journal

Monday, November 20, 2000
Hi Everyone!

How are ya'll doing? I'm doing really really well. As you might know, I have just returned from Easterns. I skated so well, and I won the Championship Mens event. The event was held in Marlboro, Massachusetts at the New England Skating Club.

I arrived in Massachusetts on Wednesday. My mother and I drove up, and it took us about 6 hours to get there from Delaware. I had my doubts about the competition as normal, because normally right before I go somewhere, I start skating badly. This was no different. Anyway, I got up there, and on Thursday I had practice ice all day. They all went really well, and I only fell once out of all my practices. I found out when I got there that Derrick Delmore, Josh Murphy and Shepherd Clark were not competing. I wish they had been there so I could have faced them earlier than nationals, but it's okay. Anyway, I skated my short program on Friday night. I skated last. Since skating in China, I have become a lot more confident with going last. I was really nervous when I took the ice. But then I looked into the crowd and saw all of my friends and whatnot which relaxed me a little more.

I opened my program with a double axel to get warmed up like always. Then I was going to do a triple axel/triple toe combination, but I doubled the triple toe. I was still happy that I had done a good combination. Then I skated down the ice into a triple lutz. My spins and footwork went well. So I thought that maybe I'd be in first place. I don't watch my competitors so I didn't know for sure. Then my marks came up. They were all in the 5s except for two 4.9s on my technical marks. I even got a 5.6 and a 5.7. I was so happy. Only 3 tenths away from perfect. My coach talked to some of the judges afterward and they said that I have to change my program a little bit. I am going to put in a triple lutz/triple toe, triple axel (plain) and a triple flip. This will help add difficulty that I need for nationals. They also want me to connect with them more. One of the judges said that I skate very inward towards myself and they want me to express my emotions a little more towards them. I think I'll have a pretty easy time doing this.

The following day was my long program. My practice early in the day went very well. I even landed a triple lutz/triple toe/triple loop combination which was very exciting. Not that I have it in my program, but I still was excited I did it. Then that night was the freeskate. I again skated last. I closed the entire competition, so I wanted it to be a good close. I landed triple lutz/triple toe, triple axel/triple toe, triple flip, triple loop, triple salchow, and I singled my second triple axel. I was so happy with my performance, and I hope I can make it a lot better for nationals. My marks were again strong, and I even got another 5.7. I was thrilled. I am so happy that I'm going to be competing with Todd Eldredge, Michael Weiss and Tim Goebel. It will be really exciting. My goal for nationals is to make the top 8. I think it is a realistic goal as long as I do my job. I think I can.

Some of my good friends also made nationals. Stephanie Roth and Alicia Cavanaugh made in senior ladies, and my best friend Ronnie Biancosino made it in junior pairs with his partner Marcy Hinzmann. Also my god friends Kendra Goodwin and Kirsten Frisch made it in junior dance! (WOOHOO) So I'm glad we can all go together.

The night after my long was the competitors party. I had such a good time. I danced with a lot of people. Afterwards, I stayed in Ronnie's room with him, Kendra, Adam Kaplan, Matt Lind, Stephanie Roth, and Laura Handy. It was great fun. We stayed up all night talking and joking around and whatnot. I went to bed at 5:30 am and woke up at 8 am to drive home. Eek! I was so tired. But it was okay because I was so excited with the way I skated.

Right now, I'm working hard on preparing for nationals. I'm doing a couple of shows soon in Mennon, New Jersey and at another rink in Delaware. I'm getting a new show program for them. I'll be skating to "This I Promise You" by *NSYNC. The Sunday before Easterns I went to the *NSYNC concert in Philadelphia. It was amazing. The guys are such good performers, and their singing is amazing. I loved the show. I could see it a million more times. Also for December I'll be going to a benefit concert featuring Christina Aguilera and BB Mak, and I'm going to Manhattan to see the Broadway Christmas show with my friend Dirke Baker. I can't wait. Oh, and of course I'll be enjoying the holidays.

That's it for now. My pictures will be posted soon. I hope you enjoy them. Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
-J