Party like a culinary student
On Friday, I grabbed Wayne from his Mira Mesa home and drove us down to Ocean Beach to get on a bus that would take us to Del Mar. Mira Mesa is actually closer to Del Mar than it is to Ocean Beach, but I didn't want to miss out on the party bus taking fans to see the San Diego Derby Dolls kick La's asses.
The bus itself was a pseudo-British double decker with cramped seats. The available beverages were Bud, Bud Lite, and water. (You know I went for the water.) They handed out noisemakers from Party City. Some of the Derby Dolls who weren't competing that night were playing hostess, handing out the drinks and chatting with the fans.
It sounds kind of lame when I put it down like that, but the party bus was indeed fun. On the way I got to chat a little with sissystck (known to the derby world as "Penny McSquish" because "The Bearded Calamity" was considered too dirty). I pretty much hung out and absorbed the fun while people around me got increasingly drunk and tested the limits of their cheap noisemakers.
At the game, there was a section of floor set aside for the party bus people, but Wayne and I had paid extra for the right to sit in the bleachers, and we did so. I also bought $20 of raffle tickets and ended up winning a $20 gift certificate to Hodad's, a good burger place in Ocean Beach. (Now I just have to think of why else I would go to OB, now that voider lives in Orange County.)
The bout was intense. Many more people were knocked down than in the previous bout I saw, and the score was pretty close for most of the time. LA took an early lead and we spent a lot of the time trailing them. Wayne and I both attributed La's success to the mighty blocking powers of one player, Cannon Doll X. Some of her hits were knocking down our players three at a time, and the jammers seemed afraid to pass her because she was so good at knocking them out of bounds. Still, San Diego rallied impressively near the end, and we ended up winning 104-76. (I say "we" because I identify with the San Diego team, although I recognize that their success has nothing to do with me or any contribution on my part.)
We got back on the bus. This time, more partiers stayed on the lower level, so it felt like there was more room to spread out and less chaos on the upper level on the way back. Four of the other people up there were culinary students. They started out at the level of alcohol that makes them want to discuss how gender roles in roller derby compare to those of other sports. Aunt Flo provided some history and some insight. After some more drinking, the culinary students got to the level of alcohol where gender roles weren't as interesting as trying to put one's (clothed) butt out the window and yelling friendly insults at each other.
For some reason, I had imagined that culinary students would be somehow more refined than other college students, but I realize now the error of my ways. They are rather more like college students who don't have any weekend homework, so they're quite content to get hammered and have a good time.
There was also some chatting with Penny's husband (I think?), who seemed a bit surprised that I knew things from Penny's LJ. Or he just didn't want to discuss it with strangers. I don't know, since I'm not good with the social skills. At any rate, he did seem like a good guy, so I was glad to meet him.
All things considered, I'm glad I took the extra time and money to be on the party bus. I look forward to the Derby Dolls' fall season, starting in September.
The bus itself was a pseudo-British double decker with cramped seats. The available beverages were Bud, Bud Lite, and water. (You know I went for the water.) They handed out noisemakers from Party City. Some of the Derby Dolls who weren't competing that night were playing hostess, handing out the drinks and chatting with the fans.
It sounds kind of lame when I put it down like that, but the party bus was indeed fun. On the way I got to chat a little with sissystck (known to the derby world as "Penny McSquish" because "The Bearded Calamity" was considered too dirty). I pretty much hung out and absorbed the fun while people around me got increasingly drunk and tested the limits of their cheap noisemakers.
At the game, there was a section of floor set aside for the party bus people, but Wayne and I had paid extra for the right to sit in the bleachers, and we did so. I also bought $20 of raffle tickets and ended up winning a $20 gift certificate to Hodad's, a good burger place in Ocean Beach. (Now I just have to think of why else I would go to OB, now that voider lives in Orange County.)
The bout was intense. Many more people were knocked down than in the previous bout I saw, and the score was pretty close for most of the time. LA took an early lead and we spent a lot of the time trailing them. Wayne and I both attributed La's success to the mighty blocking powers of one player, Cannon Doll X. Some of her hits were knocking down our players three at a time, and the jammers seemed afraid to pass her because she was so good at knocking them out of bounds. Still, San Diego rallied impressively near the end, and we ended up winning 104-76. (I say "we" because I identify with the San Diego team, although I recognize that their success has nothing to do with me or any contribution on my part.)
We got back on the bus. This time, more partiers stayed on the lower level, so it felt like there was more room to spread out and less chaos on the upper level on the way back. Four of the other people up there were culinary students. They started out at the level of alcohol that makes them want to discuss how gender roles in roller derby compare to those of other sports. Aunt Flo provided some history and some insight. After some more drinking, the culinary students got to the level of alcohol where gender roles weren't as interesting as trying to put one's (clothed) butt out the window and yelling friendly insults at each other.
For some reason, I had imagined that culinary students would be somehow more refined than other college students, but I realize now the error of my ways. They are rather more like college students who don't have any weekend homework, so they're quite content to get hammered and have a good time.
There was also some chatting with Penny's husband (I think?), who seemed a bit surprised that I knew things from Penny's LJ. Or he just didn't want to discuss it with strangers. I don't know, since I'm not good with the social skills. At any rate, he did seem like a good guy, so I was glad to meet him.
All things considered, I'm glad I took the extra time and money to be on the party bus. I look forward to the Derby Dolls' fall season, starting in September.