ctl alt del

Life reboot.

Summer has ended. Fall is nearly over. Winter will be upon us shortly.

My brain is permanently wired to the academic calendar. I was a student until I was 30 and now I work at an academic institution, so September always feels more like the start of a new year than January ever does.

Every fall I get a burst of energy and I have to constantly carry around a note pad because I can’t turn off my brain. (Alas, this renewed zest does nothing for the powers of my memory, hence the note pad.) The cooler temperatures allow my brain to actually engage in thought other than “Dear God, could it get any hotter and could I feel any more disgusting?” I’m finally able to accomplish things that had previously only been vague plans. The summer is always so busy what with parties and derby business and such, that I never get the time to work on any of my other fun projects.

The fall is actually even busier for me, but somehow everything seems easier than it does any other time of year. Fresh perspective, ideas, adventures, parties… it all seems to fit together so much better than in the spring or summer. I usually just feel overwhelmed with all of my obligations, but during the fall, I feel like I can accomplish it all and still maintain my sanity.

I have a zillion and one things going on as per usual, but I think it can still be managed. All it takes is planning. And stamina.

The last year has been very busy and still managed to have a flavor of stagnation about it. It’s been a very disorganized year, to the point where I have felt disconcertingly out of control at times – as if I were treading mud – wearing myself out and not really getting anywhere. It’s been an especially non-crafty year, too. I’ve had the odd project here and there, but I haven’t spent this long away from craftiness… ever, I think. I’m finally getting my crafty mojo back, about which I’m very happy, indeed. The same with reading.

Actually, it’s been more than just this past year. Maybe the last two years. I’ve been out of grad school, and playing roller derby. Two major events (one ending, and one starting), never mind the grueling (and seemingly never-ending) job search, so it’s no wonder it’s taken me a long while to figure out a good rhythm for my life. I use my commuting time to catch up on sleep, instead of reading and crafting as I had done before. Oh, and the place is a wreck, so nothing I need for various projects is within easy grasp. My default is to just zone out on the computer rather than to actually accomplish anything useful at home.

But I’m beginning to (slowly) get my life resembling some sort of slightly organized mess. Anyway, here’s a list of what’s been going on in the recent past, and what’s planned for the near future:

1. Rollah Derby, Hey! It was a great season. The Old Money Honeys made it to the home championship, but lost to the Rats. No worries, though, because I won MVP for my team. It was a pretty sweet moment. I wasn’t able to play in the last two Bees bouts (against Rochester and Pioneer Valley), so my season ended a wee bit earlier than everyone else. We’re in the off season now, tidying up the loose ends for this season and planning for the next. We’re in the height of recruiting at the moment, and I’m on the recruiting committee. It’s been crazy. I’m answering derby-related emails at least two or more hours each day. We’ve got over 100 people on our recruiting list, and at least 40 of them have been coming to our recruiting events, and will most likely stick around for tryouts in January. Yes, we’re having tryouts this year! We’ve got so may people interested that we can’t possibly take everyone. That means that only the most motivated will stick around, which is pretty sweet. I’m definitely looking forward to the 2010 season. I’m also going to Philadelphia for the National Championships. It’s going to be so much fun!

2. Work – MIT has hired me nearly full-time (still a no-benefits part-timer, but it’s WAY better than before and I’m breathing a little easier for having the extra hours). I’m now doing more collections-type work, in addition to the reference assisting (which consists mostly of photocopying for researchers). I get to help with new accessions and some processing. So far the learning curve hasn’t been that steep, but it’s been a little wonky due to shifting work-flows and what not. The short version is that I’m really enjoying it and get to use my brain. I’m also there five days a week, and I’ve got my own desk in a cube with a big window. In other work-related news, I survived my first SeptOber working King Richard’s Faire. It was tremendously fun. I met some really great people and made a few new friends. I’ve even been invited to work at a few Cons next year (steampunk and sci-fi), which is probably one of the coolest and geekiest things ever. I plan on documenting those adventures in a photoblog of sorts.

