Here’s my kokeshi for the upcoming show at the Japanese American National Museum put on by the Los Angeles Toy, Doll & Amusement Museum. Like the last one I made, I found it pretty hard to part with her. Next time I’m making one for myself!

So we’re out of the playoffs, and to add insult to injury we lost to the team with the 55 points in 19 games gal (who scored 8 goals in 2 games against us), in spite of our best efforts to shut her down. I have to admit that almost team-wide we were off. I don’t know if it was nerves or missing our Kessler or just simply, an off night. The worst part is that I don’t take losing very well, and the madder I get the more intent I am in rubbing someone out in the boards, shoulder to shoulder. I always feel a bit ashamed afterwards, even though I always maintain that there has to be and always will be a physical element to the game, women or not. In fact they should allow it a tiny bit more and every woman should play one season just to recognize their own physical strength.

But the best part about it was that as bad as we all felt after losing (and we’d gone about 8 games without losing – I was beginning to think we were invincible – turns out we’re vincible), hanging around with my teammates and having a good laugh afterwards was the best thing imaginable, and made everything alright in the end. Seriously, I like my team so much I’m taking up golfing this summer just so I can see them.

There’s a team in my hockey division that have been rivals with us for years ( and I say they’ve been rivals, because most of the bad feelings have been on their side) and I’ve just come home from a playoff win against them. It’s been on again/off again (mostly on) for our near-6-year history, and seems to have returned with our last two regulation wins against them.

The new twist in this story is our goalie is involved with their goalie, so we get the privilege of hearing repeatedly how much they hate us. I really don’t want to hear about it, because if someone is going to criticize me and my teammates it’s going to get my back up. We’re obnoxious and lippy – probably true – but it isn’t because we mostly win. Maybe it’s a good thing for the playoffs because I’ll feel the rivalry more keenly. I don’t, however, like how it makes me argumentative with the person telling me about it. So in our next matchup we’re going to try and do a little damage control, as well as kick their asses.

I do talk a lot about hockey, don’t I ? I’m sorry……..but Go Canucks Go!