Dear Diary...

It has been an interesting time in Austin. After Monday night's bitchfest on this blog, we managed to get horribly lost for about two and a half hours in north Austin trying to find our way back to the house where we are staying. We had to stop for directions twice and still managed to screw it up! Eventually we got back around 2:30am and I had a shower. That made a world of difference in my attitude, and I've gradually started to act less like a jackass. Very gradually, unfortunately for my teamates.

Yesterday was our first practice with the TXRD team that's skating against us. Oh my, what an eye-opener that was! Our skating styles differ enough to cause a bit of frustration on both teams, and many conversations were had with the referees to figure out what's legal and what's not on both sides. It was a great joy to be back on a banked track, especially when I fell for the one billionth time on my fuxxed up knee. It didn't hurt as bad, and I was actually able to get back in and skate. What a novel idea! On our way home we only got lost once, and it was fixed in about five minutes. We even got a little bit of sleep last night. Woohoo!

Today we had another practice with their team, and frustration-wise it was a lot less hairy. Which is good. Everyone thinks TXRD will beat our asses, but I think it'll be a close game no matter who wins, and it'll be hellishly entertaining for the fans. It'll be webcast, too. The TXRD website has info about that.

On a sad note, a major inspiration to many of the all-girl roller derby leagues out there died yesterday. Ann Calvello was known as the "Demon of the Derby" and she skated derby for seven decades. Yow! I never got to meet her, but the TXRD girls who did were quite in awe of her. RIP, Ann.

This has been a long, strange trip. The only thing we can do about it is laugh in the end, which we're doing copious amounts of. I can't wait to skate the game!