Katie's Past Journal Entries

July 20, 2003

Time flies when you're having fun! My two weeks in Colorado went by so quickly. I put in a lot of hours at the rink and got a new short program done by Catarina Lindgren. I'd never worked with Catarina before, but I really enjoyed my lessons with her, and I am very happy with how my program turned out. I'd planned on going back to Claire de Lune, but a few days before leaving for Colorado, I got to thinking that I would be more motivated to train my short program if I had new music, rather than something I'd used before. I came across the soundtrack to "The American President" (one of my favorite movies), put it in my computer, and within 5 minutes, it was cut. It was just meant to be.

May 26, 2003

Hooray for summer!  I thought this school year would never end, but now that it’s over, I don’t know where it went!  So much has changed in the last year and I met so many amazing people who will be my friends for life: It’s funny how sometimes you have to travel 500 miles to meet a friend who grew up 15 minutes away from you!  I finished this year with a solid GPA to maintain my scholarship for next year, and was successful outside of the classroom as well.  I was Kappa Delta’s chair for Derby Days, a competition between all the sororities which raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network.  Chairing this event involved organizing musical numbers, props, and creating a dance production number for our house to perform.  My co-chair and I spent many sleepless nights putting it all together, but our chapter had its best finish ever, second place; maybe next year we can win it!
  I spent last week visiting a good friend out-of-state, and came home to take a three-week interim course before summer hits full swing.  I’m getting a Multimedia course out of the way, since it is a prerequisite for a lot of my required classes.  But now that school is out, I’m looking forward to skating for a few months without other distractions.  I am keeping my long program from last season, since it was very “me”, but I never performed it to its full potential.  I’m planning to go back to an old short program, Claire de Lune, since I never got comfortable with the program I used last season.  I was supposed to go to Colorado Springs and Skate Detroit last summer, but came down with mono and had to stay home, so I’m really excited to do those things this summer.  Collegiate Nationals are in Minnesota this year, so I am hoping to compete there as well, since it will be a good excuse to visit my family!
  That’s about all the news I have for now!  Have a great summer, and enjoy the warm weather as I will be freezing my fingers and toes off at the rink!

