Inspiration for the Second Day of School: Michelle Kwan's "The Feeling Begins"

With the first day of school down, I am looking forward to going into day two with a renewed sense of energy and determination.
One only has to refer to Michelle Kwan's 2003 Worlds short program to "The Feeling Begins" to learn a thing or two about determination and grit. This was the first time we saw what my sister calls, "The Michelle Kwan Fighter Face." Here, Michelle skates with an intensity and fire that is without compare. I need to remember to wear my Michelle Kwan Fighter face as I tackle tomorrow's challenges head-on!

Back to School Inspiration: Kristi Yamaguchi's "Gold" by Linda Eder

Tomorrow is the first day of school!! This is an extra special first day of school because it's my first day of school as a full-time, permanent teacher! Last year I started out the 2012 school year as a long-term sub, but this year, the classroom is all mine! I'm very fortunate and blessed to have a job and I'm looking forward to meeting my students tomorrow and getting the year off on the right foot.

In honor of tomorrow's momentous occasion, I'd like to share some beautiful Kristi Yamaguchi inspiration with her glittering performance to "Gold" by the phenomenal Linda Eder. Kristi is a skater for the ages. Her skating fills the arena and sparkles with heart and sophistication.

Tomorrow I begin on a path that I've been working so hard to get on for the last few years. The song "Gold" reminds me that this year is all about achieving the gold, reaching the top, striving to be the best teacher and person I can be. There's a very special friend of mine who seeks to remind me of that all the time, even when I'm at my lowest point. This person is very important to me and I can't thank him enough for his support and belief in me. He reminds me to stay positive,take care of myself and focus on what's most important. This person inspires me to push myself to dig deep, find that inner grit, and shine like gold.

Happy Belated 30th Birthday to Me: A Collection of Favorite Performances

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, I turned 30. Though I had dreaded it at first, it ended up being my most amazing birthday yet! A large reason that the birthday was so magical was because my wonderful boyfriend filled the day with so many fantastic surprises that filled me with joy and inspiration! I certainly never expected even half of the things he did for me, and am still in awe and grateful to this day. A new I-phone, that brought me out of the dark ages and has made my life so much more streamlined and efficient was the first surprise. Then a trip to NYC, a visit to the "Top of the Rock" observation deck to see the best views of the city, a mouth-watering meal of authentic French Boeuf Bourguignon and Flambé Cherries, and last but not least, tickets to see the delightful Cinderella on Broadway!! To end a perfect day, we drove through Times Square and soaked in the lights, the energy, and the excitement! Amazing day!

To further celebrate my big day, I'd like to share some of my favorite skating performances. I have posted some of my favorite programs recently in individual posts, so this compilation might skip some of those programs, but considering the large number of favorites that I have, it won't be hard to come up with new material! I have now had the pleasure of enjoying figure skating for nearly 20 years, and am forever grateful for discovering this passion at the tender age of 10! I hope you enjoy my selections as much as I've enjoyed watching them over the years!

Michelle Kwan's "East of Eden" skated at the 1998 World Professional Championships:



Michelle Kwan's "Taj Mahal" skated at the 1997 World Figure Skating Championships:



Paul Wylie's "Schindler's List" skated at the 1994 World Professional Championships:



Brian Boitano's "Music of the Night" from 1996:


Robert Wagenhoffer's "Crying" from the 1994 Champions on Ice:


Robert Wagenhoffer's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" from the 1981 U.S. Figure Skating Championships Exhibition:


Robin Cousins' "Impossible Dream" from the 1994 World Team Figure Skating Challenge:



Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov's "Vocalise" aka "Sculptures" by Rachmaninoff from the 1994 World Professional Championships:



Isabelle and Paul Duchesney's "The Missing" from the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships:



Scott Hamilton's "Hungarian Rhapsody" from 1994:

Thursday Inspiration: Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov's "Spartacus"

Exquisite.

Monday Inspiration: Elvis Stojko's "Dragon" from the 1994 World Championships

Monday Motivation: A performance for the ages