Comments and Questions to the Adult Skater

[herniated]

Thought it might be fun to hear what odd questions all of you have been asked. Some people genuinely want information but most are at best mildly sarcastic!!

Here are some of the questions and comments made to me over the past 15 years regarding my skating. 'Are you going to the Olympics? You compete!!??? Can you do a triple axel? Are you on TV?:lol: Do you make any money doing this? What a nice hobby for you! :roll: When are you going to quit? (My usual response to this one is - when I die) Someone is reliving thier youth.'

These are just a few off the top of my head. What have you all heard?

[dooobedooo]

From a 10-year-old savvy boy beginner: "You're too old!!!"

To which I replied: "Yes, very, very, VERY old. In fact it's a MIRACLE that I'm still skating at my age!" :lol:

[dbny]

My current favorite, from a 6 yr old boy after he showed me his stop, and I showed him 5 or 6 other ways to stop:

"You do those good! Everything you do is good!" Don't I wish!

Also a fave, from an adult student in her 40's on learning that I'm 60:

"I want to be like you when I grow up!" :)

I actually have never gotten any of the really stupid questions, maybe because I don't work in an office anymore.

[Isk8NYC]

At least once a season, usually after I've taught them a "good" jump, a group lesson student will say "Were you in the Olympics?"

I do like the question "How old were you when you started skating?" (Started lessons at 18)

[samba]

From a work colleague:
What, your programme is only 1 minute 30 seconds!!

From an adult learner:
I want to be as good as you and do competitions.

From my son:
What...skate with my mum?!!!

[icedancer2]

I love it when people ask me how long I've been skating and I say, "46 years" (it seems like an eternity) - I'm sure they are thinking, "and you're that bad after 46 years?"

I've gotten the "triple axel" comments and the "are you a professional" questions a lot too.

The worst is when I go to a freestyle session at one of the rinks where I don't usually go and they ask me if I am paying for my child, or on a public session where they ask if I need rental skates (gah!).:giveup:

[herniated]

I thought of another one!! Years ago I fractured my tailbone, a co-worker asked me 'Did you do it doing a triple?' I said, 'No, I was just kind of standing still and my feet slipped!' She rolled her eyes:roll: and said 'Oh'. She wasn't too impressed.

[Rusty Blades]

Little girl on club ice: "How old are you?" (No tact, these kids!)

Me: "57"

Her "Hoooooooly, you're older than my DAD!" (As if her Dad walked with dinosaurs!)

++++++

"Do you wear a tutu?"

++++++

(Knowing I have only been skating 1 year) "Can you do a triple Axel?"

++++++

But mostly, when my coworkers found out I was figure skating, the sound of the laughter was deafening!

[Bill_S]

"How long have you been skating?" and I reply that I skittered about on frozen ponds as a kid, but really started learning when I was fifty - 7 years ago now.

"Are you a professional athlete?" Now how can someone say that when looking at me -- unless they consider the professional poker players on ESPN as athletes?

Sometimes the kids ask about the "triple axel".

When I skate at distant rinks, I often get asked where I'm from - usually in combination with question #1 above.

[Isk8NYC]

But mostly, when my coworkers found out I was figure skating, the sound of the laughter was deafening!They must be fools. We've seen your engineering skills first-hand. I'd be afraid of you hot-wiring my desk chair as retaliation!

[Bill_S]

But mostly, when my coworkers found out I was figure skating, the sound of the laughter was deafening!


Oh, yes! That's a biggie being a male skater in a mostly female sport. One co-worker in particular likes to rub it in. Another, a gentle woman learning to play the violin in her 40's, is most sympathetic because of the similarities in the discipline required in our hobbies.

[TimDavidSkate]

Can you do that triple axel flip? 8O

And the usual, did you go to the olympics? that only entails going not competing so i say yes :halo: but if they asked, did you compete at the olympics then it would be the obvious no :P

[Isk8NYC]

When they ask "Did you go to the Nationals?" I hesitate since I DID skate at ISI's nationals. I usually answer "No, I skated the rec league." LOL I know they mean did I skate at the "big show" and it's not worth the discussion.

In fact, I think that it's good for them to find out that not every 'good' skater goes to the Nationals or Worlds/Olympics. Doesn't take anything away from your skating, but adds the realism that only a select few make it that far.

[Rusty Blades]

Oh, yes! That's a biggie being a male skater in a mostly female sport.

My sympathy Bill. Being in the engineering & construction field for so many decades, none of my coworkers would do a double-take if I was up a radio tower, down in a trench, or jumped up on a bulldozer. My "other sport" is a shooting sport and nobody batted an eyelash. But the idea of ME in figure skates and a tutu left everybody in stitches :frus:

[Sonic]

I have the 'Do you wear a tutu'? one lol! To which I answer 'Only for competitions!'.

Actually most of my friends/family/colleagues think it's kinda cool that I've managed to find a form of exercise I actually enjoy, instead of battling with the gym.

A couple of people have been like 'What, you do jumps and spins'?! I've tried to explain that yes, I do jumps and spins but they're not quite what they see on TV, but the reaction is largely 'well I can't even let go of the boards'.

Occasionally I get snide comments from idiots on public sessions - usually it's only chavs in hockey skates, so can't say it bothers me much .

S xxx

[icedancer2]

!'.

Actually most of my friends/family/colleagues think it's kinda cool that I've managed to find a form of exercise I actually enjoy, instead of battling with the gym.



I get this reaction as well -- most of my friends can't believe that I manage to find time to skate at least 5 days a week for about an hour-and-a-half -- I'm really grateful to have some exercise that I totally enjoy!!

[Derek]

My 17 yr old daughter is currently studying for her UK Star gold award, and thinks it rather cool that her dad can at least stay upright (most of the time).

The most embarrassing question is when youngsters come up and ask me to teach them. I try and be gentle by explaining that only professional coaches can teach ...

The most amusing incidents are when other youngsters tell me 'hey mister, you're really good'. I normally reply 'nah, I'm just pretending ...'

[Debbie S]

The worst is when I go to a freestyle session at one of the rinks where I don't usually go and they ask me if I am paying for my child, Yeah, I was watching a test session once (2 yrs ago) at my rink and a public session was going on on the other surface - it was a school holiday. A parent of a public session kid came up to me and asked what "this" was - I explained what test sessions were all about and she then gestured toward the rink window and asked me "which one is yours?" LOL! I told her I was actually there as a skater myself (and I don't have kids). She didn't seem too taken aback, but I thought it was funny she would assume I was a parent - and the kids that were testing (actually warming up) at that moment were between 10 and 12 - I was 33 at the time, and most people who meet me think I'm younger than I am - I couldn't believe someone thought I looked old enough to have a 12-year-old kid! 8O :lol:

Usually when people in my real-world life - lol - find out I skate, they ask me if I skated as a kid. They're surprised that someone would pick this up as an adult.

