Ok…let’s try again

Wow, I realize what a downer I sounded like in that brief and depressing post.

 

I remembered some excitement to discuss actually!
Since I have been slacking on the health and fitness side of things, yesterday John, the pups and I went to Coombs Market and loaded up on all things fruit and vegetables. We have been eating a lot of fish lately…but that’s about it. So we filled our bags with tons of goodness which has kickstarted my desire to fuel my body with goodness. So, in contrast to my Negative Nancy sounding post below, I have found some inspiration to get going.

Also, in an effort to recruit more ladies to play roller derby, John became my unofficial Hype-Boy. He put up posters and spread the gospel of derby to the staff at the market! Go John!
So, there was something good to chat about.

Perhaps now I’ll do some reading for school 🙂

One more DAY!

So tomorrow is scrimmage day. For those of you who may be interested, I thought I would share the link if you want to watch it live online tomorrow.

By clicking here you can watch all the excitement tomorrow. I am in the first scrimmage and the whistle blows at 12:30pm PST. I’m on team black!

Hope you can check it out!!

Happy weekend, I’m off to tune my gear and head out to see the chickens.
Adios 🙂

-SM

Scrimmage #2 For Me

So I’ve been so excited with my hens that I almost forgot to mention that I am playing in my second open scrimmage this weekend for Roller Derby!

So again, if you are wondering what an “open scrimmage” is – it is a game where the rosters are made up of several different leagues and teams to make two opposing teams. I live on an island and Roller Derby teams/leagues are popping up all over but there are few teams over here that have a full roster of their own “benchmarked” players (benchmark = players that have passed a required minimum set of skills).

I will be playing in the no/low contact scrimmage compared to the full contact one that follows for two reasons:

1) I still consider myself “fresh meat” and would like more experience before I start hitting players in bouts

2) I have a bit of an injury

I am super excited and just realized game day is 3 days away! Holy smokes! I will have a fan club coming with me (John) so hopefully by Monday I will have some action shots to post from Sunday’s scrimmage.

Now….I wait for the days to pass 🙂

-SM

The ladies are settling in

The hens are settling nicely – in two days we have gotten about 8 eggs (two broke – bummer!). We were pleasantly surprised they layed eggs since we expected a transition period due to the “traumatic move” we put them through and adjusting to their new home. We were wrong – they seem fine and this morning John and I enjoyed two eggs each with toast!

Success 🙂

Moving at the speed of light! (Derby-style)

Seriously, it’s not that I haven’t wanted to post….but life’s been busy!

Last week was a long one. I had my papers, had to work and had to haul ass (for an hour+ drive) to derby practice, where I would be tested for minimum skills. For those who are unfamiliar with what I am talking about, the sport of roller derby is not just bawdy chicks in fish nets roller skating. Sure we do get to wear fun socks and tights, but it is a physically demanding sport. With practices three times per week, I was hoping it would get easier….it doesn’t. It continues to be awesome fun and makes me feel very amazing, but there are times in practice that my legs feel like they will give out on me, I am covered in bruises and have become one with ice packs.

Anyways…..I woke up last Tuesday with a sore throat. Not just a tickle, like a serious “it-hurts-to-talk-or-swallow-or-open-my-mouth” sore throat. Typical too, since I’ve been boasting about not being sick in almost a year. So I was thinking that my day was ruined…..

BUT………

I passed my minimum skills! And it was HARD. It was 2 hours of intense, non-stop skating to the point that I thought I was going to keel over. The coach wanted me to relax (because I looked shaky and terrified) when really I was sicker than I’d felt in a year. Fever, sore throat, achy muscles. I passed though and I am so so so pleased. It’s not all easy now, in fact I think it will get a lot more difficult. I will need to improve a lot more before I consider myself ready for it all, but I’m happy to have passed. I signed up for a scrimmage on Feb.19th as Fresh Meat! Again for those who have no idea what I’m talking about:

A Scrimmage is kind of like an unofficial bout (or game). I will be playing with many players from other teams in our region to make up two teams. A bout is a game consisting of a particular team’s roster.

Fresh Meat: The term for rookie derby players.

Last weekend I went down to Seattle WA, and hit up Fast Girl Skates and picked up new wheels, knee pads, wrist guards and laces! Early birthday presents for me! So I continue to push myself each time I go to practice, and have some days that feel better on skates than others, but the point is I keep going because I love it.
You may have noticed in my NYResolutions tab, I’ve updated it to note that I have already achieved one of this year’s goals: I PASSED!

