Season Withdrawals -- How are you dealing with it?

[blue dog]

I saw a commercial the other day about the NFL, and it said, "If you want to talk about how absence makes the heart grow fonder...talk to a fan in July."

I think the same can be applied to figure skating fans such as ourselves.

with that being said, how are you dealing with FS withdrawals?

-I am working on speeches for my final competitive season in speech and debate. Wow...I retire in April after nationals...

 

[JonnyCoop]

I'm actually dealing with it by getting caught up on LAST season; just finally finished watching the Worlds about 10 days ago and now I'm into some tapes from Nationals (Ladies SP, among others) that I never saw. My goal is to have all this caught up by Skate America....

 

[NJSk8Fan]

I keep busy following the Philadelphia Phillies. I watch just about every game and attend about 2 a month.
That and plenty of flower gardening, lawn mowing and yard sales on Saturday mornings.

 

[Tonichelle]

well I'm working full time for the first time...

and I am enjoying SUMMER... I have movies to watch, fishing, hanging out with family, road tripping on my days off... so I'm not really all that bummed about it being the off season (I must be a bad fan, eh? lol) besides, I have GS to tie me over.

 

[blue dog]

Jonnycoop-- it seems like the season is just STARTING for you, eh?

NJ- I am glad you are here again. I hope the Phillies are doing well (I don't keep up with baseball). Hopefully William Penn's spirit will lift that goshdarned curse! (The tourguide in Philadelphia kept pointing that out).

Toni- You're not a bad fan at all =) Working full time plus GS plus other activities--when do you sleep?!

 

[Ladskater]

Well, in my younger years when I used to figure skate, I loved summer skating school. It was rather refreshing to get on the ice on a hot day. Of course, now I am just an arm chair expert and have to suffer with the rest of the fans between seasons. Now I anticipate what great skating the new season will bring. I also like to review great skaters from the past like Toller Cranston.

 

[blue dog]

Well, in my younger years when I used to figure skate, I loved summer skating school. It was rather refreshing to get on the ice on a hot day. Of course, now I am just an arm chair expert and have to suffer with the rest of the fans between seasons. Now I anticipate what great skating the new season will bring. I also like to review great skaters from the past like Toller Cranston.

See, I'm glad that we now have youtube, because I had never videotaped skaters of the past, and I find that it is a treat in the summer to relive great skating from the past. I wish someone would (even though they can't, as it probably isn't worth much in the CoP) use Toller's butterfly into a spinning knee slide. It's the perfect ending for those dramatic free skates, like Tosca. I know it's a "simple" move, but it fits the music.

Are you still playing the piano?

 

[Tonichelle]

Toni- You're not a bad fan at all =) Working full time plus GS plus other activities--when do you sleep?!

I'm lucky if I'm getting 8 hours of sleep at night... and that's honest to goodness sleep

I haven't slept that little since I was about 11 lol... once I hit jr. high I went for 10+ hours a night lol

 

[iluvtodd]

As for skating, I play back my favorite skating videos/DVDs when I'm not catching up on other things I usually do in the summer.

 

[sillylionlove]

I keep busy following the Philadelphia Phillies. I watch just about every game and attend about 2 a month.
That and plenty of flower gardening, lawn mowing and yard sales on Saturday mornings.

Well I am also watching the Phillies but I have to admit that football season is here and I am totally into the Eagles. I went to training camp the other day which was quite fun!!! So I guess that pre-season football will have to tide me over until the start of the season.

GO EAGLES AND PHILLIES!!! (Phillies are only 4 games behind the Mets!!)

 

[Ladskater]

See, I'm glad that we now have youtube, because I had never videotaped skaters of the past, and I find that it is a treat in the summer to relive great skating from the past. I wish someone would (even though they can't, as it probably isn't worth much in the CoP) use Toller's butterfly into a spinning knee slide. It's the perfect ending for those dramatic free skates, like Tosca. I know it's a "simple" move, but it fits the music.

Are you still playing the piano?

Yes, Toller had many original moves that added so much to his programs. I always loved his connecting steps and his dramatic endings. Great stuff!!! I am very happy with Youtube as well. My husband found a copy of "Zero Tollerance" at a used book store and purchased it for me. So I guess I will pass the time with that. -- and yes, I still play the piano.

:thumbsup:

 

[NJSk8Fan]

Originally posted by Sillyinlove:
Well I am also watching the Phillies but I have to admit that football season is here and I am totally into the Eagles. I went to training camp the other day which was quite fun!!! So I guess that pre-season football will have to tide me over until the start of the season.

GO EAGLES AND PHILLIES!!! (Phillies are only 4 games behind the Mets!!)

I am so glad the Phillies are doing well despite all the injuries(Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, Ryan Madson, Michael Bourne, etc). It's always a heartbreaking season it seems. I've only been following them avidly since mid-2003. We're going to a game on Saturday. We went to Phillies Photo Day on July 14th and I had the thrill of shaking Pat Burrell's hand...he's my favorite hottie on the team, LOL! My fellow skating fan who is also a Phillies fan snapped this picture of the event:
(clickable thumbnail)

Originally posted by Bluedog:
NJ- I am glad you are here again. I hope the Phillies are doing well (I don't keep up with baseball). Hopefully William Penn's spirit will lift that goshdarned curse! (The tourguide in Philadelphia kept pointing that out).

