The girl who cried "PARTY!"

HOLIDAY THOUGHTS>>> on food and eating...

I saw something on TV about EATING LIKE KINGS. Americans eat like KINGS. Which in the olden days of kings and queens and knights - weight was a sign of being wealthy because you could eat a lot every day. The human body doesn't need that.

And the poor peasants were skinny cuz they were poor and ate only a little. And they had to work (out) in the fields and stuff and so they burnt off what they ate.

okay... what... ya... Fat Lazy Kings ate lots, did nothing but rule and got FAT. Skinny workers ate less, did work and were skinny. Is there some life lesson in here? Maybe something about gluttony? Maybe something about moving and eating less and not being greedy?

I want to stop eating like a KING everyday. Everyday is NOT my birthday so why do I want CAKE every day? I do want to get where my daily diet is good so on holidays I can eat more because it is a celebration. And if you celebrate EVERY DAY! then when there really is a celebration, when you eat the cake, it's not so special.

It's like I am the girl who cried CELEBRATION... after a while, no one really thinks it's a celebration.
Like the boy who cried WOLF in case you didn't get that. I cried PARTY ---

PARTY - whooooo celebrate! CAKE! BEN AND JERRY'S!!!! CANDY CORN! COTTON CANDY!

one two three PIXIE STIX!!!!

I SAID PIXIE STIX!!!!

and so I can't were boots now.

True story. I just got a pair of KEENs in the mail. They don't fit because I have the calves of KINGS and not the spindly legs of a peasant farm worker. My calves are like tree trunks. I am like a tree girl walking around on my tree legs and by trees I don't mean small trees - I mean big giant RED WOODS or something. Like OLD GROWTH.

Yes, I have OLD GROWTH CALVES from eating like a KING and I can't wear boots.

Oh the world is a funny place. I don't know what I would enjoy more... Eating like a king or wearing boots.

I am going to say I enjoy eating more. And that sucks. Because I really want to wear these boots.

Things are about to change... trust me my friend... This is happening. NO MORE EATING LIKE A KING EVERY DAY!!!! I want small Alder tree legs, not Giant Redwood tree legs....
I WILL WEAR MY KEENS ONE DAY!!!

TRUE FACT: I have been on a ZILLION diets. I have gained and lost 20 pounds countless times. I embark again on another diet and a challenge - which I will write more about in another blog... Let's just say....
I hope to wear my KEENs by APRIL 1st.

NO, not HOPE>>>>> I WILL WEAR THEM BY APRIL1st and that's NO JOKE!

Derby comes full circle. Now we are both beginners.

THIS WAS WRITTEN AFTER MY TILTED THUNDER TRYOUTS OCT  27 >> didn't finish until now...

As you probably know I started the Seattle Derby Brats about 6 years ago. Most of the kids then were 10-12. The league grew to two teams, then 4 with two skill ranges, then a travel team, to where we are now with 6 home teams, two at each of 3 levels and one all star travel only team which I coach (It's called the Galaxy Girls, what an amazing name...). I am pretty sure we are one of if not the largest roller derby leagues in the world. 7 teams. 8 if you count the B travel team made up of the home teams for B level travel bouts. But 7 distinct teams without skater crossover.

Okay, I may have been bragging. I may continue to brag for a while. As well as be humbled. YES - I said it, BFG was humbled this weekend for sure.

After a long derby hiatus I tried out this past Sunday for Tilted Thunder Railbirds.I retired from Rat City at the end of June after the champs bout and to me it felt like an eternity and to my friends I complained to about it, probably if felt even longer. When you skate for almost 9 years, 8 full seasons, taking a month of is GREAT. Taking 4 months off. Not so great.

The tryouts started with an interview. Why do I want to skate for Tilted Thunder? (It's banked.) What is my skating experience? (You don't have room on your form for it all.) We seemed to be constiantly interrupted by those passing by. (Cuz I am awesome and everyone wants to talk to me... or.... ) We were sitting on couches by the sign in table. I don't think people thought we were in an interview actually. Gary asked me about painting a plyometrics course on the floor of the Aviary (the fond name of the warehouse that Tilted Thunder uses for practice.) I am helping plan PLYOs for the TTRB travel team. A little something I already teach to the Galaxy Girls.

