Sunday, September 14, 2008

From the sublime to the. . .



. . .ridiculously sublime.


So,after seeing rocks and birds, I went to see birds rock. Some friends invited me to join them at the Kansas City Ring of Fire Women's Roller Derby Championship. None of us had ever been to a roller derby before and we went because, well, shouldn't everybody at least once? It was fun! Man, those girls are amazing! I was always scared on roller skates. I don't think they're scared of anything. My fav was the star of the winning team, a young woman who goes by the game-name, "Snot Rocket." Loved her, loved the games. And guess what? This is one women's athletic event that attracts as many men to the audience as women. Gosh, I wonder why. ::makes innocent face:: And wouldn't you know, the way life presents amusing coincidences, on Sunday I met a woman whose daughter used to be a player. She said, "those girls are tough!" Yeah. That's how they roll. :D

33 comments:

Nancy P said...

Turns out a KC team was national champs last year. So I guess we saw the best. They were amazing. Have any of you ever been to a roller derby?

Anonymous said...

Roller Derby, I used to watch it on tv many years ago. Those were tough older broads. These are much younger looking girls.
Those look like my students out on that track. Tough, reckless, elbowing their way to win.
Vicarious excitement for us tremulous athletes.
Actually roller derby is what my editing experience feels like these days. Bumped and bruised as the words skate by but I can't catch many of them to make much progress. Better get my helmet on and make some laps.

Marvelous Monday to all.

Maria Lima said...

Morning, Lisa! Guess we're the early birds today.

Funny that women's roller derby pops up on 2 things for me lately: this blog and a recent episode of Psych. Is it making a comeback?

I've never been to one, but I'm all for women doing sports they love.

My sport? People watching... ::g::

Happy Monday, all!

Anonymous said...

Major tranquility this morning on the way to work. Beautiful, almost full moon followed me on my drive.
I love the moon. It speaks to me more than any celestial body.

Morning back at ya Maria and all that come.

GhostFolk.com said...

Wow, Nancy! I've never seen roller derby live. Is it loud? The old Kansas City Bombers team from the 1960s was the basis for the movie with Raquel Welch in 1972.

Far: Thank you for checking the schedule. Oh lordy, do NOT drive to any of this stuff just because it is in the same state. LOL. I was hoping I would get closer. On top of which, I'll be a traveling a**hole by the time I get to Georgia in the rental car, and will have my stupid hat on. I get road stoned after driving for a few days straight. Or crooked.

On the last one of these I hit a deer in Mississippi. And I was in Louisiana before I fully realized it had actually happened. You wouldn't believe what a rental car company charges to fix deer dents, btw. :-)

I didn't put the media stuff on the schedule and it is usually early in the morning in the next town. And I do mean early, I get two minutes on a local TV station at 5:45 A.M. if I am lucky.

Would be much more fun to meet under more casual cricumstances.

Oh, and thank you for tagging my blog at your blog (and you too, Nancy!). I'm going to learn how to return the favor soon. I promise.

AndiF said...

Well we got our visitation from Ike -- huge winds, over 150,000 people without power, including me and there saying it could be a couple more days before we get it back. I had to drive almost 20 miles to get somewhere with electricity and more importantly wifi and coffee.

So in acknowledgment of my lack of light, here a light-filled Monday Picture Post.

couldn't pick between these [LINK 1] [LINK 2]

This extreme light only lasts a few minutes. [LINK]

Pine trees create light mosaic [LINK]

Hope to have some light of my own before too long.

Morning everyone.

Anonymous said...

Morning folks. Glad everyone survived Ike without TOO much damage, but sorry to everyone who was impacted somehow, and good luck cleaning up and waiting for power.

Used to watch roller derby as a kid, on TV - many many years ago. Looks like fun, Nancy!

MIssed everyone yesterday -welcome back, Ghostie! Heading over to your site now. Then to work. Hot tub being installed today - even though it's going to be 90 this week. But it'll probably be 60 next week - fall in Idaho.

Have a good Monday, everyone!

Nancy P said...

Lisa, these definitely are young gals. Some of them are big bruisers--the "pivots" and "blockers" who alternate between offense and defense. The "jammers" (the ones who make the scores) tend to be slim little things who can dart between the big girls. In general, the players seemed fiercely competitive, but also like they were having a great time. Big grins tended to break out with regularity.

And did I mention the cheerleaders? Muscular young guys wearing nothing but black trousers, tatoos, and black (just around their eyes)masks. Hee.

Get in there with that editing and look for openings, girl!

