Brief Life and Skate Canada Recap Post
Ugh. Halloween will NEVER fucking end. I just ate a nutter butter that was iced to look like a ghost (with three little chocolate chips for eyes and a mouth). I also had all of the jellybeans, but the jellybeans had nothing to do with Halloween and everything to do that I had an epic migraine today.
I have been exceedingly lucky in as much as most of my migraines in the past year have been visualization + nausea + exhaustion. No grinding, crushing head pain or vomiting. Today though, crushing head pain wanted to join the party and wanted to bring his best friend vomiting. Luckily I was able to go home for a long lunch and rest my eyes for 40 minutes. I feel immensely better after 3 ibuprofen, a ton of water, and the aforementioned jelly beans.
This week. It better not keep fucking with me. I have domestic time planned with The Boy tonight, my hermit night planned on Tuesday, chores on Wednesday, skating and a clothes swap on Thursday, Friday The Boy is meeting my sister and brother-in-law for dinner and then me and all the ladies are going drancing (that's drunk dancing), Saturday The Boy and I are going to San Antonio, and Sunday I'm going shopping with my mother. All awesome things. But so many awesome things I wish I could quit work and devote myself full time to be both awesome and lazy. Also skating.
Speaking of, another Grand Prix event happened this week but I was little less invested in it. As such I'm pretty sure my recape will only be the Manly Men and Fly Honeys of Skate Canada. The pairs and ice dance teams did well. The Kerrs! How I love them. The Russian team! They were so good! But I only watched about 25% of both events and please see the above paragraph as to why I won't be catching up on it this week.
The Manly Men:
Patrick Chan:
Short: Wow. That was a disaster. I'm sure he'll get that sorted out, but for a season's debut that had to hurt. Once it's sorted though, apparently it's going to get monster scores. Based on NHK and this event, it seems like the winner of program components is either actually the best of the night, or just the winner of the "Most Unexpected Fail of the Night" award. I've already put myself in the Johnny Weir school of judging, and so while I get that this system forgives mistakes, but I feel like they don't reward perfection enough.
Long: I was not excited to see that he's reusing last year's program. I know lots and lots of skaters do that, including skaters I dearly love, but somehow it feels anti-climactic. Does anyone know if he's going to be using it the whole season? Also, while I understand that it was a difficult program, program components that were nearly 9 points above the other competitors was, I thought, a bit much. But I thought 7 points for Daisuke was a bit much too much, as well. Patrick landed a lot of his jumps, but they did not always seem confident to me. And he fell on the 3A and underrotated one of his jumps in combination and yet the technical score was the highest of the night. Oh judging system, I don't get you.
Nobunari Oda:
Short: I really love this short program. The jumps were beautiful and the spins were fantastic. I felt the music suited and inspired him. I only wish he'd attacked the footwork with a little bit more abandon. I hope this program gets even better as the season progresses.
Long: I think it must have been so tough for Oda, going up against Chan on Chan's turf and I feel like he couldn't skate freely, especially after with the added pressure of being first after the short program. I wish he hadn't put the hand down on the quad (and obviously had landed the triple axel) but I thought a lot of his jumps looked quite beautiful. I think that when he gets the chance skate this program freely, really feeling the music, it will be a tremendous program. (Though I still don't know that I'll love it as much as his short.) I'll be very interested to see what happens at Japanese Nationals this year between Daisuke and Nobunari.
Adam Rippon:
Short: I'm going on the record with another unpopular opinion- I fucking hate the Romeo and Juliet Overture. Can't we just all agree as a society to stop skating to it? Also the costume, God love you, Stephanie Handler, looks a little like something my high school might have thrown together for a theatre project. Cheap. BUT what I do like about this program is that it is very light on its feet for being so heavy on the drama.
Long:Am I in love with this program? Mm, no. Do I like it a lot? Yes. Yes, I do. I love the music. I love that it's something Adam twists and flicks his wrists to, all the curves of the program so to speak. Some things about it are just lovely, and some things feel like they need some spit and polish. Adam, please use this season to teach you whatever you need to hit your full potential. And maybe start having some more fun out there. He looked like he had very little fun left in him after this skate. But no matter, I'm happy he made the podium.
Other notes:
This is literally the first time I've ever paid attention to Alban Preaubert's skating and I found myself very, very charmed. I mean, I understand why he's not placing higher internationally, but I liked him a lot. Despite the lace mishap, Jeremy Ten added nine points to his free skate score, six of them in Technical Elements which I was very happy to see. I love that kid. The first minute of the program was just great, and I wish he was more elite because I'd probably never stop stanning him. Javier Fernandez did great, but I'm still not sorry Adam made the podium instead.
The Fly Honeys:
Alissa Czya;lkj. I mean Czisny:
Short: I do not like her short program costume. The white leotard under the very, very sheer skirt looked very granny panties to me. Which is not to say I didn't like the program. I did. But it was the classical program of patient and pretty grace and I've made it pretty clear that in general I'm not the target audience for that type of program. It's the Southern in me, I think. I'm more Ballet Folklorico than Bolshoi inside. I hope her season continues to help her distance herself from the headcase/inconsistent reputation she's developed, though. I'd love to have a deep field of competitive female skaters.
