Kings lose to Stars. Snappers live to face another day.

Recognizing change can be difficult. Learning of the changes in my father's health has been alarming. I have memories of eating cheese and drinking home-brewed wine at the kitchen table in my teens, and eating cheese and barbecue chips with him when I was an ivory kiddo with very few freckles. A man who was once physically strong is now very weak. I'm coming to terms with all of it.

I'm also coming to terms with my hockey affiliation. We attended a handful of games (two of them courtesy of the Dallas Stars) before becoming Stars season ticket holders. We really love the sport, and that's because of the Kings.

We went to our first Kings game in February 2011. I fell in love with the game. That's the year before Jeff Carter was acquired at the trade deadline, helping the team win its first Stanley Cup in franchise history. He still had all of his teeth, and Mr. Snapper made jokes about how he looked like a damn Ken doll. (He's the one who started calling him #sexyjeffcarter.)

Our friends had access to seats a handful of days every season, and we were their first choice as game mates. We went to several games in 2012 and 2013. We started buying tickets during the 2013-2014 season, attending just over half of the home games.

I would travel for burlesque shows in one of my jerseys. We wept in front of the television during each game seven of the playoffs run, openly shedding tears when the cup was won against the Rangers during game five of the final.

We attended several more games before moving. I have six or seven jerseys, and Mr. Snapper has maybe one fewer than me. We had deposits on season tickets but their website pricing was wrong and misleading.

Part of the draw to Dallas was becoming season ticket holders for the Stars at some point, even if they weren't any good. We'd be helping grow hockey in the South. We do love the sport.

We've been to two preseason and five regular games so far this season. We went to Six Flags and got photos and autographs from almost half of the team.

(Priority at Six Flags: getting a photo with Ben Bishop, short-term backup goalie for the Kings in early 2017.)

I'm starting to feel Dallas Stars fandom.

We were happy to attend the game last night, and pleased with the outcome. (Every Stars win adds up to the possibility of playoffs in April.) Yet, I was bummed that my Kings-- the comeback Kings-- lost by two.

So many of the guys who lifted the Cup in 2012 and 2014 are still with the team. But, they're getting older. We're all getting older. They're maybe not as fast as they were seven years ago. Not getting as many pucks to the net.

They've lost their last five games. Stars lost three games so far this season, but they're winning more than they're losing.

I'll be behind the bench again when the Kings return in January, rooting for the away team.

It feels like my Kings fandom is one of the things that makes me still feel like I'm part of Los Angeles, even though I'm no longer a resident.

I really do love hockey. If my balance was better, I might make skating classes a priority. Hell, maybe I do it despite my balance issues so I get to enjoy failing at something!