Combat Ball
May. 14th, 2023 12:41 am"Wow, you really are hardcore" said ![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chocofrosh to me at the halfway point of Combat Archery, and I really should've channeled Elle Woods more specifically: "What, like it's hard?"
To be clear, I thought he was referring to how I do combat archery, or perhaps to the idea that I was biking immediately from there to a ball. As it turns out, it was actually about me wearing an n95 mask while doing the combat archery, but it's not like I'm gonna spend extensive indoor time with strangers *not* masked thanks. And honestly, the flippant, arrogant, perfectly designed "what like it's hard" covers all of the above.
Let me back up.
My day today started with a bunch of ADHD distraction bullshit, which means that I have to make deviled eggs entirely tomorrow morning (boo) instead of getting a head start on them today. It also meant I missed all of porchfest, including the street contra that was happening like a block and a half from my house. Sigh. But! I did pull myself together in the nick of time, packed up a bag with everything I need (by which I mean, "a ballgown", among other accouterments) and headed off to Chelsea to do COMBAT ARCHERY!
Biking was.....a choice. Biking on 16 was also a choice. One of these choices was a Fucking Bad Choice, and I'm pretty sure it was the latter. Stupid google maps for suggesting it. Stupid lack of shoulder or even sidewalks. It was not my favourite bike ride I've ever had. But! But after five miles it was finished and there was Todd and all his friends for *his* archery birthday party!
We played the games and shot the arrows and had the very good time! I repeated my strategy of "just go be on the front lines, hiding behind stuff is boring" and that continues to feel like exactly the right strategy, especially when paired with "and the most important skill is being able to mostly notch your arrow without looking at it much", which I was cultivating this time around. I didn't manage to snap the bowstring against my inner arm as much (although I am a wee bit tender) and I didn't kill my knees by bending down to grab arrows as often (although that might be because I was better warmed up by biking over, and also I shouldn't say this wasn't a problem until tomorrow.)
After, I waved goodbye to everyone heading off to dinner, got on my bike, and rode a new six miles to Melrose to get to the Boston Highland Ball! That was actually a surprisingly pleasant ride, with bike lanes along the most of it, and _much_ quieter streets. As I passed a McDonalds, I decided that it was a Very Good Idea to eat a cheeseburger on the road, and I do not regret this addition of protein to my life at all!
The ball had a very long hors'd'vors hour, so I arrived in plenty of time, and was able to throw off my sweaty archery-slash-biking clothes and throw on my ballgown (with the addition of a damp paper towel to wipe off the worst of my armpits and under-bust) and then wander outside to socialize in the part where I didn't care about not wearing masks for a bit. It was good to see everyone!
My goal was to do at least half the dances --so 8/15, and I think I managed 9 so a success all around! There was only one dance I sat out that I would've liked to do, a weird-but-fun medley that we had done at the Welcome Dance last night. The company was quite good though, so I don't at all mind it --I enjoy having chances to socialize with all these people I like!
I spent a bunch of time chatting with Elena, for whom it was her first Boston ball since she's only just come up here for college, and a bunch of time chatting with Nikki, for whom it was her first Boston ball since she only started dancing in like November. It was really lovely in all cases to see the mix of people on the floor, and to be able to have a good time by all! Plus, Nikki was nice enough to give me+bicycle a ride home, meaning I *didn't* have to ride to the T and take the orange line home (my original plan, and no, not a good one).
So I've only biked about twelve miles today, plus nine Scottish dances, plus an hour of Combat Archery, the latter two done entirely while masked. So yeah, I am hardcore, but also...this is just what I do. Maybe someday my body will be less ridiculously fit, but I plan to try and take care of it and stretch and eat protein and sleep so that the day comes as far off in the future as possible.
Tomorrow I wake up a little early in order to cook Many Eggs, and then I (probably) bike off to the brunch and get a chance to really socialize with all these people! Looking forward to it.