I remember when I was in group lessons (just started freestyle) there was a really annoying man (a father of one of the kids who had decided to skate around in the practice area with his kid - it's allowed) who was watching me practice waltz jumps and half flips and kept following me around, asking me to do a triple axel (rather loudly, I might add). :roll:

And a cute comment/question I got recently from some kids I skate with:

"Can you help us figure out why the music player isn't working? We figured since you're older, you're better at these things." :lol: (it turned out that the speakers in the rink were turned off - the club pres went off to get the rink staff to fix the problem)

[TimDavidSkate]

kept following me around, asking me to do a triple axel (rather loudly, I might add). :roll:

Yeps, I had that once and the kid was so entralled with my sit spin, he kept on closing in. I was 15 then and had a slow reflex on getting out of the spin, so it resulted with the kid having 13 stitches on his right leg. 8O

[herniated]

I've got another one!:lol: Debbie S. reminded me of it with the 'real world' comment. When I landed my axel for the first time I had a party to celebrate. My sister-in-law came to the party, she asked me if I had video taped my axel. I told her ,'no, I didn't. Why?' She said, 'So, those of us in the real world can see what you are doing' Needless to say I was insulted.:twisted:

And...it still escapes me as to why it seems so odd to non-skaters that adults figure skate. Now, I don't mean to offend anyone, but... if I played golf or went bowling or took ceramics classes a few times a week no one would find that odd. Again, I wish I had a better back, I would like to play golf!! I used to bowl. I have my own ball and everything. But both those activites really hurt me. (Skating does too but not as much) As for ceramics I've never done that. So please, I don't mean to insult anyone who does any of these things.:D

[Ice Dancer]

When I passed my level 3 Skate UK, my boss (who up until this point had been interested in my skating) made some comment, on overhearing a conversation between my friend and I, about level one being falling forwards, level two is falling back and level three is getting up again :frus: If only it were, I would be on about level 8 by now!

Another friend once said, when I told him that I was wearing my boots indoors, that I shouldn't wear them indoors as I might twist my ankle!!! Ok so it is safer to wear them on ice than it is carpet?!??!??!

There must be more, I will have a think!

[NCSkater02]

I can't believe nobody's said the obvious one yet!!

"Are you crazy??" :lol:

At least, that's the one I get all the time.

[Rusty Blades]

The dumbest one is when I told a coworker I was figure skating and their question was "ON ICE???"

There are times when you really have to bite your tongue to remain civilized! 8O

[mikawendy]

Can you do a triple axel?

Oh, yeah, if I had a buck for each time I have been asked that, I would be able to pay for a lot of ice! :lol:

Also, I've been asked "What jump are you on?" and (rarely, when I run into a friend who skated as a kid who didn't know I skate now) "What test are you on?"

A mom helping out at a test session recently asked me who my daughter was (and I don't have any kids).

Sometimes, when I used to skate on public sessions, I'd do something kinda basic like three turns, and some of the little kids would say "Oooh, what was that?"

[MusicSkateFan]

From a parent of one of my 137 Middle Middle School Students,

" I hear you are a figure skater......What's that all about?":frus: :roll: :giveup:

I said,

Do the Math!

40 yrs old+Male+Single+Clarinet Player+Band Director+Figure Skater= GAY!

I didn't really say that....I really wanted to!

[jskater49]

I hate answering the question of how long I've been skating because I've been skating for years and I can't do anything impressive (compared to what people watch on TV or even my own daughter)

Once when my sister was visiting me, I fell on one of my dreaded step behinds and I bruised my knee pretty badly so that I was limping the rest of the day. When I told her I got up after I fell and tried the step behind again so I wouldn't be afraid of it...she could not understand why I kept skating. I said "Well you know that is the culture of skating, you pretty much shake it off and keep going" and she looks at me and says "that's fine for a 16 year old...:roll:

j

[LWalsh]

I had one parent say "are you gonnna go out there?"

Once my husband said (several years ago at a competition) "we drove 4 hours for 1 minute 40 seconds???"

I get the confusion that I am someone's parent all the time...

My learn to skate kids have gotten into the habot of making me promise to do a trick at the end of each lesson (I think I am running out of tricks!)

Lwalsh

[garusha]

When I mentined at work that my husband and I were going to Skate America, a lady assumed that I was going to skate there:lol: When I explained that Skate America was for the best skaters in the world, she only shrugged and said, "So what? I know you skate."

[icedancer2]

Once my husband said (several years ago at a competition) "we drove 4 hours for 1 minute 40 seconds???"



Back when my husband and I were "dating" he came out at 6:30 in the morning to watch me test the Silver Tango. He couldn't believe that I got that dressed up (with makeup and everything!) to skate for just a little over a minute!

I was so touched when he showed up at the rink! [This is true love, guys...;) ].

[DallasSkater]

Musicskatefan: had to LOL at "do the math!"

I actually have received a lot of nice comments from people. Recently, one of the office staff at the rink who often assists me when I purchase ice stated with such intense sincerity that I inspired her. I would love to learn she was going to attempt the adult beginners class.

One woman asked me if I ever threw up after "spinning like that!" giggle.

When adults ask how long I have skated...it is not uncommon to find myself in a little chat about their complete medical history of back, knee, foot or ankle problem! Egads!

Last semester I took the bridge program class. The next closest to my age was 11. I felt a bit odd the first day of the class but quickly somehow just blended in. The last day of that class, a 6 year old classmate asked me if I were a kid or a teen! giggle. Apparently, she had wondered all semester....you should have seen the look on her face when I fessed I was actually 44. She then asked if I had skated "in the olden days"!

During bridge there were "parent participation/education" days where the parents of the skaters went to a lecture type class while the skater was on ice. The director wanted to know which would attend, my parent or my partner. It took me a minute to answer. lol. (I was frankly impressed that there was an option!)

I was pulling out my crash pads at one of the benches rink side while a woman was asking if I skated professionally and commenting on "bravery" of jumping... she then noticed and said "Oh don't do that! Your giving away all your secrets!"

[Morgail]

I've gotten "Are you any good?" a few times. I'm never sure how to answer that. Actually, I hate that question. I would never ask someone who plays golf or softball or runs marathons that question. It's almost as though they're saying that the sport isn't worth pursuing if you don't meet some vague definition of being "good" at it. (okay...end of that rant)

From kids I usually get "Are you a professional?" or "Are you a skating teacher?". (Those I don't mind....boosts the ego just a little :lol: )

And the infamous "Can you do a triple axel?". People always look disappointed when I tell them I can't even do a single axel.

Most people, however, are usually interested and curious about it, and think it's kinda cool. :)

[newskaker5]

It is funny since I am sort of "in-between" at 26. Most people thing I look 15-18 so I think most think I am a teen skater and dont make many comments. I do like skating at the morning public sessions over freestyle (I fit in level wise now OK, but for some reason these still scare me) and the toddlers/little kids always ask how long I have been doing it, am I a professional, etc. I think it is cute - especially since I am so far from that. One little one, 4 year old, also likes to skate by and yell "wow" whenever I do anything. Makes me feel special haha

I had to laugh at all the "triple axel" comments. I get that in teasing from my friends and family. But in college when i was doing NCAA gymnastics and long before I learned to skate, my roommate would constantly ask me how my triple lutz was coming along after practice - you think she could have at least picked a skill from the correct sport :giveup: haha. Now I am proud to tell her my single lutz is just fine ;)

[Rob Dean]

Sometimes, when I used to skate on public sessions, I'd do something kinda basic like three turns, and some of the little kids would say "Oooh, what was that?"

