Well, I tried that, and it didn't quite work (although I do have to move my weight closer to my heel), but, I DID DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF OUTSIDE EDGE CAMELS TODAY!!! I can't control the circle sizes yet, but they were most definitely on the outside edge and not on a flat.

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Youtube Videos

Hey good job!! Video?

Working: Have two dance intros and one exit choreographed, and now I'm just fine tuning my freestyle program. For 8 weeks out from ANs, I'm feeling pretty good about where I am. Now I just need to start huffing and puffing through my runthroughs. And book the hotel. And order my dance dresses!

Whining: The inside of my right knee has started to hurt. That part of my leg hurt months ago when I was working on double sals, but I haven't worked on them in over a month. I've started RICEing it and so far it's fine to skate on, but I'm nervous. Please, please skategods, don't let this become more serious right as I'm trying to train for ANs!

Whining: OW OW OW! Entire body is sore from working on loop, half-loop, and flip yesterday, running bronze program 2ce, and show program 1ce, plus many stupid silver moves. Body is saying, "You stupid human, why didn't you do this when you were 16 or at least before menopause???"

Working: Woke up this a.m. and realized how sore I was going to be when I got out of bed and started counting jumps, and realized I now have 5 jumps (including the flip which is really just a wannabe) and a combination (waltz-toe) in my bronze program since I figured I might as well put it all out there and hope enough of them work to get me through. Last 3 years I've only done interpretive programs with 2 jumps. No wonder I'm sore! (Actually, I guess this is still pretty whiny!!)

P.S. STILL HATE SILVER MOVES.
Had a very realistic dream last night where I suddenly figured out how to do the 8-step perfectly.

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You miss 100% of the shots you never take.--Wayne Gretzky

WORKING I passed level one compulsory dances and level 2 free dance this morning I'm still on a high!!!

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Not Quite Working: After nearly 2 weeks off the ice due to inclement weather and heavy work schedule I finally got back on the ice.

It is amazing how much can be lost in two short weeks!

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

Working:
-Started digging into the cha-cha yesterday with dance buddy & coach. Whew! Lotta details to remember (in addition to the bend knees, stand up straight, hold correctly, don't look down, etc) but I'm enjoying it.
-5-step mohawk is getting there. I can get through a couple of half circles with good edges.
-Good FS & solo dance at Miami open last weekend.

Whining:
-Wow, the glute that started to bother me this past weekend just snapped soon after I'd taken the ice yesterday. A little sciatic pain there but I managed to get through the skating. Iced when I got home, will ice more today & more ibuprofen.
-5-step mohawk: Duh, I have to get up and down the rink (10 half circles) with good edging, instead of losing it after about 3 or 4 patterns. . .
-Decent FW at Miami Open last weekend, but wobbly enough to get me a second against the book--and apparently I need to add a bit of difficulty as well. Can't do some bits steadily and up to speed, but spent some time with the toughest parts yesterday.

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"Go wash an elephant if you wanna do something big." -Baby Gramps

Whining:

Count me in among the injured After my (really good) lesson yesterday, I somehow caught my blade doing a t-stop and twisted my knee. It's not too bad (compared to when I dislocated it a few years ago), but it hurt like crazy when I tried to practice last night. I'm hoping it's just a sprain, since I can walk on it with no pain. Just putting all my weight on that leg and then bending my knee was painful. ugh. I hope it clears up soon. I need to practice! Gold Moves test is a month away.

Working:
Axels are SO close. I feel like I've been saying that for a few months now.

Whining: After yesterday, which was the greatest practice I've ever had, today was one of the worst! LOL. Whine, whine. It wasn't so much about the elements is that I still have this weird complex on freestyles that I'm in the way of the high-level kid skaters, so when I am in program and technically have the right of way I still feel like I need to get out of the way. I'm so neurotic.

Also whining: Left leg is currently elevated, knee and ankle are killing me, look forward to getting this checked out next month but somewhat dreading it as well...

Working: I think I was more nervous during my run-throughs today than I will be at the competition. Yesterday I did the program clean 3 times, which is really all I want out of Easterns! I think I might just have fun at this event, even if I screw stuff up. If my knee and ankle issues don't require surgery and mandatory skating breaks then I'd like to go to Peach Classic. Kinda wish I were going to Nationals but financially/physically it's probably better that I'm not (seriously the heel lock system on my boots seems to be screwing with the front of my ankle)

Can't wait to meet people from the board this w/e!

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Revised Official 2010 Goals checklist
Skate __
New boots __
(lowering the bar for 2010 as I haven't skated in a year)

Working: My partner did his first split twist today - our first together. It went quite well! We're pretty much at the end of our program, so one more session and it will be complete.

Healing thoughts to all in need!!!

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

CONGRATS!!! That's amazing.
Are you going to start new dances soon?

Working: I made it to the rink tonight... I got there about 15 min later that I wanted to, but it was great that I even made it.

