A Derby Post

Though I've been missing a lot of practices lately, due to rehearsals, shows and Weather, I've been getting together with one of the girls on the team - Tootsie - to practice outside on our own.  At first we were just sort of lapping around the parking lot, but lately we've been working on actual skills.

Yesterday, I felt like I was starting to make some progress.

Tootsie and I have been working on a couple of things: running on toe-stops, jumps, cross-overs in anti-derby direction (clockwise) and balance.  I'm now able to take three good, long running strides before dropping to my wheels to skate, which is a huge improvement from a few weeks ago. 

This week, we decided to do two person blocking drills.  One of us would skate down the length of the parking lot and try to block the other from getting around, using the lines of the parking spaces to stand in as the track boundaries.  

I'm focusing on two things. First is moving my whole body, utilizing the footwork we've been working on so much in practice, rather than sticking one foot out and pushing myself from side to side (which is what I usually do.)  The one foot out method, while giving me the illusion of stability, puts me at risk for a penalty. 

The other is a little more difficult to describe.  When you're skating down in derby stance (sort of a squat,) looking over your shoulder at an opponent, and you see her move out of your line of sight to the other side, it wastes time for you to look over that shoulder and then move.  There's no where else she could have gone, the track isn't that big.  You want to move first and then look.  I've working on this in drill after drill with both the Pixies and the SCARs, and still haven't been able to do it effectively.  I saw it put into practice the weekend before last when I watched the WFTDA Eastern Regionals and suddenly it clicked.  I managed to do it a couple of times yesterday, practicing with Tootsie. 

Today I start rehearsal for another show. The rehearsal schedule is such that I'm going to miss Thursday practices until November.  I'm going to look up some more two person drills that I can work on with Tootsie so I won't be so far behind the team when I get back to regular practices. 

New Apartment

We've been here for almost two months now and are still enjoying the new place.  We're more or less moved in, aside from a few odds and ends that are mostly waiting for new bookshelves.

I'm in the midst of repainting the downstairs bathroom (yes, we have two!) and will be posting about that when it's done.  I'm pleased with the way it's turning out so far. 

First, the photos:

The living room, with a shot of the kitchen beyond.  I like the wood floors and trim throughout the apartment. The living room conveniently matches our furniture and accessories, so we plan to leave that as it is.   Not seen from this view is two windows facing the side yard.  They're not particularly exciting.

Kitchen.  I adore this kitchen.  The cabinets are huge - tall and deep - and there's tons of counter space.  I can actually cook a meal and not feel like I'm tripping over myself the whole time. 

The walls are a light grey color. Again, I don't have a problem with this, and have no plans to repaint.

Upstairs bathroom. For the most part, I like this bathroom.  The only drawback is there is no bathtub.  Most of the time, I don't mind, but after derby practice, I like a good hot bath.  I know I'm really going to miss it come winter, but I'm sure I'll get over it.

The study is the one room that still is in quite a disarray.  Partly because we haven't quite found the best way to share the space and partly because we need at least one more bookshelf.  Previously, all The Boy™'s work-related books and files were in his office at Penn State.  He doesn't really have his own office at the new job, so they've all come back home again.  Archiving is not one of The Boy™'s best skills, so those books and files are sitting in boxes until he figures out a way to store them.  I'm trying to be patient about it.

The Bedroom I like. We just got the new platform bed (having given away the boxspring before we moved. It's a long story.)  There's not quite enough closet space (not shown) but we have a new dresser coming in a few weeks.  

My conundrum for the bedroom: the walls (in case you can't tell from the photo) have already been painted a plum color by the previous tenants.  I don't have a problem with the color, but I'm nto sure it matches the quilt (which my grandmother and cousin Suzie made for me; it's not really an option - we will be having the quilt on the bed.)   Here's a close-up of the quilt:

The plum sort of matches, but I'm not sure it matches enough. Not shown is a sort of forest green trim on the bottom.  The wood of all the furniture is cherry - brown with a hint of red. 

What do you think, Dear Readers?  Leave it plum, or repaint?

Relearning Things

    Today is final dress rehearsal for Spirits Willing.  I am assistant director/stage manager on this show.  Thus far, the rehearsal process has been wonderful.  Working with a great group of people, including two of my best friends.  The script is funny (though could have used a few more edits.)  The process very relaxed.
    Now that we're in to tech week, though, things are starting to get a little hairy.  Not bad, by any stretch of the imagination.  I'm just re-learning some lessons that I learned a long time ago.  I thought people had changed in the five years I'd been away.  Turns out they really haven't.
   I'm not going to get into details.  One of my new goals for myself is to stop gossiping and saying bad things about people.  I'm just going to say here that I have learned sometimes people don't change. Not really.  By all means, give them the change to; give them the benefit of the doubt.

   But don't be surprised when they show you they're the same person deep down inside.

New-New Apartment

     Finally, all our belongings are in the same place! (Well, aside from a few heirlooms and childhood things still with The Boy™'s parents' house.  And poor Louie the Turtle at my parents' house. We'll be getting those sometime this year.) A huge shout-out to Nic and Ron who helped us lug the heaviest of our furniture (couch and my desk) out of storage and into the new apartment. 

     The New-New Apartment is wonderful.  I'll be getting pictures up as soon as we've finished unpacking and get things settled.  Right now, I'm enjoying that there is space to move around, places for both of us to sit and QUIET at night. No white trash neighbors arguing on the front lawn until the wee hours of the morning.  For those of you who are wondering, Jersey is much happier here than he was at the Old-New Apartment.  The fish, of course, could care less.

   So: pictures as soon as I can.  I know I'm not the most regular blogger in the world.  Less so in the future as Spirits Willing goes into tech and performance and Orson's Shadow begins rehearsals.  But I'll try to update as often as I can.

Think Cool Thoughts

Most of the country is in the midst of a heatwave right now. Here in New England, the temperature has been hovering close to 100° (with the heat index over 100°.)  It was 88° when I woke up at 2:00 this morning.

So, I'm doing everything I can think of to keep cool: cold showers, damp compresses, fans, time at the beach.  I plan to spend today at the library, coffee shop and possibly the mall just to stay in buildings with air conditioning. Unfortunately, our apartment doesn't have AC.

The poor kitty looks like he's going to melt.

I'm leaving this picture here, to remind us of the dark days of winter, when it's cold and icy and miserable.  I took this from our balcony at our apartment in PA.   I half expect Mr. Tumnus to come walking out of the trees at any moment.

Moments

I hit the wall. It knocks me down.  I curse, get to my feet, and skate to the wall again.  Again I find myself on the floor.  And again. And again.

Finally, I make it through. Past the wall. Through the pack.

And then I hear those words:

"Lead Jammer!"

Holy shit. That's me?!

Random

"You know something?"

"I know a lot of things. I'm in advertising."

"You know it's hot?"

"I wouldn't have known that if he hadn't told me."

(12 Angry Men)