I still occasionally skate on public sessions, for a variety of possible reasons that don't usually include serious practice. I had an adult mention that she'd been watching me "practice my spins"--took me a long moment to realize that it was 3-turns...

I once had a coworker find out that I was working on ice dancing, which brought up the question "With a woman?" Well, yes, that's how it's customarily done. :roll:

Rob

[sk8_4fun]

I had my boss ask me if I could do a triple back flip salchow!8O not sure what sort of skating he's been watching.

I started skating a year ago and 5 weeks in, injured my knee and ended up on crutches. The natural assumption was ' oh, you wont be doing that again then?' I tend not talk about too much as most of my peers cannot comprehend what it is that I do!:roll: It's hard to express how happy you feel to achieve something like a 3-jump when they would be so underwhelmed.....

[Sonic]

I've gotten "Are you any good?" a few times. I'm never sure how to answer that.

Gawd I hate that question! My answer is usually something along the lines of 'Well compared to someone who's never skated I'm brilliant, but compared to what you see on TV - nowhere near, and never will be.'


And...it still escapes me as to why it seems so odd to non-skaters that adults figure skate. Now, I don't mean to offend anyone, but... if I played golf or went bowling or took ceramics classes a few times a week no one would find that odd. Again, I wish I had a better back, I would like to play golf!! I used to bowl. I have my own ball and everything. But both those activites really hurt me. (Skating does too but not as much) As for ceramics I've never done that. So please, I don't mean to insult anyone who does any of these things.
I know exactly what you mean.
The only thing I would say though, (and please don't get me wrong - this is not to make out any of these activities are easy!) is when you start learning something like bowling or golf, you may not be any good - BUT you don't have to contend with the 'look-or-at-least-feel-like-a-complete-idiot' factor.

I mean, I could go out onto a golf course and try to play golf. Yes, a regular golfer would be able to tell I was a complete beginner, however to the untrained eye I would probably just look like someone swinging a golf club. However, even when exceptionally talented, a learner skater looks like a learner skater, IYKWIM.

S xxx

[herniated]

Sonic,
I hear what you are saying. I'm learning brackets right now - against the wall!So I definitely 'look' like a beginner.

[Rusty Blades]

...I was working on ice dancing, which brought up the question "With a woman?"

That's one of those moments when I have trouble being polite. My answer would have been "No. With a duck!"

[Skittl1321]

I'm so tenative with my jumps that my coach decided to put me in the harness to work on the loop (which I'm a bit scared of).

Well first, we were going to run through all the other jumps.

The girls on the rink got excited when they saw him pulling the harness down "Are you learning your axel???" Nope, this is for my waltz!

[Petlover]

Most of my co-workers are pretty interested and supportive. However, my ex-sister-in-law gave me the biggest laugh of all - she said "Oh, you shouldn't skate, I won't skate because I'm afraid I would fall!" as she hobbled around on crutches after extensive knee surgery from falling off of the first step of a stepstool while painting her walls....... I could not help but laugh hysterically, and she really hated me after that.

[lovepairs]

I had a good one the other day...no words involved.

Long story, but I skated in a remote rink where I've never skated before. I was on a session with about 4 other girls, probably between the ages of 12 and 16, doing doubles. Three skating moms were standing there (all totally out of shape and 1/2 my age.) When I came off the ice after the session I walked by them and said "Good Morning." All three cast their eyes downward (as if they had never seen an adult skater before.) It was a combination of:

1. They were totally embarrassed.
2. They thought I was from the Planet Mars

No words needed to be exchanged between us.

[NoVa Sk8r]

It was a combination of:

1. They were totally embarrassed.
2. They thought I was from the Planet Mars

No words needed to be exchanged between us.But Andrea, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus! :lol:

[Team Arthritis]

No words needed to be exchanged between us.

Yeh, gets lonely at times though. Do you ever get that resentment when they realize that you have more to talk about with their kids than they do?
Lyle

[icedancer2]

Long story, but I skated in a remote rink where I've never skated before. I was on a session with about 4 other girls, probably between the ages of 12 and 16, doing doubles. Three skating moms were standing there (all totally out of shape and 1/2 my age.) When I came off the ice after the session I walked by them and said "Good Morning." All three cast their eyes downward (as if they had never seen an adult skater before.) It was a combination of:

1. They were totally embarrassed.
2. They thought I was from the Planet Mars

No words needed to be exchanged between us.

I had this experience, except it was with hockey parents -- I would say hello to them and they would act like I didn't exist - and I wasn't even wearing a skirt of skating clothes at all when they saw me - just khakis.

I was pretty offended, actually.

[Rusty Blades]

No words needed to be exchanged between us.

I hadn't paid any attention before but now that you mention it I do notice one of two reactions from skating Moms when I say "Hi." Most look away or scurry away as if the door post had just spoken to them! 8O A few will be all bubbly and supportive "It's GREAT that you're skating .... I could never do that!"

[gt20001]

I had my boss ask me if I could do a triple back flip salchow!8O not sure what sort of skating he's been watching.

I started skating a year ago and 5 weeks in, injured my knee and ended up on crutches. The natural assumption was ' oh, you wont be doing that again then?' I tend not talk about too much as most of my peers cannot comprehend what it is that I do!:roll: It's hard to express how happy you feel to achieve something like a 3-jump when they would be so underwhelmed.....

I can relate to this one when I broke my leg recently. I went back out on the truck with my fiance to get out of the house and hobbling into the truck stop and at our company was getting alot of questions about what i did (people that know me know what i did) I replied figure skating and was met with.

You dont mean figure skating do you you mean ice skating. You mean skating around in public sessions.

No what did you really do.

I guess you are done skating. (obviously i told them i am not i will be back on the ice as soon as the doctor allows)

Most people were calling me a liar.

[herniated]

I've had similar situations with skating moms. They either become my friend and are very supportive or look at me as if I have some nerve being on the ice with thier 'Olympic Hopefuls'!:roll:

But, in general most moms have been great with me. I've even inspired a couple to start skating!!

[Team Arthritis]

You dont mean figure skating do you you mean ice skating. You mean skating around in public sessions.

No what did you really do.

I guess you are done skating. (obviously i told them i am not i will be back on the ice as soon as the doctor allows)

Most people were calling me a liar.

http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/ekelig/k015.gif
yeh

[Isk8NYC]

I've had similar situations with skating moms. They either become my friend and are very supportive or look at me as if I have some nerve being on the ice with thier 'Olympic Hopefuls'!:roll:

But, in general most moms have been great with me. I've even inspired a couple to start skating!!Realize that some skating parents (gender or figure/hockey doesn't matter) gossip and snipe while their kids skate. It's a terrible habit that they get into when they're bored. When you step off the ice into their midst just after they were gossiping about you, you'll get that reaction.

I haven't experienced this attitude, but the gossips take care to be very friendly towards the coaches, moreso than towards another skater. (Especially someone they didn't know.)


Back to the original topic:
Someone once asked how many bones I've broken through skating.
(None, surprisingly, although I am the 'Queen of Stitches' on- and off-ice!)