Katie

01/20/03

  As usual, it's been eons since I've written a journal entry! I can hardly believe how insane the last few months have been! Just to give you all the low-down on my season and what's been going on in my life...
  I had a lot of changes and life-issues to deal with this year, and those closest to me already know how that was reflected in my skating this season. School is very important to me, but balancing college with skating is more difficult than high school. Also, 2 weeks into my first semester, I lost my grandfather, who had been sick for a long time. I handled everything pretty well through the Regional Championships, but things kind of snow-balled going into Mids, and my performance there was a big wake-up call to me. I now know that I'm not SuperWoman, and that I cannot balance the entire world on my shoulders.
  I'm currently enrolled full-time as a freshman at Bradley University here in Peoria. I'm planning on a Communications-Radio/TV major, and possibly a double minor in Journalism and French. I'm still living with Linda and Larry (no dorm food for me, thank goodness!) and commuting to campus, which is only about 15 minutes away. In addition to attending classes 5 days a week, I joined a sorority: Kappa Delta. Pledging a sorority wasn't the smartest thing for me to do this semester, since I already had a lot on my plate with competing and all, but hindsight is always 20/20. I love my sisters and everyone I've met at Bradley, and I'm really enjoying college life. It's nice to know that when I have a bad day at the rink, I'll still have class the next day, so I'm not thinking about skating 24/7.
  As far as skating is concerned, well, let's start from the top. We had a big mix-up before my intial round at Regionals... there was a miscommunication between Gene and Linda and I, and I missed my six-minute warm-up. I threw on my dress and skates, and went on the ice cold. Linda and Gene told me just to do doubles, not to risk injury; just get through well enough to qualify for final round. I was second in initial round, and very relieved when results were posted. My short program didn't go as well as I'd hoped, but I vowed to myself that I was not going to go home with regrets. I gritted my teeth and skated a strong long program and ended up first overall. I was thrilled to finally win Regionals as a Senior, since I'd been second the past 3 years.
  While preparing for Mids, I started having pain in my knees, but I knew I couldn't take time off. As the competition got closer and closer, the pain got worse, and I had to limit my training; skating just enough each day to go through my programs and all my jump elements. My classes were getting more difficult, and I was going through Initiation for Kappa Delta, so stress started to mount. Once I got to Nashville, adrenaline took over. My practices went great, and I didn't feel any pain, but sadly, when I went to compete, I didn't have solid training to fall back on, and my programs were disastrous. I was in 7th after short and hoping to move up with a solid skate in the long, but every time I went up for a jump, I landed on my butt. Even though my skate was terrible, I was proud that I didn't give up; I rotated every jump, and sold the artistry to the best of my ability.
  I took quite a bit of time off after Sectionals for Thanksgiving and to evaluate what I wanted to do with skating. I skated about an hour a day just to keep my options open and my blood moving, and once my final exams were over, I drove to Minnesota with some school friends to be with my family for Christmas and winter break.
  While I was home, I saw a doctor about my knees, and we found out that I have patella tendonitis. I was glad to find out it is nothing too serious and that I haven't done any permanent damage, so started skating more and jumping again. My knees aren't completely back to normal yet, but they are at about 90%, and I'm being careful to take care of them. I'm taking my skating one step at a time right now, making sure my body is healthy, but I hope to do Skate Detroit and Collegiates, and if things are going well, make another run at the qualifying competitions in the fall.
  I owe a VERY big thank you to all my friends, new and old, for being there for me these last few months. Thank you to those who were there when I lost my grandpa, my study buddies, my sorority sisters who help me smile after a hard week, my old friends in MN, my carpool buddies, and one very special friend who stopped by after Mids to make sure I was ok, and helped me realize just how much I love this sport, despite all it's craziness. You know who you are.
  It hasn't been easy, but in the end, I'll be a stronger person for everything I went through. Here's hoping 2003-04 goes more smoothly!

Katie

07/24/02

      Hey everyone!  I hope summer has been going well for you and you're enjoying the sunshine!  Things in my world have been a little rough lately, but I'm finally back on the right track, so I'm feeling pretty positive right now.
       I competed in the Quad Cities competition about a month ago.  My short program went fairly well, and I won that segment of the competition, but unfortunately, my long program was a complete disaster.  I just couldn't get my legs under me, and no matter how hard I pushed, I couldn't seem to build any speed.  I was very disappointed, because it was the first time I'd skated that program in competition and I was hoping for a good debut, but it was not to be.  Here's hoping that next time will be better!
       Not to justify my poor performance, but I had been fighting a bad cough for a while, and it really bothered me that weekend.  I never told Linda because I knew she'd worry, but after the competition was over, I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with bronchitis and tonsillitis.  I was given a prescription to clear things up, but after a few days, I was feeling worse instead of better.  It hurt so much to swallow that I wasn't eating, and I was tired and feverish all the time.  I went back to the doctor and they took some blood for a mono test and gave me stronger meds and a shot to help my tonsils go down.  I was terrified when they said I might have mono, because I was flying home to spend a week with my family, and then to Colorado Springs with Linda for 2 weeks; I couldn't have mono, there was too much else to do!
       My luck, I got a call the next day informing me that I did indeed have mono.  I called my mom right away, and she made an appointment with a doctor in Minnesota.  The doctor told us that since mono is a virus, there are no drugs for it, and that mono can make your spleen become enlarged, so I was referred for a sonogram to check on my spleen.  Getting a sonogram was a new adventure for me.  The technician spread this goop on my stomach, then scanned my organs with the sonogram machine.  I could see my organs on the monitor, and when she scanned my aorta, I could see it move with each heartbeat.  I thought that was really cool.
       I found out the next day that my spleen was enlarged.  I figured that since I never knew I had a spleen in the first place, and it didn't hurt, what was the big deal if it was swollen?  The doctor explained to me that it's an organ with a large blood supply that's usually protected by your ribcage, but when it becomes swollen, the ribcage can no longer protect it.  My doctor was afraid that if I took a hard fall on the ice, I could rupture my spleen, which would mean massive internal bleeding.  I had no choice but to comply with the doctor's orders, which meant no triple jumps, and no Colorado.
       I ended up spending a total of 2 1/2 weeks in Minnesota.  I spent the first few days feeling sorry for myself, but once I started getting better, I ended up being pretty busy doing things with family and friends, and skating as much as the doctor would allow.  I skated almost every day with my good friend Alysa while I was in town.  She and I have trained together off and on and competed against each other since we were 8 years old, so it was great to see her again.  A few other skaters at her rink knew my name from competitions, so by the end of the week I'd made some new friends, which kept me from being too upset about not being in Colorado.  I also got to spend time with friends that I went to school with; a few of my high school classmates, buddies from middle school, and of course, my best friend who I've known since 5th grade.  It was great to catch up, reminisce about the "old days", and hear how everyone spent the last year.  It's amazing how much people change when they move on to college, but I'm so glad that we've been able to remain friends despite all those changes.  True friends are forever!
       I've been back in Peoria for about 2 weeks now, and I'm feeling fine now.  My spleen has returned to normal, and I've started jumping again, but I'm still pretty weak.  All the fevers zapped my strength, so I've been hitting the gym like crazy to get my muscles back.  I'm making real progress and I should be back to normal before long, but I was scheduled to do Skate Detroit this weekend, and after being so sick, I was forced to scratch.  I'm disappointed I can't be there, because it's one of my favorite competitions, but it's more important for me to keep training and get back to where I need to be.
       Right now, I'm keeping busy with training and my job, and looking forward to my first semester of classes at Bradley University.  I can't believe I'm going to be in college!  I'm really excited about starting a new chapter in life, and seeing where this year will take me.  I'll keep you all posted!  And as always, thanks so much for your support!

