~What in the Hell?~

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

~ Sk8 and Life ~

So I didn't pass my skating test - not that I thought I would, I just wanted the input from the judges. And it was very informative.

Also, what I worried about wasn't a big deal and what I've been working on 4EVAH still sucks. What can you do, right?

But I didn't go all "yeep" which is a BIG DEAL for me. And nobody was watching!

Even when I did screw up, I got it back together and kept on without going "yeep" in the process. So I'm getting better control of my nerves. Now if I could only do that with my edges!

Part of it I think is just stamina - I've put on some weight since I bought the house (how, I don't really know since I'm always out digging in the yard) and that doesn't help. I just need to start getting some more exercise. For some reason, the weight has gone to my obliques which it NEVER did before. My ass - yes; but my obliques and belly - no way! I guess that's what age does for you (altho I know skaters in their 60's who have rockin' bods!) Oh, well.

Strange sorts of things have been happening lately - I think something very odd is going on in the universe. People have just been like walking up to me and pouring their guts out for some reason. It is very strange.

Let's face it, I'm not the most "comforting" person in the world to spill your guts to (altho I CAN and DO keep secrets - even the secrets people WANT me to tell) so this sort of mystifies me.

I mean, people I don't even really KNOW have just started, well, stopping me in the halls and on the street (literally) and just telling me personal things. Not that I find it odd that someone would talk to me but that people would want to talk SO MUCH to someone they just know in passing is what I find odd.

And even odder still is I don't find myself wanting to hurry them along or thinking of everything else I need to get done. I just get the strange feeling they need to talk and have someone listen to them. It has proven very interesting and informative to "shut up and listen".

I guess people are finding that talking to a live person in front of them is much more comforting than emailing, facebooking or texting someone. Everyone is in such a big hurry and addicted to cell phones - I don't get it. AT ALL. When I'm not by a phone then I'm GONE and I don't want to be bothered. I always know when anyone in the family wants to talk to me (don't need a phone for that) and everyone else can just leave a voice mail.

But I'm an old troglodyte anway so what do you expect?

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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 3:42 PM

Thursday, November 11, 2010

~ Skate Update ~

So I have a skating test coming up and the club sends me the test schedule. I'm looking it over and I realize that there are only TWO other people in a very large (5+ hour) test session that are taking higher level tests than ME.

Fuck.

That means PEOPLE WILL BE WATCHING ME and oh, how I just HATE that! Now I get to agonize over it until the deed is done.

Hell's Bells and Cockel Shells!

Seriously - I hate to have people watch me at a test session or a competition. That's mostly why I don't compete (that and I just despise those stupid skimpy dresses you have to wear. At my age and weight, NO ONE should be subjected to seeing me in spandex!)

Now, practice is a totally different story. I'll just about try anything at practice because I don't really care. But competition or testing - ugh.

The funny thing is - I'm not afraid to be on stage or speak in front of a crowd or anything like that. But I'd rather touch a dead snake (DEAD ONE) than take a skating test. I don't know what it is. If I had just ONE other person out there to just skate around in a circle while I'm testing, I'd be just fine. It's like I need a distraction so I don't have to think about the judges. Very odd.

So now I get to work myself into a lather about it and I bring it on myself. Why do I test if it's so terrifying? Because I can and because I know it's something I need to learn to cope with if I am ever going to teach.

I thought I test at this session because this is the first chance I've had since the "new rules" went into effect two months ago and I want to see where I stand and also I just need to do it. Part of me (ok, MOST of me) doesn't really expect to pass and that's really ok. I'd just like to see the comments and see how far off the mark I am - what I need to work on. My coach thinks everything looks good but I know how nervous I get and how I will fall back on my bad habits.

The dogs are fine - both fat and happy. Lil' One Eye is just a great ball of belly and fuzz but he is just adorable with his little crooked face. The Bat doesn't have much of a winter coat going on so she likes to burrow under the blanket on the couch which I find amusing.

A strange thing happened to me last weekend. I had volunteered to be the Herald in training at an event. They needed a big mouth and Lord knows I do enough shouting at people at Pennsic so I figured WTF? As long as someone tells me what to yell and what other things need done.

I just figure I'll just do various announcements and the like. Not a big deal because I do it at Pennsic and when else can you shout at the top of your lungs and not have people tell you to "shut up!" or "keep it down!"?

