First Day of Spring: Oh, the weather! It was very nice outside today! Today's group lesson focus was on POWER!!! Perimeter Power Crossover pattern, both front and backwards (got a "nice one, Terry" for mine). Then, on to Power-3's which reminded me of the Nutcracker when I had to do them (remember me #####in' bout them?) I can do them really well on one side, not so well on the other.....well, I have my homework. AND, I get my blades mounted tomorrow, if I can fight the crowds of hockey people at Aston.

Depths of Winter: Not for me, but for my son. He did the "toepick" thing in his lesson on hit both knees hard, and his elbows. It scared him and he sat the rest of the lesson on the bench with ice. It was near the end anyhow so that was ok. Hubby tried to tell him hockey gear was ok-I told him NO it wasn't. Knee and elbow pads are in order though, and a helmet if he wishes. He is making good progress, I don't want him to become discouraged because of fear.

EDITED TO ADD: I forgot! I uploaded my video of Skate Annapolis! Mosey on over to http://tkahline.sk8rland.com/video/ and look for the Skate Annapolis video (sorry, it's only in wmv format-my computer sucks) and it works best if you save it to your computer. I love my music still-only heard it about 5,00000000 times!!!

Also, My rink is having an In-House LTS competition (figure and hockey) 8 April. If anyone is interested in coming to Delaware, let me know and I can email you a copy of the application, which must be turned in my 25 Mar. Also, although it doesn't have it on the application, there is an Adult Artistic 1 category, as well as Adult Bronze. Let me know if you are interested. I might just scan it and put it up.

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Well, we wandered down for my Saturday class and this is the run down from it (I was still on a high from my previous win with 3 turns )

First day of Spring:
Got asked if I wanted to move up to the next/intermediate class was asked if I can do crossovers and go backwards... my reply? "Sort of..." He said that we are more than welcome to come over... he had all of 3 people in his class! my class was HUGE.... I didnt go over, but I think I will tomorrow... its so nice when they recognise you and acknowledge that youre getting better So tomorrow... my first "intermediate" class (wel.. of the beginning classes anyway )

Im getting better at stopping Always good

Cut to after the lesson.... I managed to get my edges!!!! OMG!!! How much easier were they today?! I was amazed... so I gritted my teeth for a bone jarring, back twisting breaking 3 turn... and once I got on the outside edge NO PROBLEMS!!! Towards the end of the public I was even doing both sides smoothly (well.. they seemed smooth to me ), and then stepping onto the other foot, pushing, turning my body around and stepping out of them!!! YAY!!!!!!!! I was/am esctatic!!! (Can you tell? )

Depths of Winter:
Fell on my tailbone.. how do I know it was my tailbone? Cos it reverberated up my entire spine and rattled my skull OUCHY!!! But I got up, after sitting on my bum on the ice for a few minutes waiting for my brain to stop sloshing around..

My stroking.... still having trouble with my left leg... I cant seem to get onto the outside edge and stay there when I push off... I know that I will be fine getting onto that edge, and my boots will hold me (like they are supposed to), and I know I should lean more into it... Ive just got to build up my confidence... I was also practising my pushes, balance, lift leg, bend front knee as much as possible... and Im not bending enough (comment by hubby)... and it is the confidence thing (doesnt help when Ive got to avoid mounds of pure ice)... Im hoping its going to be like everything else, where it just "clicks" one day and I would have got it I can hope (and work on it)...

Same thing with my lunges... I got a few times, and I felt it, when I was leaning correctly, and on edge properly... but most of the time my balance is too centred.


IM GETTING THERE!!!!!

Hopefully next week I will report back with good news about my backwards stroking... and I havent even started concentrating on crossovers yet

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--------------
-Erinna-
aka cassarilda

My Progress Report!
"Did I mention there is only ONE rink in Melbourne?!"
"If you're not flying, you're obviously not trying!!!" - courtsey of the guy who helped me up off the ice after my last spectacular and sore fall

I forgot to mention the interesting torture of the week (surprising, this week it's with the PRIMARY coach!!!)

Do a backspin and then when I'm bring my legs in, hop up and then land like I would with a jump. Ummmm, I'm not even sure I can bring my free leg in (or the fact that I'm on the back inside edge...) but he now wants me to hop and land from a backspin??? EEEEK!!!

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Depths of Winter:
Looking at my lack of progress over the past year, I realize how very much I need a coach and a fix to my boot problems. The boots will come first, as I still don't have a clue about a new coach.

