Highs and Lows

Before I start this, I must vent (well, maybe not MUST, but I will)...

If I see one more idiot on public transportation chewing like a cow, I think I just might scream long enough and loud enough to make the gum or food drop out of his/her mouth. Animals don't have lips so they cannot chew with their mouths closed. But, surprise, surprise!!! So many people chew like cows!! And it's really, really ugly.

I mention this for two reasons: 1) there's a girl in my class who chews like a cow 2) everyone on the uptown subway chews like a cow.

Vent over.

Last Wednesday, I had the absolute best session I've had in a very, very long time. One hit on the old inhaler and I was ready to go. (Sidebar: Doctor tells me I have chronic asthma; like COPD. Really???) I worked so hard, I was sweating by the time my lesson was over. But the best part? I didn't have first lesson. I hate having first lesson because it takes my body so damned long to warm up. It warms up faster if I'm wearing a heat pack on my back, but I haven't had a reason to do so yet. In case you hadn't heard, NYC is pretty warm this autumn.

Sorry, I'm babbling...

Anyway, Amy, best coach in the world, had another student, a child, so I had second lesson so the child could go home early. I warmed up by doing most of my Moves in the Field before the lesson. By the time it was my turn, I was ready to go. I flew through ALL of my moves. No, they weren't all perfect, but they were done. YEAH!!!

This was followed by jumps which went really well. My timing is still a bit off on a salchow jump; I'm spinning them a bit, but they have speed and height. More height than speed. The beauty of being 5'6" tall, I guess.

As for spins, well, I must admit I know why my spins aren't better: I have no abdominal muscle tone. I've been working out and doing ab work, but it doesn't seem to help. Amy made me laugh when she mentioned that my spins would be easier and faster if I had some ab muscles. Well, ain't that the truth!

Be that as it may, I did something I've never done before: 6 revolutions on a camel spin with speed. I probably could have done more, but I came out of the spin. Just imagine my surprise!! It was AWESOME!!

And still more good news: A new entrance on a back spin. After years (and I do mean years) of struggling with a back spin and watching YouTube videos, I thought I'd try a back spin from just a inside 3 turn (left foot. Go lefties!) and it actually worked. It's a bit easier from that entrance and coming along slowly.

Those were the highs. Here are the lows:

I missed Sunday thanks to an appearance of Miles, my migraine. Miles showed up in time for my final at school on Saturday and left Monday afternoon at 2:35. I'm trying to figure out what caused Miles to show up this time, and I've narrowed it down to a really bad, overly sweet cup of coffee that I purchased. (Sidebar: always put your own sweetener in your coffee. That crazy woman put Sweet-N-Low AND sugar in my coffee!!)

Also, skating stops for about 2 1/2 weeks. I could and will go to other rinks and other sessions, but it's annoying that now that I'm on a roll, my sessions discontinue for 2 1/2 weeks.

But it's all good. Everyday is a good day. Things are getting better for me. I am truly blessed.

In the meantime, have a great week.