Nancy P said...

Maria, maybe you're meant to use r.d. in a book. :) Hmm, now that I think about it, a woman who played or had played roller derby might make a really good and daring heroine.

lol, Lisa, from the crash and noise of r.d. to the tranquility of the moon. It was beautiful last night.

dina said...

Good morning, everyone. My guest is on her way to Boston and though I enjoyed her stay immensely, I am glad to reclaim my space.

AndiF, loved all of those pictures, particularly the first one. Amazing.

Nancy P said...

Hi, Ghost. It was loud, but pleasantly so, if that makes any sense. Just crowd noise. The game, itself, wasn't noisy, if I recall, which I maybe don't. What WAS loud was the heavy metal band playing before the game--but they were pretty good, so I liked it--and the big percussion marching band at halftime. It was a circus, I tell ya. :)

Nancy P said...

Ack, Andi, so sorry about your power. But so happy about your links. Any day with Andi-links is a good day, thank you very much.

Nancy P said...

Hi, Beth. Tomorrow's post may interest you and your SO. It's also something I saw on my little trip.

Eventually, we'll get back to Andi's beautiful photos, but I've got to report on all this cool stuff while it's still fresh in my memory. You guys are probalby in for it once I get my new camera and really start my Year of Traveling Through Kansas. :D

Nancy P said...

Hi, Dina. I meant to get in here yesterday and throw a "howdy" to your guest, Sally. I hope you guys had a great time.

Kelly McCullough said...

Morning all,

Just going to grab a muffin and a mug of English Breakfast and park myself at the corner table to write.

Andi, some great shots there. I especially like the saturation on that third pic.

Nicola Slade said...

Good grief, roller derby looks scary! I'm not into exercise or sports, I prefer retail therapy.

Well, having moaned on here about the British weather I can report that everyone I've seen today looks happier. Reason? No rain and a few hours of sunshine. It's amazing what a difference it makes after what has been the worst, wettest summer I ever remember.

And I'm a happy, boastful bunny today because the Large Print rights of my Victorian murder have been sold. (Yippee - does an unseemly dance to celebrate - not a pretty sight!)

Anonymous said...

I'm with Nicola, I think that roller derby looks scary. Yikes! And congrats on selling the rights to your book!

Great pix again, Andif. Actually, they are spectacular! I don't know how you do it so consistently.

I'm off work today. Found out when I got there that there was no power and was sent home. Awww. :-D Many businesses and schools closed because of lost power. They're reporting that there are a million without power in the state and many will stay in the dark until Friday. Hope you have better luck, Andif. I feel fortunate to have power at home.

Good luck with the editing, Lisa and the hot tub installation, Beth. (Is that in preparation for the housewarming party? ;-) )

Have a wonderful day.

GhostFolk.com said...

I just want to say THANK YOU to Far, Nancy, Beth, and Kelly for helping with my blog page. I have your blogs and websites up now.

If anyone would like me to link their blog or webpage at my blog, just let me know. Now that I know how to do all of two things, I'll probably do a lot of those two things.

Nancy, it was a circus indeed! And, you know what, I think the real circus could use some cheerleaders, too. Give me an E, give me an L, give me an E... P...H...well, you know.

I was just remembering how loud a roller rink was when I was ten years old and learning to skate backwards.

I mean, I learned backwards, not that I could actually skate backwards.

Andif, I am so happy to hear of your survival!!!

Nancy P said...

Congrats, Nicola!! And I say that in LARGE TYPE!! And, yeah, even if those girls aren't scared, it does look scary. They took really hard spills, often on top of each other, but then they'd pop right back up. Lots of safety-padding in vulnerable places like elbows. Eep.

Hey, Kelly, I'm itching to find a similar quiet table. I'll tiptoe in, in a little while. You'll never know I'm there.

Ghost, I love the idea of cicus cheerleaders, lol.

Wow, Anon, you Ohio-ans really got socked.

AndiF said...

Well I'm back for a bit to recharge my laptop batteries.

Hey, anon. I didn't realize you were in Ohio and that we were neighbors (plus, I've got family in Cincy). I was talking to my m-i-l in Cincy earlier and she said that they were told it could be a week before they got power back so I guess I should feel lucky if we get ours back in 2-3 days. And thanks for the compliments on the pics.

Hi Nancy and oh noes, once you get your camera you'll be the Official Photographer to the Famous Author! ;)

Hi GF and thanks for worrying. Fortunately, Indiana was a long way away from the full force of Ike -- we just got the winds.