Girls started to file in. All of them from the Flight School hosted by TTRB except me and one other skaters. ThumPurr from the Hula Honey's - Jet City Rollergirls. OH and I might add. a former SEATTLE DERBY BRAT AND GALAXY GIRL!!!

That is correct my friends. I was trying out for TTRB along side one of my former junior skaters. I cannot tell you how excited I am for her. She is such an amazing kid with such a huge future infront of her, not just in derby but in life. She went from hardly knowing how to skate to being a very powerful and strong blocker on the Galaxy Girls. On the Hula Honey's she really came into her derby and was not only a feirce blocker but one of the teams constant jammers. I went to several of her bouts to watch. ThumPurr is only the second of my juniors to age out, they all seemed to start so young. The other, wonderful girl, Victoria Deck'em, went on to cooking school and is an amazing baker these days. ThumPurr is my first to go off and join an adult league.

>>>>> FAST FORWARD >>>>

We both made the league. We are in our probation period of 90 days. We hope to both be placed on the same team (hearts think hearts and red and Mad Hatter) in January. Okay, I KNOW I WANT US ON THE SAME TEAM!!!

Don't you think we should be on the same team? That would be so super FAB. Just saying. FAB.

Anyways. I am now on a league with a girl who I used to coach on a junior team. I think that is awesome. The derby is going to change. The kids are amazing.

DERBY VISUALIZATION FOR SQUIRREL BRAINS!

Have you heard that many Olympic athletes use "VISUALIZATION" as part of their regular training regimen? Its a true story. Google it. Visualization is key to becoming the skater you want to be. You want to be a speedy jammer? Then you better visualize yourself AS a speedy jammer. If you want to juke like ping pong ball on the track? Then you outta be visualizing yourself popping all over the place.

I have tried it. It works. I have seen it work in others.

There is a problem. I CAN NOT FOCUS.... I get so distracted that I find it hard to meditate - visualize - squirrel. I have such a hard time with doing this on my own that I have had to find little tricks to help me out. If you are like me then you might find some of these helpful and fun. You can also do #5 & #6 as team bonding stuff to and visualize for the whole team... WAY AWESOOOOME!

Here are my 7 tips...

#1 - CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD
For my work computer I have to use about 10 different systems that all require passwords. I have changed them all to be something positive. Something that helps me redirect my focus to my goals. It's easy. Example: "Go to the gym today!" can become g02gym2d@y!  That is a pretty secure password... Awesome! It reminds me to go to the gym! yes OR you could be more like "I am a fast jammer" can become imaF@stJmr

#2 - CHANGE THE BACKGROUND ON YOUR PHONE - make the background on your phone a picture of you doing what your goal is. Photo shop if you have to. Every time you look at your phone you will see your goal. It's an easy way to see you as the way you want to be.

#3 - CHANGE YOUR SCREEN SAVER AND BACKGROUND ON COMPUTER - I have just changed both the background on my work computer and the screen saver to a bunch of photos of me playing banked track, the better ones. I want to visualize myself as a fast, strong, agile, HAPPY banked track skater. This will help me when I try out for Tilted Thunder on Oct 27th. Make sure you pick the better pics, you don't need to put them all up. Just the ones that are going to help you not hinder you. Don't pick photos of you F-ing up or falling or what ever bad thing.

If you have not DONE what your goal is yet, example, if I had not played any banked bouts yet I could put photos of my favorite banked track skaters and photoshop myself in there or put a close up myself between each banked track skater photo so that I see myself on that track and associate myself with my goal.

#4 - MAKE YOUR OWN GUIDED MEDITATION - true story - I use the recorder on my iPhone to make myself guided meditations. I talk about my goals and what I want to achieve and I play it back to myself with my eyes closed and try to SEE in my minds eye what I am telling myself. Sound crazy? So what. Try it before you knock it. And I have a pretty voice. So it's cool.

