h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If I post a journal entry only once every few months, things seem to change rather a lot.

Let's see, the biggest difference is that instead of trundling off to a voice class twice a week, I am now whirling around the skating rink up to five times a week.

Last summer I left my cell phone number at my local skating rink after watching a roller derby bout in Humboldt County. About nine weeks ago, I got a call from the owner of the skating rink telling me that a roller derby league was forming, and inviting me to show up to practice if I were still interested. So I did.

Of course, nine weeks ago, I could barely skate at all. I'm fairly sure I outgrew the little skates I had as a child before I reached the double digits. In any case they were the little metal skates that clipped on over the shoe and which practically assured that a child did not reach any great speed. It was great fun skating around the neighborhood, but as I recall, I clomped more than skated. Still some decades later, there was a little residual muscle memory that permitted me to stay upright, at least most of the time.

That was two months ago. Now I skate at a respectable clip, although I am still in the slower half of the team. Even better, I skate with about 2 dozen of the most outgoing, exuberant women in the county.

In other news, the economy turned south about a year ago, no news to anyone, but here in one of the poorer areas of our state, it hits pretty hard. With home foreclosures, layoffs and businesses closing all around us, it is easy to see the strain and despair written on people's faces. On a personal level, even though I have been working this past year in a more critical and responsible position than last year, I received a pay raise of only 50 cents per hour, nearly invisible after taxes. Special note for fairness sake: as far as I know, only one guy in the company did any better, and a few got no raises at all. Mr. Nerd also received a similarly small pay raise, but at least we are both still employed.

The area also has an impending drought, having received only half the normal rainfall. Since Mr. Nerd and I grow some of our own food, we've been approaching the planting season with some uncertainty, as water rationing this summer could be quite strict.

You cleverl;ass Happy Nerd. Skating very fast too. wonderful.

It was so interesting to read your posting. I am sadly tired = I am actually very ancient and have been up and busy for hours. !!

So will read more of it tomorrow. I long to know where you live and what county.

With kind regards

Also~Ran80

Oo, oo!



HN lives between my home and San Francisco (rather closer to San Fran...)

Just read in the paper this week that unemployment dropped to 12.2% here in Del Norte county last month(don't know what it was the month before--I just saw the headline.)

12.2% Ours was 11% in February.

Only a 4 and one-half hour drive to your place, Amy. I don't know why we don't visit more often. Maybe this summer?

I live in Mendocino County, Christiane. It's really a lovely place.

Yeah--you guys should come when I don't have to worry about being contagious

thank you Happy Nerd. I shall look it up on Wikipedia.

Poor Amy, what is the problem? Have you got the measles, chickenpox, mumps or what??

With much affection to you and the girls,

christiane.

I was referring to when HN and her hubby visited last May--I ended up sitting as far as possible from them, because I'd been spectacularly shortly after they arrived. Actually, I think I wrote about it... *digs through journal* F74902?thread=5500492

Yeah, but through a clever misapplication of the Law of Averages, our next visit should be perfect!

Here's Mendocino County's official website:

http://www.co.mendocino.ca.us

and here's the county's official promotional website:

http://www.gomendo.com/