I'm not sure whether we are blessed or blighted at the moment - the day our new management took over, the Zamboni decided to quit, on a scale which looks like being permanent. This means that the ice is only cut once a day, by hand. Rumour had it last night that a new engine was to be delivered today, so let's hope so.

However, the upside of this is that the ice is getting better than it's been for ages - it had a large hill in the middle, so that you stood on the centre circle and glided slowly down to the barrier in each direction! Now that it is being cut by hand, this is gradually decreasing.

However, the fact that it is only cut once a day means that by teatime it is pretty slow, and, of course, we couldn't have it cut for our Dance Club's Christmas Party last night. For some reason, I misread the clock and arrived an hour early, and when the teatime session showed no signs of ending, assumed the evening had been called off and the e-mail telling me so had not arrived.... so went home in a huff, only to find it was 6.15 and I was now going to be late. The upside is that I'd forgotten all the Christmas cards so was able to pick them up.

Because the ice was so poor, they cancelled the evening session, and so we could stay on more or less as long as we liked. The only people who came to skate at 8.00 were those who had already paid for their learn-to-skate classes - most of whom strenuously resisted our invitation to "Come and learn the Dutch Waltz, it's a really easy dance, one of the first you learn!"

Robert and I did several dances together, including the Rhythm Blues, one of our competition dances, and also if we do a Variation test later this winter it will be that. And we both were trying very hard not to rush, and we discovered that both of us rush the two inside swing rolls! Deep sigh - will I ever learn to control an inside edge?

I had to work this morning, but Robert was at the rink - and passed his Level 3 compulsory dances! I'm not at all surprised, mind, but there was just a bit of doubt - his Riverside Rhumba is far from perfect. I haven't yet seen what the judges said about it, nor by how much he passed, but at least he has! Now he's caught up with me (I'm credited with Level 3, which is daft, as although I'd probably have passed if I tested this morning, I might well not have done). He is not going to be allowed to get more than one level ahead of me, though.....

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

Blessed -
This category will remain empty today

Blighted -
Ug. Anything. Everything. I doubt that I could think about skating today without finding a way to screw it up! Yes, I'm being melodramatic, but it was a frustrating day.

Normally, I get up at 5:45 for my lesson on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Needless to say, I was not pleased with myself when I rolled over and the clock said 7:15!

Jumped out of bed, threw on some clothes, brushed my teeth and was to the rink by 7:30. Coach, who normally doesn't come for my lesson until around 7:35, is nowhere to be seen. On the one day that I'm late, she's early?

I practiced for the remaining half-hour of my lesson, but practiced fitfully. I was too annoyed with myself to put enough energy or effort into anything. I went home dejected.

Attended my super-special-secret public skate at noon to get in a little more practice and begin to make up for the lesson I missed. Today, it was not super, nor special, nor secret. Too many people to do anything, including not getting run over. I gave up after a half-hour.

Cry me a river, eh? I hope that Thursday is better. I need to get in some good skating before I get in some good celebratin'!

Blue Line - sorry you had such a bad day, but love your icons!

Blessed -

Landed my first two double toes since 1981 - Woo Hoo!



Hope to get started on my new program in my lesson tomorrow.

Blighted - it's hard for anything to be blighted today - I'm too happy about those doubles!

sk8er1964! Hurrah! I'm sure that we're all happy for you!

Congrats to Robert on passing level 3!!!!!!

me - I'm sticking to level 2 for a good many years to come.......

lesson today - first lesson for what seems like ages due to the panto. Unfortunately there was a large school party so our normally quiet ice was packed and we retreated behind the coned off area. Consequently I didn't get to finish the choreography of my Free Dance (though I ran through what I've done so far a few times in the hope I will still remember it after Christmas!). The main problem with it is that the music is quite slow so I have to skate really strongly to cover all the ice in fewer steps.

In the lesson we concentrated on jumps. I really need to get more height. I know I am not bending my knees enough but I just can't seem to change this. However I did do one really good toe loop and a pretty decent salchow. If I could just get over my fear of falling enough to really go for it I know I could improve much faster. My coach shakes my hand when I fall over as he says it shows I am really trying!!!

I would have to say it was all blessed though as although there are lots of things I still can't do and could certainly improve everything it is such FUN!!!!!!!

Congrats to Robert - I'm impressed.
I'm on Level 3 (singles, figure) and I think it's a big jump from level 2.
Is it the same with dance?

