Oops, sorry for the confusion earlier--for some reason I was thinking of the Ashburn comp, where I borrowed a red polyester shirt.

At adult nats, I wore my pairs outfit. It was weird to wear it for singles because i do a few moves where I can get my blade caught against the flowy leg fabric (twizzles, brackets, and slide chasse). The lady who won the bronze dance event made it!

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-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

It was a beautiful outfit, Nova, and you looked really good in it! I think your seamstress did a really good job. It looked really good on the ice! Well, that is, from what I could see of it through all of the fog--opps, there I go complaining, again! LOL!

Ah- ha! That might explain the scheduling snafu of the last three weeks before AN!
Don't these judges know that they're doing this event months in advance!

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Adult Nationals, 2009 "The Time of My Life"

Yes, but one of them had a heart attack. Things happen.

Yeah, like your partner???

At least there's no flap this time!

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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!!!

Did anyone notice that on Saturday that the South Pole rink had a kids party, a public session, and a hockey game. Do you think this had anything to do with the oringinal schedule snafu, too. In other words, that there was pressure to push many of the events up to Wed., because the South Pole wasn't available on Sat.

good point

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Champagne in 2005, 2008, 2009 - who's next out of the pre-bronze club...?

Wang chung!

Hey everyone! I've finally typed up the championship masters notes.
http://asianathlete.com/DaScoopsForm...y.aspx?ID=2801

Yeah, so what if nobody in it was Asian? Haha. I had so much fun in Dallas, despite falling on my ###. Now I know what to work on for the next season. I hope to learn/improve gold moves and flying spins, other than the nemesis axel. Thanks to roomies mskater and climbsk8 for helping me keep the costs down and all the words of encouragement and insideaxel for making SCNC proud! Also, thanks to Rob and Jennifer for the stuffed animals and donut, and NoVa for his funny sarcastic remarks. I ate so much junkfood in Dallas (the $4.99 chicken ranch loaded potato skins at Bennigans were great!), but I rationalized it from all the walking I was doing throughout the mall and back and forth to the hotel. I loved watching everyone skate; I couldn't keep everyone's names straight though. Now I'm back swamped with work and will head back to the rink Wed.

Looploop, I'm sorry to hear about your father. I hope to see you at the Fairfax rink again sometime, if not at another competition. Time to get ready for another exciting day at the office.

Love those Krispy Kreme drive throughs! And we even got them (or at least most of the) back to the rink warm. Yum.

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Sorry, I couldn't. My body didnt feel like traveling quite yet.

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Tim David's Website

lovepairs, I share your thoughts re AN '06. With all of the things you mentioned earlier, AN '06 did indeed feel like a big Peach Classic or NY Invitational, with Masters events thrown in. I also had the same suspicion early on about some of the Saturday events being moved to earlier days with the remaining ones placed on the North rink.

And no, we shouldn't be afraid to voice our opinions about the event... if we hadn't made a collective fuss, the schedule would not have been changed to its original version (or something close to it) and MusicSkateFan would not have been able to claim his well-deserved national title! So, every now and then, good things do come from complaining! I have faith in the Chicago 07 LOC to learn from this experience and make AN 07 a return to what we're used to from AN's in the past.

I was going to try to say some nice things about AN, including the enthusiasm of the sweepers and the cheerfulness of the volunteers. Then I read what Mel On Ice was told by the volunteer when she picked up her music... what an awful thing for someone to say! I'm sorry you had to experience that. That said, the volunteers I talked to were polite and helpful to me, so maybe you just caught someone at the wrong time.

Thanks to manleywoman for mentioning my result, but I was disappointed with my performance... but whatever, it's already behind me and I've already been working on improving my skating for the future.

So let's see, scheduling problems, the fog, low turnout, and a bad skate... hmmm, what salvaged AN 06 for me? It must have been my Barbara Fusar-Poli moment with Jason Spicer at the closing party. That, and seeing the Championship Gold hookup on the dance floor as the party was closing. You know who you are.

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Whatever!

That lift was very funny, AND it was good! (Sorry I couldn't pick you up with my bum wrist.)

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Did you give Jason a death stare?

Hilarious!!

Do tell us those of us not there about the hookup!

(kidding! It would be like, omigod, soooo 6th grade!)

Gosh I am tempted... it's like everyone else was two stepping and they were dancing to a different beat altogether.

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Whatever!

Oh do tell

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Tim David's Website

Pshaw! David & I are proof that you can compete in Gold Pairs without all those things. (Okay, we did have a BO death spiral, but we were only able to do it once in a competition.) You don't have to be a medal contender to play in Gold Pairs! If that were the case, most of us in that category wouldn't be competing at all.

