Amelia

Look, a new show by David Simon is coming! Called Treme, it's not The Wire, but looks like it's worth checking out.

THE STORY LINES IN “Treme” begin three months after Katrina, and they follow a diverse group of characters as they rebuild their lives in a city torn apart, a city in which tens of thousands of houses are abandoned, in which only 50 percent of the population remains, in which neighborhoods are still without power. The main characters in “Treme” aren’t the overburdened cops, spiraling addicts, ruthless dealers, struggling dockworkers, corrupt politicians or compromised journalists of “The Wire.” In their place, for the most part, are musicians, as the show’s title sneakily suggests: “Treme” (pronounced trih-MAY) is the New Orleans neighborhood where jazz was born. And even though it adjoins the French Quarter, few tourists visit Treme, where generations of the city’s musicians have lived.

Full article here.

Some fantastic pictures from the 2010 Winter Paraolympics. Wheelchair curling FTW!

We lost the B-event semifinal game. :( It was ours to loose, we were up 2 in the 6th, then didn't see a potential danger and gave them 4. We got 2 to tie going into the 8th and then couldn't steal. Blech. We had a great time though.

The advantage was that C. and M. made their 4pm flight and I had more time to visit in MA. It was nice to drop by and see everyone!

My drive home was uneventful. Blue skies all the way and I made decent time. Happy to be back home with D. after a fun weekend. :)

Last night was interesting. Had to drive by myself from MD to Schenectady for the Keyser bonspiel. This was through the *massive snowstorm*. I left at 4pm. Up through NJ Turnpike was pretty good. Then I went from clear roads with some blowing snow to freakin Siberia. 2-3" on the roads, and snowing heavily with less than a quarter mile visibility. I drive a corolla. No 4-wheel drive. Went slow and followed people. Almost bailed on the little section of Garden State Pkwy (unplowed, the tracks had several inches of snow nevermind the rest of the road, tree branch in the road! also lightning which is always scary in a snowstorm).

Made it to NY Thruway where a plow had been by. At some point. Thought I could make it if I drove slow. 100 miles away from my exit my wipers started to ice over badly. "Pulled over" (stopped in the middle of the highway just off the tracks in the snow) twice to de-ice by hand. Realized that if I kept the heat at 80 blaring at the window the wipers wouldn't ice. Visibility is shifting between a quarter mile and IDK 50 feet?. I'm nervous enough to tell my teammates if I don't show by 2am to call highway patrol, my cell phone has less than one battery bar and is starting to beep. But I'm reasonably comfortable, tense and alert, but reasonably comfortable. I know how to drive in the snow. I wish the guy in front of me would *stop breaking*, omg, break only if absolutely necessary, idiot.

74 miles away from my exit (near New Palz) got a little cocky and tried to go 35-40mph (instead of 20-30) fishtailed, corrected, fishtailed again, over-corrected, spun out and did a 360 which threw the car into a snowbank in the median. Stuck. Can't open the driver's side door (due to snow bank). Cell phone dying. Called teammate to contact someone. Guy showed up to cinch me out. Suggested I give up and get a motel room. Took an exit. Motel was full (as were all the other ones in the area). Hung out at 12:30am in the lobby of the motel with the night manager while the cell phone charged and I tried to get my nerves settled. I was so happy to use their bathroom, I had entertained depressing thoughts of peeing in the snow on the highway while stuck with the car.

Got back on the freakin highway. About 10 miles up the road the snow turned to rain. Relieved. Drove slowly to the hotel, got in at 2:30am. Very sore and tired.

Bright spot: our game this morning was at 10:15. We won! And we play again at 6 tonight.

The car and I are both fine. Last night just sucked. Hope the drive home is better.

Skipped a game at curling last night for the first time in ages (definitely the first time this season and I don't think I skipped last season either). I did okay. Calling the shots was fine (when I got stuck my team, the other skip, RB, and/or fox helped me out). It would have gone better if I had *made* more of my shots. They stole 3 in the first end, then we gained 1 back and forth. Only had time to do 7 ends, we won 3 of the, and only lost by 3 points so not a bad showing. Still prefer vice though.

I'm having a bit of OMG Christmas prep, still so much to do! We have decorated the tree and done some Christmas shopping. Need to do more shopping then wrap and ship one box to OH and wrap presents for VA. Also cards? We'll see.

