mostly skating

and CHARLIE!!!

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:39:56 GMT

^_^

EVAN!!!

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 19:16:16 GMT

...is beautiful

More Ryan

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:39:25 GMT

I love him

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 02:39:09 GMT

Nationals

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 05:09:05 GMT

Problems with skate judging? Pairs champs can count them

By Philip Hersh

   I spent several hours earlier this season with Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, the most promising young U.S. pairs skating team since Kristi Yamaguchi and Rudy Galindo more than two decades ago.
   (Yamaguchi and Galindo won two world junior titles and two national senior titles before splitting up when she chose to concentrate on singles -- and become Olympic women's champion and two-time world champion. He also excelled at singles, winning a national senior title and world bronze medal.)
   As happens in any lengthy conversation with skaters, we eventually got around to the New Judging System that I think has turned the sport into paint-by-numbers.
   McLaughlin, of Los Angeles and Brubaker, of Algonquin, Ill., who defend their U.S. title next week in Cleveland, had similar feelings about a system implemented after the pairs judging scandal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
   Their candid answers, which emerged in the form of a progressive call and antiphon during an interview at their training base in Colorado Springs, resonated even more because their partnership has prospered competitively during the NJS era.
   ``The judging system started off in such a good direction,'' Brubaker said, ``and now it just seems there are so many rules that. . .
   ``. . .You are so limited on what you can do,'' McLaughlin chimed in, ``so everyone is just going to wind up doing the same thing because there is no room for creativity. . .''
   ``. . .They have really narrowed it down because it's all about levels,'' he added. ``To get the highest level, there are only one or two ways. Then there's like the rules of. . .''
   ``. . .Holding your spiral (on one edge) for six seconds, like how boring is that?'' she responded. ``How can you interpret the music if you're just holding the spiral?. . .''
   ``. . .Six seconds, and then you have to add this position to that,'' he continued with a shrug. ``And it has taken away from the interpretation of the programs.''
   Instead of thinking about a head position or an arm movement or feeling the music, the skaters must concentrate on the clock.
   ``We count,'' Brubaker said. ``We're in spins, we count. We're saying numbers to each other. We're sitting there holding a position, like the spiral, and I'm in my head going, `Zero, one, two, three, four'. . .all the way up to six.''
   It seems almost ironic that, like almost anyone who admires pairs skating, McLaughlin and Brubaker lionize the 1988 and 1994 Olympic champion pair, Ekaterina Gordeeva and the late Sergei Grinkov of Russia, whose skating was positively ethereal. As I wrote in 1994: ``Their movements are in such perfect harmony that the watcher imagines this must be what the music of the spheres would sound like.''
As athletically and artistically talented as they were, it is unlikely G&G would have been able to produce the same quality of skating if they were worried about all the counting and ungainly contortions that score points in the new system.
   ``They had the ability and the time, and they didn't have the restrictions that eliminated some of the possibilities as far as creativity,'' Brubaker said.
   For all that, Brubaker is wise enough to play the hand the new system has dealt.
``It is what it is, unfortunately,'' he said. ``That's the judging system for our sport. There are times when it does benefit you. The only thing you can try to do is play to it and follow the rules and skate the best you can -- and hope it works in your favor.''

Source

PICSPAM

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:52:00 GMT

Because she is freaking awesome...
Oh and I did not blog about GP France, well because nothing really happened...
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Cup of Russia

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:39:32 GMT

Pl.	Name	Nat.	TSS=	TES+	PCS+
1	Fumie SUGURI	JPN	58.30	32.50	25.80
2	Carolina KOSTNER	ITA	57.02	30.30	27.72
3	Rachael FLATT	USA	55.92	31.80	24.12
4	Julia SEBESTYEN	HUN	53.64	29.00	24.64
5	Alissa CZISNY	USA	53.50	30.50	25.00
6	Elena GLEBOVA	EST	51.02	30.62	21.40
7	Alena LEONOVA	RUS	50.96	30.68	20.28
8	Kimmie MEISSNER	USA	48.08	22.76	25.32
9	Nina PETUSHKOVA	RUS	43.30	25.74	18.56
10	Na-Young KIM	KOR	43.26	26.74	17.52

So extremely happy right now...

postsecret

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:13:23 GMT

I wanna be that girl too...
post secert

Skate Canada!

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 03:15:55 GMT

I am really happy with these results!!! Though the ISU website is being poopy right now and I can't copy them here... I will edit later... Fumie 2nd and Alyssa 3rd! If only Bebe were on the podium my day would be complete! ^_^
2008 SC Fumie Suguri SP
Love the footwork sequence!!!

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Random art stuffs

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:12:10 GMT

The Speedies "Let Me Take Your Photo" (1979)

Gregory Crewdson in the 'cow' jacket... *snort*

Skate Canada

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 17:53:23 GMT

Charlie:Lets win the OD too
Meryl: Ok

1. Meryl Davis and Charlie White USA - 90.65
2. Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat FRA - 81.27
3. Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre USA - 80.35
4. Kristina Gorshkova and Vitali Butikov RUS - 80.32
5. Vanessa Crone and Paul Poirier CAN - 80.24
6. Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Soloviev RUS - 76.25
7. Jennifer Wester and Daniil Barantsev USA - 72.41
8. Andrea Chong and Guilame Gfellar CAN - 69.53

This is a dramatic look but I do prefer Charlies curls...

Polaroid week has come to an end...

