Yes, inspired. Why? Two women are representing the US at the World Championships. "Okay," you're thinking, but here's the kicker: BOTH are LEFTIES!!!! That's right! Or left! Both Ashley and Alissa are lefties. Take that!
So, with a fire in my belly (and not the usual fire I have that's caused by something upsetting my tummy...) I awoke this Sunday morning, looking forward to skating. Planning what I would do once I got on the ice. I dared to dream big. I had plans people, BIG plans!
I still felt that way even though by the time I wrapped my knees, took attendance and did the head count of skaters flying past me, there was only 15 minutes left to the first session. "It's okay," I told myself, "just get out there and work."
Then I stepped onto the ice.
Twenty-two skaters are too many to be on this session. The rink, I have discovered, is slightly smaller than Olympic size. Add to the mix the fact that 90% of the skaters come up to my shoulder, maybe. So I have to look down a little to see them. Did I ever mention that they can be a bit like gnats? They sort of buzz around you until you swat at them and then they scatter.
"No matter!" I said and decided to push on. Three laps around the track, half of a move in the field and the session was over. The Zamboni came out and did a resurface.
Then it got a little worse.
The head-count was already 18 when more and more people came up to me to sign in. I did the count on paper three times because I couldn't believe the number: 29. 29. The max on the session is 27, but really, 22 was too many. I had to do the head count six times before I got 29 skaters, although the first count yielded 44. (They're moving as I'm trying to count. And ALL little girls with long brown ponytails look alike from the back.)
I got on the ice and was promptly cut off doing... nothing. I gave up trying to finish my moves when I stepped forward to do the preliminary strokes into one of them and had a skater slam into me. She was looking right at me at the time.
"Okay, I'll do back spins." WRONG!!! In a space less than my height (5'6 1/4"), another adult skater thought that was the absolute best place for her to practice everything from kicking her leg in the air, to just doing crossovers. I tried ten back spins; did three successfully and ducked my fellow skater's leg four times, the other times, I just fell out of the spins.
I got off the ice.
I had gotten cold and stiff in that time and thought it would be best to just throw in the towel today.
On another note: music hogs are really rude. And I mean you Miss Missy, who played her program FOUR TIMES in a crowded session where there's another skater who is going to a competition next week and didn't get her music played at all.
I need to sleep now. This morning took so much out of me and I didn't even get to do anything. But, to quote Anne of Green Gables: "Tomorrow is another day, with no mistakes on it... yet."
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
SSDD
So, at work I got a new title. Nope, no money involved, but the title "Director" sounds cool. There are only 3 people in my department. In my company EVERYONE was made a director, so, it's safe to say that this was something to make everyone happy. I'm as happy as I can be there, which means I'm really not happy at all. Moving on....
On a totally different subject (and not skating just yet), when I dream, people are signing, not speaking. That's right, I am now dreaming in ASL, not PSE (Pigeon Signed English). I think it's cool. My mentor thinks it's cool. Even my family thinks it's cool. My co-workers think I am one step away from the looney bin.
Whatever!
In an effort to embrace good health and more skating, I have been doing a kick-ass workout during lunch. It takes about 30 minutes for most people, 37 minutes for me. Why? I spend 7 minutes after the workout is over lying on the floor unable to move. I'm just too tired to move. I was really hoping I would look a bit fitter after a week (and some pretty decent eating), but I still think I look like a brown Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man.
So, thinking I was doing the right thing, I launched myself into skating. Maybe not launch. I'm still only skating 2 days a week. I skated on Sunday and had a pretty good session; actually two pretty good sessions. Imagine my surprise. I landed jumps, I did spins, I even did those annoying MIF (Moves in the Field). I even laughed, which almost never happens when I have to monitor the session.
About two weeks ago, I was walking to the supermarket when something struck me: I work very, very hard on my sign language, in attempts to become fluent because it means so much to me. Skating means a lot to me too and I haven't been putting in nearly enough time. If I want to improve, I will have to do things that I'm not looking forward to. What? Getting up at 4:30 in the morning and driving to a 6:00 session two mornings a week before work.
I'm not really looking forward to it because I park my car 8 blocks from my apartment. Yes, 8 blocks and I pay to park there. (On a side note: because I park my car in a lot, near a tree, by a fence, someone decided to walk their dog on the property. I stepped in the deposit and spent my entire drive into work screaming "WHAT IS THAT SMELL??!!!!") I will probably look for parking the night before closer to my apartment so I can avoid the walk at 5:00am.
