Roller Doll Poetry

My daughter has recently joined the Denver Roller Dolls...that's a Roller Derby Team. She's kind of a girly girl, so I was surprised she wanted to do this, and even more surprised when she made the team. I never even knew she was intersted in skating! But I've learned that she pretty much accomplishes whatever she sets her mind to. Anyway, there is a poetry contest going on for Season Tickets to see the Dolls....here's my entry:

Part of Her World
(to the music of "Part of Your World" from "The Little Mermaid")


Look at my girl
Isn't she neat?
Wouldn't you think her experiences complete?
Wouldn't you think she's the girl
The girl who's done everything?

Look at her world
Look what she's done
How many ways can she find to have fun?
Hearing about her you think
Sure, she's done everything

She's climbed mountains and skydived a-plenty
Her life's never a bit of a bore
You want adventure?
She's had many
But who cares?
No big deal
She wants more.....

She wants to be where the skaters are
She wants to check, wants to hip check big girls
Pushing and playing with - what do you call 'em?
Oh. Dolls!

Walking with shoes you don't get too far
Skates are required for soaring, jamming
Learning the best way to recover from - what's the word?
Falls

Out where they skate, out where they train
No she is not afraid of the pain
Fast and fear-free - she wants to be
Part of that world

What would I give if I could live watching my daughter?
What would I pay to spend a day up in the stands?
Bet'cha the fans all understand
That sometimes a girl gets slaughtered
Strong brave lasses off their a$$es
Ready to land

I'm ready to watch what the derby fans watch
Ask them my questions and get some answers
How do you score and when's the next - what's the word?
Bout?

How I would shout!
Wouldn't I love, love to cheer from the stands up above?
My Roller Baby
I long to see
That part of her world

The Most Romantic Wedding Nightmare

My daughter, Megan, could beat out Martha Stewart in a party planning showdown any day. She is a perfectionist and she has been planning her wedding down to the edible gold flakes in the champagne since before her engagement. Her mother-in-law-to-be, Lynn, has offered to arrange the flowers and make the bouquets. Her father-in-law-to-be, Mark, a former pastor, is officiating the ceremony. The rest of us have our duties as well. As mother-of-the-bride, I'm official "task master" trying to keep "Operation Wedding" running smoothly. This is really an easy job since Megan has given everyone multi-page explicit instructions of exactly what they are to do and when they are to do it. The stress, however, with less than 2 months left until the big day, is taking its toll on her. Here is an email she sent me, passing on this description of a nightmare she'd had last night.

"First of all, everyone was wearing terrible clothes, like all the guys were way too casual, the bridesmaids were wearing blue, and you were wearing a white lace wedding dress with a veil!!!!! Some girls I know that aren't invited to the wedding were there but they were so slutty, I could see through their dresses. Also, I had some vows written down that I was holding, but I didn't know what was written and I was just going to read them anyway because I didn't even have time to read them before the wedding! Then the processional was starting and I didn't know where my bouquet was, I didn't even know what it looked like! So I crawled to the front of the ceremony hoping no one would see me so that I could ask Lynn where my bouquet was! She showed me where it was and then left, but it was not even flowers, it was like these stuffed animals only they were 3 stuffed hearts on stuffed sticks! They were really ugly! I was like "I'm not carrying that down the aisle" and freaking out, but you said that I should do it anyway so as not to offend Lynn! Then they started playing Over the Rainbow as a processional song and someone was even singing it, it was terrible! THEN Mark started the ceremony and he did the dorkiest thing!!! Because we have given him a list of how the ceremony will go, and the first thing on the list is a welcome speech, he just said "Welcome" and then he made a hand gesture of a huge check mark with a stupid grin on his face and everyone was like OK..... But then, this next part was so sweet! Then, I looked into Chris' eyes and he told me with his eyes that everything is OK, and I was so happy. I felt so much love for him. It was the sweetest ending to my nightmare!"

I loved this dreamy nightmare. Besides being hilarious, I thought it had an incredibly romantic ending. Megan has often been able to control things in her life. She has this unbelievable drive, knows exactly what she wants, and goes for it. I'm continually amazed at her talents and abilities to do everything she sets out to do. But in this dream she has lost control. Things are not turning out the way she wants. And the ending is perfect because she realizes what's important...it's not the flowers or the music or the dresses...it's that she is marrying her love. Chris has the laid-back charm that balances Megan's perfectionism. And I'm so glad she can look at him, both in her dreams and in real life, and see his love, and know that her wedding will be perfect, regardless of any mishaps that may occur. And the other reason I love the nightmare was because I was decked out in a white lace wedding dress and veil! I'm sure I looked gorgeous.

Takin The Polar Plunge - Brave or Stupid?

