My summer housesitter, friend and former student Lauren now works for Safe Recovery, a program of our local social service agency, the Howard Center, that works with injection drug users. When she told me that the last match of the season for our local roller derby team, the Derby Dames, was also a fundraiser for Safe Recovery, I knew that seeing a roller derby definitely needed to go on the list of New Things. And as usual, my friend and colleague, Paul,was up for it, and this time we got two other friends, Karen, and my colleague Sue, to come along as well.
The only catch for me was that we were meeting up at 6 pm to go over to the match, and I spent the day rock climbing, and got back just a little before six. So, I had to go to the match in my grimy rock climbing clothes, but it wound up not mattering, because as I learned that night, at a roller derby match, anything goes. There were people in t-shirts, people in the highest shoes I've seen since KISS concerts in the 70s, and lots of black fishnet stockings -- and that went for the spectators, the refs and the derby players. My camera was also almost out of battery charge so only three photos for this post -- one of Paul, Sue, Karen and I as spectators; one of Lauren, who was responsible for us being there; and one of the Derby Dames and their opponents, the Montreal Sexpos, in action.
I think I'll need to go again to totally figure out how it all works. There's lots of hip and shoulder-checking, and the names of the positions (jammers, blockers and pivots) are pretty fun. My favorite part is when the lead jammer wants to stop a play she waves her wands up and down from the elbows, which is like no other sport signal I've ever seen. Unfortunately, the Derby Dame's last match of the season was ill-fated, and they got trounced by the Montreal Sexpos, 159 to 68. But it was great fun to watch, and I might have to go to a Tuesday night practice sometime and throw on a pair of roller skates and try it out myself. Anyone want to come with me?
52 Ways to Say I Love You
In Lakota from my friend and colleague, Jerry, who got these from his friend Linn.
hello = HAU
good bye = TO KSA AKE (There is no good-by in Lakota. This means some time soon or later or some day or we will see each other again)
I love you = I YO TAN CHI LA (I hold you in the highest regard)
Coming Attractions
Go to Quebec City and Take a Ride in a Hot Air Balloon. My very good friends and fellow list-keepers, Siham and Leah, are coming to Burlington for the weekend, and while they're here, we'll pick dates for these two upcoming New Things. The first is on all three of our lists, and the second is on mine and Siham's.
Ice skating and rock climbing. My new thing goal on ice skating went totally by the boards this summer, and it's time to get it back on track. I am going to start a regular weekly skating schedule at Leddy Park Rink on Fridays at 8:30 am and Sundays at 1 pm, beginning Friday, September 24. I also really want to get in a bit more rock climbing practice and am going to start going to Petra Climbing Wall on Thursday nights starting on the 23. If anyone wants to join me for either or both, let me know!
Saturday, October 16 (or maybe October 17). Last of the four seasons of Camel's Hump hikes. Katrinka, Brian and Tigist are coming all the way from Tacoma, Washington for Katrinka and Brian to do the hike with me, and during the weekend I'll take Tigist (who's turning three and celebrating that birthday here in Vermont) on her first hike (Mount Philo) and/or ice skating adventure.
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