tiny_nomad

Last derby post of the day, I swear. Just ran across a trailer for a documentary that looks amazing. Much more realistic, and I love the sentiments expressed here. This is a small glimpse into what I love about derby, but it's not all about kicking ass.

Since I can't get derby off my mind, and I can't focus on anything else long enough to write anything interesting or meaningful about it, I've decided to really dig in and start chronicling my journey into the world of derby.

( I'll cut this for those of you that are sick of the subject. )

Still feel like I'm trapped on a boat in rough seas, with occasional bouts of falling off a cliff. I went to the doctor this morning; she said there's not much to do right now but wait it out. Gave me a prescription for antivert, but said that dramamine would probably be better because it makes you drowsy. I took some and went home and slept for about 5 and a half hours.

She said if it doesn't go away on its own in a few days to come back in and she will get me a referral to a neurology/balance center. If it doesn't go away on its own in a few days I may just shoot myself.

I'm seriously considering just getting shitfaced and staying drunk until it's gone.

Stupid vertigo. I'm going to miss practice. Shit.

I hate this. I feel like I'm drunk. I can't move without the sensation of falling off a cliff. Every time I move my head or lean over I want to hurl.

I just woke myself up crying. I dreamt that I lived in a very futuristic, dystopian world. I'd done something kind of stupid, yelling at someone I think; and I was thrown in jail for it. However, while I was in prison the government enacted much stricter penalties for all crimes - retroactively. So I was sentenced to death along with about ten other men. Instead of the chair or lethal injecton they slit your throat. I asked the executioner to kiss me while he did it.

In other news, I am having a bad dysautonomia day. Yesterday I had problems standing up. I was wobbly and woozy. I forgot to take some of my meds and didn't remember in time to catchup on my dose. But I've missed doses before without this problem so I'm not sure that's it. I'm having problems again this morning. Almost couldn't stand up to get to the restroom.

Today is not starting well. At least I have derby to look forward to.

I am ridiculously in love with derby.

It's disgusting.

I am also ridiculously in love with my derby fiancee. We're going to buy each other rings this weekend.

I need to get cracking and study the WFTDA rules for my qualification. Technically I can attempt to qualify at any point now, but I think I need a little more practice before I go for it. Plus I need to finish studying the rules so I can pass the written test.

Ok, I've narrowed it down to three. Along with the name, we get to pick a jersey number. I've included my top picks for names and numbers here. What's your favorite of the bunch?

Poll #1426872 Derby Name Finalists
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Pick ONE:

What's a rough estimate for target ROI for an individual employee? I realize this is going to vary greatly by industry, situation, etc. but just an average, gut-feel target percent return from an employee's efforts?

I'm trying to make a case to appeal a recent salary review decision and while I've come up with a couple of ways to calculate my ROI, I can't say for sure just how good or bad that is.

Depending on how you factor the return on projects I helped land as a marketing analyst (I wasn't directly billing a client so the value comes from the amount awarded for the project), my ROI falls somewhere between 62% on the low end to 200% on the high end. However, I don't think it's fair to count the full value of projects landed as a result of my efforts in marketing, since the value of those will also count towards ROI for the people who wind up working and billing on the project. So in reality it's somewhere in between the two, but I don't have a good handle on whether that's a decent enough percent to make my case.

Anyone have any good insight for me?

I promise eventually I'll post something that's not about derby, but I wanted to share a link to a recent interview on our local television station: Tallahassee Rollergirls Give Back

Just rounding up all ideas or suggestions that have come my way. Feel free to add your own:

Suckerpunch Sally
Lil' Miss Armageddon
Battle Angel
Fatal Err0r
Firecrack-her
The Professional
Slashimi*
Colonel Panic (awesome, but taken)
Tank'd Girl (awesome, but taken)


There's a complete list of all registered derby names here.

Ideally I want something that actually resonates with me, but failing that something that doesn't sound too stupid when yelled out across the track.

I've also been told that if I can work the name of my favorite bar into my name, I will get free beer. Unfortunately, with a name like Fermentation Lounge I don't think that will be easy to do.

I'll toss in a reward for the person who comes up with a name I actually use.

*New girls are called Sushi girls. Something about fresh meat/fresh fish. Har.