3. Craftiness – After ages and ages of non-knitting, I’ve finally got projects on the needles (on which I’m actively working) and I’m finally back at the wheel. I ordered a bunch of fiber from Cranberry Moon Farm (a few different wools as well as a wool/alpaca blend) and have been getting back into the groove. I’ve been invited to do a spinning demo at AHA Night next week. On Thursday, November 12, from 6-9pm I’ll be at TL6 The Gallery (100 William Street, New Bedford, MA). If I get enough spun I’ll have a few skeins to sell (though I doubt I will). Maybe I’ll have some other things done up to sell (gnomes and mushrooms, perhaps?) The details are still loose at this time, but I’ve been invited to sell my stuff there, and I’ve got to put myself on a production schedule, because I’m absolutely useless without deadlines. I also borrowed a sewing machine and can therefore get caught up on some of the derby-related clothes I’ve been trying to make these last few months. I still haven’t gotten my screen printing stuff together, though, so they won’t be ready for sale until I get that all set up. Soon, though, especially now that I’m getting my work space a bit more useable. I sense an intense house-purge very soon. We have too much crap. We also have a ton of awesome stuff, which tends to get lost among the clutter. And Christmas will be upon us very soon. Luckily I’m only knitting for a few people, so it shouldn’t be too terribly taxing (she says with much trepidation).

4. Currently reading – Andromeda Klein (Frank Portman), Juliet, Naked (Nick Hornby), as well as a few others that I’ve picked up and put down in recent weeks. The first two, though, are ones that I’m actively reading. So far I love both. Portman is responsible for one of the best books about high school kids ever, King Dork. While KD was told from a teen boy’s perspective, AK has a girl protagonist, and I love her. It’s also got tarot cards, ghosts, and other spooky things. Plus it’s wicked funny. Juliet is great, too. Hornby does what he does very well, with the music and the characters and what not. I just have to remember to actually one of them on the train with me so I can actually finish reading them. I’m also starting a book club with a friend, so that’ll keep me reading. The first pick is Dear American Airlines by Jonathan Miles. It looks like an interesting read. And if I hate it, at least I’ll have something to talk about at book club. (We’re also most likely going to be a rather boosey club, seeing as how the members thus far are fellow derby gals. Perhaps I should use one of the clever names I had on reserve for my non-existent booze blog? How about the Literale Society?)

5. Socialite – I have no unplanned weekends from here until after the New Year. It’s been that way since Labor Day. It’s insane. But I love it. I am much better about keeping my calendar and planner up to date these days to keep up with all the parties and stuff. Halloween was a blast! I’m so glad so many people made it to our party. I didn’t really know how many to expect, since there were birthday parties and other Halloween parties going on the same night. The next event Chez Nous will be a game night. I want to play Arkham Horror, but if there are more people coming than can play that game, we have a bunch of other games to have several going on at once. Plus, we have darts, too. Mark your calendars for Friday, November 20, 7:30 pm. Potluck. I’ll make a Facebook event invite thingie. I also have plans to travel to Maryland for both Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I was terribly homesick last year on my birthday and Christmas, so I’m planning ahead this year.

Whew. That’s the news for now. As usual, I have a bunch of pictures from this Fall but have not uploaded any of them to any sort of photo sharing site. I’m lame. I might get to it. Maybe. Pretty sure I need a functioning Time Turner to get all this done, but we’ll see how I do. Oh, and I could use an airship. Some jerk stole mine, and I haven’t gotten it back yet.

Chrononauts AWAY!

no wonder I’m exhausted

Last Saturday actually felt like summer, which made me quite happy. (Remind me I said that when in August I’m daydreaming about October.) I do hate the heat and humidity, but I love these first few days of early summer.

I went for a run last weekend, and it was decidedly more successful than the last time. I brought along my MP3 player and that made a world of difference. Though I rather felt like the marching band people in this xkcd comic. And none of the songs really matched up with my stride, which drove me batty the entire time. But I went the whole nearly 4 miles without having to turn back because I was too annoyed to follow through. I left the house around 11:30 am, though, which was stupid of me. My route is usually pretty shady, but I forgot that at noon, nothing is shady. With nine months of winter, it’s difficult to remember how to behave when it’s actually warm out. I got pretty dehydrated and overheated and got dizzy so I only ran about half the distance and just walked the rest. But I still call it a win since I actually got my arse out the door and running. And the cross training Summah Resolution is in effect! I need to put the pull up bar back in the doorway, and really, I’ve neglected doing any sort of core work for entirely too long. It’ll all pay off when I can kick more ass at derby.

Speaking of which, I’d love to publicly thank roller derby for helping me overcome a metric shite tonne of body issues that have plagued me my entire life. I’m really not that much smaller than I was when I began derby, but my perception of my body has changed tremendously. I’m stronger and faster than I’ve ever been in my entire life, and that thrills me to pieces. I’m not running to lose weight, either. I’m running for the sheer enjoyment of the movement and to increase my strength and stamina to be able to better play the sport I love. I really don’t give a shit about how other people see me when I’m running down the street in spandex booty shorts and a tank top.