Blighted
Maybe it's easier to say what wasn't blighted?

I'm glad I spent more time on the field moves on Monday because today with elite skaters already on the ice doing their jumps, I was unable to complete a single circuit. I get out of the way even when I don't have to.

Flip and loops ok, but the lutz got a big fat zero for non-attendance.
Each and every time I set up the entry (all I do is 3 crossovers counter-clockwise, and step onto RBO edge) it didn't feel right and I just wouldn't jump.
It was like riding a horse that comes to an abrupt halt at a jump. Coach was getting mighty blighted with me.

I also had camel, camel-sit and backspins in my lesson.
Nothing too impressive there, although the backspin is not as invisible as it was last week.

Change foot sit spins: I did one or two with actual revs (well almost 3) but they probably look awful.

Six days off now - school hols and no ice time, unless I get up in middle of the night and scrape ice off my car for 15 minutes first, like I did this morning. Yak.

__________________
MEL
Absolute Skating

BLESSED, BLESSED, BLESSED:

Went to my ortho this morning for a followup on my rotator cuff repair.

Time to start some PT. Ouch, more pain.

Then, the obvious question: When can I skate?

His answer: "Well, you're a pretty good skater (little does HE know), so I guess you can start skating carefully."

YAHOOOOOOOOO!!!! Just in time for the rinks to close for the holidays.

I'm back on the ice, CAREFULLY. My quads are jumping for joy!!!

Yeah Gary!!!


Blighted AND Blasted:

Schools in the city that I skate at were closed today because of freezing rain last night (which was melted by 8:30 a.m. - my kid had school) so the adult-only lunch skate became a kids free-for-all. On the day that I have a lesson and was supposed to start my new program. Sigh.

There were a group of kids that were throwing stuff, sliding across the ice, and generally being 13 year old jerks. I talked to them twice, another adult talked to them, and finally the rink manager threated to throw them out. We cut my lesson short because there was no use trying stuff.

Bummer.

During the local Chrismas Ice Show I attended on Sunday, a young boy (around 6 years old and unattended by an adult) walked into the hockey box during a precision team performance and threw a black coat button about the size of a quarter onto the ice. Fortunately, the team's routine allowed them to miss the debris, but only by a couple of feet.

Also, I've seen fights in the stands at hockey games and speed skating competitions, but this was the first time I saw a fight during a Christmas ice show. A teenage boy threw a cup of nacho cheese onto the floor and seats in the stands. A man in the stands asked him to clean it up or go get someone to clean it up. The teen refused laughingly, so the man gave him an arguement, which led to a couple of shoves and punches. The rink manager finally stopped them and threw the teen out. I talked to the teens father after the show and he said "Oh well, boys will be boys".

Well.... Gary, that's fantastic news, I'm so pleased for you!

Batikat, I'm not sure I like the idea of you skating strongly and covering lots of ice in your new free dance - don't forget, I'll be competing against you! You are apt to beat me anyway.....

Melanie, I'm not sure how big a leap Level 3 dance is; I know it's alleged to be - but I, who got the old Novice 5 years ago, am credited with Level 3, and okay, I might have passed it too had I tested it yesterday, but really, it's the first test session I could say that of. I was no better than a Level 1 skater all those years ago, yet I was credited, so who knows?

What I do know is that one judge had Robert .2 over passing, and the other .1, which is brilliant, especially as we are all agreed that he didn't skate as well as he was able.

Anyway, today's lesson/practice (it's only supposed to be a 30-minute lesson, but when he has no other pupils, I tend to get nearly an hour....). The ice was reasonable, given that it had been hand-cut (the Zam is still out of action, and they are saying Friday At The Earliest now). Inside edges a bit iffy, and I wasn't getting enough push. Figures went well, and I learnt the Serpentine, which he says I won't be able to do, but ought to practice to help my changes of edge. Which were dire - I haven't done them for 3 weeks, and it shows! Back edges much better, and I was on more-or-less the right bit of my blade, which helps. Have been told to work on all of those, AND my turns, AND my dances.....

Mainly, my problem is (a) fear and (b), which stems from it, not secure control. Well, we have all winter to work on it....

