Hallelujah!

Went to church today for derby.  We don't get to have have church much,  because it takes ten attendees,  unless we're scrimmaging.  But today we got to work on transitions and evasive maneuvers involving transitions. 

To do: More of it!

Today's form

Wow,  that's a rough looking squat from the side.    However,  notice I've lost some inches from the waist?   Woot!

Gym day!

Today I took off work other than a few hours of documentation and emails at home.  I took Georgie to school and then spent a good hour at the gym.  Usually when I go into the gym, I'm with Chris and we have about an hour.  When that happens -- on Saturday mornings, for example -- I have a pretty straightforward set of things to do.  I usually run on the treadmill for 25ish minutes and spend time with the we right machines, attempting to work things that feel like they need working or are underworked at the previous derby practice.  With my torn biceps, I have to stick to upper body work that limits the range of motion in the biceps, but I still feel like I'm improving and working on rounding out my skills and muscle balance.

I also usually spend some time staring at myself in the mirror.  This sounds narcissistic, and I suppose it is, but my main goal is to observe and correct my form.  What I noticed is a. Boy it needed correcting and b. I've had a sudden improvement/change in my body itself.  I've lost some inches and tightened my torso.  C. I still can't bang out a proper 2 minute plank.

I also worked out a more articulated home workout to complement my derby practices.  I can do all of the following at home, even with pretty limited space:

1. Infinite yoga/planks, squats, stretches, and cycling.  I've been having trouble with my hip flexor so, so I do the daily squat challenges, and then I do them a second time, rotating each set of ten through a different modified squat form -- usually side and back kicks.
2. I have a weight bag -- it isn't hung.  I want to add that soon, but meanwhile I can do shadow boxing and shadow kicking.
3. Heel kicks and grapevines, focused on a yoga mat, are good for training my muscle memory.

Travel Team Testing

Tonight was the night.  Travel team skills.   Also,  today was the day.  Discovered my shoulder has a biceps tear and got injected with steroids and cortisone.  Hal was sick.  I was so busy with meetings that I could hardly concentrate on any one thing.    But I went,  and I gave it my best and it wasn't half bad.    Sometimes I'm proud of myself just for getting over anxiety and being willing to move past it.   This was one of those nights.

Back home...

Working on my vocabulary!

Minimum Skills

Done!  Other than a rules test and whatever travel team skills turn out to be.  

Good: killed MSRs.  Worked on spin blocks and toe stop jumps. 

Bad: high blocked Liz.  Made a stupid cut. 

To work on: Playing balls out legally and safe.

Practice tonight

The good: generally effective play.  Successful jamming.  Good recycling.

The bad: too many directional penalties.

To work on : right transitions.

75 squats...

One two minute plank,  and 20 push ups. 

Photos for form and comparison.

Sick day!

Hal had to stay home this day because he's just getting over hand,  foot and mouth.   However,  he feels great,  is fever-free, and is sick of staying inside.    So we visited the YMCA, where we worked out the punching bag and then had lunch at Pizza Mia.  Finally we stopped in at the children's garden and played around the fairy garden.  

Derby derby derby

Practice went wellish, but I'm tired and a little overtaxed this week by sick babies and work.  

Good:
1. Knocked out lots of MSRs.
2. Continued to improve on transitions in sprint. 
3. 28 laps in 5.

Bad:
1. Left hip flexor spasms.
2. Was unable to balance on left foot for 30 seconds.
3. Control of right transitions in sprint.

To work on:
1. Balancing on the left foot.
2. 29 in 5.
3. Continue to improve transitions in sprint.

Practice tonight

Good:
1. Knocked off my 27 in 5s with 28.
2. Leapt a fallen teammate. 
3. Transitioned at speed. 
4. Jammed pretty decently. 
5. Blocked mostly like a boss.

Bad:
1. Too many penalties. 

First day back to derby

SCAR hosted a black & white scrimmage today.   I'm moderately pleased with my performance.   Jammed twice,  and mostly blocked well.  However,  I also took six penalties,  five of which I consider legitimate.   Onward and upward and a Happy New Year!

Kahlua!

Everything old is new again!

This chair was my grandmother's.   An elegant woman who sometimes wore Chanel,  she kept it a carmine pink for decades and then had it reupholstered in a pale blue.  I inherited it and bad things happened to it.  But I've always wanted to fix that.  So it's now on its way to be renewed -- what color should we make it?

Holidaze

Man,  we covered so much ground!

Resolution time!

I've been thinking, as one does this time of year, about 2015 and what I want to do and feel in 2016. And please pardon, but I'm going to go on at length, because I'm just kind of kicking some ideas and situations around. I've been putting together resolutions, and thinking about how I guide myself to a better place, because since about October things have been rough for me. Work is a tough situation. I feel very stressed by it. I also feel stressed by roller derby, which isn't how it should go. So, resolution #1 -- give fewer fucks. Be comfortable with my own power and wield it.

But resolution #2 -- be an ally -- how can I be an ally if I harden my heart to avoid all the self-doubt and outward criticism that, IMO, has hampered me in the past? We'll see -- but as stressful as my situation can be, I need sometimes to be an ally or a champion for others. I want to keep my path open for that.

I have a half dozen self-care kind of resolutions, too -- don't we all, if we have resolutions at all? I realized this year I spent too much time not sleeping, not eating, secretly scavenging chocolate out of the office, not doing things I need to do to feel well, and feeling like I was running on empty -- or like I was too anxious to run on all cylinders. Also, I'm by nature rebellious, and that's generally positive, but I rebelled too often this year against myself.  I want to quiet the voice that fights my goals this year.  That's a photo of me, above, at my heaviest weight since either of the children arrived -- I'd like to change that, but not in a way that's about the numbers.  

Finally, and somewhat unrelatedly, I revisited A-town over the holidays, where I lived for 15 years. I have been disliking my current town, though this year I had a resolution to learn to love it and some progress has been made. The visit was bittersweet, but also allowed for connection and remembrance. However, the whole visit reminded me of how immersed I was there -- entangled in a few situations I didn't like and couldn't get out of -- and how good it has been getting to edit my life by moving. So I'm going to continue the "learn to love where you live" resolution. Not necessarily the actual place, as I might not ultimately find this the best, most affirming place for me and my family, but I want to stop thinking about being somewhere else a lot of the time, which I do regularly.

...which, I guess, gets me back to #2. People want to help me. People want help. I want to be a person who is open to others.  I want to be an ally, and a champion, and be both of those things to myself at the same time.  Can it be done?  We'll see.