#like tennis courts and roller rinks

[icewindandboringhorror]

If you became super rich and could design your own house, but could only add THREE unnecessary/random/expensive home additions (like how people will have bowling alleys, movie theatres, closets with museums of shoes, car display rooms, spa rooms, wine cellars, etc. in their mansions) - what three would you choose?

[teleportationmagic]

Anyways. Ariana AU where she runs into the blonde girl her boyfriend can't stop looking at, except she's never so much as heard of a Tim Drake and she buys her a coffee and they talk and for the first time in a long time she's someone's center of attention. They promise to meet back up sometime, and then they do, and Ariana doesn't know why she wants to keep this a secret except she does - telling her family about this girl seems. Impossible.

So Steph takes her to the roller rink, and she has a really great time, and they meet again. And she shows her a tennis court, and Ariana wins only just, and they meet again. And the two of them just walk around town, chatting, and they meet again. And again and again until they take a day in the pool and Ariana has a RealizationTM.

And like. maybe she should cut her out. It would be the smart thing to do, and she has a boyfriend, but that boyfriend is never around, and she's always so on edge, that there's someone else there, and she's pretty sure there is. And it's not like this is going anywhere, and Steph's really just a friend, and isn't this what he deserves anyways? She doesn't even think about telling her family. She knows it'd go unimaginably badly - that they'd blame Steph wholesale, just like they will Tim.

And so she goes on, and her relationship starts to strain, and even though leaving never really seemed like an option - not for a girl like her, not for a proper girl - she's so tired of everything hanging by a thread.

And so she finally breaks up with her boyfriend, and goes out on the town with a girl who has eyes like the sky, and right at sundown when she's about to go, she tells her. Tells her the truth, tells her what she feels, tells her that even if she doesn't feel anything back she had to tell her.

And Steph for who all this is news, tells her she has a boyfriend already. But! They could still be friends! And while she doesn't know how the whole into girls things works, Ariana's her friend, and she wouldn't tell anyone, ever.

And just like that, we've role swapped all three of them.

[airasilver]

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner on Monday said she supported a local New York official’s order banning female sports teams with transgender athletes from using county-owned facilities.

The ban applies to over 100 athletic facilities in New York City's Long Island suburbs. Speaking alongside Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman at his office in Mineola, Jenner said allowing transgender athletes like herself to compete against other women will “ruin women’s sports” for years to come.

“Let’s stop it now while we can,” said the reality television star, who came out as a transgender woman in 2015.

The LGBT Network, a Long Island-based advocacy group, called Jenner’s comments a “baffling contradiction” to her own identity as a transgender woman that is “not only hypocritical but also harmful" to the LGBTQ community.

“It is disheartening to witness someone who has experienced the challenges of being marginalized actively contribute to the oppression of others within the same community,” David Kilmnick, the group’s president, said in a statement. “Such actions only serve to amplify the voices of intolerance and detract from the collective efforts towards a more inclusive society."

Blakeman, a Republican elected in 2021, issued an executive order in February requiring any teams, leagues or organizations seeking a permit from the county’s parks and recreation department to “expressly designate” whether they are for male, female or coed athletes.

Any teams designated as “female” would be denied permits if they allow transgender athletes to participate.

The ban doesn’t apply to men’s teams with transgender athletes. It covers all Nassau County-owned facilities, including ballfields, basketball and tennis courts, swimming pools and ice rinks.

Jenner, 74, competed against men when she won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon in 1976. She said she has “sympathy” for LGBTQ people and “understands their struggles” but argued that allowing transgender people to compete with women would undermine gains female athletes achieved under Title IX, a law banning sex discrimination in programs that receive federal funds.

“All I’m trying to do is protect women,” Jenner said Monday.

Jenner, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, has been a vocal opponent of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports. A New York native, she has long lived in the Los Angeles area and ran unsuccessfully for California governor as a Republican in 2021.

Blakeman has argued the ban is intended to both foster fair play and protect girls and women from getting injured if they play against transgender women. His executive order, however, also covers sports like swimming, gymnastics, figure skating and track, where there is no physical contact between competitors.

The executive order also takes decisions about who can play out of the hands of leagues and gives it to the government.

The Long Island Roller Rebels, a local women’s roller derby league, asked a New York court to invalidate the county order, saying it violates the state’s anti-discrimination laws.

The New York Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit on behalf of the league, called Jenner's appearance “another disgraceful attempt” to target and villainize transgender women and girls. Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, said Blakeman's order is “transphobic and discriminatory” and violates state law.

Blakeman has filed his own lawsuit asking a federal court in New York to affirm that the order was legal.

The order is part of a growing number of anti-transgender athletic restrictions imposed nationwide. Bills banning trans youth from participating in sports have passed in some 24 states, though some have been blocked by ongoing litigation.

___

This story has been corrected to show that Blakeman was elected in 2021, not 2022.

This is surprising. I also agree with her. Though I think the male transgenders should not be allowed either.

You want to compete? Make a team of players that are transgender and then do so. People do it all the time with sports, why can’t they do it with transgender players only? Make it nation wide?

[newss-24]

Young roller skaters bring joy to Hammanskraal

About 30 skaters wowed audiences at “An African Celebration on Wheels” on the weekend

Young, talented roller skaters brought some joyful relief to Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, on Saturday. The community has been in the headlines recently for a cholera outbreak. At the start of the performance, spectators were warned not to drink the tap water, but they were at least treated to a dazzling performance by over 30 skaters at the Hammanskraal Sports Complex.

The theme of the performance was “An African Celebration on Wheels”. Most participants belonged to the Hammanskraal skating club, but skaters came from various clubs around the country.

Watching the performance was local resident Joyce Mvambi. She applauded the skills shown by the young skaters. “It’s lovely to see these young kids expressing themselves in this manner. I hope more young children from our township take up skating because it looks like a lot of fun. Not everyone wants to play soccer or netball so it’s good that there are other sports for our kids to take part in,” said Mvambi.

Wendy Gila, president of Roller Sport South Africa, which produced the show, said: “Our township clubs have been extremely successful because we have found that these kids are dedicated to coming to train multiple times a week.”

“Some of our biggest challengers are access to equipment. The equipment is very expensive and we work with children whose feet are growing so they outgrow their skates very quickly.

“Also, Hammanskraal is the only area that has a dedicated skating rink in the country. All the clubs in other areas have to use tennis courts, volleyball courts or any open flat ground like a parking area to practice skating,” said Gila.