This past Sunday, I saw an old friend from skating. I hadn't seen her in over 3 years and she was kind enough to say that I looked like I lost weight. Okay, very kind. We started skating at about the same time. She is much more advanced than I am. And that kinda hurts now. Okay, sure, I've had more than my share of injuries and set backs, but come on! I'm at the same level I was at eight years ago. It's almost as though I've never improved. Or rather, that I improved for a while and then, suddenly it was gone again. I am NOT consistent. I chalk that up to not enough practice.
So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. Yes, it's past 11:00pm. And no, I won't be getting up to go to the rink tomorrow morning. It's Tuesday night. I skate Wednesday evenings. I will (hopefully) go to bed early on Thursday night to get up and skate on Friday morning.
Wish me luck with that.
In the meantime, be careful where you step.
On a totally different subject (and not skating just yet), when I dream, people are signing, not speaking. That's right, I am now dreaming in ASL, not PSE (Pigeon Signed English). I think it's cool. My mentor thinks it's cool. Even my family thinks it's cool. My co-workers think I am one step away from the looney bin.
Whatever!
In an effort to embrace good health and more skating, I have been doing a kick-ass workout during lunch. It takes about 30 minutes for most people, 37 minutes for me. Why? I spend 7 minutes after the workout is over lying on the floor unable to move. I'm just too tired to move. I was really hoping I would look a bit fitter after a week (and some pretty decent eating), but I still think I look like a brown Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man.
So, thinking I was doing the right thing, I launched myself into skating. Maybe not launch. I'm still only skating 2 days a week. I skated on Sunday and had a pretty good session; actually two pretty good sessions. Imagine my surprise. I landed jumps, I did spins, I even did those annoying MIF (Moves in the Field). I even laughed, which almost never happens when I have to monitor the session.
About two weeks ago, I was walking to the supermarket when something struck me: I work very, very hard on my sign language, in attempts to become fluent because it means so much to me. Skating means a lot to me too and I haven't been putting in nearly enough time. If I want to improve, I will have to do things that I'm not looking forward to. What? Getting up at 4:30 in the morning and driving to a 6:00 session two mornings a week before work.
I'm not really looking forward to it because I park my car 8 blocks from my apartment. Yes, 8 blocks and I pay to park there. (On a side note: because I park my car in a lot, near a tree, by a fence, someone decided to walk their dog on the property. I stepped in the deposit and spent my entire drive into work screaming "WHAT IS THAT SMELL??!!!!") I will probably look for parking the night before closer to my apartment so I can avoid the walk at 5:00am.
This past Sunday, I saw an old friend from skating. I hadn't seen her in over 3 years and she was kind enough to say that I looked like I lost weight. Okay, very kind. We started skating at about the same time. She is much more advanced than I am. And that kinda hurts now. Okay, sure, I've had more than my share of injuries and set backs, but come on! I'm at the same level I was at eight years ago. It's almost as though I've never improved. Or rather, that I improved for a while and then, suddenly it was gone again. I am NOT consistent. I chalk that up to not enough practice.
So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. Yes, it's past 11:00pm. And no, I won't be getting up to go to the rink tomorrow morning. It's Tuesday night. I skate Wednesday evenings. I will (hopefully) go to bed early on Thursday night to get up and skate on Friday morning.
Wish me luck with that.
In the meantime, be careful where you step.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
What the Deuce???
Don't you just hate it when something works so wonderfully when you're in lesson, but when you try it on your own the next day, you body just refuses to do it?
That was my backspin today. No matter how hard or how often I tried, all I did was hit the toepick and fall off. It just refused to work. I mention this only because it worked so well yesterday, while in lesson. Today? Nothing. Oh well.
Being off from work for the week inbetween Christmas and New Years has advantages. I've skated three times this week; two times more than my average. Plus, I didn't have to ice monitor for any of the sessions.
The rink has announced a competition in February. Wouldn't it have been nice if they had given us more than 2 months preparation time? They knew when the competition was scheduled, how about posting it in late October/early November instead of the week before Christmas? I have decided against doing this competition. Why? Tired of coming in last.
If you've read my earlier blogs, my hair has been a number of colors, including blond. After a comment from my mentor in ASL, I have decided that maybe dark alburn/reddish brown isn't my color afterall. Plus, the upkeep is a bear. So, after New Years, I'm back to the salon for a darker, closer to my own really, really, really dark brown, not quite black hair color. I do miss my blond hair though, but not the damage it did.
