so the busy season is starting to start

after much finagling with my skate and removal of skate pieces (Chaya skates are horrible when it comes to adjusting - you can't tighten your trucks without removing the wheels, etc., etc., etc.) I was able to tighten the plate.

This past weekend was Lobstah Roll, in Boston.  I was JT for five games, and wore a different pair of shoes for each game (since I didn't have to bring skating gear, there was plenty of room in the car).  Figured out the setup that works best for me for stopwatch holding, realized that (a) I sound angry when I call out FIVE SECONDS and (b) I need to work on projecting from the chest and not just yelling.

Tomorrow's the St. Patrick's Day parade - 11th year in a row for me.  Weather's supposed to be ok - low chance of rain, high in the high 30s.  It's been better, but it's also been A LOT worse.  Maybe I'll skate this time (though I'll need to put my outdoor wheels on).

Next weekend is Official Relief,  a closed-door tournament in PA so that teams can get their WFTDA charter requirements in, and use their open games for home teams, which are more profitable.  I have six games in two days, all JR.

games this weekend, wheeeeeee!

so in the last few weeks or so I've noticed that when I push off on my left skate, everything sort of.... shifts...somehow.  I'd check my trucks and my toestops and whatnot, but they were all firmly in place.

Last night it happened again, more pronouncedly, and I asked a few people to watch my skate as it happens.

Turn out THE WHOLE PLATE IS SHIFTING.

Fortunately, because my skates have these plates, it's not a OMG MY SKATE IS FALLING APART EEK.  I think all I have to do is tighten the screws holding the plate in.  Unfortunately, the bottom of the inside of the boot covers the screw heads.  There's an "X" cut right over each head, but the fabric is so stiff I can't pull it back to see what kind of tool I need to tighten them.  (Apparently Chaya skates are supposed to come with a "DCM Mounting Tool", but I never got one.)  Fortunately, one of my leaguemates has one, and is going to bring it tomorrow.  I hope it works, otherwise I'll have to bring out my old skates and use those, and I haven't used them in a few years.

(It also meant that last night I jam reffed off skates.  SO MUCH RUNNING.)