Roanoke Roller Derby affordable fun

It's official: I'm into roller derby. Okay, so today's match between Star City Rollers and the Bruisin' Burgs at the Lee-Hi Skate Center is only my third, but each time has proved tons of fun.
You're probably like me: all you remember of roller derby is a bunch of girls you wouldn't take home to Mom in the '70s going around a banked ring throwing elbows. Well, the difference is, now the rink isn't banked anymore, but the rest is still pretty accurate.

I'd sure derby has enjoyed a slight upsurge because of the recent film Whip it, which is about a young girl out-of-place in the pageant circuit who discovers roller derby (played by Ellen Page of Juno).

What I enjoy other than the action, which is fast-paced and constant, is that the venues keep things pretty economical and fun. You can sit pretty much anywhere. The concession is very reasonably priced (no $6 hamburgers here), and even the fanboy swag is affordable. It's as if - in remaining small - they haven't forgotten what entertaining fans is about in favor of profits.

So if you haven't been to a roller derby since Carter was president, hop on over to Lee-Hi Skate Center tonight (or some other night) and have a blast watching girls named "Kitten Vicious" and "Duchess Von Bruisin". Just be aware that you'll be dreaming up cool names that night, at least I do.

Punchy Bruister...
Britney Fears...

Martial arts on the cheap

When I came to Roanoke from Phoenix, I quickly surveyed the area for a martial arts school to supplant my sorely-missed kung-fu school in Tempe. While the Roanoke area certainly offers an eclectic mix of martial arts, basic economics typically make the prices a little steep. That, and many schools seemed more geared toward kids, though I'm not sure why that equates to higher prices; maybe soccer and cheerleading are pricey hobbies as well.

Either way, after some searching, I may have found the answer: Roanoke County Parks and Rec. Instead of paying more than $100 a month for martial arts, I'm paying $50 for 17 weeks or $100 for the same time period twice a week. While I'm sure training more than once a week is prefarable for really learning an art, I find once a week is just right because I'll never flake on one night a week. If it were twice or three times a week, I'd make excuses half the time.

So now I'm taking Aikido, soon to be joined in the same building (Brambelton Community Center) by my wife who'll be taking kickboxing. Meaning that any marital spats should prove interesting, if a bit disconcerting for the neighbors.

Certainly any concern over how long I can keep up classes is abated by those I know personally who've taken classes in the same vein through parks and rec for several years.

So while tough times mean tighter budgets, maybe Parks and Rec has something you've always wanted to learn but didn't think you could afford the classes or had the time to dedicate to it.