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Hi everyone,

I've moved my blog to wordpress.com and it's called

Trish on skates. http://trishonskates.wordpress.com/

Skating in circles

It's hot as heck but skaters are an intrepid group and it's going on all around. Greenlake is a great skate as most of it is in the shade and there is usually a nice breeze. Joe and the quad girls are making loops regularly.
Mauro C (Batman) has added slacklining to the list of things he likes to do at Greenlake...this is where you place a strong rope between two trees and walk across it. Mauro skates his dog around, a few lap for himself, a walk for the dog, a swim for the dog and then slacklining, without leaving the lake. Mario P is also hitting Greenlake although he says he prefers Alki because it is less crowded. Agreed, but Greenlake is handy for some of us.
Klaus hits Greenlake numerous times each week. He goes round and round and round and then around again.
The slalom crew has been hitting the cones pretty hard (not physically) as a few are getting ready for the Asian Battle coming up soon. Some skaters are on the eastside, Like Doug and John while Jeremy and a crew are hitting 65th Street.
I'm going to Greenlake pretty often myself although I've decided that a marathon is in my future so I'm trying to drag my behind on the Burke.
Mostly, Stacy, Maria, Sam, Joe and myself are teaching at the skate camps, even in 108 degree weather. Whew, now that was hot!

Hope you are skating whether it's in circles or in straight lines...

Back for more

Hi everyone,

Completely lame on updating this.

Skating outdoors has been in full swing for quite some time. I am simply skating at Greenlake just for fun, most of the time alone, with my music, dancing around like an idiot and loving it.

Battle US happened in Boston with a huge contingency from Seattle. One of the skaters from Korea headed our way and is hanging out at the Seattle Center (some times) and wowing anyone walking by.... such a wealth of skating talent in the world to highlight.

I was just given the USSG (United Skate Schools Group) business which does a couple of things: certifies skaters to become instructors, offers continuing education for already certified instructors and helps nationwide and internationally to build the larger community of skating, whether they take lessons or not. See the group face book page USSG - sports and recreation.

Of note is that the company includes quad skaters and I am hoping to get a pair and start quad skating. I've done it once and it was a blast although the it took about an hour to get the different balance going. I understand that some of the spot or R&B dance moves are easier if you learn them on quads, so hopping to take my skate dancing up a notch. Then I can hang with the Roller Skaters without being embarrassed about my poor form. They are so nice to me anyway--it's just fun to hang out with them.

Skate Camps are in full swing, crazy as always, but full of miracles. On Mondays the kids can't skate. By Friday, at the talent show where they show their parents and guardians what they learned, miracles are present. They do flamingos (one foot glides) Toe rolls, midgets and even some can do a daffy. The immersion program for skating.

Instructors can offer the miracles, the students just need to see the possibilities and be given loving encouragement. The USSG (U Skate So Good) is perfect for creating more skating miracles.

Skate On! Trish

Skating differently, weeeeeeeeeeee!

It is with great joy that I noticed last night that I have added yet another way to skate. Due to a scheduling change this week, I found myself at both the Wednesday night Lynnwood session and the Thursday night Skate King session. I attended the Skate King session last week as well and my friends there well know that I usually head to bed by 9pm were happy that I was making it a habit....now I want to.

I do want to give you a description of the Thursday night skate: 8:30-11pm, 4/5’s quad skaters. R&B music, dark and the lights are bright only for the ‘backwards skate.’ Good quad skaters, I mean really good quad skaters. The grace and beauty of quad skating is found both in the middle of the rink as well as the outside ring where they skate in lines, each one following the bobbing and sway to the music of the person in front. They do this at blazing speed while NOT running into the new skaters in rental skates. Unlike inlines these quad skaters wear the top of their skates untied and often the inner tongue, hanging out has some kind of fabric like a dalmation or there is glow wheels or a strip of blue light under the boot shining out on the floor as if to say, Halaleujah, I’m skating! Each person has their own complete style, born out of the 20-30 years they have been skating—I’m a teenager compared to their time on skates.

I guess my best way to describe the session is to believe it is like hearing Barry White’s voice. I adore these skaters, many longtime friends. They greet me warmly when I come to THEIR session and it always seems as if I just saw them yesterday. They are generous with their time, always willing to teach me or anyone something new. They always notice a new move I might have conquered, always taking time to see what others around them are doing. No hurries, no worries, just a joyful time on skates when we all come together. Ah, I can still feel it now.

During both the Lynnwood and the Skate King session I was subjected to a type of music that I do not easily cotton to. It is not a beat my body feels easily and therefore I struggle to get my skates to move in the ways I am used to.

Maybe it was the three nights in a week--the rhythm beginning to speak to my skates, but I found myself slowing down, carving more patterns, and doing so faster or maybe more efficient & artistic ways--in ways I hadn't felt before.