#5 - MAKE A VISION BOARD - it's kinda like a collage - you can use glue sticks and glitter and bring out your inner 8 year old. Cut out pictures of your goal and key words. Glue them all together and make it pretty and fun. Then hang it somewhere that you are going to see it every day. Add to it when you need to. Have fun with it.

#6 - MAKE A GOAL SHRINE - dedicate a top of a dresser or a shelf somewhere to your goal. Put there fun pictures that represent your goal. On my desk at work I have all my trophies. I keep them at work because I am there more than anywhere else. By the trophies I place other things that represent my goal. A new skate wheel. The color of the team I want to be one. The size I want to be when I hit my goal weight. It's there for me to look at all the time. YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE There it is!!! IT'S A SIX!!!

#7 - SHUT YOUR FRIGGIN EYES AND BE QUIET - when you lay down to sleep at night and shut your eyes, JUST TRY for a bit to tune out the day. SEE yourself in your minds eye achieving your derby goal. TELL yourself you are doing what ever it is you want to be doing. If you want to be able to hit while skating backwards SEE YOURSELF doing that... then say over and over."I can skate backwards and hit. I am effective. I am swift. I am agile. I am strong. I can skate backwards and hit. I can transition. I can! I can! I can!" Even if you can only do it for a few minutes before you zone out and are picking out shoes in your brain or planning a trip or wonder what color to dye your hair or what ever you move on to think about, that's okay too. The more you try it, the easier it becomes and if you have the other things around your house that you have seen over and over it will be easier for you to see the goal in your minds eye...

EASY CUZ YOU SEEN IT ALL DAY!!! EVERY WHERE!!!

There are other things you can do - these are just some of the things I like to do. Try new things and do what works for you. Do something you can stick with... HAHAHAHA

Ya right. I can't stick with anything, yet I repeat everything. I read a lot of stuff, well, I start a LOT of books and I skim a lot of articles on line and the underlying message I see over and over is that you REAP WHAT YOU SOW, you become what you believe, YOU CREATE YOUR OWN FUTURE, your thoughts become your reality... ON AND ON AND ON...

These are just some of the things I do. I don't always reach my goals but I reach more goals than if I never tried anything. I sometimes reach a goal then stop doing what I am doing that got me there and fall back (weight loss, house cleaning, bills, etc) and I have to start over. Each time I learn a little more. Life is in fact about the journey right? What if I achieved all my goals and was bored because I had nothing left to strive for???

As with derby, as with life... the victory may be sweet, but the fight is often sweeter.

Or is it, without a fight the victory is less sweet?
If you didn't work for it, is it yours?

Um, ya, that's deep, sorry if I got to deep for anyone... Sparkle. Sparkle. Gum drop.

No go shut your eyes and get to work!

Betty Ford Ga-owl-axy

Betty Ford Ga-owl-axy.

Those are my fans! They love me!
Robot Sharpener is like "Heeey BFG!!! Heeeeeeay!"

Flashlight Cat thinks... "OMBFG! That's really her!"
 But he is too freaked out to look at her.

Yup, I won those! Those my bling b**ches!

Andy Warhol, eat your heart out.

Weeeeeeee! I am swimming in DERBY!







SKATING IS THE BESTEST EVER!!!

Owl is well.

The end.

The BFG ODDyssey

It's dark. The only sound is the tinnitus that constantly rings in my ears and the gentle hum of the engines on the Mother Ship. Making me painfully aware I am alive, yet alone. My only companion the reflection of myself in the porthole glass.

The journey is on.

As I look out the windows of the craft I am in awe of the beautiful planets dancing in the galaxy. A slow and repetitive dance of life. Spinning, circling, gliding. The same path over and over. The circle of life? The mundane existence of consistency? It is still beautiful - and I watch.

Each planet represents a chapter in my life. Each as story. Some happy, some sad, I think of childhood friends and the dreams we had. Funny how life imitates art. Songs and stories from the past become realities in our present. Each reality unique to our own perception.