[buckykingofmemes]

How on earth did you guys survive summers without air conditioning? Mine went out two days ago and I'm about five minutes away from giving myself an ice cube enema just to make it through the heat.

it wasnt fun, thats for sure. though i’ll admit i never quite got to the point where that sounded like a good idea. 

mostly we acclimated–humans do this neat thing where our bodies can adapt to hot environments, but nowadays people just jump from air conditioned environment to air conditioned environment and dont build up that tolerance by staying in the heat. but back then, we just got used to it. that only goes so far though. 

the summer of 1936 was a nasty one. i mean, horribly, terribly, melt your bones hot. nobody wanted to do anything, it was just so hot. the whole city just wanted to find a shady spot and lie still until the heatwave passed.  people who had fire escapes off their apartments would sleep on them at night, so they wouldn’t have to be indoors, where it was even hotter and there was no moving air. neighborhoods broke open fire hydrants and cooled off that way–i once saw a man in a three piece business suit walk right into the spray from a hydrant, looking blissful as anything. some people carried umbrellas or parasols. people found bodies of water and got in them–rivers, ponds, public fountains, which was neither safe nor sanitary. places that sold cold drinks were packed, and vendors selling shaved ice on the streets sold out. 

but the best thing was the pools. that summer, the WPA opened 11 enormous new public outdoor swimming pools across the city. back then, they were the peak of technology. four of them were in brooklyn, and stevie and i tried out all of them. it was the social site of the season, so i was in fine form. 

it was great–stevie could swim pretty well, despite not having much muscle mass, and the chemicals didnt bother his asthma too much. whenever the two of us werent working, we were at one of those pools. really, it seemed like most of the city was in the water trying to cool off. 

one thing we didn’t have? sunscreen. that wasn’t really around until the war. im a bit darker than steve, and even i was lobster red after the first few days. i made it work--red is my color.

stevie, though. steve was so red he could stop traffic.

[callmethehunter]

Speedo

I've always wanted to write something based on the beautiful pics of Robert playing soccer in his speedo. So here it goes! I want to thank @brownskinsugarplum76 and @firethatgrewsolow for taking the time to look over certain parts and for giving me their excellent feedback. Hope you enjoy Part 1 of Robert in the infamous speedo.

Part 1

During the summer of 1977, the world’s greatest rock band set up camp on the 9th and 10th floors of the Hyatt Continental Hotel on Sunset Strip. Soon there were tales of wild parties circulating among the groupies and the press. Nothing like sex, drugs, and rock & roll in action to boost magazine sales, thought Robert wryly as he sat up in bed, naked amidst the tousled silk sheets; the comforter in a heap on the floor. A discarded bra hung from the lampshade in the opulent sitting area and the silver buckle of his belt peeped out from under the couch. He spotted the small vial that was on the dresser, got up and walked across the room to retrieve it, his cock swaying heavily with each step. He dipped his long pinky nail into it, scooped the white powder to his nose, and sniffed deeply. There, he thought, that should help me get going!

Feeling a bit more motivated, Robert ordered some tea. As he waited for room service, a wave of apprehension washed over him when he contemplated the six sold out shows that would take place at the Forum starting Tuesday evening. Would they be able to sustain their usual level of energy and intensity for six consecutive nights? he wondered.

Robert decided the best way to get rid of his anxieties was through a game of football, one of his favorite pastimes, second only to love making. Robert reached for the phone to invite his friend and fellow enthusiast, Rod Stewart.

That same morning, on the other side of town, Sandy had her own case of the jitters as she re-calculated her budget for the month. She’d wrestled with the decision to buy a new pair of Riedell Quad Rollers. She was caught up in the fascination with skating which was sweeping the nation. People of all ages were replacing their disco shoes with skates. Celebrities like Cher and Linda Rondstat graced the cover of various magazines, further endorsing the new fad. It wasn’t the traditional figure skating you saw in an indoor rink! This was a new type of roller skating, known as jam skating, that had come out of Venice Beach. Sandy was becoming quite skilled at it, however, having to rent skates every time was an expense she couldn’t afford. Thinking of the joy and freedom that she felt as she jam skated, she’d decided to splurge, paying $200 for the quad rollers with the blue wheels. The purchase essentially wiped her out for the rest of the month. But she was OK with that. Buying the skates was well worth the sacrifice of eating bologna sandwiches for the next two weeks straight.

Sandy pulled her favorite rainbow- colored tube socks up her shapely brown calves and laced up the leather Riedells before she left to meet up with her friends at Balboa park. Rolling past the pedestrians on the boardwalk, she looked up at the blue sunny skies on that Saturday morning. The air felt crisp and invigorating as she sped up the pace. She was running late, as usual, and hoped her friends had been able to claim their favorite courts.

Sandy always enjoyed the tennis court’s expanse of asphalt which provided the perfect surface for roller skating. But even better than that, it didn't cost anything. There had been a few skirmishes over territory between the preppies that showed up to play tennis and her long haired skater friends. Since there were only four courts available, it was sometimes the urban version of survival of the fittest, with two separate species vying for limited resources.

As she skated past the soccer fields, she noticed that despite it being early, there was already a fierce match underway. Her eyes were instantly drawn to a tall, athletic figure clad in a yellow jersey and little else. Instinctively, she slowed down, the better to take in the scene.

And what a scene it was! As she got closer, she confirmed that the man was indeed wearing only a speedo that clung to every inch. He had a veritable, mane of thick, golden curls that cascaded around his face as he ran up and down the length of the field.

Something about him seemed so familiar, she thought. She came to a stop by a bench, sat down and pretended to adjust her laces. Behind her dark sunglasses, she surreptitiously studied the blonde as he pranced around, his arms extended with hands clenched as if to remind himself to not handle the ball.

Even at a distance, there was no mistaking the sizable bulge between his toned thighs. Instinctively, she licked her lips as her eyes lingered. The speedo’s green and gold stripes converged at his crotch, drawing her eyes to his overabundant manhood. The long golden curls trailed behind him as he dribbled the ball with muscular tanned legs. When he turned to survey the situation downfield, she was finally able to get a good look at his face: blue eyes, dimples and a chiseled chin. She had the feeling that she’d seen him before!. …Oh my God! could it be...? Her heart skipped a beat and she almost leapt off the bench in surprise and disbelief as her initial impression gave way to absolute certainty. That was definitely none other than Robert Plant.

[pacecourt2]

How To Install A Sports Court Flooring?

How To Install A court Sports Flooring? Synthetic sports flooring the manufacturing process mechanical properties (dimensional stability, rigidity), which are unique. A very high wear resistance of the material is a decisive factor for the choice. The composition of the different types of synthetic sports flooring is identical; all that vary are thickness, which provides sports flooring manufacturers India different impact absorption depending on the requirement. Put on the bottom base of the plate for tennis court resurfacing. In combination with the support of pacecourt achieves the optimal level of performance of synthetic acrylic sports flooring, which is necessary for Intensive training or competitions at a high level of quality synthetic acrylic materials for the protection of sports floors. It all starts with a survey of the surface where the client wishes to install the court. This activity is of prime importance because any decision wrongly taken at this stage can seriously damage the court in future. Pacecourt specialist team is equipped to conduct detailed survey and conduct inspection of the location and the surface to suggest the best possible surface coating and material. This assessment is critical to ensure the right amount is budgeted before commencement of the project and also avoid undue delays.

 Designed to protect and preserve:-

It is an extremely durable synthetic sports flooring protection system that extends the life of your plant for synthetic flooring cost. Ultimate floor protection technology that allows you to easily and safely transform. Your sports facility into a court for exhibitions and ceremonies. Equipped with a specially cushion layer and concrete primer a stabilized backing just vacuum your huge colour-coatingto keep them dust-free and required use for sports flooring manufacturers India for multipurpose sports court.