Most of us compete at Gold because of our partners. And, the fact that a long time ago the only pairs test was the Juvenile Pairs test. And, now if you've passed that test, you have to skate Adult Gold Pairs, even if your freeskate level is Silver.

Rob

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"I'm too old to die young, and too smart to be happy" - Kinky Friedman, The Mile High Club

2010 Adult Nationals - earning a gold - "Priceless"
2009 Adult Nationals - competing with a cold is not much fun.
2008 Adult Nationals - Too little sleep, too much vodka!

Also, the gold pairs test is not that difficult, but it's a pain in the neck to have to start from bronze again. I did when the plans were to not grandfather the standard tests. Now there's no point. Also it really depends on the total package. When I competed in masters we had a platter-star, and inside death spiral but no throw axel or sbs axels. The pair placing first had a double twist, we were second, and the pair in 3rd had sbs axels and a throw axel, but not a great ds.. Whatever you do, do well!

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Well, I didn't see a problem with us staying and competing in silver pairs (it's not like either of us is a gold-level skater). There were seven new teams in silver this year at Nats, making it a completely different ballgame. And really, every year is a new year.
While it's nice to play in gold pairs, we don't have:
-sbs axels
-throw axel or throw doubles
-overhead lifts
-correct/credible death spiral

I think the point of adult nats is to just get out there and be a participant in the adult skating community, surround yourself in the enthusiam and anticipation and competitive spirit, (try to) have fun, and let the audience see that adults can skate pairs and create nice programs.

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"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
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Here's what I reported (sorry for any inaccuracies):
sbs = side by side
SlSt = straight line step
Th = throw
S = salchow, T= toe loop, L = loop, F = flip, Lz = lutz
Sp = spin
BODS = back outside death spiral, FIDS = forward inside death spiral, etc.

BRONZE PAIRS
1. Thomas & Lewis (hee hee, I'm in the top right, 2nd over, taking notes)

-pivot spiral, loop lift, spiral sequence (nice w/ multiple positions), Th waltz, sbs T, sbs scratch Sp, SlSt, cartwheel-like lift, (another Th W?), sbs S/T, pair Sp (i think camel)

2. Fitzgerald & Zavaleta
-pivot spiral, Th W, loop lift, sbs T/T, fish lift, spiral "sequence" (only one position), sbs S, pair back camel/one foot spin

SILVER PAIRS
1. Kristi & Glen Norman
skated to "In the Hall of the Mountain King"
-lutz lift, BODS (ncie), spiral sequence (nice), sbs S/L, Loop lift (not so good), sbs F (fall out), sbs L, sbs sit/scratch sp, Th L, Pair camel, pair waltz-arabians (very effective)

2. Hohbach & Lieberman
Good flow and line
-pair camel, Th L, Pair Spiral, F/T/L (fall out of toe), sbs camel, split twist, sbs L/S sequence, axel lift, spread eagle (him)/spiral(her), FIDS

3. Hurst & Lay
"Bolero" - I really liked this team; they had many strong elements (and he is bronze level; he should be a good silver II skater next year)
-BODS, lutz lift (great), Th L, pair camel, SlSt, F-hop-T/L, spiral, fish lift/dance lift where she brought her blade to her head (does not count as a program element since it's a "carry lift," but it was nice), sbs Lz, Loop lift (*great height and postion but should not count because it had 4 revs; 3 is the max)

4. Lane & Brown
-good speed/flow, nice transitions
-Lz lift, pair camel/sit, split twist (OK height), axel or axcel lift? (my notes say incomplete), Th L, F/L, BODS (bad position), pair waltz-arabians

5. Angela & Joel Maher
-"The Feeling Begins"
-Spiral sequence/spread eagle, Th L, SlSt, pair camle (sloppy), sbs F, sbs sit, Lz lift, Th L (good), S/T/L, drape move, BODS (fall-her), lunge

6. Yahiro & Scibilia
-sbs Lz/T, Th Lo, split twist (needs more ice coverage), sbs sit/upright (good sync), spiral sequence with change of edge (shades of LoopLoop & Nova Sk8r-LOL!), pair camel, Lz lift (fall-her so no SlSt?), Th W, F, FIDS (bad position)

7. Maya & Brian Buchanan (they had a nice, splashy presentation)
-fish lift, drape move, Th L, 2-handed axel lift (does not count; lift needs to be one-armed?), pivot-like spiral (no pivot was achieved), spirals (bad stretch), dance carry lift, T, SlSt, Lz (2-footed), L, Th Lz or F (?), pair Upright spin (kinda like a dance spin)

