Open a New Window

My session was canceled due to... well, that'll be explained in a second. Recently, a rink opened up in the park near my job. I haven't skated there because their payment methods are so confusing (if you skate 2 hours 3 times a week, it costs X. If you skate 3 hours 6 times a week it costs Y) I haven't figured out how much it would cost to skate ONE day a week at that rink. Not that it matters because... I was laid-off today. Ten years at my job and the head boss decided to cut my 2 1/2 (one person is part-time) department by one: me. The Finance Department has eleven people; the company has no money, and no one in that department was let go. The head boss is in charge of the Finance Dept. They have someone to do payroll, even though payroll is sent out to another company. The woman in charge of HR doesn't understand Workers' Comp and always asked me what to do. There is a woman who does nothing but order supplies and regulate the A/C, both of which she does badly. THEY still have their jobs. I, on the other hand, have a car full of stuff I accumulated over the last ten years. Grant it, I hated my job. I hated the commute. And I grew to hate driving. However, it kept me on the ice and it kept me paying my bills. Now???? I've always been told: When God closes a door, He opens a window. So, here's to open windows... "Open a new window Open a new door Travel a new highway That's never been tried before Before you find you're a dull fellow Punching the same clock Walking the same tightrope As everyone on the block..."** **Open a New Window from Mame. Music and lyrics by Jerry Herman.

I'll Be Back Upon Me Feet

As I write this, I am icing my feet. Although it is mid-June, it is hot here in NYC. As a result, my feet decided now was a good time to swell up. Add this to my tendonitis in both of the dorsal areas of my feet and you understand how I feel. Ouch. I haven't skated in a month, maybe more. I also feared that my skates, like my tablet, hadn't made it to my new apartment. They had, tablet is still AWOL. So, I skated on Tuesday and for someone who hadn't been on ice in a while, it didn't go as poorly as I expected. I can say, every move, every stroke, every spin hurt like hell. Between my back, my hips (which are just tight from lack of use) and my feet, I thought at one point that I would faint from the pain. It hurt to take a breath. But since I've spent so much time feeling that way, I ignored it as much as possible. When asked what my goals were for the summer, I announced that I would have all of my single jumps secure and all of my spins secure. That includes my back spin (which is really painful to practice). We started with waltz jumps, which were good and solid once the little girl who insisted on spinning in the lefty lutz corner went away. I will never figure out skaters who ignore the rules of where you should jump and spin. The girl came just above my hip; twice I didn't see her and almost took her down. I was in lesson, she was not. I say every skater for themselves. She moved. The rest of the jumps followed in nice order: salchow, toe loop, loop. The toe loop (inside left 3 turn) hurt so much it caused the jump to be really small. Thanks to the dorsal issue, I couldn't even practice a flip jump (the left foot is worse than the right; toe-ing in was impossible). Spinning was a bit harder because my balance seemed off (probably that stupid dorsal issue again), but then again, it had been a while since I was on ice. A rink opened not far from my office; I hope to make it there before the layoffs start. Yes, my job is planning layoffs. Regardless of where I land, it'll be okay. Lately, I've been watching old TV shows: The Jack Benny Show; Bachelor Father; Burns and Allen; F Troop and The Monkees. The title of this blog comes from one of their songs and NOT a theatrical song. "I'll be back upon my feet I'll be back upon my feet. Looking high, I'm looking low When I find my boots I know I've gotta go...." Music and lyrics by Denny Randall and Sandy Linzer

Into the Fire

I have moved; it was hell. Let's just say it was so bad that the high point was when my car broke down and I was stranded in the middle of the street until 2:00 in the morning. Thank you AAA. Or maybe it was when I discovered that 2000-2003 Ford Focus' have a system-wide problem that causes the ignition chamber to lock preventing the key from turning at all. This left me stranded in the parking lot of my office. Thank you Ford. At least I know where my skates are... I think. I hope to be back on the ice this week. I hope to be able to skate more than once a week. I have plans and desires. I need to somehow put them into action. "Let the lightening strike Let the flash of it shock you Choke your fears away Pull as tight as a wire Let the fever strike Let the force of it rock you We will have our day, sailing into the fire. "Someone has to face the valley Rush in! We have to rally and win boys When the world sis saying not to By God, you know you've got to march on boys Never hold back your step for a moment Look alive! Oh your courage will grow Yes it's higher and higher and into the fire we go Into fire! Onward ho!!"** ** "Into the Fire" from The Scarlet Pimpernel. Music and lyrics by Frank Wildhorn.