Since I've been coming to skating competitions more often now, I've really started to pay attention to everything "behind the scenes." Yesterday, for example, during Davis & White's Yankee Polka, I took particular notice of their coaches, Igor Shpilband and Marina Zoueva. When you are watching skating on TV, rarely do the networks show coaches during the performance. Marina was one of the more animated coaches at the boards during the compulsories, following along with each element Meryl & Charlie performed by bobbing her head up and down, moving her arms, gesturing, or clapping. Each time Meryl & Charlie passed by, Igor and Marina would clap and give their students words of encouragement. I wonder if this kind of encouragement had anything to do with the wonderful performance Davis & White delivered. It certainly would have given me a boost - seeing my coaches get behind me like that.

I'm constantly amazed by the level of talent exhibited here at Nationals. Granted, these athletes have been training and performing their whole lives, but what they do out there on the ice never ceases to amaze me. Just the other day I was thrilled to have landed my first ever single toe-loop. Granted, I was aided by the harness, but shhhh! Now, only a few days after my triumph, I'm watching the men's practice and see Jeremy Abbott go for the quad in the run-through of his long program. He doubled it, but it was the biggest double I'd ever seen and is still bigger and better than anything I will ever accomplish on the ice. At this point in my life, I have no dreams about becoming a champion, it is all for my own personal enjoyment. But these skaters are capable of doing more, and that is something to be applauded.

I think I might break to grab some hot chocolate - it had to be -20 degrees this morning, maybe even colder. I heard it is supposed to warm up tomorrow, just in time for me to go to the Winter Carnival. I'm glad I don't have to go buy long underwear. But, I still need to go get a pair of jeans tomorrow. These dress pants aren't cutting it in this cold weather.

One final thought while watching the final men's practice group: Evan needs to get a new color. Badly. Black is just not doing it for me. Still like his skating though :)