run so far this year.

There are a lot of people looking forward to seeing my team lose. And while the team we are playing is currently seeded last in the league, they should NOT be underestimated. They are definitely out to prove themselves, and they have the talent to do it.

So I'll spend the next week eating right, practicing, not drinking and preparing myself for the tough fight we have ahead of us next Saturday. I can't wait to get on the track and knock some girls down!

Update on my stats for the last bout: 3 Jammer Take Downs (JTD)! Woot! My goal for the last bout was to have 2 JTD's. I couldn't be more excited about these. I feel like I'm moving onward and upward in my overall goal to be a blocker to be wary of on the track. Not to mention, 2 of them were "sherrifs" (a hit that can often lead to a direction of game play penalty if not executed correctly).

Also, today's practice scrimmage was awesome! Both my team and the opposing team were short on numbers because many of our teammates are currently competing for WFTDA rankings (go Gold!). It was a great scrimmage and also so much fun! This league makes me smile. And I jammed twice. Thanks to my pack for being so awesome and keeping the other jammer stuck while I plodded my way around the track.

Pack Member Down

In my previous post, I failed to mention that one of my teammates was badly injured in that game. I wasn't really ready to talk about it at that time, but now I'm up for it. I've never been in a situation before where someone I was with was injured in front of me like that. I knew it would happen at some point, but knowing and actually living through it is something entirely different.

To make matters worse, this particular teammate is also a member of my pack. For those who don't know, the pack for your own team is the 4 blockers who go out and skate together. On our team, we have packs that typically work together, getting to know each other's strengths and weaknesses to really play a good strong game. You become a very close knit group within your own team.

I can't imagine what those first few hours and days were for her, but I know one thing. This woman is strong, both physically and emotionally. She broke her tibia and fibula. I saw her less than a week after her surgery and I'm amazed at how she's taken it all in stride. Of course, she is upset that she won't be playing with us for a long time and that this happened so early in her career, but her determination is inspiring to see. Not only did we get to see her, but she even had the entire team over for bout viewing. We descended upon her home, grateful to have the chance to see her and hang out and it was great seeing a smile on her face.

I'm going to miss seeing her lovely face on the track, but I know she'll be around, cheering us on as we will support and cheer her on during her recovery. Fingers crossed this is the last injury for a while. We ninjas need some good vibes right now.

And of course, seeing is believing. I always knew this was a dangerous sport that I got myself into, but this really brings it home. This entire experience threw me for a loop, but I too will come out stronger for seeing it as well.

Love you KMS!

Undefeated!

Last week Friday was my 3rd home season bout and I must say, I am very pleased. Not only did my team win, retaining our undefeated status, but I played a great game. I feel like I've made the next step to becoming a great player. I'm not there, but visible progress is so exhilarating.

My first jam out on the track was, admittedly very bad. My track awareness was horrible and I'm not certain that I even came close to touching the jammer. That being said, I took my captains and teammates advice and treated each jam as if it was the first, not letting my disappointing performance in that jam affect the following ones. And it paid off.

This was my best game to date, and it really should be at this point in my career. I went on to perform some pretty awesome sheriff's (a quick jab of the shoulder backwards into the chest of an opponent), two of which caused the opposing jammer to go down.

This game pretty much took me from a space taker on the track (granted annoyingly in the way to the other team) to a real hitting blocker. I look forward to continuing my growth as a hard hitting blocker.

And on the humorous side, there were quite a few times I was hit by the opposing blockers attempting to either take me out or just get me out of the way where I either didn't move or they bounced right off me. I love it!

Can't wait to hit some more! And I'm anxiously awaiting the stats for this most recent game and in my career as well.

Derby on the Road

It's been too long since I last posted and I have a game again tomorrow, so I'll keep this one short. Last week I was in Atlanta and I got the opportunity to skate with the Atlanta roller girls. Not only did I have a great time, but I learned some new drills that I can't wait to bring back to my teammates. This is what derby is about.

Two games... where has the time gone?

So, I promised an update from the game in Madison last Saturday and time has flown by so fast this is the first opportunity I've had to post since then. This was my first inter-league game and I must say, "WOW". What an amazing experience. The hosting team gave us a great goody "basket" before the game and pie afterwards. Considering we won, the pie was super nice.

For those of my readers who are not yet up on all things derby, inter-league games are (typically) made up of skaters from a league's home season teams and there are only 14 roster spots to fill (instead of 20 for home season). As a pack consists of 5 people (4 blockers and 1 jammer), this means 3 packs constantly rotating. Lot's of game time!