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:06:20 GMT

that makes me sad but I did post on the flickr group...

art funnies

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:36:23 GMT

Jackson!

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Costume Study

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:30:18 GMT

Either Lysacek is lending out his old costumes or he got it off the rack.
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Polaroid Week

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:23:21 GMT

It's Polaroid week Staring Monday 27 October!!!

Posting a Polaroid a day will not be a problem for me...

NOOOOOO!

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 22:26:13 GMT

Jeff Buttle Retires

not happy about this...

it's ok though...

I'll live...

I'm back

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:30:21 GMT

After ten weeks in the wilderness my 24/6 babysitting job has come to an end...

And in a way I really miss it. I miss sleeping in the same room with fifteen other people. And being woken up at god awful hours to escort campers to the bathroom. I miss reading my books at night with every bug in the room flocking to my book light. And never taking a shower alone, always having something with at least four legs peering at me from a corner or dangling from above. I miss being a role model and the way that these girls looked up to me and wanted to be like me. I miss my days off when I refused to put bug spray or sunscreen on.

And usually paid the price.

The best thing about going to camp though was the books that the campers brought with them. The girls relating to the books that I was reading because of the patience I lack for books on my reading level. We were reading some of the same books. And the books that I was introduced to by the girls. One that sealed my fate was this book called "Twilight."

I did not give it a second thought about this book the girls were reading. Though I might have because of the popularity of it and the numerous copies that were scattered around the camp. I really did not start to notice this book and it's immense popularity until the other counselors begin to read it. Edward, Jacob, Bella, these names were used casually in conversations between campers and counselors alike and were used with a sort of familiarity. That these characters, these people, were friends of theirs and that they cared about them. I was encouraged to read the book by many but resisted because if it had the same pull on me as it did them I would never get anything else done. And after one night of unlimited flashlight time for the girls I understood that it really would have that kind of pull on me. As one of the girls in my cabin burned the midnight oil with her nose buried deep into her copy of “Eclipse.” Oh and the agony for these amazing little girls who had to miss the book release party! The one girls mother was going to the party for her and would have the book in the car for her precious child to read on the way home!

After camp I decided to check this book out for myself, to be "sucked in" as I said to my co-workers. I made a trip to the library to get some books for my classes, first week of school and reading was already being assigned. I said to myself if they had "Twilight" I would get it. If they had any of the other books in the series I would bypass on them because I wanted to start it right by reading them in order. Looking back now if they had "New Moon" and I had checked it out I don't think I would have read the whole thing. Though I might because I would have had no emotional attachment to any of the characters as of yet. I snuck into the young adult section and my fate was sealed. There on the shelf was one hard backed copy of the book I was looking for.

I was not even meant to have it. As I went to the desk to check it out, along with the required reading on cave art, the librarian said that that there was a hold on this copy. Maybe I was not supposed to read it, I thought as I caught my breath. That’s ok I said to myself you have plenty of homework to do you don’t need any distractions anyway. “...but since you have it in your hand.” She said, “it’s yours.” I let out the breath that I did not know I was holding. I tried not to think of the poor child who was going to have to wait longer for it. It was mine.

I stalled at first. I let it sit on my nightstand for a few days, it was the first week of classes and I had to concentrate on the assignments that were already being dished out. I read the first few chapters and let it sit for a little while knowing what was to come. Thursday I let it really start. I only had one class on Friday and I knew the professor, he would make the first class short and sweet. It was the Friday of the first week of school, he wanted the weekend as much as the rest of us. By Friday evening I was immersed I did not put the book down for four hours straight. My roommate was going out to a campus sponsored event, the first of the year. "There will be others" I said sheepishly. She came back two hours later. I was still in the same position until 1:30am. I devoured the beautiful story.

Then in agony checked all of the libraries in a 50 mile radius of my apartment. My luck was that that book was not meant to be mine in the first place. I would have to wait to read “New Moon.” I waited, one week. Wal-Mart had “Twilight” but no “New Moon” and only a paperback copy of “Twilight” at that. I wanted to buy it but then my brother reminded me that I would not stand for the paperback copy after awhile (because of the anal retentive part of me) and break down and purchase the hardback anyway. I sighed and put it back knowing full well that he was right.

I only had to wait a few hours later as I drove home I stopped at Borders and purchased my copy of “New Moon.” There it was on the display at the front of the store. I tried to suppress my excitement, looking at the clearance table that was set up to the left of the door. I don’t really look at the display, and quietly snag a copy from a much smaller display on one of the end caps of the aisles. As luck would have it someone had printed an online coupon and left if by the register and I saved 30% a blessing for the student loan payments would be coming as soon as May 2009. Any little thing would help. As I clutched my prize on my way to the exit my friend Rachel pointed out to me. “Hey they have t-shirts.” “Don’t tempt me” I said, and I did not take a second look at the display.

“New Moon” was a slower read for me and without the emotional attachment to the characters I don’t think that I would have stayed with the story. I do admit that I peeked to the last pages. Relieved to see that Bella was just thinking Edwards name again. That was enough to keep me going, there was hope.

Today I received a package pickup slip in my mailbox. The rest of the books are here. Waiting for me in the RA office. I know I have to pick up the package but I hope to restrain from opening it. I have another paper to write anyway. If only this counted for a class.

Friends Locked

Tue, 20 May 2008 03:37:44 GMT

Because I'm pretty much going to be on hiatus for the summer I have friends locked my journal.
thanks to bm_shipper for the banner