Thursday, September 30, 2010

New Season, New Issues

Now that the new season for skating has begun, there seems to be a new set of issues to face. For one, there are fewer and fewer sessions to skate. Okay, let's be real; there are NO evening sessions anywhere except the SCNY session on Wednesday night. World Ice has a Monday session at 5:30 (yeah, good luck getting to that one), but that's it. City Ice Pavilion hasn't had a regular evening session since the first year it was opened. And I loved that evening session. Landed some of my best jumps there.

Currently, I'm only skating one session. That would explain the sudden disappearance of various jumps and all of my spins. It would also explain the stiffness of my hamstrings when I do skate. Also the renewal of my sciatica, Sylvie. It's a bit frustrating. Even with everything that had happened during the summer, I was a little further along than I appear to be right now. The three turns for my MIF have gone to visit other skaters, I fear. My spins like to visit other parts of the rink, get their passport stamped and sort-of return to where they began. I have never traveled so much on spins before in life, but now... it's become a constant.

I'm guessing part of the problem is my lack of core strength, flexibility, cardio training and practice. Skating once a week is not conducive to trying to pass 2 tests by January to go to Adult Nationals. If my recent skates are any indication as to how these next few months will go, I'm in BIG trouble.

It's not so much that I really want to go to Utah, although I have nothing against the state, I would like to go to Nationals again, soon. Soon before my body and finances give out. Soon, before I come to my senses and ask myself what the heck am I doing. (I should say before I ask that question again, since I've been known to ask myself that question while in the air in mid-jump.)

I suppose I will have to bite the bullet and attend public sessions. That will work until the weather gets very cold and everyone says, "Hey, let's go skating!!" and the sessions become unbearable. Of course, that would mean a rink would actually HAVE an evening session, which are also few and far between. Out here in Long Island, there are some outdoor rinks I could try. Wish I could get my GPS to work in my car.

On another note: my last session was good. Although I'm still having that "3 turns are visiting other skaters" issue, I am working through it. I didn't feel like spinning; working on my moves takes up most of the session. Hopefully, it'll work out that my jumps will be more consistent, although since I hardly have time to do them, I'm not sure how.

I really have to get back into shape. My stomach looks (to me anyway) as though I am 6 months pregnant; I'm not. Plus, all of my elements will be stronger if I do.

But first, why do my skates feel too big?

Monday, September 6, 2010

Giving Thanks and Laying Low

Two weeks ago, maybe less, I had the most awesome skate I've had in weeks. Maybe it was because my coach was there, or maybe it was because I didn't drink the night before (working on that!) but it was wonderful. For reasons I can't figure out, everything and I mean everything worked out.

Then the rink closed for the Labor Day holidays followed by the annual Middle Atlantic competition. I think it opens up for freestyle next week. I'm not sure since the schedule ended on Sept. 3rd and a new one hasn't been posted on the website yet. I look daily.

Also, I have said goodbye to the rink in Bethpage, NY. This is no offense to the people who skate there, but DAMN! Why can't those kids look where they're going? If I set up a jump and you see that I'm already in the air (and my hang time isn't long, by any stretch of the immagination) why, really why would you go into a spin in the corner where I'm about to land. Hey kid, I'm not going to abort this jump for you, I'm already in the air! You shouldn't be spinning in the corners!

That being said, my last session wasn't bad. I left early thanks to back pain and frustration (I hope to meet you at Chelsea Piers young lady. Can't wait to see you on a SCNY session where you will be in EVERYONE'S way.) Oddly enough, I don't want to return to Bethpage for several reasons. The major one is that I would prefer not to work in Long Island and return, instead to Manhattan. I keep looking.

So, I give thanks for those three good sessions. And I wait patiently for the rink to post a schedule. However, sessions with the SCNY will be starting soon; I think I can afford them. Plus, I don't mind bringing my lunch every day; it's healthier.

My weight issues seem to have taken a turn for the worse thanks entirely to a bout of depression. My chosen career is to be a writer. So far, no one wants my writing. My sisters are in show business and have had a fair amount of success. One sister more than the other. And yet that sister complains daily when she's working on a show. And I mean daily. Something is always just not right enough. She's a perfectionist and a "my way or the highway" type of person. However, she has had an incredible career. Things have been a little slow recently, but they are picking up. I'm glad; I want my family to succeed. I want them to be happy. I want my sister to stop complaining so much. I'd like her to actually listen after she asks how I am when I tell her "not so good".

My other sister is in a slump, mostly because she needs to get out of her own way and stop listening to her "friends". I don't know these people; I don't want to know these people, but they NEVER come to visit her. She always goes out of town to visit them. We're talking a day trip here people. I think she's very talented and pretty. These friends seem to be feeding her a lot of negativity wrapped up in religious retoric. Did I mention that I don't like these people?

Anyway, my bout of depression is the culmulation of finding my college boyfriend happily married and not remembering dating me at all, a job I absolutely hate, a commute to said job that makes me wonder if anyone on the Northern State Parkway in Long Island ever read the driver's manual, a long serious bout of writers block and no one wanting to read my work anyway. I've been toying with self-publishing, but fear that I'm going to end up with 10,000 copies of a book that I tear apart to wrap up my breakables if I have to move again.

With that said, until the rink re-opens and I can write myself out of the latest corner I have put the characters of my book into, I will be laying low and working out. Besides, I feel really, really, fat and look pregnant. Why do I say that? Going into Manhattan a few weeks ago, a man gave me his seat because he thought I was pregnant. He asked me when I was due. As I sat down, I said, "I'm not pregnant, just fat. Thanks for the seat."

See you in a week.