06/01/02
It's been so long since I've written... life has been crazy!   Let's see, where to begin...

A few weeks ago, I skated in the Illinois Valley competition, just a small competition my club hosts.  I wasn't expecting to compete, but about 3 weeks before the competition, we found out that there was only one Senior lady signed up, and if the organizers couldn't find someone for her to skate against, they were going to cancel her event.  So Linda volunteered me to compete(gee, thanks!), and I threw myself back into training.  I wasn't able to put together a new program in time for that competition, but in the process of training last year's short program, I remembered how much I loved that music, and how well it suited me, so we've decided to use that program again this year.  My performance wasn't one of my best, but I still came in first, and got some useful input from the judges.

Two days after that competition, Linda and I drove up to Chicago to work with my choreographer, Phillip Mills, on my new long program to Sunset Boulevard.  I just adore working with Phillip.  He's taught me SO much about how to express myself; we're always trying to come up with different ways to help me grow as a skater and artist, and we have a blast working together.  He's just so much fun.  I had the best time putting together this program, and I'm really excited about what this season will bring.

The day I got back from working with Phillip, I went to watch Champions On Ice because Matt was skating in it.  It was so cool to watch someone I train with every day performing in such an illustrious show, and I think it was a proud moment for all the Peoria skaters to see the boy-next-door hit it big.

Right now I'm training for the Quad Cities competition.  As I mentioned before, I decided to keep my short program from last year, but I'll be debuting my new long.  I'm a little nervous since it will be my first competition of the season, and I haven't had a lot of time to train, but I know it's just to get experience and put some miles on the new program. 

I took a little trip to Chicago last weekend to visit some friends from Minnesota, who now go to Northwestern University.  It was a beautiful day outside, so I got to tour the campus and sit on the rocks overlooking Lake Michigan, and catch up on everything that's happened this year.  Even though it was just for a day, it was great to get out of Peoria and spend time with old friends.

I'll be going home for a week at the end of June, and I'm really excited for that.  I love being independent, but it's tough being away from my family for months at a time.  After a week at home, my mom and are driving to Colorado Springs, where we'll meet up with Linda and some of her other skaters, to do some altitude training.  I had a great time in Colorado last year, swimming and playing tennis at the hotel... oh, and the skating wasn't bad either!  I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with my mom; it will be like the old times when she'd travel with me to every one of my competitions.

