*blue balls not included.
Do you have favorite road trip foods? Mine have always been Nilla Wafers and 50/50. But since I’m becoming a LOT more annoying conscious about what I put into my body… well, frankly, both of those things SUCK. Also, why the hell can’t I find REAL ginger ale?! I did find some moderately healthy ginger cookies (which have an ingredient list that I can read and understand), but how do I... 
DERBY IS BACK, PITTSBURGH!
Come out Sunday, February 5 (4-6:30pm) to see a roller derby battle of the heart (or lack thereof) — The Hopeless Romantics vs. The Blackhearts (ahem, that’s me) in the Sweetheart Roller Derby Valentine’s Day Intraleague Bout.
$5 admission for singles (are you ready to MINGLLLLLEEEEE?!); $8 for couples of all levels of happiness (or misery). And hey, there will... 
The 2012 roller derby season is upon us — new practice schedule and a NEW TEAM (woot)! Break was nice, but I’m ready to get back on a regular schedule. That said, a long season of derby does some significant damage to your gear (I should probably, definitely replace my knee pads). Among some of the (smelly) things I need to replace in my skate bag, I needed a few upgrades this season:
New... 
Sure, I’ve been skating with SCDD since April… but there’s just something “official” about having the league track jacket with your skater name embroidered on it. I’m also officially a rookie now, rather than Fresh Meat.
My fellow skaters nominated me for the Grade A Fresh Meat award this year, to which I am SO proud (I was one of three amazing newbie skaters, but did... 
Next Thursday, November 3, come out to see the Steel City Derby Demons for our 2nd Annual Toys for Tots scrimmage. The Grinches are challenging Santa’s Little Helpers (guess which team I’m on) to see who has the most holiday cheer….and best hip check. Starts at 8; don’t be late!
Admission is $5 ($3 for Military w/ID) or FREE if you bring a new, unwrapped toy. All proceeds from this... 
This past Saturday, the awesome happened.
All the training and nerves and old lady-body creaking and bruising came to this moment — I skated in my first bout with my team, B-Unit, against Akron’s Rubber City Roller Girls.
Not only that, but my first time playing was as a jammer…
AND I GOT LEAD JAMMER.
AND I scored points for my team.
AND B-Unit ended up winning our last home bout of... 
LAST BOUT OF THE SEASON on Saturday, October 15!
While the end of the season is sad and all, my team — B-B-B-B-Unit — will be playing Rubber City. AND there’s a slight chance you might actually be able to see me play (cross your fingers and skates that I make game day roster). Regardless, come by and say hi — and watch some awesome local derby. Steel Hurtin’ play San Diego... 
It’s one part art auction, one part fundraiser — and ALL PARTS FUN!
Here’s what $25 gets you:
COMPLEMENTARY BOOZE (your ID is required) from Three Rivers Underground Brewers, Boyd and Blair Vodka, Capital Wine and a special spiked punch created by one of Salt of the Earth’s bartenders.
FOOD from Avenue B, Square Cafe, Burgatory, Chipotle and Death by Cake (NOM!)
CHINESE AUCTION... 
So this means, after MONTHS of fresh meat status (seriously, over a year if you count my short stint with Burning River last year), weekly practices, skills training and tests, bruises (LOTS of bruises) — and yes, even some tears of pain and frustration — I am eligible to be drafted to one of our teams.
FINALLY.
It’s, like, official, official now. I AM a Steel City Derby Demon.
Hard work,... 
It's happened to me three times now -- that I've had actual tears well up in my eyes during roller derby. Believe me, if I could turn off my emotions completely, I'd opt for that. But as I've aged, I found that controlling the roller coaster that is frustration and overwhelms and whatever it's called when your body just doesn't agree with your head... well, it doesn't work. And it inevitably turn to waterworks. {open to read more} 
Here's the gist: I passed all portions of my WFTDA minimum skills test (last month) and my contact skills (last week). Next week, I begin scrimmaging with the Big Girls, with the goal of (passing that as well and) being draftable once I am well-versed in all forms of positioning and game play. Then... 
For me, roller derby has been this cycle of wishing I could do something, saying "I can't do that"... then being able to do that very thing and remarking on all the skills I've awesomely acquired over the last one/three/six months. I'm at that point in my training where I "picked off where I left off" -- meaning, what I was learning in Cleveland before I moved is what I am currently doing in my Fresh Meat program in Pittsburgh. 
Another "meatie" from my Fresh Meat class in Cleveland was drafted to a home team. And as happy I am for these girls and their respective roller derby successes, I can't help but feel... left out. Like, I missed my chance because I moved. If I stayed with BRRG, I would already be bouting; I might already be on a team too... (and dammit, I miss my old training gym!). I would be well into my derby career, instead of STILL a fresh meat. Some days, I really miss my first team... a lot. I guess that's normal, right? {OPEN TO READ MORE} 
Oh, and I passed the shit out of that.
For non-contact WFTDA skills requirements, you are tested on the basics: skate posture, stops, falls, glides, gallops, weaving… and I feel like I’m forgetting something else important (does it matter? Because I PASSED). I received a big fat P — for “perfect”. Ahem, no — it means “pass.” Let me tell you, I was going to... 
When I started skating in February 2010, there were a lot of skills that I just could NOT do. I’m sure many beginners have that defeating feeling. As I progressed through the wRECk program (in Ohio), I was continually frustrated at what seemed to be easy things to grasp for others, just weren’t happening for me (of course, this not knowing ANYTHING about anybody else’s skating, athletic... 
Is the suspense killing you?
Well, the anxiety nearly killed me — you know, the WAITING for hours after tryouts. I mean, I should be used to the “waiting” as it’s been nearly six months since I’ve had a “home” to call for my roller derby passion. Thankfully, I found out the results the night before, else I would have been pacing for the next 12 hours (and crying... 
Yep. That’s me in the “Overeasy” eggs-on-my-breasts shirt.
I haven’t posted much about my skating progress because it’s been filled with a bunch of open skates spent dodging “womb fruits” (as one of the girls in my “pre-fresh meat” group calls ‘em), getting comfortable in my new skates, attempting to help out some of the other new girls with... 
I went all Sex & the City “Hello, Lover!” on these babies when I saw them on RollerBug Skate Shop’s Facebook page (seriously, FB is worth its social media weight in roller derby contacts).
I’m going to have a blast breaking these skates in before March tryouts.
Set-up:
Sure Grip Leather speed boots — which are heavier than my old skates, but I’ll adjust. Bonus: fit... 
This blog is about pursuit: a transplanted Clevelander (me) in a new city (that's you, Pittsburgh!), pursuing the role of a self-employed copywriter, becoming a roller derby badass and somehow merging all my to-do items into one ever-growing Bucket List.
And of MY boyfriend. His blue balls started this mess.