First Day of Spring:
I actually got some practice time in today. I've been concerned that my posture and technique on F and B XO's may be slipping (or never really as good as I thought it was), so I wanted DH to check it out. He did, and said everything was as it should be, although I've skated with more flow on other occasions. I was really feeling the power pulls today, both B and F, although my L leg got tired pretty quickly, and it really showed on the B pulls. FO and FI threes are still there, but just barely. I managed a few one foot spins before falling to the inside as usual. I'm convinced now that it's my pronation. Asked a friend to watch my back for me while I did B cross strokes, and got an unexpected compliment out of her. Stopping - I've been teaching that a lot lately, as my students are all beginners, so I've decided I need a new stop for myself. Worked on tango stop, and can do it nicely if I don't go too fast (meaning at a snail's pace). It's a start. That was the stop I favored years ago on roller skates, and I would love to be able to do it with confidence, but I still remember the one I attempted about 17 yrs ago while just going around in circles with DD and friends. I landed abruptly and very hard on one hip and had very painful bursitis in it for about 6 months. Wish I could forget that fall!

__________________

We haven't skated on Saturdays for awhile, but we're away tomorrow so went in today. I'd forgotten how crowded it can be! While on Wednesdays the rink seems to be full of middle-aged men, today it was full of adult teams - three adult dance teams and a pairs team! All the dancers, us included, were working on their spins - isn't it gratifying that ours seems to be beginning to happen now?! Not always - we're apt to go into it too far apart, and then I break in the middle with predictably dire consequences, but when it works, it works!

First Day of Spring: I think we may have finally finished the choreography, for now. Our free dance needs a very great deal of polishing, and a lot of hard work, but we think we know roughly what we're doing! Doing it, of course, is another matter....

Practiced the Dutch Waltz and the Rhythm Blues to music, we are really getting far more ice coverage and better edges than last year! Very gratifying!

Depths of Winter: Crowded ice..... avoiding action.....

And some of the steps on our free dance scare me rigid!

__________________
Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Very nice, too! Congratulations. Loved your spiral - wish mine was as good as that.

