Whip It!

The GNO girls and I had lunch together then went to see the new Roller Derby movie Whip It. It is a great movie and is pretty accurate. About the only things I don't agree with are the elbowing to the face stuff and the fighting, but this is Hollywood we are talking about, but for the most part, they got it right.

Steel City Derby Demons even had a skater in the film. Kat Von D' Stroya, who transferred to SCDD from the Detroit Derby Girls, earlier this summer, played herself in the movie, a member of the Black Widows. It was so great to see Kat skate in the film.

Many were afraid that seeing this movie would light the fire within me again. I will admit, I had that feeling in the pit of my stomach a couple of times. My body, however, has told me that enough is enough. I am possibly exploring additional options that may be the best of both worlds. Stay tuned.....

Officially Official............

I've retired from derby. There, I said it. I retired on Sunday. I will admit, I have had many moments of remorse over that decision over the past few days. Even though it's going to take getting used to, I think I made the right decisions.

Mr. Bruises injury hit me hard. Neither of us are youngsters anymore. I've been struggling with back, hip, neck and knee ailments for sometime now. It's just a matter of time before one of them can become more serious.

I've been going back and forth with the decision for months. On a recent road trip with BFF Jill, she suggested writing a pros and cons list. So simple. So I took her advice. The only legitimate con I could come up with, besides never bouting again, was not being able to hit anymore. That one hurt. I LOVE to hit.

I've now moved over to the striped side of things. I am becoming a ref. It was the only natural thing to do. I am on the rules committee. I know the rules pretty well. Some of my favorite peeps are refs. So, yeah, this isn't looking so bad after all!

St. Patrick's Day Parade

I got up at the buttcrack of dawn, to get ready and packed for the trek into Pittsburgh for the St. Patrick's Day Parade yesterday. Last year, I didn't make the parade, since I was to meet my team in the Southside and couldn't get there due to all the street closings. After being yelled at by every single police officer in Pittsburgh, I went home. I was sad.

This year, I prepared ahead of time. I planned to meet at Pinky D's house in Lawrenceville and take the bus. I've never ridden a public bus in Pittsburgh. Again, I was scared. Scared that I wouldn't be able to find the bus home to get to my car to get home. We lucked out and Pinky's man gave us a ride to the parade, we just had to ride the bus home.

This was mad fun!! While waiting for our time to step off, we mingled. We met the Pittsburgh Passion girls. I've been dying to get to a game and they were nice enough to give me a schedule. We mingled with the Shriner's clowns, who took lots of photos of us!
We also met some unique characters, like the Banana and the Gorilla, who were part of the Terrible Trailer!




















We brought Stanley's Leg with us. It was a beautiful moment when the Turkey Leg and Stanley's Leg met. I could almost hear the bow-chicka-bow-bow music.

Finally it was time for us to step off. You know when you park in the upper lot of the Mellon Arena? Well, we had to skate down that hill. Holy Bejesus! It's a hill, add potholes, manholes, stones, cobblestones, llama poo, horse poo and the dreaded candy and you've got yourself a dangerous combination. At one point, a butterscotch candy nearly ended my life. I didn't fall, but I can really close! Thank goodness for the few walkers that held my hand and helped me through some tough spots. Thanks Pinky, Unsafe Tex and Buck Hughes!

All in all the crowd was awesome, so much green.







Of course, you had to have your hecklers. This was the crew that promised to give us beads if we "Showed a taco". Seriously, they yelled that.







Well Pinky got beads just for looking cute!

McShovin' was getting the lovin'. I heard no less that THREE marriage proposals!

There were supposed to be a lot of locals at the parade, however, I only heard someone yell my name once! It was Rose Valasek from Ford City, who was at the parade with her husband.

This was so much fun! I can't wait to do it again. I think we may skate in the Pride Parade and I am really looking forward to that one.

Pinky made sure I got on the right bus, so I made it home safe and sound and I didn't get yelled at by any police officers this year.

Who's ready for St. Patrick's Day?!?

Jill is! Well, so am I! I am skating in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Pittsburgh tomorrow with other Steel City Derby Demons. If you are going to the parade, look for us! Cheer for us!

As for Jill, St. Patrick's day is her birthday! Hop on over to her blog and wish her a Happy Birthday!

The Purple Potty

A lot of people have mentioned that I have never featured the salon bathroom on The Bathroom Tour. We affectionately call it The Purple Potty. This is because it is inside of The Purple Pinkie. There are some accents in purple, but for the most part, it is a normal looking bathroom.




































I recently got a gift from a friend. It's a large, poster, photo-collage of photos of me being Fonda Bruises. It is awesome! I put it in The Purple Potty behind the door. This is the view when you are sitting on the throne.

My new talent!

I found a new talent that I had on Thursday night, that I didn't know I had. While getting geared up for derby practice, someone asked me what size shoe I wore, to which I replied a 5 1/2. See, I have small feet and small hands, I'm just no longer small in between.

Someone then told me that they knew someone with small hands that was able to put their entire fist in their mouth. She told me that she thought I could. So, I tried. And I can. The first time I did it, I actually had wrist guards on and my mouthguard it. It was much easier without both.

Now before anyone makes the comment that I have a big mouth, I don't have a big mouth, I have small hands! I know, you are sitting here thinking that's not hard. Go ahead, try it. Not everyone can do this.

I will add this to hanging four spoons off of my face and imitating a chicken. I am taking my show on the road soon.

I pimped my ride!

After a year of skating on my new, expensive purple skates, I finally admitted that the plates are too heavy and they are contributing to my back and hip pain. I started wearing my old, cheap skates again and I have fallen back in love with derby.

Well, after having purple skates for a year, it pained me to skate with plain, old black ones. So, I decided to pimp them out!

Here is what they looked like before.

I was too lazy to take the wheels off, so I just masked around them.

I sprayed them with two coats of Outdoor paint.

I then prayed them with a matte finish, clear sealer.

After they dried, I applied Modge Podge where I wanted the racing strips to be, and then I put some gold glitter in a salt shaker and shook it over the stripes area, then dusted off the excess.

Once that dried, I sealed the glitter to the skate with another coat of Modge Podge.

Here is the finished product - A purplelicious set of skates with gold strips, what better way to represent Ford City than with the good old purple and gold!

Heading Back To My Roots

Before the rumor mill gets out of control, yes, I dropped into the draft pool. This was a decision I've been struggling with for some time now. I love the Hellions and I will always be a Hellion at heart, but I just feel like I might be able to contribute more to another team.

I think I got spoiled when I was Fresh Meat. My squad was the first ever and we were a unique dozen of girls. We all cared about each other so much and were supportive. There wasn't anything but healthy competition. We all have a bond that lasts till this day. There is a special connection between us that didn't disappear when we were broken into teams. We are friends and probably will be for the long haul.

Once I got on a team, I expected that bonding experience to be double. It wasn't even close to half. I felt most of the time, like a fish out of water. This is not knocking the Hellions, it's just how they are. They are all business because they mean business. Who knows, maybe all the teams are like this.

I tried to remember when I was the happiest, when I still had the fire burning inside. That would be when I was Fresh Meat and waiting, patiently to be drafted to a team. I want that fire inside again. I want to feel that excitement as I drive the hour to practice. I want to feel exhilaration on the hour drive home.

That's why, I am heading back to my roots. I'm back to Fresh Meat/Draft Pool and I am looking forward to a new beginning.