Confetti or cornflakes: 15-21 April 2007

[Mrs Redboots]

In honour of my daughter's wedding this coming Saturday!

Confetti: Got a whole nother 2 bars of our free dance choreographed! And also ran through it to the music as far as we've got. It needs work, but is going to happen, I think. And I have an idea for the next two bars, which will leave only four bars at the end to do.

Husband had obviously taken jumping-powder this morning, as all his jumps were back after a dire week. This is actually apt to happen after a 20-mile walk, and the sooner he realises this, the better. And I saw at least one camel spin from him with 3 good revolutions, and another with nearly 3.

Cornflakes: The patch was packed out, so not easy to do things. And we're at a loss to know what to do at the end of our free dance - we've used up our allowed lift & spin! I do have a teeny germ of an idea, but I don't know if it will work.

[jskater49]

:) Hey! I LIKE cornflakes! :)

[Mrs Redboots]

:) Hey! I LIKE cornflakes! :)Well, so do I, but I shouldn't like them thrown at me instead of confetti. I suppose you could make it "coal", if you prefer.....

[aussieskater]

Mrs RB, warmest regards and congratulations toyour daughter and her intended - may Saturday be the beginnng of a long and happy life together! (DH and I have clocked up 15 years this last week - so we have a while to go yet!)

Confetti and cornflakes all in together

DH has finally got his new skates and synchro blades - after 3 months of waiting! He tried them out this morning and thinks the boots are great. Stiff but great. He's not so sure about the shorter blade with the 8' rocker (his old freestyle blades had a 7' rocker). Most everyone else at the rink has advised me to wait until he's used to the short blade before dancing with him again...wonder why?? :P

[Isk8NYC]

I like the title - it's interpretive. I like cornflakes more than confetti - easier to clean up when thrown! LOL

I am very thankful that I have 1 or 2 students in each group that actually remembers the program. I have 12 different programs bouncing around inside my head and I can't always keep them straight. Some of these kids are stellar as leaders. One group's pretty big, so I have one "leader" in front and one "leader" in the middle. The mid-leader is actually stronger and keeps the whole mid- and tail-section on track, even if the front end starts to lose it. LOL

In one hour, my most promising and stubborn skater and I put together her entire 1:40 freestyle program. She even let me play the music for everyone to hear. Unbelieveable what letting her use silk fans will do for courage.

Confetti:
Yesterday was such an exhausting day, but I managed it all pretty well.
We had to blow off going to the Auto Show due to an injury (dd, not me).
Mohawks were awful, for whatever reason, so I decided to just ignore them and not reward them with attention. So there!

Prel MITF Spiral Sequence - not perfect, but I'm not falling over, either.
Just can't keep the end of each FI spiral in check - my heel skids out as I change feet.

Cornflakes:
Prel MITF Power Crossovers were great - I remembered to LOOK, REACH, and CROSS. LOL
Prel MITF Power Threes were decent, but I really only tried them on the line.
Prel MITF Threes-on-the-Line: not half-bad. I only touch down on my right side now. The trick (for me) was to check shoulders square with the end walls before stepping forward. I'm still working on the proper FO edge, though.

Back spins were awesome yesterday. I did some recognizable back scratch and back camel spins, too. Even a little baby flying camel - how cute!

Jumps were great - waltz, toe loops, even salchows were good.

As tempting as it is to go to the rink today, I've decided that bad weather and a pending doctor's appointment are making me stay home.

[xofivebyfive]

Confetti- I got new skates! Oh man, I sm so excited. They are about 2 inches smaller than my old ones. I have no idea how I fit so well into either with that huge difference, but whatever. I tried skating in them for the first time yesterday and there was an instant difference. My feet felt smaller, and lighter and everything felt easier to do(minus the not being able to bend). And my toepick is HUGE. Monstrous actually. I'm looking foward to seeing what I can accomplish in these.

Cornflakes- Breaking the skates in is going to be tough, since every time I bend, the skate presses hard against where I had a stress fracture, and it's really painful.
I'm also getting my braces put on again and I have separators in now and they're putting my mouth in unbearable pain.

[Sk8pdx]

Confetti:
well friends, I finally have found the urge to skate again after about a month & 1/2. It felt awkward to step on the ice for the first time again. I felt like I had forgotten so many things but after about 20 minutes it all clicked. I worked on simple stroking, waltz jumps and spins and then more stroking. I also reconnected with a few of my skating buddies here at home. Even though a month may not seem long, from what I have experienced, "skating years" seem to calculate exponentially as if they were like "dog years"... well, I am rambling but my point is it sure seems like "forever" since I skated. I hadn't realized how much I was missing.I was glad to be back on the ice. :)

Corn Flakes:
brighter days are ahead here.

