It’s been a duck year for me. First, Slow Duck Crossing. And now, Shoot the Duck! (What, did you think I was rollerskating these past two months just for kicks? Writers don’t do that.)
“Shoot the Duck” is the name of a rollerskating move (see Tiktok below). It is also the working title of my new project (book? article?) and will celebrate the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit as people of all ages, abilities, sizes and situations around the world lace up and center joy during this global pandemic. If you haven’t fallen down that social media rabbit hole yet, you are in for a treat.
Pictured above is my working cover. Yep, that’s my 26-year-old kitchen — am so glad I forgot to remodel it so I can skate the hell out of it! (Note: I always design a cover for inspiration when I start a new project. It will surely change, but for now it does what I need it to do to focus my intentions.)
I’m just gonna take the next step (on skates!), and let the journey take care of itself. Global interviews start next week. I may or may not share excerpts here. Probably yes.
Important clarification: Although this is being seen as a “resurgence” of rollerskating since its heyday in the late 1970s, early 80s (hello disco, hiphop, rock — I was there on skates three nights a week), communities of color never stopped skating and the accurate history and iconography of the ongoing movement will be recognized.
In the meantime, I’m Traveling at the Speed of Bike all over the place with my rollerskates (usually in my reclaimed-ocean-plastic basket!).
I’m meeting so many new people (hanging with the guys at the basketball courts; swinging through the skate park; waving to the Tai Chi class at the pavilion; swirling though an award-winning water-reclamation greenspace; sharing one parking lot with a rollerblader and another with little girls learning to ride bikes — be still, my heart!; greeting the sun on the top of the MARTA parking deck, and more). We even have a little meet-up starting to happen. If you are interested, contact me for details.
By the way, below is my “Shoot the Duck”. For 58 years, I did not know I could do that. What else can we do that we don’t yet know? What else is possible? ANd how will this global strengthening of joy, and the connections that happen as a result, empower us for the hard work ahead in our changing world?
Here are my “Crazy Legs” (in my new bellbottom leggings!):
Here is my ongoing moving meditation to my higher power:
Here is the moment I realized my well was full again and it was time to start a new writing project:
Here are examples of stories about people I am honored to have had the opportunity to tell.
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 