Whining: I had to walk to the rink in the rain. It sucked. It was a .8 mile walk too

Working: I worked on my footwork and I think I changed one "lobe" of my footwork to make it flow better... The problem is now I can't do it very well. I changed a back double right inside 3 to a inside hop forward double forward 3 outside rocker... We'll see how it goes.

Whining: I still can't properly get through my program. I crap out after my footwork and before my last two jumps, spiral sequence, and spin... And I fell out of the entry on my last spin too...

Working: I landed a few axels and axel sequences and combos! They were small and wimpy, but it felt good to do them.

There are two in this video, starting at 1:30. They're not great, but they're on an outside edge! The rest of the skating is kind of blah.

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Youtube Videos

Very impressive! I think part of your struggle is that your regular camel spin is spinning very close to your toe pick, on the front of your blade. Your foot is almost pointed, and it makes for a very pretty line but makes the outside edge that much more difficult. I can see you roll right forward onto the toe. Maybe push your heel down/flex your toes up more as you go onto the edge?

well I've been playing with all the dances up to and including level 4 - (well I know the steps!) but I guess I'll have to start beating them into shape now. so yes, its Dutch waltz, canasta tango, golden skaters, riverside rhumba, fiesta tango and mt absolute fav, swing dance

Yesterdays judge was so nice, in fact she said my foxtrot and RB 'almost danced' for me, that was a compliment lol!

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Level one Field Moves......PASSED 05.06.08
Level one Free dance.....PASSED 02.10.08

GOALS FOR 2009

• Level One Compulsary dances.......PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Elements.....................PASSED 10.07.09
• Level Two Free dance.................PASSED 19.02.09
• Level One Free...........................
• Level Two compulsory dances.......

Loving it, Loving it, Loving it!!!!!

Whining - I fell hard on my keister last night. Right on the right side of my lower back where the pelvis has pretty much no padding... HURTS this morning. Also hit my right elbow on the same fall. I wasn't even doing anything, and I think those are the worst falls, since you go straight down.

Working - I love my jump and spin class! Best $98 I ever spent. Last night I learned to do a loop from back crossovers. I totally couldn't do it and the coach was razzing me "I KNEW eventually SOMETHING would be hard for you.." and then it just kind of clicked and I could do it. (plenty of things are hard for me, spinning for example)

And then the same thing happened with the flip. Up till now I've been doing these weird, ugly slow motion things that somehow pretty much get around, but don't feel like a real jump. Well last night after the 3 turn I kept wanting to bring my right leg around like a salchow instead of reaching back and picking. So it occurred to me that my arms still had to do kind of the same thing as for a sal, so when I felt like my foot should come around, I planted it, but let the arms come around like they wanted, and it turned into a real jump! I was so excited. Thinking about the timing in terms of the jump I can actually do just somehow made it click. I'm sure I don't want to see what it LOOKS like yet, but it was a big leap forward.

Whining - next week is the last week of my jump and spin class. :-(

At the end of the class the coach handed out flyers for the spring show that we could all be in (and most of the little girls in the class are already signed up for) and I was like "no way I'm being in any show" and this one little girl says "my mom would do it with you, she's too scared to do it by herself too" hahaha, I don't know if that's whining or working... cracked me up though.

Congratulations, Sk8_4_fun!

Whining: Ice crappy this morning, and they were aiming a hose at it at one stage, so you didn't want your step sequence to fill the rink, for once. Fortunately, ours doesn't quite yet. It will.

Working: Most things.

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

Whining:
-Knee still hurts. I ran through moves last night, but it was awkward and stiff and sometimes painful. I only stayed for 30 minutes of the session. As much as I don't want to, I'm going to take Fri-Mon off from skating. I'm telling myself I must be smart and give it time to heal, or else I'll end up really injured. I'll reassess how it feels on Tuesday, and go from there.

Working:
-I did some decent camel-sit spins. I hardly ever work on those (and, as a result, they aren't that good). But I was trying to avoid doing things that put too much weight on my right leg, so I did a lot of camel-sits. I discovered that getting a good sit spin is much easier when I don't hold on to the camel for too long.

Whining: My back hurts, my back hurts.. oh my aching back hurts. Mostly my butt. OMG, can hardly sit. One of coaches at the rink today kind of snotty to me. This coach does have that rep though. And did I mention that my back hurts?

Working: Empty ice this morning!! Nice kids too. Good skate and good run throughs of my dances!!

OW OW OW!!! You definitely have my sympathy!!! Sounds a lot like me a couple of weeks ago when my sciatica flared up again.

Congrats, Sk8_4_fun!!!

This is for Thursday....

Whining:
My energy level sucks again!!! And on top of that, my loops are inconsistent. Needless to say, still LOTS of work needs to be done on the artistic program end too.

Working:
I am reminded by a fellow skater that I have improved my stroking and overall basic skating LOTS in the past few months...and apparent one of the judges at the critique a couple of weeks ago mentioned that my skating has improved LOTS since the last time he saw me skate.