I had the opportunity to skate with 2 skaters from another home team in my pack and I have to say it was great. We worked well together and communicated, which is the biggest thing you can do during a game. We did a good job of holding their jammer back and recycling when she got past us.

The most exciting part for me during this game, though, was that I was asked to jam. As a skater that normally blocks, I'm always willing to step in when needed, even to jam. I am not the strongest jammer, but I can typically hold my own, especially given that I am strong enough to take most hits without falling or losing my balance. And I must say, I held my own very well. I jammed 3 times and got lead each time! Plus, I racked up 28 points for my team in those 3 jams. So, yeah, it was a great game.

I'll keep my synopsis of last night's home season game short. It was awesome! Two teams went into our game undefeated and my team came out the other side victorious. The pack I work in the majority of the time is fantastic! When one of my teammates pushes me (especially toward a line), I know she's using me to hit a jammer.... and it works! I am very happy with my overall performance last night. I went into the game with a goal of two jammer take downs, and while I didn't meet that goal, I did have a few good jammer take outs, which is pretty darn good too. My rookie year is turning out to be one fun ride! Note: It's also pretty cool when a long time vet (jammer) from the opposing team says to you at the after party, "I hate you.", to which I respond, "Why?". "Because you're an asshole" is what she replied back to me with a smile on her face. I'm not offended. I'm flattered because I know I gave her hell on the track and it made me happy.

Bitten by the Derby Bug

Today is my first travel team game against Madison, skating with the B team.  I've had one home season game and I'm trying to stay calm right now.  I've had a decent breakfast, fixed my lace covers and done my nails so far.  Up next, some skate maintenance to put in fresh bearings so I can roll like a maniac.  An update will be forthcoming.

The A Team

Today our travel teams had a makeup practice for all the crazy cold weather we've been having.  As a rookie (in general and) lucky enough to have made the roster for the B team's upcoming game, I'll take any possible practice I can get to and try to make the most of it.  We typically practice for 2 hours with a 1 hour overlap where the A team skates with us.  At the end of our two hours, the coach for the A team invited any of the B team players to stay and skate if they wanted.  And so I did.  And here is what I've learned.

It can be a soul crushing experience as a new player to be skating against the best skaters in the league.  If you let it.  I read an article by another derby girl that nicely explained the pros and cons of a mixed practice, especially from the point of view of the less experienced and skilled player.  So, while I was definitely a fish out of water, I took every opportunity to learn from the better skaters and pushed myself even harder.  Many times during the drills I felt as if I was falling short and was disappointed in myself.  But then I realized, each time I focused on something I that wasn't doing well, I got a little better.  I'm still way out of my league, but I'm going to focus on the fact that these awesome skaters let me join them and even took the time to teach me to be a better skater.  Derby love!

When it Rains it Pours

I think 2014 is going to be an interesting but good year for me.  In the past, I've thrown myself into one thing with a single minded determination that pushes everything else to the side.  I'm trying something new this year and throwing myself into many good things.  Here's hoping I make it!

As always, work has kept me busy and will continue to do so.  I'm finally going to get another analyst for my department, which means I might actually get to finish a project that I've been working on for a few years that continues to get pushed to the back burner.  Plus, our new IT Director gave me a very high compliment after a meeting I ran.  I guess my inner techie shined a little too much.  Maybe I should consider a career change?

My boss has been trying to schedule trips to the UK and Asia for us to catch up with the controllers there, but we've had a lot of scheduling issues.  Thankfully we will not be going to the UK this month since its already jam packed with stuff to do, but I'll be heading to Asia in March.  I've never done it before, but I'm thinking about taking a few extra days at the end of this trip to go someplace for fun.  But where to go?  I've never traveled in Asia for leisure.  And since I'll be alone, I want to make sure I'm going some place safe.

I'm also sitting on two advisory boards right now, one for Microsoft and one for a user group for an ERP system.  I started out with the user group as just a regular user going to the conference to learn more.  The next year I went I was asked to be a speaker, which was a completely new experience for me.  Despite nerves, I did a decent enough job that they asked me to be a track leader the next year.  Now I've filled the Quality Control role on the advisory board.  I've never done anything like this before, so my fingers are crossed I pull this off.

And then there's derby.  Not only am enjoying my rookie season on my home team, I've been rostered for my very first travel team game coming up next week.  I am SO excited to be getting the opportunity to skate with other girls from my home league.  Friends not involved in derby are always surprised by how many days a week I practice, plus trips to the gym, but it's paying off.  Can't wait to report on this game!