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Mrs Redboots
~~~~~~~~
I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

That's absolute EVIL!!!! Your coach must have supreme confidence in your abilities to suggest you do that move though! If mine even attempted to suggest, I would fall down laughing and then ask no-really what are we doin?

cassarilda: Congrats on finally having the pieces come together! That's part of the battle! You might want to move up if you can, although it might seem more challenging to you at first, you would be in a smaller class and would be able to get more attention than now (although you caught someone's attention, to be skating good enough to be asked to move up!!)

RE: the In-House Competition
I'm going to scan the application for our In-House for anyone in the Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia area (or visiting) that wants to compete as a LTS or as a no-test Artistic Adult/Spotlight/Interpretive, etc. I'll post when it's up. Unfortunately, they haven't added extra practice ice for it (we have public skate on Friday at 8 pm which is crowded, and at 10 pm which is less-so), and the nearest rinks to us are The Pond, Skate Club of Wilmington, Iceworks in Aston PA, all about 1-1.5 hours away and Talbot County Community Center 1-1.5 hours away. Everything else is further. We do have uncrowded public skates during the week. Contact me if you are interested or go to www.skateatthefair.com and browse to Information-Public Skating for their hours. Just a note-our ice is hard like The Pond, but our rink isn't quite as cold. The food is bad but there are places to eat nearby. Yes, I'm spoiled!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

First Day of Spring:
COMPETITON TODAY AND I GOT 4TH PLACE AND LANDED BOTH AXELS. REALLY HAPPYY .Nice weather outside today too

Depths of Winter:
coach didnt call and didnt show up to the competiton , (sigh) her loss , she missed a good preformance

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Skating is suppose to be fun , no PRESSURE at all

~*Courage*~*Confidence*~*Consistance*~

Thanks Delaware!!

First Day of Spring: I did go to the Sunday morning class as well... and I went into the intermediate class... we did a few different stops, then crossovers, then backwards skating, gliding, then backwards crossovers etc.. then the spins (which I love ... I can only do about 2-4rotations.. on two feet.. but still!! ).... I think the teacher was being kind to us because it was my first lesson with him.. And he even came up to me later and said: "See! Isnt it much better here than that other beginners classs... you definately belong here.."

I used to be able to do forwards crossovers in my old skates, but for some unknown reason havent been game enough to in these ones... even though they fit me MUCH better than my old pair.. BUT once I had a teacher tell me what to do (even though I did know), it clicked and I was fine... they do need work, but Im feeling a lot more comfortable in my boots and my edges etc... and leaning over more

Backwards crossovers was a little more difficult.. I was doiing more of the punting action with my outside foot, as I know Im not leaning/bending enough to get the leg in front, but I will get there In the public afterwards I did an entire lap skating backwards and my sort-of-crossovers around the corner geez my legs were sore afterwards!!

ummm... my 3turns etc are going ok.. but I do need to get used to actually turning and then continue to skate backwards... I think I might head in sometime this week so I can practise without being scared of running into someone...

my stroking is improving... Ive realised that I should focus more on including deep bent knees and turning out when I skate normally.. Kinda obvious I know

Depths of Winter: We had a few little sh...children in our class who, whilst cute with their enthusiasm, make it a lot harder for everyone else... eg.. I was skating backwards, and everyone was supposed to be going the same direction... Next thing I know I bash into a little thing who had taken it upon himself to go the opposite direction and not look where he was headed when he started... and he also kept interrupting the teacher...

Bunny Hops... teacher trying to explain that we want to use our toepicks... I had to try to explain to him that Ive just spent the last few weeks trying to get OFF them (cos they are HUGE on my new skates), and now I need to get on them.... So bunny hops aint happening currently

Oh and my feet hurt a little bit again during the lesson - i think they were a little too tight across the middle of my foot.. not unbearably sore though so I didnt bother loosening my boots... Is that bad?

Ahhh So I think Ive achieved a lot in the past week. I should probably go back into my diary and read my first entry... oh dear how embarrasing, but encouraging at the same time

__________________
--------------
-Erinna-
aka cassarilda

My Progress Report!
"Did I mention there is only ONE rink in Melbourne?!"
"If you're not flying, you're obviously not trying!!!" - courtsey of the guy who helped me up off the ice after my last spectacular and sore fall