Congrats, Nicola, on the Large Print (editions of which are probably not far in my future).

Hi Lisa, Maria, Beth, Dina (and thanks for picking between the two), Kelly (I think the light is pretty amazing in that one too).

Nicola Slade said...

Thanks all, I'm still indecently pleased with myself! And Andif - Large Print is already becoming increasingly attractive but I haven't yet reached the stage my late father-in-law did, in his 80s when he complained that people on television all mumbled now and didn't speak as clearly as they used to!

Have a nice rest of the day, all; it's nearly my bedtime over here!

Anonymous said...

Well, I feel like a kid playing hooky from school today having an unplanned day off during the work week. :-D So, to take advantage, I went to the movies. Doesn't that sound like what someone playing hooky would do? lol

Andif, I hope your power is restored promptly. I really do feel so fortunate not to have lost power THIS time. It flickered off and on yesterday, but stayed on. Thanks be. (I'm at the opposite corner of the state from your family - NE Ohio). I hope Jen has power at her place.

Off to find what other mischief I can get into on my day off. :-D

Anonymous said...

Hello all. Sorry about your power Andi but at least you got some moisture. We got 5 inches of rain in something like 4 hours. Flooding in areas I've never seen flooded before.

I love the Roller Derby picture. My sister who lives in Chicago has a friend who is also her personal trainer who used to do Roller Derby. She has some stories.

katiebird said...

Nancy, That sounds like a LOT of fun!!

I used to work with the women who started the Kansas City Roller Derby League.

Brooke, pictured on the left just has one arm but she never let that stop her from anything. I've seen her carry huge tubs of books all by herself. Mandy (on the right) worked in the same department with me at the library.

And there was another member of the team at West Wyandotte library.

I've got no idea what the connection is between libraries and roller derby queens. But, it was always fun hearing about their exhibitions.

Nancy P said...

Katiebird, Brooke was there! Both of them may have been there, but I'm not sure about the other woman. Brooke wasn't playing, but she was roaming the bench, doing stuff.
Thanks for the website link, too. It's pretty funny to read about the founding. They sound like great gals.

Nancy P said...

Andi, you will ALWAYS be the Official Blog Photographer. :) Besides, my photos will be for comic relief when compared to yours.

Anony, may I ask what movie? And do you recommend it? I'm on the prowl for a really entertaining flick.

Maryb, I'd love to hear those stories. I suspect that blood features prominently. :)

Kelly McCullough said...

Nicola, congrats! Sorry I didn't say so earlier.

Ghost, you're welcome, but all I've really done is stop in and say hi. I did set up post that will suggest folks check out the new book and website. It'll go up tomorrow afternoon.

Nancy, productive day in the corner for me. 1,500 words which is ahead of the schedule I have to keep if I'm going to get the current book done, if not as fast as I'd like to be moving. I'll probably take the same table tomorrow. I hope you got some solid writing time in as well.

maryb said...

I've been chuckling all evening thinking about katiebird working with the roller derby gals. I don't know why - it just tickled me.

Nancy, most of the stories involved broken bones.

ghost - you were lucky. Deer dents? Sometimes they total the car. I heard a good deer story this summer though. My friend lives in a heavily wooded area and drives some kind of an SUV. She had just paid a lot of money to have the driver's side mirror fixed (those suckers can be expensive). She was driving down the road with her kids in the back seat when a deer bounded out of the woods and ran smack into the car, knocking off the newly fixed mirror. The force of the impact flung the deer up over the car and it fell down the other side knocking off the other side mirror.

Her kids told me that 'mommy said a very bad word.'

boran2 said...

Hi all, or I should say good night gracie!

Nancy P said...

Hi, Boran2. G'night, George.

Maryb, I was going to guess her stories would involve blood. As for the deer story--wow. There's no word bad enough. And just imagine what the deer said!

Anonymous said...

I went to the cheap movies and saw the latest Indiana Jones. Not great but enjoyable. I have limited resources so try to save money where possible. A video I recommend is "Where In The World Is Osama Bin Laden." It's entertaining as well as educational. Oh, and I'm also recommending a video called "Marigold." It's like Hollywood goes Bollywood or vice versa. I've never seen a Bollywood movie but really enjoyed this one.

Anonymous said...

lol what the deer said. Good thing the kids in the car didn't speak deer.

Nancy P said...

Anony, thanks for the movie info. I have seen that Indiana Jones, and I agree with your assessment of it. I'd really like to see the other two.

Well, Boran2 has checked in, so I think it's safe to put up tomorrow's thread. :)