Lifestyle of the laced and skated.

Well, it would be great to say I got up and put on my skates and did not take them off until I crawled into bed so exhausted by the exhilarating day I had on my wheels… but unfortunately, I have a desk job which does not allow skates. Of course, I have never tried to wear skates there so who knows… maybe I am selling the office peeps a little short (although the carpet would pose another obstacle).

So up I get… as I walk to the bathroom I see my skates just sitting there calling me. I pass them by and try to focus on the issue at hand – a hot shower. After that I do all the fun preening a girl does before she leaves the house… although I am horrible about my hair for some reason. Yes… it probably looks better when I straighten it and blow it dry… but oh bother! I feel I have better ways to spend my time.
I pass the skates again… now I am awake and I decide I need to give my skates some love. This comes in one of two forms… the almost daily re-lacing of my skates trying to find the PERFECT feel for when I skate. Not too tight at the toes, but tight at the ankles so I can have good traction and speed around corners. It is a delicate balance and takes just the right amount of care to make it work… of course, that being said, I am still playing with my new skates (only had them for a month now) and think I am getting close to that sweet spot – yes, skate nirvana – happy feet.
The second form is taking off the wheels, rotating them and cleaning the bearings. This task takes more time and while it is not boring… it does not have the instant gratification of the re-lacing.

So, after another lacing adventure… I get my things and head out the door. I always wonder if I should take my skates with me in case there is a chance I get invited to skate or even better… get ASKED to skate. But in my line of work, the chances of that happening is next to nil. So I leave them safe and warm at home and go about my day.

My day is filled with work but at the same time I always find a little time to do something related to Roller Derby. Whether it is just sending a few emails to folks or getting pricing on some things or even just updating the finances. Every day I spend time (and some days even HOURS) doing things that really speaks volumes to my self worth and my love of the sport, league and people.

The best thing about being a London Rollergirl is the amazing people you get to share your life with. We skate, we train, we eat, we drink, we share stories and lives and I know through it all I have an amazing network of friends who would honestly be there for me in a time of need. In any circumstance this would be great but it is such a treasure to have it when you have uprooted your life and moved to a new country… it is difficult at best to meet people and to find so many smart and independent women trying to all do one thing is really unique.

But I digress… so after a day at the office… I generally return home and yes… see my skates. There may be a reason for all this… I leave my skates out in the living room. Why… because it is where I first put down my bag so I remember to get the sweaty clothes out of there to wash them… I also want to leave the bag open so the pads can “air� out. But in the end, it is because putting them in the closet to just have to pull them out again a few days later to skate seems pointless.
Although it may seem silly to have this lifestyle and to have my skates so predominate in my life and home… it is something I love and something I am immensely proud of… so why would I hide that. It is something I love to talk about… the good the bad and the ugly of it all. It is not always easy and there are personal obstacles to overcome … but that is what makes it so great. You get to challenge yourself in a new an exciting way.

So I fight the urge to put on the skates… I fight the urge to re-lace them again (have to skate in them at least once with the “new� lace pattern to see how they feel) and I just try to focus on other life challenges… like what to eat for dinner.

Might seem boring… but it is NEVER boring being a London Rollergirl!

~Bruise Violet

No tattoos necessary

I tried to recruit a potentially strong skater today and she said, ” I’ll need to get a few tattoos before I join the League”.

Yes most of the girls have some beautiful body work but it’s not for all of us. I admire all of their beautiful work but have concluded that if I have not gotten a tat by the age of 29 I will never do so. It’s also my little way of representing those of us who can do roller derby without feeling obliged to fit a certain look that has been adopted by Roller derby in the 21st century. Heck, I remember when derby was disco, Perhaps I should bring the disco back to derby. HA!

Honestly, I’m sure loads of girls are intimidated by all the beautiful art work the majority of the girls have and may think to themselves they will not fit in without the same ‘look’. That’s not True! Unfortunately the virgin skin girls don’t get enough PR time but we are a part of the League. We are a diverse group and at the end of the day we are all strong women with the common goal and passion for roller derby and that’s what we all have in common. It may be the basis of our relationship but relationships with substance do blossom and we are a loving dysfunctional family.