Very second LTS lesson ever (and only a week on the ice ever). We learned swizzles! *Finally* I know what these blessed suckers are that I hear people talking about. First time I tried them, my instructor told me that they looked really good. I was impressed with myself. Later, however, after class, when I tried them on my own, I'd get to a certain point with them and then would just stop and couldn't get myself to move any further. I'll definitely be working on them tomorrow. We also learned half-swizzles which I rather enjoyed. I'm not really proficient with them, yet, but I did manage a couple of rings around the circle with nice half-swizzles, but then I'd completely lose my form. Working on those is also on the agenda for tomorrow. He also had everone working on backwards swizzles. I kinda opted out of that because I just learned how to skate fowards -- backwards isn't in my skill level yet. lol Another thing we worked on today was a change of direction (don't know what it's called, but you flip yourself around while gliding on two feet to face the opposite direction). That one was a little shaky -- I can only seem to get 3/4 around while staying on balance. I did manage to do it once and he told me how good it looked (but then I promptly fell off the back of the blade and went down but that *was* the only fall of the day *yay*!) The instuctor did tell me, however, that I'm doing a really good job for only having step on the ice for the first time just a week ago. I will definitely work to have my foward swizzles/half-swizzles, and that turn down by next week.

Now if I could only learn how to stop. He did show me the snowplow, which I did. He told me how good it looked, but then told me what I really did was a t-stop. I guess I'll take what I can get.

First day of spring : I managed to do show stops today - they look way cool!

Depths of Winter : coach said she wants us to do a comp in Melbourne in June I will NEVER pass my tests by then!
ETA - OMG, I just read the competition handbook for the Nationals and there is NO minimum level required in the Adult division so I don't actually have to pass any tests to compete.... FAR OUT BRUSSEL SPROUT!!!!!

KEWL!!! We have competitions down here?! You will be fine Alani!! Just think of it as a challenge so you can come visit us!

Then you can come down and see our rink and tell everyone here that I am NOT exhagerrating!!

__________________
--------------
-Erinna-
aka cassarilda

My Progress Report!
"Did I mention there is only ONE rink in Melbourne?!"
"If you're not flying, you're obviously not trying!!!" - courtsey of the guy who helped me up off the ice after my last spectacular and sore fall

Depths of winter All these years I've been skating, and rarely a big problem or bad injury. So, what do I do? Trip over a step outside at my cousin's house and bash my right knee, my right middle finger, scrape up my elbow, and wrench my right arm. AND break a bottle of wine and get wine all over myself. At least I didn't cut myself, too! Today, the knee isn't bad but my finger still hurts a lot and my arm hurts but not as badly as yesterday. I whacked the same finger about a year and a half ago and it took almost a year to really heal up --I think I may have cracked a bone inside the nuckle -- and it feels the same this time. Still, I'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes. I am supposed to go skiing and golfing next weekend, though, and I'm not sure I'll be able to. No skating for me today, we'll see about tomorrow. sigh.

Congrats cutiesk8r43, and to everyone else having good skates!

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August 22, back on the ice!

[QUOTE=sk8pics]Depths of winter All these years I've been skating, and rarely a big problem or bad injury. So, what do I do? Trip over a step outside at my cousin's house and bash my right knee, my right middle finger, scrape up my elbow, and wrench my right arm. AND break a bottle of wine and get wine all over myself. At least I didn't cut myself, too! Today, the knee isn't bad but my finger still hurts a lot and my arm hurts but not as badly as yesterday. I whacked the same finger about a year and a half ago and it took almost a year to really heal up --I think I may have cracked a bone inside the nuckle -- and it feels the same this time. Still, I'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes. I am supposed to go skiing and golfing next weekend, though, and I'm not sure I'll be able to. No skating for me today, we'll see about tomorrow. sigh.

Congrats cutiesk8r43, and to everyone else having good skates![/QUOT

(((( sk8pics))))
Ouch that has to hurt!!
Hope you get well soon!!!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

{{{{HUGS to you, Pat}}}} I hope you're feeling better soon, and in the mean time, I hope you at least have a little fun showing people which finger it is that is hurt....

__________________
Ask me about becoming a bone marrow donor.
http://www.marrow.org
http://www.nmdp.org

Depths of Winter: Show rehearsal was EVIL!!! Got the routine for "Pink Poppies" today (I missed it last week because I was at a competition). Pink Poppies are in the Wizard of Oz as adult skaters in the field of red poppies, which are the little kids. Don't ask. Anywho, I have to learn to forward pivot on my right leg (I'm the odd one out), back cross-roll thingy's, partner 8-step mohawk pattern (I think that's the one) of course, on my bad side for the mohawk. Luckily, my partner is a very strong silver level skater! Everything else is cool!

First Day of Spring: We also get to Partner-Waltz jump! And Partner-Spiral! I'm forward, she is backwards. It will all work out. Nothing like learning new skills a few weeks before a show! AND I'M IN MY NEW SKATES!!!!!!!!! (Didn't I do this last year? Yeah, I did!) They actually fit! I can feel the end of the boot against my toes! AND the blades are actually aligned correctly this time! You go, guy (kiss-kiss!!)

I stayed after rehearsal for club ice and skated in my new skates/blades (the Comets) and tried them out. My private coach was there and suggested I do tons of back crossovers in them. Guess what? I'm less scratchy! Hoo-Ya! Did some gliding to check the alignment and then scootched the right blade over a bit, then did some edges, 3-turns, crossovers, scratch spins (nice!), and waltz jumps! So, after 2.5 hours of skating, I'm happy with them and ready to put the permanent screws in them. I'm ditching the others. Not going back.

Pat: I hope you are feeling better soon!

