ADD, OCD, ABC :: Obsessive Compulsive Alphabet

We had our lesson yesterday and I moved up a class. Yea! And if we get our forward cross-overs down then we can move up another. Taking a break from skating today. I skated around 5 hours yesterday. Instead, I'm getting ready to go see Chicago tonight with Jen with a planned stop by Broadway for some dancing afterwards.

Broadway will be a little strange without Spencer there. Half the time, I go just to visit with him. What do I do now? Visit the Bigfoot I guess. Swing just won't be the same without Spencer. Not even sure if my heart will be in it without him. Can't really dance to our song if he's not there!

Right now, I'm so obsessed with the fact that I can not get my hands satisfactorily (is that even a word?) clean enough. I spent the afternoon staining my latest project. Like a fool, I didn't wear latex gloves and now every wrinkle and crease is filled with stain. It takes more than chanting "Out, out Damn spot" to clean these babies. It's so bad when I make a fist I can feel the stain crowding the lines that cross over your knuckles. What the hell are those anyway? Do they have a name? I guess I better refrain from the fist until I get it to wear off. I wish I could stop thinking about it. It is so OCD!

Just as I'm begining to realize I am probably ADD, I have to start with this OCD thing too! God, am I just going to go through all the compulsions represented by cute little abbreviations???? Please don't let me be a hypochondriac too!

Other news :: I heard Nell Carter died. I thought Dave was shitting me when he called. She was with us last month and seemed fine to me. But then again what do I know about her health problems.

Out my Window :: The Police have been steadily cruising my neighborhood every fifteen minutes. I wonder what's going on. It's been pretty quiet here today. Just the usual :: Muni Drivers walking back and forth from cars to buses. Guy on scooter pulling Dog on Board stopping by the liquor store and rolling home. Skateboard Guy with glow in dark blinking helmet flying past. Noon Time Lunch Crowd invading... Typical Dogpatch moments. Nothing OCD, ADD, or OPP about that.

Skating on the Brain :: What a Feeling!

I'm tired and beat in such a good way when I compare it to my usual tired. That is the tired from being under stress and pressure all day standing around on set for hours upon hours. Not such a good feeling to bring home with you. This one is great. Yes, I'm sore in places I never knew existed but its because I'm doing something I want to do. I can't remember when I was doing something I wanted to do this much. Something I had to conquer this much. I believe it must have been when I was singing. That was quite a while ago. I figure if I put as much effort into this as I did singing, I'll be pretty damn good in a few years. Not Olympic good, but good for someone who just started.

It's like I told someone at the rink the other day.... I have to believe that if you apply yourself to something and work at it. At the end of the day, you will accomplish the goal. I know this because I have always learned slower than others. I have to work harder in order to be successful at things. I probably put in more hours than others but that's the learning curve I'm fighting.

I had a break through with the new skates today. Yesterday, I was really fighting them. Everything felt different and new. They are so much sharper than my old ones which is nice. I was reassured by serval people that new skates are just tough at first. You have to break them in. Today, I practiced and practiced. I started feeling confident and really picked it up out there. I think I'm finally getting a feel for the ice. The skates are also feeling more a part of me. This is good I hope. I have to continue to work on my stops. I had those down before!!!

Other news ::

Just about a week I think until Aprille gets here. And then there's the White Party this weekend. I wish I could get excited about that. I think I just have skating on the brain right now. Tee Hee...

New Skates :: Positively Falling

I've been skating like a maniac these past couple weeks. So much so that when I don't skate, I don't sleep as well. This part sucks, the part where my body is used to consistent excercise. I will probably have to always excercise.This part rocks, the part where my body is used to consistent excercise. I love skating.

I love the challenge. I love making goals for myself. I love improving. And I especially love the feeling I get after a good workout. This is something I always wanted to do. I'm glad as an adult I am giving myself that chance.

Skating is helping me deal with that fear of falling I've developed in the last few years. It's great. I never thought I'd say that I appreciate falling. Falling is becoming a pretty positive thing for me. It means I'm learning. It also is nice to fall and get up and still have your teeth intact. I like that part. I look forward to falling some more.