[icedancer2]

Back to the original topic:
Someone once asked how many bones I've broken through skating.
(None, surprisingly, although I am the 'Queen of Stitches' on- and off-ice!)

LOL - I am not the "Queen of Stitches" exactly, but seem to be the "Queen of broken bones" - none of which have happened on the ice (well, no technically I guess this is not true - I broke a bone in my wrist back in my '20s on something that resembled ice (outdoor homemade ice-sheet smaller than the size of a normal "patch" LOL) --

When I'm hobbling around on crutches, my friends all ask if I did it skating.

I always say that skating is actually not that dangerous (for me) but apparently walking around (and sometimes in my own house...) is!

[Mrs Redboots]

I hate answering the question of how long I've been skating because I've been skating for years and I can't do anything impressive (compared to what people watch on TV or even my own daughter)

Me too, Joelle - well, we've been skating about the same length of time, haven't we? And I'm pretty hopeless, too....

That's one of those moments when I have trouble being polite. My answer would have been "No. With a duck!"

ROFLOL!

My favourite comment was from a very senior ice-dancer, who has competed at Europeans and at Junior Worlds: "I do hope I'm still skating when I'm your age!"

[cathrl]

Last week the stand-in coach (who doesn't normally coach at our rink at all) registered halfway through our group ice dance lesson that the surname on my jacket is the same as that on my daughter's (we both do the class), and asked me if I was her big sister :lol:

Apart from that, I get asked if I'm a coach on a fairly regular basis, usually the first week of the new group classes, since I'll be standing on the side waiting for the zamboni to finish in a club warmup jacket. Nobody ever asks me if I'm a coach if they've actually seen me on the ice :)

And I regularly get mistaken off-ice for a really good adult ice dancer at our rink (we have similar colour hair and are about the same height) and someone tells me they saw me skating and I was brilliant. The first few times I was confused, now I just say, "no, that was xxxx you saw, she looks a bit like me" :)

[Ice Dancer]

I've remember another one!

I have a very good friend who is a bit nuts! He is a hypnotist and is really round the bend. Anyway I told him when I had my last Skate UK test, and he asked me to let me know how I got on. When I told him he asked "what comes next", so I explained the levels went up to 10 and then you move onto passport onto some serious stuff, and his answer was "like Torvill and Dean?"!!

I wish!!!

[Team Arthritis]

"like Torvill and Dean?"!!

I wish!!!

Yeh I have a picture of my wife and I doing pretty nice spirals right over my autographed photo of Torvil and Dean. More than one person has asked/ commented "oh, did you have blond hair before you grew a beard?" http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/frech/a045.gif
Lyle

[lovepairs]

Oh, or I get the double whammy:

I'm just sittiing in the skating lounge watching kids skating waiting for my session, just trying to relax, when a skating mom will come up to me and ask me which kid is yours? That's when I turn into that thing that came out of the things mouth in "Aliens" (you know with Segorny Weaver,) because on top of everything else I was never able to have kids. So, I just say "Their all mine, including yours!"

[doubletoe]

Oh, or I get the double whammy:

I'm just sittiing in the skating lounge watching kids skating waiting for my session, just trying to relax, when a skating mom will come up to me and ask me which kid is yours? That's when I turn into that thing that came out of the things mouth in "Aliens" (you know with Segorny Weaver,) because on top of everything else I was never able to have kids. So, I just say "Their all mine, including yours!"


What? And resist the greatest guilt trip opportunity of the decade? I'm in the same boat and next time I'm tempted to just say,
"Well, what if I don't have any kids out there on the ice because, unlike some lucky people, I wasn't able to have kids, and I took up skating so that I could forget that I didn't have kids, until somebody came up to me and just had to ask, 'Which one's yours?'" :lol:

[Derek]

Two lovely comments this evening that made the session ...

some 'young' girls (they are all young to me now :) ) asked to skate with me ... of course I said, can you keep up, as I weaved backwards ... half a lap and they thanked me, I beamed a smile to appreciate their friendliness. Then I commented on that warmth to a lady who is a regular, she immediately said that someone with my extensive experience must be a pleasure for them ... my jaw dropped, I quickly explained that I am still a beginner in the big scheme, only 15 months ... then her jaw dropped ...

To be honest, I think I need to prop myself up by any means necessary, and today, those comments did the trick!

[froggy]

1. can you do a triple axel?

2. you can skate in the summer?

3. can you do twirls and tricks on the ice?

4. do your glasses come off when you spin?
5. your still taking lessons? didn't you finish learning e/t ?(this is after skating just 2 years).
6. i love it best when asked for child admission, i look younger than my age

[dbny]

5. your still taking lessons?

To which I reply "Of course, even the Olympic competitors still have coaches and take lessons." :lol: :lol: :lol:

[garusha]

I've had similar situations with skating moms. They either become my friend and are very supportive or look at me as if I have some nerve being on the ice with thier 'Olympic Hopefuls'!:roll:

But, in general most moms have been great with me. I've even inspired a couple to start skating!!

Skating moms at our rink are very sweet to us because my husband and I often go to children's competitions to cheer for their girls. So they always say nice things to us. Once a mother said that whenever she saw us jump she would get scared and wonder why on earth we wanted to do it.

[garusha]

LOL
I always say that skating is actually not that dangerous (for me) but apparently walking around (and sometimes in my own house...) is!

I broke my wrist during my second lesson a year ago practicing simple crossovers. After that a lady from my work said that I was crazy to do it because she had broken her arm twice just walking on the street. She said skating was only for kids, not for adults. To which I said, "At least, I'm having fun!"
Sometimes when I'm on the street, and it's icy, I say, "Oh, I don't like being on the ice without my skates."

[sue123]

At work, there is another young teacher, she's around 22 or 23, and you could say she's a larger woman. She's got some meat on her. We talk every now and then, and when I had a day off, she asked what I had done. I told her I went skating, and she says to me: "For Real?? Do you jump? I don't know how you do it, I would never get my butt up like that."

[teresa]

"Do adults do THAT?"

"Are you someone special?" Of course, I knew what they were asking, but couldn't help saying in a shocked vocie, "ME?!" Believe me my coach would have had a laughing fit! =-)

teresa

[jskater49]

Skating moms at our rink are very sweet to us because my husband and I often go to children's competitions to cheer for their girls. So they always say nice things to us. Once a mother said that whenever she saw us jump she would get scared and wonder why on earth we wanted to do it.

Everybody is nice to me, because

a) they are mostly decent folk

b) I stay out of the politics and never say anything bad about anyone.

c) Between my daughter and I, I spend A LOT of money on the club

d) I help out whenever I can.

j

[dbny]

At work, there is another young teacher, she's around 22 or 23, and you could say she's a larger woman. She's got some meat on her. We talk every now and then, and when I had a day off, she asked what I had done. I told her I went skating, and she says to me: "For Real?? Do you jump? I don't know how you do it, I would never get my butt up like that."

Well you can tell her that I know a very talented adult skater who weighs in at 250 pounds and maybe more. My friend passed Bronze FS, so I guess you could say she has no problem jumping!