Lots of good news about the rink - it's being repainted PURPLE, of all things, which at least makes a change from that dreary magnolia. They are going to continue the system of paying at the door, even for patch ice, for now, but there will be more patches, INCLUDING TEATIMES AGAIN, Yaay!, and the day will be divided into more sessions. Anyway, I've renewed my season ticket, so I'll be okay for the next three months, and then we'll see. And by then the new management will have settled in and we'll know where we are. But the teachers seem pleased, which is good.

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

blighted for time:
Was running late yesterday getting out of the house. Had to wait for my acting studying daughter (goes to an art school OAC grade 13 to take drama and media arts (film)) to be done eating her quick meal after just barely making it home from after school practice for Les Misrebles. That held both of us up time wise. She was 15 minutes late and I was 45 minutes late for my skating session. Normally, she has time to get back for her media arts class which starts at 6:30 pm. My skating session starts at 6:10 pm and ends at 7:30 pm on Tuesdays. Had to rush everything to fit it all in. Didn't get to run though my interpretive with music.

Blessed:
Very smooth waltz jumps.
Footwork is getting faster.


Discovered a new footwork pattern to use (well it's new to me):
from a RFI op mo put down the right foot and go on an inside wide egde and slowly spread right leg out farther while leaning to the left and then bring in the right leg just in time to lift it to do a double LBI3 and then do the same more two more times. Works great with slow music.
Found this when I was doing footwork from corner to corner diagonally. Might use it. Try it if you like. If you're a CW skater, reverse legs.

Brigitte

__________________
"It's not age that determines but the heart." "Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

I am a nomadic adult skater who is a member of Windsor FSC (Skate Windsor) WOS SC again since Sept. 1st, 2008.

http://eastcastlemusic.tripod.com

Singerskates Sports Music Editing

Blessed:
Stuck in the same ice storm as sk8er1964. Skated my way to an 8:00 final exam in ice smoother than they make at my rink! Excellent form (though oftentimes low confidence), and made it all the way to the lecture hall without falling!

Congratulations to Robert

and

Hooray, Gary

Blessed:
For some reason, I just felt like a skater today. I finally attended a halfway decent public session with halfway decent ice, not cut, but at least no huge bumps or ridges.

RFO three is responding to repeated practice on a small lobe, pre-rotated. Coach and I agree that strengthening my stomach muscles will help with the alt three patterns, so it's 10 crunches a day until I can do more.

One foot spin got away from me last spring when I quit working on it. Now it's back and I know exactly where the right spot is every time. I'm not letting it go this time. I will spin every time I skate. I'm working on starting with the freeleg extended in front and bringing it in to passe position. Actually did it once today.

FI Mohawks are feeling a little better and I managed to do the five step Mohawk pattern once. I've been chickening out on the L for months now.

F power crossovers continue to feel pretty good. Had a little trouble with the step to inside edge on the R foot for a while, but it turned out to be just a matter of timing, and it's good again.

Blighted:
I don't want to go there today

__________________

Blighted:

I practiced yesterday and today (different rinks) and I'm not too much closer to being able to pass Freestyle 3 on Saturday. The 3-week layoff really set me back. I think the salchow and half lutz are good enough to pass, along with the crossovers and swing rolls, but my back spin and BI 3s just aren't there. I got up to 2 revs on the spin but I need 3, and when I try to cross my leg in front, I find myself tipping to the side. I can do the BI turn, but I've got no speed or glide on the forward edge, and my instructor told us he wanted to see that.

I guess it won't be the worst thing to retake the level, but I'm so bummed b/c I know if I'd had those extra weeks of practice (plus the lesson I had to miss), I'd be in much better shape.

Oh well - the one good thing about today is that I went to a freestyle session at another rink, where I usually don't go (it's flo's rink, actually), and the session was pretty empty - only about 8 or 9 people on the ice, and some were instructors. Everyone was pretty respectful, and no one had an attitude or acted like they owned a portion of the ice. Unfortunately, this rink seems to have permanent ruts and ridges in the ice, so my blades would occasionally get stuck. I had quite a few jarring takeoffs and landings.


Almost forgot: Congrats Gary on your return to the ice!
And congrats to Robert!

Blessed: Had our rink Christmas party yesterday at the 11-1 public session. Lots of people came, even those who are not skating anymore. It was nice to see everyone, and it was a great session. I ran through my program, and it's getting there.

DebbieS: what session did you go to at NW? The rink does have it's own "charms" but it's home. It's a bit small, and I usually run into the walls after skating at Ice World, or on Olympic size ice!

