Nobody's Side

Do you find yourself wondering if anyone is on your side? Sometimes are you not on your own side? It's been an odd week. I began the intensive skating classes, which can only be described as semi-private lessons because right now there are two people in the class. More may come; I'm not sure. We worked on forward three turns and inside mohawks; I concentrated on my weaker side. I don't understand why my left forward outside three turn, my right forward inside three turn and my right forward inside mohawks are so hit and miss. I did figures back in the day, but suddenly those three turns have gone on vacation and I keep waiting to receive a postcard telling me when they're coming back. As for the mohawk, well, they've never been my favorite turn so they're really just bad in all directions. The only really bad fall I ever took was doing mohawks. As we say in ASL (American Sign Language): "scar memory" (it means it's been burned into your brain like a scar). Anyway, mohawks have always caused me to pause and pause and pause and false start and pause. It takes forever. My hope is that by the end of the summer (between these intensive classes on Tuesday and the intensive classes on Saturday), I will have both my mohawks without hesitation and the weak three turns will be stronger. A lack of core strength (yes, that again) appears to be holding back progress as well. I don't know what's going on other than when I should be up working out, I'm hitting the snooze button and turning over. I suppose it means I need more than 6 hours of sleep. Go figure. Either way, it appears that if I had more core strength, things would be getting better. That leads me to my current situation: I feel as though my coach, whom I love, is kinda going through the motions because I don't seem to be progressing. I used to have my lesson during the Sunday morning session, but one day, I was told someone else would be taking that lesson time. Okay... I would have preferred to have been told BEFORE I arrived at the rink, but I can always use the practice. However, this was the Sunday session and the lesson was really the only reason I agreed to return to Sunday monitoring. So my lesson day was changed; I can be flexible. I have my lesson on a session with another adult skater. She's working on her Intermediate Moves (I think). However, if she can't come for whatever reason, my lesson is canceled. I always have first lesson... always. Most of the time I don't mind. I arrive at the rink early enough to warm-up and stretch my feet, but sometimes it would be nice NOT to have the first lesson. Yes, I've mentioned this, but my fellow skater is often late, so... Perhaps it's because I am still struggling with foot/skate/blade/back/head/balance issues, but I spend most of my lesson stroking. Like for 10 minutes; it's a 30 minute lesson. When I do work on something other than stroking, it's usually MIF. Sometimes I have the opportunity to jump, once in a great while I spin. This could totally be my fault because sometimes my crossovers are out of control, but I feel stagnant. I know I need work on my Moves, don't get me wrong, but maybe shake it up a bit? Years ago, I competed as a Silver. I'd like to return to competition as a Silver. My coach wants me to move down to Bronze because I "will never get that good". Ouch. I watch my fellow adult skater during her lesson (while I'm getting a sip of water) and I see her working on things I used to work on and things that I can land. But I don't get to work on those anymore. I'm all at sea. Wishing doesn't make it so. Wishing for MIF, jumps, spins and connective steps doesn't make it happen; hard work does. Wishing for flat, strong abs doesn't make me a size 6; hard work does. Wishing that the Friday night session in Bethpage wasn't such a zoo doesn't change the craziness; plowing through the chaos will. It takes 21 of doing something daily for your mind and body to accept it and not rebel at the thought. Consider this the beginning of my 21 days. No wishing; just results. "Never take a stranger's advice Never let a friend fool you twice Nobody's on nobody's side Never be the first to believe Never be the last to deceive Nobody's on nobody's side And never leave a moment too soon Never waste a hot afternoon Nobody's on nobody's side Never stay a minute too long Don't forget the best will go wrong Nobody's on nobody's side" ** Nobody's Side from the musical "Chess". Lyrics: Björn Ulvaeus & Tim Rice Music: Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus

