September - October 2003
As everyone already knows who follows this journal regularly, I have started a new job that is consuming all of my time. No, I have not skated. In fact, I have not even gone to aerobics. I have been unbelievably busy making the necessary adjustments. I hope to settle into a more reasonable routine within the next month or so. The new rink nearer to my home has not opened yet. However, I plan to visit it at my earliest opportunity. This is where I intend to skate at least once per week, and possibly more if I can juggle my schedule.
I apologize for the lack of entries, but skating has taken low priority in my life out of necessity. I look forward to my next flying camel and just enjoying whatever skills make me happy. When I do have the chance to get to a rink, I will probably appreciate skating more than ever.
Week of September 28, 2003
My Former Life
I finally had a little mental down time at work during which I could reflect upon the changes in my life. Unfortunately, I am not happy. The decision to go back to work was ultimately a good one, but I am not in the right job, and I have to look for a better situation. It does not take long to realize an error in judgment has been made, and I would be better served by different circumstances. However, I am stuck in this position for now, so I have to make the best of it.
A little emotional free time caused me to look at the clock several times this week from a new perspective. I caught myself fantasizing about where I used to be at certain times of day. Namely, I thought about the rink and my skating friends. I thought of the commute to the rink that seemed so long and often wasteful. I remembered all of the skating snobs and brats that drove me crazy and the ineptitude of various rink administrators. All of it made me smile. If I did not smile at those memories, I might have cried. I miss my freedom. I miss my former life. I am lonesome for skating and the camaraderie of my friends. I miss the very personal sense of accomplishment I experienced on the ice, frivolous achievements that mainstream folk do not understand. Only skaters can relish the joy of a spin well done, a jump landed, or a decent dance pattern. Laymen find such milestones trivial or childish.
The new rink is almost complete. The parking lot has been installed. It should not be long now.
Week of September 21, 2003
Working Out / Stressing Out
For the first time in weeks, I attended two aerobics classes. During the first session, my pent up stress exploded as energetic dancing. I actually looked like a good dancer. The exercise provided a release of tension. However, later in the week, I felt too exhausted to do more than step through the routines. Since I do not have a pressing medical reason to squeeze a regular workout into my schedule, I have let this part of my life slide while dealing with other priorities.
I certainly have not gained any weight. In fact, I am losing pounds, due primarily to stress and an overly hectic agenda. I may be working like a dog, but my body looks terrific. While this is not entirely good, it cannot be not all bad either. Although I have been steadily reducing, now I have dropped just about all of the excess I may have hoped to lose. When I get back on the ice, this can only benefit my skating, assuming my muscles stay in shape. Hence, the true importance of aerobics.
Granted, it has been a few years since I held a full-time job, and I knowingly entered a stressful situation, but in many ways it is also rewarding. In the long run, I believe I have made the right choice. While the day to day business of survival may be a challenge, I know once I have settled and adjusted, I have done the right thing for my future.
Monday October 13, 2003
Day Off
My skates have been gathering dust in the basement, but I finally had a day off from work and decided to use them. Unfortunately, everyone else has Columbus Day off too, so the rink was crowded. With absolutely beautiful weather outside, I was surprised to find so many people seeking refuge in an ice arena. However, I went there with little or no expectations, only hoping to enjoy a public session.
For the most part, I had a good time. I saw a few friends and skated for 1.5 hours. Although I have lost weight, slim does not equal fit. I am sadly out of practice and out of shape. Since September, I have also cut back on aerobics due to simple lack of time and energy. I wanted to suspend my aerobics membership that month but notified the instructor too late, so I suspended it for October. My life is settling down, and I should be ready to recommit to aerobic classes next month. I definitely need to maintain cardiovascular conditioning and muscle tone. I should also consider roller skating in the park on the weekends to keep my skating muscles in top form.
I have not lost much flexibility, as evidenced by a good stretch before the session (and again afterward). I try to take a few minutes each day for a light stretch, if only to loosen my muscles and purge tension. Although I felt a little dizzy, I drilled my first spin, creating a bull’s eye on the ice that drew comment from a friend I have not seen in months. My spinning skills have not vanished in spite of minimal practice since late June. I hit good forward camels, inverted back camels, backward attitudes, laybacks, and flying camels. I sat down in the middle of a deep sit spin. The spin was nicely centered but forcing my leg to maintain that position took it by surprise. I nailed the next one. My basic dancing movements are still decent, and I circled the rink many times with swing rolls of various types. While my jumps have not disappeared, they lack their previous vigor and control. I took an uncharacteristic fall out of a loop jump. The split jump that occupied so much of my time and had been one of my long term goals for gradual improvement, has deteriorated to a weak little kick. However, I am sure I can resurrect it once I am able to skate more regularly.
I did not have time or space to practice everything. I did not come to the rink planning to work, make progress, or learn anything new. My goal was only to enjoy the feeling of ice under my blades and to play with elements that make me happy, elements I have sorely missed. I look forward to the opening of the new rink where I hope to skate at once or twice each week.
Sunday October 19, 2003
The Plastic Bin
We live in a very small cluttered house. Lately, my husband has made a sincere effort to clean out the place, especially the basement, and put extraneous items in storage. We hope to buy a new house within the next year. While digging through an old dresser, I unearthed a favorite skating leotard from years ago, my first season as an adult skater. The zipper broke a decade ago; and I never replaced it, but could not part with it. I still have not discarded that bodysuit. Now I keep it for sentimental reasons. It represents my early days in the sport before I knew what the future held; and I felt capable of anything and nothing, all at the same time.
My husband purchased several plastic bins, assuming we would use them to pack away extra clothing and household goods. Some of these bins were intended for me to thin out my closet, a task I need to do for the unfortunate purpose of making room for clothes I now wear on a daily basis, different clothes, work clothes. This meant putting away things I no longer use or have not worn in ages. Sadly, these items are skating related. Honestly, I rarely dressed up for the rink even when I skated four times per week. I usually wore leggings and a sweatshirt, though I occasionally wrapped a skirt around my waist. I rarely wore a skating dress and tights. I love to sew these garments for myself, but I do not particularly care to wear them. I am a simple, casual person who prefers to be comfortable while exercising. I do not find tights and skirts especially comfortable. Regardless, I have made piles of skatewear over the years. All of it accumulated in my closet or thereabouts.
As emotionlessly as possible, I pulled the skating clothes off the shelf and from the hangers, folding each item haphazardly and dropping them into a plastic tomb. Garments that could be worn for aerobics were spared this horrible fate. When I have time to skate more regularly, I will probably return to my wardrobe of basic practical pieces.
I covered the plastic bin but have not taken it down to the basement yet. My husband will probably haul it away next weekend to spent the next part of eternity in a rented 10 x 20 storage unit with lots of other crap.
To see some of my handmade skating costumes, visit the Photo Gallery.
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The content of this site is copyright by K. J. N., 1999 - 2004