Let's review 2009: Call it my year in review of Derby Luv.

This year, I've been injured. Twice.

I did go back to roller derby. I played (albeit as an extra in very few jams) in my first winning game, got a happy rollergirl picture of myself all smiley and skating and some good shots of me taking down three opposing blockers at a time.  That was an Awesome Night!

I've wrote up some games, talked about team reputations, and seen Whip It!. I saw my co-blogger Raven, get hurt, and then start a worthwhile and charitable yahoo group, Derby Hurts. Awesome way to make lemonade, Raven. I hope you heal quickly and get back out there!

I met Smarty Pants of TXRD  *squeal* and trained with her. made new friends here in London. Both rollergirls and non-rollergirl types.

I missed another RollerCon, Blood and Thunder, and regionals and nationals tournaments, but have been sentimentally missing MTLRD days as a rollergirl with MTLRD and my teammates there.

I celebrated a year of not smoking, thanks to my friends at Rollergirl.ca, and I actually thought all the training would help me. I lost 10% body fat, but didn't get more than 2-3 inches smaller since Hamilton, and didn't see any massive roller derby improvements. (note: injuries)

I am in a retrospective mood, when it comes to roller derby. I miss Montreal, but I love the FCDG Thames Fatales here in London too.  As the Christmas holidays arrive, I am excited for them, and for the first time I am not hoping for any derby stuff, other than the derby workout video from the Heart Attacks, or a tattoo gift certificate to fix my tattoo. (it's tiny and my husband said it's starting to sorta fade out/run together - $85 I paid for a two inch tattoo, can I get an amen it should be lovely after only 9 years? LOL

Anyway, I'll let you know once the Christmas Holidays are over, the excitement is died down, and I start looking optimistically towards the future, what I think I will be doing in 2010. I am not 100% sure right now. Right now, all I am sure about is that I still LOVE ROLLER DERBY and that will never change. I want to try some more boxing classes, and do some Hot Yoga, and I want to learn to ice skate. I want to try snowboarding or skiing, or even go sledding (I never do anything wintery). I want to make a quilt, learn to make clothes, and knit a new scarf. I want to do good at my job, and I want to work on my family in 2010.

Merry Christmas, Happy Christmas, and Happy Holidays, to all, and a Happy Winter Solstice to my pagan and otherwise non-religious and non-Santa-fied, commercialized friends. Either way, crack open some Bailey's and light a fire, and break out the cherry cake. Peace out.

OMG! I have been away too long! So the last bout of the season in November, I was on a cane and still limping, but I ran the penalty box for my team. What a game - holy cow. It came down to the last jam, the Thames had been winning but the Vicious Dishes had fought back and we were up 70 to 68 only. And wouldn't you know it, an error resulted in a jammer penalty, and our jammer had to spend the first minute in the box, and Vicious Dishes popped 4 points up and beat the Thames Fatales by a mere 2 points, (72 to 70). It was so close, so exciting, that even though they lost, it was a GREAT bout experience!

I spent the last month in physiotherapy for my knee, and I highly recommend physio, if you have never had it, after any ligament, joint, sprain or tear. It does help. The sad part, is it's costly. $50 a week for a visit a week, and I am going to have to stop going now, though they want me to keep coming, I am pain free mostly, and ready to go back to skating (try it) this week. I can't afford $200 a month flowing out at Christmas, and want to get a new car in 2010 so I am out.

There is a transit strike in London, and after 6 weeks not going to practice, though I am willing to go, I can't get a ride to get there. I think I have one worked out for Monday though. If I have to, I'll be on suspension (self) until I get a car. I love those that have been willing to help a derby sister out, but I am definitely ready to give up being green and get a car so I can get myself to practice.

With all that said, I am starting a challenge with some of my teammates. We are all doing Shaun T's Insanity! from BeachBody. Heard of it? It's Intense, Plyometrics and pure Cardio program that is like the P90X of Cardio and Plyo. The Fitness test alone (and I didn't have the DVD and probably did some exercises wrong or easier than they actually are) left me red, sweating, and I heard many say they felt like puking.

But I am in. I am putting myself into 1 hr workouts daily, pending getting the DVDs and work out schedule (pending arrival) and I am on the nutrition plan already. So much food! I can't believe I can eat this much, this often, and they say I will lose weight? We'll see. So far, I am tired (need to sleep more), sore (more from physio weight-training, than cardio for now), and hungry but feel like all I am doing is eating. Weird.

Anyhoo, we're tracking our results for our president, who is also doing the program, and whomever sees the best results will win a little prize pack. I don't know if it will help me turn around my current scale increasements (from being injured and less intense) or will help me get back to my Montreal size... but as long as it gets me in derby condition, I can deal if I don't get smaller pants. LOL  I will keep you posted if it's a good roller derby workout.

I wanted to do the annual Roller Derby Christmas reviews, but I am a little stuck - my time is short. One thing I know is perfect is the Roller Derby Workout from The Heart Attacks. Only $20 US and it's a great roller derby gift! A skates on or off plyo and strength workout your roller girl can do with cool music and derby sisters to guide her. I want a copy!

My #2 2009 addition to a derby Christmas list includes a Thames Fatales 2010 calendar available online or from FCDGmerch@gmail.com for only $20, and some Hot pants from Derby Skinz!   For only $15 a piece, and 3 or more getting free shipping to USA addresses (I can do that to my mom's house!) I can totally take some Skinz. Kelly green holographic, the shiny black, and the holographic shiny Yellow for derby luv wear. Yep, that's my 3 picks! Gimme!

I am preparing to review The Diva Cup  for a green, healthier alternative for menstruation protection, that is said to be gaining popularity with derby girls - but this one scares me a bit. It is a very foreign concept for me. I'll post on that when I get the review done with a parental guidance and men's unnecessary knowledge warning first. LOL

For those of you that just want something inspiring, here is a Christmas Letter to Roller Derby.

A Christmas Jewelry addition 

South Side Roller girls from Houston sing you a derby Christmas Greeting.

There are Rollergirl.ca Gift Certificates available - because you never know when you or the rollergirl you love will need new gear, or some new super sweet accessories. And don't forget, for Christmas basjes, trophies, art projects, or derby crafts, you can pick up a free set of those Cayman wheels with your Rollergirl.ca order and just pay shipping. Take'em off Rollergirl's hands and add a little spray paint and creativity, and you can make some sweet arrangements, crafts, trophies and gifts - with enough wheels, time, paint, and cement.... well you get the idea.

That's my 2010 Christmas list, as well as my update. I'll be posting more now as I am going back to skating again and tracking Insanity. Watch for it! And maybe Insanity and Beachbody will be into helping Derby Girls everywhere and show us some derby luv, eh? Turn a fat rollergirl into a super star challenge? Can you feel it?