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I PASSED LEVEL SIX!!!!!
Ahem. Tonight, I had originally intended to have a social night, either at either the London Poly MeetUp or at Coffe, Cake and Kink. Those plans got the axe, however, on account of the need for an additional ice skating lesson.
Yesterday was week five of my Level Six course. At the end of it, I had passed three of the four skills for this level: a two-foot slalom, backwards chasses around a circle (both directions), and turning from backwards to forwards on one leg. I had not yet passed the "forward three-turn" -- a maneuver wherein one begins by skating forward, raises one leg, pivots to backwards on the other leg, and ends in a backwards glide on one foot. To pass Level Six, it was necessary to do the move on either leg. My turns weren't bad, but I found it difficult to end in a one foot backwards glide; the second foot kept coming down too soon.
Normally, this would not be a problem. After all, there is one week left in the course. However, I leave for the States (and P**T***!) on Thursday and will miss the final week. Whoops. To make up for the loss of a thirty minute group lesson, I sprung for a fifteen minute private lesson tonight. I would have preferred a different evening, to preserve the social night. Alas, this was the only evening that my instructor had available.
In any case, I am very glad that this worked out. We got me through the three-turn relatively quickly... so I am now certified as a Level Six NISA skater! We also had time to start looking at one of the Level Seven skills for next term: Backwards crossovers. Astoundingly enough, my first attempts at them were not bad!
Oh, my goodness. Eight months ago, I could barely stand up on the ice. Tonight, I just did backwards crossovers.
I can't wait to get to Rockefeller Center in December!!!
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roller skating wasn't much easier *heh*
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I learned to ride a bike when I was twelve but I didn't do it well nor very often...
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Seriously, though, I do like to be physically active. Back in May, I hiked the length of the Isle of Wight -- twenty-seven miles over hilly terrain. In preparation, I spent the two months before going on walks of increasing lengths. First three miles, then nine, then seventeen, then twenty-two. Next year, I am toying with the idea of the London Bike-a-thon, basically a fifty-two mile cycle ride. I am never going to be an athlete (or a competitive skater!) but I like to use my body. As a child, I was largely sedentary, preferring to focus on developing my mind. Eventually, I learned that this was a mistake -- it isn't an "either/or" situation!
As for balance... well, you and I may share that awkwardness! Anything that requires balance does not come easy to me! I did not learn to ride a bicycle until I was twenty-nine years old! I had a doctorate before I could ride a bike! Similarly, as a child I could not roller skate, ice skate, ski, whatever. I am working on that now, first with the bicycle -- which has become my main means of local transportation -- and next with the figure skating lessons. Eventually, I will probably learn to ski as my next step...
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I do have this crazy picture in my head of you pouring liquid nitrogen on your kitchen floor, and skating around (told you it was crazy), but there's a Tom and Jerry cartoon episode where a similar thing happens, and it's just lovely.
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Now I'm going to have to go and find that Tom & Jerry cartoon somewhere! Surely somebody must have put it onto YouTube!
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I've been out on an ice rink once, and spent the entire time on my arse getting giggled at by passing teenagers who had grown up in the North (yours truly being native to Miami). I'd love to give it another go, but I'm a bit tentative considering that I've broken my ankle three times over the years.
None of which will stop me from admiring your efforts and applauding your success! (I deffo understand where you're coming from with your comments upthread about having realised that the 'choice between intellectual development and physical pursuits' is a false dichotomy. Mostly for me this has meant lots of cycling, and I still hope to do the C2C at some point... though I kind of want to do it with Bex, so it looks like it might be next year).
Having been to the Rockefeller Center to watch the ice skating in winter, I can certainly understand your anticipation! ;-)
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If you want to venture out onto the ice at some point, we could go to the rink when you come to visit Oxford[*]. I recall all too well how it felt to not have a clue what I was doing. That was me, nine months ago. Minus the history of broken ankles... so if you prefer to give it a miss, I grok completely!
As for the false dichotomies... yeah. I don't know how those get into our heads! Growing up, I know that I had many things that I shied away from, because they were things I just didn't do. After all, I did their opposite. Somewhere along the way, I finally realised that life is out there, and I should do as much of it as (a) possible, and (b) I want. Indeed, being more physically active actually helps me to think more clearly, as I am sure you know! Not sure how or when this finally sunk in, but I am so very glad it did!
The C2C sounds incredible! I wish you luck on getting it done! I do cycle locally, but have no stamina whatsoever for long distance rides. At least not yet. I shall see how the fifty-two mile London Bike-a-thon goes next year. If I can pull that off, maybe I can begin training for something longer, and eventually work my way up to a C2C ride. It sounds impossible to me now... but I've done things that were impossible to me more than once before now!
P.S. I really want to meet Bex at some point! From the bits you have mentioned about her, she sounds way cool!
[*] My, there are quite a few presumptions in that one sentence! :-)
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Not going to make it to the UK this trip, but I'll be sailing around the continent and traipsing over Iberia and would love to meet up if you are traveling anywhere near where we'll be.
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October: Upstate New York from 10th to 13th. NYC from 13th to 16th. Michigan from 17th to 19th.
November: None
December: NYC and Boston around Christmas. Chicago for New Years.
January: Japan
Sorry that I won't get to see you in the near future, sweetie, but have a blast! Your upcoming trip sounds fantastic!
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P.S. See you Friday!!!
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I used to go to the roller rink a fair bit when I was growing up. I never learned anything fancy, but at least I could get around. Many, many years later, I found myself near a roller rink again, and I figured, "Well, I know how to roller-skate, even if I'm a bit rusty, so I'll try it." BAD idea... I discovered that the body I was living in was not the same as the body I'd learned to roller-skate with. I fell on my arse, hard, and couldn't manage to get up again - I couldn't get my feet under me, because the skates just kept rolling as soon as I tried to put weight on them. Finally a girl who couldn't have been more than ten years old, but who skated as if she'd been born on skates, helped me up. I took the skates off and spent the rest of my time there in the game arcade.
So I'm in awe of your ice-skating prowess... maybe this winter I'll get to watch you skate in NYC. But I'll see you in a couple of days!
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As for roller skates... well, I haven't been on those in over a decade, maybe even two. I would like to try it again at some point, but not now. I am specifically avoiding roller skates for the time being so as not to mess with the muscle memory that I am building for moves on the ice.
And, yes, see you in just two days!!!