What Products Require During The Sports Court Installing?  

Pacecourt knows that the decision to either get a new sporting surface made or refurbish an existing surface is critical and involves time and substantial amount of money. Pacecourt manufactures the highest quality synthetic sports surface with a highly experienced team that will customize your requirements and manage the project from start to finish   

1} Concrete Primer:- Pacecourt Acrylic Concrete Primer is a high strength acrylic primer designed to improve the adhesion of Pacecourt acrylic coatings to concrete surfaces. Acrylic Concrete Primer is a consented material that is diluted at the jobsite.

2} Acrylic Resurfacer:- Pacecourt Acrylic Resurface is a 100% acrylic based emulsion blended with selected fibers and fillers to be used for smoothing rough pavements. Acrylic Resurface does not contain asbestos, lead or mercury. Acrylic Resurface when combined with silica sand is designed as an acrylic filler (resurface) coat for use over new or existing asphalt and properly prepared concrete surfaces.

3} Colour Coating:- Pacecourt Colour Coat is a wear resistant, 100% acrylic emulsion consisting of brilliant pigments and quality polymers that are blended into a highly concentrated form. Pacecourt Colour Coat does NOT contain any asbestos, lead, or mercury. An excellent advantage of the Pacecourt Color Coat product is that it can be used for both the texture and finish coats, by job-mixing with water and/or silica sand to achieve the desired.

4} Rubber Cushion:- Pacecourt provides rubber coating for sports surfaces like Tennis Courts to give them a smooth finish and better comfort while playing. Our rubber coating essentially creates a cushion on the surface and also fortifies the acrylic coating.       

5} Line Marking:- Pacecourt gives you a variety of line marking material and it can be in the color of the customer’s choice. Line marking makes the court look brighter and aesthetically more appealing.

6} Silica Sand:- Pacecourt Acrylic Resurface is a 100% acrylic based emulsion blended with selected fibers and fillers to be used for smoothing rough pavements.

 There Are Many Types of Sports Court Flooring:-

1} WOODEN SPORTS FLOORING

Historically, the first floors of indoor sports were made of wood. The advent of artificial surfaces, wooden sports flooring systems remain unbeatable sports for example, playing basketball. There are 4 types of wooden sports flooring: from the most traditional to the most innovative system for wooden sports flooring.

        I. Reflection

      II. Proflex

    III. Multiplex

    IV. Lumaflex support

2} SYNTHETIC SPORTS FLOORING

They resist abrasion and heavy loads such as fixed and telescopic harrows with minimal maintenance. They always preserve sound absorbing with their original colors and prevent accidents and fatigue. It is widely used, among other things, on sports court floor in weight ranges (machines). Since they allow taking care of the joints of users, and it does not need great care. Sports surfaces, such as those used for sports such as used in Tennis, Badminton, Skating, Volleyball, Basketball, Indoor and Outdoor flooring.

  3} INDOOR SYNTHETIC SPORTS FLOORING

They are synthetic floors for sports court, which consist of a rubber carpet base and top layer. Synthetic flooring is available for all indoor sports. They are completely continuous, without joints. They are very wear-resistant. Therefore, its duration is very high. The renovation is quick and economical. They come in a wide range of colors. It is a system that excellently supports nail slippers. For example, for indoor athletics tracks, multisport courts and indoor gyms, vestibules and changing rooms of ice rinks, changing rooms and entrances of golf courses for indoor sports flooring India.

These are sports flooring systems with designs and thicknesses from 6 to 15 mm. Sports halls and gyms, as well as in schools and other sports centers for indoor sports flooring India. Their high load capacity makes these floors suitable for many other activities, including non-sports. It is a special surface synthetic sports floor that provides optimal support and favorable ball jumping properties. For tennis, but allows multifunctional use of tennis facilities. They are systems with high surface hardness to withstand strong inspects and large mechanical loads. The elastic layer provides comfort and good sound insulation. For roller skating, decorative inserts.

 4} OUTDOOR SPORTS FLOORING

Artificial grass for outdoor: sports fields Introduced in 2005, it offers the most advanced in the industry. A durable runs vertically through the center of each surface at resistance for tennis court flooring.

The curved profile of this synthetic sports court surfaces is based on similar structures in nature. Extruded with a synthetic sports flooring especially wear resistance for outdoor basketball court surfaces.

 Durable performance inhibitors are added to the polyethylene mixture during the manufacturing process to create durable resistant flooring. Double resistance of other carpets.

 Colour an olive greenfield green blend that gives the pitches the most natural look for flooring manufacturers in India.

Triple primary support system: Triple primary backing consists of two layers of a needle punched layer between them. With this support system, the weight of the latex coating could be increased by over 80%.After 5,000 test cycles on the sport machine, the loss of shock absorption was only 1%!Artificial grass for football pitches for outdoor sports surfaces.

 5} DURASPINE SPORTS FLOORIRNG

Duraspin a sports synthetic sports flooring is based on similar structures in nature. The curved profile provides that runs vertically through the center of each. Like the stem or middle vein in a blade of grass, this spine gives everyone the fiber therefore matting resistance. Tests show that the floor is far more resistant to radiation and standing traffic is available in a duotone green. Artificial grass for tennis courts. Same qualities are the result of the fine  sand filling that covers the stack. The properties are similar to good clay cuts. These high-quality sand which are extremely resistant to ultraviolet rays, are more densely concentrated at a height of 15 millimeters. Playing comfort similar to sound. The fulcrum of the foot is simple, since it slips for synthetic tennis court

[2nerd4this]

(No-Name) Wait, bowling is a big thing where you are??? Here it's just a way to spend an evening, so like no one is good! (I must say I may have played a lot of bowling on Wii sports, 10 years ago! Sucked even on the Wii!) But yeah, it's funny! If bowling is a big thing (like, can you call it a sport? Here it is definitely not), what do you usually do if you want to do something fun on the weekends?

I guess it’s not really a ‘Big Thing’ but we were a small town with a bowling alley so there were bowling lessons and bowling teams in middle and high school (ages 12-18 for my non-American friends). It is also totally something fun just to do on the weekends but you can almost always find the Boys or Girls Bowling team there practicing or little kids like 2 years old taking lessons and there was a big controversy at my school about whether it counted as a sport or not lol.

Some people are really really good at it and do it as a sport and some people just do it for fun. I suck at it but I love to do it for fun on weekends. Honestly not many people my age would do it for weekend fun because it’s not ‘cool’ or whatever, so they will go to the roller rink or the tennis courts for more ‘fun sporty things’. 

[seeselfblack]

The forgotten history of segregated swimming pools and amusement parks

Municipal swimming pools flourished in the 20th century. But too often, their success was based on the exclusion of African Americans.

Municipal swimming pools and urban amusement parks flourished in the 20th century. But too often, their success was based on the exclusion of African Americans.

As a social historian who has written a book on segregated recreation, I have found that the history of recreational segregation is a largely forgotten one. But it has had a lasting significance on modern race relations.

