Sunday, February 28, 2016

Annabelle Passes Viennese Waltz - Sunday 2-28-16

Annabelle passed the Viennese Waltz gold dance today. I'm so proud of my sweet daughter! Yay Annabelle!

 Only 2 more pattern dances to pass towards Annabelle's goal of earning 6 US Figure Skating Gold Medals (she's already passed her senior moves, senior solo free dance, senior free skate, and senior pair). She is working now towards passing the Gold Dance test and then the Senior Free Dance test!


Monday, February 22, 2016

Frozen in San Jose - Wednesday 2-17-16

It was AWESOME seeing my son Joel in Disney On Ice: Frozen in San Jose, California tonight 2-17-16 with friends that I've known for many, many years!

I have now seen the show 15 times and my dad has seen it 9 times!

This may be out last time seeing it since soon Joel and the cast will be touring in far away places.

 





Sunday, February 21, 2016

Vist to LA King Valley Ice Center - Friday, 2-19-16

I visited the Coffee Club class at LA Kings Valley Ice Center in Panorama City, California today! It was the most AWESOME adult session and the group was so friendly and the class was wonderful!

I will post a review of the rink and a summary of my experience on About.com soon..




Sunday, February 7, 2016

The Story of an Unfriendly Skating Mom and a Huge Overstuffed Chair



Last week, I decided to watch my daughter skate in a very cold rink that has a "warm room" where parents can watch.

When I arrived there was a lady sitting in a comfortable overstuffed old "living room like" chair next to an old beat up couch.

When I entered the room, I gave the woman my usual friendly hello, but was only greeted with a cold and unfriendly grunt as the woman continued to watch the skating practice session.  It was obvious that she did not want to be friendly.

There was another huge and old overstuffed empty chair and small office chair that was empty that blocked the view to the ice from the old couch.  In fact, those chairs blocked the view to the ice to anyone who would sit on the couch, so, since they were not being used, I moved the two unoccupied chairs and to the side of the couch and then "settled in" to watch my daughter skate.  I wanted to sit on the couch because it looked more comfortable than the chairs.

I was a bit alarmed when the woman who had been so unfriendly, gave me a very nasty look when I moved the empty chairs.  In response, I smiled back when she glared at me.

It seemed that the woman wanted to tell me that she was angry that I moved the chairs, but instead, both of us continued to watch our children skate.  There was an "icy silence" between us in that "warm" observation room that overlooked the ice sheet.

About 45 minutes later, the woman suddenly arose from her seat, and promptly moved the huge empty overstuffed chair back in front of me (which of course, blocked my view of the ice sheet).

I thought that was very odd and rude, but I decided not to say anything since my daughter's lesson was over, and since the huge overstuffed chair was unoccupied, I could still see what was going on fairly well.

"Well, whatever," I thought.  "This lady must really feel possessive about the way the chairs were originally arranged.  She must feel that I invaded a space that she'd claimed or something."

About 15 minutes after that, the woman's daughter (or maybe it was her grand-daughter?) came into the "warm room" after her skating practice and sat down in the huge overstuffed chair.  The teen seemed to expect that the huge overstuffed chair be waiting for her.  It seemed that she and her mother (or grandmother) "owned that space" or something when they were at that rink.

Now, my view to the ice was completely blocked, but there was only about 15 more minutes of skating left anyway.  I decided to not "push it" and tried my best to see what I could of the rest of my daughter's practice session.

I'm a bit "bugged" by this incident.  I could have said, "Excuse me, you are blocking my view, could you move over a bit?"  ...But...I didn't say anything....

The woman in that "warm room" at that skating rink had made it clear when she first "grunted" at me that I was not welcome in what must have been her space, but that is not what really bothers me.

What bothers me is that skating is supposed to be fun and the people we meet in ice rinks should be friendly and nice to one another.   Moving a huge chair in front of a happy mother who just wants to watch her child skate was just not "nice."

I had to write this out since it bothered me so much and I do hope that those who read this will remember to smile, be nice, and says hello at the rink!

Friday, February 5, 2016

New 2016 digital version of MY SKATING LIFE is available for download



A new 2016 digital version of MY SKATING LIFE is available for download (at the lowest price I could set it - 99 cents) thanks to my friend Philip Corey who is an AMAZING EDITOR.
The edited print version is still "in progress" since the index had to be redone. (Thanks in advance to Ellen Phillips for the amazing index that will go with this newly edited print version of my book!)
(Due to "technical issues," there is no index in the digital version at this time.)
When the updated hardcover and paperback versions for 2016 are ready, I'll announce that here too.
Some of my FB friends who are mentioned in an additional update chapter for the 2015-16 version of MY SKATING LIFE include Christian HendricksDiane AgleJoanne CoyleAnnabelle Schneider-Farris, and Trixi Schuba!
By the way...if you've read my book, or if I gave you a copy, and if you have time, please write a review on Amazon (if you'd like). One reviewer, who didn't have the courage to sign his or her name, said the book was boring. It's MY SKATING LIFE, and I may be biased, but I do not believe my book is boring....
Happy Skating!