[jazzpants]

:) Hey! I LIKE cornflakes! :)Me too! Especially FROSTED ones with banana!!! It's what my MIL has for me when I visit NYC!!! 8-)

Confetti:

Just about everything was confetti. Loop and flip was there and in spades!!! I managed to get just a wee bit more speed going into it and so far it's holding steady!!! I managed a flip-toe loop too!!! :D
I tried a catch foot spiral on ice for the first time in a while. (I've been doing it off ice at the gym a LOT.) It's actually not bad!!! 8-)
Back sit from a FI3 entry is actually starting to get down a wee bit too!!! Can't wait to show it to Jay when I have the chance! :DCornflakes:

Camel spin... well, it's still not in position but given the few tries I had I nearly decapitated some poor kid's head, I didn't have much of a choice. :frus:
Tried for a loop-loop! Close but no go yet!!! :cry:ETA: Sk8pdx: Welcome back!!! (What happened to you?)

[icedancer2]

Corn Flakes:
brighter days are ahead here.

Hey hey - where have you been?

[Sk8pdx]

Had a little "skaters burn-out" but I think it has passed now. too much frustration with loop and flip seemed disparaging. A little break away was helpful to determine what really matters in skating as well as life in general. :)

[jskater49]

Cornflakes - I feel like I'm starting all over again with the back crossovers from Bronze moves... just a little thing like shifting my weight and everything feels weird but I know that I'm to be doing them much better once I get the hang of it.

Confettie - I seemed to have more control of my LO 3 turn, was holding it better. Power 3s go better now that my weight is on the correct side for the back inside edge crossover.

Freestyle lesson

Cornflakes - I can't reach to grab my opposite foot in a spiral but grabbing it with the same hand looks really bad and coach agreed it wasn't working so she suggested I grab my knee. I tried it and she said that has potential - just need to push my chest out (show that rack) more. She showed me how to sit on the floor which is the exact position the spiral is to get used to it.

We dusted off the old compulsary program that I did back in January because I'm going to compete it in June. I was going through it --spiral, half lutz, two foot spin and kept thinking something was missing. When I got in the car AFTER skating, I remembered - duh - Waltz jump

Coach said and I felt it - this is sooo improved from January it isn't even recognizable. I still need to lower my back more for my spiral- she had me try thinking about flexing my foot rather than pointing my toe and that might help me push down more. Seemed to help a little bit though it was counter intuitive after thinking about pointing my toe so much.

WORSE THAN CORNFLAKES -- I heated my coffee up this morning in the microwave and set it too high so that it was boiling. Tried to pour it into my traveling cup and spilled it on my hand. I think it's going to blister. It didn't feel so bad in the cold rink but afterwards I was nearly in tears. Rink guy brought me a little packet of burn cream - wasn't that nice?

j

[Terri C]

All cornflakes today!
The loop that I cleaned up and the sitspin I got lowered were not at practice today. I think I got this wild notion in my head that now that I've got these elements where they are legit that they will autmatically come every time I want them to. It also does not help that rink management is too freaking lazy to ensure that someone is in the building that can resurface the ice when needed. The ice was soooo chewed when it was time for lesson that it was very difficult to get into edges and I moved with the speed of a turtle.
I just want to skate my Bronze test program cleanly, so I know I can pass my Bronze free next month!:frus: :frus:

[Bill_S]

Cornflakes, cornflakes, and more cornflakes... our rink has officially closed for the season. Sob!

Confetti: I get to sleep in to 7 am each morning now.

More Confetti: The annual skating show went well, and I did the usual photo duty. I'm uploading 102 pictures right now for parents to view and buy with proceeds benefitting the skating club.

Mixed confetti and cornflakes: They awarded me with a trophy after the show's conclusion for recent achievements. Yay! The crowd cheered, and I had to go over the boards to get to the ice (show decorations over the door of the hockey box prevented it from opening). I hit the ice and about fell flat on my face! I heard the crowd gasp, so at least several hundred people saw my skating at its worst.

I never did perform well for crowds!

[Isk8NYC]

(((Bill_S))) I hope you're all right?!?! Our Pro Number in last year's skating show ended with our laying down on the ice. Guess what? You should always practice EVERYTHING in your costume. Wide-legged velvet pants are very slippery. I went to get up at the end and take a bow and plopped right back down! I sympathize.

Congrats on the award, sorry about the seasonal rink closing. Hope you find some ice this spring/summer.

My Monday students are split with a half-hour of free time in between. I keep my first student company (she's shy and will get off unless I coax her to practice) and work out a bit.

Cornflakes:
Loop was weak - I'm still playing on or near the wall.
Stupid Tango stop - not that anyone's MAKING me work on this, but arrrgh...
Back Outside Threes - I'm right-footed, for sure!

Twizzles on my right foot are good, but my left is eh. I've gotten to the point where I can almost turn all the way around, but I can't quite figure out how to get my right free foot to stay in place out front. The beginner hockey guys (in their 20's) are fascinated by this move, though. LOL

Confetti:
Back spins - dead on great and my exit "kick" is getting very strong and effective.

Toe loops - I can do them one after the other and even do them from a BO edge. Now to start working on the Waltz-Toe Loop again without kicking myself.

Waltz jumps are really going well. I've added a new exercise - the "Cabriolet" Waltz jump. (Waltz jump, delay the rotation until the top, bring feet together, then turn and land.) I always loved doing "delay" jumps, so this is making me very happy.