Swimming pools and beaches were among the most segregated and fought over public spaces in the North and the South.

White stereotypes of blacks as diseased and sexually threatening served as the foundation for this segregation. City leaders justifying segregation also pointed to fears of fights breaking out if whites and blacks mingled. Racial separation for them equaled racial peace.

These fears were underscored when white teenagers attacked black swimmers after activists or city officials opened public pools to blacks. For example, whites threw nails at the bottom of pools in Cincinnati, poured bleach and acid in pools with black bathers in St. Augustine, Florida, and beat them up in Philadelphia. In my book, I describe how in the late 1940s there were major swimming pool riots in St. Louis, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles.

Exclusion based on ‘safety’

Despite civil rights statutes in many states, the law did not come to African Americans’ aid. In Charlotte, North Carolina, for example, the chairman of the Charlotte Park and Recreation Commission in 1960 admitted that “all people have a right under law to use all public facilitates including swimming pools.” But he went on to point out that “of all public facilities, swimming pools put the tolerance of the white people to the test.”

His conclusion: “Public order is more important than rights of Negroes to use public facilities.” In practice, black swimmers were not admitted to pools if the managers felt “disorder will result.” Disorder and order defined accessibility, not the law.

Fears of disorder also justified segregation at amusement parks, which were built at the end of trolley or ferry lines beginning in 1890. This was particularly true at park swimming pools, dance halls and roller-skating rinks, which were common facilities within parks...

... Protests at pools

Major civil rights campaigns targeted amusement park segregation, most notably at Gwynn Oak Park in Baltimore and Glen Echo Park outside of Washington, D.C. And other parks, such as Fontaine Ferry in Louisville, were sites of major racial clashes when African Americans sought entrance.

By the early 1970s, most of America’s urban amusement parks like Cleveland’s Euclid Beach and Chicago’s Riverview were closed for good. Some white consumers perceived the newly integrated parks as unsafe and in turn park owners sold the land for considerable profit. Other urban leisure sites – public swimming pools, bowling alleys and roller-skating rinks – also closed down as white consumers fled cities for the suburbs.

The increase of gated communities and homeowners associations, what the political scientist Evan McKenzie calls “privatopia,” also led to the privatization of recreation. Another factor contributing to the decline of public recreation areas was the Federal Housing Administration, which in the mid-1960s openly discouraged public ownership of recreational facilities. Instead, they promoted private homeowner associations in planned developments with private pools and tennis courts...

See also:

- Racism at American Pools Isn’t New: A Look at a Long History

- A Place for Us

- Years Ago, Summer Meant (Almost) Everyone Headed To Fairyland Park

- Swimming while black: the legacy of segregated public pools lives on

- Race, Riots, and Roller Coasters: The Struggle over Segregated Recreation in America

[mostlydaydreaming]

Gene Kelly performing “I Like Myself” in It’s Always Fair Weather

The stage was an old cement tennis court with a missing net...

The performers were a father and his young daughter roller skating on a Sunday afternoon in Beverly Hills in the ‘50s.

As the girl made steady, tight circles around the court, her father crossed and recrossed her path, swooping, gliding, waltzing, tangoing, and shimmying with seamless ease. All the while, he sported a winsome, crooked grin.

Watching Gene Kelly that day was “an incredible sight,” recalls the stage and film writer Betty Comden who, with her partner Adolf Green, had invited the star and his daughter Kerry to use the improvised rink on the grounds of their rented bungalow.

“Adolf and I just looked at each other and said, ‘We have to get this into a movie.’”

(People 2/19/96)

[mojogaragedoorrepairsanantoniotx]

Top 5 Parks To Visit In San Antonio

San Antonio is a beautiful city, and it's even more enjoyable when you have some nice parks to visit. Here are my top five favorite parks in the city.

Brackenridge Park

This lush, petite park is one of the oldest in San Antonio and is a great place to take your dog. It also has a lot of history, as it was once home to the first zoo in Texas and then became known as an amusement park with a carousel and roller coaster. Today, there are plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation (hiking, biking), bird watching, picnicking at picnic tables or grilling on picnic areas with barbecue pits.

Joe C. Davidson Park In Burlington

Located in Burlington, Joe C. Davidson Park is one of the largest parks in San Antonio and features amenities for every type of traveler. There are two playgrounds, a sports field and two pavilions that can be reserved for events. The park also has an outdoor swimming pool and plenty of green space to hike or jog through.

The park offers live music concerts on Friday nights during the summer months, making it a great place to visit if you want some fun but don’t want to drive out of town. If you have kids with you they will love taking advantage of all the playgrounds located throughout the park as well as feeding animals at their petting zoo!

Harmony Hills Community Park near Arboretum

If you're looking for a great park to visit with your family, Harmony Hills Community Park is the perfect place near Arboretum. This park has everything from a basketball court to a playground and plenty of space for picnics, parties and other gatherings. If you have little ones in tow, they'll love the swings and slides at this playground. You'll also find plenty of trails here that are perfect for walking or jogging—or even biking if you'd like.

There's also an awesome view of Lake Austin at this park. If you're feeling lucky, make sure to stop by during sunset so that you can catch some beautiful views as the sun sets over the lake!

Woodlawn Lake Park

Woodlawn Lake Park is a great place to visit if you're looking for an escape from the city. This park is situated in the heart of San Antonio and features a scenic lake that's perfect for fishing, boating, and swimming. Fun fact: Woodlawn Lake was once used as a regulation-size swimming pool for local high school students!

In addition to its natural beauty, Woodlawn Lake has many other amenities available for its visitors' enjoyment including picnic areas with grills and tables; playgrounds for children; shelters with electricity; restrooms; hiking trails; boat ramps (where you can launch your own vehicle into the water); tennis courts; volleyball courts; horseshoe pits; ice skating rinks (when conditions permit); fishing piers where anglers can cast their lines into the water below them—and much more!

Woodlawn Lake Park offers free admission year round except during special events like concerts or festivals which may require paid admission tickets. Hours vary depending on time of year so be sure to check their website before planning your trip here.

San Antonio is a great city to explore. There are many parks located throughout the city that offer an array of activities for residents and visitors alike. Whether you're looking for a large park with plenty of room for sports and activities, or something more intimate where you can enjoy nature's beauty with your family and friends; there's something here for everyone!

Mojo Garage Door Repair San Antonio is a company that provides garage door repair services. They have been in business since 2017 and have the experience to help you with any garage door problems you may be having.

They service all types of garage doors, including residential, commercial and industrial doors. They also specialize in opener repairs, electrical repairs and replacement parts for any type of opener or door.

If you are having trouble with your garage door in San Antonio, contact Mojo Garage Door Repair San Antonio today!

