ZuCritter

Source: fancam video by Beth S Before ACI I was totally fixated on Origin. Since then, I find myself returning more often to Otonal. Besides the fact that he skated it more cleanly, I'm just bowled over by the beautiful, subtle touches Jeff and Yuzu scattered throughout, like grace notes. The way that, with an imperceptible shifting of his weight, he swoops around a corner to punctuate the long spread eagle. And the resonance of the beginning and ending poses. It's basically the same pose, but at the beginning, his outstretched hand is drooping downward, and he's looking back over that same shoulder with his chin slightly down. At the end, his outstretched palm is upward and he's looking over the other shoulder with his chin lifted. For me the whole piece is about the movement from nostalgia and melancholy to anticipation and hope. So lovely.

Getting prepped for Helsinki. These arrived today. Now for the banner ...

Love the one in the top center -- not only a sheer back but a nice little shimmy of the posterior!!

Yep, that's where we are -- ricochetting helplessly between terror and ecstasy. Fasten your seatbelts, fanyus!!

What other kind of zen is there, where Mr. Hanyu is concerned? *grinds teeth to nubs*

Brilliant! "giggles insanely*

Great idea!

I'm thinking of having this banner printed and bringing it to Helsinki. It would be awesome if we could figure out a series of hand-offs so it could travel to all his competitions. Anybody up for that?

I'd be honored!

PERFECT!!

Yours by popular demand. Not that I recommend it, mind you. *grimaces*

Maybe we need to start throwing these on the ice to call his bluff (or leave him totally bewildered)!

Personally, I think Nessie would feel right at home in Helsinki. But then maybe that's because I'll be there. *smacks self on forehead*

OTONAL Sheer black, form-fitting, lots of (gold) sparkles.

Welcome Princess Nessie!

YES!!!! Please, please please ...

Yuzu's skating is the visual embodiment of the way I want to live: with passion, grace, strength, delicacy, intention ... I could go on and on. When I watch him I see all my own highest aspirations right there in the (unbelievably gorgeous) flesh. I may never become the person who inhabits that very special realm, but he inspires me to keep trying, and I'll always love him for it.

Too wonderful for words! (Although I can't really see BOrser, Tracy and Javi as the Dursleys. For me they're more like Dumbledore, McGonagall and, oh, I don't know, one of the Weasley twins.) Great to know, in any case, that there are other serious Potter-heads in the Yuzu-verse!! Maybe we can concoct a spell to help him land the 4A.

Kicking back? Is this Mr. Hanyu we're talking about? Kicking ass, for sure, but I don't think relaxing is in his DNA.

Here's the tasty morsel I want: photo credit: Elena Vasileva

The 4Lz is gorgeous, but videos of his earlier falls while challenging it are terrifyingly similar to the one that put his career at risk. I have mixed feelings to say the least.

Exactly! I keep thinking about how, in CiONTU, he said Sing Sing Sing was his favorite program. (At least that's how I remember it.) I'd love to see him take on a jazz standard just dripping with sly, understated sensuality -- he would totally crush it!

“If I can when I have learned lots of English ... that is my dream – that I am going into the forest with Pooh!” -- Yuzu