This is kind of a preface to the next game post, which is way overdue, but oh well. It’ll be posted soon!

When I moved back from Columbus in 2001, I looked for a specific coach who, back in 1995 when I first joined the Tigers and learned how to skate, worked with our then goalie. During my tenure with the Tigers at the time, we only played one game — a scrimmage against 14-year-old boys; don’t ask me what the outcome was — I honestly don’t remember. Anyway, I found him coaching his own team, and he invited me to a practice, after which he told me everything I was doing was wrong.

Well, no one ever taught me how to play in net! I mean, when I played club at Ohio State it was because no one else wanted to do it — I was originally a right winger! I was the goalie for the second half of the ’99 – ’00 season and the first half of the ’00 – ’01 season and started with the club’s equipment, which of course didn’t fit. (I used credit cards to gradually purchase equipment that did fit.) We didn’t have a goalie coach, and our coaches knew very little about coaching goalies. I was simply told to place my body in front of the puck. I ended up quitting due to severe depression; I mean, even my pdoc in Columbus was afraid I wouldn’t graduate! That’s how bad it was! I had to make my studies a priority.

So anyway, that coach asked me a series of questions, and I guess I answered them wrong — I may have said something about how I preferred to score goals or something. That’s when he decided, and these were his very words, that I didn’t deserve to be a goalie.

After that conversation I didn’t put on a pair of skates again until February of 2006 (see “Skate”); not necessarily because of his remark, well, partially, but mainly because of an even more severe depression — one from which I still suffer, and is why I have maintenance ECT. When I re-joined the Tigers last season, I really thought I’d skate up — I mean, I did in that one game I played in during the 2006 Spring Mixer (see “Getting a Life”) — until about the last minute. It wasn’t even so much that I wanted to play in net, but the Orange team didn’t have a full-time goalie, I figured that I wouldn’t get very much back from Play It Again Sports for my goalie equipment, and that the dues would be cheaper. Seriously.

I did skate up in one game last year (see “Game 4, 06 – 07: Tigers Orange 3, the Vixens 3″), and I questioned myself as to whether or not I should remain a goalie. Even our coach encouraged me to do both, and at the time I felt that I was a better forward, and it was all so confusing. But after this recent game (see “Week 7a: Purple vs. the Turtles”) in which I skated up, I know that I’m a better goalie now. Yeah, I still have tons to learn and work on, but I’m definitely better in net than skating up. So really, I count last year as being my first “real” year as a goalie. Funny where life takes us.

I had my monthly ECT on Monday, and they finally got the anesthesia right! They still had 117 lbs. on my chart, even though last month I told them I was at like, 114. This time, it was one of the nurses who knows me pretty well and she made sure to write down the proper weight (112.6 lbs.). I saw her do it.

Of course, now I’m up to 113, but I’ve been incredibly dehydrated, probably because — lucky me! — I have my period even though I just had it two weeks ago and it’s only the second week of my Pill pack. This is the second month in a row this has happened. It’s like, all my medical problems are competing with each other in terms of showing themselves. And of course I have to have my period on an ECT week. It was the same last month, too. *sigh*

At least I’ve recovered from the anesthesia at a normal rate. I was still a bit slow and woozy yesterday, but I managed to do pilates and stretch, even though I had to improvise on the former. As I was expecting, the picture tube on our TV finally died, so we got a new TV over the weekend; except that it’s a newer model, so Brian’s having a difficult time figuring out how to hook up the VCR (my pilates are on VHS). But no matter — I found the exact same tapes on DVD on the company’s Web site, so they should arrive at Brian’s office on Friday via FedEx 2-day air or whatever.

Too bad I didn’t think to have his birthday present and my LEGO Star Wars: Hoth Rebel Base that I pre-ordered with a gift card delivered there, but I think the latter two are arriving via USPS. Though I’m realizing that won’t make a difference. Today we got a card from USPS that they tried to deliver a package from Brian’s sister. Well, I heard the buzzer make a slight buzz yesterday, but sometimes it doesn’t work, or other times, people ring the wrong fricking buzzer. And if I’m not expecting anybody, I’m not answering the door. I should have learned my lesson when we had to order the HP4 DVD via Amazon, which UPS delivered. Brian ended up having to go to the UPS station after work and waiting until 9:00 to get it!

Anyway, even though I stretched yesterday, my neck was incredibly stiff but my Walgreens sock buddy took care of that last night! I also showered, did some chores, and checked e-mail, though for some reason, I seem to be losing interest in things I used to like, like being constantly signed in to e-mail so I don’t miss any (though I am signed in at the moment); IMing; Crackbook; Neopets; blogging; reading blogs (though that’s been going on for a while but I’ve been making more of an effort to do so); and . . . dare I say it? Hockey.