Every other time I’ve ever exercised regularly it’s been about getting stronger and gaining stamina, yes, but always looming in the back (or front) of my mind was the desire to become smaller and to lose weight. It was always there. And now I hardly have any of that crap left rattling around in my head. It’s almost entirely gone. I say almost, because no matter how hard I try I can’t turn off the voices outside of my head telling me that I should want to be smaller. I’m average size, really, but a large percentage of society, however, thinks that I am fat. And even if I was, who the hell cares? It’s my body. How it looks is no one’s business but my own.

And while I’m at it, society: Fuck you and your fascist beauty standards. I’m so sick of all of the hate-yourself bullshit that is everywhere during the summer. (Well, it’s everywhere all the time, but seems especially omni-present these days.) I don’t need 53 specials on how to get my body ready for bathing suit season, thanks. And I’m going to stop there before I get really caught up in a body issues rant. I’ll let others (more capable than I) handle that one.

Moving on.

I fell at practice this past Tuesday and my knee pad slipped. No major damage, just a bruise and some swelling, but it was a little scary. I’m going to take it easy (ie no scrimmaging) for a couple more days, but it should be good to go for practice next week. I did not run this week like I had planned, though. It was rainy most days, so I’m probably kidding myself into thinking that I would have gone out if I hadn’t been injured.

Oh and as for my other Summah Resolutions, I did see Ida Maria last week. Two local bands opened for her. I really enjoyed For What It’s Worth (who were super nice and gave PRD a lovely little shout out mid-set). And The Danger Room (while they didn’t completely strike my fancy) were decent, too. In other local news: I went to my first Waterfire last weekend! It was sruprisingly really great. I hate crowds and it was a little touch-and-go for a little while, but I settled in pretty quickly and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Plus, they had fried dough. Oh, and I also got to see the Red Sox this past week. I saw game two in the series against the Marlins. It was really fun! A friend of a friend had an extra ticket for the roof deck standing room area. It was a wickedtonnalotta fun, and half way through the game the people sitting at the $500 table in front of us gave us their seats. (And I got to have fried dough at the game, too. Nom.)

And tonight is the BDD bout against the Texecutioners. (I missed last night’s Gotham/Texecutioners bout in CT, but I heard it was phenomenal! Gotham won, but it was a close one the whole time.) And the Nuts and the Cosmos are kicking things off before the interleague bout gets underway, so it should be a pretty fun derby evening.

My last day at one of my jobs is the 30th and next Friday they’re throwing us a library-wide “assistant appreciation party.” Translation: “sorry the economy sucks and you’re all getting laid off at the end of the month.” I wonder if they’ll actually have anything I can eat. I usually end up with just juice and plain crackers at these “appreciation” gatherings. Though the following week I’m going to a separate gathering just for those of us who work in my department who are getting laid off. That should be much more fun. I went to the library summer party last Friday (though I left early due to a migraine) and it wasn’t as awkward as I had expected it to be, and there was a ton of vegan-enough-for-me food, so perhaps this Friday’s party won’t be as weird as I’m expecting it to be.

It’s still weird to think that in a couple of weeks, I’ll have five-day weekends. I know I should feel bad about my looming unemployment, but I’m actually looking forward to it. It’ll give me time to catch up on a bunch of projects, namely R’s book. Things keep getting in the way and my life keeps exploding all over the place and I can’t seem to get my act together to actually meet to discuss the work thus far. It’s really cool that I get to participate in this project, as I’ve never edited a novel before (just books of poetry and essays and things), but I haven’t been as efficient as I would like to be. It’s a pretty fun story, and I want to be able to devote more time to it. Check out the author’s new website!

That’s the news for now, friends.
Hearts and Stars.

Derby-tastic reminder:

Thursday: Preview of the Cox Xpose on Providence Roller Derby
Cable Car Cinema, Providence, RI
9:30 pm, tix: $3
It’s cheap! It’ll be super awesome! Don’t miss it!

Saturday: RI Riveters vs. HARD’s Nuclear Knockouts!
Rhode Island Convention Center
Doors at 6pm, Bout at 7pm
Tix: Brown Paper Tickets
Or buy them from me!!! Only $10! (I want to sell 100 tix this season!)