Hello, It's Me

I bet you're wondering where the heck I've been... Or maybe not. I'm going to tell you anyway. Work has been kicking my buttocks, however, I have been trying to skate at least twice a week, not including Sundays when I ice monitor because I almost never get to skate anyway. I've been heading to City Ice, World Ice and Bethpage. All of which I can drive to without getting lost! That's a big thing for me because in the eight months I've had my job, I have not really ventured into the neighborhood because there is absolutely nothing but car dealerships around there. Back to skating... I've been "skating" with a some general numbness in my feet after 20 minutes. It usually causes me to sit down, take my skates off and shake and massage my feet until the circulation returns. Recently, I discovered that if I just shake my feet really hard while still in my skates, I can usually finish the session. Thus far, it has worked wonders. I know I mentioned my recent victory regarding being able to jump in my new skates. Well, I can do you one better: I can spin now too!! (Hold your applause until the end). Yesterday at City Ice, I not only did a few scratch spins, but some camel spins as well. They were still pretty ugly, but I'll take them. I haven't figured out why my jumps and spins are so awkward, but I'm working on it. I've also signed up for an adult intensive program on Tuesday nights. I've attended on (that session is over now) and enjoyed it. My basic skills are lacking in some of the most interesting areas: I can only do mohawks well in one direction, my right inside 3 turn shows up intermittently, my backspin is 1 1/2 revolutions after several attempts, I never learned a bunny hop. That will start next week. There's another program on Saturday mornings that begins in late June that I am also looking forward to. On another note; thanks to a run-in with the skating school director and the annoying parents who like to tell me how to monitor but will NEVER do it themselves, I have left the chore monitoring the Sunday sessions. There is only two sessions remaining and I may have to return next season if I can obtain two lessons per month with a jump specialist, but my blood pressure was going through the roof due to these annoying people. My job gives me too much stress and aggravation have to deal with these petty annoyances during my weekend. I will apologize to my co-monitor again, but she's pretty fed up too. Just a note: If you're not part of the solution; you're part of the problem. You disagree with how a skating club is run? Stop mouthing off at the volunteer monitors and write to the club president. Ask if you can attend a board meeting. Speak to someone who can act on your suggestions (unless they are petty, which all the ones I hear ARE petty) and stop complaining to people who can't change anything. It will feel so nice to sleep in on Sundays. "Hello, it's me I've thought about us for a long, long time Maybe I think too much but something's wrong There's something here that doesn't last too long Maybe I shouldn't think of you as mine..." "Hello, It's Me" - Music & lyrics by Todd Rundgren

Off Topic

This relates to skating only slightly; it's about my job. It relates to skating because it PAYS for my skating. In the 5 months I have had this job, in my incredibly small department of 7 people, 3 people have resigned. TWO of those 3 people were MY BOSSES!!! Now, I know it has nothing to do with me, but, it's beginning to make me a little uncomfortable... Should I start looking again?? Should I have never stopped? Why does my chest hurt all the time? I think that's stress... Three people in five months? My VP quit 2 days after I started. My director sent me a text message this evening because I had already left (after working 10 1/2 hours). Has this ever happened to you where everyone seems to be leaving and you're not and no one is telling you why?

Jump! (For Your Love)

I JUMPED TODAY!!!! Sorry about shouting, but I haven't been able to jump since late April when my old Klingbeils still had some support. Fast forward to today and I JUMPED!!!!! Was it pretty? Nope. But the jumps were high and they were landed. I hit some of the worse positions in the air and managed to still land on one foot. Weeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!! I also did some of the ugliest spins known to mankind and they traveled to Istanbul and back. BUT, I was able to spin. I can only say to myself, "Welcome back!!" The lyrics to the old Pointer Sisters song are pretty inappropriate (don't you just love the music of the '80s? After all, "Every Step You Take" is a not a love song but about stalking someone.) and as a result, I won't be quoting that song here. But I will leave you with this... "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929 - 1968

ISI vs USFSA

Can you believe this debate is STILL going on?? Recently, I was the unwilling audience to a parent who was "educating" me on the nuances of ISI vs USFSA. She was insisting that ANYONE could compete with almost no skating skills in under the ISI track. Her son, she mentioned, had started in ISI, but quickly out-grew the program at the age of 6 because he could already do a waltz jump. According to my educator, a waltz jump was the HIGHEST level in ISI. Apparently we participated in two totally different program, since ISI makes you perform jumps in the opposite direction and the USFSA does not. I made the foolish attempt to tell my educator all about the ISI, but my attempts seem futile. FS5, she insisted was the highest level and there was that waltz jump again. No, I told her, FS5 has a axel in it. You don't have to do it, I was told. Yes you do, I insisted because I WAS a FS5 skater and have the scars from axel practice to prove it. While I understand that ISI isn't usually for the "competitive" skater, as an adult, I can say, it's the way many of us began. If you recall some of my earlier posts, it was in FS5 where I had my very cheated axel (all the way around, but on two feet) and the beginnings of a double salchow and double toe loop. Not bad for someone who was told that ISI is only for Basic Skills skaters. And for the record, I think Basic Skills is pretty challenging. If I don't have to do a hockey stop, I won't. That's a move on Basic Skills. Perhaps my educator was confused between Basic Skills and ISI, I thought. Nope, she knew the difference, even quoting the moves on Basic Skills 8 (which includes a waltz jump). No, ISI was for people just shy of wearing rental skates and a helmet. My first competitions were ISI and while I struggled; I did enjoy it. I only stopped competing ISI because they stopped including adults. Initially, ISI levels were allowed in USFSA levels, but I'm not sure that's still the case. Regardless, many Silver skaters cannot do an axel, but there it is on FS5, which I think is the equivalent. Unfortunately for me and anyone else within ear-shot, this unfair comparison is really snobbery (is that a word?). Her son was a really good skater who quit and perhaps she is still having trouble accepting that fact. That's no reason to put down ISI, adult skaters (who, she says will NEVER achieve much of anything... You might want to tell that to the adult skater who is working on her Senior MIF) or anyone over five feet not working on doubles. As for me, I am just a recreational skater who is much more useful monitoring and announcing at competitions. Wow. The only skaters who are important are the young ones because they have the opportunity to go to Nationals or Sectionals. The rest of us are really just wasting ice time. But we pay, so we have our merit. For the record, I knew a young skater who competed in both tracks. She was on FS8 and Novice FS when I lost track of her. And for some reason, it didn't bother her, her coaches and the judges in any way, shape or form. As for my own skating; it's getting better. At least the pain is gone, but I'm working on my confidence. It seems to have packed up and moved away... Skate on, my friends.