Although I've been back at the gym and working out, having the week off is doing absolutely nothing for my eating plan. There's chocolate in this house and it has my name on it!!! Also, my abdominals are no stronger than they were two or three blogs ago. Hmmm..... wonder why....
Be that as it may (one of my favorite phrases, along with "Not for nothing, but..."), I am back at the rink tomorrow morning, so I should get some sleep.
Wishing you all the happiest and healthiest New Year. Thanks for reading!
P.S. I may post a photo next year, if I ever figure out how...
That was my backspin today. No matter how hard or how often I tried, all I did was hit the toepick and fall off. It just refused to work. I mention this only because it worked so well yesterday, while in lesson. Today? Nothing. Oh well.
Being off from work for the week inbetween Christmas and New Years has advantages. I've skated three times this week; two times more than my average. Plus, I didn't have to ice monitor for any of the sessions.
The rink has announced a competition in February. Wouldn't it have been nice if they had given us more than 2 months preparation time? They knew when the competition was scheduled, how about posting it in late October/early November instead of the week before Christmas? I have decided against doing this competition. Why? Tired of coming in last.
If you've read my earlier blogs, my hair has been a number of colors, including blond. After a comment from my mentor in ASL, I have decided that maybe dark alburn/reddish brown isn't my color afterall. Plus, the upkeep is a bear. So, after New Years, I'm back to the salon for a darker, closer to my own really, really, really dark brown, not quite black hair color. I do miss my blond hair though, but not the damage it did.
Although I've been back at the gym and working out, having the week off is doing absolutely nothing for my eating plan. There's chocolate in this house and it has my name on it!!! Also, my abdominals are no stronger than they were two or three blogs ago. Hmmm..... wonder why....
Be that as it may (one of my favorite phrases, along with "Not for nothing, but..."), I am back at the rink tomorrow morning, so I should get some sleep.
Wishing you all the happiest and healthiest New Year. Thanks for reading!
P.S. I may post a photo next year, if I ever figure out how...
Friday, December 9, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
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...
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...
Monday, October 17, 2011
Same Old Song, Slightly Different Twist
Due to the lack of decent ice time for those of us who must work in order to remain on said ice, I have returned to the thankless job of being Ice Monitor for the Sunday morning sessions at the rink in Manhattan. Thankless is the key word here.
This Sunday was the first real morning and I received "attitude" from a new parent. When I asked him if he had purchased a card for his lovely little darling, he snapped that he would take care of it later. I asked if his child was skating both sessions and the asshole gave me the hand. He had to watch his darling daughter while she had her lesson. Her coach, the father informed me, told her she could skate this session. I reminded him that it wasn't free and that he had to settle-up BEFORE his daughter took the ice. Again I got the hand.
He settled up with another monitor; one who, I suppose, didn't want to kick his ass for his attitude.
As he was waiting for his daughter to take off her skates, I loudly said, "I'm a volunteer and I don't take crap from anybody. I'm an adult; I don't have to."
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: THIS IS NOT MY HOME CLUB!
I had a lesson on the second session and perhaps from having to walk back and forth so much, or the amount of champagne I drank (love champagne - drink of choice) or the fashion show I attended the day before, regardless, my timing was slightly off. An ill-timed movement of my arms in a jump sent a searing amount of pain through my shoulders. It's amazing how a new pain can cause your eyes to tear when you least expect it. Jump landed; shoulders screaming.
Side bar: didn't tear rotor cuffs; just strained them severely. There's something else wrong with them, but I forget what it's called. All I know is: better living through chemistry!
Session ended, one of the higher level skaters complained about two or three of the lower test skaters who skate through a special program in upper Manhattan. Okay, it's Harlem. The Novice Lady insisted that the uptown girls kept getting in her way; her mother chimed in that they (uptown skaters) needed to "stay where they're supposed to" (she meant the west side of the rink). However, the more she said it, the more my blood began to boil. Her darling daughter constantly got in my way during my lesson. This child saw me in the air and decided to stop right where I was about to land (I landed anyway; she moved). And the true culprits of horseplay on the ice were 2 new girls on the session, NOT the uptown skaters. I finally said that her comments were bordering on racist. Although I was told no, and I corrected the mother about the skaters, I will always have these comments in the back of my head.