As the ship sails past I see my happy yet odd childhood years, the early 20s which for all extensive purposes were a bit bland, the dark decade of debacle and debauchery and then sobriety and the need for all things extreme as if sobriety wasn't extreme enough.

My gaze lingers on each planet a while. Reliving each moment with innocent fondness, enjoying my past and in gentle awe of how these moments are the framework for my present. The lifeblood and essence of the being I am right now in this moment. So many moments. So many reflections.

As the planets slip away I am reminded that I am on a journey. Not a journey down memory lane but a vast voyage, an extraordinary expedition to a new and fulfilling future. The planets are beautiful and I am filled with joy as the inhabitants of them wave to me, they smile, fond memories of the people in my past. As we pass I am not to be saddened by their departures but to embrace the love and/or knowledge gained from knowing them. Not always both were obtained, sometimes love, sometimes knowledge, sometimes both. One questions not the origin of learning if the learning serves a purpose. Wisdom comes from many sources. It is for me to keep my eyes open to receive the wisdom, keep my soul adjusted to comprehend the wisdom and keep my heart open so I am able to appreciate the wisdom, regardless of the source. Sometimes despite the source.

The most recent planets are so vivid and clear yet at the same time so distant and conjure emotions yet to be dealt with. A swirling sea of decisions and actions. How strange to see and feel such a myriad of truth about myself. The wisdom of these most recent planets yet to seep into my heart. To my knowing. How the adventures on these planets will play out in my future is yet a story to be told. I wonder where the ship is heading. Where will these planets guide me to. The decisions of my most recent life changes are jumping around inside my head. Clouding the path in front of me. Or is it a path at all? This uncharted wilderness of space and time I call my future? What have I done? Where am I headed? How can I go on?

There is a small whisper from behind me. I am not alone after all. I never was. My co-pilot smiles in the darkness. I can't see Him, but I know He is there. I feel the smile in my heart. Because I love you with SMILES.

The ship, the Co-Pilot and I drift on, toward the uncharted planets of the galaxy that is my future and though I am not fully aware of where I am headed I am at peace with where I am at.

A final thought to all my friends... No matter where this journey takes me, no matter where I stop, no matter what my face is painted like, always remember, I love you with SMILES.

And enjoy your journey.

OLY! OLY! OLY! WHAT? WHEN? ONDA WHO?

There seems to be this whole hubbabalew on the internet about 3 skaters transferring to Oly right before the WFTDA western regionals.

How do I feel about that. Think think ... well, what does Betty Ford Galaxy think about this "transfer" business. Well. I think LOTS OF STUFFS...

They seem to have valid reasons. So meh. Let EM TRANSFER! Kudos. Make your mega team and win win win! I have not played the sports before I played the roller derby but to ME... small hick/punk kid from Monroe... winning isn't the most important part of the game to me. So I am thinking that "WINNING" maybe wasn't their main motivation. I could be wrong...

SURE IT KICKS ASS TO WIN AND and AND I WANT TO WIN AND and AND I TRY TO WIN... but WHY I want to win is maybe different than why THOSE ladies want to win. and well, that's okay. Right? We all get our opinions and thoughts and desires and we all have our reasons for wanting to win.

Before the roller derby I didn't do sports but for a few years I did the race car driving. 4 Cyl stock cars, demo derbys, a boat race and roll over "attemp". I have actually been hinkering with the idea of going back to that soon.... BY THE BY... for those who give a rip... racing is 1000% more exciting personally in my gut and heart than roller derby IN THE MOMENT. BA-BAM!!!

But derby is more than just IN THE MOMENT for me. FOR ME... My blog.. me.. you think what you like.

Did I ever win a car race... NO... But I did win two PRE SHOW DEMO DERBY CAR trophies and they are pretty friggin' sweet. Did I want to WIN? Bet your arse I wanted to win... I COULD TASTE IT!!! I WANTED IT!!! I COULD SMELL IT!! I tried so hard... but no wins..

