Don't Knock on the RIng

Sarcastically Delicious (aka boyfriend) picks on me when I wear my high school class ring.
I suppose he thinks it's childish or that high school was so-thirteen-years ago. My argument is that what's the point of getting a high school class ring if you're only supposed to wear it when you're high school. That doesn't make sense. Sometimes he'll ask me where my college or graduate school rings are. And I'll just shrug and say, "Meh. Didn't want one."

I notice I tend to wear it more when I'm drafting or revising. I suppose it helps me remember my teen self--all the boy drama, friend drama, boy drama, skating drama, boy drama, school drama...I think you get the picture. The cosmos just seemed different back then and it definitely seemed more centered around me. And any infinitesimal change in a facet of that cosmos would seem either universe shattering or the source of exponential happiness.

So, yes, wearing the ring reminds me of being teeny (no not microscopic but teenage-esque). But it is also a tangible reminder of the fruits of hard work. This ring was the first major purchase I had paid for on my own. I remember ordering it from a local jewelry store and having it put on layaway. Every week I would show up at that jewelry store with ten or twenty dollars from paycheck. The staff would always smile and take my money. I honestly can't remember how much it cost or how long it took me to pay it off, but the jewelry store staff shared in my triumph the day I got to take it home.

Do you have a memento or something you cherish that helps you remember your teen years?

First Double Salchow Since Total ACL Reconstruction Surgery!!!

Today I got the best Christmas present EVER. After tearing my ACL back in March 2010 I landed my first double salchow today!

Silly orthopedic surgeons totally under estimate the difficulty of skating, spinning, and jumping on narrow metal blades with sharp teeth on the end. They told me I'd be back to skating six months after surgery. Boy, were they smoking crack. At six months I still couldn't walk like a normal person.

TWENTY ONE months after surgery I attempted my first double jump. Kind of a big difference.

Regardless, I'm happy despite how long it took because there were points I doubted I could ever do any of this again. It's been a slow process of healing that has required a ton of hard work. My first back-to-ice-happy-moment was when I got to perform in the Pelham Skate School's production of Musical Legends and Divas on Ice and then came today.

Below, via my awesome coach, Danny's iPhone comes my first double salchow since surgery:



Funny thing is that I didn't wake up this morning thinking I wanted to try a double salchow today. But, Danny remembered a comment I made last week where I said I thought I could probably re-learn how to do a double salchow before a single flip. Flips put considerable pressure and torque on my right knee.

So this morning Danny said, "How about double salchow?"

I'm sure I gave him a look that clearly said, Are you crazy?

The first few attempts I popped and did singles because I was sooo nervous and scared. I was worried about how much the landing would hurt or I was worried about how unhappy my knee would be if I fell and twisted it. All sorts of negative horrific scenarios were playing through my head.

I pushed the negative thoughts aside and let the nineteen or twenty years of muscle memory kick in.

And it worked.

Granted, it's not the prettiest double salchow, but I have plenty of time to perfect it again now that I know that I can actually do it.

Just want to thank my coach Danny and my trainers Dedrick and Jorge at PURmotion for helping make this possible.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Google--An Indispensable Tool

As I work on my re-write/revision today I find myself turning to Google for all sorts of things:

• A street map of the area around Big Ben and Westminster Bridge
• A tube map of London
• Ice cream places near Big Ben. Which if you need to know there is a Haagen Dazs on Leicester Square.
• Different types of eyebrow piercings
• Types of camera lenses
• Turns out the British prefer the term cab instead of taxi

What have you googled today?

Reason #242 Why I Love the Writing Community

When you love your story and your characters you find yourself willing to do extreme things to make them shine. Last week, with some fabulous critiques and suggestions from Dear Editor I made the decision to move forward with what I think is my tenth rewrite/revision. I wasn't bummed about it, but actually the opposite--extremely excited.

And then I read this post by soon to be published author Shannon Whitney Messenger and I knew my decision was the right one. You have to read this post in which she details her journey from draft one to publication.

In case you don't have time to read it though, let me summarize it for you:

20

Yes, it took her twenty drafts. How fortuitous was it for me to read this post on the day I planned to embark on number ten--that is why I love this writing community.

So Thankful...

This past weekend was epic for me because it was the first time I performed on the ice since I tore my ACL back in 2010. I can't skate like I could before the injury, but I worked my tail off to do what I can do today and I wanted to share!

I also want to give a shout out to everyone who helped me heal emotionally and physically from my injury.Thank you Dedrick Agee and Jorge Bonnet, my trainers, for never giving up on me and encouraging me to keep pushing myself. Danny Tate, you are the best coach and best friend a girl could ask for. Mom thank you for helping me through my early recovery and for telling me that I will skate again. Sarcastically Delicious (aka boyfriend), couldn't have done it without your love, support, and lectures about the merits of fish oil, glucosamine, and not slacking on my therapy. My cousin Priya, for coming over after the surgery and coaching me through those dreadful leg raises. Rink buddies, you dont' know how happy it made me to rehearse and perform along side you guys again. And to my gal pals (you know who you are) thank you for listening to all my wining and for your love and understanding.

Both numbers below are group numbers. If you have trouble finding me, look for the brown person.