I think it’s mainly because I got spanked so badly at “tryouts” last week. Even though our advanced goalie can’t make it tomorrow, thank God I don’t have to go. I didn’t really have to go last week because the tryouts are for people who want to play on the Blue (int.) or White (adv.) teams, and I already know I’m going to be on Orange again. But the Blue goalie, who’s also my new mentor, said I should show up for one of the tryouts anyway, so the coaches can see where I’m at, although we have completely new coaches for the Blue and White teams.

The Blue coach is a goalie himself and said he’s willing to work with us individually when there’s time during practice. Anyway, just the few things my Blue mentor told me last week really helped — like following the puck with my eyes all the way to wherever it ends up. I made two glove saves during the scrimmage doing that! Usually they bounce right back out, but I took her advice and managed to close my glove as much as I could (it’s still really stiff), and the puck stayed! And both shots were made by white-level players! Still, they stung bad because my glove doesn’t offer enough protection, but I got the call from the pro shop today — my new glove and blocker are here! Too bad we can’t pick them up ’til Saturday because the shop’s all the way out in the ’burbs. But, those saves were worth the sting, especially considering the players’ levels!

Despite this, I still don’t feel as interested in hockey as I was just a few weeks ago, but I’m sure this is a temporary feeling. A few of my own teammates were there, and being with them again was a lot of fun. Also, I’m really out of shape. I hadn’t been on the ice since the Friday before for my Instructional League, and not for three entire weeks before that due to what I thought was a sinus infection that wouldn’t go away, and, though that was part of it (I have chronic sinusitis), mainly because of the stress and tension the PCP diagnosed, which caused all the tiredness and was mostly remedied when the pdoc had me take all my Tegretol at night instead of one in the morning and two at night.

Still, after the tryouts, I was really beat and my knee began bothering me again (there are three of us goalies at the Instructional League, so we rotate and have a chance to rest). So I’m not going this week because I have the Instructional League on Friday (it’s every other Friday), and I need a day for my knee to rest when possible. Even though the 28th is supposed to be my last day of the Instructional League, I gave it to a goalie acquaintance who goes on the opposite Fridays because our first real practice is the night before, and since I’m the Orange team’s Registrar this year, I have to be there to collect certain information from our players or they aren’t allowed on the ice.

Over the summer, my goalie friend and I would sometimes switch Fridays, but I didn’t ask if I could swap the 28th for her 21st session. I know this is totally girly, but I’d made appointments for a haircut and facial long before I found out our first practice date, and the last time I made an appointment at the salon, I ended up rescheduling at the last minute, and I set these up for the 21st.

Finally, and if you’ve read this far, you have my sincere thanks, I made it to the gym on my own today so obviously, I’m feeling OK physically, and somewhat mentally, and then saw my therapist immediately afterwards. I hadn’t seen her since July, so it was good. I just wish we could have had a double session because of all that’s been on my mind, but at least now I have a regular day and time that I’ll see her (not counting next week), and I’ll probably just take the el, so I won’t have to worry about parking. That’ll also knock off one of my 43 Things — taking public transportation again, even if it’s only once a week. Lastly, my other goal is to start going to the gym with Brian on his way to work, which means I’ll have to go to bed earlier!

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It would’ve been totally cool if I caught it in my glove, but I didn’t. As one of my goalie friends said, my glove’s way too small — it’s junior-sized, really old, and still not broken in — not flexible with deep pockets like these new gloves, but not to worry! I’ve already ordered Brian’s Custom Sports’s new intermediate Dx2 glove and blocker in colors to match my leg pads! I just wish they’d get here sooner. The store couldn’t expedite the order because the company’s busy making all the pros’ gear before the season starts. Damn NHL goalies. Well, I’m a professional recreational ice hockey goalie, so what about me?! Anyway, what ended up happening is that I crossed my arms, thinking to hold the puck against my chest when it fell back down (see picture 25), but I missed because the puck stayed in the air longer than I thought it would. Weird, huh? At least I dropped down quickly enough to freeze it before one of the Squirrels tipped it in.

The Orange team played the Squirrels last year, and like us, they’re a green-level team. However, because we’re an exhibition team, anyone who plays against us can have any level player on their roster. We can too, but we don’t. Whenever we’ve played them, including this game, it’s been a super-experienced, high-level goalie who we’ve concluded must have played in college, not a rookie like me. I mean, even the advanced players on our PCC team couldn’t get the puck past her — WTF? At least most of their skaters were about the same level as our Orange team, and their team overall was our speed. A lot of our players also hadn’t played since the end of the Spring Mixer or even the end of last season. It was a good game.