So all my coaches, please take a bow!!!

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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!!!

So this was the first day I skated an hour and did not do Moves class. When I arrived I saw the rink full of people working 5 minutes just on double 3s and I was not at all sorry I wasnt' in the class. Had a good hour of practice. It was the right decision. No whining.

Thanks Jazz for your sympathy.

HUGS to all of you in pain!

CONGRATULATIONS!

I think they are great!

Working:
Had my ice dance lesson on a freestyle last night, and was told by one of the young high level skaters that I looked really good skating with my coach. FO swing rolls are definitely better since I realized I have to press into the heel even though I'm rising up on the knee. I was able to catch my breath in a reasonable amount of time, so I'm definitely well at last.

Whining:
I really did not have the energy for my lesson last night. Caught my toe very slightly on our last time around the Dutch waltz, and bailed. I've gotten very complacent with my FXO's, and now I need to start doing them faster and faster and can't afford to be sloppy with that under toe or I'll be doing a face plant at high speed. I know the Dutch waltz is a baby beginner dance, but my coach is skating it like a high level dance (a lot of power, deep edges, cover the ice) and insists that I do likewise . (Of course, this is one of the things I love about lessons with this coach.)

Drove an hour to my MIF/spin lesson today only to get there and realize that we had forgotten it is public school holiday week, and no lesson scheduled, or even possible considering the crowd. Now, I've been battling the public session crowds coaching at my home rink all week, so how I forgot, I do not know.

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Working: me-did two sessions today back-to-back: freestyle for an hour and club session for 45 minutes. Really felt it towards the end, started running out of steam!

Whining: my loop, although I'm making sloooooow progress with the new "tweak" tip that coach added last week, I'm still fighting the security issue. My spins traveled today but I don't really care to much, I'm fighting major congestion and I feel it. I'm getting tons of revolutions and I enter it but I either tilt one way or another (no balance because of my ear or due to the ongoing back therapy).

Working: backspin-finally getting some in the right position! And therapy with my back is finally kicking in-my core is feeling stronger! Less numbness in my foot!

I still have a major confidence issue because of my back injury-I need to work on that. So, I will be taking classes with the other adults at the rink just so I'm forced to attend another session of skating (if I pay-I go). Not that I'm dissing my coach, I miss my friends and I need the support I used to get from them. We all have one injury or another. I don't think my coach will have any issue with that. I have also agreed to go to the adult camp at Hackensack with them (any word on that yet?)

And I'm skipping the next local competition and going to ISI districts, so I'm forced to work a little harder.

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

Whining My last lesson for a month--so I told coach "NO INSIDE THREES! I only want to do stuff I like."

Working So we did outside and inside eights for figures. So I'm going to summarize how to skate outside eights: Put your boob over your skate, tighten your stomach, put your shoulders back, tuck your tuchus, and clench your buttocks together. Smile like you haven't a concern in the world.-- don't look at the ice, bend your knees,---then push.

WhiningAnd after all that, I'm still on the flat on the left. Showed coach my edges on a serpentine, and she agreed they are lovely and NOT flat. Apparently, I have figures performance anxiety.

Working I can actually do forward power pulls for about 10 feet.
Coach showed me how to do power crossovers, which after about 3 tries I am successful at doing--second push and everything.

Whining Back serpentine--well it sucks, but at least I can do them.

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Great forum quotes:
On Falling: '...it doesn't matter, it's what you do AFTER you fall that's more important' ISK8NYC

whining: it was C-O-L-D in the rink tonight!!! Not just an "ice rink" cold but far, far colder than normal! And, ha, silly me, forgot my little heater things for my boots....

Working: me at jumps and spins. After WHINING that my spins have been traveling, I somehow (still wondering how/what I did this time) managed 3 in a row of wonderfully-centered scratch spins (even entered from back crossovers) and.....get this.....managed to have free leg properly crossed over then have it slide down skating leg!!! We stopped at 3.

Did a wimpy waltz jump and coach berated (kindly) me for not "owning" the ice to get people to move out of MY way. Sheesh! So I did a few more and they were better; however on my salchow I had a minor collision but no one was hurt (ran into one of the guys-thing is-he SAW me coming towards him and did not dodge).

Loop jump tonight was nothing to whine about-it was all work and I EARNED IT!!! After not having success in it for such a long time, being told to sweep the free leg across makes more sense and pulling in with my arms gets me more rotation...I managed to land two and one was fully rotated!!!!

Backspins-I whined about these, but did manage to do 2 with free leg out then crossed. Again, it's about swooping that free leg across.

We talked about ISI Districts then about me signing up for a skating class (group lessons) at my home rink. I did not want to do it without discussing it with her first. I'm taking the class (it's a 4-topic hour long class: moves, dance, jumps, basics) mostly to skate with my friends. I rarely get to see them any more. Coach is fine with that.

I was a popsicle when I left (headed to Panera for refueling and thawing) and by the time I got home was feeling the past 2 days of skating.

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