Up early for the final Saturday morning breakfast league of the season. I haven't curled in several weeks due to my travel schedule and really wanted to get one more game in. I guess the stupid apartment renovation (where we have to be up and dressed by 8am every day) has some benefits. :p

Yoga is so wonderful. I was craving some yesterday and went this morning and it was just what I needed. I know I say this every time I go, which is so rarely. I do not have time to add another regular activity to my schedule so intermittent yoga it is. I also really love the studio. I should probably try the gym's yoga classes since I already pay for them, but I guess I'm a yoga snob? and really like the atmosphere of the studio. (Plus tea and cookies!)

( 5 things meme (National Gallery, bellydance, curling, strength, family) )

I'm off to the Kayser in Rochester shortly. (Curling bonspiel (tournament) for curlers with less than 5 years experience, mixed--2 men and 2 women on each team, for the uninitiated.)

J. is driving which pleases me to no end, I plan to grade papers and nap. First game is 8am tomorrow, a time which does not please me, but that's okay. There are several Potomac teams going up. Should be a fun weekend!

Back from my first curling game of the season. Curling yay!!!!

I missed our Thursday game due to dance class, but heard we shook after the 6th.

Friday's game we were up two after the 4th. In the 5th they took 6 :(
So we're down 4 with three ends to go, not great, but not insurmountable. We took 1 in the 6th so down 3.
Then in the 7th they took 4 so I shook. I think we played well but couldn't recover from the 6-point end.

Saturday we were tied after the 6th (all 1 point ends, btw). We stole 3 in the 7th. The beginning of the 8th went well, we threw through and hit. Then we missed a few shots. I missed my first shot. My second shot was right on the broom with the correct weight, but then it picked, switched handle, and went through. So disappointing! (Someone in the warm room said I was robbed). Their final shot was good. We had to measure three stones and it turned out they had 4. We got as close to winning as you possibly could while still losing.

Thanks for excellent playing by insptr_penguin, ellen_fremedon, and afrikate. Despite all of the illness, injury, and exhaustion suffered by our team we pulled together and played well. (And thanks for giving me the opportunity to skip!) I had a great time at the bonspiel with you!

The bellydance show went well. Many, many thanks to all of the people who helped me get ready and put up with me fretting and bossing everyone around. (And who figured out how to operate the glitter brush.) I was super nervous going out, but they did a great job leaving me lots of room to dance, dimming the lights, and having the music at the right volume. Because I had so much room and people almost all the way around the room I had to adjust my routine to face different directions. I also got "tips" and because of people coming up had to abandon my choreography part way through (I don't think it showed too much though). I had a really good time, the energy in the room was great, and people we really supportive. I had $200 in funny money and $3 in real money :)

Thanks especially to flt for the opportunity for my debut!


(Now I just need to find other opportunities to perform. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know.)

I spent the weekend in Utica at the Keyser.

We lost our first three games although played successively better in each. Won our 3rd game by changing the team dynamic from hierarchical to discussion group + crazy silly. penis Got 2nd in the shootout (drew to the 4 foot woo!), and proceeded to play another Potomac team. We we're doing quite well (on crazy sheet 6 ice) until heartbreak at end of 7th end and ended up losing. (Note: Mcgillicuddy's mentholmint is quite good and much better in the flask we take out on the ice than burbon). Had a great time and much much love for my team.

We had the best draw times of the spiel. We got to the club on Thursday and I tried Guitar Hero for the first time (fun!). Played Thursday night at 7pm went to bed early-ish. Friday didn't play until early afternoon I think? Chilled at the hotel in the afternoon. I watched the fantastic new Torchwood episode. Our second game was at 8pm. Got properly drunk and closed down the club with our team Friday despite the lame band. Continued at the hotel in the guys' room although probably too loudly. Saturday started with a huge, delicious brunch at ihop. Our first game (the one we won) was at 1:30, then we played again at 8pm.

Saturday night was the most fun as we were out and there was a dj and karoke. All the Potomac people got out there for Love Shack. insptr_penguin  and I helped ellen_fremedon  get drunk and sing Werewolves of London. Karoke ended with Fight For Your Right to Party and we headed back to the hotel and a room party hosted by Schnectady. At this point I should have stopped drinking and refused the sweet orange stuff (did so well the night before), but I didn't. We went back to our rooms and around 2 I was at the unpleasant drunk stage. It wasn't too bad, but I was done and went to bed at 3. (ellen_fremedon  had a much worse time of it and I think needed tending to until 6 or something?

Sunday we hit up ihop on the way out of town and had a very quiet car ride filled mostly by intermittent napping. J was awesome and drove the entire way back.

Overall a great bonspiel. Good people + curling + music + booze = fun.