I've never started one of these threads before! Unfortunately, all I've had skating for the past week or so reeked.

Simply stated, it's been taking SP-Teri a lot longer than I expected to get me my new boots, and my old ones just don't want to carry me anymore (they're as soft as old sneakers). As a result, I've been struggling to keep up with my coach as we put together my new Adult Gold FS program for the year--and my first competition is late next month! I wonder if I'm actually going to make that one....

One thing that rocked, however, is the new dress I got for this program. I got it at a store called Fabrics & Glitz in Buffalo Grove, IL. This store is run by this woman and her daughter who is/was a skater, and they design all sorts of skating dresses (men's and boys' outfits, too). They also sell dresses (and other costumes) off the rack, and they found me this backless number with an almost knee-length skirt--perfect for my Saturday Night Fever music!

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

My lesson today totally rocked - quite literally since I learned how to do a proper 'rocker' step. I have a version of this in my 'Rock' n Roll OD programme - a step I invented while bopping on the ice to Oakenfolds 'Dance all night' song, so my coach tried to teach me how to do it properly - not easy but fun!

I had a 2 part lesson today - 15 mins on the public session which was packed as it's school half term and the ice was horrible so my coach moved the second half of the lesson to the lunchtime patch. Clean ice - absolute bliss!

Also 'Rocking' was my run-through on this nice ice of my Rock 'n' Roll OD. It just all fell into place and I kept up with the music and got everything in the right place at the right time. My coach was pleased with it - the speed and the pattern using the whole rink and the other coach on the ice at the time was moved to comment that I 'skated brilliant' (he's Russian) - who cares that he is always joking around, it was still nice to hear!

I am not a very technically accomplished skater but just occasionally there are times like today when everything just seems to flow so well and I fall in love with the sport all over again!!

Let just say neutral.

Since my rink is closed for the summer, I had to go to the next town where the rink is very, very cold and the ice is very very hard. We have had rain for about a week so the moisture in the rink has resulted in a lovely fog. Obviously their dehumidifier was not working since it was raining in spots as well. Usually it is not like this at this rink so I figure they were having equipment problems.

I spent the time just stroking since the ice was so hard I could not get a decent edge and I really didn't feel like landing on my kiester.

Summer lessons resume next week...can't wait since I want to get in shape for skate camp at Lake Placid in August.

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

I just found out from Mr. George Spiteri himself that my new boots were mailed two weeks ago--and they haven't shown up yet! I asked them to be mailed to my work address so that somebody would be there to sign for them. I should be breaking them in right now, but NOOOOOO!!!!!

Seems this is the end of my skating career as I know it. I was supposed to skate at the Rockford Open next month but, given the old sneakers I've got for boots right now (I have to stop and retie them every ten minutes) and the coach I just can't seem to keep up with, I'm gonna have to scratch that one. There's 95 bucks I'll never see again.

Why does this always happen to me? My most important packages always get lost.

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This space has been put on hiatus for retuning....

Black Sheep, I will keep good thoughts on this one.

Can they trace it?

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Keeping School Figures Alive!!

George just called. The package is in Davenport, IA, and should be at my workplace tomorrow!

Sorry for losing my cool earlier--I was scared! I knew you people would understand.

Still, I hope everybody will keep good thoughts for me--I sure could use 'em. Thanks!

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Ok, forgive my excited-ness!!
I just got back last night from seeing my coaches in NY that I haven't seen in over a year and a half. It was SOOO exciting and was GREAT to work with my old coaches again.

Rocked-

Seeing old coaches again really perked me up which had a positive result on my skating. Dbl axl was much straighter in the air and is actually close to landed. If I could only get my blasted left foot up, I'd quit 2-footing it. Bad habit. 3-sal is still short of rotation but improving...slowly. Nice to hear some positive encouragment from people I truely respect and admire. Was considering making this my last season... and not do regionals. But coaches believe I still have alot of potential and that I'm just a head case. Either way, it's nice to know they still believe in me when even I don't most of the time.

Reemed-

First jump I did infront of old coach, fell on hip and crashed into the boards. Got some bruises and a little sore... but I survived. I think my pride and ego were hurt more than anything. Was a 2-lz that just went all wrong. Spins went bye bye when it came time to show them to coach. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I think I was nervous. Either way, it really chapped my heiny.

The goods definately out-weighed the bad... and it was great to "go home".. can't wait to move back in 3 weeks.

