NOTE: I am transferring my posts from the old Liveblog system. I will put the day I posted as the heading on subsequent entries. My first post is reproduced below.

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After my posting today in the IJAM Ice Skating thread, I thought I'd start a skating live blog about my progress. Me: I'm a mid-20's, 4'4" figure skater, who hasn't taken lessons in maybe 10-15 years. However, my local rink has public skating nearly every day and it's usually nearly empty, and I am intent on taking full advantage of it. I'm usually a horribly terrible athlete, but I love skating, and have slimmed down a lot this year by running so I'm a lot healthier and stronger and have a lot more endurance. Here are some back-posts from my IJAM thread (and yes, I was a little... overenthusiastic in the first post. Bare with me, I was excited): Sept 13: My local public ice rink had their first public skating today. Not only that, the sessions are free. I haven't had lessons in maybe 15 years, but I love skating, and I'm giddy as a schoolgirl. This topic may be, but does not have to, be combined with the topic on hot chocolate. I. LOVE. ICE. SKATING. Oct 8: Well, alright! I guess I'm not the only one here. That is interesting. I checked out some skating books to figure out some new stuff and brush up on technique, and they definitely do seem to help. As I said, I haven't taken actual lessons in maybe 15 years, so I could use it! I'm trying forwards-backwards one-foot turns (what it calls three-turns), and I was interested to realize that (as the book said) you really are more stable on an edge rather than a flat in that sort of situation. Nice! I agree ice skating is much funner than roller skating. Inline skating is nice, but I've never gotten the trick of, well, stopping quickly when you're going fast. I can't seem to do any kind of hockey stop on rollerblades (maybe I need to practice more?), the brake pad is only on one foot, and it's hard to use anyway. Plus pavement is much rougher than ice. Oh, and Longfellow, trust me I sympathize. From the, ah, other direction. There are some things you just can't get in kids sizes. Oct 9: I took figure skating lessons for years when I was a kid and I hadn't learned this, and it still isn't the easiest thing to do (I still can't quite seem to get some of the variations - backwards to forwards, particularly). It does feel pretty cool to get it right, though. Oct 18: ...and not quite so cool when you don't make it and fall down like an idiot. I think I'm going to have a pretty awful bruise or two after today's session. Ouch. But I still stand by the first post, and I am getting better. Next up: Maybe trying a spin? I've already looked up how to do a certain kind, theoretically. Although I predict more bruises while attempting this. A lot more bruises. Today: Back from the rink. I was able to do the spin I was trying for... ah, sort of. Rather awkwardly and not for very many rotations. And the speed was Not Impressive. But at least I didn't go splat on the ice. More than once. And I am getting better. Practice, right? There was also this apparent preteen who came in later in the session and completely showed me up. She was GOOD. Heh. ... Ah, Maybe I should make this a liveblog? —- And so I did. Will continue posting my progress. And whether I've broken a bone, cut myself with my skate, or become sore and black and blue from bruises. Do stay tuned, hilarity will surely ensue.