Ukrainian Cross Rolls were very good - I like them very much and I don't care if they're legit or couterfeit. (Good title for a practice thread...)

Did a nice sit spin at the end and my Ukrainian coach friend was very impressed how good the position was and how low I "sat." He even told the director about it later in the evening.

[flo]

Confetti: I have my music cut for the new season - looking forward to it, very intense.

Cornflakes: no word on my new skates.

[Mrs Redboots]

Confetti: No corrections on our Fiesta Tango today, or only cosmetic ones. It's far from perfect - I doubt it would pass, were we to test it - but it's obviously as good as we're going to get it for now.

Cornflakes: Willow Waltz is still a bit iffy. And "Your Swing Dance is worse than your Willow!" said the coach. I think this is partly due to the fact I've no idea what tempo to practice it at, and also to the fact that Husband simply can't do back swing rolls!

My 3-turns are broken! I canNOT control the timing on them - I mean, how many years have I worked on Push/extend, foot in, turn (1-2-3 turn), and now I can't hold them and they turn almost before my foot has come in? Sheesh! Fine going round the hockey goal, I can turn when I'm ready there, but not in (say) the Prelim Waltz or even Waltz 3s round the circle.

No lessons from Coach1 now (apart from my solo lesson tomorrow) as he's away next week at a seminar and then at an Open. Coach2 will be in next Wednesday, so probably will have 30 minutes with her, especially as we're missing out on Sunday.

In fact, we only have two more lessons before Tallinn, as the coaches are on holiday the first week in May!

Didn't get my stretch class today as the trainer realised she'd promised to give another skating mother a maths lesson. How eclectic is that?!

[Laura H]

Pretty much ALL cornflakes recently . . . :frus:

My regular lesson got canceled last night (hockey tournament) so no ice time at all . . . did the treadmill instead . . . boooorring!!

Then took DS to his early a.m. lesson . . he did his lesson, couldn't get him to get into the groove afterwards for the rest of the freestyle session - would do ONE spin, then come back to the boards . . . so finally I stalked out to the car & got my skates and joined him (attack of the psycho skater mom . . . watch out!!). No seriously, we just kind of fooled around, he did get a few good waltz/loop combos in . . . nothing like having mom on the ice to boost one's confidence, I guess. :roll: I really have no business being on Freestyle ice, but it's not like I was going to bother anyone . . . only 2 skaters (one of them being my son) and his coach on the ice this a.m., that early morning ice has been a hard sell!! :twisted:

My own skating?? Spins were *yucky* . . . don't quite know how to describe it, I'm just not getting any SNAP into the spin, the 2nd half of the 3 turn entry just doesn't feel secure and I end up coming out of the spin . . . I hate to always make my blades the culprit, but just got them sharpened (?) and they just don't feel right . . . wondering if the ROH needs to be deeper. (I'm in "reputable sharpener wasteland" btw - only hockey dudes at the rink - this one "off-site guy" was recommended to me, but not 100% sure about him - don't know if I'm just being paranoid?). :::: sigh ::::: on the plus side, my boots are actually feeling pretty good!

[jazzpants]

Cornflakes: An old nemesis has come back to haunt me... the BACKSPIN!!! :evil:

In this case, it's in the form of trying to STAY on the current edge, instead of doing little 3turns like I'm doing now. :frus:Unfortunately, this will be my NEW goal for the year. OY VEI!!! 8O

Thankful that spins were all I was doing... my lower back is bothering me again. :cry:

Confetti: Well... I didn't die yet... :P :lol:

("Never was a cornflake girl... thought it was a good solution... hangin' with the raisin girls...." Let's see if anyone recognizes what song and artist this is from...)

[dbny]

Confetti:
The rink I've been going to mid-week had fabulous ice today! We stopped at the cashier on the way out to ask a question, and one of the men who works there asked me how the ice was. When I told him, he said "we took your advice" 8O. I don't actually remember giving them any advice, but it is a very hopeful sign that this place may yet come round to being well run and welcoming.

Backspin is definitely coming along. I got another two of one rev each. I absolutely refuse to ever allow myself on that FI edge, as I've seen how hard it is to correct (thank you, Jazzpants ;)). Got some very nice one foot spins and one really good one from a T push. Last week, coach told me that dropping my R shoulder is what's making me list in that direction, and I seem to be able to correct it when it happens now.

Interesting observation: Twice while I was just starting a spin, someone I knew came a little too close to me to talk. Both times I continued with the spin while listening to my friend, and it was excellent both times. I think having a face to look at kept my eyes and head up! Now I try to imagine that.

Cornflakes:
Everything else was just mediocre today, and I could not get another good spin from T push after the first one.

[Scarlett]

Cornflakes - All cornflakes. My coach is going on a two month sabbatical at the end of the month. My favorite rink is shutting down for two months. Waltz-8 looked like crap.

Confetti - Ummm....I didn't break anything.