Was my time on the race track a waste because I never won one... absolutely and completely NOT. It was some of the best times of my life. My brothers and Dad were my PIT crew. My whole family and tons of friends would come to watch me race. It was pretty frigging amazing. I raced in Monroe, where I did most of my growing up (insert witty peanut gallery response here about me still not being "growed up yet"). My first job ever was slinging burgers and popcorn at the concession stands of that very same Evergreen Speedway. It was an amazing time.

I spent HOURS and HOURS and HOURS gutting cars, welding, tinkering, painting, reinforcing, cleaning, and spending time with friends and family while I did so. It wasn't the WIN that kept me racing. It was the time spent working toward a goal. Frikin awesome goal! Time with family. The anticipation of the race day approaching. The THRILL and ADRENALINE of the race itself. I mean. Hitting people on the derby track with your body while on skates is one thing but HITTING ANOTHER CAR WITH YOUR CAR - - - ON PURPOSE - - - is a just such a specacular trill most people will never know and a risk most will never know either. Sure you can get real hurt in ROLLER DERBY but smashing a car into another is just well, it's friggin awesome. It wasn't the WIN. It was TRYING to win and GIVING IT MY ALL!!! and getting farther each race...

 
(True fact, I was never injured in racing cars, in derby I have broken a leg, 3 fingers, tore hamstring, quad and groin pulls, a separated shoulder and a suprascapulous (sp) tear... that might be the same thing but it was two different times, different shoulders - my car engine did catch on fire once in the middle of a race and the race had to be stopped... no biggie)


...
Okay smartypants pinky purple headed babbler, if AUTO RACING was the bee's knees then why did you stop and WHAT? pray-tell - does this have to do with OLY.

(sparkle sparkle gum drop)

Well, there was a point in racing where to get farther financially was going to be tuff, but I wasn't letting that stop me... What it was is this... I didn't make but 1 friend doing the auto smashy fun races. A few acquaintances were made but no friends. Even the 1 friend I did make I have only seen a small handful of times in the past 8ish years since I quit racing. I wanted something different and I literally was TOLD to go play roller derby (thanks Kelly - some of the best advice / telling to I have ever gotten, changed my world) ...

This ROLLER DERBY seemed super. So I tried it and I liked it and I got better and things moved along. I started a junior derby and well, that pretty much ate a ton of my time for the last 6 years. I skated. I coach. I have bootcamps and stuff. I love roller derby and almost everything about it. Don't like derby drama. And do my best to stay out of it. MY BEST doesn't mean I get to stay all the way out of it and just writing this is probably going to cause some DRAMAS somewhere for SOOOOOM body... who cares. blah blah

So for me I can see there are so many sides to this OLY thing.

I see that these OLY ladies just wanted to play at a level they can play at. Go for the big WIN. Kudos.  I don't understand how people afford to fly all over for practice. But that ain't none of my beeswax (second bee slang word... neat).

I have left my original home team, The Throttle Rockets, TWICE now. 4 years on, one season off, 3 years on and now gone again. BOTH TIMES LEAVING WAS LIKE A DEATH. It is so hard but I know to grow sometimes you have to go through pain and each time I left there were real reasons that meant something to ME. Others might have seen it different. The first time I was getting married and I was really burnt out on derby. I left to go to a league who would require LESS time of my. Less committee work and less practice minimum. That gave me time to plan the wedding. It also showed me how much I loved my home team and how much I missed them so very stupid much. So after the season I went back...

oh yeah, it was AFTER the season. I knew a few months in I wanted to go back but BUT BFG had given her word to this new team that she would be there a season, and I thought it was the right thing to do to stay a whole season. So I did. I love those girls too. They were very open and fun. The Camaro Harem. I still heart you ladies. Thank you for the wedding knives.

This last time I left is because I want to play banked track derby. I want a new experience. I want to grow. Being almost 42 there is not a lot of time left to have that chance. So I thought. Might as well try. RISK MORE to get more. The old league is amazing, and also has it's faults, as all leagues do. It is just how it is.