Before I came back to skating, I didn't think people could be alive before 8:00 a.m. Hope your exam went well!

Blessed - my edges, they have improved. I had fun just playing with 3 turns and holding edges and it felt so free and relaxed. My alernating 3's are much better the right side is still a tad wilder but better. DId a really nice and long catch foot spiral too.

BLighted - the loop. Tried one fell VERY hard on my hip and gave up. It seems this jump can only be done by me when my coach is standing nearby. :-)

__________________
Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
Maurice Setter

I didn't skate last night, but our club did have it's winter show. I helped for a while with music and, of course, watched and cheered on my fellow skaters. We're a pretty young club in terms that the rink has only been aroun maybe five years, but there were about 50 numbers and everyone did a great job.

The adult synchro team made their debut. I was interested in joining but was intimidated because I'm the newest (and most beginner) adult skater in the club, but I think I could easily keep up with what they're doing. Now, if they only practiced at a time when I could be there ...
Maybe next year? There's some talk of moving the rehearsal time.

I also cheered for an adult skater making her solo debut. She's a little younger than me and has been skating for a couple of years and vowed that when she got her scratch spin, she'd do a solo for the club. She's inspired me!

I think that watching the show made me feel better about my own skating in that I realize I don't look foolish out there in the ice and that I am progressing at a completely acceptable rate. And having fun!!!

Blessed: really quiet public session - just a few kids and hardly any of the usual adult crowd - must all be out Christmas shopping. I am always suprised to hear of those of you who are the only adult or one of a select few at your rinks as our adult skating is thriving. I am membership sec for our club and we have 50-60 adults who skate, of whom maybe 20-30 skate regularly. The main adult number in our panto had 26 skaters - (we did a fantastic wheel). but I digress!

Blighted: I have a real problem keeping my weight back on the blade and off the toepicks going backwards. This makes it hard to keep up speed and to do any of the back 3 turns. My coach had me try the inter-bronze field move with a BO3 to FI edge to mohawk. Well I eventually managed 1! This could take years!!!!!
I did make a special effort to try and keep my weight back when trying back swing rolls (without the forward swing) and at one point experienced doing it right when there was a huge surge of power and speed - now if only I could do it again.....

Blessed again: had lots of fun running through the first part of my Free Dance - it's not finished but we are getting there and I am happier with the first part now and with the speed with which I have to do the barrel roll and the mohawk into a spin. I reckon the secret is to not think about it but in the words of NIKE 'just do it'. If I think about it, it is terrifying and I chicken out. I also have an 'interesting ' back spiral move which I love. I plan to make my own dress to perform this in but whether I will ever find the time to do this I don't know.

No more lessons now til after the New Year so I will wish everyone a Happy New Year! and to those who celebrate it - A Merry Christmas!

Two hours on the ice this morning, only I got tired and came off slightly before that. I suppose I was on the ice for about 1.5 hours in all - it was all a bit Christmassy and I kept getting interrupted!

Blessed: My FI 8s seem to have improved dramatically - they were coming back to the centre all by themselves, it seemed, and I was having a lovely time with them. The FO8s were better, too. My changes-of-edge were mostly okay - I'm good enough at them now that I can "feel" when they are flat, and I only did one bad flat in the whole practice of them. FI swing rolls went well; can't remember if I did FO ones, but I expect so. I know I did forwards cross-rolls, and they were okay, but I couldn't remember which side I needed to exaggerate.... Of the edges spiralling in, the worst, of course were the backwards ones, but I did manage to hold them for a bit. Managed to get some very nice long back edges (I have the same trouble with them as Batikat does), but they are not my strongest point. Did FO3s round the circle in both directions until I was dizzy - no problems there, and I think they are a lot faster than they used to be.

Blighted: The ice is still being hand-cut, but I think the new engine was delivered at lunch-time, so there is hope. My FI3s are still utterly appalling - I canNOT do this move! I can do a FI3, but only by pushing straight into it - if I push a FI edge and then try to turn, I have to put my free foot down, so frustrating. Same with Mohawks. I tried and tried today but got no further forwards. Grrrr.

Serpentine figures were most peculiar, I kept getting lost.... but they did help my changes of edge, all the same.