Cox “Xposé” of PRD

Come to the Cable Car in Providence on Thursday, April 9 to see a special screening of the Cox Sports one-hour documentary “Xposé” about Providence Roller Derby! It’ll be aired on Cox stations Friday, April 10. We’re teaming up with the Cable Car for this fundraiser to promote our wicked awesome upcoming season. Check it out! Details forthcoming (such as price, exact times, etc).

Here are a couple of commercials for the show. (I’m in the second one, briefly, signing autographs. ROCKSTAH!)

Edit to add: Here’s the rest of the info. 9:30pm showing, $3 at the door. Cheap! Fun! Awesomeness!

RI Riveters vs HARD

Buy tix here:
www.brownpapertickets.com/event/60092

Bzzzz!

We had our first taste of the derby season last night. The Killah Bees (PRD’s “JV” travel team) took on New Hampshire’s Skate Free or Die team. We had several gals skating last night who had never played another team before, so it was really exciting, indeed. The final score was 105 to 50. Go BEES!!! I am so proud of how we played yesterday. We struggled in the first few jams, because it takes us a little while to get a feel for the other team and to be able to read them and strategize and what not. But we got our act together and played a great game. It’s amazing how much you learn by playing people you don’t normally play. We can scrimmage amongst ourselves ’til the end of time, and we’d never learn as much as we would playing another league. In that one hour last night, I think we learned so much about our team, and how we can continue to get even better. We take on NH again on April 25th. (Buy tix here: Brown Paper Tickets)
We filmed the scrimmage last night. Footage from that, along with some other footage of us playing previous bouts, is currently being made into a commercial that will air on channels five and six in the Providence area. Keep an eye out for that. We’ve also got an “Expose” on Cox Cable coming out in early April. We’ve got I think 4 bouts at the Rhode Island Convention Center, in addition to our 4 home team bouts at Kennedy Plaza, both in Downtown Providence. See www.providencerollerderby.com for our complete spring/summer schedule. It’s going to be an amazing season! Come see us skate!

/hibernation

I have been extremely lax in my blogging these last several months. You know how it goes: Busy doing fun things. Not organized enough to put photos on Flickr. No photos = no writing about fun things. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. I shall attempt to remedy that this weekend by doing a massive upload of photos. I’ll be doing them in installments, starting with last August.

It’s March. Pretty soon we will have ploughed through a quarter of the year. What have I been up to this year? What’s coming up? Hey, look! A list!

