becoming a celebrity

Since my last blog entry was kinda suckish, I'm gonna make it a twofer week. I had some issue with my netbook, then with blogger, then with rushing, and I realized after posting I was missing huge chunks of writing, so really the whole ramble just sounds like I'm being a bitch. I'm not denying that self accusation, but it also wasn't my total intent. Let's just all chalk it up to not being my best work and move on. I feel better, don't you?

So I recently had the privilege of being featured in my towns free newspaper The Hometown Clipper (see Heather Foster:Rolling with the Bettie Brigade).It happened quite by accident,as most important moments in my life do (see pregnancies, FRG leader, PTA board member). A fellow volunteer-er, Beth, writes fantastic articles about local goings-on and I thought getting her in the know of my kick ass derby league would be a great way to get other military chicks within the community involved. I think the topic of roller derby came up naturally, Lord knows I'm a talker, and Beth actually asked if she could do an article about us. "US". As in I thought it would be about the league. I only have myself to blame for the silly picture taken in the bathroom enlarged for all my neighbors to see. I guess I thought the TWO HOURS I spent talking to Beth in the cafe(in my defense,they make a damn good latte) across the street would end up being a blurb on one of the pages, sandwiched in between JBLM traffic, and the SHSD school board meeting. It was a Facebook message that alerted me to the reality of my new found popularity.

What a totally humbling experience.

Imagine my surprise when I walk in, all haggard and grumpy mind you, to the office at school to get some PTA work done, and I am met with cheers and excitement and even autograph -seekers! Is it weird to have the people you sell popcorn to call you Smut Peddler, you ask? Yes...yes it is. But it is also freaking AWESOME. My very own paparazzi in the Secretary staff of an elementary school. I'll take it!
I was already pretty popular in my community. Being the "popcorn lady" has it's perks. But I also know that fame is fleeting. Sure, they love you on popcorn day, but the rest of the month, you're just "in the PTA".
Oh,but the stardom didn't stop here. I had people telling my kids they read about me in the paper, parents that know me were stopping me at Target and Ross to chat me up about my "other life". The secretary at the primary school I volunteer at told me she "wasn't surprised" and then asked me all about joining a league! And so many people made the same comment over and over again... " I had no idea you were into Roller Derby". This leads me to believe that A) people tune me out, and B)ROLLER DERBY IS AWESOME!!
While I know that "A" happens all the time (see my kids for a reference), "B" has become more and more obvious since I was thrust into the spotlight. I wasn't the only person in the news. Our bout had press there to cover the event. The article was in 3 major newspapers that week with huge photos of our derby girls in action. It was like a domino effect, every time we turned around, someone else was alerting us to another article,another source. And just this week, a friend deployed overseas alerted me of the article and coverage of the JBLM Bettie Brigade league in the STARS AND STRIPES!! Yep - takin' it International, baby.
Should I let it go to me head? Meh... like I said, I was already a pretty big deal around town anyways. Kids here wear a t-shirt I designed, for crying out loud! But then again... It's pretty freaking cool when you're name comes up in a google search. And I DO give autographs :)

links to other JBLM articles:

http://www.army.mil/-news/2011/05/05/56078-members-of-the-jblm-bettie-brigade-roller-derby-league-bond-together-and-build-character/

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/05/01/1647770/queens-of-bases-bettie-brigade.html

http://www.theolympian.com/2011/05/02/1637027/women-rule-lewis-mcchords-bettie.html


NEED MORE JBLM BETTIE BRIGADE INFO? - BETTIEBRIGADE.COM
OR JUST GOOGLE!!