Mojo Garage Door Repair San Antonio 11103 San Pedro Ave #215, San Antonio, TX 78216, United States 210-997-7777 https://mojogaragedoors.com/ https://www.google.com/maps?cid=4487327346855523271

[gayleontologists]

i love living near public tennis courts cos it’s like having a free roller rink B)

[heyhanaan]

i just received this question and ive decided to answer it publicly because i want everyone who’s thinking taking up skating to get the right size because it’s SO FUN and i want everyone to enjoy it and be as happy as i am !!! :)

A:

i bought my skates from rollerskatenation.com

i did a lot of research and looking around online and ended up buying from there because it seemed to be one of the more reputable sites with the best deals. i read reviews and everyone seemed to be happy with the products and the customer service

as for tips on buying the right set up for beginners, i went online and found a few great articles that really helped me learn about the technicalities of the a skate itself (i would link it here but i’m on mobile right now. ill do that later) i would suggest learning about each part of it and how everything works before doing anything else. this way, you know what you should really spend your money on

i decided to go with Riedell boots because they’re well known in the skating community. i went to a roller skate shop in Brooklyn to get professionally sized because the fit is SOOO important but i already knew what size i was because of all the research i did prior. i measured my foot at home and compared all my most comfortable sneakers and boots to the Riedell skate chart (ill link that later but you can look it up if you choose go with the brand). it was extremely helpful to be able to match my foot down to the inches and millimeters. i compared my sneakers to Riedells UK size, European size, and men sizes (bc i wanted a black boot and black boots only come in men’s sizes)

she measured my foot and gave me advice but i honestly didn’t take any of it. she told me to buy a starter skate set which was like $100 just until i was sure i actually liked skating but i’m a stickler for only spending money on only good shit. i hate buying something i know i’ll have to replace. in total, i spent $500+ on my skates. the boot by itself was the bulk of that. its the Riedell 297 boot. it was important to me that my boot was made with full grain leather (the best leather available. research full grain leather vs top grain vs suede vs pleather). i won’t have to buy another boot for like 30 or more years (with the proper care of course)

the most important things about a skate are the bearings and the wheels so make sure you get good ones. when i first bought my skates, i planned on skating outdoors a lot but i wanted the option to skate indoors too so i bought 85a indoor/outdoor wheels (research roller skate wheel hardness). i practiced a lot on tennis courts before going to the rink for the first time so when i went, i would at least know how to stand. when i went rink skating woooooow woooow. i loooved it. i think rink skating will be my thing but i need to get a harder, smaller wheel (somewhere in the 90s. maybe 98a. again research how to choose roller skate wheels)

i’m rambling but i hope some of this was helpful! good luck and let me know if you have any more questions ❤️

[arcadefloorvibes]

Dear Tumblr

Alright, I’ve been meaning to write this for ages (literally a month) because tumblr wouldn’t let me post this on mobile so now I’m posting this from my laptop

Now, the main reason I announced what was going on with Laurie is because 1) I felt like since you guys have been with me for most of that journey, I should let you know when it ends

And 2) because there’s a really cute guy at my home-school meet up and I’m going to die.

To explain, me and a few of my friends attend a monthly roller-skating event with a bunch of other home schoolers, it’s great, it’s fun, I personally freaking love roller-skating so this whole thing sounded awesome to me

And I’d been to the place since it’s the only goddamn roller-skating rink that isn’t 5 hours away (I wish I was kidding)

This is a long one guys, buckle up

So, we rock up and in my head I did the same thing that happened with Laurie,

“Hey Jordaaaaaan” the stupid romantic part of me said “what if…. You get a datemate here…. In a veeeeeeeeery fanfic fluff scenario place??????? HMMMMMMMMMMMMM???????”

And I’m like “no brain very unlikely”

Which is also what I thought when I met Laurie.

So, we’re waiting outside, eager to go and skate and I start examining the potential datemate candidates.

Because I’m a lonely pan that just wants a FUCKING DATE

Plus, the last mass group meeting thing I did, I didn’t know I was pan. So that meant everyone was an option

I tap my friend who I have mentioned before as BTSfan or if you watch my YT videos you’ll soon find out her name, (I’m not saying it here because I don’t know if she’s cool with her name on tumblr, but you know who you are), and I’m like “Is that (Name of other friend who we haven’t seen in ages and TBH isn’t exactly relevant in this but it makes sense later why I’m mentioning him)” and she’s like “Holy shit, he’s way taller now” and we start talking to him and being like “hey HOLY SHIT YOU’RE TALL” and I stop looking for datemate candidates.

Thank god.

If I noticed the guy I’m about to mention now, I would have died on the spot.

So, we go in and I realise out of the friend group I’m in, four of us, I’M THE ONLY ONE THAT KNOWS HOW TO SKATE

So, I skate on roller-skates because I feel safer on them and I actually own those white 90’s looking ones

Not joking I own this exact pair, fuck rollerblades I’m out here looking old school AF

So, I don’t really know how to teach rollerblades, thankfully my friend BTSfan and her sister Prettyfriend’s mom knew how to skate rollerblades so she taught Prettyfriend and Tallfriend how to do that while I taught BTSfan

And thennnnnnnnn

Cuteboy appeared

Cuteboy (I swear to god I’m obsessed) was wearing like a sans jacket but it looked like denim

Like imagine this but denim

That’s what he was wearing

And I was like HOLY SHIT HE’S REALLY CUTE

And I tap my friend and I’m like “Not to freak you out, but there is a REALLY CUTE GUY SKATING BY US” and she looks at him and literally says “OKAY WOW”

And then he did the most amazing thing that probably isn’t that amazing to people who roller-skate a lot but to a pretty much casual skater this was amazing to me

He skated a FUCKING CROSS STEP TURN

I’M NOT FUCKING KIDDING

I WAS LOSING MY MIND

AND MY FRIEND WAS LOSING HER MIND

AND WE WERE LIKE HOLY SHIT THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!

So, for the whole hour we were there I stared at this boy CONSTANTLY like he would skate past and I would just stop and stare at him until BTSfan was like “Uhhhh Jordan! You’re drifting off!” I would drift away from her, I nearly crashed into a wall, I WOULD NOT STOP STARING AT THIS BOY

I started trying to build up the courage to ask for his name because either I wanted his name or for him to know his cross step looks FUCKING AWESOME

And I just couldn’t ask him, I couldn’t say anything

Then BTSfan needed a break halfway through, (Understandable we’d been skating for half an hour straight and she was a newbie), so I started skating on my own

God, I missed the feeling of just skating

When we did that session in November, I hadn’t skated since January, I hadn’t skated on a driveway, a tennis court, nothing

And it just felt really nice to skate again

Plus, I got to dance skate and dear GOD I MISSED THAT SO MUCH

Dance skating is basically me skating to the tune of the music.

On tennis courts that’s really hard to do, so being on a smooth concrete surface made me move really fast.

And then Cuteboy skated past me at one point and was like fiVE CENTIMETRES AWAY FROM MY ARM

AND THEN I REALISED HE WASN’T WEARING THE JACKET

HE WASN’T WEARING THE JACKET

HE WAS WEARING A CAMO T SHIRT

I WENT INTO FUCKING PANIC MODE

I skated over to BTSfan and just whispered “HE’S NOT WEARING THE JACKET” and she was like “I wondered when you’d notice, are you okay?”