1. Coming up on Friday, I have a phone interview for a Project Archivist position at an area library. The lovely folks at MIT have offered to do a mock interview with me on Thursday to help me prep. I’ve also expanded my job search to include positions back in the DC/Baltimore area.
2. I had a whirlwind trip to Maryland and Florida last week. I left Boston for Baltimore on the 20th, caught the Riveters/CCRG bout, spent several days among friends and family in Maryland (met the BFF’s girlfriend, she’s rad), left for Florida on the 24th, spent a few days on the Gulf Coast with my seester and JeT’s dad enjoying the 80 degree weather, caught a Red Sox spring training game, then landed in Boston just as the snow began to fall Sunday morning. It was a bit of a wild week: one morning I woke up to broken glasses and raw patches on my hands and face. I try to tell people that the raw skin was due to extremely dry skin, and the glasses were on their way out anyway. There are some, however, who refuse to believe this and assert that I must have been in a bar fight.
3. I now have new glasses. They are red. And shaped rather like my pair-before-last, slightly cat-eye. Did I mention they are red? And awesome? Yes.
4. PRD is gearing up for the 2009 season. Our last batch of newbies joined in January, and there are only a couple left who haven’t yet passed their assessments to claim their name. This is really exciting! It’s going to be a fantastic season! I shall be continuing as the Rookie Wrangler, and I’ll also be taking on the job of League Archivist. I’m also going to be playing in two away games. In Canada! Also, PRD is playing host to several travel teams this year. The first Riveters home bout is against Harrisburg Area Roller Derby (HARD) on April 11 at the RICC. The Killah Bees are hosting the Skate Free or Die girls at a scrimmage next weekend, and then we play them at a NH bout in April. I’m not going to be playing in that one, though, as I’ll be playing in Ottowa the following week. It’s going to be a derby-filled summer, indeed. (Check www.providencerollerderby.com regularly for the most recent updates.)
5. I haven’t been very crafty though. I did finally finish my SIL’s hat and scarf, delivered only two months late. The BFF has a birthday coming up and I’m working on something for him. I started a hyperbolic plane in blue and white cotton, which was supposed to be a bath pouf. I ran out of the white, half way through the last round. I might just knot it off and call it done, though, since the whole reason for making it was to do a bit of stash busting. I also have to make another Jayne hat for myself, since I lost the one I made last Fall. Once I actually get going on something, I’ll feel better.
6. I have severely neglected my pen pals these last several months. The end of the derby season in September ate up all my time, and then it was fall, and then winter, and now here it is nearly spring and some of them haven’t heard from me in ages. It’s not due to lack of caring, but rather to severe lack of organization. I just need to cart around my little notebook of writing supplies, then I can write while I commute, just like old times.
7. Saw They Might Be Giants a while ago. They were super great, as usual. They played so many songs! And many many were ones I’d never heard them play before, or hadn’t heard in a long while. We made some concert friends, which was fun.
8. We have a new car: a 2008 Kia Sportage, silvery grey. It’s awesome. We can accelerate. Uphill! And it’s big enough to fit my legs! And passengers!
9. Though I have been bringing my lunch to work nearly every day (thanks to JeT who actually prepares and packs the food), I miss bringing super fun bentos. I shall endeavor to remedy this. We’ve been making some new foods, though, so we’re slowly edging out of our food rut, which I’m very happy about. More new foods to come, and of course bento photos!
10. I’ve recently discovered Wild Turkey’s American Honey. If you’re a fan of whiskey or bourbon, you need to try this. Even if you normally hate the stuff, you need to try this. It’s golden awesomeness in a bottle. Highly recommended.
11. Speaking of imbibing, my librarian friends and I came up with a blog idea to help us broaden our beer horizons. We plan to sample a different kind of beer each month, and report our findings on the blog. We’re still thinking of a name, though. I was all ready to go in January, and then I sort of just forgot about it. This should be quite fun, once we get going!
12. I would like to go bowling. And ice skating. And just go out more often. Maybe stay in town for a bit on Fridays or something. I just need to get my act together and play cruise director, I think. I’ve just been so disorganized; I haven’t felt like myself for months and months. I think I’m finally coming out of my stupor, though. I think the sunshine did me some good. I’ll work on my schedule this weekend, and will start planning some outings. I wonder where my planner is… probably under the laundry somewhere.
13. First outing: This Friday, March 6th! Watchmen! Who’s in? JeT and I are going to see it in Boston (on the Common). We’re buying our tix tonight, if anyone’s interested.
14. And then there are a couple of concerts coming up: OK Go! and The Pogues! So excited!

notices:

December 19 is my birthday. It falls on a Friday. Prepare for a party.

Knowing how I operate, expect belated holiday gifts. We will have a linner* party for friends on the 3rd of January. It’s a Saturday.

* Linner = Lunch + Dinner. That way people with childrens can come earlier and not feel like they’re missing out on stuff. And people are welcome to stay later into the night for more fun times.

Go vote for Dan White for The Rhode Show. He’s one of PRD’s announcers, and we want to support him. Here’s the link: http://www.wpri.com/generic/entertainment/ent_other_3/the_rhode_show 

You can vote once a day, or you can clear your cookies in your browser and vote as many times as you want. He’s tied at 22 percent right now. Go vote!!!

Vote for Diamond Dan White!

An announcer for Providence Roller Derby is a finalist to be the next host of a talk show in Rhode Island. Go vote for him!!!

http://www.wpri.com/generic/entertainment/ent_other_3/the_rhode_show 

OMH Undefeated!!!!!

The Old Money Honeys are the 2008 Providence Roller Derby champions!!!

Thanks to all of you who came out to support your local roller girls last night. It means so much to have so many friends and family as my fans. I had a blast out there. I only sustained very minor rink rash during the bout, which is way less than I expected. But coming back from the bar, I thought it would be a really awesome idea to run down the sidewalk to catch up to the rest of the gang. I twisted my ankle and skinned my knees. I’m a dumbass.

It’s pretty sore today, and I may have a minor sprain. It’s not bad enough to go to the docs, so I’ll just RICE it and see how it goes. I’m pretty bummed though, because we are supposed to scrimmage the Skate Free or Die New Hampshire girls on Thursday. Yeah, probably not going to happen for me. Lame. Literally.

But, we won, so I’m happy. When it’s my week with the trophy, I’ll have a party and we can all take pictures with it! Yay!

Go, OMH!!!