The Ice it Back! The Ice is BACK! the ice is back? the ice is BACK!!!

I spoke a few days ago about how my role in coaching speedskating has changed this season and how I had welcomed the new direction. Tonight though, I embraced a new season with open arms and spent the better part of 90 minutes coaching a dozen new kids on the ice. Every single one of them seemed to have fun, and the words one of my friends uttered, "once a teacher... resonated in slow motion across my evening. I close my eyes and see this awesome group of kids, smiling, laughing and enjoying their time on the ice. I went to tonight's session with the thought of skating myself and found myself engrossed in teaching. I fell in love again. I wonder if it s my change of attitude towards life?
My day started with Chris waking up 1/2 hour before he needed to be at my brother's telling me that I needed to take him in 15 minutes. The only problem is that I didn't have access to the car. As we waited for Kenny to come home from the gym I got my day going. I took him over, and was rewarded by the find of the bloggers century. An AROUND THE WORLD court set up by my ten year old nephew that included chalk drawings of 7 countries: Japan, China, Italy, Egypt, Brazil, Mexico and Home. I found myself so excited that my nephew had picked these countries. I wish I had had the opportunity to ask him why but he was not home. SO, that leaves me to wonder why those countries? Are those future travel plans? He has been to Mexico, England and France in his short lifetime. Are the rest of these on his list? Are they ones he is the most curious about? I remember being so curious about ALL of the AFRICAN countries when I was his age.
I spent some time at Starbucks sketching... OK did you know if you bring your own mug a cup of coffee is only 1.50? I once got a gift card from a student, I registered it and I recharge it so now I get free refills too. SO, when I sit in Starbucks and drink 3 cups coffee out of my own mug for 1.50 it seems worth it. I took a seat in one of the cushy seats, sketching people's faces as they were in line. It was worth the hour and money I spent. It was a prelude to the studio time I spent in the studio when I got home. The kicker was that somehow I found myself blasting Soundhiem COVERS while playing with clay. Its amazing for self esteem.


Today was almost a blur with some really excited smiling faces mixed in and it was enough to get me pumped for the season!!!