Saturday, January 05, 2008

just in case.

Tips for watching roller derby.

Skillz workshop tomorrow. Makes me a little nervous. I skated like total crap on Thursday - I swear it felt like I'd never been on skates before. There is a workshop tomorrow and one other before tryouts.

I want to be good now!!

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Derby, it's what's for dinner.

Open skate's tonight and I'm taking my killer new knee pads! I've also got a decent ankle brace now so rock-star falls, here I come!

There is a skillz workshop this weekend, and next weekend too, and try outs are on the 21st. The league here is The Charm City Rollergirls. Their site has some video clips and info about the teams. They also have a myspace page.

Here is a cheesy, yet informative, youtube video about the basic rules of skating in a bout.

I'm still compiling a list of possible names. I don't expect to make the cut on the 21st, since i've only been really skating since mid-November, but if i did make it, i'd have to register a derby name. There is an international derby girl name roster to check against and get inspiration. It's a slow load, so be patient.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

stutter steps

We're going to give this a trial go and make no guarantees. I'll post if I feel like it and not post if I don't.

I'm training up for roller derby. I know you're probably thinking of 70's disco-gold-hot-pants-and-fake-wrestling-fight derby, but I assure you these rollergirls mean business. A college friend of mine invited us all to a bout and I was hooked right away. I've been looking for a way to get less fat for quite some time now and haven't been able to stick with anything. I think it's because I need the element of competition and that's hard to get when you're exercising solo.

I've also been feeling, lately, that I'm getting old before my time. I'm only 33 but most days I feel like other 33 year olds are having way more fun than I am and that's just not right. I feel like I've lost touch with my inner bad-ass, however small and quiet she ever was, and I miss her. I've busted out my college/high school angsty rock and made a derby mix to get me in the mood for open skate nights. I've got my own skates and I am skating on a regular basis now. There are tryouts in January and I aim to go, even just to get an idea of how they operate and what they're looking for.

I think it's something I could be good at and even just going to open skates makes me feel a little like my old pre-theatre-athletic-skinny self again, which is nice. Hearing about what they're working on in practice and seeing bouts, live or on video, makes me want to go out and knock people over and it's awesome.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

returns, triumphant and otherwise

new changes around, if anyone is still checking.

considering a return to blogging; hard to say which way the wind will blow. either way, i was tired of that same green template.

hoot an holler if you're still checking.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

*witty title*

i'm listening to the 80's channel on my internet radio.... cherish the love, baby.

today i joined the y. i'm stoked about their summer softball league, and once it starts getting hella hot here i'm gonna need some other place to excericse than the 8th level of hell (where the a/c is always broken).

in anticipation of my trip (i'm fixated, can you tell??), i've purchased new sunglasses. they look hoTT. i paid more than i've ever paid for sunglasses but it was well worth it - i've never had sunglasses that actually fit my face, which these so very much do. to help ensure that i don't/my passenger doesn't sit on them in the car, i got one of those little clips for my visor. i am that person now.i've also purchased two more 512 MB cards (total of 3) for my digital camera and a new backpack.

now i'm surfing the net for books to read on the plane, to supplement the two that i borrowed from my sister - lolita, and a wrinkle in time (an old favorite). i've got a couple on my shelves that need reading, now that i'll have time this summer (and 6 straight hours on a plane).

next week is the last week of school. the lower and middle school have their graduations this Friday and the upper school commencement is next tuesday. then it's a couple of in-service days and then off across the pond. when i get back, i'm working a little summer program at school, the $$ from which will offset the awesome credit card damage i expect to wreak on my trip. then i have the rest of the summer off, to work out at the y, hang out with my cutie pie neices, and generally laze about.

mmmmmmm.... laze.......

