January 18, 2012

Test Papers are in...Yesterday I turned in my paperwork for my Bronze test in March. (Also thecompetition....) I really really want to pass this!For the competition, I just entered the freeskate. I thought about doingthe spin competition too, but at $25, I realized it would make a lot moresense to just take another lesson. I could even start the lesson by doinga scratch spin, a sit spin, and a backspin and having Carson judge me.Really, even the freeskate is crazy expensive ($60) but it is fun to havethe ice to myself, and get to wear my dress- and it will be good practicefor the test the next day. Why does a test cost almost half as much as acompetition? There are the same judges, the same length of ice. Does amedal really cost $25 :)I have Iowa games coming up in February- just a few weeks away. That isreally just a practice run for the Hawkeye competition (which is a practicerun for my test).To prepare for Iowa games, I'm signed up to skate a club exhibition on the27th. Do you know how soon the 27th is? Do you know how many times I'vedone my program since before Christmas? Once!I stayed after LTS yesterday and ran it once. It actually wasn't thatbad. My backspin was a little week (still got 3-4 revolutions, but I'vebeen getting 8 out of the program). It comes right after the salchow, andI think there must be nerves of doing it in the program. But I didn'tcheat either of my toe loops. It is tough to say how the loop went, sinceI have to turn my music on myself, I rush to get to the loop, which is myfirst element. However, the "reskate" loop and backspin were both good,even though I was huffing and puffing.Due to Carson's school schedule, my lessons have moved from Thursday publicto Wednesday club ice. This is good and bad. The bad: probably moreskaters (the public is pretty scarce) and I have to pay. The good: Theseskaters understand right of way (sort of) and all know how to stop, and itis only $4. I feel bad though, because Carson isn't a club coach he hasto register as one (he is a USFS coach, so he can put me out at tests). Iam not sure if I'll end up paying that expense for him.I always hate the whole billing thing- I mean, between Kevin and I, wemake a good amount of money. Carson is a student, he really doesn't. BUThe charges more than my previous coaches have, and really- it's a lot ofmoney, and I'm a big cheapskate- but I feel like it is such a push/pull.I don't like for him to be at tests/competitions because I don't want tohave to pay for them. He feels like he should be there, because that iswhat coaches do. I don't want him to be there if he isn't getting paid,but circle back around to: but I don't want to pay!It's only $60 for him to be a club coach, so I can pay it (the reason I'dpay it is that I'm his only student skating on club ice, he is only joiningthis club because of me, but not really, because it is his schedule thatdoesn't allow any other lesson time.) I don't know. I'll wait to see whathe says.Oh- when I got the email for lesson times, it was Tuesday after LTS (Idon't like to do two lessons in one day), the time I took, or Fridayevening. I noticed Saturday morning was missing :) Guess he is willing togive up his "getting ready to go out" time, but not his "sleeping in, causeI went out" time :) I didn't think Friday sounded good (I'm dead tiredon Fridays) but apparently his other skater is doing Friday eveninglessons. What college guy wants to do lessons Friday night at 7:00 Poorguy.