gnomeangel

video_player_embed_code_text

It seems I wasn't the only one interested in it. The League advised that over 320 people had registered their interest in attending the course. It's amazing to think that there's that there is that much interest in Derby within the Public Servant city that is Canberra.

In January 2010 notification went out to everyone on the mailing list that Fresh Meat was officially open and that there were 50 places on offer. I nearly wet my pants in the excitement. I couldn't register quick enough. I paid my fees, sent in my completed forms and waited with baited breath to find out if I had been lucky enough to secure a spot.

A week or so later I got confirmation that I was in. Cue excited chicken dance!

So that was a couple of weeks ago and since then I have successfully managed to order my skate gear from Sydney Derby Skates. I was really nervous about ordering gear that I had never tried on before, but the measurement chart and information on the SDS site was awesome. My skates fit like a glove, my helmet is snug as it should be and all my pads fit. Joy!

The only snag I hit was wheels. My skates came with a set of indoor wheels on them, but to be able to skate in the wilds of Canberra I needed a set of outdoor wheels. I figured as much when I ordered them so I ordered a set of outdoor wheels. Shame I didn't factor in that I would need bearings for those extra wheels. Luckily some of the Roller Derby girls I had met through Cousin and LeeLee were able to help me out.

They gave me my first lesson in skate maintenance, told me where I could buy bearings from in Canberra and made me laugh till I thought I'd bust a lung. I'm having so much fun and the training doesn't even begin until March 2010!

I've put my skates on and geared up already. Did a loop of our street and nearly peed in my pants. I'm so worried about falling over on the bitumen; it's been years since I had gravel rash but the memories are still fresh! I need to find a nice carpark somewhere where I can practice without the fear of being run down by the local bogans. The Dali Slammer has told me of one in Southern Canberra, but it's a bit far to travel at the moment. There's a place I pass each day on the way to work that I think I might check out and see what the surface is like.

I also need to start practicing my squats apparently. It's one of the things that all the Derby girls agreed on - practice.your.squats! So I started yesterday. I'm trying to include squats in everything; playing with dogs, cooking dinner, brushing my teeth, getting out of bed - you name it I'll be squatting through it. I'll have thighs you can crack walnuts with by the end of the year!

One of the things that has given us much merriment in Casa Wilsonia is picking a Roller Derby name. I wanted something the reflected me and struck fear into the hearts of my competitors. We went through a few different names, such as Clawed Monet, Dee Dee Mented, Angel of No Mercy and Hell'll Do Ya. I even put a call out on Twitter and Facebook for people to submit suggestions. In the end it was HUBBY that came to the rescue and gave me the handle that will become synonymous with pain and destruction in the CRDL...

What do you do for one of your gaming buddies when it's their birthday? Why you bake a World of Warcraft themed cake of course!

I'm quietly chuffed with how this turned out. It's really simple to do. Just find a Horde insignia, like this one here. Blow it up to the size of the cake. Print it and then cut out the logo. This leaves you with a stencil.

Position the stencil on top of the cake and then pour your sprinkles all over the stencil. Gently push the sprinkles into the frosting and then tilt the cake and let the remaining sprinkles run off into a baking tray.

The trickiest part is lifting the stencil without doing too much damage to the frosting or spilling surplus sprinkles all over the cake. Once you've managed to lift the stencil carefully using a knife to tidy up the frosting. When it's done put it in the fridge to let the frosting set.

This image is just before it went into the fridge. Once the frosting has set I'll move the cake to a clean plate and get ready to serve. Thank goodness he plays Horde and not Alliance, their insignia would have been hell to do!

This will make a nice little addition to the day we've got planned to help him celebrate. A LAN party - we're all getting together to spend the day playing World of Warcraft. Perfect!

Oh, and what do you give a World of Warcraft addict for their birthday...

Loved this gift so much, I got one for myself. As I said to HUBBY when he accused me of being addicted to t-shirts, "I'm a t-shirt connoisseur!".

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Had surgery - three times.  Cried because my Mum had cancer.  Argued with HUBBY about nonsense. 

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Probably not.  The fact that I can't even remember them is probably a great indication of what happened.  Probably not.  I think everyday should have it's only resolutions.  Evolution is the name of the game!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Not yet, but she will in 2010 and I can't wait!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Bea Arthur... ok so we were only close in my mind, but it still counts!

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn't get out of Australia in 2009 which was kind of sucky.  Maybe 2010 will be the year for travel!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Millions of dollars!  A waistline. Our first child.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
24 April 2009 - Removal of ovarian cyst
May 2009 - My Mum tells me she has Stage II Endometrial Cancer
14 December 2009 - Gastric Sleeve Operation.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Not dying.  Seriously 2009 was all about my health and not in a good way!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting the voices in my head convince me that I had something to worry about where there was nothing.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Did I ever!  I had more time off work in 2009 due to illness than in my entire working history.  It sucked!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane ticket home in May.  That's time that I will never have again and I'm so happy that I made the choice to go home.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
HUBBY.  How he put up with me and my crazy I'll never know.  But we're stronger and better for it now.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Probably a lot of peoples, but I don't remember that kind of shit.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, bills and medical expenses. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing the Supernatural cast with cbr_girl 
Project Runway Finale with alivicwil 
Britney Spears concert - major let down.
Eating "real" food - better than Britney!
My new job.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I don't have one.  Music kind of fell off my radar in 2009.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
A. Happier or sadder? Happier. But I'm pretty happy all the time...
B. Thinner or fatter? Thinner, which is a miracle of modern science!

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Laughed.  You can laugh enough! 
Hugs.  Hugs are so underrated.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Worry.  I'm only 32 and I have the wrinkles of an 80 year old.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With HUBBY at home trying not to think about food.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes.  Again and again and again...

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Flipping Out.  Survivor.  Better Off Ted.  Project Runway.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Nah - it's a waste of energy.

24. What was the best book you read?
Tough call... I had a pretty good year bookwise.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Torrentz

26. What did you want and get?
Life.  I didn't die. 
My Mum. Her cancer is in remission.
Love. I have a wonderful Husband, family and friends.
My Job. I got the job I wanted in the entertainment industry.

27. What did you want and not get?
A baby.
Millions of dollars!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Star Trek was pretty good... I also enjoyed Sherlock Holmes... but there's nothing that really stands out.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Oh crap... I have no idea... on both counts!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning first division lotto in the $40 million jackpot!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Rustic slob.

32. What kept you sane?
My medication.  Barely...

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Jensen Ackles... *le sigh*

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not being able to have the IUD I needed for medical reason being done because I was having surgery at a Catholic hospital.  

35. Who did you miss?
My parents.  I wished we lived closer...

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Jo. My hospital buddy.
Oh and probably maldini_3  - but don't tell him that.
We've not "met" but can I claim undergroundsea anyway?

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Life's short, hug hard!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"..I should be so lucky, lucky, lucky, lucky...."

I've only now just managed to catch up on all the reading I missed while I was in hospital. Nutso.

Well, I'm back from surgery and everything went well. I'm only a fluid only diet until the 28 December which is hard but I'm getting through it. Only six more days to go. We're going to have an interesting Christmas lunch this year! (And by interesting I mean boring as fuck!)

I just asked my HUBBY what he thought of the little koala ears I had made, he replied "They're cool, unlike my sweaty ass."

And people wonder why I love him so...