“NO, I'M GOING TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK”

And she was like “do you want me to take a photo?” and I'm like “No, RESPECT PRIVACY” and she’s like “OKaaaaaaaaaaaay” and then I get back to dying

LAURIE WAS NOTHING LIKE THIS

AT ALL

Laurie was cute and he’s still going to have a place in my heart, but my emotions toward him more like extreme butterflies

One thing I say a lot when it comes to my crushes is that I can easily talk to them, meaning they have no clue I like them.

IF THIS BOY HASN’T NOTICED HE IS EXTREMELY BLIND I NEVER BLUSH THIS MUCH

Like I’d look at him, and just—

Everything speeds up and I struggle breathing and just

WHAT IS WITH ME

But then, unfortunately

Time ran out

And I wouldn’t see him for another month

So, I’m taking off my skates, hoping to see him and be like “Hey your cross step looked awesome” but he doesn’t show up.

Because he left the rink through the other gate not facing me to return the skates he borrowed from the rink.

I only know this because afterwards I saw him and my friends talking to him.

Well more specifically, Prettyfriend because she knows how to socialise and talk to other human beings

I know I found one of those “extroverts” I’m amazing

And then just as I’m admiring how fuCKING PRETTY THIS BOY IS

BTSfan comes running over

And I’m like “are you okay—” “I have just done God’s work”

And I’m like ????

“his name is Edward”

Not his real name but equally beautiful

I immediately hug her “I love you and you’re the greatest human being on this planet and don’t you dare think otherwise”

I mean I normally say those things to her but like this was a joyous moment

So, I go over with her to where our other friends are taking off their skates when Cuteboy has to leave

He waves at us and says bye and I inSTINCTIVELY WAVE AND SAY BYE BACK BECAUSE I’M A PERSON WHO’S ETERNALLY AFRAID OF BEING RUDE

He leaves and I just realised that’s the first time I spoke to him

And heard his voice

And I’m just going red and just processing this

“Jordan are you okay?” Prettyfriend totally knew already, “I don’t know” I reply bringing my hands in the fucking anime pose of covering blush

 LIKE EXACTLY THIS 

And so ends the november Rollerskating session

It was when I checked instagram later I realised I left a pretty gaping loophole for BTSfan

I said I didn’t want her to take photos of him for me

I forgot she thought he was cute too

So I open up the tagged photo of all the selfies and right at the end there is a small 20 second video of him skating

I LOST MY MIND

Not in anger at what she did, she had said earlier she has a bit of a stalker side

But more of

HOLY SHIT I CAN LOOK AT HIM WHENEVER I WANT

So yeah

That was the first Rollerskating session

Now you’re probably wondering “why do you wait a month to post this, you said you’d do it after a week!”

Yes I know.

But then before I knew it the december session arrived

Which as I’m writing this at 11pm it is the day of

AND I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO DIE

I JUST

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Alright a bit of backstory on this,

1)      When the video I recorded with BTSfan comes out everything we talked about at the end of the recording will have already happened

2)      BTSfan was dared by another friend to either use a pickup line on one of the guys there OR ask them to brush her hair which is how her parents met

So…

She was really nervous about it and she was like

“If I do that dare, you have to at least say hi to Edward, I don’t care if that’s all you say and then leave, just say hi to him”

And so that was what I set off to do

And holy shit did I FAIL THAT TASK

What I didn’t expect was that 1) I would really miss him after a month and 2)

I HAVE LIKE A SENSOR ON HIM

We walk in a bit late and BTSfan is like “I wonder if he’s here” and I’m like “No, he’s here.”

WE HAVEN’T EVEN PAID ENTRANCE YET, CAN BARELY SEE THE RINK AND I ALREADY DEFINITELY KNOW HE’S HERE

AND I WAS FUCKING RIGHT TOO

This also happens later when we’re playing a game the roller rink people set up and there’s like 30 people on the rink.

I get eliminated and go sit next to BTSfan who realised that rollerblading actually hurts your feet more

“Is he still in the game?” “Yeah.” “how do you know?” and then without looking told her exactly where on the rink he was standing (the game was like musical chairs) She looks behind me and I'M RIGHT

“I DIDN’T EXPECT YOU TO ACTUALLY KNOW!”

“WAIT WHAT??” I was shocked at myself tbh

But my mission was to talk to him

And goddamn it I couldn’t do it

If you guys have seen that one OZMAFIA episode on my channel where Kyrie finally confesses to us and I have to read out that line IT WAS LIKE THAT BUT IN REAL LIFE

I JUST HAD TO SAY HI ITS NOT THAT FUCKING HARD

I would get the word, make my voice get ready to say it, sense where he was, time it, see him and—

The words die in my throat

Wonderful Jordan fucking brilliant

BTW BTSfan did ask a boy to brush her hair and it WORKED???? Like, he accepted. And then it got awkward and my friend never talked to him again but hey she did it! and she’s shyer than me!

I JUST HAD TO SAY HI

NOT

THAT

FUCKING

HARD

So, it gets to a point, where I tell BTSfan “okay I don’t think I’m going to do this, physically,” and then……

At the worst

And I mean the worst possible timing ever

He destroyed any possible chance that I would be able to say hi to him

God I’m blushing thinking about it

Okay

So, he’s doing his cross-turn thing

And I of course go and look at him

And its when I realise he’s blocked by a bunch of small children

He has only one direction to go

Which is the wall

Its’ safe and he won’t run over children

What he would do is crash into ME

LIKE

I noticed this and started to move out the way, but the children blocked ME

AND SO HE CRASHED INTO ME DOING A FUCKING KABEDON

EXCEPT WAY MORE AWKWARD AND LIKE CRASHING INTO ME

SPECIFICALLY PUTTING HIS HANDS ON MY WAIST IN AN ATTEMPT TO MOVE ME (didn’t work)

HE JUST SAYS “sorry, are you okay?” AND I’M LIKE “yeah I’m fine” AND SKATES OFF NOT REALISING THE EMOTIONAL TRAIN WRECK HE JUST PUT ME THROUGH

And BTSfan is like “are you okay?” I knew she meant physically because you know someone just crashed into me

BUT AT THAT POINT I WAS JUST FREAKING OUT

I'M FREAKING OUT AGAIN JUST WRITING THIS

“Physically, yes. Mentally, no.” I actually could not breathe properly, my heart was pounding out of my chest, I was losing my MIND

The guy I HAVE A CRUSH ON

JUST GRABBED MY WAIST

I WAS NOT EMOTIONALLY OR MENTALLY OKAY WHATSOEVER

“BTSfan, I am having a heart attack and I am not going to be able to speak to him now. At all. Not happening”

And I just skated

And just

Tried to ignore EVERYTHING OR ELSE I WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY DIE

It nears the end

And the final song is playing

And I brace myself for the final song because last time it was a Bruno mars song that I really hated and I so far they were playing nearly the exact same songs

And then….

SOME

BODY

ONCE TOLD ME

And I was like “ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?”