Survival of the Fittest

I’ve been putting off another official post for a bit. Not because I didn’t want to write, but I’ve had a big push to finish my courses, write exams, start the new job and even though I had yesterday off and completely free of any responsibilities, I wanted to take the time to just mellow out….and play in the snow!!! We got a huge dumping of snow here in new small town, and it was the most exciting thing to wake up to yesterday morning. One of my dogs LOVES it, the other one…not so much. So we played in the snow, and later I went out and practiced driving in the snow in an attempt to overcome a recent traumatic snow-driving experience. I did just fine and in fact, I survived 🙂

So, what’s been happening? Well, last weekend I wrote my final exam for one of my courses. I literally made myself physically sick trying to study and prepare myself. I do not usually do well on tests, but to my delighted surprise when I arrived to write it, I actually felt like I knew what I was talking about. Many people around me were like “I told you so, I knew you’d be fine” and similar comments. But seriously, I did not expect to feel confident afterwards, I have always struggled with memorization and exams. I think I did well though. Will let ya know when I get the results.

I also presented my final presentation for another course the other night – again completely terrified I had done a half-assed job, but again I had a virtual standing ovation (It’s an online course). So I’ve actually managed to pull it off for school. This is an accomplishment for me, since I have actually finished something – I have a tendency to start up projects or intend to accomplish something and then it fizzles out. It looks like I’m actually going to run the whole distance here and I’ve managed to do it while holding down a job (a sometimes very demanding one) and a relationship. Go me! I survived.

New job report: I love it! I’ve had a handful of training days and will be heading out shortly to it. It feels natural to me and the new coworkers/boss seem to really like me. Phewf! Survived training while exams were going on. Success!

I’ve been missing derby practices for a week 😦 BUT the good news is (weather permitting since I drive through a mountain pass) I have practice tonight and can’t wait! Cross your fingers for me about the weather!

More good news for me is John and I are going to be auntie and uncle VERY soon!!! John’s sis is going to have her baby in the next coupla weeks which means we get to go down to the Seattle area to welcome into the world our niece to be – exciting!!! This will be John’s first time ( I have a niece and nephew on my side) of experiencing the amazingness and it’s really sweet how excited he is. I can’t wait to get down there 🙂

Have a great day – keep warm if you’re getting pummeled by the winter weather and I’ve added a few snowy pics of my poochies on the property yesterday.

-SM

Appreciating some simple pleasures

Wooosh! (that is the sound effect to sum up last week for me)

It’s not that I’ve been avoiding my blog, I’ve been busy trying to keep up with everything. But last night on my drive home from Roller Derby practice, my mind suddenly became aware of some things that I am really lucky to have.

My drive to and from practice is about 40 minutes on a winding, single lane highway through a mountain pass. Since I’ve started, it’s always in the dark, usually the fog and lately there has been quite a bit of rain. Last night was a bit different though, the moon was full (or very nearly). I googled “Full Moon Calendar 2012” and it was either last night or it’s tonight. My point is, is that it was bright and lovely. So much so, that I actually pulled over for a bit to admire the beauty. There is a point on my drive where the road goes alongside a lake with two mountains as the backdrop to the lake, and usually when it is darker you can just barely see the outline of the mountains. Last night however was superb. It was this late night, mountain road, moon gazing that got me thinking about opportunities such as this that I really need to stop and take in more. Or maybe we all could stand to slow down a bit more.

So, first simple pleasure I’d like to appreciate – a good, quiet, full moon that seemed to belong only to me for the ten minutes I took it in. Thanks moony!

The next simple pleasure I’d like to highlight is water. I think I mentioned a while back that my house is on well water. With the crazy rain storm we had last week, our well pump house flooded and since then, the water coming out of our taps is discoloured. I’ve been really complaining to myself that I have to boil a huge pot of water before I can pour it into my Brita water filter. Then I realized how ridiculous that sounds. At least I have water at any given time coming out of my taps and I can pick the temperature.

So three cheers for running water (even though I may have to boil it before consumption from time to time). Hip Hip Hooray.

My next observation for appreciation goes to going on a movie date. John and I went out on a Saturday night this week to take in the latest scary movie; the Devil Inside. I can’t remember the last time I actually went to a movie on the opening weekend, let alone a Saturday night. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever gone to see a horror/thriller movie in the theatre before – definitely worth it just for the crowd excitement!