[jazzpants]

"Well, what if I don't have any kids out there on the ice because, unlike some lucky people, I wasn't able to have kids, and I took up skating so that I could forget that I didn't have kids, until somebody came up to me and just had to ask, 'Which one's yours?'" :lol::twisted: :lol: "Love it!!!"

I got a few Chinese skating moms stuff!!! ;)

My answer to "Which one's yours?" is currently "Ummm... I'm the kid here!!!" Usually gets a 8O, then a "Ohhh. I get it." :lol:

The Chinese skating moms, OTOH, are more pushy! (Doubletoe knows about this but for the others...) Traditional Chinese cultures really pushes hard for marriage to the "right boy" and have grandkids who grow up to make more money. They ask me if I was married first and then tell me to have a daughter with my husband and then go have her skate for me!!! My answer then would be "What? And miss out on ALL the fun from skating?!?!?! Are you NUTS!?!?!" (and I say it like they just insulted me!) Gets them every time!!! :twisted: :lol:

To be fair, there are some Chinese moms out there who actually do think that I take my skating seriously... to the point where they want me to tell their little girl to go practice more instead of "playing around." (Of course, I'm thinking "What!?!?! Are you NUTS!?!?! That's how they LEARN stuff!!!" 8O :lol: ) Same Chinese mom later on told me that she wasn't happy that her little girl isn't progress and asks me to suggest a new coach for her. I asked her "What type of coach do you want?" The woman immediately points to my secondary coach and says "HER!!! I want her! All the Chinese kids go to her b/c she makes her skaters look polished and pretty... I bet she yells at the kids real good..." :lol: (A LOT of Chinese moms thinks that teachers who are mean and yell a lot gets kids to be disciplined and that's considered to be a good teacher.) :lol:

Needless to say, I'm humoring the Chinese moms by taking their kid's coach (my current secondary coach) to see if I do improve as a gag. Well, years later, I'm laughing my way thru Bronze Moves and FS tests and now my loop and flip jump. :lol: I'm hoping that will be enough incentive for those skating moms to stop kvetching about their kids progress and get on the ice themselves and learn a few things so they know what their kids is going thru. :twisted:

Okay, the cutest comment came from a 5-6 year old little girl. She and I were talking to each other and she asked me "Are you a mommy?" Awwwww!!! What a sweetie!!! (This is the one time I wouldn't mind being thought of as a skating mommy!) :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

I think I'm lucky that my rink has a lot - and I mean a lot - of adult skaters, to the point that some mornings, practice is dominated by middle-aged men!

"Who said this was a sport for young girls?" enquired the Husband on one morning when literally the only person on the ice who wasn't a middle-aged man was me!

[Rusty Blades]

... practice is dominated by middle-aged men!

Oh gawd, I am moving to ENGLAND!

(I am single, I can "lust" if I want 8O )

[Sonic]

Oh gawd, I am moving to ENGLAND!

(I am single, I can "lust" if I want 8O )

I wouldn't - our rinks may have lots of adult skaters (ours has a few), but that's probably something to do with the fact there are so few rinks in the first place lol!:lol:

S xxx

[Mrs Redboots]

(I am single, I can "lust" if I want 8O )
But the men involved are all married.....

[kateskate]

I often get the 'are you professional' which always amuses me. If you think I'm anywhere near pro then you must have never seen any skating.

My other favourite is parents coming up to me and almost demanding that I help their kid - just because I'm older and skating they assume I am a coach or provided by the rink to help all the little kiddies.

I've also stopped my mother from telling her friends about my competitions as they get all confused and ask when they will see me at the Olympics. The problem is when my mother tells them I won the British Adult Championships - they hear British and think I'm off to worlds etc etc. so I've told her just to say I won a beginners competition for old people. Much less confusing.

I also like how the usual questioning line goes something like this:

"Wow you skate. Can you go backwards? Can you do a triple axel?"

As if that is the next logical progression from being able to go backwards.

People at work think I'm mental and often ask if I would consider doing it professionally - like that would be an option! Lol! I showed a video of me doing the willow waltz to someone at work and they were so unimpressed. They just said 'But you didn't do anything - you just skated around'. Hmmmm. Wanna try?

[Team Arthritis]

I suppose my favorite comment is "boy I hope you're a better doctor than skater!"8O
Lyle

[AndreaUK]

HI

One of the things that I hear often and it annoys me so much to the point I wish i had some weapon of mass destruction to aim at their heads is what people say to me when i injure myself

'Well you are getting old now'

Im 32 years old, I dont consider myself old or too old to skate in any way what so ever and this comment absolutley makes me see red. I think the next person who says it to me will meet some wrath.

I think im a little het up at the moment due to being incapacitated from the ice once more. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :frus:

Andrea xx

[Derek]

"Wow you skate. Can you go backwards? Can you do a triple axel?"


I have just twigged why this is so ... consider the big names at the Olympics ... just before that triple ... they skate across the rink BACKWARDS !!! :D

[Isk8NYC]

I actually use my age as a motivator: when a young skating student says "I can't do that! It's impossible!", my reply is "If I can do it and I'm FIVE TIMES YOUR AGE, you can give it a go. Just humor the old lady (me) and try your best!"

I did a really crappy flying camel the other day and this one set of parents was so impressed, they bragged about seeing it to all the other hens/roosters in the clucking section. (Someone else told me - they always do!)

Hope you're back on the ice soon Andrea.

HI

One of the things that I hear often and it annoys me so much to the point I wish i had some weapon of mass destruction to aim at their heads is what people say to me when i injure myself

'Well you are getting old now'

Im 32 years old, I dont consider myself old or too old to skate in any way what so ever and this comment absolutley makes me see red. I think the next person who says it to me will meet some wrath.

I think im a little het up at the moment due to being incapacitated from the ice once more. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :frus:

Andrea xx

[icedancer2]

I skate about once a week in a rink in the mall. So the public is always heckling us, which is not unusual (they throw fries from the food court as well).

So of course friends who happen to be at the mall will sometimes see me skate. The best compliment I ever got from one of those friends was, "You seem a lot more graceful out there on the ice than you do walking around!"

Cute.8O

[jazzpants]

I think I'm lucky that my rink has a lot - and I mean a lot - of adult skaters, to the point that some mornings, practice is dominated by middle-aged men!

But the men involved are all married.....DRATS! There's ALWAYS a catch, huh, Annabel!!! :twisted: :lol: :P

[frbskate63]

I've had "Can you do a triple axel?" several times. I usually answer "No, but I can do a single salchow", and find that that impresses most people nearly as much. Or sometimes I tell them that I can do a seventh of a triple axel!

Fiona

[icedancer2]

Or sometimes I tell them that I can do a seventh of a triple axel!

Fiona

LOL -- well, since none of them even know what a triple axel is, I think this sounds great!

It strikes me as I think about this thread that it's kind of surprising that people even comment on adults skating - especially those that say it is only for kids and not adults, or who treat the adults as such.

I think it is pretty common for the baby boomers (my generation) and subsequent younger generations to be serious about the again process, and about doing things and keeping active in ways that our parent's generation never really thought about -- at least to a more extreme extent.