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

my bad

i forgot

the seagull
and
fool for love

Monday, May 29, 2006

regrouping and ramping up

again with the busy schedule. this week was long, and i'm glad it's over. the weekend was busy and good. saturday another teacher and i took our "art of musical theatre" class to NYC for the day to see "phantom of the opera". it was an entertaining show. i last saw it on tour at the kennedy center but it was nice to see it in it's more permanent home. the coolest part of the trip though, was when the kids would see a magic moment in the show and immediately ask me how they did it - and i had the answers! i felt all cool and teacherly. photos are here.

on wednesday, we had a meeting about our upcoming trip to london. until now, and sort of even now, i can't really believe i'm going. the way my life developed and evolved after i got back from europe the first time really left me feeling like i would never get there again. it's been 10 years since i was in london last and this time i'm going for free. i pay for lunch and spending money, and that's it. i've got a new backpack, a current passport and a new digital camera. what more could i need? in that meeting we got an itinerary of sorts. the main reason we're going is to take workshop sessions at the Globe theater, with Globe professionals. Each day is a different concetration including acting, stage combat, design, and voice work. At the end of the week-long session the students put on a scene, which is directed by one of the Globe pros.

since it's a theater trip, we're seeing a show almost every night, and i think on one day we see two in a day. One show we see twice, once at the Globe and once with the RSC at Stratford.

Some of the shows we're seeing include:
avenue q
billy elliot
a voyage around my father
antony and cleopatra
coriolanus
titus andronicus (at the globe)
and titus andronicus (at stratford, in the noh style)

we're staying here, each in our own single room (with a common bathrooom though, so i'll be packing my flip flops for the shower). the workshops are in the morning and we see a show each evening, but we have the bulk of the afternoon to ourselves. the kids are allowed to go off in groups of 3, so it's possible i might actually have a moment to myself! i've decided on this trip to let my tourist self hang out all over. i will take pictures, make rubbings in westminster abbey, and point at stuff i think is cool. i will have a backpack, and a map at all times.

i'm so stoked.

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

points of interest

point of interest #1: i've signed up to play in the faculty vs. varsity softball game. on the faculty side, which will be wierd on a number of different levels. thank god i've managed to hold onto my glove for just such an occasion.

point of interest #2: i was refered to as a "great role model for _girl x_ while she's figuring out who she is" meaning, there are a couple of girls we figure will end up kissing other girls and my mentor thinks i'm a great role model for these kids to aspire to. wtf? role model?

point of interest #3: i'm designing a scenic piece for Miss Gay Maryland 2006 to compete with in the Miss Gay America 2006 pageant this year. yes, yes i am. it's a 7 minute Wizard of Oz (of course) in drag, with backup dancers and everything. it has to be set up in 5 minutes and fit in a u-haul. we're thinking of altering my fall build schedule to accomodate me actually going to the event in memphis.

point of interest #4: i'm going to see madonna on the 12th of july. for a while i was worried about how to complete my gay trifecta, having seen cher in concert and now going to see madonna... i figure miss gay america fills that void nicely, particularly if i get to the actual pageant.

i must away now, as i have to teach at 8:05 am tomorrow morning.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

selfish

tonight i feel selfish. i ate what i wanted, and i watched what i wanted (HP - GOF). i haven't done a single responsible thing since i got home from work.

i made it through the middle school musical which ended up taking a lot more out of me than i had expected. today i finished teaching my middle school class so now i only have the one class of upper schoolers who i warp and mold into mini-designers.

i'm going to NYC this weekend, as a chaperone, to take in some theatre. we're seeing three shows - a light in the piazza, doubt, and pajama game (with harry connick jr.). having never seen a broadway show, i am understandably excited. we're taking about 22 girls. we're staying in a hostel, which i haven't done since my semester abroad in '96. i had to buy flip flops for the shower. i forgot how much i hate flip flops.

after my weekend in the city, i have a week off for spring break... while i'm sitting around on my ass doing nothing, i will get paid. this is still a foreign concept to me... especially considering the summer break - which is also paid. it's very twilight zone. during my week off i plan to hang out with my mom, go see curious george with my sister and her girls, get my apartment back in shape, and go riding with Redhorse.

