Hi Everybody! Thanks so much for visiting my site and all of your support. I know it's been a while since my last Journal Entry, but hopefully I can provide a good update.
Now, where to begin? The last time I wrote I was still living in Connecticut; I am now back in Delaware with Priscilla, my friends and family. Since leaving Connecticut I've found an amazing amount of confidence in myself and my skating. Working with Tatiana was definitely one of the best experiences of my skating career, and hopefully she and I will continue to have a great working relationship. Business as usual here, skating, coaching, gallivanting, the usual. Skating is really going great. I am so consistent right now, and am having a great time with skating. Last year I was disenchanted with the sport, but my fondness for it has really gone to a whole new level, and of course it makes skating and training every day easier.
In September I competed at Middle Atlantics in New York City, and performed in a benefit ice show on Long Island. "Mids" was a great experience, there were a few top notch competitors there, so I had to be on top of my game. I skated well, not amazing, but very well for mid September. I debuted my short program, and I'm very proud to say that it was a great success. I came in first in both programs with straight first place ordinals.
The benefit show was Stars, Stripes and Skates for September 11 families. I had a great time skating in front of an arena filled with people again, and I did really well. I skated to "Imagine" by John Lennon and I got one of the biggest ovations of the evening. I also got to meet American Idols Justin Guarini and Julia Demato which was quite a thrill.
After Middle Atlantics I got a call that I'd be replacing Ryan Bradley at Finlandia Trophy. I was very excited to be going to an international, despite last season. Helsinki is one of the most gorgeous cities I've visited. It's such a clean and pure place and being Scandinavian myself, I soaked everything in like a sponge. I won the short program with straight first place ordinals and it was my first clean short program of the season. I was very pleased with myself and was excited for the long. I drew to skate last, which is an unenviable position, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could handle the pressure. I skated just okay, but again landed two triple axels, one in combination with triple toeloop, and was overall very pleased. I finished second to Gheorge Chiper from Romania, and I was fine with that. He is a very talented skater. The trip to Finland really got me back on my feet as far as competing is concerned, and I am so happy that I was able to skate well.
November was quite a month. I competed at the Eastern Sectionals and won Senior Men for the second time in my career. The competition was held in Lake Placid, New York at the beginning of November. There were many formidable skaters competing, among them Shaun Rogers, Derrick Delmore and Mauro Bruni. I wasn't at the top of my game because I got sick the second day I was there. It turned out to be minor bronchitis, but it was still such a hassle to skate and feel terrible, plus skate in altitude. My short program was great in my opinion. I skated cleanly and very precisely and won with very high marks and straight first place ordinals. I even got a 5.8, only the second one in my career so I was very excited. The long program was a different story. You don't realize how taxing four and a half minutes are until you have to skate sick and in high elevation. I didn't skate too well but was extremely happy I was able to push through and finish. Last year in Russia I felt much the same way (sick wise) and withdrew, so it was a huge confidence boost that I could make it through. Again in the long program my marks were high (inflated in my opinion), and I had straight first place ordinals. I was very excited to have won, and for the competition to be over.
Outside of skating my life is really great. I've made a bunch of new friends and have a really healthy circle of people behind me. Last year it seemed I was surrounded by a few bad influences, and I'm happy that I've cut all ties and have a group of people who care for me very much.
In August I went to the Stripped/Justified concert featuring the Black Eyed Peas, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. I was supposed to go with Sasha, but she had a show in Sun Valley, so my friend Alicia went with me. It was an amazing concert, my favorite one that I've seen, and I am forever a fan.
Leading up to Nationals I am focusing on keeping things light and happy. I have a few trips planned to get away from skating for a weekend and just have fun with my friends. I am training very hard and know that I can really contend for National Champion. I am fully prepared in every aspect and am so excited to get to Atlanta and sparkle.
One thing I haven't discussed really are my costumes for this season. I started designing in the summer and my vision has been fully solidified with my costumes. My short program is called "Sad Waltz" so I decided I should wear a "Sad Tuxedo." It is a plain black suit with rips and tears around the bottom of the jacket; the white undershirt is ripped and torn as well. I wanted the costume to look as if I'd been to hell and back. There is no color except for a single red rose in the lapel. It has been burnt and ripped, but is very striking against the black. The free skate outfit is definitely crazy. I am really tired of everyone wearing the same things over and over and I wanted to do something really different. My vision was "icicle on coke," and that's exactly how it turned out. It is ice blue material with purpley blue paints in a very winter-esque pattern. On top of the blue material is white fishnet, just to make it look like matted down snow. Around my waist the outfit rips and breaks away so that it actually looks like icicles. It is really over dramatic and sparkly, but I think it suits the icy dramatic love story of Doctor Zhivago well.
So I suppose I've gotten you all up to date. My grammar has been terrible, but there was just so much to get out. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed learning how I've been, and what's new. The site will be have a makeover shortly, so come back and check it out! Thanks!
Love,
-J We