                                                                                        photo by Joe Grasso

Trying new things is a good thing. So for the most part - MOST of me is okay with this OLY thing because I am pretty sure the ladies as LADIES as humans as individuals ALL had real personal reasons for going.


No one said I was a douchbag for leaving, twice. Was that because it was at the end of the season when I left before drafts? Was it because I am not the same caliber skater as those girls? Shouldn't a skater of any level get to choose where they skate? Or is is because I live in the same house/place and all these leagues are within less than an hour drive from my house? (I live in the sticks, nothing is less than 30 minutes... NOTHING)

ON THE FLIP SIDE. The derby nerd me that watches regionals and sits in one spot for 10 hours at a time and takes notes is not so happy about the transfers. For some reasons and they are.

They might be stacking their team and the nature of roller derby is DIY and have fun, be a community and bring each other up not ship in better skaters. So stacking is not in line with what I knew when I started derby But then when I started there was no one to stack with or a WFTDA or regionals or well, there was not much... but a community of crazy fun girls doing some shit together and being cool. OH and playing a rad sport.

AND ANOTHER THING:
Fact - those woman are SICK derby skaters and YES 3 of them can make a team. Sorry, that's not being douchy to AZRD or any team, that is just derby factoid.

AND ANOTHER OTHER THINGY:
The derby nerd in me would have liked to see Jet City at regionals. I think they were pretty solid all year. That being said they too have just brought on some talent. But more than 30 days ahead and talent has already bouted and is also a returning skater. OH and I would derby nerd like to see AZRD and JET bout it out to see who gets that 10th spot at regionals. That would be my derby wish.

AND UNRELATED TO THE TRANSFERS BUT RELATED CUZ IT'S OLY AND AN EARLIER TRANSFER>>>>>
I think the big thing everyone has missed is ONDA SLIGH.... O M G. HOLY MOLY GUACAMOLE!
She is just about the most epic skater I have ever seen. Her twists, turns, jukes and jumps are something of mythical creatures, rainbows and witchcraft all rolled up into one amazing derby machine. Oh, maybe she is a robot. I am not sure. She could be a robot. That would explain her vertical jumps from what appears to be a complete stand still. RO-BOT...

Derby Bot


biddy biddy biddy


derby derby derby (say it like biddy biddy biddy in your head... If you are old enuff to get this reference, if not just pretend I am crazy and go with it...) (pretending not necessary, I am crazy - wee bit.)

So first look at the Oly Transfer Debacle of 2012 it seems shifty, shisty, screwy. ((my new name for it) Debacle might be the wrong word. I am not a WORD SMITH. I just like how it sounds.)



But at second look, maybe they are just ladies who want to play at OLY. Meh - they are friends, don't we all want to play where our friends are (doh crap, my bestie - GAMLAMNO is still at Rat City... um... so)

            photo by BINGME
           

                                                                                                                                    photo by RJB

And on third look, it kinda cheapens the WFTDA standings. I am fine they want to switch, it'd kinda the timing and what it means for other teams who are going to regionals (or not) and also nationals and who they will play. Sure they might beat the Gotham but for all those other teams who do work super hard and play the hand they are dealt and have to skate against a team with Aces up their sleeve.

AND lastly... They are all so amazing. I am not judging or knocking any of them but if people start flying in people and that's how it's gonna go the Nationals is just going to end up USA Stars vs USA Stripes. I was in the Toronto and watched that bout. IT WAS AMAZING FAN FRICKIN TASTIC DERBY!!!! I am not saying it's a bad thing but it wouldn't really be working with what you got to build teams.

Derby is so great because anyone can do it. With super teams going to regionals and nationals it makes the little guy start to think, ya, maybe I CAN'T DO THAT. and that kinda sucks. Derby should be a CAN DO place. Derby used to make me feel like I could do anything... still does most days. I don't want to lose that.

                                                     photo by Frank Blau

Well, Just like I can't make up my mind about what kind of coffee to get when I go to Starbucks and I can't decide on a permanent hair color. I also can't decide how I feel about this...

