Crash and burn

[randy_byers]

Well, the social whirl has continued post-Worldcon with the arrival of the TAFF delegate, Steve Green. Friday was a small private party/BBQ that was very pleasant. Saturday I joined Steve and his tenders (Ulrika and Hal O'Brien), along with Luke McGuff and Dave O'Neill, for some roller derby at an arena in Kent. The Rat City Roller Girls were playing the Windy City All Stars. There was a warm-up match of local teams before that, then a match for little girls (or "brats," in the vernacular). The basic problem I had was that I didn't understand the point system, so it was difficult to follow the dramatics. There still seems to be a heavy element of exploitation/burlesque in this sport (à la professional wrestling), but there were a lot of young women in the crowd, so it clearly isn't aimed solely at pervy old men. One thing I noticed is that all the teams were almost completely white, except maybe for the little girl teams.

We had to leave the main match at halftime to go to a party for Steve at Jerry and Suzle's that had gotten underway without us. Fairly small, but a great group of folks. Andy Hooper claimed that I have a limp dick because I'm interested in Eastercon politics. Ha! That isn't why I have a limp dick! In other news, it sounds as though Victor is considering going to the Corflu in Winchester next year.

On Sunday I joined Steve and his tenders, along with Jerry, Suzle, John D. Berry, and Marilyn Holt, at the Big Time for a few pints and the usual bollocks. Steve has some interesting ideas about how to publish his TAFF report, but I guess I better keep mum about that for now.

Hal and Ulrika (mostly Hal) took some great photos from various of these events. We often joke about how many fan fund winners live in Seattle, but this is the first time that I know of that most of us have been captured in one photo. (Missing is another DUFF-winner, Janice Murray.)

The upshot of all this, on top of the Worldcon, is that I went to bed at 8pm last night, read for a little bit, and zonked out until the alarm went off at 6am. Man, did that feel good! Best sleep in ages. I feel so much better today than I have in days. The toe I stubbed on a brick on Sunday is feeling fine today, too, so it probably isn't broken after all. Huzzah!

Steve headed to the Bay Area yesterday. Treat him well down there!

Comments

[ron-drummond.livejournal.com]

Great pics; kudos to Hal. My fave is the last one, with all the glasses in the foreground -- great portrait of you and Steve and Jerry, worth framing.

So what did Steve think of the roller derby? Are there events like that in Britain? (Sports ignoramus that I am.)

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

Apparently there is roller derby in the UK, but Steve had never seen it before. He seemed to enjoy the spectacle, but then again, he is a pervy old man.

[daveon.livejournal.com]

I think it's more what happens if you let geeky 14 year olds design their own sport :)

Wish I'd found it as a teenager :) I'd have been happy to be a groupy.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ron. (As it happens, I took the one of the three with the beer glasses in the foreground.)

[ron-drummond.livejournal.com]

Thanks for clarifying; great pic, as I said -- iconographic. Framed prints might make nice prezzies for the subjects, the human ones anyway. A pint!