In skating I am a feeler. Ask me to do something and I have to go out and do it before I can break it down for a student. Music is what translates the movement between my head and my skates. Last night this great quad skater was skating by in a way I can only describe as lyrical and I commented how beautiful a skater he was and he replied (paraphrasing): I'm just hanging on for the ride, my feet tell my head where to go.

New bumper sticker: I'm just hanging on for the roll.

I am sure I cannot adequately explain what was going on, it is always difficult to explain a miracle but here is my best shot: Tim and Ernie (I like to look at my feet-fame, Ernie) were commenting on the incredibly short frame of my SEBA's and how I must love my skates. Tim laughed and said he could now teach me to dance (meaning that my Pic Skates did not afford me all the movement needed) and the music inspired me and I showed them some of the stuff my skates allowed me to do. It was just then that I realized: I'm skating more fluid, faster and in different patterns than I can on my Pic Skates. I had found yet another way to skate and that is what I love about skating. There are so many different ways to skate and finding yet another one was miraculous.

My movements in this way are not another discipline, maybe an offshoot of quad skating to R&B (my own style of course given that I am rhythm challenged.) It is simply that I have found completely new patterns available to me with these skates.

How many pairs of skates do you own? I get that question a lot and new skaters always assume they can find one skate for their needs. The truth is that as you improve you will need a different skate each time you try a different discipline: Short frame skates for indoors, Long frame/bigger wheels for marathons, short frame rockered skates for slalom, Pic skates for artistic, quad skates for Roller Derby and med/long frame medium sized wheels for trails. Within those disciplines our advanced students have several pairs based on weather, aches & pains and surface.

My point on the number of skates you own is that your ability to skate in a variety of ways, to not get bored with your skating, to challenge yourself, is only limited by the number of skates you own.

I know this sounds nuts but even as I write this, my heart is absolutely busting with joy that I found something new. That I get to skate differently. I can't believe my skates discovered it without my guidance. See what happens when you move your brain out of the way?

You know, I'd be silly to not keep going to the Thursday night session...look what I found. Man I love to skate, weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

It goes to ELEVEN ! Archives: 9/6/06

9/6/06



Finally, I am starting my 11th year teaching and I could not have fathomed the path it would lead me on. My skate journey has been incredible. I got certified because I couldn't find people to skate with, the way I did and I thought maybe I could help people learn and then I'd have skaters to play with. Who knew? Certainly not me. Over the years I've met the most wonderful people, they go in and out of my life, I'm always glad to see them and it's fun to run across them on a trail, or at a marathon. I've traveled via skating to Miami Beach and Orlando, Cleveland four times, Washington DC twice, LongBeach, Duluth, Kellogg, Vancouver, BC & Philadelphia. I had not previously been to those cities so my skate journey was not just local, but nationwide. I hope to do more but I'm always happy here skating with friends, soon to be friends, long lost friends and skaters I've yet to meet.

The skate school is going on it's seventh year, in it's present form, and the skate school gets to exist because you show up. I don't know where your skate journey will take you but we are grateful you spend some of your time with us, it's the only reason we get to keep our doors open, and I can't tell you how fortunate we are.

Later, skaters, Trish

Skate/Cabin Fever

While the fun of snow has waned considerably I will admit that the early days of the snowfall brought much joy.

I am a terrible driver in the snow and somewhat afraid of Mother Nature's control over me so my car stays parked and I walk anywhere I need to go. Walking trips included two to three a day with the dogs while they jumped from one pile of snow to another like a puppy who has not yet figured out the economy of motion and instead hops in the air like a bucking bronco. Watching them move around in the snow was a heart filling sight.

With the snow, few cars and few other foot travelers, I left them to run off leash. We go to the dog park every day (that we are not snowed in) so this was a good chance to give them their dog-park experience closer to home.

Mauro (Batman) emailed me a video of him skating on his super-short skis the first day of the snow. It occurred to me that I actually owned some skate skis and that I too could get out and ski, and ski I did....For two glorious days I headed out in my four-previous-years of unused-skis. While I did not initially remember much that I had learned on our Skate-Ski Journey to Leavenworth with several skate school students, after an hour or say I felt pretty comfortable and then I had fun. I skate skied around the neighborhood and met lots of new neighbors, said hello to my close neighbors I haven't seen for a while and looked at how wonderful all the homes looked with the white snow blanketing them like a quilt on a cold night.


I loved the cross-training chance to use muscles I don't normally use and the endorphin release that happens from good old fun body movement. There were moments when I went downhill pretty fast and on the thin skis and my feeling that my balance wasn't quite predictable, when I was a bit afraid. What is better than movement in a new way, the feeling that every once in a while you are doing it right, endorphins that make your smile so big you feel it could melt the snow and a little fear to make you feel warrior like? Hmmm THAT was a joyful moment.
I walked to the library to return some books and get some new ones (and videos/DVDs) and then over to PCC. The Essential Baking Company coffee cake I ate while in a very long line made the time go by almost too fast. It was fun to see all the neighbors, most of them walking, bundled up and easily wishing everyone Happy Holidays when at other times they would walk through focused only on finding the food on their list. Although a few people were harried, smiles and kind words out muscled any stress which tried to shuffle for position.

