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My sanctuary… an ice rink!
Posing with my evaluation sheets from the judges after passing my Adult Bronze Moves in the Field test, June 2022. I tested beyond this level on the standard test track when I was much younger and am now doing the adult-track tests as a fun challenge. Following the test, one of the judges approached me and said that I skated a beautiful test. That was almost more meaningful to me than passing the test itself. Figure skating judges rarely go out of their way to approach skaters with remarks of any kind, much less positive ones.
Me with three-time US National Ladies Figure Skating Champion and Olympic bronze medalist (team event) Ashley Wagner when I attended her Skate & Sculpt adults-only figure skating fitness class. See my two-part review of the class in the figure skating section of my blog.
My tracings on the ice from a forward upright scratch spin. I enjoy interpreting the tracings from the various elements I practice. They reveal so much insight… was the spin entry strong and the spin centered; was a turn executed at the apex or did it occur too early or too late; did the jump take-off occur from the correct edge. This spin was a good one. The entry was strong as you can see the half-heart inscription characteristic of a proper entrance. The spin was centered (for the most part) with the circles piling up one on top of the other with little traveling across the ice.
A cool photo I didn’t intend to take. I discovered this frame in a video I took shortly after returning to the ice post-MCL tear recovery.
Group photo from the Janet Champion Spin Clinic I attended in November 2022. Please see my May 14, 2023 blog post titled “The Janet Champion Spin Clinic: In a Word, Energizing!” for my review of the clinic.

And a hint of things to come on the travel blog. Attending the ballet at the Opéra Garnier my junior year of college, which I spent studying in Paris, France. And what a wonderful year it was. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Welcome to my blog on figure skating and travel! Admittedly, it has two distinct personalities. One aim is to trace my journey back into figure skating as a woman in her mid-to-late 40s, from when I began skating again as an “older” adult in 2017 to the present day. To provide a little context on my present-day skating pursuits, I also reflect on when I first began skating in the 1990s. I refer to these posts as the “dream” series. Each post will have “dream” in the title.

And don’t forget to visit my blog’s travel section! Presently, most of the entries are about Croatia, a country where I have family and travel to on an almost annual basis. However, in my lifetime I have traveled all over the world so in time will post about some of those travels as well.

Atop the medieval wall in Dubrovnik, Croatia. The wall is the focal point of Dubrovnik’s old town, a UNESCO world heritage site. Standing atop the wall is perhaps one of the most magical places to be in the world.

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My figure skating philosophy at this point in my life is that even the most simplest of moves can be stunningly beautiful when executed with grace, originality, and attention to detail.

Below is a video in which I demonstrate my figure skating philosophy as an “older” adult. In the video, I perform a basic one-foot spin two ways: first in a traditional position with the arms checked and second with a variation in the position of the arms, showing how attention to little details such as arm position can make something simple look unique, creative, and beautiful. A note: I am not skating to the music playing in the background; it is whatever the rink was playing at the time.

And a blast from the past: below is a digitized video containing a couple snippets of me competing in the 1990s, after I had been working with a coach for just under three years.

Performing a spiral in competition, 1990s.
Figure skating in the era of COVID-19: first day back on the ice after a two-month closure at my rink, June 2020.

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6 thoughts on “Home”

  1. I guess I’m just impatient! I don’t have time to read the whole skating story. I have a dreadful sense of balance so I can’t imagine being able to twirl on ice so gracefully. It must have taken hours of practise. Why did you give it up? Love, marriage… all that?

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    1. The short answer is yes and yes! Although I decided to make the time to return to it and have happily now been at it again for the past seven years. I’m still trying to get back to where I was in my skating when I was younger, but then, aren’t we all!!! 🤣

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  2. Well done. Amazing feat. My feeble attempt happened during the teenage dating era. I had so many bruises on my body that I knew it wasn’t going to be a thing for me. Funnily enough I now play basketball, we call it walking basketball though less walking is done by my ever competitive team mates.

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind comment! I feel so lucky that skating seems to come easier to me. It’s a random talent to have, but I love it! I’m glad that you’ve found a sport you enjoy as well. I think a sport is a great thing to have in life as we age. It helps so much with mental and physical wellbeing.

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