you are a strong individual and this is a learning experience

last night at scrimmage there were only two (eventually three) skating officials, so we forwent jam refs.  I was put as back IPR and told to concentrate solely on pack definition. 

I think I did ok; my "no packs" were a little short and I kept saying "pack is all" rather than "pack is here" after a no pack, but I *did* catch a split pack at one point, so yay me? 

The black team let us know ahead of time that there would be points where, for practice purposes, they would not field a jammer.  Unfortunately, one of the times they did that was when the white jammer was in the box, so Delay of Game for them!  I don't think I've ever had that penalty issued in a game yet, so that was exciting.

skate maintenance ahoy!

so at scrimmage last night my trucks were crazy loose.  I'd done a little bit of weaving work at Tuesday's practice, but nothing that would cause them to get so loose. 

So I tried to tighten the trucks (remember how everything is all sorta crammed and jammed up into a little tiny space?) I had to take one of my wheels off and then borrow a friend's socket wrench that has pins in it so it conforms to any size nut.  And they still were kinda wobbly.  I wonder if it's pivot cups or something.  I'll have to take 'em apart this weekend and figure out what's going on.

well...

I chickened out and asked the HR for the 25th to switch me out of front IPR. 

I looked at my calendar and I really don't have much else for the rest of the summer.  There's the 25th of June, an out-of-town doubleheader on the 30th of July I marked myself as available for, and...that's it, actually.  Any other bouts I've already got stuff scheduled for those days.  Jeepers.

well, that was a thing.

I did the best I could.  There was one point where the jam ref had to call a chasing skater out of play (though to be fair, I was going to call it a split second later).

Lotsa work to do before the 25th.

time slogs onward, as is its wont

Front IPRing a bout tomorrow, my first time doing it in a non-scrimmage scenario.  Practiced it last night, I feel I did okay. I did my best not to look at the marks on the floor for calling people out of play.  I did do a COLOR / NUMBER / FAILURE TO REFORM - OR IS IT RETURN - SOMETHING LIKE THAT (that's literally what I said) at one point. (It was "reform".)

Our practice space was quite muggy. I can only imagine what it'll be like in a month or two.  Whee?

Saw the hand doctor about my hand. He doesn't think it's the cyst returning. IT MIGHT BE ARTHRITIS! WHEE!  Anyway, I got a (most likely very expensive) derby wrist guard type thing that I'm supposed to wear for a month and see if that helps it.  If it doesn't (which it hasn't been) then we do either physical therapy, get a steroid shot, or an MRI.

Getting old sucks.

My skates have been doing a lot better - I switched to thinner socks (these ones, in white) and got neoprene ankle sleeves.  I need to clean my wheels, though - the floor at Battle of Bunker Hill was craptastic (they'd had a CIRCUS there the week before).