Last night we lost and hour of time. I'm trying not to worry about it. We gained a whole day on February 29th. But as I get older, I'm acutely aware of the passage of time. In order to not let life pass me by, I have committed, as a 2008 resolution, to have at least one "adventure" a month. In January, I went to Phoenix to run a half-marathon. In February, I went to Cancun...a liberating vacation all by myself! So far, so good!

I still hadn't figured out my March adventure when I got something in my inbox about the Nederland Frozen Dead Guy Days. Coffin races, hearse parades, masquerade balls, and a polar plunge, all celebrating the end of winter (yay!) and the "frozen dead guy" (Grandpa Bredo) that was found "on ice" that the town is famous for. Now this kind of thing is right up my alley...dress up festival, end of winter, humor...I love a good "theme" party. I thought...here it is! My March Adventure!

My "Just Do It!" friend, Brett, (always up for an adventure) was all with me on this. We quickly agreed that we HAD to do the polar plunge.... no good just being a spectator at these things, we had to participate! That's what the "adventure-of-the-month" is all about! We sent out emails encouraging friends to join us and started thinking about costumes. Then I walked outside and realized it was still cold.

Let me tell you something about me and cold. We do not get along. Notice my other two winter adventures involved going to warm places to get away from the cold. I suddenly realized I hadn't thought this "adventure" all the way through. Seeing as we didn't have time to collect pledges for charity or pick an appropriate costume, I convinced Brett that this should be the year we just scope out the Festival and plan to do it "right" in 2009.

As we watched all the Frozen Dead Guys activities, I admit to feeling a little disappointed in myself for not being more of a participant, but Nederland is a LOT colder than Boulder (and comparing it to Cancun...well...that's not even fair.) As the volunteer fire department were chainsawing through the solid icey pond to make a spot for the plungers, all I could think was...I am SO glad I'm not jumping in there. I was frozen just watching! Literally! My fingers and toes were numb. I was amazed that they actually let people jump into that pond that was solid ice, on a day that I was freezing even though I was bundled up in a winter coat! I figured this had to be life-threatening or at least really, really, bad for your body! It reminded me of those weird rituals where people walk across burning hot coals. Is it brave or stupid?

Amazingly, the people that took the plunge jumped in, got out, took bows, with barely a shiver! I stood in awe (well, actually, I was huddled up shivering) but I still was awe-struck at their bravery or stupidity...I still couldn't figure out which it was!

As for my March adventure? I don't think I can count just watching Frozen Dead Guys activities as an "adventure", but at least I didn't become a Frozen Dead Guy myself. I'm still thinking maybe a showshoe or ski-trip...complete with the apres-ski hot tub and wine. Yes, that sounds much more like my kind of adventure.

Dead Kids Don't Cry

One of the days of my Cancun vacation was spent on a day trip to Chichen Itza...those Mayan ruins with the big pyramids. It was a guided tour, and all quite interesting, though the business about the sacrifices was very disturbing.

Having helped my son with a school report last year, I was aware of many of the gruesome rituals of this tribe, but I was especially upset to learn that they apparently often threw children into a well as sacrifices to the rain God. They threw them in alive because it was believed their tears would bring rain. I think someone should have clued these guys in that those kids would have shed a lot more tears over the years had they been alive. Can you imagine that in today's world? People watching the weather report in dread. Dad saying, "Little Susie, I'm afraid it's no rain again, it's time to throw you into the well." Susie pleading, "No Daddy, please! I promise to cry more often! I know I haven't been crying enough, but I'll start right now and won't stop until the rain comes!"


It is hard for me to understand why ancient religions were so heavy into "sacrifice" to please the Gods. It seems so obvious to me that God would not condone violence, torture, or cruelty. But, I suppose that's because that is the image of God that I've grown up with and believe in... a God that is love-based, not one that is fear-based.

It seems outrageous to me that, today, in 2008, people are still killing each other in the name of religion. It seems outrageous to me that there is war at all! How can there still be so many people that think killing is the answer to solving conflict? I understand the need to defend and I respect our troops and what they do for our country, but sometimes I look at our society, and I realize our world is still not as enlightened as I hope it one day will be. I think in the future (or even now) people will look at our wars as I am doing with the Mayan culture, and say: "Those guys were lunatics to have thought that was the "right" thing to do! Couldn't they see how wrong and immoral their actions were?"

I know there are a lot of people in our world that promote peace and an end to violence. Unfortunately, there are also a lot with the opposite mentality... terrorists and crazies and people that somehow think war is the way to gain power. As long as we have those people, we will have wars. We cannot just lay down peacefully and let the crazies take over the world. On the other hand, I think the war we're in now could have been avoided. I don't know much about politics or foreign policy, but I do know killing people is wrong. Maybe it's a naive attitude and there are times we must defend ourselves, but the whole concept of war to me is as crazy as people throwing their kids in a well to appease the rain Gods.