[Figureskates]

Confetti...I can get my foot with the broken toe into my skate....:)

Cornflakes...I can't do any jumps because I can't get up on my toepick without my toe screaming bloody murder..:cry:

I can at least work on my figures but will have to put off the bronze elements until the pain goes away...

[Rusty Blades]

(Long post tonight!)

In practice tonight I worked a lot on backward edges, mostly outside, trying to get down in the knees enough to reach over for the cross-over - definitely getting better. Worked on 3-turns, both feet, and trying to get the feel for alternating inside/outside 3-turns (as in what may become a twizzle one day). Also worked a little on two-foot spins.

In lesson coach asked how the turns were going but, of course, by then they had pretty much deserted me. She asked if I had been practicing two-foot spins - I said two-foot spins feel “funny”, kind of draggy.

Confetti: She said try the spin on one foot if two footed spins feel strange, so I DID IT!!! 8O Got at least one full revolution on one foot but had to put my foot down to finish the spin.

Then she asked me how the back outside edges were coming. I explained I was practicing for enough reach to do a cross-over.

Confetti: She asked me to show her, so I DID A COUPLE OF BACK CROSS-OVERS!!! (good edges, proper weight transfer, change of foot and everything!)

Cornflakes: CCW BXO worked but CW didn’t quite make it.

Holy sh##! First one foot spin and first back cross-overs on the same day!

On the drive home I was thinking about how my skating has changed since Nationals and I realized there has been a MAJOR change - I am not thinking about my skating now, not analyzing the sequence of body and foot positions I need to do a move - I am just FEELING IT.

Somewhere through the months of developing and learning my program for Nationals, there was a change in the mental process. I went from thinking about every move to thinking about the music and letting the moves “happen”. Now I am still not thinking about my skating, just DOING IT. When coach asked me to try a one foot spin, there was no thought involved, just movement and it worked!

[looplover]

Confetti:

hm, I'll come back to that

Cornflakes: as soon as the coach wanted me to make the flip bigger it totally disappeared and I two footed every one. Can not bring myself to actually try a lutz for some reason. Am sure I drove the coach up the wall yesterday. Sit spin is on vacation. :twisted: :frus: :roll: :x :cry: :giveup: :frus: :twisted:

Confetti: Well, my waltz-1/2 loop-salchow combination is really good. :D

[Mrs Redboots]

Cornflakes: Like Jazzpants, I have a backache today, but luckily it wasn't bad enough to stop me from skating. But I didn't help it by jarring myself at least twice, both times on a Mohawk (once in the Willow Waltz when my free leg went down before I meant it to, and once in our free dance when I turned before Husband thought I was going to).

Confetti: Did some good work with Husband today; we went through all our compulsories (swing dance still appalling!) except the Willow as we stopped after the Mohawk fiasco and never completed it! Then worked on our free dance, trying to choreograph the end. Discarded my idea from yesterday which doesn't work. Needless to say, I only thought of steps that might work once Husband had gone!

Friend gave us a super photo of our podium at the British Adults last year.

Cornflakes: In my lesson, my 3-turns worked perfectly when done slowly, but when done to tempo deteriorated. And don't try doing waltz 3s (or, in this case, 2-beat 3s) to the Rocker Foxtrot music! Not fun! Actually, great fun, but not exactly elegant!

Changes-of-edge okay in one direction but not the other. Extended Russian stroking still not quite what my coach wants.

No lesson with him for 2 weeks now, although I think I'll get ten minutes or so with Coach2 next week.

[Sessy]

Uploaded two of my practicing video's from after the competition (mom will, hopefully, provide me with a video of the programme itself in actually more than 30x20 pixels in time, LOL!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlxI1B2gsVw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiNxqYMgWlQ

So judge for yourselves! And feel free to give me all the tips in the world!

[Terri C]

Cornflakes:
Had 'em for breakfast today- ha ha!
Still am trying to get this change that Secondary coach put into the test program- not a go on program runthrough.

Confetti:
Managed to skate most of the program clean, except for the first half.
I'll see what Primary coach has to say about this change tomorrow. I'm not too kosher on it yet.

[Isk8NYC]

Confetti:
LxR crossovers were abysmal. I couldn't even do the ISI keep-both-feet-on-the-ice version today.
Tango stops svck. Bleh.

Ticker Tape: (Easier to clean up than Confetti, less so than Cornflakes)
I can stay up on the LFI twizzle - just can't get that free foot in front.
Salchows are clean, but I really don't hold that back inside edge long enough.
It should feel like a loop takeoff, right? (Except a deep back INSIDE edge version.)


Cornflakes:
Back scratch spin was terrific and controlled, entries were dead-on correct!
Awesome sit and sit-change-sit spins. Lalalala!

Waltz jumps were good, so now I have to do three circles of crossovers followed by three waltz jumps in a row.
As long as I remember to check everything, I could actually do them!
Loop jump is still iffy, but I managed a few from the RFI3.
Tried a few waltz-loops, which were okay as long as I checked the entry.

All in all, a good workout this morning.

[Skittl1321]

Confetti: Lesson went well, overall skating felt good- but really nothing to highlight.