once work resumes, we have about 2 1/2 weeks until tech for the upper school play which is the marriage of figaro. then all the big events are checked off my calendar and it's down to speakers, convocations, and graduation. at graduation, i have to wear my cap and gown and master's hood and be all official faculty while the girls get their diploma. how trippy.

three days after graduation i am jetting off to london for ten days to take in some workshops at the globe and a metric ton of theatre. we are also making a day trip to stratford, where we will see titus andronicus in the style of noh theater. i hope to buy better souvenirs this time around since i'll a.) have more money and b.) have more sense. it will be 10 years to the week since i was in london last and i plan to have a rippin' good time.

here's my new favorite link. my sister will remember i used to rock the house at this back when we had the full size arcade games in the basement.

Monday, February 27, 2006

time wasting, no sleeping

i took another silly web test:

My Personal Dna Report

Saturday, January 28, 2006

i am a secret romantic

could i be more excited about this???

wuthering heights is one of my most favorite stories of all time. i heart it..

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

my good ear

i saw this article on msnbc about 'tricks you can teach your body' and one of them really made sense to me. any one of you who know me really well will know why:

2. Experience supersonic hearing!
If you're stuck chatting up a mumbler at a cocktail party, lean in with your right ear. It's better than your left at following the rapid rhythms of speech, according to researchers at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. If, on the other hand, you're trying to identify that song playing softly in the elevator, turn your left ear toward the sound. The left ear is better at picking up music tones.


i think you know what i'm sayin.

Friday, December 30, 2005

going commando

i spent wednesday night at my mom's house. we had fun all day, playing with my nieces. i washed my car; we went to the mall. i broke into my mom's house.

it was her garage, to be more specific. we were getting ready to watch sleeping beauty with my nieces and i wanted some popcorn. when i started the microwave, i blew a circuit - my mom says this has happened before. the fuse box is in the garage but, since she's had a new garage door opener installed on the same circuit that i just blew, we can't get into the garage to flip the breaker. i suggest we get the ladder and i crawl through the attic vent on the side of the house and jump down through the attic access trap in the garage ceiling. the vent is all one molded piece that goes under the siding. i had to break most of the slats away with a hammer while my sister shone a flashlight on them since it was about 7 pm and dark. after much prying and some laughter, i shimmied through the vent and promptly put my foot through the garage drywall ceiling. i crawled over to the trap and lowered myself through ( i have the sore shoulders and bruises to prove it), dropped a couple of feet to the floor, and made my way over to the fuse box where i flipped the breaker to turn the lights (and my popcorn) back on.

it was very exciting.

Monday, December 26, 2005

post xmas

my holidays have been good so far. xmas yesterday was great - i got good stuff, and i watched videos with my nieces all day. we watched rudolf, grinch, and pooh xmas. after dinner, we watched aladdin, with one niece giving a dramatic interpretation for some of the more climactic scenes - there was singing along and some definite character choices were happening. it topped the cuteness scale.

tonight is the party with my college friends and i'm really looking forward to it. i have to go wrap a present for the white elephant exchange...

Thursday, December 22, 2005

cleaning

is what i'm doing.
i did manage to get a haircut today, now my ponytail is cute and bouncy.
i'm cleaning my room in anticipation of the imminent arrival of a new piece of furniture. now my scarves, blankets, sheets, etc, will have a place to live. it goes with a piece i already had, and i'm now on the hunt for a dresser to finish out my bedroom furniture setup.

tomorrow i'm going to my mom's house and my dad's. my sister is bringing the girls and we plan to decorate my mom's xmas tree and go bowling with my dad in the afternoon.

such is the stuff of vacations.