Black Sheep, hope you get those skates in... I'm crossing my fingers and toes for ya. Speaking of which I have to order my Harlicks. Here comes 12 weeks of hell and $1200 out the window for customs.

Why couldn't I have stuck with soccer and softball??

*hester*

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I am God

Good vibes coming your way!!!!

From experience with my S.P. Teri's, break in takes a while. Plan on wearing them around the house as well as the rink.

ROCKED:

Took off from work early to go to a freestyle session and take my Delta test. I passed. It wasn't beautiful, but it was enough. Why is it that the elements you are most comfortable with any other time fall apart at testing time. My lousy inside 3's looked good. My normally good forward edges, stank. Go figure.

So, consequently, I can join my girlfriend's synchro team next week.

This will probably be the last test I take. Not that I don't want or plan on learning new elements, but I'm not a testing type person. I do it all for fun.

At this session, two of the younger (18 - 20) coaches and a girl from Miami's Senior Synchro team were practicing/playing. I think they are at FreeStyle 47 or something close.

They wore me out just watching them skate. I don't think I would have had that type of power and stamina if I had skated at their age. It was beautiful to watch.

Rocked:

Figured out something new about the layback( with my coach )... if i enter it, i can't do it like the scratch spin with the free leg held in front.... i lose momentum when i let my leg bent back, or i get the wierd awful knee bent position... so i have to enter with my free leg to the side instead...

I think my jump landings barely hurt anymore... its the take offs that are hurting a bit(those involving the right leg for me), and a little more than a bit for the loop. So, maybe next week the take offs will be fine... surprisingly, my lutzes were better than my flips... even if i flutz the lutz... so wierd. And if the take offs are fine next week and it feels good i might try an axel.... hmmmm

since i might be back doing axels, i did alot of waltz jumps... i got the feeling right only on two waltz jumps... arrgh got alot to catch up with.

Reemed:
I guess since my ankle is improving, i really don't have much to complain about

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~
Tidesong

Because you and your body are addicted to skating, silly! Nothing you can do about it. It's just providence.

B

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"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

They came to my office today. However, I can't get 'em mounted 'til Saturday morning, 'cuz I'm performing in an exhibition Friday night.

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Rocked: Um... well.... yeah. Something must have rocked this week. Let me think. Well, I've started working on the Argentine Tango again, and the twizzle is much better than it was. Silver Tango is getting better too. I should get through my ISI Dance 6 in plenty of time for Adult CHAMPS in September. I'm not crazy about ISI, but it's nice that they consider me an adult even though the USFSA won't for another three years. I don't think it'll be long before my Tango is ready for ISI testing either, and I have to do the Paso in Lake Placid this summer, so once I've done some partnering I can knock that one off too. Then to finish Dance 7 I finally get to do a free dance! My coach swears free dance is not his forte, but I've talked him into it . (I had to promise that when I get to Dance 10 and have to do a four-minute FD I'll find another male coach to do it with). The best part is, I get to choreograph it myself! So I'm starting to look for music. The FD for Dance 7 has to be 2 to 3 minutes long and contain at least three different rhythms. I think that's stupid- it's going to be all choppy! How do you develop any kind of theme or idea when the music changes every sixty seconds?

Reeked: Basically everything else. I've got an angry, red, swollen ankle bone and haven't been able to do much. After I attempted to skate this morning, I took one of my silicone Bungas and cut a hole in the middle to take some of the pressure off the bone, and that helped a little. Luckily I can still get through the Rocker Foxtrot, because I'm testing it again on the fifteenth. I was supposed to do my American Waltz that day too, but I don't think that's going to happen. My coach is away this week, so to my relief he hasn't been around to witness all this.

I almost forgot, I picked up two new students this week- another adult and a little person! I start with my new adult on Saturday, and I started with my little one yesterday. She decided at the last minute she wants to do our rink's ISI competition next week, so we started working on her program to "The Mickey Mouse Club March". I couldn't believe how quickly she picked it up. I think in a little over fifteen minutes we got about forty seconds of the program done. Of course, it's only fifty-two seconds long, so we're almost done!

Rocked:
The last week or so, I've hit my nemisis jump (loop) in the program!



Reeked:
1. Our rink will be taken over by a new owner next week. The June freestyle schedule has come out and after mid- June , the freestyle sessions will be hourly from 6:30am- 2:30 pm!
This elimates me from a decent practice schedule during the summer!
Next week though, there will be a"Figure Skating Town Meeting "with the new owner to discuss concerns, like this as well as the new freestyle rate of $12 a hour-(we're currently at $8/ hour).