A Woman Has Dreams....

Good news! I took all of the padding, cushioning, etc. out of my skates and went "old school". Old school, for those of you who are unaware, was when you took thicker socks, wet them with hot water, put your skates on and either skated or walked around until the socks dried. Yes, it feels weird, but it actually works. Add to the mix, a new lacing pattern taught to me by a post on Skating Forums and (drum roll please), I can wear my skates!!!! Thank you, thank you very much. I added to my skate an inexpensive rubber arch support that seems to hit the spot. Today, I skated for 50 minutes and my arches only started to hurt at the final 5 minutes. I AM impressed!!! I am starting from scratch again, so my lessons consist of crossovers mostly. The skates aren't flexible at all and dig into my leg, which causes me to pitch forward on crossovers, but if I don't think about them, I can do them fine. It's a little frustrating to have to start all over again, but I am hopeful. And I refuse to quit. Today I discovered that there is a rink 10 minutes from my office and they have very quiet public sessions during the day. Looks like I found a place to go for lunch! At least I won't be disturbed while trying to watch videos of funny cats as I am now. I'd like to see my co-workers follow me to the rink! HA! Here's an odd bit of information. My new Jackson skates with the blades on them still weigh less than ONE of my old Klingbeils without the blades on them. That being the case, why do I feel as though my new skates are two blocks of cement strapped to my feet? Prior to this new result with my skates, I felt that I would just have to sell them and try again. You have no idea how happy I am. The lyrics below express how I felt BEFORE. "A woman* has dreams Of walking with giants To carve her* niche In the edifice of time. Before the mortar of her zeal Has a chance to congeal The cup is dashed from her lips The flame is snuffed aborning She's brought to rack and ruin in her prime"*** * The song was written for a man to sing, which I am not. ** A Man Has Dreams from Mary Poppins Music and lyrics by Robert B. and Richard M. Sherman.

Winds of Change

Working twelve hours a day then driving 90 minutes home began to take a toll on my health, so I had to cut back. Cutting back meant I had the opportunity to skate. That also created a bit of a problem because the skates are still killing my arches. Oh feet, why must you be so wide AND flat???!!!! Thanks to my GPS (not the one in the phone, an actual, stand-alone GPS), I located the rink in Bethpage. It was nice to be back on the ice, however, I had forgotten what a zoo that session is. You want to do an illusion in the middle of the track? Go ahead. You need to do a back spiral and it's not your program and you don't look behind you before hand? Feel free. I think what surprised me the most was the 2 year old on the ice, in the corner, playing with the snow. I did get some skating in, but not much. I warm up my feet, doing ballet exercises for my feet and sometimes it still doesn't help. That was the case on Friday. I was only able to last twenty minutes before I had to get off and rest my feet. I hate to say it, but if I sit down, it's not so bad. That leads me to believe that (yes, that broken record again... If you don't know the origin of the saying "broken record", please ask your parents; unless your parents are in their early 20s) my weight is causing the issue with my feet. It probably doesn't help that I've gained weight since beginning this job. We seem to have more than the usual amount of celebrations and luncheons. Last month alone, there was a potluck luncheon for Thanksgiving; a pie give-away for Thanksgiving; a celebrate the November birthdays dessert surprise and three luncheon meetings. That's a lot of food. Add to that a lack of exercise and you have my current situation. "Winds of change are set to blow and sweep this whole land through..."** Sunday's session was better, even though I only skated the second session and not the first. Yes, I'm back as ice monitor; I have resigned myself to the job, knowing that I do get free ice in the process. My skates are still stiff as a board and an hour of working my feet prevented pain for almost 50 minutes. So, what have we learned here? I have to really warm up my feet for no less than 30 minutes. I have to lose weight. I have to skate more. And I have to say "no" to those desserts!!! (The birthday cake was really good, with roses made out of icing and that buttercream filling...) ** "Morning Glow" from the musical Pippin. Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz