GD'd Fuggin' Awesome day!

Today has been a good day.  Today is the kind of day that I wake up and live for.  Today is a day that brings a smile to my face.

I have noticed that after I joined various activity groups, interacting with people with similar interests as myself, my general happiness in life has increased.  Being around people that are also happy and motivated makes a huge difference in a person's outlook on life.  At least it does for me.

 Photo c/o Shutter Thug (awesome photographer)

I have roller derby practice on Saturday mornings.  I suck at roller derby.  And I am not trying for modesty here.  I really do suck.  A lot.  And I am totally fine with that.  I go to practices to have fun- to interact with an amazing group of people who are so supportive and helpful (especially to a newb like me) and so very talented.  I have been doing derby for about one year now.  When I started, I did not even know how to skate.  Now I can do quite a few things.  Not as many as I would like, but practicing and commitment to the goals will get me there.  Today we did a lot of footwork.  I had a great time!

I do have a fear I need to overcome.  Last month I had an accident.  We did 27-and-5, which means try to skate at least 27 laps on the track within 5min.  I usually get around 12-17 laps.  We had just finished and were slowing down as a cool down.  A teammate ran into me from behind and I fell hard on my tail bone.  It took about 4 weeks for it to finally heal.  And was not a process I would like to go through again.  I do not blame my team mate.  Shit happens.  And I know she feels terrible about it.  It's derby.  Pain happens.  But now, I have this fear while skating laps that someone will plow into me from behind again.  It is a fear that is holding me back.  I need to overcome it.  But am not quite sure how other than doing what I am doing- still skating and not letting it stop me.

After that, I watched some lovely Det. Olivia Benson kicking some ass.

Then it was time for Panda and I go rucking....with a group...to a place with other people and dogs!  ZOMG!  I would be lying if I said I was not a wee bit anxious about taking Panda along.  She is a rescue.  I believe she was not properly socialised when she was younger and now has anxiety issues when she sees other dogs.  Her initial reaction is to go on the defensive and snap at the other dog.  And when the other dog reacts negatively- game on!  Time to fight!...maybe?  Her lack of experience around other dogs makes her very frustrating to handle when exposed to them in a rather uncontrolled environment.

So, went Rucking with the group.  Up a steep ass hike to a point overlooking the entire city.  The view alone was worth the almost-grueling hike.  I had been up there before, but you can drive close to it and do an easy hike in.  Today, we started from the bottom.  I chatted with various members along the way.  It is so nice getting to meet other people in general, much less interesting people who take an active roll in their lives.  And Panda did pretty well!  Only a few minor tiffs.  She's a trooper with her own ruck sack filled with water bladders, hahaha!

Afterward, we met at a local microbrew/restaurant downtown.  And this is where my brain started to cease to function optimally.  Which is a fancy way of saying my blondeness took control and I became an idiot.  After chatting and eating, guess who discovered she left her wallet in the Jeep?  Yup.  This gal.  So I power walk the 3 blocks to parking garage and discover I cannot leave the garage because you have to pay before leaving and since I did not have money on me at the time I entered the garage, I was stuck in there.  I took Panda out, we walked back to the restaurant.  We walked into the restaurant (with everyone cooing over her) and I paid my bill.  And fuckitall, I forgot my leftovers.  ARGH!  That was a damn good BLT with egg.  BOOOOO!

Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.