Cornflakes: (are cornflakes bad?) For some reason my boot is squeezing the side of my right foot. Its never done this before, but I was only able to skate for about 10 minutes at a time before I had to take it off and stretch/rub my foot. Oddly, it didn't bother me when I was teaching.

I had my coach tape my program on my camera- my camera would only tape 1:00 of it, so I only saw the beginning. The performance is next Saturday, so I really wanted to see what it looks like. It's pretty darn awful, but not so horrible that I'm scratching. I do a good job looking up, smiling, and using big arms- and when I'm doing spirals it looks great, and spins okay. But when I jump or do footwork I look like a bumbling hippopatamus. The costume doesn't look too bad on me, but it isn't extremely flattering either- without spending a fortune, I won't get an extremely flattering skating dress on this body. Sorry I can't share the tape- it was erased after I watched it. Hopefully I will get a tape of the full performance.

[BatikatII]

Cornflakes: (are cornflakes bad?) .


They are if you've just scraped them off your corns!:lol: eeeuuugghhh!!!!;)

[Mrs Redboots]

They are if you've just scraped them off your corns!:lol: eeeuuugghhh!!!!;)Thank you Gail. Just what I was wishing to read while digesting my lunch, not!

[BatikatII]

Thank you Gail. Just what I was wishing to read while digesting my lunch, not!

My apologies:oops: - just the first thing that came to mind - need to do something about the state of my mind!;)

[Terri C]

Confetti:
Finally getting the muscle memory on the change in program.
Had a better runthrough today than I've had the last week or so, never mind that there are some trouble spots in the program.

Cornflakes:
Where, oh where are my clean loops and lowered sitspins from last week?!
I'm such a freakin ditz when it comes to the loop. I utilize a RFI3 entrance and my body thinks I have rotated the three when I really haven't and so my loop is underotated as a result.
Primary coach commented that my sitspin was not as lower today as it was last week. :frus: :frus: :frus:

[BatikatII]

confetti: started choreographing my free dance yesterday - it is going to be a really fun one to do but already (only 20 secs in) the choreography is awfully complicated (not difficult to do but complicated in that it requires a lot of getting brain into gear to make it go right).

Free lesson today and it was a really good one. Did a lot of edge work first and then launched into my program. It had to be the best I've ever done it since I landed both the loop and flip in the programme and I felt totally relaxed (despite the row of parents from another rink who had brought their kids to practice ready for our kids opens next week)

Did a few more loops and flips after and they felt so easy. It's amazing how when you manage to get the technique just right, those jumps which I've stuggled with for so long, just seem so easy. The trick I guess is to get the technique right consistently and that is not something I've ever been able to do.

no corn flakes today (perhaps because I didn't even try to do a backspin!):D

[jskater49]

Cornflakes - Ames ice arena closes down for the month of May

Confetti - we can contract ice in Des Moines for LESS THAN $6 an hour!!!


j

[Skate@Delaware]

Cornflakes: um, I'm back on the "ice" again, but it's fake. And hard to adjust to (for now) and there are 15 of us on a 20x20 foot surface....

Confetti: IT'S FREE!!!!!! and I get stuff from the pro shop AT COST!!!!! oh, did I mention free rink food 8O (not that it's worth mentioning, that stuff can kill you, but it's free and the drinks are ok).;)

Ah, the life of a show skater.....maybe I will get my loop, flip, camel, and sitspin this summer? Hey, it can happen!!! All the skaters who did shows on the fake ice last year had phenominal gains in their skills!!!!

[mikawendy]

Ah, the life of a show skater.....maybe I will get my loop, flip, camel, and sitspin this summer? Hey, it can happen!!! All the skaters who did shows on the fake ice last year had phenominal gains in their skills!!!!

That makes sense--I've heard that one has to PUUUUUUSH so much harder on fake ice to do the same things as on regular ice, plus it's much "slower" than regular ice, so going back to regular ice after some time on fake ice probably helps with speed, etc.

[Rusty Blades]

Cornflakes - All wet, soggy ones at that! As good as everything was on Tuesday it was mediocre to pi@@ poor today! :frus: Rubbery, weak knees, poor sense of balance, and just generally physically tired. It took an hour’s practice to get anywhere close to the backward outside edges and the reach just wasn’t there for the cross-overs. Even the spins had deserted me! My poor coach - she comes out to give me a lesson and it’s like my body left a half hour ago and is now in bed sound asleep! :giveup: Oh well . . . nothing can overshadow Tuesday’s session :mrgreen:

Confetti: Forward edges and cross-overs worked - they ALWAYS work! 8-)

[dbny]

Cornflakes:
Had a ton of trouble with Prelim power threes today. Really had to hack away at them to get moving. Still chickening out on FI threes on the line, even though I can do them one at a time from the wall.

Confetti:
Did a decent one foot spin from BXO's!

Confetti, Tickertape, Firecrackers:
Got on staff today at a rink I've wanted to work at for a very long time! Now I don't have to take an icky part time office job.

