A Few Tears Later...

So... last we left off I was doing a lot of drinking and crying and just starting to realize that was no way to live.

Funny thing about unhappiness... you can feel totally trapped in it one day, and another just feel like, "This blows and I'm not gonna do it anymore."

But the resolve is immediately tested by being forced to deal with all the bullshit you were trying so hard to be distracted from in the first place...

Well, for me that came in the form of getting rid of everyone but one best friend. (She lives in San Bernadino so she was never around for the unhealthy stage anyways.) And of course, the patient love of my life who had to deal with my... let's just call it... emotional apocalypse.

So, friendless (by choice, but it was a hard choice), I found myself stuck in a 6 month lease with no room mate (in the days before craigslist, how did we live??) in a ghetto as fuck, two story townhouse, aka The Isolation Chamber.

In order to afford it I had to work two jobs so I kept pretty busy. Still, I'd come home to whole lot of lonely, and it completely sucked being alone with my thoughts all that time!

But... it was honestly the best thing that ever happened to me. I recommend an Isolation period to anyone. It's awful and it's wonderful because alone with yourself you have no choice but to find out who you are.

One night I saw some old footage of the Rolling Stones in their acid-taking scarf-wearing glory days and thought: "See, they did something different and it worked for them." 

I wrote in a journal: "I'm different, I've always known it. Different people just have to do different things. I don't know what that means for me, but I hope it's fun!"

I started writing my first goals in the Isolation Chamber (I'm an obsessive goal writer now). The first two:

1) Never suffer another long term period of depression again.
2) Build a circle of friends who only bring good into my life.

I guess you can see where this is going....
Have a rad day today! Here's my parting gift:

Oh, and don't forget about this little guy!

Our world Tuesday: Big Christmas tree

http://showyourworld.blogspot.com/

We have some very big trees in the Park.

Fifi's Pink Synthetic Cornrows Hair

Photo by nurul kinhans

NEW FREUNDE VON FREUNDEN

Some pics from an interview with artist Kelsey Brookes on one of my all time favorite sites Freunde von Freunden  .... really liking these darker shots and really, really liking that leather chair !!!

click on photos to enlarge

Fourth year - Monday 29 November 2010

Summary of the class:

- Conditionals: revision

- Pronunciation of 'have' and 'had' in conditional sentences

- Speaking practice: identity theft.

- Reading: Identity theft.

- Listening: A case of identity theft.

Homework:

Pages 28 and 29: Verbs and prepositions, exercises 4 and 5

Second year - 2ºA - Monday 29 November 2010

Summary of the class:

- Vocabulary: uses of 'get'

- Listening and grammar: agreement and disagreement

- Listening: Jessica's boyfriend

- Writing: My best friend.

- Vocabulary: shopping and shops

Homework:

- Revision exercises: pages 28 and 29. Page 30: reading.

- Write a text about your best friend, following the model on page 31

Life Before Derby: It Was The Best/Worst Of Times (mostly worst)

I wouldn't say I was a total alcoholic or anything, but here's what life was like when I was 21, the year before derby: Love, drink, smoke, cry.

Yay!: I had just met the love of my life (now fiance). And I had got an awesome pair of skates at a thrift store that looked a lot like this:

Boo!: I was just beginning to realize how toxic my lifestyle was.

When you don't know who you are yet, life is just a series of distractions you use to fill the gaping hole within you that screams: You are NOT fulfilling your potential!!!!

My "friends" at the time were a bunch of punk rock wannabes and we were living in a toxic wasteland of drinking and drama. If I could sum it up in a picture it would be:

The only bright spot (besides meeting the love of my life) was that we had all started to do our bar hopping on roller skates. Something about rollerskating in the night just felt right. I seemed to be the only one in my circle who didn't totally suck at it, too.

On one such night of debauchery on wheels I reached back behind me, offering a hand to one of my "friends" and shouted, "I'll give you a whip!"

Which resulted in her looking like a drunken pile on the ground, but I was more stunned by this word that had just come out of my mouth... WTF was a "whip"???

Unlike most of the derby vets of my time, I had never heard of roller derby. Not one memory of it being on TV or anything. So where did this whip thing come from??

It would be another year of drinking and tears before I would ever hear that word from another person.
Was it destiny?? A memory of a past life?? I still don't know the answer to that mystery. All I knew was this roller skating was awesome, and I wanted to do more of it!

You might know me as a generally happy person, and I totally am! But you know what, that's not how I started out. It's been an evolution, and a conscious choice.

So I'm gonna be giving a little back story before we get to the magic...

Did you have any reference for roller derby before you were a part of it? Were you in a transitional period before you found out about it too?

Feel free to tell me all about it. Have a rad day today! Here's my parting gift:

Red is for Christmas celebration.

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com

http://www.suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Christmas at rocket park, my church Mt Albert Baptist Church organised this fun evening for the people of Mt Albert.

First response from Kickstarter and a question to followers

Here is a copy of the first response from Kickstarter - one that I think asks the right questions. Now I would like to get comments from our little community of 75 following on blogger and others who come in often or occasionally.

This first response is from Cindy

Cindy commented on your Kickstarter submission:

Hi Bob,

Thanks for writing. Interesting idea -- I'm curious as to how you plan to bring

it to Kickstarter. Kickstarter projects succeed thanks to built-in communities

and creative, tangible rewards. Projects often receive pledges from complete

strangers, but this is usually due to the momentum that their friends and fans

help create.

How would you present your project? Kickstarter projects are those focused

around a singular, creatively-based aim. What rewards would you offer backers?

Take a look around the site for some ideas and how you would structure.

Thanks!

