Day 1 of derby training: Can I Skate? Do you know how much I've missed roller skating? Like the deserts miss the rain. Holy Solomon. Putting on those wheels for the first time in 20 or so years felt awkward, unnatural, and euphoric. I attempted the backwards-skate roller disco move...didn't fall. Courage meter = 5 I went as fast as possible around the inside track, placing one skate in front of the other, ducking and leaning into the turn...didn't fall. Courage meter = 7 I mixed up my routine with forward and backward skating, interchanging them to the beat of Lil Wayne's "Ms Officer"...didn't fall Courage meter = 9 I'm doing the "cool" bounce to the music, bobbing my head, as I signal to my friend, "watch this." I gain speed. Jump. Knees hit my chest. Both skates hit the floor. So does my butt. And so does my courage. Courage meter's back at zero, but it's all good, I'm just ecstatic the roller skating rinks of my youth are still out there. And for $8, you can't match this kind of fun. read more