2.During lesson, with coach, was told to get my free leg higher on my spiral. Went to do just that and tripped on the toe pick, and imitated a Zamboni. It knocked the wind out of me to the point that I couldn't talk for several seconds to my coach or choreographer to tell them that I didn't hit my head!
But I did a semi- clean long after the fall!

Way to go, Gary! And to think that only a week ago you were worried about passing gamma

Rocked
Back cross strokes are really fun now. I have power and maintain speed. I love these things!

Started on slaloms to learn power pulls last week, and today coach told me to start trying on one foot at the boards. My B are actually better than the F. I like these too, but it's going to take a bit more practice before I can one foot them.

B crossovers to BO edge (prelim MIF) is improving. It's very hard for me to get freeleg to go back right away for the BO edge, as that is something that was never done on roller skates.

One foot spin from wind up is getting there, thanks to an adult skater friend who majored in physics. I mentioned the problem of having too much momentum going into the spin, and he said that's why you have to rise up, to redirect the momentum. Even though my coach has told me many time to rise up, I never realized what it would do in terms of momentum, and didn't give it enough priority in my practice.

Reeked
I had no strength today at all. My legs felt like lead until the last half hour on the ice (of 1 1/2). I've possibly been doing too much Nordic Trac with too little sleep.

I was so out of control on power threes that I practically cartwheeled and took a good splat. I didn't get the nerve to try them again today either. That happened right before my lesson, of course, and spooked me enough that I didn't even attempt the FI threes.

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Today ROCKED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOOT WOOT FOR ME

Passed Level 10 UKskate (or whatever it's called now) .... they even gave me a certificate! LOL ....... have to say, if I'd have failed I would be incredibly depressed by now!

Anyway ..... skate was ok, still feel a bit like a slug and still haven't got the AOSS bug back yet I enjoy it when I'm there but don't have the motivation to get up in the morning to go to patch.

The lesson was quite good, my old dance coach took us so was particularly picky on the things that I was doing (which is good). I'm going to have to ask him for lessons again and just take it slowly, wish Madam would teach me as well though

Was asked to join a Synchro team but it's on one of my dressage nights and too far away but it's nice to be asked.

I wish now that I'd carried on skating with my arm in plaster BUT, logically, if I'd have damaged it further I would have been out of work which wouldn't have helped me any!

Good luck and best wishes to everyone


L xx

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The best whisper is a click

Congrats on passing your test!

I've got a question for you - Mrs. Redboots mentions "patch" and you do here, too. What is patch in the UK? In the olden days here in the States (at least in my area) patch was ice reserved for figures practice. Just curious.

Hi

'Patch' does derive from the old figure 'patches' but (in the UK) we now tend to call any ice used for figure skaters where the general public aren't allowed 'Patch' ice. Hope that's clear ......

Thanks for the congrats but, just to explain my remark AFTER I say that I've passed ....... I have actually passed tests (much) higher than that but broke my wrist last August and have had confidence (not fear but just hating coming back not being the same standard) problems so enrolled in the Adult Courses to try and boost my confidence a bit!

All the best

L x

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The best whisper is a click

Then congratulations are still and especially in order!!!

Way to go, TashaKat!!!!

Way to go Gary and TashaKat!!! You guys both ROCK!!!

Got you PM, Gary, earliest I could test would be June 19th or so. May not have too much time to practice between now and then.

Still struggling with FI3s -- I'm doing a LFI into a backspin on the left side instead of the 3 turn. Which means I'm spinning the "wrong" way and not doing the 3. Sigh.... I'll probably learn the 3 and then WICH I coul do the backspin, LOL!

ps. I've been invited to be on our synchro team, too. If I can scrape up the cash I may do it!

VERY COOL!!!! Maybe we'll end up competing against each other.

Rocked:

Had one of those lessons yesterday that was perfect. Didn't want it to end. Coach was quite happy with my progress on the Intermediate MIF's, especially my crossovers. (Although he still says I need more knee bend and more extension!) Finally my crossovers are beginning to look like they should .

We played with a new spin combination - camel - change camel - back sit - hop - forward sit. Also learned a new spin (backspin with your left leg behind your right - I'm sure it has a name but I don't know it).

Reeked:

Except for the fact that I'm still not allowed to jump (for another 11 days), nothing was bad.

That sounds like a cross foot spin. Those suckers are hard. Way cool!