Friday afternoon, we were all skating, and hubby was paying too much attention to son on ice, figure skating. Hubby steps onto the ice and promptly falls down onto his side.....then notices that his guards were still on! Luckily, he didn't wack his head on the wall or anything! He is still sore today. He hit all along his whole right side. Later on, while son was in his figure skating lesson, he "toepicked" and landed on both knees and right elbow. It was towards the end of the lesson, so he was done. He was too sore to play hockey on Saturday (he play on the recreational league). Both are much better today. I'm wondering if it was just a bad week?

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Thanks for the sympathy, guys. And Mika, that was funny. I called my spin coach a while ago to tell him I wouldn't make it today and he was very sympathetic, too. sigh. Hopefully I'll be feeling better tomorrow, so I can ski this weekend and skate tomorrow!

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August 22, back on the ice!

I love skating again.

Not sure what sort of funk I was in the past couple of weeks, but I seem to have snapped out of it. I think it has something to do with learning outside spread eagles of all things. Anywho.

Today during public session I worked on a mishmash of things - I tried to work on moves in the field but the rink was just too crowded. I did work on 3 turns in isolation though. They're still very hoppy and I don't know why. I don't think I'm letting the turn happen on its own, I'm trying to force it. Forward crossovers are definitely getting better - I'm understanding the mechanics of it better. I can use more power and bend, but the pushing is better - no toepicks!

I worked on some spins today - scratch spins feel SO wild and out of control but when I check to see how bad they are, they're centered. Weird. Guess I'm so used to having them go out of control and feeling okay that when they're centered they feel even stranger. Backspins were a no-go today, but I think my coach will be covering them next week. Sit spins weren't working today either, but I didn't spend much time on them so...

I worked on waltz jumps, salchows and toe loops trying to get more height and extension. It's coming, I can feel it. I had a bunch of decent toe loops actually and some not-so-bad salchows and waltz jumps - I just know they can be better. I tried a couple of loops from RFI3's that were fine but it was impossible to try from back crossovers due to rink crowdedness.

I'm starting to get more comfortable working on outside spread eagles. I need to trust myself more to lean back - the guy that showed me I was totally capable of doing them was there again today and offered some good advice and says to keep at it, I almost have it. Wheee! For laughs I tried an Ina Bauer, another dream move of mine and it actually went in a STRAIGHT line. He helped me with that too and it's so cool to know that one day I'll do these moves well. I showed the same guy my camel spin, which for some reason was ON today and he actually clapped and said that I'll have a great camel spin once I have my technique refined a little. Wheee again! What a fun day. The ice was terrible too, but I didn't care. It's amazing what a little self-esteem boosting can do.

On a related note I think I'm not going to use the Graf skates I purchased for cheap so I'm going to throw them up on ebay. I don't want the hassle of breaking in new boots, getting new blades mounted, waterproofed etc etc., if they don't fit me JUST so. The length concerns me - my skates now are smaller than the new ones I got and I've been told repeatedly that they're too big for me, so these new skates will be like boats on my feet. Also, I don't want to buy new blades in a 10 when really I should be skating in boots that require a 9 1/2 (my current ones are 9 3/4 and are too big). Soooo...I dunno. I'd rather spend an extra couple hundred bucks and get boots that fit me right the first time. Plus I might still be able to get away with using my current blades but if not my friend will buy them from me and I'll purchase the same pair in a smaller size so that won't cost me anything really. So...the question is now what boots to get...the process begins anew lol.

First Day of Spring With 20-odd hours of ice time since my 36 year vacation I am just starting to get my forward edges back - my first goal. I'm just starting on my backward skating and still need to find the confidence in my backward balance, but it will come.

Depths of Winter Spring has come to the prairies and the outdoor ice has all but gone. The indoor skating is coming to an end at most arenas within the next 2 weeks as both my clubs wrap up their season. (Yes, I know it's backwards but it's the first time since I have been in Manitoba that I have been sad to see the arrival of spring!)

In April and May I move on to "spring skate school" to continue working on my "comeback" and hope to land some ice time at "summer skate school" for July and August.

__________________
Dianne
(A.O.S.S.? Got it BAD! )

Depths of Winter:

I'm out of money and there's a month left in the skating season. I'd booked lessons until the end of March I guess we're having a chat next week.

First Day of Spring:

My sit spin is my best spin - low, centred, lots of revs. I don't understand it but I'm happy it's back.

I'm a glutton for punishment so I went back for the adult session...which was cut down to 3/4 ice with no break in price ! Anyway, there were only about 5 of us so it wasn't bad. Spent some more time bending in my boots, working on stuff. One of the girls from the show was there, and we did the mohawk thing again, it's starting to click. She is such a good skater! Look for her at Adult Nationals next year!

Tried the loop, bit better than before (I thought so). Did some shoot-the-ducks (sitspin homework) and lunges (gotta get my skates marked up ).

