Since this week ends on what I think of as Candlemas, but I believe in the US is called Groundhog Day....

Nearly Spring: Back on the ice at last! Started choreographing our new free dance, although didn't make much progress. Ice lovely and quiet this morning.

Yet more winter: I think I spent most of the session with my bum stuck out, slightly scared, as we were going faster than I like! Did an off-ice workout after Church and am shocked at how out-of-condition I am - feel absolutely exhausted now!

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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!

Spring:
Working my way through the NISA level 1 field moves Edges were okay...spirals would be okay if I could turn my foot out. Crossovers...need to work on turning that foot (again) out/in and keeping my shoulders up and my chest out.

Winter:
Not much today It was a pretty good practice. If I could just remember to open my hips...

Early Spring: My university's synchro team took 2nd place out of 12 teams at the 2008 Eastern Sectional Synchronized Skating Team Championships held this past weekend in Richmond, VA! We had an amazing skate -- no falls, great timing and expression,etc. -- and beat out twelve other teams that have been around far longer than we have. (We're only in our second year together.) We competed in the open collegiate division and are now the 2008 Eastern Silver medalists!

practiced in a way crazy crowded public session this afternoon. That pretty well confined me to practicing spins and jumps at which I suck, because they take less space. It's not a bad thing to be forced to practice things you aren't good at, I feel like I made some progress.

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It's all about the dress!

I only went for show rehearsal...and didn't stay after for club ice. I was a popsicle after 30 minutes. Apparently the heat was out in the ENTIRE building and skating in the rink was as cold as outside, just no wind...BRRRRR!!!!

As always, groups are worked with first, so I was able to skate around and do nothing. But another skater and I did do some backspin stuff. Her tip seemed to help. She is a really good skater, very friendly and helpful and I appreciated her taking the time...plus we were both BORED & COLD!

We have a new boy skating, he is very good. His sister is in our club and she is a very nice skater and very friendly. They will be good additions to the show.

Our show is a take on Cats.....it should be interesting! My character is being adapted around my impending surgery....I will be able to sit or just do simple skating if need be.

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

CONGRATS!! Maybe I saw you there! I didn't get to watch Open Collegiate, though. My team took 3rd in Adult.

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"Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?"

[early spring]

I feel as if I'm getting more spring and height on my axels...however that has not translated into landing them better/not cheated. Coach's only instructions for while she was away at Easterns (synchro) were to not have a complete meltdown (check....for now) and to land an axel (not check...but getting closer)... I have been focusing on pulling my legs in (and I have the marks on my right boot to prove it!) and pulling my arms in, which hopefully will help me eventually land this blasted jump.

For kicks, I did two double sals today Got the rotation, leg position was horrible and they were badly two footed, but if I start practicing them again, of course that will get better. I haven't done those in a long, long, long time...however, when I was skating competitively, my double sals were always better than my axels!

Worked on moves for the first session tonight...had a hard time getting in my power circles due to a small group number having a lesson to get ready for our show. Also worked on my leg position on the CW power 3s. Brackets felt a little funky, but I still got through them.

[yet more winter]

No ice on Tuesday, however, the campus rink has ice tomorrow if I can get out of my office before my 8:30-10:30pm meeting, otherwise there is an hour of "public" ice on Tuesday, and I should be able to duck out a bit early on Wednesday to get to the figure skating session that afternoon...as long as I go back to work for a bit that night...Thursday night I have a lesson with coach...hopefully I won't freak out too much...I just need to check tomorrow to see if the vending machine in my building has Twix bars...(superstition)...

The dress I had ordered in DECEMBER off of ebay still has not arrived (probably a postal problem...I think I had a very old address on my ebay account. I have the people I worked for there watching for it, but who knows...). I have a message out to a shop with a website that is 3 hours north of here (my local shop has nothing), to see if they have a dress that will work in stock. I hope that they have it. I would feel very weird and "unskater-like" if I tested in just a practice skirt.

Yet More Winter:

Tried to go to home rink to skate today and ended up finding NO PARKING anywhere but this one parking lot where they were charging $20/flat rate for parking and I'm only gonna be there for about an hour and 15 minutes? No THANK YOU! Not that AOSS here... especially not for a public session!!! LOL!!!

Early Spring:
Found new inspiration to work on those darn moves... and his name is Braden Overett!!! I LOVE his choreography and footwork and he did a pretty decent job with Bebe's and Ryan Bradley's programs too, especially the straightline footwork!!! Of course, fat chance I'll ever get my basic skating down to the point where I'll even pass Silver Moves, never mind get those type of footwork. But I'm dopey enough that I'm gonna try for it anyway, just to see if I can do it. (Hell, it was against the odds that I would become a Bronze lady and go to AN too a while back... )

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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!!!

Congrats to the synchro skaters - sounds like a fun competition.

Early spring last night at practice. Felt better than I have in a while. Session really too crowded to practice moves for very long. Worked on change foot spin, which somehow I did once well enough to pass Freestyle 3, but still can't do very well because of a lousy backspin. But my backspin is coming along better than it has ever been, so I'm getting encouraged! Had my first lesson on the Bronze moves. They don't seem too hard. Gotta start working on back 3's b/c those are going to take a looong time to learn. Only can do one now.