Long: I loved this costume so much more. Very pretty. Very water nymph. And the program was great. I liked the skating, it was a little... sharper. Sharper isn't really the word I'm looking for, but there was a more active and powerful feeling than her short. But it wasn't like she was punching and karate chopping. Dynamic? Let's go with dynamic. Anyway, I feel like her feet looked heavy/low on a few of the landings in the beginning, but by then she looked just great (minus the fall). Lovely spins. I really do agree with the first place standing.
Ksenia Makarova:
Short: Oh Ms. Ksenia. You pretty elegant thing. I love all the Latin programs for ladies. It's just so much more interesting to me to watch. The best part was I felt like watching this program that I was fully justified in supporting Ksenia. No one could watch that and dismissively say, "Ugh, you just think she's cool because of Johnny." False! I love her hip wiggle and her commitment to the choreography and her pleased smile. Also check the lovely layback spin and the triple loop. And bonus Viktor Petrenko waiting in the Kiss n' Cry, holding her purse.
Long: I was just ridiculous while watching this, flailing and jumping. I wanted her to do well but I was afraid of a Nebelhorn repeat. If she didn't place higher than 3rd I was sure Cynthia Phaneuf would get the gold, and Ksenia might miss the podium all together. In the end she made some mistakes but she went for big combinations and executed herself very well. Had Phaneuf not melted down, she might still have seen 3rd, but she should still be proud considering this is her first full senior season. She's only 18 and I hope she gets better and better, feels the music more and more, and gets more and more personality coming through on the ice. I'd like to see her really define herself as a ______ skater. You know, be whatever she wants to be, but just set herself apart.
Amelie Lacoste:
Short: What a diva. I loved it. She obviously didn't set the world on fire with this program, but I watching this I just enjoyed it a lot. And being exactly zero invested in her before seeing it, that says a lot!
Long: 5th in short and 4th in the long = 3rd place! LOL. Maaaath. Or rather, the rewards of skating solidly over two days as opposed to rocking it one day and not the other. Congrats to her. I don't know how she'll fare in other competitions against heavier competitors, but seriously congrats. I didn't know who she was before Friday but in the end I was happy to see her medal.
Other notes: Oh Cynthia Phaneuf. That long program can't have been any fun. Oh Fumie what on EARTH was that costume for the long? I love ladies skating in pants, but harem pants and what at first glance looked to be a do rag. I also felt bad that the woman skating to Requiem for a Dream a) chose that music which gives a vivid sense memory to me of horrible things and b) fell on the jumps. Although she has a built-in excuse. "Well, falling on that jump was meant to represent the pain of heroin addiction."
I need new skating icons. And another nap.
I have been exceedingly lucky in as much as most of my migraines in the past year have been visualization + nausea + exhaustion. No grinding, crushing head pain or vomiting. Today though, crushing head pain wanted to join the party and wanted to bring his best friend vomiting. Luckily I was able to go home for a long lunch and rest my eyes for 40 minutes. I feel immensely better after 3 ibuprofen, a ton of water, and the aforementioned jelly beans.
This week. It better not keep fucking with me. I have domestic time planned with The Boy tonight, my hermit night planned on Tuesday, chores on Wednesday, skating and a clothes swap on Thursday, Friday The Boy is meeting my sister and brother-in-law for dinner and then me and all the ladies are going drancing (that's drunk dancing), Saturday The Boy and I are going to San Antonio, and Sunday I'm going shopping with my mother. All awesome things. But so many awesome things I wish I could quit work and devote myself full time to be both awesome and lazy. Also skating.
Speaking of, another Grand Prix event happened this week but I was little less invested in it. As such I'm pretty sure my recape will only be the Manly Men and Fly Honeys of Skate Canada. The pairs and ice dance teams did well. The Kerrs! How I love them. The Russian team! They were so good! But I only watched about 25% of both events and please see the above paragraph as to why I won't be catching up on it this week.
The Manly Men:
Patrick Chan:
Short: Wow. That was a disaster. I'm sure he'll get that sorted out, but for a season's debut that had to hurt. Once it's sorted though, apparently it's going to get monster scores. Based on NHK and this event, it seems like the winner of program components is either actually the best of the night, or just the winner of the "Most Unexpected Fail of the Night" award. I've already put myself in the Johnny Weir school of judging, and so while I get that this system forgives mistakes, but I feel like they don't reward perfection enough.
Long: I was not excited to see that he's reusing last year's program. I know lots and lots of skaters do that, including skaters I dearly love, but somehow it feels anti-climactic. Does anyone know if he's going to be using it the whole season? Also, while I understand that it was a difficult program, program components that were nearly 9 points above the other competitors was, I thought, a bit much. But I thought 7 points for Daisuke was a bit much too much, as well. Patrick landed a lot of his jumps, but they did not always seem confident to me. And he fell on the 3A and underrotated one of his jumps in combination and yet the technical score was the highest of the night. Oh judging system, I don't get you.
