In honor of Valentine's day (and the fact that I'm sitting in my apartment, waiting for the roads to clear before braving the icy conditions outside, sad that I missed freestyle because of it, happy that I'll be late to work!), I thought that I'd start a thread to "celebrate" the things that we love about skating.

"These are a few of my favorite things" :
1. The riiiiiip of a good crossover on clean ice
2. The feeling of learning a new element after over and over again
3. Putting on my skates, getting out onto the ice, and realizing that I haven't forgotten everything in one week, as feared
4. Flying!!!!!

Let's take time to celebrate our significant other (or "other significant other" if you, unlike me, already have one)-- what do you love about skating?

Hmmmm,
after what you've already said, it would have to be:

the feeling of cold air on my face as I pick up speed.
and the good feeling I get from self expression, that can't be achieved anywhere else.

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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!!!!!

The 'whooshy' sound your blade makes when spinning.

I love to go fast (even though I slow down if I actually have to do something like turn or jump)

I love to move my arms around and pretend I'm graceful even if no one else thinks so.

I love my sexy intro to the Rhythm Blues.

I love my LTS Artistry in Motion class.

I love putting on a pretty dress and putting on make up and fixing my hair for a competition or test. Obviously I don't go out much so that's like date night for me :-)

J

Dancing with someone.

(Any sort of teamworking is a challenge for me )

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"Every revolutionary idea seems to evoke three stages of reaction. They may be summed up by the phrases:
(1) It's completely impossible.
(2) It's possible, but it's not worth doing.
(3) I said it was a good idea all along."
- Arthur C Clarke

Dancing with a really, really good partner! Or at least, someone who knows what he's doing and helps you, rather than hinders you.

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

Two things that strike me right off:

1 - Hitting that perfect RFO arabesque and holding it, still as a statue, the whole length of the ice. (It's one of the few things I do well!)

2 - Getting to the end of my program in practice and having somebody else's coach erupt into applause!

(I need to remind myself of these things when my alarm goes of at 3:45 a.m. every morning! )

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

- all of the above, especially 'the good feeling I get from self expression, that can't be achieved anywhere else' (sk8_4fun), and 'The feeling of learning a new element after over and over again' (Emberchyld)

- holding a really strong LFO arabesque spiral all the way round the rink (like Rusty blades but on other foot lol!)

- spinning

- Dancing the Golden Skater's Waltz

- Salchows and Loop jumps

- spinning

- Dancing the Canasta Tango in hold with a partner who's a strong dancer

- did I mention spinning?

S xxx

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Skating really fast down the rink and doing a deep inside spread eagle in the starfish position around the last hockey circle.

Throwing in some cross unders when doing cross overs.

That feeling you get just before you get on the ice when you know its going to be a really good session...

Holding that edge when you ought to fall down.

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Skate Free

What I love is what I call "Woo Moments". You know the moment where you can finally do something, when your coach sees and you both go "woo". That feeling is the best feeling in the world and nothing else matches it.

I hope I have a woo moment tomorrow.

Oh yeah, can totally relate to that! My 5% of 'Woo' moments, when I feel like zooming round the rink yelling zipedee-doo-dah somehow make the 95% of crap-mediocre skating all worth it!

S xxx

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

When you skate your program clean in front of your coach for the first time and it's totally unexpected.

The "woo" moments (as it was so succinctly put).

The Eureka! moments when something that you have been struggling with clicks (it may only be a take off, but it leads to a woo! moment)

When you skate your absolute best program in competition and are rewarded for it!

the rip when doing back power pulls

the sound of a scratch spin

the in the air feeling of a jump

the deep BOE landing of a jump

getting undivided 1:1 attention during my lesson

forgetting all stresses of life during a sesson and just concentrating on skating

it keeps me in shape and motivated to eat and exercise well off ice

What I like in skating...

Just to be on ice...
The sound of my blades on ice whatever i'm doing
learning new things
Just having fun my coach (I'm 14 she's 17)
Escape all my problems and envoy my skating time

and plenty of other things

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Skating is my life, my blood.. I would be dead without it

I could stay awake just to ear you breathing...

Music is life's blood... Benji Madden

Oooh, I love so many things about it;

- Days like today, where even though not everything was working, I loved every skating minute

- That lovely feeling of being the first one to step onto the ice at 6.45am (sometimes I even whisper 'good morning' to it!)

- When something that felt impossible suddenly crosses the line into possible and you feel like you might explode with sheer joy

- The strangely impressed/intrigued/disbelieving look people get when you tell them exactly why you get out of bed at 5.30am. "You do what? Before work??!!"

Clare

Building up speed and doing my big COE spiral on fresh ice! It feels like I'm flying! Ditto for the outside spread eagle-lutz-loop-loop!
That rare moment when I land the double salchow, look down at the ice and see just one landing edge with outflow (instead of that little < cheat mark).

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"You don't have to put an age limit on your dreams." - Dara Torres, 41, after her 2nd medal at the 2008 Olympics

Oooo I know that little cheat mark

And when it isn't there it is wonderful!

I started skating on Valentine's day with adult group lessons.
I love the flying feeling in a throw or jump, the easy glide of death spirals and feeling like you can hold your layback forever.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

*the once in awhile landing a double axel and how happy that makes me
*my short program is really pretty
*when little kids idolize me because i can do double jumps and flying sit spins
*when I work really hard and skate a clean program at competition and know i deserved it
*when I have a bad day yet i still get something accomplished

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dont eat me

What is a starfish position? Never heard this term.

Kay

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Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

Just being able to skate. After a couple of serious injuries, I'm so thrilled just to be back. I smile the whole 2 hr session!

Kay

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Visit my figure skating journal
http://www.skatejournal.com/

I couldn't think how to describe it properly at the time.
Think more of a star jump position; http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/star-jump.html

I haven't seen myself doing it on film yet, probably looks really goofy... but it feels really great - the faster you're traveling, the deeper the edge; you literally look down at the ice.

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Skate Free

I like the feel of my blade on fresh ice, the longest glides, the better.
I like dancing with a strong partner, I once had a beautiful Willow Waltz with someone that could have gone on forever.
Skating a solo where you lose yourself in the music and program and your coach has to tell you what jumps you did (and landed!).
Teaching an 8 year old girl the spin entrance for the first time and she does it and jumps up and down with glee and looks at you........ you know you've initiated someone into the skate-for-life club.

I love that when I'm skating I can only think about skating. Not what I have to do that day, or any other responsibilities. I am just a skater for that moment.

I love to just jump into the air and land it purfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also love learning realy REALLY cool moves. I love skating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!