FMyLife#15: Presenting Toadzmic, the Magic Mushroom

THIS.

RELATED LINKS:

• The Berlin Bombshells at the 2014 Kitchener D2 Playoffs

#teamwork

The other day Bee gave me a sore thigh,
so this weekend I gave her a black eye.

Note: I may have carelessly ran full speed into Bee's bum, and she may have ran her eye into my shoulder, but we'll never know.

Whatever the facts, the conclusion remains the same:

we're even.

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Team France Training Jul.9-13 2014

INTRODUCTION

Hardly back from 10 days of Frenchness! I arrived on French soil on Monday 7, had a quick stop in Paris for the night, before carpooling to the Mont-Dore on Tuesday 8, with three former Paris RollerGirls / current Team France team mates.

I will spare you my cell phone adventures that made me turn around on my way to the metro and lose precious minutes, costing me my (legendary) punctuality and ruining my clothes - first (aborted) timing being perfect on all levels, second (belated) timing synchronizing my entering and exiting the metro with such a heavy and persistent rain that I didn't even try to avoid it.

Alas, a second trial was waiting for us at the meeting point. The key of the door to the basement car park was missing. After sorting out the door problem in making eyes at a random neighbor, the four of us loaded the car and drove to the exit - which was closed, obviously, and no emergency button around to open the blind, obviously.
That was when the stakeout started, waiting for any sign of human presence in the basement, to set us free. We were about to give up and burst open the content of our truck to search for the lost key, when a light swiched on in the distance. She saw us waiving in despair, walked to us bathed in the halo reflexion of the neon light. She gave us her blessing and pressed a button in her key ring. The blind started roaring and creaking and the sullen Parisian sky appeared over the driveway. Saved!

And we finally hit the road with soaking wet clothes drying on the dashboard.

FMyLife #14: I H8 BALLS

Index finger was just feeling better.

Ring finger took over.

This weekend, we finally integrated a ball into gameplay, making much more sense than having a player acting like a pinball (duh!)

We had to change the rules a bit too. The track is rectangular with a basket at each end. The blockers have to dribble and pass the ball to each other in order to throw it into the basket.

We called it Roller Basket Ball. Because you put the ball into the basket with skates on (QED). I think it might become a popular discipline in the future. Maybe without the skates, though.

Training was fun. My finger didn't like it that much but hey... always complaining, that one! FML, it says.

Ankle Crash D+23

23 days after the crash, the fog in the horizon of my ankle's fate is starting to lift. I made the most of my travelling to France (for a Team France training) to make a detour and get other diagnoses than the dubious conclusion of the hospital I went to for my x-ray check-up.

Serious sprain. A whisker away from breaking the fibula. It seems that my lucky star had other plans for me!

Three weeks have passed and my ankle still needs another week for the ligament to heal. At that point the ligament will be fixed but stiff with cicatricial tissue and will need another 10+ days to soften with the reappearance of collagen. That's the crucial point where I should be very careful as an accident at the 'stiff' stage would be tragic: Try to bend a spaghetti when it's raw, and you get an idea of what should be avoided. Works better when it's hydrated, uh.

I've already missed two training games with Berlin, a 5-day training with Team France, and I'm going to miss the Berlin / Crime City game next week, that is to say the public start of my very first Bombshell season. Although it's not my fault I feel like a deserter standing my team up.

I feel guilt, and frustration as a bonus: like a fish out of the water, missing my natural element.

All in all, the ankle needs 6 weeks of recovery (and not 10 days of rest as recommended by the hospital).Now, at three weeks, I can start soft workout of the muscles around the ankle ligaments to protect them. I can also ride a bike, which makes me independant again! That's the positive part.


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How My Superman Resurrected

You know those revelation stages that you have to face from time to time in your life? Those kinds of disillusions that murder all your heroes one by one... It generally starts at the age of 6-7 when you realize that Santa Claus is just an illusion. And the Easter bunny, and the Tooth Fairy. Killed them all in a two-minute pitiless interrogation to my mum.

HOW MY SUPERMAN DIED

But the harshest revelation of all is probably the moment when you realize that you're not invincible, that you're no more special than your neighbor. Even if you theoretically know that you're not, it may not be enough for you to believe it.

I lived a quarter of century with a little superman inside me. He died two years ago when I broke my knee. Not immediately. It took me a month after I tore my ligament to realize that it was broken for real, and that I was consequently breakable. That is to say, not invincible. I too could be seriously hurt.

Two years and a good fixing later, I've learnt to deal with the loss. Rather than relying on a fake idol, I trust myself, my body and my mind. (And my lucky star - that one is not dead... yet.)

