It has been a long time

I have been busy with conferences, work, derby, and other stuff and so I have neglected my blog. Ooops....

So here is my recap of the last month or so...

I almost lost my mind briefly, not totally, just a bit seems to have sorted itself out with the assistance of medication, therapy, and just knowing that my mind was going to try and get lost. I love it when that happens and I can function through silly little moments that threaten to make me insane.

Thanksgiving was great, we spent it in New York...sometimes I miss living in New York, I would not want to live in Manhattan but Brooklyn would be OK. Then again who knows where the bean will end up school wise and where I will end up.

Been skating lots, was asked to help the Mason Dixon Roller Vixens out with their expo, it was fun, they are a great group of ladies and I enjoy skating with them. I may try to get up to Wilmington in the next couple of weeks to practice with them as well. Derby has been fun, I am enjoying skating. Yesterday was the Annual Mayors Parade which I skated in last year as well, this year was a bit colder and wet, fun to skate. I liked it, then I went to Edies for a small party with a local artist that crafts jewelry. She bout me a beautiful chainmail necklace with a spider web dangling from it. I love it.

Other then that I attended the NCURA conference learned a ton, stressed out over November deadlines, finished a grant with an hour to spare. Grrr work...

Now if I can just focus and stay on track over the next couple of weeks, things will be great!

Whats going on?

Work has been a bit hectic, lots of deadlines, lots of grants, and lots of all the institutional bs that goes along with people trying to get funded and do research. Many cuts due to lack of funding about 76% of requested funding on research rating in the top 11% nationally are being funded, kind of sad, but what can you do when your federal monies are supporting wars...guess health is really not that important.

Trying to get ready for the beans last year of middle school and I suppose we will be filling out high school applications, if everything goes as planned though we will not be here and so we will also have to look at schools in Oregon. She is excited to start 8th grade and hopefully will continue doing her best, she is smart.

So, thinking of Portland, OR is our next destination, Baltimore while interesting is not really the place for a teenager or at this point for her cool mom, plus they have an awesome derby league.

Derby is going well, I am getting better, though there is still lots of room for improvement but I finally feel like I am getting more competitive and skilled. I am working really hard and it is nice to feel like it is starting to pay off. Who knew skating around hitting people and trying not to get knocked over was so hard. I really am starting to enjoy the strategy of the game, knowing what I am doing in the pack, it is fun. I also am so lucky to be associated with the Junkyard Dolls, they are the best group of ladies.

So here some pictures from the last few weeks...


This is what happens when betty beatdowns ass hits the asphalt a couple of times in the same place at Virgin Fest.



This is Harlotte and Meanie Me, as you can tell Meanie Me does not like photos...

I will post more later...

XXX

Blame it on the

eclipse, drinking water, the cold weather, hmmm, anything but myself. LOL. I recently switched derby teams and now am a mentor for the Junkyard Dolls. I think that this is going to be a very good thing for me, in a week I have learned so much and I am feeling very excited about derby again. I think what is working for me is the explanation and how to apply the skills. I guess that what I was looking for is some training that works for me, it seems that is what I am going to get. I am not concerned with being on a team or not being on a team, I am concerned with being good, no, not good but an excellent derby skater. This involves training, time, effort and passion. I love my coaches, I love derby, I love the people involved, and I love playing this sport. This is not to say the team I was with was not a good team, it just was not a good team for me. I respect and like all the women on the Mods, I would never talk poorly of anyone individually or collectively, that does not mean that I have to agree with their actions but I also understand that I am not a captain and it is not my place to make decisions (thank goodness). All in all I believe that everything worked out best for everyone. I feel the frustration that I had for myself slipping away and realization that I can do well and play this sport.

Work is a different story, it is all stress all the time, I feel like I am constantly running and deadlines are always looming, it does not help that one out of twenty or so people that I have to do work for is a jerk. I suppose one out of all those people is not too bad though.

The bean is having some school issues which we are trying to resolve, hopefully now that she is no longer really ill this will be remedied. Grrrrrrr, middle school stinks, those are tough years emotionally, psychologically and physically. Poor bean.

I will be so happy when spring arrives hopefully with warm breezes, flora in bloom and sunny days....

Excited

Well, I am sick, but very very very excited, last night were assessments and team drafts . I am really hoping that I am going to make it onto a team, the best part is even though I sick and the rink was freezing cold, I had a great time and lots of fun. It feels good to be around the girls, they are such great people with lots of enthusiasm. These are the people that I want to be around, each brings something different to the group but it is their differences that make them all very special and unique in their own way. I love that this is so different from dancing, the drive is there but it is supportive, something that I wish dancing could have been. I love it!!

Work has been hectic, lots of submissions that must be done by a quickly approaching deadline. I like this position quite a bit and feel like it is a good move.

XXX