I have only been a Londoner for a year and 3 months. I am sure you can empathize the difficulty it is to find friends with substance. the league has not only given me an athletic outlet but it has also given me a wonderful family to be a part of.

So I will say it again NO TATTOOS NECESSARY TO BE A KICK ASS LONDON ROLLER GIRL!

Yours truly,

Flash Bang Wallop 305

Diary of a London Rollergirl
Episode 1 – New Skates.

After yet another shitty morning spent hunched over my laptop I open the front door to a, if you don’t mind me saying, bit of alright, who shuffles from foot to foot uncomfortably as the grown woman he just handed a package to regresses into a squealing, babbling, teenage-esque mess.

Five minutes later, box torn open, shoelaces tied, I return to my desk…..only this time underneath said desk is a pair of feet rolling back and forth, occasionally kicking the wall with the end of the shiny new Riedell 265s they’re wearing.

Sometime around 3 I make myself a cuppa, and pretend to skate really fast in the kitchen (holding on to the bench, going nowhere real fast – think doing the running man…on skates…without lifting your feet) while I wait for the kettle to boil. I wonder if the timid librarian downstairs can hear me on his ceiling?

At 5pm I catch myself just staring at my blood red wheels. I think I may have drooled a little.

Just after 7pm, the other half wheels me out of the way so he can get into a cupboard I’m blocking. I wave the big fuck-off kitchen knife at him and he retreats to another room.

I catch the reflection of my skates in the blade of my knife and smile.

Glasgow kisses
Slice.

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 17th 2007 ~ 8PM - 3AM
“St Valentine’s Love Massacre”

@ BAR MONSTA
18 Kentish Town Road
Camden
London
NW1 9LJ

BAKE SALE:
Yummy sweets to indulge your naughty side!
Proceeds to Charity.

XX CHROMOSOME BANDS:
Love & A.45
Voodoo Hussy
Bloody Heels

FASHION SHOW:
Mode Mere

£5 Entry before 10PM
£6 Entry after 10PM
Bring this flyer to get a free sticker.
This is a non skating event.

Any questions, check out our forum or email us info(at)londonrollergirls.com

Well here she is… londonrollergirls.com
Not quite toasty brown baked yet but almost.

Still to come:

PHOTO GALLERY - Whooohoo ! (More coming soon of previous events)
SKATER PROFILES
TEAM PAGES
BAND TRIBUTES
MERCH SHOP

and loads of other things that make you want to strap skates to your feet and fly head long into a pack of furious women.

Oi and head over to our forum and hurl abuse at ‘Mash for taking so bloody long.

Giving ‘Mash a whiiiiping at Bar Monsta!

Thanks to our Rollergirls, Partners in Justice, Moral Dilemma, The King Blues and Bar Monsta for making our 30th december fundraiser event such a success!

Much fun was had, we raised more awareness for the league and have a few new recruits as a result! We are much closer to our fund-raising goals for putting on our first bout, and we were also able to raise some money for another good cause.

Proceeds from the gift bag raffle will go to the Austin Relief to help a child with leukaemia.The bands put on a helluva loud rockin show, with a few crowd provoked encores by The King Blues.

The much anticipated LRG spanking booth went over hugely well, Jezebel Propaganda and Lady Frankenstein ruled the stage, turning into a fun and hilarious macho contest of who could hold out for the harshest whoopin’, guys and girls alike went up for the challenge.

Best results I’ve seen so far? While I have a heck of a nasty bruising it pales to the black and purple shinners gracing the bum of Ala, lovely specimen of body mod art and new LRG recruit that she is!

Djing and MC antics were run by Anna Monoxide, Bambi Manslaughter and Sugrrr Cain, while BAM!, Mash and Cello Biafra tended the door, and Slice Andice held fort at the merch table.

Thanks so much to the fun crowd that came out, hope to see you in February for our next event, plans are in the works!


HERE’S THE PHOTOS!
Warning - if you are easily offended by gratuitous ass cracking, look away now.