FMyLife #13: The Gorilla-Snake

Last time at the gym, coach said "I saw you training" (the room has a view onto the skating hall) "you looked like a gorilla-snake in there!"

I have been compared to a whole menagerie already: cats, rabbits, young goats and all… but there, with such an analogy, I felt like my jamming had reached a brand-new level. Fiercer, more powerful and insidous.

"This is a compliment", he added. "And I take it as such..." (although I liked the fluffy rabbit-kitty look better).


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• #FMyLife

2013 WFSC World Champs UNCENSORED

For more journalistic write-ups on the competition itself, check out the REPORT TRILOGY on worldslalomseries.com by yours truly:

• 2013 WFSC DAY 1: Speed Slalom & Pair Classic
• 2013 WFSC DAY 2: Freestyle Classic
• 2013 WFSC DAY 3: Freestyle Battle
• 2013 WFSC DAY 4: Slides & Medals SOON
  

MIXING WITH THE ARTISTIC WORLDS

speaker to the left of me, stage to the right,
here I am, stuck in the middle with food ♫

The 7th WFSC were held in Taipei from November 5 to 8, 2013, at the second level of an arena also hosting the 58th WORLDS of ARTISTIC SKATING at the first level. We were treated to a common OPENING CEREMONY, or should I say : We were tolerated, on our third day of competition, to attend the Artistic's opening ceremony, which was convenient as we added national flags to their list of participating countries. All the freestyle banners had been previously removed and no freestyle VIP was invited to get on the stage where were sitting the Artistic officials.

We also had the opportunity of sharing a COMMON BUFFET at dinner on our first day of

competition... which turned into a shameless (or shameful, depending on the end you place yourself) karaoke night for artistic skating VIPs. The least to say is that the shock of cultures was hardcore. Nevertheless, it was an interesting insight into the various levels of socially acceptable behaviours according to the different cultures. More practically, having to endure 60-year-olds bellowing Asian songs out of tune and wiggling on a stage 2 meters from me and my plate tends to put me off my food.

FMyLife #12: Jammed Finger

 

Fate had it that I was having this conversation yesterday at lunch, watching volleyball on TV, about me not being into ball sports, because when I was a kid and teenager I was a violonist (like for real) and couldn't take the risk of jamming a finger...

 

GUESS WHAT HAPPENED AT THE EVENING DERBY SESSION?

I ran my straight finger into a random back during scrimmage. *and on try-out day*

FML.

FMyLife #11: Hip Check!

According to the Urban Dictionary, "HIP CHECKING" means:

"to physically impact someone at the hip by using the hip. It is a versatile action but can especially be used as a greeting or to show playful aggression or disagreement.

She hip checked him when he told her that chicks were weak."

In the context of derby, it is an unfortunate effect of a hit turning bad. Tested. I will not display a picture of my hip because there is nothing to see, not even an itsy bitsy tiny bruise. It's been one week and I suspect I may have stretched/torn an ab. Time will tell.

In the meantime I have searched the Internet and asked information around about crashpads. I was looking for a light one that would just cover the hips and I stumbled upon volleyball items. I am impatiently waiting for the McDavid 9230 hexpad shorts. I am counting on them to cushion the repeated shocks during the everlasting hit sessions at training! FML.

FMyLife #10 : Docs & Biceps

Annual visit to doctor for sports certificate to get French Federation licence.

Door of waiting room opens, doc calls my name. Backpack on shoulder and skates in hand, I head towards the doc with free arm straight for a handshake...

... Guess who kisses me hello on both cheeks? I know it's very French, but I can assure you that no matter how long you've known your doc (for yearly visits) even in France, it feels like "err-- okay" awkward.

Welcomes me in and follows me to his desk when he adds in a confessing tone that "[he] ha[d] always been jealous of [my] biceps". Eyebrow rising. Haha. Thanks!

Let's do the physical test, shall we?

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2013 Shanghai Slalom Open (Stream of Thoughts)

The UNOFFICIAL backstage experience of my umpteenth trip to China*...

For more journalistic write-ups on the competition itself, check out the REPORT TRILOGY on worldslalomseries.com by yours truly:

• 2013 SSO DAY 1: Pair Classic, Speed Trials, Junior Classic.
• 2013 SSO DAY 2: Speed Finals, Senior Classic, Slides.
• 2013 SSO DAY 3: Battle, Medals.

► THU. AUG. 1^st : Traveling.

After a 19-hour trip: two planes with a four-hour stop in Dubai --excluding the Bordeaux-Paris train of the previous day, the hour of metro to get to the airport and the two-hour wait to board... and the hour of bus to get from Shanghai airport to the hotel...
AFTER A 19-HOUR TRIP (I don't count the extra, it's too depressing) I'M IN SHANGHAI!

