Storm Clouds

I am really, really tired.

I have been to Gallaudet University in Washington, DC and I loved it. If I had the money and could find a skating rink, I'd go. But that is a point for a totally different blog; one I don't actually publish.

I came to the rink on Sunday full of hope and anticipation about skating. I couldn't wait to get on the ice. Color me disappointed.

On a session that starts at 10:30 and is only 50 minutes long, shouldn't I be able to get on the ice before 10:55? I check everyone in, count all the skaters on the ice and then do it again to make sure it's right. For reasons I cannot understand, I have yet to get on the ice before 10:55. Once I am on the ice, all I want to do is work.

Easier said than done.

There are 4-5 girls, ages 9-11 who cluster together because they're all working on the same thing. I guess because I've always been a bit of a loner, I cannot understand the draw of wanting to work together. Perhaps it's because every time someone says "oh let's do XYZ together", they do all the work and I end up standing, watching. I mention these girls because they ended up getting in EVERYONE'S way during the two sessions today. Program skaters, skaters on lesson, me, everyone.

Fifteen attempts of a waltz jump and I finally got one out, only to jump up and have one of those little girls heading right into me (she was backwards and not looking). I grabbed her and sort of caught her before she slammed into me.

Did I ever mention that I do NOT like children!

While the coach apologized, it was too little too late. Those girls do the same thing every week.

Every week, every coach complains to me. Every week. Every coach. Every week.

I do not make the rules. This isn't even my home club. Complain, complain, complain.

I have to listen to people complain all day at work. I listen to people complain at home. Now I have to listen to people complain at the rink. And I don't get the chance to vent.

Except for today.

I got off the ice and my hands flew into a rage. I didn't realise I could sign that fast or that angrily. I finished what I had to say and someone asked me what I just said because I neglected to "voice" while I signed. I then repeated every thing I signed and voiced it this time. And it boiled down to this:

Every week, I have to listen to everyone complain: coaches, parents, even kids. I listen to people complain at work, at home and now here. I've had enough. There are nothing but a bunch of idiotic, spoiled, oblivious brats out there and I'm sick and tired of having to put up with the attitudes. I am a %&^*(@# volunteer. And while we're at it, skating here is doing nothing for my practice. Why? Because with 110 minutes of ice time, I get to skate for 40 minutes, when I'm lucky. Why the hell should I stay?

I had promised myself that if monitoring the Sunday session was too irritating that I would be gone. Well, looks like I'm gone. Being the type of person that I am, I will finish this half of the season, but really, that's it.

I had hoped that I would get a second lesson on the second session on Sunday mornings, but I've only had one and it was interrupted when a 4 year old wandered onto the ice. It doesn't appear that I will have another lesson on Sundays any time soon, so I guess I can forget that. There are less than 9 sessions left before the end of the year. After that, my Sundays are mine.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you have kids, heed this comment: you are raising a bunch of inconsiderate, oblivious, spoiled brats. Your children believe the sun rises and sets with them; it doesn't. They believe they are the most important people on the earth; they aren't. Teach your children to be polite and considerate and to remember that they have to share the ice and the world with other people.

I am blessedly childless. I am not your nanny and I really don't give a hoot about your kid. My idea of paradise would be an all adult free style session where no one talked and everyone signed.

That sounds like heaven...