That being said, my skating inspirations have always been from the older people -- from all of the adult dancers at my club in the '60s, to the group of skaters that I used to skate with when I lived in Boston - most of that group were 50+ - and some into their 80s and 90s - they had always skated, and now maybe they could just do some stroking and a few turns, but they still go out on the ice a couple of days a week - at least to socialize!!

Just some random thoughts...

[lovepairs]

Doubletoe,

YOU ROCK!

[Emberchyld]

:lol: Just got back from a business trip to my company's other office in France and this was the first thread that I got to read... and how appropriate:

When I told one of my coworkers yesterday that I'm learning "patinage artistique (sur glace)", her eyes got very wide, and then asked some of questions that seem to have no nationality:

"Do you have a partner to pick you up or throw you?" (me: nope)
"You jump? How can you jump on ice if you don't have a partner to throw you?"

and

"Wow... You must be very graceful!" :lol: :lol:

[jskater49]

The only comment I get that I'm not quite real crazy about because it's supposed to be a complliment but doesn't quite come off as one...

"Oh I just admire your courage to go out there in front of everyone..." and it seems like in their mind they are saying "and make a fool of yourself" :P

j

[herniated]

jsskater,
I get that comment too, and think the same thing!:lol:

[doubletoe]

Doubletoe,

YOU ROCK!

Hee hee. Thanks. ;)

My other "fantasy answer" is the one I've got prepared for the next person who asks me if I can do a triple axel:
"Hey, you drive a car, don't you? Have you ever won a NASCAR race?" :lol:

[jazzpants]

My other "fantasy answer" is the one I've got prepared for the next person who asks me if I can do a triple axel:
"Hey, you drive a car, don't you? Have you ever won a NASCAR race?" :lol: http://www.cosgan.de/images/kao/frech/d015.gif

[Mrs Redboots]

jsskater,
I get that comment too, and think the same thing!:lol:So do I, so do I.

"Aren't you brave!" they say. Grrrrr.

[Terri C]

My comments and questions:

"Is your competition going to be on TV?"
"Do you get prize money for competing?" (Now if I were winning money, I would not be working beaucoup overtime to earn money for AN '08)

[Isk8NYC]

You really think it's a back-handed compliment? I have received that remark about skating, lectoring, and public speaking. I've always thought of it as a confession that the person making the remark gets stage fright in front of crowds. Hmmmm.

Once that remark came from a woman at church when I filled in at the last minute for a speaker that didn't make it to the meeting. She added "Oh, I could never get up in front of all those people. I'm too shy."

A few months later, we had a CoffeeHouse fundraiser where people performed and did Karaoke. The "Church Lady" was hilarious after she had a few ...ahem... alcoholic beverages. The DJ had to pry the mic away from her! ROTFLOL!


The only comment I get that I'm not quite real crazy about because it's supposed to be a complliment but doesn't quite come off as one..."Oh I just admire your courage to go out there in front of everyone..." and it seems like in their mind they are saying "and make a fool of yourself" :P
jsskater,
I get that comment too, and think the same thing!:lol:
So do I, so do I.
"Aren't you brave!" they say. Grrrrr.

DoubleToe: I like the NASCAR comparison. LOL

[sceptique]

Well... last year in Turin I bought myself a Russian Olympic Team kit - tracksuit, fleece & backpack and I tend to wear it to the rink quite often: it's comfy, good quality and easy to wash. Now & then I also wear it when teaching LTS classes. I can imagine there must be some string of association in some people's minds: Russian lady - olympic tracksuit - coaches => ex-elite skater. Now can you picture their reaction when they ask at what age and where I started skating and I honestly say: "31, Coventry"!

[Derek]

The penny has now dropped sceptique - I think you have possibly taught me! However, I am the 51 year old ... now assisting the instructor on the LTS level 1 groups (Yuri's idea ...) anything to get ice time until I can afford a coach and progress through the passport.

My favourite clothing normally consists of loud shirts more commonly seen on beaches - it attracts lots of comments (variable)from the public skaters though :D

[sceptique]

The penny has now dropped sceptique - I think you have possibly taught me! However, I am the 51 year old ... now assisting the instructor on the LTS level 1 groups (Yuri's idea ...) anything to get ice time until I can afford a coach and progress through the passport.

My favourite clothing normally consists of loud shirts more commonly seen on beaches - it attracts lots of comments (variable)from the public skaters though :D

Yup, I think I remember you.
Glad to see that Yuri found someone to help with LTS - I know they were struggling (thanks, Dancing on Ice!). I now have my own 161-skater-strong headache and keep dreaming about re-starting training with Marina & Richard. I could never imagine how little ice time you get when you are living at an ice rink!!

[garusha]

[QUOTE=AndreaUK;313634]HI

One of the things that I hear often and it annoys me so much to the point I wish i had some weapon of mass destruction to aim at their heads is what people say to me when i injure myself

'Well you are getting old now'

Im 32 years old, I dont consider myself old or too old to skate in any way what so ever and this comment absolutley makes me see red. I think the next person who says it to me will meet some wrath.

I think im a little het up at the moment due to being incapacitated from the ice once more. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :frus:

I'm sure they are only saying it because they think of THEMSELVES as old people. They are jealous of you. Ignore them! You are not old! You are a skater, who is temporarily away from the ice because you need to recuperate.

[garusha]

I showed a video of me doing the willow waltz to someone at work and they were so unimpressed. They just said 'But you didn't do anything - you just skated around'. Hmmmm. Wanna try?

It's funny how little the general public knows about figure skating. I was like that before I started taking lessons. I remember watching skating on television thinking that the only difficult things were jumps and spins. Somehow I was sure that all the connecting moves were piece of cake. Of course, now I know better.

[jazzpants]

HI

One of the things that I hear often and it annoys me so much to the point I wish i had some weapon of mass destruction to aim at their heads is what people say to me when i injure myself

'Well you are getting old now'

Im 32 years old, I dont consider myself old or too old to skate in any way what so ever and this comment absolutley makes me see red. I think the next person who says it to me will meet some wrath.

I think im a little het up at the moment due to being incapacitated from the ice once more. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr :frus:

I'm sure they are only saying it because they think of THEMSELVES as old people. They are jealous of you. Ignore them! You are not old! You are a skater, who is temporarily away from the ice because you need to recuperate.You know... I saw RED too when someone told me that comment when I was 32. :evil: The person who told me that comment was my GP!!! At the time I was injured from sciatica and he told me that I should give skating and the gym and just do taichi and easy walking! Same GP also doesn't believe in chiropractors either. Needless to say, I ditched that GP right away and now have a DIFFERENT GP who knows better than to tell me that I'm too old to pursue a sport I love. AND... I am seeing a chiropractor still. He's my savior for those rough times on the lower back!!! And I'm now 39 and skate a LOT better than when I was 32... and most adults still think I'm in my 20's!

Take that, you STUPID former GP!!! :evil:

[herniated]

I've got another one!! It never ends.:lol: About two years ago I had sinus surgery. (a very yucky, and painful thing) While I was recovering my father-in-law said, " So, You're not going to skate anymore are you ?" And he didn't mean just during my recovery. I said to him, "What does my nose and sinuses have to do with my ability to skate? Of course , I'm going back to skating!! I'll be able to breathe even better!" Doofus:twisted:

Obviously, they think my skating is a waste. They always ask me when I'm going to quit.!!