Let's not complain, though: I experienced a long flight in BUSINESS CLASS for the first time in my life. I had already been upgrated once, but for a short trip and didn't enjoy it much. But I could have had champagne if ever I had drunk alcohol.....

2013 Team France Try-Outs

Just after having been elected, the coaching committee of the French Team announced the program of the next step: THREE SUMMER DATES FOR TRY-OUTS – video application allowed for expats and special cases. The names of the 40 lucky rollergirls will be announced by the end of August.

I registered for the 2nd date in Clermont Ferrand (Center). There was already a first selection in Montpellier (South) three weeks before and there will be a last one in Paris (North) three weeks later. Make your choice.

Most Valuable Mistake

"Politeness cost nothing and gain everything"

-- Yanka Jaiteh.

Well, depends on the context...

 

Most Valuable Mistake of last game:
Exchanging courtesies on the bench.

"Wanna go jamming next?"
"If you want, but you can go if you have rested enough."
"I'm o.k. but I think it's your turn" blablablabla...
"DUDE. THERE'S NO JAMMER ON THE LINE!"

Whistle blows.
Too late.
Fail.

Cost us 25 points...
 

Really dude, you're breaking my balls

Yeah. Litterally. While jamming.

Knocked down three opposing blockers with right ovary.

No harm, though. Already better after a good night sleep.

...Yet, that hit was priceless!

 

 

#Bordeaux

#Petites Morts

#Quedalles

#OvaryStrike

#ThumbsUp

#FMyLife

 

 

I'm short... So what?

Credit: Carole Dodeman for Contra Records

This weekend again...

"Wow this is the first time I see you for real and without skates. It's quite a shock, I mean... you--you're short!" 

FML.

Just as my high-school French teacher used to say (we have the same condition): "I'm not short, I'm condensed."

Dude, why d'ya think I started skating if not to gain centimeters?

Bad timing...

Lately, I translated an article on the optimal moments of the day to go skating, according to your body rhythms.

FRENCH and ENGLISH versions
on online-skating.com

Obviously, it works for skating as well as for any physical activity: the article breaks down the different times of your body's circadian cycles (internal clock) as well as its chemical reactions to those different phases... and concludes with the best time slots to be active according to your body's awakeness.

The specific vocabulary is obviously explained with everyday words, and the article highlights the main ideas of the concept.

I am not writing a post to advertize for it, though:

As soon as the first lines, it re-activated forgotten memories carefully filed in a corner of my brain.

FMyLife #9: Merry Christmas!

YAY!

Have ALL my authorizations for my third rehab stay!

Too good to be true.

Am facing a dilemma:

1. Entering December 10th and missing Christmas.
2. Entering December 26th and missing New Year's Eve.

Yet, am allowed to take one night out for Xmas.

Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas!

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FMyLife #8

-- Last and (hopefully) final episode of a loooong headbanging story: Validating my third stay in rehab!

By the way, when I talk about rehab, I mean physiotherapy! I clarify it here because it put me into funny situations. Like that time when the organizer of the World Freestyle Skating Championships confessed to me that she had been quite shocked to learn about my rehab adventures: she had understood alcohol and drugs. FYI I judged 90% of the competition...

In my last FMyLife post about it, I recounted the episode of the phone call to my insurance when they innocently asked me if I wanted an official paper vouching for the tacit agreement of their medical control.

I was naive enough to assume that my days of fighting were finally over.

Chapter #1: The Downward Spiral.

Last week, the medical control called me again and told me that:

"Hi... err... I was calling to tell you that the operator who anounced you that your file was validated... well, she misinterpreted the data on her computer. It is just said that the medical control saw your request. Not that they agreed to it. But here's their number, so call them maybe."

Alright. Here we go again.

Full Circle.

Same date, same teams.

The rematch.

Full of symbols, full of meaning.

I am the birthday girl,

And I came full circle!

The first was my last.

The second was my first.

And now I'm back...

(to let you know... I can really shake 'em down!)

Oct. 29th, 2011

Oct. 27th, 2012

The anniversary bout: Gent was the last one I shared with the Paris RollerGirls same time last year, and the rematch happens to be my maiden bout after a 11-month recovery!

Which I was a whisker away from not playing as I spent the two previous days confined to bed unable to move because of a lumbago I caught at the fitness center -- there are some crazy viruses waiting for their preys in there. Felt like crying out of injustice. But with a lot of massage (thanks Wonka), an alternation of heat and ice pads (thanks dad), proteins and water (thanks bro') and heat belts to remain warm after warm-ups and in-between game periods (thanks Mamy), I did it! 

Stronger than pain, stronger than fate!

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