No hockey makes me sad. Did I talk about this? The effect on hotel business in this area is epic. My BFF's hotel in Ann Arbor lost a quarter million in revenue (from just ONE GROUP) because the Winter Classic isn't happening. We lost a group at my hotel too. But the main sadness is that there is no hockey. My life is so empty.

But we still have out Red Wings themed Christmas tree!

Long time mostly lurker here,

we watched a new film last night-Audrey Lourde, the Berlin Years. It was really good. i can highly recommend it.

i am reading The Michigan Womyn's Music Festival: An Amazon Matrix of Meaning. while i am enjoying the personal stories-i find the social study/theory not so enjoyable.

the longer i live abroad and discover the herstory of european (primarily german)or Austrailian or New Zealand Lesbian cultures what really strikes me is that (at least from my perception) our tribe(s) were developing roughly in the same time periods.

i saw a film the other day about a lesbian whangarei music festival in the early 90's. dykes are such an awesome powerful people!

1. Badger's Women's Hockey is my new favorite sport ... actually, my only favorite. They have their own ice-arena as of this year, and there really isn't a less-than-good seat in the place.

2. Trixie, yay for excited dating! Have a wonderful time.

3. We had 15 inches of snow Wednesday and Thursday. I'm nursing a wiped-out back and an injured forearm (it was injured before the snow and then I had to shovel with it) so I'm very glad I don't have to do anything today.

4. Friday night, my best bud broke his arm and dislocated his shoulder. Been watching over him ever since Saturday afternoon. Not quite how most people spend their holidays, but it'll do. It's more than the sitting around I'd been expecting to do until work resumes on Wednesday.

5. Hope you're all well and have someone to spend good time with the next few days.

1 – Let me say I sympathize with the lack of ice hockey this season. I am not a fan, but I know those of you that are fans are suffering. Holy crap that is a huge profit loss for your BFF’s hotel, an example of the effect pro-sports has on the economy.

2 – I am a womyn’s BB fan and we used to have a great team here locally. Standing room only crowds. Not so much any more. (Hey Wrinkles, remember Jackie Stiles?)

3 – Now if there was a womyn’s ice hockey team locally I would be there, but alas we barely have any teams at the ice arena.

4 – The stockings are hung and filled, the Santa packages are all wrapped and under the tree. Why am I still awake?

5 – I was given an I-Pad mini as an early holiday gift, so I have been a happy camper. My Niece gave me the first season of Mad Men. I know what I will be watching tomorrow.

6 – The Grands brought their classroom pets with them, so there are hermit crabs and tortoises up stairs on the air hockey table. In boxes or something I hope, since I have not gone up to check. I have not been up there in a while, due to knee issues, but really that is no excuse and I should be excising on those stairs.

7 – Tomorrow (when I am not watching Mad Men) I am going to spend time with Mom. It is the first Holiday without Dad. No big plans, just going to chat and eat lunch, maybe play cards.

8 – Got confirmed for crew! And the gift certificate for a six-day ticket arrived. This will be raffled off at the party on the 5th.

9 – Have not cooked a thing for this Holiday and just now realized this! It is odd and it is sort of refreshing.

10 – I hope all of you are warm and safe. I hope you have all you need and then some.

13 – Not a day goes by that one of you does not pop into my memory.

Happy Christmas to you, if that's your thing. I'm working woohoooooo. It's quiet and everyone is nice though so I don't mind.

The 2nd date happened. It was awesome. 3rd date is already planned...and so is New Year's Eve :D And I'm still stupid giddy lol

Trixie it is euphoria when the anticipation of new love starts to enfold. Enjoy every morsel.

-Oh yes, i remember Jackie Stiles (mostly by reputation because i didn't have many opportunities to watch her play). She could shoot the lights out from the two position. Do you remember Cynthia Cooper? (perhaps my favorite player so far)
-I don't attend too many college games anymore (Kent State from time-to-time puts up a good womyn's team, Ohio State tempts me south a couple times during the season; and i have family in Knoxville so on rare occasions i see the Vols live), but High School girls' basketball in my area is very popular. My city's H.S. girls' team draws consistently nearly as well to better than the boys; but then the young womyn have a team capable of competing for a state championship.
-Mojavelurcker, i can't help but ask what is it about the book's social study/ theory that you find not so enjoyable? (i think the festival actually showed that Audrey Lourde Doc. film in 2012)
_Without a doubt being around, working with and talking to non-Americans is one of the experiences of the festival i most enjoy. i especially appreciate the exotically rational (to a Yank) Canadians who i have met there.
-Twas the season for visiting with family, and it was great to catch-up with folks in person, but the dog and i like it that the quiet at home has been restored. (It was nice having the kids around to help exercise the dog, though. Who knew she could be so good at hide-and-seek.)