[TreSk8sAZ]

Speaking of injuries, etc. After a broken wrist, broken hand and now waiting for MRI results to see if I tore my knee to shreds, the one I often get is "Why are you putting yourself through all of this? It's not like you're going to the Olympics." GAH! So what if I'm not going to the olympics? It's like telling someone who plays basketball for fun and injures themselves the same thing. Apparently, it's just different when it's figure skating :roll: :frus:

And I CONSTANTLY get the "Wow, you're so brave!" thing from the people at my law school. Most of them truly mean it as a compliment, but I'm shy enough to be completely embarrassed by hearing it so often!

[lovepairs]

LOL!!! Yea, the TV question!!!!_)*&)^&%$^$%&^)*(&)(*&^

Question: "Are you on TV?!"

Answer: "Yea, of course, I'm on TV...haven't you seen me on Bravo? I'm on all the time."

Then let the morons sit there watching Top Design, Top Chef, and Project Skate! :P

[Sessy]

Can you eh, spin? (yes) Can you show? (shows) Can you like eh, spin in the air? (goes and does a single jump). But if you can spin and you can jump, why can't you spin in the air like many many times?
- Not sure whether to take that one as a compliment on jump height or as an insult. :lol:

Do you compete? (No, but I used to in ballroom dancing) Why not? You're good!
- Thanks kiddo, you made my day. :)

You've got a DRIVERS LICENSE? Just how old are you? (Answer: Why, how old do I look?) 15... (Hahahahhaa ok thanks! I'm 21.)
- I recently watched myself on film and I agree, I do look 15. Which is an improvement really, a few years ago when I was REALLY ill, I looked 40 and had colourless hair and wrinkled skin. So I'm glad to look young again.

You're THAT old?! What do you hope to achieve in figure skating? (Well, I wanna learn to jump everything double). But that's what I wanna learn too!
- One very silly 11-year-old girl who is in the same group I'm in as far as group lessons are concerned.

You know, if you'd started 10 years ago you could be really good.
- Yes well darling spoiled little brat girl, not EVERYBODY had the chance to skate as a child! For Christ's sake, I'm 21, not 81! I've got >10 years to learn a 2A if I wanna compete in the nationals in non-adult competitions. Come on! That's not even "impossible", and I've got a reputation for getting even impossible things done.

What I get a lot from my roomies (when they see me covered in bruises coming from the shower or with the next big injury I managed to get myself, is: "You're not exactly smart about this are you?"
- Frankly, I agree. The smart thing would be to swim a little, run a little, do some aerobics, some biking, hiking, etc, and never get injured. But I just don't see the charm of those sports. I'm sorry. I know everybody is used to see that I follow my head and not my heart, but this is the one thing in my life that I follow my heart in.

Weirdest experience of all times:
(I skate up to a girl doing a BEAUTIFUL forward bielman spiral on *rental* skates on a public session, looking like she'd already have tripped over her toepicks if the lower toepick wouldn't have been shaved off entirely, and tell her that it's safer to try it backwards.) Answer: But I don't know how to skate backwards!
- 8O A long discussion ensued, turned out the girl lives in Germany and does bielman spirals on top of a galloping horse and other neato stuff like that. She asked where she would best learn to ice dance and/or figure skate. I told her of course: in Germany. :lol: (well it's true, the facilities are better there.)


As for connecting steps, I just get the best laughs out of hockeyers trying to do mohawks and ehm... well it's like a mohawk except you then get back to the foot you started from, not sure what it's called I just learned it from watching tv and trying it myself. Nevermind hockeyers falling on 2-footed spins and attempted toeloops/waltz jumps, hockeyers falling on spirals and mohawks is WAY better MWUAHAHAHAHA :D
As far as hockeyers are concerned, I learned a hockey snow stop now too, I can shower them in ice shavings any time they try to shower me now. I just get the idea it dullens my edges, so I don't over-use this.

[Sessy]

Well... last year in Turin I bought myself a Russian Olympic Team kit - tracksuit, fleece & backpack and I tend to wear it to the rink quite often: it's comfy, good quality and easy to wash. Now & then I also wear it when teaching LTS classes. I can imagine there must be some string of association in some people's minds: Russian lady - olympic tracksuit - coaches => ex-elite skater. Now can you picture their reaction when they ask at what age and where I started skating and I honestly say: "31, Coventry"!


Privet!
:lol:

The thing about being Russian that I love is that I can just communicate with all the coaches and ballet teachers in a language that is not just easy for them, but in which it is easy for them to explain/get across all the subtleties they wish to express about a certain movement.


By the way I get a lot of those shocked looks too.
"How long have you been skating?"
"A year"
:o

[miraclegro]

I've had many children and a few adults ask me if i am a professional (they apparently live in a cave), but i take it as a HUGE compliment.

I've had others ask me if i compete and i say "yes," but i only do certain competitions.

There are other interesting questions, like if i am going to the Olympics...ha ha

Another adult recently asked me what my aspirations are and i told them to go to the Sr. Olympics. (i am 46) ha ha

[Skate@Delaware]

Ha! Ha! the funniest thing said was by me...It's embarrassing but I'll spill:

We adults were all getting our skates off and talking, and someone said something like, "Well, it's not like any of us are going to the Olympics or anything"

To which I replied, "When I get old enough, I'm going to the Special Olympics"

8O

I meant to say Senior Olympics!!!! No saving myself on that one!

[sue123]

I think I may have mentioned this before, but last May, at our senior dinner in the chemistry department, the chair talked about all of the seniors. When he got to me, he said "Sue is a very good student, and she likes to skate. She's always telling us of these progresses she's making, but we're not sure how good she really is since she's always getting injured. She's had concussions, knee problems, in fact, I think she has a wrist brace on right now." I did have a wrist brace on, but I got that from falling up the stairs, not skating.

[WhisperSung]

I guess I wasn't an adult skater when I got asked this question (was 17), but I was with a group of synchro skaters on the team I was on, and this little boy skater comes up to me (he's now a national novice medalist! 8O) and, upon hearing that I've passed my juvenile freeskate he says, "But you have to land an axel to pass that test. . .I didn't know synchro skaters could do jumps." :lol:

And then there was the 9 year old at the rink during Adult Mids this weekend. When I told her I was 23, I was expecting a "wow. . .that's really old!" comment, but instead she said, "That's pretty young. You've got lots of skating years left." This, coming from a little 9 year old. Pretty cute. ;)

[tidesong]

When I was at school my friends would ask me if i could do the... and then they'd be at a lost for words and start twirling their hands in the air... then I'll say like spins? Yeah... then they will gesture somemore then I say ... yeah combination spins I can do that... lol

Some people ask me like if I win money at competitions too then I'll just tell them no I pay to compete... not win money lol

[Sessy]

A pet peeve of mine is that everybody seems to think that if you're an adult skater here in the Netherlands, well, then you should join a synchro team because that's the only way you'll ever get to nationals. So everybody keeps telling me how great it is to be on a synchro team and that I should join. Ughhhh... :x

I hated every group dance we ever did anywhere, in kindergarten, in school, in ballet class, in dancing class, in highschool, even though I did love dancing, so I'm most certainly NOT joining any team - especially considering the costs of being on one!