[Thin-Ice]

Confetti, Tickertape, Firecrackers:
Got on staff today at a rink I've wanted to work at for a very long time! Now I don't have to take an icky part time office job.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WooHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Isk8NYC]

Got on staff today at a rink I've wanted to work at for a very long time! Now I don't have to take an icky part time office job.Hey - I have an "icky FULL time office job!" Congratulations, of course. I'm very happy for you!

Cornflakes:
My little private lesson student landed her waltz, toe loop, and waltz-toe loop last night for the first time. Whew! I was getting a complex about it and trying not to show my concern. I did a few beautiful jumps while demonstrating. There was a smattering of applause from my adoring fans. LOL

Did some outstanding upright spins with little/no effort.
Stroking and turns were all clean and good.

Confetti:
Struggled a bit with stupid stuff; mostly the LxR elements. (Maybe my blade alignments are still off; should visit Klingbeil's soon.)
Gave up my half-hour of free time on the ice to privately teach one of my students that needs help.
The rink changed the public/freestyle skating schedule, so we're all scrambling for ice time and lessons two weeks before the other rink's Show.

Ticker Tape:
Finally finished my Thursday group's skating program and it's great! Everyone loves it, they finish on time, and we have a lot of fun performing it for the crowd. Again, applause from the grandstands after every run through. Best part: we have a full month left for practices!

[jskater49]

Confetti - Had a good lesson on moves today -- the back perimeter crossovers are getting more comfortable, more power, the right edge and weight over the correct foot.

I used to do the back edge/landing position so well - I"m pretty sure I even passed over when I took this test years ago so I was ignoring that move and concentrating on harder things. Well, when I tried them today they were not good at all...but that will come back, need to work on the left side particularly since it's not my landing position. Just a reminder that you can't neglect anything - even the so called "easy" stuff

and...coach said my mohawk on my bad side - was ..... NOT TOO BAD - that is amazing

Cornflakes - While doing back edges/landing position move I ran into someone who was standing by the wall...then not once, but twice, while finishing I didn't realilize how close I was to the wall and backed into it HARD. Twice, mind you.:roll:

[Petlover]

Cornflakes:
Had a ton of trouble with Prelim power threes today. Really had to hack away at them to get moving. Still chickening out on FI threes on the line, even though I can do them one at a time from the wall.

Confetti:
Did a decent one foot spin from BXO's!

Confetti, Tickertape, Firecrackers:
Got on staff today at a rink I've wanted to work at for a very long time! Now I don't have to take an icky part time office job.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That is wonderful!!

Confetti: Good progress on one foot spin entrance

Cornflakes: LBO outside three turn still not consistent, oh well, at least I'm now getting it right almost half the time.

[kateskate]

Cornflakes
Axels are absolutely yucky. They are worse than they ever were. I sort of wish I could relearn this again without my bad habits. I try and go back to the beginning but my rubbishy free leg movement creeps back in. I really need to kick through and up and I just don't do it. :frus: :frus:
My RFO3s have been exposed! Somehow I have got away with dodgy ones for so long. New dance teacher has undercovered my lack of T-ing and dropped hip. Whoops
Lutzes have a tendency to go a bit weird at times!
If only I could remember to keep my head up on camel spins.....

Confetti
Change foot sits are now my new fave spin!
New dance teacher says I have very good twizzles and was v impressed! Yay!
Double salchows and double cherries although underrotated feel a lot better.
My BO edges were dissected but I am happy with redoing my basics and it will help my compulsories.
Started work on the American Waltz (scary level 7 yikes) which I thought would be WAY beyond me.
Did 3 good programme run throughs that freeskating teacher was happy with.

[Scarlett]

Confetti-

I passed my pre-bronze MITF and free!!!!

Cornflakes-
Now I have to start working on the bronze moves.

[jskater49]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!:bow: :bow: :bow:

DETAILS!!

[Terri C]

Congratulations Scarlett!!
Welcome to power three hell!!:twisted:

[jskater49]

Congratulations Scarlett!!
Welcome to power three hell!!:twisted:

And then step right over here to Mohawk Purgatory!!:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

j

[icedancer2]

Confetti: Rehab from the fractured and severely sprained right foot is going as well as could be expected. Skated twice last week for about 20-25 minutes each session and this week went to two sessions again and extended the time to about an hour.

Skating skills are slow to come back - worked mostly on edges today, backwards and forwards, inside and outside, did some forward and back cross-overs in both directions. I find myself working on little change-of-edge patterns like the first part of the Argentine and then switching over to parts of the Rhythm Blues, just feeling the edges, feeling the pushes (those pushes hurt the foot almost more than skating on it!). I wanted to try some outside mohawks a la Foxtrot and 14-step but was scared to put my weight on the right foot for the transfer. So I ended up doing Blues choctaws instead, which seemed easier (I know, weird). All very small and very light, if that makes any sense.

The physical therapist is having me do some balance exercises which are amazingly similar to skating, and he is kind of amazed at how easily I can do them compared to most people (! - d'oh). In doing them I am working on the right hip also, which I can never get the correct bend in to my coach's liking, so the therapy is serving a dual purpose, making me more aware of that right hip thingy that I do, so my coach is also pleased. I will hopefully continue to do those exercises even when I'm done with the PT as they will invariably be good for my basic skating.

