Tonight on the news, there was a reminder that Skatefest '02 has begun in Savannah. Once a year, the arena part of the civic center becomes an ice skating rink. It usually runs from mid-December until right after New Year's.

And for the 9^th year in a row, I will not be doing it.

Sure, I can roller skate. I love doing it until my lower legs want to kill me. But ice skating? Imagine a newborn horse trying to walk. That's me when ice skating.

I never went ice skating until we lived on Ft. Bragg. And then, it wasn't until 7^th grade. The Army converted one of the indoor gym facilities into a skating rink and it was where all the junior high kids hung out. Most kids could skate and skate well. I couldn't - I'd always fall on my butt. I'd get the teenage soldiers help me up and escort me off the ice. At age 13, I wasn't too into guys at the time but I did make other girls jealous getting older guys to help me. Nicki's friends would accuse me of falling on purpose to get the guys to help me. Believe me, even at that age, I didn't want to be a helpless woman. I just wanted to be able to skate!

After three or four times at the rink, I just gave up going back and trying again. However, I would love to have lessons just to know how to skate so maybe when a chance for me to ice skate again came around, I could do it.

Posted by Shawn at December 16, 2002 7:14 PM in General.