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.)

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

I somehow read your first sentence as being about the "TAFF degenerate" which would probably fit some past winners better than it does Steve.

If I had realized you weren't picking up the rules as we went along on the roller derby I would have given you my surmises. As it turns out, I figured out most of it as the evening progressed, mostly by listening to the color announcers. It does definitely make it more exciting once you know what you're seeing. In particular, knowing that the two players with stars on their helmets (the jammers) are the only ones who can score points, and they score points by lapping the opposing pack, made a lot of things fall into place for me. It also helped to figure out that the accumulated points did not seem to hit the board until the referees vetted them after each jam.

Interestingly, I didn't find the thing especially exploitative. You have to be a pretty progressive-thinking male to dig on the rather wide range of body types and fairly un-revealing uniforms the women wear. Unless you think women's basketball is exploitative, I'd give roller derby a pass. I think the Wikipedia assessment of the enterprise as having a strong third wave feminist streak is probably right. Certainly the punk-esthetic and indie DIY aspects are there.

[catabolism.livejournal.com]

I hope it wasn't the prospect of going to Winchester that made Victor look so miserable in the fan-fund winners picture! By the way, are you going to be there? I'm so out of the loop I don't know who's going (apart from me and Doug)

I liked the picture with the beer glasses too! It shows you were taking proper care of Steve!