Fun fact: the last time I heard All Star it was Laurie singing it, so yayyyyyy

And I just kept skating and honestly I hated that song before Laurie, it was good for memes but repeatedly and as a song I hated it

But after Laurie I did genuinely start to enjoy the song so I’m singing and skating to this song and I notice Edward dance skating to the song and just

He’s adorable and I really like this boy

So, by this point I’ve accepted the fact I won’t be able to speak to him and thank every god under the sun that the flashing rainbow lights were still on when he crashed into me

I’m skating, I’m singing, I’m trying to ignore the memory in my head—

“Jordan!”

And instantly I turn my head around and

It’s Edward

Its FUCKING EDWARD

“How are you?”

“I’m doing good, how have you been?” “Doing good, only fallen over once so that’s pretty good!” then he waves at me “See you later!” and skates off

I find myself the nearest wall and just process what the EVER-LOVING FUCK JUST HAPPENED

HE SPOKE TO ME

HE KNOWS MY NAME

HIS VOICE IS WAY HOTTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE

HE

KNOWS

MY

NAME

AND THEN PRETTY FRIEND COMES OVER AND SHE’S LIKE “How’d go~?” and I’m like “If I die, you know the cause, HOLY SHIT HE KNOWS MY NAME”

So, I just hit blushy mess mode and just

I don’t even remember the rest of what happened

Afterwards I’m putting on my shoes

By myself

Because I’m the only one that actually owns skates and doesn’t have to return them

And then because I’m still sneaking glances at him, he makes eye contact and waves

And just

I wave back because I’m a polite person

And I hope and pray he mistakes the blush for overheating

Just

And then my brother who already knew and came about fifteen minutes earlier comes up to me and is like “I saw you talk to him” “Byakuya I’m going to flip a table help me” To explain his name by the way he’s a reincarnated 9year old Byakuya Togami

In other words, an emotionless bitch.

He has never cried at a movie. We’ve watched Lion King with him

THE FUCKER DIDN’T CRY AT MUFASA’S DEATH HE IS AN EMOTIONLESS HUSK

About an hour after all the roller-skating happened Byakuya told me that Prettyfriend had asked him to talk to me

Which is fine

It’s just that if I die we all know who the murderer behind the scenes is

I did say “thank you for doing that and also thank you for giving me a heart attack”

So then after all that

I’m here

At 12am

Writing this

Because otherwise I will implode from all the emotions

If ya’ll read this whole thing then holy shit you are a legend and I love you you’re amazing thank you for caring enough about my rambles that you read through almost 3000 words when that could be spent on fanfiction

Thank you

Will there be an update next month? Most likely

I will probably be dying then as well

Anyways

I guess this goes under Edward Stories now huh

Or RollerBoy

Eh I’ll do both

Alrighty then I’m going to try and sleep now so yeah

Oooh wait Imma tag @cubedtriangle​ in this, girl this is a ride and half, like I thought Laurie was a ride but damn if this ain’t a fucking death roller coaster then I don’t know what it is

Okay then everything seems to be in order

Have a good night or morning wherever you are!

Maze Girl out

P.S I want “Accept the crazy and the world becomes more fun” on my grave in case I do die from this boy

[carnivalrentalsbiz-blog]

Why Ice Skating is an Activity To Engage in All Year

 Both ice and roller skating experience has been advanced to another level with the recent introduction of portable ice skating rink which is readily available for everyone. During any time of the day that you feel like skating no matter your location, you can now be able to with the recent introduction of portable rink. These ice skates are artificial and manufactured in such a way that they do not require the ground to have ice whenever you are using them.  You have the ability to decide the specific place where you prefer using the ice skates since they are ideal for use in both indoors and outdoors environment without any challenge. The possible situations where the ice skating rinks can be used without complications include during the coldest winter seasons and during the hottest summer months.

 These rinks have become so popular as a result of their ideal purpose.  Currently the portable ice skating rinks firm has about four rinks available for hiring at any time of the day regardless of your locality.  The specific places where you can be able to use the ice skating rinks are for example, in a levelled parking lot, in a surface and even in a tennis ball court.  The necessary setups required when doing your ice skating include rubber mats, a perimeter covered with stanchions, recorded music, and well decorated lighting system for any person who may require to attend their session at night.  

 This company offers services globally for any interested clients at affordable prices.  Quality products and skating services are offered by the professional staffs are experienced to deliver reliable skills. Their aim is to ensure your party is memorable and wonderful for a lifetime.  The fact that the firm has been in the skating sector for more than two decades, that enables them to deliver the best and hold so many events.  With the availability of so many inventories that makes it possible for you to get multiple services at a go.  Available services and parties include parties, picnic, promotions, casino nights, personal events and wedding gatherings. For more facts about skating, visit this website at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_skating.

 Research and learn more if you feel interested in becoming an ice skating sport enthusiast. You can confidently engage in any event all around the year with the use of portable skating rinks. The easy to step portable rinks can grace your public or private event by enticing the attendants. Besides as the client you have the ability to organize the type of skating motion you prefer.  Various people from different sources come together to form a skating team whereby they motivate and encourage each other during the event. Be sure to rent here!

[annachronismmm]

2016:

A year of transition, of change. When I started writing this, I wanted it to be a melding of world events and my life, but it turned out to mostly be my life. Whoops. Anway, here’s my take on the craziness of last year: 

2016. A sentence that begins with quotation marks savoring of both endings and beginnings. The last year of chlorine, of perpetual exhaustion. A year of anxiety and apprehensions, applications and lessened application in the pool. A year of decimals--disappointing decimals, that is, slightly more than there were last year. Of yellow ribbons instead of white. Of love for the girls on your team--and those annoying boys, too. Of that mattering much more than the times.

A year of breakfast, of starting something silly with your friends because it’s second-semester senior year and what the heck. A year of dancing. Of learning to let go of leading and letting the up-and-comers take charge.

Again, a year of uncertainty. Of loading admissions portals with your eyes squeezed shut, terrified to see the results. Of celebrating good news and bemoaning the bad. Of finding new friends in strange places--in potatoes, of all things. Of knowing exactly what you want and spending spring break working to make it happen.

But then: a year of the guidance counselor materializing above you as you sit in the hallway with Maddie, Jeffrey, and Frankie. Of the valedictorian standing behind her. Of an invisible choke hold around your neck as you realize what’s happening and you know you should be exhilarated but you just aren’t. Of lilies, clutched in your arms, that break your heart but not because they’re beautiful. Of going home and crying in the bathtub because you feel like a piece of shit for wanting to throw away something that so many people you know would be incredibly grateful to have. Of revisiting a school you’d entirely written off so long ago, of realizing yes, you could love this place, too.

Still, though, a year of picking the sensible option, because that’s what you always do--your heart is forever muzzled, your mind with its hands firmly grasped on the leash.

A year of realizing that you can’t make a hero out of a person, because they’re bound to let you down, bound to be just as flawed as everyone else. Of proving him wrong, of adrenaline-rushed match play because that spot is ours, goddammit, we’re boss ass bitches who are fucking CLOSERS and we’ll be damned if politics are going to get in the way of that. Of deuce, of sheepish laughter. Of sunburns. Of dinner on the river bank. Of calls from the hotel front desk and pretending like we don’t know what’s going on, that people haven’t been banging on our door for the past hour even though we’re just inside hanging out.  