GOLD PAIRS
1. Sargent & Mata
Great Spanish (tango?) program, much-improved musicality and expression
-star lift (awesome), Th L (i think they had planned a double), press lift (OK postion by her; needs more "press"), Lz, sit-change-sit, FIDS, F/T, SlSt, pair camel/alligator spin (catch waist), split twist, Th axel (2 footed)

2. Cooper (love pairs) & Jones
-Mishima" by Philip Glass; great improvement over the past year, and a nice and steady program
-back half press lift (very good), L/L, split twist, Th Lo, camel-sit, BODS, Lz lift, spiral sequence (nice smiles), Lz, SlSt (good; with brackets), pair camel/alligator (catch waist)

3. Cheng & Barry
-tango camel (great) into stag lift, Lz/T, BODS (fall out), L lift, spiral sequence, split twist, sbs flying camel-back sit-change forward sit-upright spin, SlSt, Lz lift (only 1 rev), Th L

4. McDonald & Leissring
-(I missed this performance because of my own event)

5. Julie & Richard Westerlund
-"Vocalise" (tribute to Sergei Grinkov-they chose the music last year--the 10-year anniversary of Sergei's death); she ahd great expression thruout
-fish lift, S/T, spiral sequence, L lift, upright spin, T, Lz lift, BIDS, pair camel, Th L

6. Patricia & Kurt Schwab
-spiral sequence, F/T, L lift (2 revs), pair camel/"head chopper" (his leg went over her head in the camel), LZ lift, pivot spiral (FIDS?), SlSt, sbs sit spisn, Th W, tango camel-pair sit (he was on 2 feet so it shouldn't count)-back camel

7. Friello (flo) & Lichtefeld (rlichtefeld)
"Henry V"
-stag lift, L lift (1 rev), Lz lift, tango camel-sit (2 footed), Lz/L (she fell), sbs camel-sit, Th L, F (she 2-footed), FIDS (good arch), split twist, alligator spin-catch foot

8. Debora & James Marlowe
-"Lawrence of Arabia"
-Th L, pair spin (camel/back sit?), Lz lift, sbs sit spins, SlSt, mazurka/T, S, FIDS (1/2 rev), spread eagle/spiral, drape lift/dip, pair camel

9. Zurfluh & Ascher
-split twist, Th L, spiral sequence, L/T, platter lift (incomplete), camel-reverse upright spin-upright spin, BODS, L, pair spin (sloppy)

I didn't watch the masters pairs event; I hadn't arrived in Dallas yet.

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Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

NoVa,

Thanks for all that work. I had taped all the other groups: Master, Bronze and Silver. But, really had no idea what the other teams in Gold had done, since I only got to watch the last 3.

Rob

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"I'm too old to die young, and too smart to be happy" - Kinky Friedman, The Mile High Club

2010 Adult Nationals - earning a gold - "Priceless"
2009 Adult Nationals - competing with a cold is not much fun.
2008 Adult Nationals - Too little sleep, too much vodka!

Truce! Let's talk offline about some of this, OK?

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I need a detachable left foot!

I'm just throwing in my two cents here. While I agree that the sentiments expressed above are fundamentally correct, I feel that it's also important to be fully committed to what you are doing on the ice and why you are doing it. I can only speak for myself, but if I were in a position where I didn't feel fully prepared to skate or, if because of certain circumstances, my heart and soul were not fully into skating, then I can't see myself going to Adult Nationals. Though I always enjoy seeing everyone, I know I feel better about my participation if I think that I'm going to try and share something on the ice that meets my goals and hopefully everyone will enjoy.

I am not fully aware of Marna's situation, however the bottom line is that she did not feel that she could fully enjoy her participation at Adult Nationals this year. For me, that is sufficient reason for her to choose not to attend AN this year. I just wish her well and hope that I'll see her back out on the ice again soon.

Well, I wish I had gotten to talk to some of you, but I can put a bunch of names with faces now, so maybe next year (Nova, I was sitting next to you for quite a bit of pairs, including while you were on your phone with LoopLoop, so hi to both of you )

This was my first AN, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I'm surprised to hear some of you say it didn't feel like Nationals- I can't imagine having more fun (unless maybe I had skated well, which I didn't). Now I really can't wait til next year!

I was really inspired by some of the performances I saw, particularly Julie and Michael in Championship Dance (having been to regular Easterns the last few years, I can safely say there have been years they'd have qualified for Nationals in Novice if not Junior) and everyone in pairs. I've thought for years about maybe trying pairs when I was old enough to test and compete as an adult, and now I definitely want to. So maybe next year I'll be competing against some of y'all. I'll definitely be doing interp next year too; I have several ideas and now I just have to pick one. None of them are as funny as the armadillo, though.

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Shae-Lynn and Victor: We knew you were champions, and on 3/28/03 the whole WORLD found out! Thank you for twelve wonderful years!