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

xmas

that's right, xmas. took the christ right out of that one, didn't i? i went to catholic school from K-8, replete in plaid skirts and knee socks. we had contests in art class at this time of year to make collages or pictures demonstrating how to "put the christ back in christmas" and now i can't get though the holidays without thinking of it.

i'm on vacation now, for two weeks. on the last day of school i racked up $30 in gift cards from students. today i got all my shopping done and the gifts wrapped. now i am resting on my laurels because, dammit, i'm on vacation.

not sure what tomorrow holds in store - hopefully a haircut and also a load or two of stuff over to goodwill to finally clean my place out. i have a friend coming to stay on monday, don't want my place to look all college student. i finally have the $$ to decorate, and have made an effort to acutally choose stuff to put here!

i like having $. i can decorate, and i bought stuff for xmas and didn't worry about grocery money or rent!!

Sunday, December 11, 2005

long time, no blog

i feel i should update.

i haven't for so long for a few reasons. first and foremost, i've been really busy. it's almost been like i've wanted to post, but so much has happened that seemed not postworthy but postworthy.

we mounted the upper school musical, to rousing success. i've gotten through two of three holiday programs, and am fast approaching my first incoming gig, an outside dance company coming to use my space for a one-off show.

i had my first snow day and my first faculty christmas party. there are more of those to come. at this first one, the caterer was the guy who held my job last year. he's a nice guy, and some of the faculty are still good friends with him. it was wierd having him serve me drinks. i've got one more work-related holiday party next week, at the head of school's house. i hear it's the party of the year, and everybody goes. these people party a lot, eat a lot, and have a lot of meetings.

the final holiday party is a group of friends from college who, through various means and for various reasons, have ended up in baltimore over the past few years. i'm very excited about it since it's been 10 years since i've seen some of these people and we had some good times when we were together last.

i'll be spending christmas at home with my family, which isn't any different than years past. friday i went shopping for snow boots for my nieces. saturday they had swimming lessons at the Y down the street, so my mom came up and watched. they are learning to swim like doggies and blow bubbles while they kick and paddle.

while i am having a great time and am looking forward to settling out the last details of my new spot, i miss my old life and my friends who are now far away. some days i still feel i'm on temporary assignment and already am making a must-do list for when i hope to visit, probably this summer.

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

google meme

i jacked this from my sister, it's the funniest thing going...

at google.com, type "__your name__ wants" and then " __your name__ needs".....


Janine needs yoga and she needs you too!
Janine needs our support.
Janine needs a room she can go wild in.
Janine needs to find a way to distract the gardener and knows just how to do it.
Janine needs to review her lives before she can choose to be reborn or not.
Janine needs to give that man something new to study
Janine needs the competition.
Janine needs to use your shower because she smells!
Janine needs some time to herself.
Janine needs to get what's coming to her…
Janine needs the spotlight, really.

Janine wants to buy three doughnuts, and there are five varieties to choose from.
Janine Wants a Standing Ovation.
Janine wants to know what's in it for her to keep standing up to Sonny.
Janine wants to scare me.
Janine wants to see what she has been missing as a normal teen-ager since she has been modeling all the time.
Janine wants to show you how she has a good time
Janine wants to be best friends right away.
Janine wants to participate in an international exchange program with a French university for one year.
"What Janine wants, Janine gets"
Janine wants you to take a closer look, much closer
Janine wants to die in peace, but Derek has her preserved just moments before it's too late.
Janine wants to continue to help break down the mystique of what it means to become a member.


Have a go and find the cheapest, discount Janine imaginable! Socome buy with Bid On Auctions for all your Janine needs.


need i say more?

Monday, October 10, 2005

extra crispy

fall is in the air, here in b'more.

i love the fall... it is, by far, my favorite season.
i love the cool, crisp air, the foliage, the turtlenecks. i have more fall/winter clothes than any other season.
i love being under blankets.
i love that i can keep my windows open now so it will be chilly without a fan.
i love football on tv.
fall has a smell, that dried leaves smell, that makes me so happy.
i love hot toddys with spiced cider and rum, and chili.
i love my footy pajamas.