Cindy

What do you think of Cindy's question, and how should we answer it? Do we have some momentum and built in support, and how do we explain how a film might accomplish a creative mission? What should the rewards and levels be, and how should we structure it? Can anyone think of some creative and interesting awards in addition to a "New55" product?  Can we make a strong case, and what will it have to do to be considered successful?  Who might benefit besides instant film users, and will this make artistic expression better, broader, easier, more accessible, more powerful?

So.... how'd you get into that??

Pretty much every civilian (non derby skater) you meet will ask you this if you ever mention roller derby, right?

I wish I could tell you that 7 years later I tell the story with the same zest and enthusiasm as I had the first time I ever told the tale... But the truth is, I hardly ever tell anyone.

The reason is this: the story is, to me, pretty fucking magical. But takes time to tell and we're all so busy all the time. No one has the time to hear about how the universe conspired to bring roller derby into my life and on that fateful day the skies opened up and I made a 7 year decision based on one gut feeling.

So I usually just say, "Oh, I read about it in Jane Magazine."

Or something totally lame like that, that could nevereverever do justice to the series of synchronistic, serendiptitious events that lined up one after another to make sure that I understood roller derby is meant for me.

Do you remember "Jane"? It was awesome. And don't know how I got to be in the right place at the right time for it, but check out who graced its first cover... 

Yep, Drew Fucking Barrymore.

Anyone my age (30 next week) loves Drew. You can say you don't, but you'd be lying.
ET? Donnie Darko, The Wedding Singer... We grew up with Drew and she grew up with us.

Jane magazine never made it past it's first cycle. But that was just enough time to bring roller derby into my life. With the woman who later made a movie out of it on the cover.

It's a  magical story, and I will tell you all about it. But not now, cuz this feels like a lot of words already and I know you're a busy person.  : D

I don't know how much room the "comments" box has, but if you have a magical "How derby and me found each other" story, I wanna hear it! I lovelovelove those stories.

I never get tired of them, and I have much more important things to be procrastinating from doing, so feel free to share the FULL story. : )

Have a rad day today! Here's my parting gift:

GREAT (TEMPORARY) SPACE

This temporary loft is situated in an old factory, the owners are transforming the ground floor and first floor into a gallery and home, during the transformation they live on the top floor.

I'd be interested to see their new space if their "temporary" space is this great .....

 

.... looks like a fun and not so rough way to endure renovations to me

.....  plus the kids get to sleep in a tent !!!

via here

bloggety blog blog!

I've never "blogged" before.

It's such a weird word!!!

But.... I'm considering it. 

Cuz.... I've been in derby for a long time now (since October 2003) and I feel like I have a lot to offer. A lot of experiences, stories, history, skills, strategy... I mean, a lot of it will be irrelevant a few years from now I'm sure. But right now I feel pretty relevant. AND... I'm a Sagittarian. If you don't know what that means: I have an intense need to share.

Knowing something isn't really all that fun unless someone wants to share it with you.

I like to write and I like to share, but who likes to read? Before I go full tilt in dishing out a derby diary of epic proportions**... Is there anybody who would wanna read it?

**the use of the word epic may be an epic exaggeration in this b.l.o.g.

It's such a weird word!!!  Please go to the poll up a bit on this side to let me know if this is worthwhile?
                                          ----------------------------------->

I wanted to end this with something magical, here's what bing.com came up with:

Apples in Alcoholism

Basic Food Cures: Apples in Alcoholism

Apples are considered valuable in the treatment of alcoholism as their use removes intoxication and reduces the craving for wine and other intoxicating liquors. The raw celery juice is also considered helpful. It has a sobering effect and is an antidote to alcohol.

 

It is advisable that in the beginning of the treatment, the patient is given a suitable substitute to relieve the craving if and when such a craving occurs. The best substitute drink for alcohol is a glass of fresh fruit juice, sweetened with honey, if desired. In the alternative, wholesome candy may be taken. The patient should always have easily available juices, candy, or other snacks to be taken between meals if he feels a craving for a stimulant.

All refined foods such as sugar, white rice, macaroni products and white flour and meat should be avoided. The patient should eat several small meals a day in preference to two or three large ones and avoid strong condiments such as pepper, mustard, and chilli. He should not smoke as this will only increase his desire for alcohol.

Basic Food Cures

Basic Food Cures : Cabbage, Almonds and Carrots to Relieve Gastric Inflammation

 Almond milk made from blanched almonds in a blender is very beneficial for ulcers as it binds the excess of acid in the stomach and supplies high quality proteins. Raw goat's milk is also highly beneficial. It actually helps to heal peptic ulcer.

Cabbage is regarded as another useful home remedy for peptic ulcers. Cabbage is boiled in water. This water is allowed to cool and taken twice daily. The leaves of kalyana murangal tree, which is a variety of drumstick found in South India, have also proved helpful in the healing of the ulcers. The leaves of this tree are ground into a paste and taken mixed with yoghurt daily.

Raw vegetables juices, particularly carrot and cabbage juices are beneficial in the treatment of the peptic ulcers. Carrot juice may be taken either alone or in combination with spinach or beat and cucumber. The formula proportions in the case of the first combination are 300 ml of carrots and 200 ml of spinach and in case of the second combination, 300 ml of carrots and three ounces each of beets and cucumber to make half a litre of juice.

Weekend bridge: Mangere Bridge

http://bayphoto.blogspot.com/

Managere Bridge from Hillsborough Park. A new bridge was built along side the old bridge so when you travel on it, you don't realise that there are actually two bridges.

Over at another Park, I want to show you how Christmas is celebrated Down Under in New Zealand. It is summer here, and we have lots of Christmas in the park and Candle light in the park. This one is taken at Rocket Park where my Church Mt Albert Baptist Church entertained a crowd of four thousand last night.