Edited to add: More suggestions for the list, from comments here and elsewhere:

Mini Ninja
Root Error
Hellion Jet
Jet PWN
Hellion Wheels (I think this is taken, or something similar)
Hellion 404
Fermentation Poundage
Dragon Roll
Lamentation Lunge
Brawny Breezy
Big wind
Braw Girl
Fermented Fury
Punched Drunk
Tattooed Terminator
Fermented Lounger
Jet Set
Gally Wrench
Auntie Social (I think this is taken, or something similar)
Anarc-She
The Blood Countess
Scarin' Carpenter
Ivana Nokyerblokoff
My Little Painy
Monkey Wench
Sharon D. Hitts
Blue Scream of Death
Maid of Horror
Slamuel At'Ems
Lady Libhurty

People used to ask me all the time if I got my hair cut to look like 'Nique, but this time it's obviously the other way around:

If I can survive suicide sprint drills on skates, I can survive anything.


Highlight of my night: Low Maim told me I had good form.


Also: I did not die.

Saw this on some of my friend's journals and it looked like fun so I wanted to play along.

High school was actually not incredibly horrible for me. Or at least not any more so than any other time in my life. I went to three different high schools, so just about the time I was becoming a social pariah I could move on to a new area.

( Yearbook photo inside )

Even though I knock back 100 oz of water a day, I must have gone through twice that much last night alone. The skating practice started at 5, and the regular practice started at 6 and went until 9 pm. For the better part of four hours I worked my ass off.

The first hour was working on form, learning to steer with my shoulders and keep my inside shoulder dropped. Working on pushes and crossovers, doing sprints and realizing just how low my endurance is right now.

During the regular session I spent time with the other new people working on falls and stops. Today I have a very respectable bruise on my ass to show for all of my hard work :g:

My legs are super stiff when I get up, but they manage to loosen up a bit after I've been walking around.

The next practice is Thursday night for three hours. I am praying my legs recover by then because I am completely addicted to this now.

I survived my first roller derby practice. If my legs still work I'm going back.

I need a date for First Friday! Anyone else want to go?


Edited to add: Got one! Er, four actually, and some work people that are going to be there too. woot!

rkmase and I spent most of Friday and Saturday at Jennfest. We camped out both nights, and rkmase played banjo in a friend's band the first night. Here are some pics and video of the performance.

I had an absolute blast, but I'm a bit worn out. Gonna go take a nap and get ready for pirate night at the bar.

Yarr!

I am getting ready for pirate night at our local bar this weekend. The last Sunday of every month is pirate night, and we haven't been to one right so I decided this month we're going to do it up right.

I'm getting all decked out in full regalia, and I should finally be able to make use of my 30-eye knee-high Doc Martens that have been sitting in my closet for years again. I've talked a friend into going along too, so I don't feel so awkward about dressing up. Oh, and rkmase is getting dressed up, too.

If any of you want to come out :: cough, chrisgohlke, chop_sockey, cough, cough! :: you totally should! You get $1 off your beer if you dress up, and I think they might even be playing a pirate movie, too.

I've talked before about how cluttered my parents' house is. They are moving back in this weekend, since most of the repair work is done.

I spent all morning cleaning my parents kitchen. I know that without before pictures, it's hard to appreciate just how much work went into this but trust me when I say I busted my ass. I was down on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor, wiping down every surface, moving metric craptons of furniture out of the room (they have enough furniture to fill three houses - we're going to have to get rid of most of it) and putting away pots, dish towels, and random crap.

By no means is it an understatement or metaphor when I say that I have not seen a clear countertop or tabletop in this kitchen since I lived with them over ten years ago.

The pictures are a little crappy since I took them with my camera phone, but here are the fruits of my day's efforts:











Clean countertops! I could weep!



Afterwards I treated myself to lunch at Panera, a couple new pairs of flip flops, and a new skirt.

I am an awesomebomb.



Tonight it's movie night at the bar. I think I could go for a nice raspberry cider and Death Race.

Why has no one told me about Isabella Rosselini's Green Porno before? It's amazing! (Only slightly NSFW, assuming papier mâché penises are NS for your W)

HOW CUTE IS SHE?! I think the whale one is my favorite.