This was going to be a short post…

Today was one of those good practice days, even though I started it off by eating a chicken salad wrap right before practice (never again...). For about a half hour I thought I might explode. Luckily, no explosions from me, but the mystery stinky farter from Tuesday's practice let out a little gagging toot during pack skating. (I'm assuming it's the same person.)

I must be getting faster, because every time I would go around a turn I would skid out a bit, although I know the dust was giving everybody grip problems. I just like thinking that I'm "too fast for the track".

I totally forgot to take pictures tonight of the warehouse. It'll look better when it's been cleaned on Saturday, but I would have liked a picture of the dustiness. Maybe I'll get a picture of my skates before I clean them off. I'd do it now, but I am so beat right now. My hair is wet like I've been in the shower. So disgusting.

Our Riedell rep, Rich, is coming down from Cleveland on Sunday to sell us all kinds of goodies. I'm thinking about getting some new skates because my old ones, while comfortable, are a bit on the big side and are starting to fall apart. It's actually a pretty interesting story.

I was in a show at the Loveland Stage Company at the time of the fire. I was using my skates in the show and decided to leave them in the dressing room over the two-day break, because I know that otherwise I would have forgotten them. Sure enough, my skates were still in there when the building burned. Luckily, the dressing rooms were in a newer part of the building and were protected by fire doors. However, when my skates were recovered they were covered in soot and soaking wet. I spent days trying to dry them out and clean them up (I did wear them in the final performances), but the water and smoke damage has severely weakened the leather, and the trucks are very prone to rusting.

I love my skates and feel very emotionally attached to them, so I don't want to completely destroy them. I was never going to skate on them again, but my new 265s did not work out last year. They were very painful on my arches.

I'm very interested in getting the 965 boot this time around (this is the "Minx").

I have lace covers on my current skates, and I really want them on my new skates, which is why I like the 965. I also heard that they are pretty comfy once they're broken in.  I like the ankle cushioning as well, since my skates tend to be looser there.

I'd like to have my skates custom dyed, but I have no clue what I would get. I was thinking yellow and black because I love yellow and they would make me think of Bumblebee (Autobots transform!). Maybe like this but in yellow instead of blue:

I really wish they had a silver color like my current skates, but the closest metallic they have is a pretty blue-green that I might consider.

I know I want aluminum plates (nylon plates SUCK!) and Atom Lowboy wheels.  I'm skating on Atom's Omega 2.0 right now, and I'd like to try the Lowboys to see if they really are slightly grippier.

I'm going to be so broke. Minx skates start at $499 without custom colors, and the wheels are another $120. Plus, I should have doctor's bills coming any day now from my two trips earlier this month (thank you ear infection!). At least I can try them on and wish that I had them, right?

BTW, check out Riedell's site, featuring Sadie and her blue custom skates.