May 2012
2 posts
Heart
Derby season is in full swing. There’s a distinct scent of sweat in the air. Hard work through the off-season is either paying off or showing us that more work is needed. With each bout comes a rougher voice from yelling, and hopefully a closer bond with the sisters and brothers of the sport we so love.
I told someone recently that those who love derby are kind of like the passionate...
April 2012
12 posts
Jim, I'm a collector, not a brick layer.
I have fond memories of watching Star Trek marathons with my dad. He worked a lot and I really didn’t get to spend much time with him before I was in high school. Don’t get me wrong, he was there, just worked a lot of hours. But, Star Trek is one of the things we always shared. Since then, I’ve seen nearly every episode of all the series except for Enterprise. I can honestly say...
I like slabs now... Slabs are cool.
I think back about 6 years now. I was new to a comic message board, and had a very excited conversation with someone about grading. I wondered if it was good for the industry, and whether it did nothing but fuel the painful speculation that nearly crippled the comic industry just a few short years prior. Now, my friends and close acquaintances know that I have opinions, often times strong ones,...
Determination
I love derby. No surprise I’m sure with a name like DerbyDude. But, it’s not just the sport itself I love. Oh, don’t get me wrong, it’s exciting to see your jammer break through a pack and score a grand slam while the opposing jammer is flat on her tail because your blockers made her wish she’d sprung for the shorts with the padding sewn in. No, that part is indeed...
Big-Bad Wibbly-Wobbly Timey-Wimey Collecting
I started out collecting a a very young age. I was about 8 years old when I purchased a copy of Alpha Flight #1 with Fantastic Four #257 at the 7-11 down the street from the pool we frequented. I was introduced to them earlier that summer by an uncle who was into Byrne X-Men at a time when it was really cool. We sometimes forget that there was a time before message boards, before Internet, before...
Carrie Fisher
She’s famous the world over for her work on screen; Princess Leia from Star Wars, When Harry Met Sally, and others.
She’s a New York Times bests long author many times over; Postcards From The Edge, Wishful Drinking, Delusions Of Grandma.
But, she will hold a special place in my heart not for this work, or any work at all. She is bi-polar. Oh, that’s not why she is special...
My life as a collector
I was having a conversation with someone asking how anyone could afford a serious vice. Our talk revolved around smoking, and the price of cigarettes. I have never smoked, and don’t really drink all that much, but my parents did. If they still did today then they’d be paying in excess of $5 a pack. Both of them smoked two packs a day at least. This comes out to $20 each, or $600 a...
Real. Girls. Derby.
It’s said that real men cry. I’m a believer in that sentiment. Society tends to make any man who has a sensitive side seem weak or calls them a “sissy”. Speaking for my gender, most of the time it is easier to be tough and not show any feeling. That may be because of society. It may be because we are programmed that way down to our DNA. I’m sure someone with a number...
March 2012
4 posts
Gem City Comic-Con
I’m forever amazed at the number of people who take a keen interest in something that was, and in many ways is, intended for a younger audience. There are large fan clubs for Japanese anime, Barbie dolls, and the like. However, something about comic books is so wonderfully universal that we accept so many things into “normal” society that once had a stigma attached. ...
Mr. Sew 'n' Sew
For two years I have been privileged to be a part of the Gem City Roller Girls (GCRG). Initially it was in support of the better half’s derby endeavor. Eventually this evolved to volunteering my time in a variety of ways. I basically would tell my friends, “I don’t have a title. I just do whatever I can and whatever I’m told.”. That was a pretty fair assessment until...
Preseason and madness
I tend to think of the months as either “in season” or otherwise. Right now we are in derby season for the Gem City Roller Girls, and has become among my favorite months of the year. I’m sure that they may even unseat November one day. The bouts already surround May, already among that grand order. Those girls have breathed new life into me, and I am forever grateful.
However,...
Introduction
What a strange yet wondrous world we live in. Our lives, so fast-paced and fully booked, have many more outlets than ever to communicate with anyone in the world. And, this is at virtually no cost. I remember having to explain to my mom why a phone call to a schoolmate in a neighboring county was on the phone bill, and hearing that it would come out of next week’s allowance. I now can call...