I'm glad to be back, Thanks! I don't have real high hopes of the Phillies making it to the World Series, but it would be nice if they'd at least make it to playoffs.

 

[iluvtodd]

That's a really good picture, NJSk8fan!

 

[sillylionlove]

That's a great pic NJ. The Phillies do have a bunch of hotties on their team...that's for sure!!

 

[NJSk8Fan]

Yes, they do have some nice looking fellas! I got a great close up of Greg Dobbs at picture day, I think he's now my 2nd favorite hottie! LOL!

But honestly, I don't just go to games to gawk at Pat and Greg and Shane and Aaron! I pretty much educated myself on all the rules, etc., and I'm cheering and yelling as well as the men-folk at the games. I hate it when we have people sitting around us that aren't into the game. One time there was a gentleman sitting there reading a newspaper through the entire game...he kept glaring at a little boy behind him. I really felt like saying something, as the boy was not being difficult at all...why didn't that gentleman stay home in his living room to read his paper????

 

[sillylionlove]

Well having grown up in NY and spending 29 years of my life there...I have been a Yankees fan. I move to NJ in 2001 so I am a relatively new Phillies Fan. I haven't gone to a game since the day of Vets Stadium. I just haven't had the time. I was hoping to go this year but I don't think I will get around to it. Hopefully next year. But I definitly pay attention to the game.

 

[NJSk8Fan]

Originally posted by Sillylionlove:
I haven't gone to a game since the day of Vets Stadium. I just haven't had the time. I was hoping to go this year but I don't think I will get around to it. Hopefully next year.

I've went to Vet Stadium 4 times over all the years it was there. The first time was in 1974...my high school band marched on the field before the game! I didn't stay in the park for the game, I volunteered to help with "bus duty"...keeping an eye on the band equipment on the bus. Then Chip and I went to two games in 1993, just to be able to say "we went to the Vet one last time before they imploded it".
You've gotta go to Citizens Bank Park for a game. I think it's a ridiculous name for the park, I feel like I'm going to the bank instead of a ballgame when i say it...but it's a beautiful park!!! The lower level seats are really right there in the action, no matter if you're near home plate or in the outfield. There really is not a bad seat anywhere in the lower level. There are games to play, plenty of places to eat. They have spots at the top of the seating sections, on the concourse, where you can stand at a counter area to eat and watch the game. Going early to watch batting practice is fun. Some of the players, such as starting pitchers who won't be playing the particular night, sign lots of autographs during batting practice. We really have a lot of fun going to the games, even if the Phil's lose.
I've got a ton of photos on Photobucket if you are interested.

 

[sillylionlove]

I will definitly have to check it out. I have been to the Linc. At least they have a cool nickname for that.

 

[Tigger]

One time there was a gentleman sitting there reading a newspaper through the entire game...he kept glaring at a little boy behind him. I really felt like saying something, as the boy was not being difficult at all...why didn't that gentleman stay home in his living room to read his paper????

I hate that!! Why do these people even bother going to the game and let someone who is a fan buy their ticket.

Anyway...This summer I've been doing a fair bit of knitting for the local NICU. I learned two years ago and I just started today knitting my very first baby sweater. Wish me luck and cross your fingers Gang this turns out, as I'm just a wee bit nervous about it. I also crochet, but as my current projects are a baby blanket and a sweater for my Mom, I decided to wait until later on in September to get back to those. It's been so scorchingly hot here, working on something that covers your lap tends to lose it's appeal.

I'm a Moderator at the Fandom section of a Lord of the Rings MB I belong to and I'm also on the News Team as well. W/both Viggo Mortensen and Cate Blanchett having two movies coming out that are already generating big buzz and Sir Ian McKellen on a World Tour w/the Royal Shakespeare Theatre Company playing King Lear...That's been keeping me fairly busy.

I've also broke out the occasional skating tape/DVD. Hoping watching skating would help keep me cool. Wishful thinking on that part sadly.

I'm also a huge Blue Jays fan and been following them. If only we hadn't had so many injuries so early in the year, we might be in the chase for that Wild Card spot in the American League. Haven't been down to see a game this year, but hoping that will change in a few weeks as...

I am now preparing to head to Toronto for the first weekend of the International Film Festival. Going to be getting together w/some friends and at the very least do the wait behind the barricade and scream at Viggo as he does the Red Carpet. At the very most, do that *and* get into Roy Thomson Hall to see the Gala Presentation of Eastern Promises.. Gala tickets go on sale on the 25th, so hopefully...

I really, really want to see this movie. Have seen the trailer and it looks incredable!! Also really want to see Elizabeth : The Golden Age, but not sure when it's having it's Gala at the Festival, so might have to wait till it's released into theatres.

Anyway...That's how I'm managing to keep busy during the Off Season.

 

[astimegoesby]

Anyone else spending their off-season converting their skating tape collection to DVD? I finally started doing this a few months ago, and while it's taking a lot longer than I originally thought, it's still been fun to watch a lot of those old events again...some of which I haven't seen since they were originally broadcast.

I admit I didn't have much time at all to follow skating last season, so I'm actually just getting back into the swing of things during this off-season. I can't wait to start converting my 2006/07 tape collection so I can really sit down and actually watch most of those events for the first time!

Anyway, that's my main way of dealing with skating withdrawal this summer. I just hope I finish converting my tape collection to DVD before it's time to convert those DVDs to something else!