Nobunari Oda:
Short: I really love this short program. The jumps were beautiful and the spins were fantastic. I felt the music suited and inspired him. I only wish he'd attacked the footwork with a little bit more abandon. I hope this program gets even better as the season progresses.
Long: I think it must have been so tough for Oda, going up against Chan on Chan's turf and I feel like he couldn't skate freely, especially after with the added pressure of being first after the short program. I wish he hadn't put the hand down on the quad (and obviously had landed the triple axel) but I thought a lot of his jumps looked quite beautiful. I think that when he gets the chance skate this program freely, really feeling the music, it will be a tremendous program. (Though I still don't know that I'll love it as much as his short.) I'll be very interested to see what happens at Japanese Nationals this year between Daisuke and Nobunari.
Adam Rippon:
Short: I'm going on the record with another unpopular opinion- I fucking hate the Romeo and Juliet Overture. Can't we just all agree as a society to stop skating to it? Also the costume, God love you, Stephanie Handler, looks a little like something my high school might have thrown together for a theatre project. Cheap. BUT what I do like about this program is that it is very light on its feet for being so heavy on the drama.
Long:Am I in love with this program? Mm, no. Do I like it a lot? Yes. Yes, I do. I love the music. I love that it's something Adam twists and flicks his wrists to, all the curves of the program so to speak. Some things about it are just lovely, and some things feel like they need some spit and polish. Adam, please use this season to teach you whatever you need to hit your full potential. And maybe start having some more fun out there. He looked like he had very little fun left in him after this skate. But no matter, I'm happy he made the podium.
Other notes:
This is literally the first time I've ever paid attention to Alban Preaubert's skating and I found myself very, very charmed. I mean, I understand why he's not placing higher internationally, but I liked him a lot. Despite the lace mishap, Jeremy Ten added nine points to his free skate score, six of them in Technical Elements which I was very happy to see. I love that kid. The first minute of the program was just great, and I wish he was more elite because I'd probably never stop stanning him. Javier Fernandez did great, but I'm still not sorry Adam made the podium instead.
The Fly Honeys:
Alissa Czya;lkj. I mean Czisny:
Short: I do not like her short program costume. The white leotard under the very, very sheer skirt looked very granny panties to me. Which is not to say I didn't like the program. I did. But it was the classical program of patient and pretty grace and I've made it pretty clear that in general I'm not the target audience for that type of program. It's the Southern in me, I think. I'm more Ballet Folklorico than Bolshoi inside. I hope her season continues to help her distance herself from the headcase/inconsistent reputation she's developed, though. I'd love to have a deep field of competitive female skaters.
Long: I loved this costume so much more. Very pretty. Very water nymph. And the program was great. I liked the skating, it was a little... sharper. Sharper isn't really the word I'm looking for, but there was a more active and powerful feeling than her short. But it wasn't like she was punching and karate chopping. Dynamic? Let's go with dynamic. Anyway, I feel like her feet looked heavy/low on a few of the landings in the beginning, but by then she looked just great (minus the fall). Lovely spins. I really do agree with the first place standing.
Ksenia Makarova:
Short: Oh Ms. Ksenia. You pretty elegant thing. I love all the Latin programs for ladies. It's just so much more interesting to me to watch. The best part was I felt like watching this program that I was fully justified in supporting Ksenia. No one could watch that and dismissively say, "Ugh, you just think she's cool because of Johnny." False! I love her hip wiggle and her commitment to the choreography and her pleased smile. Also check the lovely layback spin and the triple loop. And bonus Viktor Petrenko waiting in the Kiss n' Cry, holding her purse.
Long: I was just ridiculous while watching this, flailing and jumping. I wanted her to do well but I was afraid of a Nebelhorn repeat. If she didn't place higher than 3rd I was sure Cynthia Phaneuf would get the gold, and Ksenia might miss the podium all together. In the end she made some mistakes but she went for big combinations and executed herself very well. Had Phaneuf not melted down, she might still have seen 3rd, but she should still be proud considering this is her first full senior season. She's only 18 and I hope she gets better and better, feels the music more and more, and gets more and more personality coming through on the ice. I'd like to see her really define herself as a ______ skater. You know, be whatever she wants to be, but just set herself apart.
Amelie Lacoste:
Short: What a diva. I loved it. She obviously didn't set the world on fire with this program, but I watching this I just enjoyed it a lot. And being exactly zero invested in her before seeing it, that says a lot!
Long: 5th in short and 4th in the long = 3rd place! LOL. Maaaath. Or rather, the rewards of skating solidly over two days as opposed to rocking it one day and not the other. Congrats to her. I don't know how she'll fare in other competitions against heavier competitors, but seriously congrats. I didn't know who she was before Friday but in the end I was happy to see her medal.
Other notes: Oh Cynthia Phaneuf. That long program can't have been any fun. Oh Fumie what on EARTH was that costume for the long? I love ladies skating in pants, but harem pants and what at first glance looked to be a do rag. I also felt bad that the woman skating to Requiem for a Dream a) chose that music which gives a vivid sense memory to me of horrible things and b) fell on the jumps. Although she has a built-in excuse. "Well, falling on that jump was meant to represent the pain of heroin addiction."
I need new skating icons. And another nap.