Oh, yes, and ordered new skates!! Jackson Elites. And I can keep my old blade (which sounds like a good thing given the blade backorders people have been complaining about).

That's great! Unfortunately, we were so busy that weekend between practices and just getting into Richmond that I didn't get a chance to watch the Adult competition. Congratulations anyway!

Well, first private lesson back post-partum. Coach asks, "So what do you want to work on?" My answer: Back crossovers and mohawks. My back crosses feel out of whack timing-wise and I need to work some drills to get more comfy doing mohawks at higher speeds.

So we started in on back crossovers and, like always, it's a knee bend issue. I'm also not always stepping out on a RBO edge CCW, so need to work on that. I've been struggle in on crossovers and freezing in our synchro program -- in one case because the person I connect to is really unstable and forward and pushes my arm forward (I hate blaming others, but I just don't have my core strength back to correct this issue), and in the other it's right before a scary fast pass-through and I don't like how fast we're going -- and the people I'm to connect to take off and I can't catch them. Whe we get connected, all is fine.

Learned the 5-step mohawk combination from the Bronze MIF test. I'm a little tentative and not pushing too much -- my lobes are just barely taller than me, LOL!

Moved on to my nemisis: three turns. Nailed both FO on the first shot (shocking both myself and my coach) RFI on the second try and LFI was non-existant, LOL!

Moved on to scratch spin and have determined that this is actually a tad bit better than when I stopped practicing before Violet -- I'm two footing the entrance less severly and hitting a very balanced neutral. Not getting my foot crossed and still two-footing the choctaw, but it's not putrid, LOL!

Did 1/2 flips as they're in our syncrho program -- from mohawk, all is fine, from crossovers, ick. Believe it or not, I'l lipping the 1/2 flip directly from crossovers, LOL!

Group lesson: Since I'm already at the rink and there's a low freestyle class before the tot lesson I teach, I've been taking that class as "directed practice" I told the instructor she doesn't need to devote too much energy to me as I'm really only auditing. We worked more on scratch spins -- it's sort of funny because the four pre-teens in the class are flinging themseleves into toe-pick spins like they're going out of style and I'm puttering along with a well-balanced spin that I'm afraid to push into and, in reality, I'm NOT the one who is going to fall out of the spin, LOL! Also did waltz jumps and toe loops -- on the wall. Instructor told me I was nuts and landing them perfectly and to get off the wall! LOL! I so don't want to do that... She shook her head and said "Even as slow as you're going, you're not toe-waltzing that toe loop. You're doing these text-book perfect! Don't be a chicken!"

Easier said than done...

More Winter: I don’t normally make the 2 hour round trip to the city unless I have to work and today was a Monday off for me but because a major storm is forecast for tonight and tomorrow and because I have only 3 weeks before the next competition I REALLY can't afford to miss my Tuesday session so I skated today.

The first day of skating after the weekend usually isn’t my best. It takes me awhile to get down in the knees for the Sit spin and Shoot the Duck and today was no exception. It was a light session (only 2 other skaters from 7:00 to 8:00) and I intended to work hard in the second hour so I took it easy warming up the edges, spins and jumps and just trying to limber up.

Not quite spring: By 8:15 I was the only one on the ice so I stuffed my MP3 player and FM transmitter in my pocket (which allows me to play my music from out on the ice) and started working on my Bronze Free program. Coach and I had about 1:20 of the 2 minutes choreographed so I skated through that, to the music. I omitted the 2 individual jumps early in the program but did the Waltz/Toe combination and adlibbed the last 40 seconds. Ok, not bad, but I can do better than that!

Sunshine and Daffodils: On the second pass, I used my best elements for the last 40 seconds - OH YEA! That works! On the third time through my legs were getting too rubbery to do the footwork sequence but the rest of the program went well and I liked ending it with power and speed!

A Chilly Breeze: As I was draped over the boards gasping for breath, head coach went by and said “Ok, DOUBLE run-through!” I glared at her and said “That was the THIRD!” and she laughed. (Coaches are just plain MEAN!) She made some very positive remarks about how far I have come in 2 years and that is always nice (particularly when you are draped over the boards like an old rug and wondering if you will ever walk again!)

After the fourth run-through I was totaled, completely rubber-legged - can’t “slack off” and keep up with the music - but I REALLY like the program with that ending All that remains is to do it with the individual jumps in place and survive until competition!

Warm Sunshine: What a hellofa skate! Everybody needs one of those every once in awhile

Now it had BETTER storm tomorrow so I can't get to the city or my coach will want me to do multiple run-throughs again -

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

yet more winter - dragging my tired self to rink in the cold and dark. Running late, and slow to get moving. I practiced edge rolls, paying attention to arms and shoulders, per my lesson notes. It was mostly a lousy spin day and not very jumpy

early spring - two birds flying around the rink (yes, indoors, why do you ask?) started singing when the sun rose through the windows. It was cheery, my program runthroughs went quite decently.

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It's all about the dress!

