(no subject)

[elfs]

Muse has been quiet the past week. I think the whole jury thing took a lot out of both of us... even though it was actually a shorter working day, it was so different and emotionally wracking that I didn't feel like writing all week.

But she came to me last night and said, "I have this idea..." And I listened patiently, and nodded my head as she rolled out an interesting character and an interesting situation. It's a new Sterlings story set around the same time as Polestar. I took down all the notes. It's a good arc, I thought.

"But Muse," I told her, "I don't know anything about curling."

Comments

[anthologie.livejournal.com]

I tend to like it when my muse wants to write about something I know nothing about -- but then, I really enjoy research. :)

[codeamazon.livejournal.com]

I do believe there is a curling rink (?!) near us, should you need to do some research. ;)

[srmalloy.livejournal.com]

You might find it helpful to think of it as lawn bowling on ice. It's kind of a pity, though, that curling doesn't get more air time outside of Canada and the northern states, but I will admit that for most people, watching a twenty-kilo rock drifting slowly down the ice doesn't generate a lot of dramatic tension, and curling has a really steep buy-in cost -- curling stones can easily cost $200 each, and you need eight per side, plus the availability of a sheet to play on and the markings to put under the ice, the pebbling of the sheet, plus the hacks and the buttons, which means setup time for the ice rink when it can't be used for other purposes. It's pretty unfriendly as far as being able to just collect a group of people and have a pick-up game goes.

[lisakit.livejournal.com]

Being from the Puget Sound region I've watched curling from time to time on the Canadian stations we get down here. I've always found it strangely soothing to watch. On the surface it seems kind of boring, you know, whoopee, a bunch of people throwing rocks and sweeping ice. But when you seriously watch it, you start to get an idea of the thought that goes into it. It's a game of precise movements and intense planning. All that concentration must really get tiring, not counting the physical aspect. And wow! I never realized how heavy the things were.

Throwing stones

[pandakahn.livejournal.com]

Curing is NOTHING like lawn bowling, even on ice.

Pitching a 50# granite stone down a run while your team sweeps to curve the stone into the house you want is something that is almost impossible to describe.

I used to curl in HS and some in college (first time in college). Growing up in Fairbanks and now living in Eagle River (Alaska) we have curing clubs in both places.

The only sport I think that comes close might be shuffle board...

...but that would be like saying watching Mia Hamm play soccer is the same as rousing game of fuse ball at the local bar.

If you have a club you should go watch them play, or better yet play a few rounds yourself.

MPK

[pteryxx.livejournal.com]

The place you want is the Granite Curling Club, www.curlingseattle.org They're currently closed for the summer but they have open houses during the season when anyone can come learn to play.

It's a vastly different sport than bowling, because of the ridiculous level of precision required. A stone may have to go through other stones with centimeters or less to spare; or it may have to stop as close to the bulls-eye mark on the ice as possible, even to the inch. It's like playing pool, but on ice, with bowling balls.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

Thank you! A sixty-page rulebook looked daunting until I realized that there were whole sections devoted just to divisional breakup and wheelchair play.