Blessed, again: It was the "Rinklers" Christmas Lunch (i.e. the adult skaters from our rink, many of whom either have, or do, or will skate in our adult show number, and our team is called Roland's Rinklers (after the coach) or Streatham Rinklers. Anyway, it was the Christmas lunch, which was nice, and went on a very long time. If I hadn't had about 1/2 glass of wine more than was good for me, and if the Zamboni had been working, I might have skated the teatime session - some of our number were going to! One even had a lesson booked.... But I thought I'd drunk too much to make skating very safe - as I said to my coach, who'd arrived by then, I'd be seeing triple if I tried to do figures....

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

*MissIndigo nods head in understanding*

So true. So very, very true.

Blighted...ice is still kind of choppy, but not nearly as bad as it was when the rink opened back up for the rest of the winter. Also when practicing my MITF I felt like my left knee was going to collapse under me when doing my forward power stroking. My holiday break will be spent strengthening those muscles.

Blessed...my layback spin is continuing to improve. I did one that went around maybe 5, 6 revs. I'm actually able to rise out of them now without feeling too dizzy! Camel spins still good...forward fast scratch spins good too. Coach has me pulling in arms and raising them before bringing in free leg, making for a fast, centered spin that just feels awesome. I do feel truly blessed that I have such natural centering.

I will have the nerve to start practicing the harder jumps again after Christmas. My pads from SkatingSafe came in, and I can tell an increase in confidence even on something as mundane as a waltz jump. One of my goals for the coming year is to get my jumps up to where my spins are, and start on-ice axels.

My spreadeagle is coming back and I'm getting better flexibility in my hamstrings as a result of those camels. Maybe this will be the year I get my spirals back too! Even the leg I had the injury with isn't bothering me as much anymore.

__________________
All that glitters has a high refractive index.

First thing... Congrats to Robert again on his passing his test! And HOORAY to Gary!!! I'll bet your quads are happy

My first lesson post in a while... This one's for last Wed. with my primary coach...last lesson of 2002 with him!

Blessed:
Nothing Blessed... except that this lesson is over. YAK!!!

Blighted:
Blighted Edges and 3-turns. That's all I worked on this morning. And unfortunately it's because this morning I could not feel my LFO edge to save my life. There goes the 3... We essentially found that I have a hard time going on a deep enough outside edge on my left foot. (I've already had my skate guy look at it and he thinks if anything, my RIGHT blade is a bit off... Weird...)

My homework assignment is to do circles on the FO edge. The other assignment is to make sure that my LFO3 comes mostly from my knee/leg and not my shoulders!!!

__________________
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!!!

This one's for yesterday with my moves coach and secondary coach...last lesson of 2002 with those two!

Blessed:
My other jumps (waltz, toe loop, sals) are getting better...good enough where my secondary FS coach is drilling me on all SORTS of jump combos!

Backspin: Well, the entrance according to my secondary FS coach is fine. Just that I can't get myself afterwards to STAY on my BO edge. She made some adjustments to my arm position. So far no luck... but hopeful.

Moves: Forward alt crossovers from Pre-juv/Bronze Moves... not too shabby!

Blighted:
Blighted Edges and 3-turns did NOT return and neither did my power 3's. What the #@&@$ happened to them!?!?!

Back crossovers are crappy!!!

5 step mohawk: decided to go back to the ol' Indian reservations!!! :-P

Loop didn't come back! None of them landed on one foot.

__________________
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!!!

I thought you were one of those who agreed that one can't work them enough?
Me too.... shall we compare notes sometime?

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

Well, I passed my test today - yay!!! The instructor was very nice and let us have several chances to do each skill. MY BI turns weren't great, but after a few tries, I was able to glide out on the FO edge on one side - the other side was a bit more abrupt. I got 2 revs on may back spin - I was actually surprised w/ how smoothly I could spin - I basically told myself to just whirl myself around, keep my shoulders straight, and just spin, and lo and behold, I think it worked. I really needed 3 revs, but my instructor said it was OK as long as I was spinning on the outside edge. I guess he was in a charitable mood.

My jumps were OK - salchow was a bit lurchy, but I basically willed myself to NOT touch my free foot down after the FO turn. I also noticed, on the half lutz, that I may be a flutzer - considering the way I've defended criticism against Sarah Hughes and Sasha Cohen for their flutzing, I better solve my technique problems.

I wonder if I'm the kind of person that does better in performance than practice - I guess that's a good thing if I ever decide to compete.

Anyway, it's on to Freestyle 4, where I can tackle the next dimension in terror - the loop jump and the sit spin. We're also slated to learn FO mohawks and power 3s.