Living with Linda continues to be interesting; she and I get into some pretty crazy predicaments... the following story being a prime example!  It had been raining for about 2 weeks before we finally had a sunny day.  Things started to dry up, so Linda was mowing the lawn on her tractor while I was inside on my computer, when out of nowhere, I heard "Katie, HELP!"  I ran outside to find Linda and her tractor stuck in a pile of mud!  First, I got a shovel and tried to dig her out, but that didn't work, so I tried putting gravel in front of the tires for traction.  Still no luck.  Then Linda got the genius idea to have me push the tractor while she gunned the accelerator.  I was up to my ankles in mud when she hit the gas pedal, and mud was flying everywhere, when suddenly, the tractor went one way, my feet slipped the other way, and I barely caught myself in time to keep from doing a face-plant in the mud.  Linda and I couldn't stop laughing!  When we finally got the tractor out, Linda was clean as could be, while the tractor and I were absolutely covered in mud.  It was disgusting at the time, but hilarious to look back on, as that's something that would only happen to Linda and I.

I think that's about it for now... I promise to keep more up-to-date on my journal entries from now on!  Thanks for stopping by!

11/30/01
It's been ages since I've written a journal entry... I hardly know where to start!

For the last few months, I've been living just outside of Peoria with Linda and her husband Larry. At first, I was nervous about living with my coach, but it's worked out really well. I didn't think I'd be able to "get away" from skating, but when we're outside of the rink, we talk about everything else, so it hasn't been a problem. Larry is a lot like my dad, and he always has a funny story to share. He's a big teddy bear; we have a lot of fun. My other coach, Gene, drives down from Rockford two times a week to teach Matt and I, and he has been great to work with. 

It was really difficult at first to get used to things here, living away from my family. My family and I have always been close, so I got very homesick and my skating suffered for a few weeks while I got accustomed to my new life. Things got once better once I got a job, though, where I could make some new friends. I've been working part-time at The Finish Line for about four months now, and I really like it there. I've met some wonderful people, and making a little money is nice as well.

I got to see my family at Regionals, since they were held at my home club in Minnesota. It was so nice to see all the skaters I used to train with. I had some problems in the short program that week, but I skated a pretty strong long program, and won that part of the competition, so I came in second overall. I had a good time seeing everyone, but it was hard to leave my family when the competition was over... the week was far too short!

Mids was a very difficult competition for me. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make Nationals, when I should have just relaxed and focused. I wanted to make it so badly because I felt like I'd sacrificed so much this year, moving away from home and all, but it wasn't meant to be. My long program was really weak, and I dropped from fourth after the short program to fifth place overall. 

To say I was disappointed would be an understatement, but I have to move on and learn from the experience. I decided that just because I had a bad day at an inopportune time, doesn't mean I need to give up. I still love to skate, and that's something that no panel of judges can take away from me. When I quit skating, it will be because I want to quit, not because a panel of judges decides that I'm not good enough to keep going.

I'm applying to Bradley University, and I know they offer a lot of scholarships. I'd like to attend Bradley and continue training here in Peoria with Linda and Gene. I've always planned on going to college, and I don't want to put it off too much longer, but I'm not quite ready to give up skating either. If everything works out, this way I could do both! I hope to come back refocused and be at Nationals in 2003!

Right now, I'm looking forward to going home for Christmas. My family has always been incredibly supportive of me, and being away from them has made me appreciate them so much more. I'm so thankful for having such a wonderful family, and I can't wait to see them.

I also want to thank everyone who's supported me this year! Thanks so much for stopping by my web site and taking the time to read my journal entries or post on my message board. I do read all the wonderful comments, and it means a lot to know that people appreciate the hard work I put into my sport. I want to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season, and thanks again for your support!

Katie

Changes.......

