My skating goals for 2012

I won't call them "resolutions" although I suppose that's what they are, but here's what I want to do this year. The first one never made it onto the list, because it happened already. I'll be working as the main on-ice coach for North Suburban Special Recreation, in their "SPICE" program (Special People's ICe skating Experience). I'm very excited about this opportunity--it's tailor-made for my skills and interests. Here's what else is (with hope) happening in 2012:

Launch the upgraded site on WordPress
Target date January 15, but it depends on my designer, whose computer blew up about a month ago; she just got back up and running this week. They two sites will exist side-by-side for about a month, and then we'll switch over to WordPress entirely.

Register Xanboni as a USFS Basic Skills program
I'm not part of a skating school anymore but I'd still like to give my students, most of whom also don't skate within an established program, all the bells and whistles, and most importantly the stickers offered by this program, as well being able to do the tests for them. (And yes, regular readers will know that I like ISI better, but they won't let me register unless I'm an entire facility. And while my hips are wider than I'd like, I'm not quite that big yet.)

Keep Xanboni Homeschoolers going
My home school program filled right up, and I've got nearly everyone re-upped for the first session of 2012. I had two classes for the first endeavor; my hope for this is to fill 4 classes. I also need a summer home, as our current rink closes at the end of May.

Start Xanboni Adults
If you've ever sent me an email, and you're in Chicago, watch your in-box for a survey about the best way to do this. Either daytime at an indoor rink or Sunday afternoon outside!

Skate
I've signed up to take a class with my old friend Liz. It's been four years and 2 broken bones since I last really skated, so this should be, um, interesting.

I've cheated a little bit, because all of these things are in progress.  Thanks for a GREAT 2nd year of Xanboni.

Let me know what you're doing in 2012, and keep those post ideas coming!

Happy New Year

I always joke "I don't want to run things, I just want everyone to do what I say." How did it take me so long to discover blogging? As we close 2009, I want to first say thank you to the small community that is taking root here, for your support and your wisdom and your promotion of this blog. After a disastrous autumn at my day job it was wonderful to have this refuge and conversation to come to.

So thank you, keep it going. I'd love to hear from more of you, more often. Use the comments, follow me on Twitter, make a recipe and tell me how you liked it. A friend told me yesterday that he took exception with a point in one of my posts: bring it on! I know a lot about this, and I have very decided opinions, but my mind is open and I view life as a journey. If I don't learn new things, go new places, or encounter new viewpoints every day, well, the day's not done.

I came late to skating and to teaching, and it changed my life, which is why I feel so strongly the transformative power of this sport. It transformed me. Here's to another year on the journey, and continued transformation.

Thank you everyone.

My 2010 figure skating and coaching resolutions:

• To finally decide whether to go for the Master Group Rating, or to wait for PSA to come to their senses and create a Master level in Basic Skills/developmental coaching.
• To start lobbying PSA to create a Master level in Basic Skills/developmental coaching.
• Nag Hyland to get his ratings.
• To be able to skate, credibly, the Second Test Figures (we'll save "to a testable level" for another time).
• To give management the benefit of the doubt.
• To improve my high-freestyle teaching chops
• To get at least 50 followers for Xanboni! (You guys have to help me with that!)

Thanks, IcePact for the inspiration