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Make every road trip the ADVENTURE OF A LIFE TIME

Over the past 9 years I have traveled A LOT for roller derby. I have traveled to play, coach and just watch. I have had car trips and airplane rides but not buses or trains... yet.


Some of my trips have been SUPER AMAZING!!! Some have sucked rocks. Some were exciting! Some super boring. What is it about traveling that can make or break a person?

Well - I have gone over my past adventures and came up with some good tips. I had a road trip last weekend where I implied some of these things, you know, for THE RESEARCH. I wanted to make this mini trip the BEST TRIP EVER! Was that possible in just a drive from Seattle to Portland for a one nighter?

WELL - I have it my best shot... and I think I did pretty fantabulous.

Here are the top 12 things I suggest for a super FUN derby trip. Why are there 12?
Because my number is 12 and I love things about me.

1)  Go with a travel buddy who is super fun and like minded. Who appreciates your sleep schedule and your drinking capacities. If you like to stay up late then find a roomie who likes the same - stuff like that. Then you won't have arguments or resentments later.

2) Pack lots of costumes and/or hats. This is a must. Normal clothes are for staying home and going to work, unless you have a super rad job where you wear hats and costumes everyday, then I am kinda jealous.

3) Name your adventure. Make shirts. Dress alike. It's funny when you stop places.

4) Bring snacks and beverages for the road so you don't have to stop unless you want to.

5) Make sure you leave plenty of time for the trip so you CAN stop whenever you want and take photos with giant balls of string or pet some pigmee goats.

6) Pixie Stix = the friend maker

7) Pack a swim suit, always, even if there is no pool anywhere, you never know. Be willing to jump in lakes, fountains, pools, rivers and rain barrels.

8) Bring random toys to take photos with. I prefer squeeky Pirate Chickens. (Peggy Clyde & Hooky Hank). Sometimes I bring my puppet, BFG2.0 but usually only when I am on a trip by myself and need the company. (Which is actually in deviation from the #1 rule. (going on trips by myself makes me a little nutty - see video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0cMktpw98c))

9) Be willing to do what the others want. Go with the flow. Don't be a stick in the mud.

10) Ask a local for a good FUNKY FUN place to eat. You won;t find the best places on Google or in a phone book (a what?) or in a newspaper.... You gotta ask. Locals know!

11) Bring a camera, NO ONE WILL BELIEVE YOU IF THERE ISN'T PROOF. But be careful, sometimes you don't want proof.

12) Win the after party.There are several ways to WIN an after party. The main thing is to go in, be noticed, cause a fun commotion, say hey to all your teammates and congratulate/thank/high five the team you bouted against and then leave before you do anything too stupid. There can be more than ONE winner of the after party. Just be a winner!

The fact for me is this. After all my road trips. It is not the facts of the game I remember so much as the feeling from the game. The outcome of the game is remembered less in the score but who won and how do I feel about what me and my team brought, win or lose...

BUT what is really remembered is HOW MUCH FUN DID I HAVE? What did I do before and after the bout? Who did I go with? Where there proper amounts of shenanigans had? Did I win the after party? Are my pictures super cute?

By no means am I saying the bout is not important. It is the reason I breath. It is my life to train for derby, scrimmage, study derby and coach derby and watch derby and love derby and why I would travel in the first place. I personally play better when I am in good spirits so by having a good trip, I am going to have a better game and a better memory. One day, that is all derby will be for all of us. A memory. Make yours a good one.

For the rest of the photos from my last trip check this link to my BFG athlete page photo album.

ROADTRIP CHAMPIONS! Betty & Sunny's BIG derby adventure!

And look forward to new photos after my next coaching trip this weekend to Edmonton for the

GEJRDA's Annual JUNIOR Bootcamp Extravaganza 

For more fun videos check out my YOUTUBE channel. BFG12TR

Please feel free to comment on or share my blog.

And lastly, don't be afraid to draw on your face. Even if you already drew on your face.

ps. Doesn't Peggy Clyde look good after the BFG LASIC?