MY New Rink

I skated at my new rink this week. It’s obviously not the same as my old rink – my friends weren’t there, the staff wasn’t accomodating and funny, none of my coaches were there and it was COLD!

But there were only five skaters over three hours and some lady told me it’s never crowded there -so that’s awesome.

I know, I said awesome but I’m not feeling it.

Soon enough I will feel awesome there – since it is MY rink! Actually, MY rinkS – they have three sheets there.

Goodbye

Today was my last day at the rink I’ve skated at for 5 years   
But it was a surprisingly uplifting day:

I got to skate with a hockey stick – always wanted to do that.
I got to play all my music – I should be a DJ.
My coach was 24 minutes late - him being late is a ”tradition” but he took it a little to far. (I think I’ve mentioned before that he’s an asshole.)
A lot of my friends showed up to skate with me! – I’m going to miss them so much!!!
I got to co-coach my favorite little skater’s lesson – and learned that being a coach is tougher than I thought it was.
Finished choreographing my “No Air” pairs program – maybe I’ll post the video one day.
Crashed into another skater – No. 12!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Upon Further Review …

I might have had such a bad fall Thursday because the previous day I punked the skaters at my rink with this … thanks karma!

11th Fall

I had my 11th fall yesterday!!! It’s exciting because it’s so soon after my 10th fall. Usually there is almost a year between my falls.

I think I fell because I spaced out, because I totally don’t remember what I was doing.

At least I have a nice shiner on my left knee and it happened during my last lesson with my main coach.

Dream Come True

As much as I love skating and want to be awesome at it, I would love to be a cheoreographer even more. And now I am! (Sorta.)

My coach is letting me choose the music for his holiday show program and choreograph the program. (He’s not being nice, just incredibly lazy.)

The song is appropriate for him and one of my favorites – “O Holy Night” by Eric Cartman. And I think the cheoreography I mapped out is pretty cool.

I always thought it would so easy to cheoreograph for such a high-level skater (double-gold medalist) but he’s whiny and says “I can’t do that” to like every move. It really makes me appreciate all the time and patience all of my coaches have had in making me programs (I can’t do shit.).

10

I had my 10th fall as an adult skater on Tuesday! (I know some of you fall 10 times a day. Good for you. Now shut up and let me finish my story.)

I learned to skate as a teenager and went through all the Learn-To-Skate classes before I graduated high school. I didn’t take lessons again until a few years after I graduated college. So since that time IN SEVEN YEARS I’ve fallen on the ice 10 TIMES.

Why is this such a big deal for me? Because Dick Button said “If you’re not falling your not getting better.”

He’s totally right. Not that you have to fall to get better, but that if you’re not pushing yourself you’re not gping to get better.

I’m built like a  Weeble Wobble and I’m a pussy so actually falling down is a big deal for me. It means that I’m pushing myself.

I always said that I’d stop counting at 10, but I think I want to really push myself and get to 15 before I move next month.

Hopelessly Devoted To One Coach

What? WHY?! Take from as many people as you possibly can!

You’ll get so many different perspectives on your skating and you never know who will be the one to say something that just clicks and works for you.

I’m not saying don’t have a regular coach, but if you can afford it take some supplemental lessons with other teachers. Or if you’re on a budget swap one lesson a month with your coach for another coach.  Or if there is an edge class or a spin class TAKE IT! Even if you’re the only adult in the class. (FYI – If kids give you a hard time it’s because they’re jealous of you. Maybe not of your skating because I’m sure they think they’re better than you even if they’re not, but you probably have a car and they don’t.)

Even if you heart your current coach beyond belief it’s good to work with other people. Take a figures lesson from an old school coach. Ask another coach to check out your MITF. Or get someone besides your current coach to cheorograph your program.

You want to really expand your horizon? Take a crossover lesson from a speedskating coach.

How To Tell Your Coach He Smells

Ice dancing is wonderful! I heart it! But my coach has a disgusting infection on his face and it smells.

I didn’t notice it earlier because all our dances were in Killian postion, but now that we’re dancing face-to-face I smell it.

It was pretty easy to broach the subject with him. I said “Hey, your face smells.” Pretty easy, huh.

 

I’m Not A Loser

But I feel like one.

So two weeks ago, after I passed five skating tests in one session (I’m still getting congratulated by people I don’t know) my coach was all excited and said I should test the next MITF level and dances. He looked over the Adult Bronze MITF and exclaimed “This is going to be easy!”

Then today he tells me I’m not testing. I’m not ready… for any of it. I feel a little loserish – he said it was easy and I can’t do it.

I knew I wasn’t going to be ready for the MITF test, but I was really excited to test the Swing and Cha Cha dances. Oh well, at least I won’t have to stress about what dress to wear. (Of course I wouldn’t wear the same dress I wore to the last test, I’m not a loser like Michelle Obama.)

Don’t Let The Bitch Get To You

There is a high-level ice dancer at my rink. A teenager. And a bitch. (FYI – If you’re going to be a bitch be an entertaining over-the-top train wreck of a bitch. Don’t be a passive-aggresive bitch like this bitch, that’s so lame.)

One day a few weeks ago I was practicing the Rhythm Blues dance and she noticed and said “Oh, are you practicing the Rhythm Blues?” Obvisouly bitch and I tell her how it’s the only dance I’m concerned about not passing at the test. “That’s a fun dance,” she says “and the first real one.”

Thanks bitch.

So the other day – a week after I passed my Rhythm Blues test thank you very much – I was practicing the Swing dance. She was at the rink with her partner, who is so not an asshole like she is, and I asked if they would do the Swing dance for me since I’ve never seen it in person. So they did it and afterward she’s all huffing and red and says “That was so much fun. That’s the first real dance you get to do.” Excuse me?

Then later, she was like “Sorry for getting in your way, I forget that you’re a dancer.” But not in a nice way.

Why she feels the need to be a bitch to me I don’t know and never will. But WHATEVER with her. I’m not going to let the bitch get to me.