It's been a long time since I've updated my journal, so I have lots of news to share! 
   First and foremost, I decided to make a coaching change, and I'm now working with Linda Branan and Gene Heffron. There were no problems with my old coach, and there are no harsh feelings between us, but it's just time for me to make a change. I am moving to Peoria, where I'll live with Linda and her husband, though it will be hard leaving my family. I still plan to represent the St. Paul FSC when I compete, but I think this move will be a great thing for me, and I am really excited for the upcoming season!
   I just came home from Colorado Springs, where I'd been training for two weeks with Linda and her students, Matt, Holly, and Shaylin. I'd never been to Colorado before, and I had a fabulous time. It was neat to skate with so many talented skaters, and have the opportunity to train at a higher altitude. I felt a tired for a few days while my body was adjusting, but now that I'm back at sea level, I feel much stronger than I did before I left. My favorite part of the trip, however, was getting to see the skating museum at the USFSA headquarters. When I won 2000 Midwesterns, my name was engraved on a plaque that is on display at the museum, and so I was really excited to see that plaque and get my picture taken with it. I liked seeing Scott Hamilton's Olympic costume and medal, since he's always been one of my favorite skaters. I also saw the US Olympic Training Center, but when I wasn't skating, I spent a lot of time swimming at our hotel or attempting to play tennis. Matt tried to teach me to play tennis, and he was really patient with my lack of coordination, but I think I'll stick with skating! 
   I graduated from high school at the beginning of June, and that was really fun and exciting. The night of graduation, my school held an all-night party at the local community center for all the graduates, and it was a blast! There were all kinds of fun things to do. My best friend and I went head-to-head in sumo wrestling, we had to wear these giant padded suits, and they were so heavy! As soon as I got strapped into my suit, I fell over and couldn't get back up! It was hilarious. It was nice to have our whole class together for one last time. A few days later, I had my Open House/Grad party, which was also a lot of fun. My mom's parents flew in from New York, and a lot of old friends came, like kids I used to skate against when I was a little girl, friends from middle school, former neighbors, and of course, the skaters I train with. I was amazed at how many people showed up...I didn't realize I knew so many people! Even though I will miss my classmates, I won't miss the homework or stress! 
   I'm taking a year off from my studies before I attend college, just to focus solely on skating, and I'll have to see how this season goes before I decide if I am going to skate another year. I want to make the most of the opportunities I have in skating, but I know college is very important, so I am keeping my future plans very broad. I would like to get an international assignment, and make the top 10 at Nationals this year. It will be a lot of hard work, but I think I can do it!
   I have Skate Detroit later this week, and since it's my first competition of the season, and my first competition with a new coach, I don't really have any expectations. I'm trying to increase my difficulty this year, so I want to attempt my new jumps, and debut my new programs, and then we'll know with more specificity what I need to work on. I'm looking forward to seeing my out-of-town friends as well, and I love to travel. 
Thanks for taking the time to read my journal, and for visiting my page! I really appreciate everyone's support! Hope you're all having a wonderful summer! 

Take care, and Sk8 Gr8!
Katie

March 25th
Hey guys! Thanks for taking the time to read my journal! It's been quite a while since I've written, so I have a lot to talk about. First off, some of you heard that my grandmother passed away about a month ago. Losing her was the hardest thing I've ever gone through, and we all miss her terribly, but I want to thank everyone who wrote and sent their prayers for helping my family and I through that difficult time. 
On a happier note, I was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to North Central College, and a scholarship at Valparaiso University! As far as my plans for college are concerned, I am still undecided as to where I will go to school, or if I will defer in order to continue training, but it was exciting to hear that I'd gotten those scholarships! 
My choreographer, Philip Mills, came to my rink a few weeks ago, and we choreographed my short program. I just love working with Philip; he is so much fun! We had a great time working on the program, and I am very happy with how it turned out. I'll be working with him again in a few weeks on my long program, so I'm really looking forward to that. 
I just got back last night from my Spring Break. While most of my classmates went someplace warm and tropical, like Mexico, the Caribbean, or Florida, I went to another rink! I spent the week in Peoria, Illinois, working with Linda Branan and Gene Heffron, who coach Matt Savoie (my idol). I'd never worked with either of them before, so it was good to get input from different people and of course, to get away from home. I had a fun week, and I think I learned a lot. (On a side note: I went out one evening with Matt...we went to the mall, out to eat, and then to Chuckie Cheese's (which, I swear, was not my idea!). I beat him *twice* in air hockey, but he won't admit it!!!) :-) 
I have an ice show coming up next weekend in Alexandria, MN. I am excited for that, because I'll get to see my good friend Tanya, who I don't run into anymore since she is no longer skating competitively. It's always a treat for me to see my out-of-town friends, since I only get to spend time with them a few times a year. 
Well, I think that's about all the news I have for now. As usual, thanks so much for stopping by my page!

