I’m writing this smack dab between two things that had me pretty worry about whether or not I can pick it up again.  Yet after the first, I am starting to feel more confident about the second.

Last night, I entered the Anchorage Curling Club for the first time since April.  You loyal Bear Feeders may remember that was the crazy little game I took up for the first time last winter as part of just trying to knock something off my bucket list and finding it to be a wicked fun new hobby.
(see: Bucket List: How I Hurried, Hurried Hard & Magic Curls T-Line Weight as Lead at the Speil & As Ends Curling Season, So Ends the Magic )

I’d been worried about heading back mostly because I grew awfully lazy the last couple of months, and am desperately out of shape.  Wandering around on ice for a couple hours didn’t sound like something I would find fun.  Plus I had new curling shoes that will take practice to get used to, and with most of the sessions being with new curlers I thought I would look like an idiot the first time.  As it turns out … I did look like an idiot.  I fell on my ass a couple times, I stumbled and slipped, cursed those new shoes, and at the end of the day … couldn’t stop laughing.  Seriously, it was easy to hop back into it.  You never forget how to fall off a bike I guess.

Tonight, I hop on a plane and fly down to Ohio to start (and end) my Marching Band Judging season.  Since 1997, I have been adjudicating band competitions covering most of the Midwest and Southern states.  Moving to Alaska put a screeching halt to that.  Last year was on purpose, since I moved to Alaska in August, and the season runs September/October, I didn’t think it would be good to attempt to get to shows in the Lower 48.  So, after the longest hiatus in my judging history, this weekend I get back on the horse.

Sadly thought, my judging season not just begins this weekend, it ends too.  I hoped that I would find more Western states work but attempts to get a response from contacts from friends came up short (its a bit of a leap it seems to think someone in Alaska is worth bringing in).  Except for my old judging guild (CSJA).  Originally, I got signed for two shows, but one pulled back on their plans so there was just this one.  Still, it is one.

But I worry how rusty I will be.  Worry I will screw up the equipment and record nothing but silence.  Worried my numbers will be hosed.  Worry that I lost touch with the trends.

But chances are, I’ll get there get into the show and it will be like falling off a bike.