memae

I lowkey love that social media allows the two Brians to publicly interact in a friendly way decades after their rivalry. I think it sets a good example for current athletes - you're not always going to be competing, and one day you might be able to get along really well with someone if you don't let the competition you have with them interfere with your sportsmanship and values. It's the same values we see and hear about underpinning the way TCC fosters athletic progress - healthy mind, happy heart, hard work. Elite sport bolstered by kindness.

I agree about 4Lo, even though he really doesn't like it. I think Yuzu landing 5 quads, practising that 4A, and landing the 3A-3A in practice at GPF made him really realise that 5 quads isn't going to be enough. Of course, he knows better than anyone that a bad skate can happen but he also knows that those are not a strategy to bank on (as in, he will always train and compete as though everyone will have the skate of their life, rather than hoping to win because his opponent had a fall or pop or something). He knows that Yuzu has GOE and PCS over him. When Yuzu showed he could do 5 quads he sh

This look is Boyfriend on Date Night. Not too formal for dancing after a fancy dinner.

TCC rink is a little under-sized!

I thought it was something about your weight needing to be over a blade if you're going to touch the ice with another part of your body. I watched Nathan's slide from his free last season again and again because his blades touch the ice but his weight didn't seem distributed on them so much as his hand. I couldn't find anything in the ISU rules about it and I definitely looked. I think so long as it's not specifically banned like a backflip and it's obviously choreographic, it's okay. Kind of like how Yuzu's delayed single axel doesn't count as a jump pass because it's noted and recognised as

It's a good PR move on Eteri's part. It brings the conversation back to her, away from Plushenko, and in a good way. If Zhenya skates well in her upcoming events, it'll look like Eteri got her there. Plus, being the one to offer help really makes Eteri look like the bigger person. It helps them both out (Zhenya needs the politicking to get through her events so she can go to nationals).

I hope it's just while she's in Russia. She seemed so happy and healthy and strong in Canada. I hope she gets these competitions out of the way and goes back.

I thought that too. I must admit I couldn't help but notice the little flashes of gold from his wedding band catching the light during his spins (and they were lovely spins). The way he held positions and himself is what I hope for Nathan Chen (maybe we have to wait until he's 25). A bit more length, a bit more poise, a bit more fluidity. I noticed it in Anna's skating too - she filled moments better and held positions just that tiny bit longer than she used to but it made a big difference. I know they're all so busy znd tired out on the ice, trying to cram all the elements in and have e

I thought Kolyada's SP was something but I just caught up on his FP now and good lord... He has long been one of my favourites to watch but this is something else. He carries himself differently to how I remember. Like, he was mature but boyish before and now he's just all man in a very elegant way. I'm not sure if it's just because it's been so long since I've seen him skate or not but I am taken aback (in a very good way). I thought this was going to be Shoma's 'season' (if you can call it that) but Kolyada looks like he might be able to give him a run for his money.

I wonder if they're often not pure yuzu. I often add a bit of orange when I make lemon curd if I know kids are going to be eating it just to reduce the tartness. I have never used yuzu in cooking but when I make marmalade I often boil citrus fruit whole, then take of the peel and remove the pith (grapefruit I find needs a second soaking after removing some of the pith just because it's so thick). And then I segment the fruit, add the sugar, and let it macerate overnight before boiling it down the next day. Perhaps with yuzu macerating will draw the flavour into the sugar so then when the jam

I find everyone is pretty fair here. I've barely seen criticism of other skaters that I would say was out of line or uncalled for. I'm not quiet about the fact that I am a fan of Nathan as well as Yuzu and no one here has ever jumped on me for it (I do, even as someone who quite likes his style, lament the boring transitions and all the crossovers). People here were upset with Nathan's GPF 19 scores but I think everyone was fair in how they justified their anger over the inflation. No one was just yelling and screaming over it because he won and Yuzu didn't. I can't say the same for every pock

This was me too. It was a pretty surreal feeling. I felt very lucky to have been able to have everything come together so that I could get to see the GPF 19. Skaters' careers are short, the world is big. The season doesn't line up with the school calendar at all and I live in the worst place in the world if you want to travel easily to events. Plus, it can be hard to get tickets to see him. It did really feel like lots of things lined up for me. I remember seeing him and thinking about how it finally all came together and I wasn't going to miss out on the chance to see him compete. So it was l

Yeah, I have found T-stops the easiest on inlines. It feels so clunky. Like skating in moonboots lol. But out of habit I keep trying to stop like I would on the ice and hurtling over. I am not game to try spins or jumps. It's just been nice to glide around when I haven't been able to get to the ice. But yes, everything seems harder than it does on ice. It's just a lot more effort to try and do anything (except mohawks for some reason).

I live quite far from the nearest rink so I've been doing some roller lessons the past couple of weeks and boy is it weird. I keep forgetting and trying to turn or stop like I would on the ice and scaring myself by tripping. I was also surprised by how wobbly I felt trying to stay on one foot for spirals - I thought the larger surface area of the wheels would make it easier, but I think I was missing the security of having edges. I did get to the ice again this weekend and it didn't feel right so I'm not sure I'll keep going inline skating. I was having a lot of trouble with spread eagles, wh

That we know of. Our little secret squirrel quite possibly has landed it and has just decided to keep it to himself.