I'm thinking I may go to the social dance session on Sunday and just do the forward dances and maybe get my coach to do some partnering with me (if I dare take a lesson, we shall see).

Corn Flakes: Ice was hard and they are making it too cold. Also having been away for a while I notice how uneven the surface is -- having some proprioceptive difficulties because of the fracture makes me more aware of balance and also makes me notice incongruities in the ice surface, but what else is new? Muscles are definitely sore after I get off the ice but the foot feels good. I have missed my skating friends and it's nice to get back there, as I am now excited to be back on the ice, despite my lack of ability to do anything...:roll:

[mikawendy]

Only cornflakes to report: Have to get up tomorrow at quarter to 6 to be at the rink for skating show practice! I know many people get up earlier than that to go to work, but still, this is earlier than I usually get up for work, by a good hour. Ah, the addiction....

[mikawendy]

Confetti-

I passed my pre-bronze MITF and free!!!!

Cornflakes-
Now I have to start working on the bronze moves.

Woo, hoo, congratulations!!!

[Isk8NYC]

I passed my pre-bronze MITF and free!!!!CONGRATULATIONS!

[Scarlett]

Thanks guys...now for the details.

I was soooo nervous but I met BlackManSkating and he calmed me down before the test. Well sorta calm...there was an asthma incident but beyond that it wasn't awful.

MITF:
Full panel. I was fine during the first 3 moves and then the cursed waltz-8 made its appearance. I totally messed up the pattern though my edges were clean in their wrongness. Then came the 3 turn pattern of doom, it was slow but I didn't do anything crazy. When I went to the coach, he was concerned because I really butchered the waltz-8. Judges comments were basically about my lack of power and the every so present "bend your knees". I got a "nice strong 3 turns!!! sometimes" written on my test. Apparently the judge had to add an addendum as I did something goofy. I was pleasantly surprised I passed.

Free:
Single panel. The free test went fairly smoothly. I opted for the optional free leg on the one foot spin (my scratch spin gives me fits) but everything was strong except for the wait for it...wait for it...2 foot spin. Luckily the judge must have looked down because it was sketchy. I mainly got comments about yet again bending my knees for power but I did get a nice compliment on my spiral.

I have my sight set on bronze moves in about 3 years.

[Debbie S]

Congratulations, Scarlett! Onward and upward! (did you test at The Gardens?)

Cornflakes: Took a big fall, on my knees, doing a BI 3-turn last night (blasted Silver Moves! :twisted: ). I hadn't had one in a while so I guess I was due. :( Not too much swelling, but my right knee still hurts a little. I'm planning to go skate tomorrow morning - I hope it's OK by then - hey, if I ever want to pass Silver MIF, I've got to get some practice in (I've missed a few skating days here and there over the past few weeks for different reasons).

Confetti: Well, before I fell (it happened after my lesson), my coach said that my FI-BO 3's are getting better, along with my power pulls and 8-step and cross strokes. The moves still need a lot of work, but it's really all about getting more comfortable on the edges and getting the steps neater (esp on 8-step). My coach remarked that I still look scared (and unsteady) doing the back cross strokes...and I need more power.

Neither cornflakes nor confetti - I ran through my program Monday night for the first time in 4 months (since NYI). It was pretty disastrous, although I did hit my change sit-back scratch spin combo.

[dbny]

CONGRATULATIONS
Mrs Redboots
On Your Daughter's Marriage!

Confetti-

I passed my pre-bronze MITF and free!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!

[Sessy]

Congratulations, everybody! :lol: :bow: :D

PS: how do you guys make large text?

[Skate@Delaware]

That makes sense--I've heard that one has to PUUUUUUSH so much harder on fake ice to do the same things as on regular ice, plus it's much "slower" than regular ice, so going back to regular ice after some time on fake ice probably helps with speed, etc.
That is so true! I felt as though I was pushing through wet concrete! You know what I mean if you've ever laid concrete....

I will get some video as soon as I can, probably a short clip of me, as there are now privacy issues and children at the rink (long story that I can't go into....borders on improper stuff that occurred).

Everyone who skated on it last year had PHENOMINALLY HIGH jumps!!! And were EXCEPTIONALLY FAST skaters! So, there is hope for me yet!

[jazzpants]

Congrats, Scarlett!!! :bow: Welcome to Bronze Moves HELL!!! :twisted:

Mrs. Redboots, just want to put in my congrats to your DD and her very STB hubby on their wedding day!!!

Here's my toast to the newlyweds!!! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/nahrung/a035.gif

[jskater49]

Congrats, Scarlett!!! :bow: Welcome to Bronze Moves HELL!!! :twisted:

Mrs. Redboots, just want to put in my congrats to your DD and her very STB hubby on their wedding day!!!