I do need to change the laces...these are way too long and nylon, which I hate. And to new looking!

Did some waltz jumps WITH NO TOEPICK SCRATCHY NOISES!!!!! Yay! My coach said the best way to break in boots was tons of back crossovers. Not sure if it's true or if it's her way of getting me to work on them more

I'm tired now and ready for cake and ice cream! Nite all!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Skate@Delaware, I'm adding my praises for your beautiful spiral! Re your DH falling twice, and whether it may be a bad week - the answer is YES, it was a bad week! I had a 9 yr old student in group who broke the growth plate near her ankle last week. Fortunately it isn't a serious fracture, just a small crack, and she should be OK. A friend who goes with me a couple of times a week fell on Tues and may have fractured the scaphoid (navicular) bone in her L wrist. She still hasn't gotten an x-ray. I'm pushing her to do so.

cutiesk8r43 - Congrats on your gold and on landing both Axels!

sk8pics - I thought I was the president of the "Clumsy Falls Off the Ice Club", when I fell in Nov and bashed both knees, one wrist, and my head, earning a black eye for a week. However, I did not break any of the three bottles of wine I was carrying, so maybe you are in the running for that honor now ! Hope you're feeling better and don't have a broken finger.

Had to teach groups in the rain this morning, and when I was done, the ice was so smooth under the water that I couldn't resist skating around a bit myself. I do a version of F power XO's with a chasse inserted before the XO, that is a lot of fun, so I was doing that, when I caught - not my toepick - but my toe, in a huge puddle of water. Just barely missed falling. Wouldn't have mattered, as I was already soaking wet anyway, but it would have been to do that in front of my students.

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sk8pics - OUCH!!! I hope you're feeling better, Pat!!! Flip the bird on your injury, 'ya know...

cutiesk8r43 - Congrats on doing both axels at your comp!

Winter:
The crappy ice at my weekend rink! I swear, I am so tempted to switch rinks now. But some of my skating friends are still there and it's possible that the rink might not be there by April, so I better make the best out of the situation and hope that I will be there on their last day. But until then... Also, way too many rugrats running around too!!! GRRRRR!!! And "sunny California" is currently in one of its worst winter season. It's WAAAAAY too cold!!! BRRRRRR...

Spring:
...is what I did get on my flip and my loop eventually!!! WHEEE!!! Too bad it wasn't consistent. And... I think I'm getting the hang of my 5 step mohawks, particularly my now nicer FI mohawks! Let's hope I will still have them by my test date.

__________________
Cheers,
jazzpants

11-04-2006: Shredded "Pre-Bronze FS for Life" Club Membership card!!!
Silver Moves is the next "Mission Impossible"
(Dare I try for Championship Adult Gold someday???)

Thank you for the support, you guys!!!

Jazzpants: congrats on that durned loop and flip! If only ....

Try doing the mohawk with a partner OMG! I still freak out when I think about it and I have to do it over, and over, and over again until the show is over! (yeah, they are mohawks on my BAD side too)


I think we should all get T-shirts that say, "I do my own stunts" and wear it proudly every time we skate

__________________
Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Spring: Good lesson on Saturday -- more one-foot spins on one foot, with a little more push into them. Choctaw in the set-up is better, too. Backspin is close to being on one foot. I've got the timing now, just need to lift that left foot... worked on actually jumping when doing 1/2 flip and 1/2 toe. Did the footwork from ISI freestyle 2 on both sides. My dominant side is waaaay better at the step behind. Learned 1/2 lutz. First attempt was a huge Sasha Cohen flutz, second and consecutive were only Michelle kwan flutzes (on a flat).

Then I had a MIF class. We're working on the Pre-Pre moves and started with stroking and forward crossovers -- in my good direction. There are two new students and then the two of us who have been taking the class for almost a year -- and a new instructor. I'm looking forward to a new set of eyes. His goal for me is MORE POWER -- my positions and extension are fine. Works for me! While working on forward outside edges, I discovered that my blades are badly in need of a sharpening, so I dropped them off immediately following the lesson. This gives me about 18 hours on the ice before ISI Syncho Nationals, so they should be in good shape for competition.

Winter, but not really: Synchro practices are starting to ramp up for nationals. I like this -- I like working hard and have had a sudden aggressive turn in my skating where I want to get out there and really skate the snot out of our programs. Last year, we were done in by our difficulty (well, I was cheering from the sides as I was six months along with Milo). This year, we all love skating to our disco compulsory program, so I think that we should skate that one well. We're making one adjustment that will have me on the end of a backwards pinwheel that usually goes pretty fast -- we're giving it a try next practice. I think I can do it as I skate my back crosses faster than the wheel turns. Momentum will be the only issue there, so we'll see...

Our free program has been re-worked from last year and should be cleaner. Now we just need to start skating it with more confidence and attack. I love the music for this program and think we can really skate it well, we just need to get it out there on the ice. Two hour practice this week because it's spring break and the hockey teams are not around. We get so little ice time compared to a lot of teams, so I'm really looking forward to being out there with more time to fine-tune.