Figure skating is expensive, yes. But it doesn't have to be an elitist sport. It's the snotty-ass bitches who try to make this an elitist sport. Personally, I'm sick of the attitude.
The club isn't doing well financially, probably because of that elitist attitude. Either way, I had some ideas to get additional skaters (adults) on the ice. Must wait until regional competitions are over to have the club president bounce them off the rest of the board.
Can't blame a girl for trying.
This Sunday was the first real morning and I received "attitude" from a new parent. When I asked him if he had purchased a card for his lovely little darling, he snapped that he would take care of it later. I asked if his child was skating both sessions and the asshole gave me the hand. He had to watch his darling daughter while she had her lesson. Her coach, the father informed me, told her she could skate this session. I reminded him that it wasn't free and that he had to settle-up BEFORE his daughter took the ice. Again I got the hand.
He settled up with another monitor; one who, I suppose, didn't want to kick his ass for his attitude.
As he was waiting for his daughter to take off her skates, I loudly said, "I'm a volunteer and I don't take crap from anybody. I'm an adult; I don't have to."
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: THIS IS NOT MY HOME CLUB!
I had a lesson on the second session and perhaps from having to walk back and forth so much, or the amount of champagne I drank (love champagne - drink of choice) or the fashion show I attended the day before, regardless, my timing was slightly off. An ill-timed movement of my arms in a jump sent a searing amount of pain through my shoulders. It's amazing how a new pain can cause your eyes to tear when you least expect it. Jump landed; shoulders screaming.
Side bar: didn't tear rotor cuffs; just strained them severely. There's something else wrong with them, but I forget what it's called. All I know is: better living through chemistry!
Session ended, one of the higher level skaters complained about two or three of the lower test skaters who skate through a special program in upper Manhattan. Okay, it's Harlem. The Novice Lady insisted that the uptown girls kept getting in her way; her mother chimed in that they (uptown skaters) needed to "stay where they're supposed to" (she meant the west side of the rink). However, the more she said it, the more my blood began to boil. Her darling daughter constantly got in my way during my lesson. This child saw me in the air and decided to stop right where I was about to land (I landed anyway; she moved). And the true culprits of horseplay on the ice were 2 new girls on the session, NOT the uptown skaters. I finally said that her comments were bordering on racist. Although I was told no, and I corrected the mother about the skaters, I will always have these comments in the back of my head.
Figure skating is expensive, yes. But it doesn't have to be an elitist sport. It's the snotty-ass bitches who try to make this an elitist sport. Personally, I'm sick of the attitude.
The club isn't doing well financially, probably because of that elitist attitude. Either way, I had some ideas to get additional skaters (adults) on the ice. Must wait until regional competitions are over to have the club president bounce them off the rest of the board.
Can't blame a girl for trying.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Back On Track
I took a really bad fall on Tuesday.
I was doing a flip jump and somehow opened up in the middle of it. The next thing I knew, I was flat on my back with my feet flying over my head. I did a nice shoulder roll that I was never able to do on demand when I was taking gymnastics (which was a dumb idea for a 5'6" woman). I got back up and did a few more attempts, but I must admit, all sorts of places hurt on my body and I limped off the ice and went home.
I also hurt my wrist, but again, I don't know how.
I was asked if I hit my head. I don't think so. To be quite sure, I just don't remember.
My skating schedule returns to normal on Sunday and I'm thrilled. What I don't like is the 8 1/2 block walk to my car in the early morning hours. I will have to find someplace else to park when I have to get up that early.
For now, my wrist still hurts and I should ice it. And my back. And my shoulder. And my side.
I was doing a flip jump and somehow opened up in the middle of it. The next thing I knew, I was flat on my back with my feet flying over my head. I did a nice shoulder roll that I was never able to do on demand when I was taking gymnastics (which was a dumb idea for a 5'6" woman). I got back up and did a few more attempts, but I must admit, all sorts of places hurt on my body and I limped off the ice and went home.
I also hurt my wrist, but again, I don't know how.
I was asked if I hit my head. I don't think so. To be quite sure, I just don't remember.
My skating schedule returns to normal on Sunday and I'm thrilled. What I don't like is the 8 1/2 block walk to my car in the early morning hours. I will have to find someplace else to park when I have to get up that early.
For now, my wrist still hurts and I should ice it. And my back. And my shoulder. And my side.
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