Yesterday, I decided that I was pretty dedicated to the skating and falling. In order to keep this significant part of my day going, I needed better skates. The forty dollar JC Penney Skates just were not cutting it anymore. I went down to SkatePro and got the most incredible skates. I've been worshipping them ever since. Although, we'll see how I feel after I finally get to skate in them. I tried on a few pairs. Asked the right questions. Bought Skates! They had to be heat molded to my feet which took almost forty minutes. Twenty minutes in the oven and twenty minutes on my feet while sitting in a bent knee sort of position. Then they had to cure overnight. The boot is much stiffer than the one I was skating in. Apparently, they never really break in all that much... you just get used to the way it feels. Thank God, I'm sort of a sadist with this high tolerance for pain thing.

I hate waiting. I'm so impatient. I am like a kid on Christmas morning with these skates. I cannot wait to skate. Let's hope I love the new skates as much after I hit the ice.

Ticket to Ride :: Muni Under Fire

Aprille booked her tickets yesterday. She's really coming to SF now. Problem is that she's coming for a limited amount of time and there is a horde of people who are goign to want a chunk of that time. I wonder how much of it I will get to spend with them? I suggested that we take Taylor skiing for her birthday. If we decide to do that, we can visit Grandma on the way up or back. But I'll have to know soon so I can find Taylor something to wear. Aprille can just wear something of mine.

It's another gorgeous day outside. I doubt the weather will be this amazing when Aprille gets out here though. Too bad. It's so perfect right now. Really, it's like summer. I went out to John's by the beach for breakfast yesterday. Unbelievable the sun quotient out there.

Right now, I'm recooperating from yesterday. Wednesday started out on a terror note. Around 5:14 AM, 9 gunshots broke the silence settled in on our little industrial neighborhood. Two probably from a .357 and 7 more from an automatic weapon of some type. I immediately woke up hearing the first shot and rolled onto the floor like a well trained Dogpatch denizen. While waiting to hear the car speed away, I recounted the rhythm of the shots. I never heard a car speed away though. A little terrified, well a lot of the outside world now, I called a friend. Ended up trying to sleep in the Living Room but that never worked out. Turns out it was a couple of guys ambushing a Muni driver on his way into work. Sometimes, we all dislike Muni but this much???? Had to be some sort of thing between the guys. They are calling it premeditated murder.

Too many police cars and TV Vans around yesterday so I didn't hang around home. As I said, I went to John's. Later, I caught the bus and went to the rink for some practice. That was great. I think I am mastering everything we learned in class so far. I even worked on crossovers too. I took a pretty good fall at the end. I was really tired. I fell correctly though so I was proud over all.

Still not freaking out about time off but the fact I am not earning any money weighs on me at times. Need to have a little income. Coleen has another job offer already. Me, nothing. I have to be patient and keep trying to relax. Relaxing is so important.

Surprise :: Sister, Skating, Date

I was hit with the uncontrolable urge to clean yesterday. My roommates had to convince me to stop it was so bad. Now, I only wish I could motivate myself like that all time. It started with the decision to clean the tub and spread like a virus through the house. I hit the living room, kitchen, and the laundry room with abandon. Now, who the hell cleans the laundry room? This biological instinct can really kill a friday night.

Other news ::

My sister is visiting in February!!! For really and truly!!! I'm so excited. I haven't seen in almost a year and a half. Yea!!! And she's bringing my niece, Taylor as a birthday surprise. My dad, actually came up with the plane tickets when he heard she wanted to visit. So not only is she coming to SF, she's also coming for free. Very nice. CoCo and I plan to take her out and paint the town some outrageous color.

Later tonight ::

Going to see CoCo's show tonight. She's playing at the Oakland Ice Arena. What a strange but wonderful combination. I get to hear my best friend's band and also get to skate. How lucky for me. Especially since I just started taking Ice Skating lessons last week. CoCo even got me to get off my ass and print out the coupon. I, in no way, was going to drag out my printer just to get a few bucks off skating. It seems that the band with most coupons turned in gets to come back for a Battle of the Bands. Now, it's imperative that I print. So they can get credit for my ass.

Then, I have to get back into the city to meet with date.

Day ? :: I lost count I must be relaxing

I got my apprenticeship papers in the mail today! Wow, I can hardly believe it. On my way finally to a card. How many years I've wanted my card. How many years I've thought of this moment. Geez, I feel all cheesy and movie moment like. Watch I'll start spouting corny cliches soon like pinch me, I'm dreaming.

Step one. Balancing on one foot.