Be well and goodnight!
~Sor
MOOP!
chocofrosh to me at the halfway point of Combat Archery, and I really should've channeled Elle Woods more specifically: "What, like it's hard?" To be clear, I thought he was referring to how I do combat archery, or perhaps to the idea that I was biking immediately from there to a ball. As it turns out, it was actually about me wearing an n95 mask while doing the combat archery, but it's not like I'm gonna spend extensive indoor time with strangers *not* masked thanks. And honestly, the flippant, arrogant, perfectly designed "what like it's hard" covers all of the above.
Let me back up.
My day today started with a bunch of ADHD distraction bullshit, which means that I have to make deviled eggs entirely tomorrow morning (boo) instead of getting a head start on them today. It also meant I missed all of porchfest, including the street contra that was happening like a block and a half from my house. Sigh. But! I did pull myself together in the nick of time, packed up a bag with everything I need (by which I mean, "a ballgown", among other accouterments) and headed off to Chelsea to do COMBAT ARCHERY!
Biking was.....a choice. Biking on 16 was also a choice. One of these choices was a Fucking Bad Choice, and I'm pretty sure it was the latter. Stupid google maps for suggesting it. Stupid lack of shoulder or even sidewalks. It was not my favourite bike ride I've ever had. But! But after five miles it was finished and there was Todd and all his friends for *his* archery birthday party!
We played the games and shot the arrows and had the very good time! I repeated my strategy of "just go be on the front lines, hiding behind stuff is boring" and that continues to feel like exactly the right strategy, especially when paired with "and the most important skill is being able to mostly notch your arrow without looking at it much", which I was cultivating this time around. I didn't manage to snap the bowstring against my inner arm as much (although I am a wee bit tender) and I didn't kill my knees by bending down to grab arrows as often (although that might be because I was better warmed up by biking over, and also I shouldn't say this wasn't a problem until tomorrow.)
After, I waved goodbye to everyone heading off to dinner, got on my bike, and rode a new six miles to Melrose to get to the Boston Highland Ball! That was actually a surprisingly pleasant ride, with bike lanes along the most of it, and _much_ quieter streets. As I passed a McDonalds, I decided that it was a Very Good Idea to eat a cheeseburger on the road, and I do not regret this addition of protein to my life at all!
The ball had a very long hors'd'vors hour, so I arrived in plenty of time, and was able to throw off my sweaty archery-slash-biking clothes and throw on my ballgown (with the addition of a damp paper towel to wipe off the worst of my armpits and under-bust) and then wander outside to socialize in the part where I didn't care about not wearing masks for a bit. It was good to see everyone!
My goal was to do at least half the dances --so 8/15, and I think I managed 9 so a success all around! There was only one dance I sat out that I would've liked to do, a weird-but-fun medley that we had done at the Welcome Dance last night. The company was quite good though, so I don't at all mind it --I enjoy having chances to socialize with all these people I like!
I spent a bunch of time chatting with Elena, for whom it was her first Boston ball since she's only just come up here for college, and a bunch of time chatting with Nikki, for whom it was her first Boston ball since she only started dancing in like November. It was really lovely in all cases to see the mix of people on the floor, and to be able to have a good time by all! Plus, Nikki was nice enough to give me+bicycle a ride home, meaning I *didn't* have to ride to the T and take the orange line home (my original plan, and no, not a good one).
So I've only biked about twelve miles today, plus nine Scottish dances, plus an hour of Combat Archery, the latter two done entirely while masked. So yeah, I am hardcore, but also...this is just what I do. Maybe someday my body will be less ridiculously fit, but I plan to try and take care of it and stretch and eat protein and sleep so that the day comes as far off in the future as possible.
Tomorrow I wake up a little early in order to cook Many Eggs, and then I (probably) bike off to the brunch and get a chance to really socialize with all these people! Looking forward to it.
Be well and goodnight!
~Sor
MOOP!