Gridiron and Tutus

Welcome to Writer's Workshop, a weekly collection of posts by very creative bloggers who are inspired by prompts offered by Mama Kat. This week I was drawn to the prompt of "football."  I used to be a die-hard Rams fan when they were in Los Angeles. However, when they moved...and I moved...ironically to the same new city...my interest wained and I found other outlets to replace the over-priced tickets, parking, snacks....etc.!  I found that my kids loved sports and I could enjoy a good soccer or football game from the comfort of my beach chairs and blanket!

I was elated when my boys showed an interest in playing football. I grew up watching my brothers play and watching games on TV with my dad.  I even dreamed of playing myself, but it was unheard of girls playing football back in the 60's! I still loved the game, just not the dog-and-pony show that it had become.  My boys played through middle and high school, and that was enough for me. I knew that at some point, it would end...I thought.

It was then that Edwina, my middle schooler at the time, expressed an interest in playing football.  She had played soccer, basketball, volleyball and took dance classes.  The Mister and I talked it over and agreed to let her give it a try, but she had to agree to finish the whole season, even if she hated it!  She was so excited, I thought she would jump out of her skin.  We found a local football organization that had never had a girl play, but that had nothing in their charter that prohibited girls from playing.  They let her register.  I don't know who was more excited...Edwina or mom!  I couldn't wait to watch another child of mine play the game!

The practices were grueling but she hung in there for all of them.  The majority of her teammates treated her as an equal, although there were a few that just couldn't accept that there was a "girl" on their team!  She was just as strong as any of the boys, but her conditioning was not on the same level.  She never let them see her sweat and she never complained of pain!

The day of her first game arrived.  It was August...hot and muggy!  After the second play, she realized just how out of condition she was and asked the coach to take her out of the game!!!  The coach made her stay in and told her never to make that request again!  As the season progressed, Edwina gained the confidence, the strength and the determination of a true football player and could stand toe to toe with anyone...in her division!  She became quick and agile, and even sacked a few quarterbacks.

Edwina understood the plays and strategies of the game and when asked questions by the coaches she was the first to get that hand up in the air.  She could talk football with anyone (except her girlfriends...they just didn't understand...but they loved to come to her games and check out the "boy" players!)  She managed to get through two seasons with no major injuries, just bumps and bruises.  I was called into the school nurse's office to explain some of those "bumps and bruises."

By the time Ed reached high school, the boys on her team had grown into much larger players than when she first played with them.  Her 5'3" stature, along with her lack of really, really large muscle mass, helped with the decision to not play another year. She legally could have joined the team, but my head and heart felt that she would either get hurt while playing, or get frustrated sitting on the bench.  Thank God for Field Hockey!

Ed will always have those memories, and so will I! In a way, I finally got to experience playing the game through her.  She taught me that sometimes dreams can come true if we are willing to work hard and be prepared for the best.

Thanks for stopping by today.  Please drop by Mama Kat's Writers Workshop and enjoy the stories of other inspiring bloggers!

Beam Me Up...are you there...Scottie...Hey!

Well, well, well Ms. Jenny Matlock! At it again are you? Jenny's Saturday Centus is always a treat for readers and writers. The reads are short, and the writes are no more than 100 words long (in other words, short). Each Saturday we are given a writing prompt and challenged to make it come alive...in just a few words. This week's prompt is "Beam Me Up Scottie" and appears in bold lettering in the story.


Upon entering the moon station, I felt a draft. I caught my profile as I passed the full-length mirror. I screamed, "OMG! I’m naked! How could this happen? Maybe if I pretend that it's normal to be naked, nobody will notice?"

I sat down and turned on my computer. I could see the camera angles to the entrance of station. As I brought up the main level cameras, I saw groups of workers converging upon one cubicle….my cubicle. Fifty people were all within 10 feet of me! I screamed, but it came out as a whisper, “beam me up, Scottie!” Then, I woke up.

Please click on Jenny's Saturday Centus logo and dare to be thrilled with other SciFi stories!

Wednesday Wickedness, The Boss Style

I recently came upon this great meme sponsored by Wednesday Wickedness. Each week, quotes from a celebrity are posted, with questions to the reader following the quotes. This week's meme is about quotes from Bruce Springstein! Yum! Please pop over to Wicked and say hello! Just click on the logo for Wednesday Wickedness below!







Here are this week's quotes:



1. "When it comes to luck, you make your own." Do you believe you have that type of control over your luck?

If I had any type of control over my luck, I would be living the dream somewhere on a warm beach with drop-dead gorgeous guys making a fuss over me! Actually, I believe that luck is just that...there's only one who has control over it...the guy who programs the machines!

2. "You've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above." What is something you have had difficulty rising above?

The fact that Sandra Bullock is getting all the good movie roles! Actually, I have difficulty rising above the need to let go of my kids.

3. "Poor men wanna be rich, rich men wanna be kings, and a king ain't satisfied til he rules everything." Would you want to be rich?

Duh...let's see! I certainly would like to try it for a while. Then, I could make an informed decisions based on the data.

4. "The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with." Tell us about a song that helps you "face the world."

The "Rocky" theme song, "Gonna Fly," and Cyndi Lauper, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun."
5. "In America everything's about who's number one today." Have you ever been a fan of someone you thought would last but turned out to be a flash in the pan?

Yes, Andrew from this year's "American Idol." He started out great, and I thought he would get so much better as time went on. Also, I could name a few politicians who fit this role, too.

6. "Is a dream a lie if it don't come true, or is it something worse?" Has any dream of yours come true?

If you mean literal dreams that happen while you sleep...I would be in deep doo-doo if any of those dreams came true. Otherwise, many of my "dreams" have come true. I married, I had children, I attended college, I was lucky enough to be in a TV commercial, I met a professional football player (I used to be obsessed with this one), and I once reached a weight goal. I still have a list as long as my arm.

7. "Our American government has strayed too far from American values. It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting." What would you change if you became the president?

Well, Bruce, I guess you know about "straying" don't you? If I became president, I would instruct the Federal Government to perform their duties, and only their duties, outlined in the Constitution. Then, I would give back to the people everything that has been taken away from them in the last year and one-half.

8. "Yeah, I had gay friends. The first thing I realized was that everybody's different, and it becomes obvious that all of the gay stereotypes are ridiculous." How do you feel about gay rights?

Gay rights, minority rights, gender rights, religious rights, rights of children... people are people. There are "ridiculous" people who come from all walks of life, even the music industry. I think that if a person is honest, hardworking and has a good heart, it shouldn't matter.

9. "It's a sad man my friend who's living in his own skin and can't stand the company." How have you ever been disappointed in yourself?

I am disappointed in myself at least three or four times a day. But having hope that I might be able to make changes is all I need to get by. Having support from good friends doesn't hurt, either!

10. "The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with." What is your favorite band?

I like music I can dance to... upbeat, loud and full of rich sounds. Music like this takes me away to a happy place where I can escape, regroup and come back stronger. I've heard that certain wines can have the same effect.

Well, there you have it! Please come play with us at Wednesday Wickedness!