I ran into Justin, one of my neighbors who was out walking his dog Ziggy. We talked about Cinnamon Rolls and although I'm not sure how they came up, it became and afternoon project. The next day found me out walking the dogs early and I ran into Justin's wife Lindsay and handed her two cinnamon rolls for her. It's been a while since I did some baking for my neighbors. I should have given them the whole pan because I didn't really need them all. Really, I didn't.

On the Monday before Christmas I finally had to venture out. Two hours walking/taking a bus found me at my Dad's condo in Belltown. Dad's condo sold and my brother Walter and I moved it into the UHaul Walt brought from Bainbridge Island where he lives. I had such a good time with Walt, maybe because we would finally be finished moving Dad's stuff but more likely it was the holidays and Walt and I were together. We finished and I sent him home with two cinnamon rolls. Two less for me to eat, hooray.

I did get into a car on Christmas Eve. My sister-in-law Kirsten's brother Kris picked me up and we went to Kirstens for an annual dinner. Family, really good food, conversation and simply love. WOW.

I am running out of food and so a walk to the store is in order. I thought about going today but the rain/snow mix and ice/slushy paths didn't really appeal to me. Having run out of cinnamon rolls I made a cinnamon coffee cake today. I should probably drop by my neighbors and get rid of the other 13 pieces.

Admittedly the snow isn't as much fun anymore but it doesn't take away the absolute elation I felt at playing in the snow. It created a situation for me to slow down and do stuff around the house I both needed to do and other that I got to do. I'm moving really slow at getting my work done, and I've watched way too many movies but I've had a lot of nice time off, spent time in just the way we always promise we will resolve to do.

The snow brought great benefit, joy and well, delicious cinnamon rolls. I hope you stayed safe, sane and found good even when it was tiresome. Later, skaters, Trish

Hooked on a Feeling

Welcome to Trish's blog, Conversations on Skates



While I have written a column under the name of the Finish Line for many years, I recently changed it to Conversations on Skates. The Finish Line had a lot to do with setting goals and achieving them, but I really wanted a more inclusive title and so.....

I won't write the posts with serious regularity, rather I write a post when the topic writes itself in my head, when the only way to get it out of my head is to write it down. That is the way all my decisions are made, all my challenging communications are sorted out and how I make my world make sense. I write it down. This column is a natural extension of this.

I am not a great skater, but when I skate I feel that everything is perfect. It comes from somewhere within and that moment is always signaled by a few joyful tears reaching my eyelashes. Somewhere within me everything is right, balanced, uh, wouldn't you know that I can't seem to describe it well enough to write it down. All I know is that I love my life and sometimes when I skate I know that I am doing the right thing at the right moment for all the right reasons. It happens when I am skating to great music, my feet do the moves and I'm not thinking about what they are doing. They just do it.

This is my friend Mauro: He makes skating look GOOOOOOD!!!



I once wrote a column after my brother Blair died in 2000 that 'skating makes my world make sense.' I still think that is true, but it was more true as I slalomed through the range of emotions that were in front of me during that time in my life. I don't think I need skating now like I did then. Now I have more energy for skating so I don't have to have my life make sense, it just does. It is because I went through about 6 years of well, various configurations like slalom skating that skating comes easier, is more joyful more often.

Skating is something different to everyone. There are many disciplines, but even within the same discipline it is simply different. In indoor speed skating some are looking to improve their skills through racing or they thrive on competition, while others are doing it just for fitness. Why these differences?

Some people take up skating and for a variety of reasons don't enjoy it: at the skate school we see a lot of new skaters really struggle with just the very basic steps. What is interesting is what separates the brand new struggling skater who keeps at it and becomes a teacher from another struggling skater who quits.


Above is the "Skate for Susan" a community skate to raise money for her to enjoy the OutdoorsForAll programs. She went skiing!

I think the answer is that skating is a feeling. I feel it, the teacher who overcame early struggles, and the indoor speed skaters all felt it. I don’t think the feeling is because someone is good, or a natural, but simply that when they skate something happens to them. When it comes to deciding how someone wants to spend a day, a skater who ‘feels’ their skating will choose to skate. A skater who doesn't get the feeling won't skate for very long. One skater chooses to skate and join our skate community and the not skater goes on to other endeavors. My hope is that the non skater will find that sport, that instrument, that movement that gives them the ‘feeling.’

It is my hope that our skate school simply offers everyone in the community who finds us a chance to see if you have the feeling. How will you know? When will you know? I don’t know the answer to this. I just cry, then I know.