I'm on fire...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzQvGz6_fvA
I'm finding insomnia is one of the greatest tools a writer can have, particularly in terms of blogging, I mean, it's generally drivel at the best of times right? Well it's after 11pm (omg) and this blog is certainly no exception!

Anyway anyway, wanna know what's on my mind tonight??
Do ya?
Do ya?
Good, it's VRDL.
...who?
I said, VRDL.
The Victorian Roller Derby League All Stars were national champs at last year's Great Southern Slam, shortly after the Slam we played them in Melbourne and they DESTROYED us by 150 points. We could not have asked for a better spanking and they allowed the Vice City Rollers to take a massive leap in terms of our skating, strategy and general game heads. The VCRs face them in 5 days and this will be epic game for the VCRs on our home turf.
While the thought of facing them again makes the back of my neck sweat and tingle and my vision blur, I am electrified by the thought of rolling out on that track against such epic giants of the game in this country. It's true, the VCRs have less experience than the All Stars BUT we are fit for this test, physically, strategically and most importantly mentally. Finding the mental space to visualise a win is difficult with colossal skaters like Rocky Rogue, Bezerker and Ruby Ribcrusher amongst the opposition. On Saturday these skaters will form a blue and white mass in which we won't see or fear an individual, we'll only see the holes in their packs and the opportunities we make.
It's corny but as captain I will ask the VCRs the question posed by Eminem, prophet or total dik I don't know, however, no one can deny the relevance or (dare I say it) brilliance of:
Look, if you have, one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted-One moment
Would you capture it, or just let it slip?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH4wsY_AHKM
Seriously, the only thing slipping this Saturday will be my fluro leg warmers as I skate with a team of amazing women, supported by a league of dedicated people for a home crowd whose roar for us in December made my heart burst.
xx
Bam

The challenges of realising you may have a reader...

So, something that currently occupies my thoughts about this whole blogging business is the reader. Having written some popular as well as hefty academic 'STUFF' in my time I have learnt that the first rule of writing is establish who your reader is.
For example, my PhD was written entirely with, the beautiful, charismatic, charming and intelligently sophisticated Dee Nature foremost in my mind. Once I found her as my muse I was able to produce some words, sentences and paragraphs to be proud of, but honestly until I found her I was lost...I mean LOST (thank you Dee, I love you hun :D ).
I feel in the blog context I fail, at least slightly. I mean, I know I'm writing about skating and all of the derby-related life experiences I am going through...but who really is my reader?
I had no concerns or even concept of this until only last night...I just hadn't thought about who I was really writing for until a young man, who interests me in more ways than one, claimed:
'I found your blog you know'....an immense fear gripped me, throat tighten, hands tingled...I'll strap on skates and jump off a 10ft ramp with no fear but the thought of this chap reading my blog was slightly sickening. What will he think? The grammar? *sigh* the spelling (this he pointed out immediately).
So anyway, I've come to terms with it, read me, read me hard if you will.
I'll leave you with a gift, for all those who say musicals suck (which is you young man, don't deny it), take this SHAZAM:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aus1PA5-SyI
I loved Gene Kelly as a child, now as a slightly irresponsible adult I adore him all the more.
xx
Bam