Here's my toast to the newlyweds!!! http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/nahrung/a035.gif

Here! Here! Have a great time at the wedding. Are you doing it?

j

[jazzpants]

Confetti:
Primary coach took a couple of videos of just Silver moves spirals and he chuckles about my comment that my torso is still a bit high... but I finally got the free leg at hip level again and he says the spirals are a LOT better now.

Cornflakes:
Looks like I got some work to do on this new footwork that he wants me to do. MUCH bigger lobes are needed for this footwork sequence for my program.
Well, I knew eventually the day will come, but my primary coach will be raising his rates as of May. *sigh* Oh, well! :roll: I also have to wonder when I'm taking a lesson with Jay during the summer, since afternoon public sessions are a ROYAL PAIN during the summer.

Gotta go... primary coach is giving me a haircut tomorrow morning!!! :D

[Isk8NYC]

Hoping for a Beautiful Wedding Today!

I spent yesterday taking care of last-minute things for the College's incoming student reception. It was fun to do sundry things and chit-chat at work. I folded t-shirts, made name tags, and organized baskets. It was a good use for my MBA, but it cost me the lunchtime skating session I had planned.

I did do off-ice stretching and free weights last night. One of the twins said "Whoa, Mom - Way to go!"
Thank you to whoever mentioned holding stretch positions for a full 60 secs. I feel the difference this morning.

[Skate@Delaware]

Mrs. Redboots,
Hope the wedding is as beautiful as ever!!!!

Isk8NYC, I hear you! I changed my workout (I shoot archery also and my bow pull weight was recently increased-I'm now "legal" for hunting)...and I am feeling it!!!! Ouch!!!!

[jskater49]

Cornflakes

Worked on moves and nothing felt really good - and I seem to have the opposite problem, yesterday when I showed my coach my mohawks they were "not bad" today - they were definately "bad"

Confettii - my last Artistry in Motion 4 class...for our test we performed our 1 and half minute program and we got to do it right after class before the next session so we got the PA system and the whole ice. Of course that was a little more nerve wrecking since everyone standing around for class was watching.

My program was to Dean Martin's "it's a marshmallow world" and kind of hammed it up. Little shy to talk about it after some of the heavy anti-interp on another thread - but I did skate and had a half flip, mazurka, waltz jump toe tap, a one foot spin and a two foot spin it it. Everyone commented on my facial expression - which is not skating but use what you got. Coach said it was a fun program to watch and I should work on using my arms more since I understand how to use them.

I probably won't take Learn to Skate this summer because it's Sunday nights...but I might take freestyle next fall...it really is an inexpensive way to get ice and instruction..

j

[Imo]

Had my lesson yesterday...

Cornflakes: Got very dizzy during my first few spins, not sure why as I don't usually - although it went away after a break from spinning and then I was fine. Maybe because it was so hot outside and so cold in... and/or dehydration...? The choctaw in my footwork was very very choppy and my lutz was all over the place too, sigh.

Confetti: Flip was the best it's been since getting back on the ice in January. Footwork was reasonable other than the choctaw - better flow than usual. Once I stopped being dizzy, my back spins were nice and centered.

Tommorrow I get to do some *partnered* ice dance again for the first time in three years... (I've hardly done any dance in three years, other than the occasional solo pattern here and there, so we'll see how it goes!) Yay!

[e-skater]

but I finally got the free leg at hip level again and he says the spirals are a LOT better now.

Looks like I got some work to do on this new footwork that he wants me to do. MUCH bigger lobes are needed for this footwork sequence for my program.


Great work on those spirals, Jazz.

Hmmm, where have I heard *that* before? *Much bigger lobes*, and let's actually *do* a lobe, eh? Instead of a straight line? I'm in the same boat, LOL! Keep at it...you will get it.

[Isk8NYC]

Confetti:
Jumps were mediocre at best; didn't land any of the loops. Grrrr.
All scratch spins packed their bags and traveled today; both directions, even the back spin version.

Cornflakes:
Camel spins, front and back, were excellent.
Sit spins were pretty good; traveled a bit.
CAMEL-SIT was outstanding; did about five of them before I started to wear out.
All spirals (Ind and Combined) were steady and controlled. Even the 3-turn ones.
Did a handful of barely-recognizable layback spins. Someday, someday...

March "Try It": Twizzles
Twizzles are getting better - I can stand up on the LFI ones now. RFI ones are fun!
All forward three turns are accounted for at this point. (I think the twizzles are really helping with the FI ones!)

April "Try It": BO spiral with the leg in front.
Gave it another try tonight - not too high yet, but I am leaning.
It's not as scary as I expected, but I think I'm not really pushing the position.

[Thin-Ice]

Confetti-

I passed my pre-bronze MITF and free!!!!

Cornflakes-
Now I have to start working on the bronze moves.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Way to go!!!

As for Bronze Moves... the first time I felt like a REAL skater was when I could do the 5-step mohawk pattern and fly down the ice with the "big kids" (who are about 7 years old) -- and keep up with them!

[Mrs Redboots]

Confetti, Tickertape, Firecrackers:
Got on staff today at a rink I've wanted to work at for a very long time! Now I don't have to take an icky part time office job.

Wonderful news! Congratulations!