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.

Hey Up There... Way Up There...

I think the title comes from Follies; a Stephen Sondheim musical about the closing of an old theatre. I think it's from the song "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs". But don't quote me because I'm not sure. I move on Friday to a 3 bedroom apartment with BOTH of my sisters. If you hear screaming in October (when the other sister moves in), it's just us; we can be loud when we get started. I would write more, but I accidentally packed my glasses and can't really see this clearly... More when I've settled and am back on the ice. P.S. Who ordered the summer weather for NYC? Today, it was 81 degrees; it's MAY.

Lost In A Storm

Looking for an apartment is exhausting. And frustrating. A two bedroom apartment should NOT be a Jr. 4. Please don't say it's "huge" when my love seat won't fit in the living room. Add this to my lack of skating, Adult Nationals just ending (without me, again) and my weight creeping up from lack of exercise and you have my life right now. I feel huge, Jabba the Hut huge (Star Wars reference!). I haven't been able to workout during lunch either. Ugh! Watching Adult Nationals is both inspiring and frustrating. Inspiring because I want to skate, improve and compete again. Frustrating because I've notice that there aren't a lot of minorities in the competition. Also, where are the lefties? So, in order to represent the permanently tanned and the lefty skaters, I will have up my game... Just as soon as I move. I must find a place in the next 3 1/2 weeks or put all of my stuff into a storage unit and live with my other sister. While I'm hoping for the best, I'm okay with living with my other sister for one month. My sister/roommate, on the other hand, is adamant. NO. NOT HAPPENING! NOT IN HER LIFETIME. This is what happens when two strong personalities may have to live with one another. Skating wise, I am still surprised that I can maintain some form and skill when only skating once a week, not working out and eating whatever I can grab while in the car. On a positive note, I recently saw two apartments that are "maybes" rather than "hell no!". Seeing another one tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Holidays

I'm late, as always, however... Happy Passover! Happy Easter! Great skates to all!!!!

Stop...

When someone says "STOP", I never know if it's in the Name of Love; Hammer Time, or if I'm supposed to collaborate and listen. That being said, I have skated once or twice, in between studying, packing and tossing out old stuff. For someone who is only skating once a week, I find myself still maintaining the same level of mediocrity I had before. However, I do have goals for the upcoming months: Non skating related, first and foremost is to find an apartment. One without young, "I only know one song on the guitar, which I play while smoking pot every single day and playing indy music you're much, much too old and uncool to understand", people living underneath me. Skating related, I really want to take these tests and move on. I am so tired of the Silver MIF test; I've lost track as to how long I've been working on it. And the freestyle... UGGH!!! Why did they have to make a flip jump a requirement?? My flip jump took a vacation when my last ex-boyfriend broke up with me and hasn't made a complete return! I would find that guy and ask if he has my flip jump (no, he wasn't a skater, just slime), but I don't think his wife would appreciate it. (To my unmarried female readers: Have you ever noticed that the guys you date get married to the next girl THEY date?? This has happened to me FOUR times! Wonder if it's me... No, it's them. It's always them...) Where was I?? Flip jumps... My lutz is better. Heck, my axel is better than my flip and I haven't tried one in years! I've decided to keep trying them off the ice. Recently, I received a comment from another blog about why people don't read mine. Her suggestion was that maybe if I added photos or video, it would help. Well, if someone could please, please, please explain to me like I was 4 how to do it, I'd be more than happy to share. If you know how to do that, please tell me. I tried to add in a GIF but nothing happened. There's supposed to me someone dancing at the top of this post. See ya on the ice!