Let’s hear it for movie night!

The final small wonder I’d like to mention is a good bath (especially when I’m spending 2+ hours, 3x week falling/getting smashed around and intense cardio at practice). Last night after my moon-drive home, there was a bath running just waiting for me to jump in. What makes me REALLY lucky is that my bathtub is one of those fancy deep ones with jets. My muscles were so thankful last night, therefore so am I.

Thank you bathtub! (and ice packs for my butt and knees)

Oh ya, one more thing….

I GOT THE JOB I WANTED AND START LATER TODAY!!! xoxo

Have a super one!

-SM

………..A few things I’ve thought about today…………

So today was a day I woke up feeling motivated by health. This sounds completely sappy, but it’s been an active week (super fun roller derby practice last night) where I’ve been outside a ton and cooking from scratch. But this is not the main topic for why I am writing. The two things I feel compelled to discuss:

1) perseverance

2) Loving yourself (and not necessarily in the “x-rated” way, but go for that too if it makes ya feel good)

per·se·ver·ance

noun

1.

steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement.

Ok, a steady persistent course of action. Well I consider this to apply to many things we all go through in life – learning, growing, working towards something. I am finding myself bogged down with school, but I know the end is getting closer (freakishly closer when I look at the calendar and my exam schedule) which many people have been there, done that. But I know myself to be the procrastinator-extraordinaire and here I find myself searching for things to do other than write this paper that is hanging over my head. And this isn’t the first time. I tend to do this, avoid something that freaks me out (in this case a big scary psych. paper) until it literally makes me sick. I know right? Like what the heck is my deal. I know I will get it done but it will come at the cost of all nighters in front of my computer screen, stressing myself out. Or maybe not. I just find that academics have never come easy to me, ever, but I guess I keep persevering through it to reach a goal. So maybe I just answered my own question/dilemma/addressed my problem. Working hard and pushing through it all is the only way it’ll happen despite the discouragement I’m feeling. Ugh. Sorry this wasn’t meant to be a downer, more of a “real life experience” that I’m sure everyone feels. Overwhelmed and freaked out.

My second topic: Loving yourself, was inspired by a Television commercial I heard today while wandering the house procrastinating (well I wasn’t aimlessly wandering, I was doing random chores). The commercial was for a beauty product (can’t recall what exactly, some sort of face stuff) and what I heard was something along the lines of

“Research has now proven that by age 20 your skin begins to act/feel/look older”

Excuse me?

There is more than just one thing wrong with this statement. The first being, way to shamelessly market your product to teens (because surely they must jump on board before they hit the dreaded……20th birthday) by spending their allowance on overpriced chemicals to coat their faces with.

The second is, shouldn’t our skin act/feel/look older along with the rest of our biological makeup because we ARE aging. This doesn’t necessarily mean 20 year olds will get wrinkly (unless they are addicted to tanning beds), but according to science I am pretty sure that our whole body is meant to age right along with us, face and all. Just saying.

And the third problem I have with this add, and many more just like it, are that I am tired of being told/brainwashed that we should try to defy the natural process of aging. Yes I believe in leading a healthy lifestyle, but I refuse to buy into “age defying” makeup and magical potions that promise to keep me looking young. Seriously, what the hell is a chemical peel and why would I ever want one? I am just not a fan of trying to trick myself into thinking I won’t age if I cake some over priced crap on to my face. And I don’t think it is fair that women & men have been subjected to such a superficial world where this is all “normal”. Somehow I have found myself smack in the middle of rant.
I think what I’m really getting at, is that you can buy all the age defying potions you want, but at the end of the day do you love the way you look in the mirror? If yes, than great! But I suspect that there may be a slippery slope with all of these targeted marketing campaigns……when is it enough? I know that I am not a beauty queen by media standards, but I like what I’ve got going on and to me that is what matters. Of course there are parts of me I wish were skinnier, or smoother or whatever, but I still think I’m awesome and I ain’t afraid to say it. I encourage everyone to write down an ongoing list of attributes that you love about yourself. Start with a minimum of 5 and look over them often.

Oh ok, I’ll go ahead and get the ball rolling:

1) I have nice thick hair

2) I am tall and I like that

3) I like my freckles

4) My eyebrows seem to naturally shape themselves, and I like that too

5) I like my legs

***disclaimer***

*no, I’m not an ego maniac, just someone who isn’t afraid to be bold about being awesome*

-SM