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Blythe Wynn RobbinsI was born in Madison and lived most of my life within 30 minutes of the Capital.

+Family

My parents divorced when I was just five years old

I have one younger sister My mom worked 2-3 jobs

when I was a kid so I took care of us most days before and after school. We were the typical latch key kids. But it was the 80’s, after-all, we still went to sleep with the doors unlocked!

+Up to age 18 We lived in Verona through

the third grade. In 1988 we moved to Mt.

Horeb. Graduated from Mt. Horeb

High School in 1996. Participated heavily in the

music and theatre programs. Participated in 15 plays

and musicals throughout high school.

Played Clarinet and Saxophone in band, marching band and jazz ensemble.

Sang soprano in choir and women’s ensemble.

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The First Time

UW-PlattevilleI attended UW-Platteville from 96’-97 and 98’-01. Originally I was a theatre major, but for various reasons I ended up graduating with a degree in History. Upon starting school, I quickly joined the Platteville Gaming Association (PGA) having just discovered my extreme geekynees. In 2000 I organized the annual Plattecon Gaming Convention, boasting our highest ever attendance at just over 430 people. My friends from this time are still my friends today. I see most of them regularly and talk to many of them almost daily (and not just because of Facebook!). The bonds I formed here are the most important ones in my life.

College Years:

+Post College

Moved to Los Angeles, Calif. Worked as a professional

background actor on television, movies and commercials. Including: Bruce Almighty Fastlane Boston Public The Italian Job Half a dozen pilots that

did not get picked up

+Still in California California was cool and all, but I was homesick something

fierce. And I never adjusted to LA life. I only had a couple of friends and my relationship was quickly deteriorating.

In 2003 I flew home to surprise my mom on her birthday. On the third day of my visit, several of my college friends took me out and I realized it was time to come home.

Two months later I packed up my car, my best friend flew out and the two of us spent 3 days driving back to Madison. It was Thelma & Louise, without the murder and the sex and the drugs and well.. . It was actually nothing like Thelma & Louise, other than we just really had a blast driving across country and it was very freeing.

+The Next 3 Years

Attended school part time at Madison Area Technical College Thought about getting an

associates in Graphic Design, but I don’t like designing things.

Discovered World of Warcraft (oops) I probably spend way too much

time playing this game.

Worked various odd jobs, waiting tables, bartending, temp work. In 2006 I was hired at Four Lakes Color Graphics.

Best Job Ever. Until they laid me off in 2010.

+My Husband: Trevor and I had met a few times,

through mutual friends, and mostly while playing Warcraft.

In 2006 we were both struggling with school, work and relationships and we became good friends.

After some soul searching, we realized we were with the wrong people and we were meant to be with eachother.

On August 30, 2010 we got married in our living room with just our family, his best friend and a friend who was able to sign the paperwork for us. It was small, intimate and a perfect way for us to commit to each other fully.

+Back to School When my job laid me off they

were honest. I lost my job because they were contracting foreign vendors.

I qualified for TAA/TRA assistance. It is a government program that pays for school so that displaced workers can be re-educated in order to get back to work.

After researching I decided to attend UW-Whitewater and complete a second major to add onto my Bachelors from UWP.

Major: Public Relations Graduating: July 2012

+Roller Derby

A friend of mine wanted to try out for the local roller derby league. She didn’t want to do it alone, so I though, what the heck? So we both tried out for the Mad Rollin’ Dolls!

2009 Tryouts

+Skating… I skated a lot as a kid, so it just

made sense to try out.

+Roller Derby

I didn’t make a team, but I had to keep skating. I volunteered to be a referee.

Voted the “Most Improved Referee” by the league after the 2010 season.

Referee 2009-2010 Season

+Roller DerbyRoller Derby is still often associated with pro-wrestling. While that was the case when it reappeared in 2003, it has quickly evolved. Skaters have increased training, removed the fighting and take this sport incredibly seriously. While the names and numbers still instill whimsy, the sport has evolved to professional levels.

In 2011, the first ever Roller Derby World Cup was hosted in Toronto, Canada.

Teams participated from USA, Canada, London, Australia, New Zeland, Germany, Brazil, Belgium, and 7 other countries.

Team USA won. ;)

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The Mad Wreckin’ Dolls

In the spring of 2010 I helped to found the Mad Wreckin’ Dolls (MWD)

MWD accepts women of all shapes, sizes and skill levels. We provide a safe place for women to learn to skate and play derby.

Currently, MWD has over 80 members!

Madison’s recreational roller derby league in association with the Mad Rollin Dolls

+MWD Practices are held

3 times a week and involve a mix of strength, agility, technique and strategy.

Roller Derby still a volunteer sport. Practices are led by volunteers. Bout are set up, torn down and hosted by the skaters and a team of volunteers. The men and women involved in roller derby do this out of love of the sport. They are mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, etc.

Everyone is a volunteer, though if you asked most would do this professionally, if they could!

Roller Derby

+ Roller Derby still a volunteer sport. Practices are led by

volunteers. Bout are set up, torn down and hosted by the skaters and a team of volunteers. The men and women involved in roller derby do this out of love of the sport. They are mothers, fathers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, nurses, etc.

Everyone is a volunteer, though if you asked most would do this professionally, if they could!

Roller Derby

For me, roller derby has given me renewed self-confidence. I am healthier and in better shape than I have ever been in my life. It helped get me through an incredibly difficult time in my life and has given me a new group of people who have been an incredible source of strength.

Roller Derby

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This is what a typical night on my computer looks like.

What else? I am an avid gamer. I play video games, pen and paper, board

and card games. I like to go out and sing karaoke. Play Rock Band with friends

and I own at Apples to Apples. My husband and I own our house in Madison. We have two

cats (Allie and Luna) who are our children.