Greetings, readers! As I sit here pondering sleep it occurs to me that I haven't updated the Life of Lois DeGogh for a while, so I shall endeavor to update... or faceplant onto the keyboard, whichever happens first ;)
o-> My skating skills are improving, and I'm definitely feeling the progress... as well as it being observed by others. A few weeks ago we did a "for fun" time trial and then endurance laps... this time it was the 10 laps in 1:35 and number of laps in 10 minutes. I skated my 10 laps in 1:41... taking off about 8 seconds from the last time I tried it. I started the 10 minute endurance skate but bowed out after 5 minutes. I was tired, my knee was achy, and I still was winded from the 10/1:35.
The week after we attempted some agility skating. This was a bit of a challenge because it was incredibly humid that day and the floor at Horizon Fun F/X was almost as slick as Oswego's sweaty concrete floor. Rather that attempting more time trials and such, reflmao decided to set up the 5 cone circuit. I was so ecstatically pleased with my Atom Poisons... I did a bunch of laps to try and get a feel for the floor and what was and was not working (toe stops? notsomuch. Tomahawks? only if you planned on sliding about 4 feet before you started to stop. and so on). So we did the cone circuit... they were set up as 4 corners and a center cone, the object was to skate a pattern around all 4 cones; from center out then around the center to the next and so-on. We each went at least 2x, and I'm happy to say that besides Coach Awesome I'm pretty sure I ended with the best time of 20:03 sec. (I completely lost the pattern the 3rd time and decided I was happy with my time). Awesome hopped most of the pattern and came in with 18 sec. I didn't quite hop, but instead of the longer full strides I did a lot of smaller strides and walked the crossovers around the cone instead of trying to lean into a turn around them.
Then we tried some turns + tomahawks, which was challenging... and then I think we just called it a night.
o-> I'm still unemployed, but I've secured the insurance coverage via XSI Sport Insurance. It's accident coverage, but it isn't just for Roller Derby activities... if I trip over the cat because she's crouching on the stairs and I fall down and break my leg; I've still got coverage. So at least for the time being, I'm still legal to skate.
o-> I am not going to ECDX 2011. Here's a snippet of what I posted on LiveJournal earlier today:
Since I brought it up, Roller Derby continues apace... I am in love with it... and last night I ref'd in a rather big bout... Home Team Championship Bout. I am becoming a competent referee... my skating skills are improving... and my endurance is growing. As of this morning I have also lost 45 lbs since August 2009 (back down to pre-surgery weight of 2005)... that 'number' is not that impressive but it is significant in the fact that there is muscle, that I am stronger, that I feel fantastic and healthy and confident and empowered. I am 40 years old (well, have been since 5/19), and for the first time in a very long time I feel athletic.
I am saddened tho, because the weekend of 6/24-26 there is a pretty huge Derby Weekend happening in Philadelphia... and I'd signed up to volunteer as a Non Skating Official (hadn't had Referee experience yet) and was accepted, so I had free admission and free food during then event... but once I got laid off I had concerns about getting down there, where I was staying, and getting back (and eating outside the event, pocket cash, etc). I knew the league had budgeted $$ for folks to go but I didn't have details on how it would work, what would be covered when, etc... and when I was still unemployed with no prospects by 6/3 I emailed the organizers and bowed out.
Even now, finding out that the hotel is booked/paid for by the league and I could carpool with someone since mileage was being reimbursed... I won't contact the organizers and see if I can get back on the list. It's just an extra thing; as much as I want to go it would be irresponsible of me to try... Love of Derby or not.
This has caused even stronger feelings of anger and resentment towards the upper management at LeChase; because this was something I had been looking forward to since January (or whenever I'd registered for it). My plans and desires dashed against the rocks of disappointment because upper management wanted more money in their pockets and Tech Consultants they could manipulate and take advantage of and because of that pushed Mitch to kill the relationship between Info Advantage and LeChase. I am just collateral damage, and I know they could care less about my plans and desires... but it still pisses me off.
o-> Yesterday we had a Double-Header, final bout of the Home Season. First Bout was between the 5-H8-5s and a Compilation Team (victory to the H8rs), and the Second was a Championship Battle between the Rottenchesters and the Midtown Maulers (Rotties with the win). I worked the Inside White Board for the first bout, and skated OPR for the 2nd.
I was a little concerned during the first half because I wasn't seeing anything from the Outside... or rather, what I did see to call was already called in by an IPR or the OPR behind me (90°Johnson). I didn't know if I wasn't seeing anything because there wasn't much to see... or because I wasn't looking in the right place and missing things. Psi'd Kick (I think?) commented afterwards that the first half was very clean, and then started to get "messy" in the 2nd half.
I did have a moment of "go me" at what I believe ended up being the last or second to last jam of the bout... the Rotties' Jammer was skating along the outside line and got bumped out of bounds and ended up cutting another skater, I glanced up and found the Jam Ref (Psi'd Kick) and signaled the cut, he confirmed through eye and hand signal that it was for his Jammer... and then stuff happened and the Jam ended and I think the bout ended. Per Psi'd Kick, that was exactly the kind of OPR<->JR communication he was looking for and needed... which tells me that I'm getting better about my placement in the pack and communication to the inside.
I have an opportunity to skate as a Ref for a new league in the Southern Tier on the 18th, I haven't heard anything more about it yet, or if other Wardens are considering it (save for the Sinister Minister offering to NSO and drive). I realize I'll end up missing a certain shindig, but I really want to start getting more Ref experience in.
I guess it's also time to start working on IPR. Pack definition is kind of my bane right now. I mean, we're talking about someone who parallel parks their Pontiac Vibe like it's a Lincoln Navigator or grabs a quart-size container for what ends up being 2 cups of leftovers. I have some visual measurement/perspective issues. Maybe I need to invite myself to a team practice when they're using marked/knotted ropes to practice pack spacing or something.
o-> I need to figure out where I want to start skating outside. Since I'm home during the day, traffic isn't that bad so I could just skate along the streets of Riverton... there is a bike/running trail; but there is one specific spot with a sharp downhill drop and a right-angle turn... and from what I remember last summer there are a horde of chilluns who liked to play along there. Oh well, I'll be wearing my pads ;)
I want to get more skate time in, and get out of the house and away from the computer and Job Sites and FB and all that. My shoulder still bothers me at times but I need to start working out in earnest again... especially now that I've hit the 45 lb mark. Besides, I'm pail for a brown girl, and need to get me some healthy infusions of Vitamin D. That will probably do wonders for my sleep schedule and my mood as well... Vitamin D does make for an awesome anti-depressant, afterall :D For now, sleep is sounding like an awfully fabulous idea so... signing off!
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