Here's to 2014 being amazing!

Is it bedtime yet?

Starting time: 11:37 pm 

Late practice.  It's one of the down sides to roller derby.  Every other week my team has practice from 8:30 to 10:30 pm.  We're lucky that we only have to do this every other week because another team in the league has to do it every week.  Despite having a full day of work and being bone tired after 2 hours of grueling practice, falling asleep on a late practice night is almost impossible.  Even after a nice hot shower, the endorphin rush keeps me awake way past a reasonable hour......

But, I guess just the exercise of writing this blog has been helpful because I have been staring at the screen too long.  Despite many articles stating that unplugging from technology for at least an hour before going to bed, maybe this is really the answer. 

Ending time: 11:47 pm (10 minutes and a pitiful blog entry later, I think I will try to fall asleep now.)

New Beginnings

I've been skating for just over a year and I figured it's about time for me to start chronicling my experiences with roller derby.  I want to make sure that I remember this time for how awesome it is, and maybe share a little of my life with people.  So I'll start with a re-post of the article I wrote for my company recently, which is a quick overview of my derby beginnings.  I hope you enjoy!

My passion for roller derby began when Dicky Yau, our Finance Manager in Asia, visited from Hong Kong.  I took him and my husband to our first Brewcity Bruisers (BCB) home season double header on April 16, 2011.  We watched teams of women take to the oval flat-track, and Jammers scored points as the opposing team’s Blockers threw hips and shoulders to knock them down.  I was captivated by these amazing women.

It had been years since I’d been involved in sports and longer since I’d worn roller skates, so it took me an entire year to get up the courage to get involved in one of the 10 most demanding extreme sports (http://www.buzzfeed.com/redbull/the-10-most-demanding-extreme-sports-594m).  In May 2012, I attended a roller derby boot camp, and I was hooked.

I tried out for the Fresh Brews that July - the training group for women hoping to be drafted onto one of the four Milwaukee home teams - but without the skills required to play, I didn’t make the cut.  I was disappointed but determined, and in November I joined the Brewcity Bootleggers, the BCB recreational league.  For the next 7 months I went to 2 practices every week and learned to block, hit, fall, and “jam.”  I even scrimmaged with the Madison rec league.

Months of pushing my limits and coming home with bruises and sore muscles made me stronger, faster, and more confident.  When I tried out for the Fresh Brews again in July 2013, I made it!  Now came the hard part.  For the next 4 weeks the training intensified, and I worked with the 24 other women who’d made the cut, focusing on becoming better players and preparing to learning how to hit - because what’s roller derby without a good hit?

As August approached, we all agonized over our skills, but the months of hard work paid off - I made the second cut.  I was so close to my dream of making a home team.  The final 4 weeks of training involved sessions with each of the 4 home teams - the Crazy 8’s, Maiden Milwaukee, Rushin’ Rollettes, and Shevil Knevils - getting to know the experienced skaters, learning from them, and seeing how well I might fit with their teams.

On October 18^th, 2013, the moment I’d worked toward finally arrived, and it was one of the most nerve-wracking days of my life.  The BCB Fundraising Gala was paired with the first-ever public draft.  I knew there weren’t enough open spots on the teams for everyone (22 Fresh Brews, and 3 transfer skaters from other leagues), and I’d seen them all skate - I was up against some very talented women.  Text messages were sent at 7:30pm to those that didn’t make it.  My phone was silent!  I could finally breathe - I’d made the draft!  At 9pm that night, it was announced that I’d been drafted to the Crazy 8’s, the team which had won the last 3 home season championships; and a new chapter in my life began.

This crazy sport has also given me opportunities to become more involved in my community.  Our Mission Statement says that the Brewcity Bruisers is an athletic organization that fosters strong women; offers opportunities for positive change in women’s physical, social and mental health; delivers a quality women’s sport; and support our community both physically and financially.  I got my first taste of this in July when I participated in the BCB annual “Give Back” picnic where people from the community came out to skate with the players, listen to music and hang out.  It’s important to this league that we help make the greater Milwaukee area a great place to live, so a portion of the proceeds from each bout is donated to local non-profit groups, and throughout the year our players volunteer in community service events.  

I couldn’t be happier to be involved with such an amazing organization, and going into the 2014 season I’m excited to skate on a great team as we work to uphold our record!