[Emberchyld]

I think I may have mentioned this before, but last May, at our senior dinner in the chemistry department, the chair talked about all of the seniors. When he got to me, he said "Sue is a very good student, and she likes to skate. She's always telling us of these progresses she's making, but we're not sure how good she really is since she's always getting injured. She's had concussions, knee problems, in fact, I think she has a wrist brace on right now." I did have a wrist brace on, but I got that from falling up the stairs, not skating.

:lol: I know I've said this before, but my boss regularly threatens to wrap me in bubble wrap!

[mikawendy]

:lol: I know I've said this before, but my boss regularly threatens to wrap me in bubble wrap!

:lol: :lol: LOL! I also always thought it would be a great halloween skating costume to wear a suit that was padded like the Michelin man....

[Emberchyld]

:lol: :lol: LOL! I also always thought it would be a great halloween skating costume to wear a suit that was padded like the Michelin man....

:lol: :lol: :lol: *Pop* *pop* *pop*... :lol: :lol: :lol:

:lol: My favorite ever had to be the on-ice costume party this year when a parent decided to put the kid into a big, padded "Cars" costume that was as long as he was tall. Every time he fell down, he'd bounce right back up!

[Debbie S]

Another cute comment:

Today, the mother of a 9-year-old girl I skate with, who has the same coach as me, told me that her daughter had asked her "What grade is Debbie in?" LOL! I laughed and started counting my years in college and grad school and came up with something like 20th - the mother said she told her daughter that I was a senior (I'm only 35, so she meant senior in high school) - lol! :lol:

[Sessy]

:lol: :lol: LOL! I also always thought it would be a great halloween skating costume to wear a suit that was padded like the Michelin man....

Haha last year when I'd just started skating and was attempting bielman spirals when I couldn't do a normal spiral (yeah well I've always been one for pushing the limits) my BF told me to go dressed up as spongebob.

This year at artistic skate in Deventer or Groningen or something, somebody actually went as spongebob judging from the photos... :lol:

[Mrs Redboots]

:lol: I know I've said this before, but my boss regularly threatens to wrap me in bubble wrap!
We've just finished the second series of Dancing on Ice here in the UK, where a celebrity dances with a professional skater. In the final, the celebs have to "fly" - they are hooked to a harness, and do all sorts of aerial tricks, as well as skating. The sole woman finalist found the harness hurt her hips, and made herself a clever pair of pants (short pants) out of bubble wrap - apparently you could hear it popping all through her programme!

[kateskate]

Another cute comment:

Today, the mother of a 9-year-old girl I skate with, who has the same coach as me, told me that her daughter had asked her "What grade is Debbie in?" LOL! I laughed and started counting my years in college and grad school and came up with something like 20th - the mother said she told her daughter that I was a senior (I'm only 35, so she meant senior in high school) - lol! :lol:

Along similar lines. An adult skater at my rink got new skates because her old ones were too big and one of the kids asked her if she was going to keep them as she would grow into them. Bless. She told him her feet had stopped growing a long time ago

[cecealias]

I'm 31, but I get mistaken for being younger a lot. I had a 9 year old kid ask "Are you a real adult?" I told the kid, "As much as you're a real little boy!"

I don't know if it's a combination of looks or my skating level - i tend to just "go for it" when working on jumps and spins - but I get the high school thing a lot. I suppose if i skated more tentatively and slowly, i'd be taken more seriously for being an adult. LOL.

[flo]

Mika, I went to a club halloween party in a bubble wrap skating top and skirt. I also had "fragile" and "special delivery" stickers, and a bubble wrap bow for my hair.

[samba]

A few years ago when my son still skated, a little girl cried to her mum and said "why can't I wear a head band, Karl's mummy is allowed"

[Team Arthritis]

A few years ago when my son still skated, a little girl cried to her mum and said "why can't I wear a head band, Karl's mummy is allowed"

LOL we ARE privelaged indeed:lol:
Lyle

[Award]

'Are you going to the Olympics? You compete!!??? Can you do a triple axel? Are you on TV?:lol: Do you make any money doing this? What a nice hobby for you! :roll: When are you going to quit? (My usual response to this one is - when I die) Someone is reliving thier youth.'

You should just say that you skate for fitness and enjoyment of skating, and if they try to backchat, then tell them to shut up.

[herniated]

Award,
I like what you said, especially the 'shut up' part.:lol:

[RoaringSkates]

I thought of another one!! Years ago I fractured my tailbone, a co-worker asked me 'Did you do it doing a triple?' I said, 'No, I was just kind of standing still and my feet slipped!' She rolled her eyes:roll: and said 'Oh'. She wasn't too impressed.

You should have answered "Yes." ;)

[cecealias]

A bunch of really overweight and obese relatives once asked me : "Why bother skating? You should just quit! you're not going anywhere with it! It's a waste of time!"

I said, "I skate so that I don't become diabetic, obese and develop heart disease like you do!!"

[jskater49]

You should have answered "Yes." ;)

Last year I came in the hotel wearing my medal and some drunk in the elevator asked me if I won an Olympic medal. I looked him in the eye and said, "Yes, yes I did" :D

j

[Team Arthritis]

did he buy you a drink atleast? http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/nahrung/a025.gif
Lyle

[southernsk8er]

"Is it hard?" Yes!

"Does it hurt when you fall?" Duh!

"Can you do a triple axel/triple anything/back flip?" Uh, no, can you? (People are usually disappointed that I can't do triples - I'm 27! I started skating less than 2 years ago!) On the other hand, a few people ask if I can do a Lutz, and for some reason are impressed that I can. I guess it sounds fancy.

"Can you spin?" Yes, badly!

"Do you get dizzy?" Of course! (I really don't understand that question - do other people not get dizzy spinning around on the floor or in an office chair?)

"Can you do a Hamill camel?" Huh? I'm working on a camel/sit - I think that's the same thing.

"Do you skate every day?" Pshaw, I wish.

"Do you have your own skates and everything?" Sigh...how many more stupid questions are you going to ask me?

"Do you compete?" Not yet, but I have a comp. in June. That impresses people until they find out my program is 1 minute 40 seconds. Hahaha!

[Team Arthritis]

That impresses people until they find out my program is 1 minute 40 seconds. Hahaha!
Yeh then I ask em, well just how long can YOU hold your breath?:roll:
Lyle

[southernsk8er]

heehee! that is such a good point!

i can't remember who started this, but it was such a great topic. there are very few adult skaters here, so i really enjoyed hearing from everyone. i think it's hilarious we all get asked the same questions!

[The Ice Demon]

I usually take the typical adult skater comments with good humour.

But I have never forgotten how hurtful I found it when a parent thought it was necessary to point out to me (with obvious enjoyment) that his daughter (who I had coached in Learn to Skate) had beaten me in a competition.

I was so hurt I didn't even reply... how do you explain to someone that pigheaded, the difference between competing as an 8 year old compared to learning to skate and compete in your 20s?