Spring:
Working on silver and gold moves, 8 step is nice and even both sides are equal in size and shape, slightly less power CW but better mohawk. Coach is getting picky on cross cut/strokes more extension, 3's are very easy for me, double forward 3's are easier...power stroking seems good and chasse pattern is nice, coach can tell I actually tried on that one.

Worked on dances for 20 minutes non stop almost had a coronary, endurance needs a lot of work, managed, euro, 14, american, R fox 6 Patterns, and fox also 6 patterns, but not very pretty.

Winter:
Still have issues with RBI/O edges with too much power and RBO bracket. They were very painful to do and my head remembers it so I tend to tense up on those moves and lock my knee. Still much better than this time last year when I physically could not do them at all.

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Who me? Couldn't be....
http://www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

Took the twins to Tae Kwon Do and made a list of their test elements, along with how the class practices each move.

Spring: Of course, I had to run through it with them a few times. I did pretty good at the kicks, they were high and well-balanced.

Winter: Now my hip is sore - must be doing the kicks wrong.

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Spring: Our Daughter competed in the ISI Lake Placid competition last weekend. We all had a great time. Her programs are on our Youtube page if you would like to see them.

http://www.youtube.com/user/LIskate17

Winter: One of the freestyle sessions that she regularly skates at was lost to hockey this week

I always wonder about the eventual fate of such birds. I've got a soft heart for the wild creatures.

Early Spring: I hadn't been able to skate since last Wednesday's disaster because of work that took me through the weekend. I was able to make this evening's freestyle session and things went MUCH better than last week. Speed and familiarity came back after a lengthy 15 minute warmup.

It's certainly true that getting INTO the ice works so much better. It FEELS much better too with deep knees working away. There are still elements where my legs are too stiff, but stroking in particular lets me sink down where it feels SO nice. And it's SO fast.

I'm pleased with my skating tonight.

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Bill Schneider

I did Tae Kwon Do about 40 years ago. I had a purple belt and was working on brown when I quit. I was able to break 4 boards with a flying side kick, and think I still could, except that I would have to be carted off by ambulance afterwards .

Ha! Told you so .

Haven't skated for myself since my lesson on Friday, but gave a lesson tonight on pre-pre moves, and felt pretty good on the ice. Will try to get to outdoor rink for an hour tomorrow morning -then have to start with work again. May get some time in the early afternoon.

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Definitely Winter: The anticipated blizzard has arrived. Roads closed all over, "travel not advised" on most everything else. No skating this morning. Nothing to do but sit and wait it out.

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

Spring - had a great practice session and only 4 of us on the ice. Lots of room for spirals, bauers and such and time at the end to play "can you do this" with one of the kids. Lots of fun.

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Recycle Love - Adopt a homeless pet

As long as they didn't leave little messages all over the ice! I heard the dawn chorus when we left for the rink this morning, which was very nice.

Winter: Coach1 has run quite mad and given us steps that he knows darn well I won't be able to do well in our step sequence. Actually, working out what the problem was (apart from bottle!) and seeing why I couldn't quite do them was quite interesting. But if he thinks I'm going to do a rocker all by myself when Husband isn't holding me up, he really does have another think coming! This is the man who says I'll never do the Level 4 compulsories well enough to test.... sheesh.

Signs of spring: Well, so I may not, but I ran through a Dutch Waltz, just for fun, without the music or anything, just counting - and I have never done it better! Filled the rink far, far more than I ever have before. I stopped after one pattern, didn't think I could possibly do two!

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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!

winter:
the dreadful - i can't feel my legs symptom appeared tonight. It was horrible, I got on the ice and I popped my first lutz jump. And then I popped the second, and the third...
After my coach told me to just do it... it finally fixed itself ...
I forgot my program twice in the middle but managed to remember a few seconds after that...
Fell on my double salchow in the program, out of the program... it was a mess today.

early spring:
Landed probably one of the nicest axels in a program ever, I was like woah nice one and then thats how I forgot what to do next

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~
Tidesong

MY CAMEL HAS GONE PSYCHO!

It's working 9/10 great in programme, and not at all out of it!!! What the?
Aren't things supposed to work worse in programme than out of it?


Oh yeah I did more scratch- and 1-foot spins today holding my blade guards in my right hand and 7 out of 8 were perfectly centered. Without it, they're all over the place... My sit spin was working a lot better with guards too.
I think I'll continue practicing with the blade guards for a while, try to get it into my muscle memory, whatever it is I'm doing...


The ice was really bad today (as in, perfect mirror but ROCK hard, I was skidding all over the place and my edges are sharp.) Horrible as far as trying to practice MIF, I can tell you...


My skating friend is back from Australia though. We intend to kick eachother's butts into stretching, since we both seem to not feel very much like it.

Spring or Winter (not sure yet!):

I'm signed up to test Silver Moves and to re-test the Canasta Tango and Rhythm Blues in less than 3 weeks. Must practice!!

Heh...a similar thing happens to me. When I attempt a scratch spin with my left hand at my hip, and outstretch my right arm, I can generally center better than in a normal spin.

Heck, if I enter the spin with both arms BEHIND my back, I usually center better.

Now why in the heck IS that?

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Bill Schneider