ok, trying to get in the spirit of ten things.....

my girlfriend is baking a cake!!!

wrinkles-i hope that you decide to apply for a crew. i for one will really miss the opportunity to hang out and talk with you. and who else will i see early morning when i'm out running?

as to the book, i loved the festival stories-but the theory stuff just isn't grabbing me. i'm still working though the book though-not quite done.

thanks for the heads up on the film. i always miss the daytime films due to work, so i had no idea it was shown at festival-glad i didn't write and suggest it for next year. those fantastic office galz are on the ball.

as to films with other content-i saw on democracy now the other day an interview with the filmmakers that did "Roadmap to Apartheid". that sounds very interesting too.

one day closer to festival.

Right!? I'm loving it lol. And taking things very slow, which is hard for me but also smart I think. I want this to be serious business!

mojavedreamer - one day closer to fest! I like how you think!

-Well, as these things go, if you lose one early morning biker, you'll probably pick-up 2 joggers in her place.
(and you know Gloria will be up and about for running company)
-Not to disparage the office gals, but credit where credit is due; it's Mags who picks the films. These last few years i've tried to find movies she doesn't know about. Apparently not possible; she's always already heard of it, seen it and/or considered it for the festival. Makes since, though, she's a true film maven. And she always finds great ones i have never heard about.
-If you haven't seen it, i HIGHLY recommend the Documentary "The Inside Job" for both its extremely important content (which is not dated) and for it's excellent film making technique. (Though not directed by a womyn, it was produced and photographed by womyn.) It should be shown and discussed in every intro economic class and 12th grade U.S. history/civics class in the land.
-I think A's idea for a book is excellent and she should go for it; perhaps by sending out a proposal, by say Valentines day, to a few gals from fest with stories she has in mind for ideas and perhaps possible future submissions. (goodness knows, there are plenty of active/aspiring writers who attend) If people had drafts in hand by next summer, there could perhaps be a workshop organized to work with them as well as interest other womyn in the project. That she doesn't want to use Facebook i personally find admirably old-school (and positively activist against the corporate mining of our personal communications and lives). But one quickly sees how much more difficult it can be to get the word out. However, i think if one is really serious about an undertaking like this, it's the continued personal touch and individualized efforts to motivate people to write and submit their stories which will win them over and energize them to follow thru.
-I never count ten in this thread (it's too much pressure and too structured)
-You all can look forward every day to being that much closer to the festival; but right now i will settle for Spring to arrive and then like for the flow of time to slow down, even though it usually speeds-up.

what s this i hear? Are you not wanting to be a truffle wrinkles.... say it aint so.
Bb

- I am trying Wrinkles style, non-numbered, numbers have been my life, as an accountant, but I shall be retired in 60 days, so it is time to give non-numbering a shot.

- I was fortunate and got to see Jackie Stiles play a lot. She not only could shoot, but made plays and went through the tall trees like they were frozen in time.

- The party was a success. Thanks to so many that helped. The office sent swag and so many contributed. We raffled off a six day ticket and had lots of festie love.

- The sleepover was so much fun, I recommend it highly. Waking up to womyn’s voices in the kitchen and the conversation around breakfast was fabulous.

- Trixie I was wondering how the end of the world party went. I was glad that by the time I was wondering about the end of the world it was already tomorrow in Austraila.

- Yeah, no matter what I never want time to speed up. I want to enjoy every minute. That said I am R E T I R E D in 60 days.

Happy Sigh for you Red. Smiling at you and saluting your devotion and hard work. Today is one day closer to your Retirement.

thanks for the tip on the film "inside job". i've seen it already and found it quite good. I'm thinking of ordering "the last mountain"-anyone seen it?

red-congratulations on retirement.

i have a 10 hour layover at the atlanta airport in march-can anyone recommend what to do in that area? thanks for any tips.

-LD, it aint necessarily so that i do not want to be a truffle (or on any other festival crew). I just don't feel confident about being available to work this summer.
-That being said, i am looking forward to a change this summer.
-Yes, Red, congratulations on the forthcoming retirement! ("went through the tall trees like they were frozen in time." now that's pretty good)
-Mojavedreamer, my brother and his family live in Atlanta. If you tell me what you might be interested in visiting, I could ask them for suggestions. I know of a particularly good museum of folk art/photography in city which is probably reachable from the airport by rail, if that is of interest to you.
-i have from time to time thought about doing a top ten list of what i miss from the old forums, and number one would indeed be the inspiring V