A year of a swanky dinner and ball gowns. Of speeding along in a jolting red sports car with a king, a prince, and your best friend with you. Of driving to the roller rink, contentedness emanating throughout you, with “Scar Tissue” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers illuminating the dark roads packed in by corn.

A year of finally not caring about a class. Of frauleins, frown lines, of saying plEASE in the most nasally voice you can summon. A year of Le Petit Prince, of right wingin’, bitter clingin’ proud clingers. A year of “Copperhead Road,” of Microsoft Paint.

And, finally, a year of endings, of goodbyes. Of lasts. Of it all feeling surreal for the next three weeks. Of knowing the next time you walk through those doors, you won’t have your backpack and it will all feel different, changed, permanently.

A year of ducking out early, of school being out of session for UDHS but still in session at FSU. Of, a week earlier, overconfidence at sectionals and paying dearly for it. Of petty parents and unrelenting shame as you trudge off the court. Of, today, craving redemption with every atom in your body and attempting to contain the nerves that come with that. Of an ace on match point. Of 6-3, 6-3. Of a win at regionals. Of the bus breaking down in the parking lot, but that being surprisingly okay because oh my god, it was the last day of school with these people forever and we just won regionals, too. Of sprawling out on the sun-drenched, dusty red courts with our water jugs in hand, again watching the up-and-comers rally half-lazily, half-seriously because they know their time will come, too. Of Ivanhoe’s with your best friends, sitting at a booth awkwardly because it all just ended and no one knows where to tiptoe first in this vast, exciting unknown.

A year of semi-state. Of being ridiculously, completely the underdogs. Of entertaining hope but entering the court with the suspicion that today, you’re playing for personal honor instead of team victory. Of personal victory and team defeat--again, another ending, another fig falling off the tree, spoiled.

A year of mortarboards and gowns. Of walking out of the auditorium at the front of the line, past all those parents who have shown you kindness over the years. Of emerging outside into the setting sun, laughing and hugging. Of pictures. Of Dairy Queen with your grandparents. Of post-graduation s’mores with friends, the reality of it all still not reality. Of never-ending parties and crockpots of pulled pork.

A year of t-shirts--lots and lots of t-shirts. Of ink and squeegees and screens. Of conveyor belts and boxes.

A year, still, of tennis. Of deuce, endlessly. Of small redemptions, revenge served. Of penguins. Of letting your partner’s ego run rampant because it’s funny and honestly kind of entertaining--then, of seeing him defer to the alpha tennis male. Then, beating said alpha tennis male and his partner. Of being a dark horse and #norespect.

A year of new cities. Of streets and avenues, crowds of people who don’t give a shit about you and honestly, that’s wonderful. Of mind-blowing cookies and the musical you’ve been dying to see. Of renowned paintings and sculptures, of a lush green square plopped in between the skyscrapers. Of wandering the High Line on Bastille Day with an old friend. Of returning home with a hunger for more.

A year of summer bonfires with friends old and friends really quite recent. Of kayaking down the river, letting the current pull you, of laughing when the others get stuck on a sandbank. Of county road car adventures. Of blue raspberry creamy slushes and that disgusting candy cotton Mountain Dew concoction you refused to try.

A year of an excruciatingly long July because you can’t wait to JUST GET THE HECK OUT OF HERE ALREADY. Of scouring Pinterest for dorm decorating ideas. Of packing, and, finally, more goodbyes. Of not knowing how to say goodbye to the best friend you’ve had since fourth grade. Of not crying until you’re on the interstate and not really knowing why, because this is what you’ve been looking forward to for years. Of the bumper-to-bumper traffic on the way into campus. Of you, your roommate, and your mom carrying your stuff into the dorm.  Of initial awkwardness--with everyone. Of having to walk away before your mom even gets in the car to drive away because she’s your best friend and you know you’re about to lose it.

A year of sweltering heat that first week, yet trekking all over the campus you don’t yet know in spite of it. Of adventures with people who will turn up again later. Of wandering through the art museum with people you’re pretty sure are going to be your friends.

A year of finding your people--the ones who love books and learning and early mornings just as much as you do. Of early Saturday morning runs through campus, when it’s empty and covered in a layer of dew. Of sitting in your friend’s dorm room in your pajamas as half the floor troops down the hallway for a night out. Of being perfectly, incandescently happy right where you are. Of sitting in the quad on a blanket with your friends, gossiping about boys. Of weekend afternoons spent at the library.

A year of enlightenment, of lots and lots of reading. Of timid knocks on professors’ doors for office hours. Of falling in love with the subjects you didn’t expect. Of call-out meetings. Of weekly deadlines and parliamentary procedure.

A year of late nights studying, but not always. Of staying up until 6 with a boy who, in the end, can’t ever say what he feels. Of kissing him, of disappointment in that. Of silence. Of realizing that you really didn’t care that much about him, either.

A year of nonsensical videos, of 9 P.M. runs to the cafeteria with your friends for donuts and hot chocolate. A year of exploring a new town. Of downtown festivals and restaurants and farmer’s markets.

A year of color runs. Of swim club. Of coming to the realization that working out is still a necessity, even when you’re walking five miles a day.

A year of SNL, of David S. Pumpkins, of Kate McKinnon’s Hillary Clinton. A year of disappointment and realization on a national scale. Of waking up on November 10th to the results you never expected. Of numbness, of shock. Of rude relatives on Facebook. Of sorrow.

A year of more cities--cities of the windy variety, that is. Of long hours in committee, of new friends. Of finally being home. Of it feeling like it’s been a day since you last saw some of your high school friends and running out of things to talk about once you’ve gossiped about your former classmates with the others. Of starting to appreciate your hometown, of loving it for its flaws, road entirely made of fast food chains and potholes and all.

A year of deciding to trust the boy who, if you’re being honest with yourself, you’ve been intrigued by for a good chunk of the semester. Of illusory hope. Of realizing that he’s either completely full of shit or great at telling one helluva fish story. (Probably both.) Of naively, stupidly looking for answers when you’ve been reminded that real-life isn’t like a book--no denouement, no closure, no loose ends wrapped up in a nice little bow. Of making peace with this.

A year of your first collegiate finals week, a week slower than any other the whole semester. Of packing, again. Of going home, however temporary it may be. Of living halfway out of your suitcase and your old dresser. Of all the adults in your life and the same questions, over and over.

A year of long road trips. Of the puppy bothering you the entire time. Of cousins and and aunts and uncles and grandparents. Of deciding that your grandmother has finally, really, truly lost it. Of tubing at night, looking not down the hill but up, feeling the ice dust through the air as you slide down the chute at a breakneck pace. Of unconventional New Year’s Eve shenanigans, because when have you and Krissy ever been conventional? Of gingerbread and hot glue guns and fireworks.

And, finally, the ending punctuation; a year of deciding, of choosing, to leave the things and people that belong in 2016 in the past, your eyes focused only straight ahead, on January 1st.