Well, apparently there are some "things" going on behind the scenes - a bunch of political nonsense - that has been fermenting for a while. I have tried and managed to remain blissfully ignorant to most of it but to say I'm not aware of something going on would be a lie.

Mostly I don't WANT to see it in my barony so I try to ignore it and remain fat, drunk and stupid and try not to offend anyone. I really hate to see it and IMO I wish people would just stop and enjoy their hobby.

Anyway - Our Baron/ess requested that I herald court that evening. Like, huh? Me?

I have NEVER, EVER done such a thing before (not even pretend) and I am quite intimidated by all of the protocol, pronunciation of names and that sort of thing so I didn't want to do it but I agreed to it. (Now I'm sure some people were upset with me and I just hate that my ignorance caused someone grief so I tried to apologize for it.)

When the time came, I was very nervous - it wasn't a large or hostile crowd but it was scary anyway (because I knew I didn't know what the hell I was doing). And then, it didn't seem so bad. At all.

Not like TESTING or COMPETING.

Some people fear public speaking more than death. Me? I fear skating in front of judges.

It's funny how you keep learning things about yourself no matter how old you get.

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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 2:35 PM

Monday, November 01, 2010

~ It's Samhain! ~

I hope everyone lit their pumpkins and had the bonfire last night! You've got to keep those hobgobs at bay!

The Creatures are fine. The Batface seems to be as unhappy about the colder weather as I am. She has been curling up in a Batball next to me every chance she gets. I keep trying to get her to lay on One Eye but he gets too hot and waddles off. So the Bat and I are left to keep each other warm. She seems to like it as warm as I do which can be good this winter. Little One Eye will just have to suck it up and let us snuggle with his furry butt! If he weren't so good and warm, we wouldn't curl up next to him!

I really dread winter. Actually - I dread the cold. Oh, it sucks something awful. I've been trying to put in some insulation in my attic and insulate the pipes (they had NO insulation on them AT ALL - neither did the hot water heater) and it has been quite the chore.

But it might be working. At least, I think it is. It can't hurt, that's for sure! The house is old and the current insulation is about 2" thick in the attic and looks like it's from the late 50's. No kidding.

So I climb up there and there is NOTHING on the outside wall of the kitchen. I mean not one spec of anything - tyvex, tin foil, newspapers, NOTHING. No wonder that kitchen was so infernally cold last winter.

I insulated the wall then started on the roof - Good Lord, is that a job! My arms are so sore from laying on my back with my arms over my head - I don't know how Michaelangelo managed to paint the Sistine Chapel like that! And he was older than I am!

My body is just sore as hell and I have my skating class tonight. Ugh. I don't know how I'm going to make it since I'm so freaking stiff and beat up.

Then I got into the "crawl" spaces. More like "the worm" spaces because there was no way even *I* could "crawl" into these places. I wouldn't even go into the one - nope. Time to knock out the closet wall and insulate it from there. It looks like I may have to do that on the other side of the attic as well - but it's the closet and there is plenty of extra-dry wall in the garage so I'll just insulate then re-drywall it.

It's slowly coming along. Over half of the attic over the kitchen is done and about one wall over the bedrooms is totally done. It just takes soooooo long because you have to suit up, tape yourself in and I have to contain my hair (which is another chore) before you even get started.

I've already laid about 6 rolls of R-30 insulation plus the insulation for the pipes and I still have a ways to go yet. As long as I can keep the chill off, we'll be good.

My bedroom was actually warm last night - usually it freezes as soon as August is over but last night it was warm eventho it frosted. So the insulation might be helping!

Horrible is out of the office this week on vacation!!!! Wooooo! It's so nice not having her hysterical ass around to deal with. So nice and quiet and we can actually get stuff done without listening to her pissing and moaning.

Like a vacation for ME!

Before practice, I need to run to the auto store and pick up some more stuff for the car the bro needs. And maybe stop and get more insulation. I sure hope I can take this off of my taxes! I'm about keeping this place in business! Or at least reduce my heating bills (which would be very nice!)

What's on the Reading List:

Guardians of Ga'hoole - so it's a kids book! I love owls!

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The Rogue Goddess saw shadows dancing at 3:11 PM

~The Mighty Nephy~

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