January 30th
Special Nationals Entry
What a great week! I had the absolute *best* time in Boston! It was such a contrast from last year. Last year, I got too nervous and didn't perform well, but this year, I skated well all week, and I was very proud of the way I handled my nerves. All my practices went well, and I was also pleased with how I competed. A lot of people asked me what it was like to practice with Michelle Kwan, but I have to say that it didn't really bother me. Jenny Kirk was also on my practices, so there was a lot of media and fans at all the practices. I think that benefited me: I got accustomed to an audience early in the week, so when I had to compete, it wasn't as intimidating. I enjoyed signing autographs after the practice sessions as well. However, I think my very favorite part of Nationals was riding the shuttle bus to and from the arena. Since traffic in downtown Boston is pretty crazy, we got escorted by the police. I couldn't wait to tell my friends at home that I for a police escort to the arena! That was so much fun! I also had a great time meeting people and making new friends. It is amusing to hear everyone's accents. I got teased for my MN accent and "Yah, you betcha!", even though that's not how I really speak! But it's all in fun! I made the dumbest mistake in the short program, singling the double axel. Arrrgh! I never do that! That was unfortunate, because it placed me in the first warm-up group for the freeskate, and I drew second in the long program. I was very happy with how my long program went, especially in front of such a large crowd! I was glad that I could keep it together in front of a crowd of 16,000 people, and my friends and family. It was fun to sit in the kiss-and-cry and have stuffed animals thrown on the ice after my performance (Thanks to everyone who threw me a stuffie!). I could see myself live on the Jumbotron, too! I was a little disappointed in my placement, because I was hoping to get a Junior Grand Prix event, but that's all up to the judges, and I know I did my best. I enjoyed watching the other events as well. Because of my practice schedule, I didn't get to see as many as I would have liked, but I had fun cheering on my friends and throwing animals for them. That reminds me of a little story... During the Senior Men's short program, I was sitting in the balcony, and after a friend of mine skated, I threw a teddy bear for him. Well, it didn't quite make it to the ice. In fact, it hit someone in the head! Oops!!! Then, after another friend of mine skated, I asked a friend to throw the next teddy bear, because I didn't want to hit anyone else. But that bear didn't make it either, and it hit someone else! Then a security guard came and yelled at us for throwing things! I was so embarrassed. The competitors' party was fun also. I love to dance! It was really nice to relax after a stressful week and have fun with my friends. Our flight home got cancelled, so we were stuck in Boston an extra day. Since we had nothing better to do, my mom, sister, and I went to the Chevy Skating Spectacular, and then flew home the next day. I'm taking a break from skating right now, since my season is over. I'm listening to music for next year's programs, and hopefully I'll be back at Nationals next year! Thank you to everyone who has supported me this season!

January 7th 2001
Hi guys! It's been a while since I've written, but I wanted to write one last entry before I leave for Nationals. I'm flying to Boston on the 15th, and I am so excited! This will be my second trip to Nationals, so I am feeling much more confident this year since I know what to expect. My goals are to stay focused in front of such a large audience, and to improve on my placement from last year, so that means getting 16th or better. However, since the placement is all up to the judges, I really just want to skate well and be happy with my performances. I have worked very hard all year, so I hope all that training will pay off! I'm looking forward to seeing my out-of-town friends that I only see at competitions, and hopefully I will meet some new people as well! Of course, I'm also looking forward to spending my birthday money (I just turned 17)! I love shopping, and I'm interested in checking out the stores that we don't have in Minnesota! :-) Well, I think that's about all for now! A big thank you to everyone for all your support and good-luck wishes, and I will write back when I get home and tell you all about my experiences in Boston! Take care!

