On ice skating...

[annwfyn]

Today was a good ice skating lesson.

In fact, it was a thing of loveliness.

I skated for an hour and a half, including a half hour lesson, and worked myself hard enough that I got off the ice feeling sweaty, and with my feet cramping up so badly I could hardly walk. I also now have a certificate from Paulette (my wonderful trainer) that says I have reached the level I last reached at the age of 11.

I am, now, as good as my pre-pubescent self was at figure skating.

This still makes me happy.

I was also pondering, as I skated round, how very happy ice skating does make it. I'm not sure why. I just know that there is no angst or sturm or drang which doesn't seem to fade on the ice, leaving me feeling cool and clean. I'm just always calm and happy at the end of a skating session.

I think it's because ice skating is both a little bit detached from my real life - no one can call me, or message me, or poke me when I'm skating - and is also one of the few things I do which is solely mine. There are no expectations of me when I ice skate. I can't negatively affect other people if I do badly. There's no necessity for me to do well. If I don't turn up, no one will care except me. And when I do well, it is something which is a pleasure for me alone. There's no reason why I need to be able to skate. But it's lovely when I can, and it's lovelier for being this thing that I can hug to myself and treasure as my own.

If that makes any sense.

In other good news, I had a lovely package from Nomad Clothing arrive in the post today, and I've also watched another episode of Primeval: Season 2.

It's not a bad world. Not really.

Comments

I know...

[eladriell.livejournal.com]

You love it because when your on the ice, your flying...

Thats when your you.

[eladriell.livejournal.com]

and on a side note, guess what i found the other day...your Mondex card...nostalgia attack!

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

I had a mondex card? Really?

My god. Where did that turn up?

[troubleinchina.livejournal.com]

That sounds beautiful and lovely. Now I want to go ice skating, again. I don't know if I could skate at all anymore, but I may track down something and give it a try!

[annwfyn.livejournal.com]

Go for it! I found that when I first went back to ice skating I was awful, but I've learned how to skate again really quickly.

My trainer keeps saying I'm a fast learner. I fear she will be sadly disappointed when she starts trying to teach me things I didn't know how to do when I was 11. I think all I'm doing is remembering as I go along, which is, in itself, kinda nice.

[(Anonymous)]

"I think it's because ice skating is both a little bit detached from my real life - no one can call me, or message me, or poke me when I'm skating - and is also one of the few things I do which is solely mine. There are no expectations of me when I ice skate. I can't negatively affect other people if I do badly. There's no necessity for me to do well. If I don't turn up, no one will care except me. And when I do well, it is something which is a pleasure for me alone. There's no reason why I need to be able to skate. But it's lovely when I can, and it's lovelier for being this thing that I can hug to myself and treasure as my own.

If that makes any sense."

It makes perfect sense. I feel exactly the same when I go dancing. Love it so much that I'm worried about turning into one of those people who can talk of nothing but their hobbies and turn into the social equivalent of a hand grenade, but I don't care. It's something that makes me blissfully happy and I'm doing it because I want to, not because I have to or someone is forcing and cajoling me into doing it.

I'm really glad you've found the same kind of pressureless fun. :)

[blueberrycowboy.livejournal.com]

Damn, that was me above.