November 27th 2000
Hi everyone! 
I just got back from Mids last weekend, and I've been busy trying to catch up with homework ever since, but I am proud to say that I made it to Nationals! I was happy with how I skated, and thrilled to come in 4th in such a tough group of skaters. The competitor's party was a lot of fun as well...I love to dance, and it was nice to kick back after a stressful week. Several friends of mine also qualified for Nationals, so Boston should be a lot of fun! School is going fine as well. It turns out that Nationals is the same week as my final exams, but I guess that's life! Well, I think that's about it for now! Take care!

November 2nd 2000
   Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've written! So here's what's new:
   I competed at the Upper Great Lakes Regionals last week in St. Louis, and I wound up second. I won my qualifying round, and skated a prefect short program, but my long program could have been a little better. I still wound up second, though, so I'm going to Wichita for Mids! I'm leaving on the 14th...that's not very far from now! I know the time will go by quickly!
   Aside from skating, we recently had Homecoming at my school, and that was a blast! We won the football game 14-0...Go Mustangs! I went to the dance with my friend Mike, and we had a great time. It was fun to get all dressed up! I just got my pictures back today, and they turned out really well, so I was excited about that; I'm not usually very photogenic!
   Well, that's about all the news I have for now! Thanks for stopping by my site!

September 18th 2000
The last few weeks have been pretty fun! I just started my senior year in high school (I'm young for my grade), and it's cool to be one of the big-shots now! Oh, and I found out that I made National Merit Scholar semifinalist! So that's pretty exciting!
   My trip to Chicago was great! It was the best week I think I've ever had! The people I stayed with were so welcoming, I felt completely at home. When I wasn't at the rink, we went swimming (even though I prefer
my water frozen!) and watched a few movies. And I got to skate in the Extreme Skating Expo while I was there... I skated a clean program, and had a blast seeing people I don't normally get to spend time with.
   This weekend I competed at the Rockford Open. I skated a clean short program, a pretty good long, and got 2nd place. There was also a critique, so I could get some constructive criticism from the judges. Afterwards, I went out to eat and watched TV with some friends, and we could all relax since the competition was over. Now that Rockford is over, I'm going to be working hard for Regionals...my favorite competition of the year! I'm looking forward to it already! Sk8 Gr8!

August 25th, 2000
  Wow, things have been busy lately! Here's an update! Even though I'm more involved in USFSA nowadays, I started skating through the ISI program, and always dreamed of passing Freestyle 10, the final test.
Having the ISI Worlds in the Twin Cities a few weeks ago gave me that opportunity. When I passed, I was interviewed for the ISI magazine, and invited to skate in a show at the end of the week. After the show, Ben
Miller and I went to The Olive Garden with the guest skaters; Danielle and Steve Hartsell and Matt Savoie! They're really nice people, and it was a lot of fun.
  Last week, I competed at the Silicon Valley Open in San Jose. I was in 2nd place after I did a clean short program, but dropped to 3rd place overall after the long. It was a good experience, gave me lots of motivation, and I got to skate in front of different judges, but my
favorite part of the week was the day I went to San Francisco. I loved seeing Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf! Next week, I'm going to Chicago...just to train, but it will be a nice change of pace. Hope you're all enjoying the last days of freedom before school kicks in! :-)

July 22nd, 2000
  Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've gotten to write a journal entry, so here's an update! My summer has been going wonderfully; it's nice to have a break from school and be able to focus on skating. I competed at Skate St. Paul last weekend, my home club competition. I know there were a few reviews on the internet, so maybe some of you heard about it already. I wound up getting first place...gotta love that! ;-)
  It was the first time I'd competed my new long program, so I was glad it went so well, and now I know what to work on for the next time around! We had two of my friends from Chicago stay with us during the competition: Nikki and Josh, who both won their events(congrats again, guys!). It was crazy trying to get everyone to their events and  practices, but all turned out well! For the next few weeks, I'm going to be working on adding another triple to my long program, and possibly changing my combination in the short program. I'd like to have both accomplished by the time I leave for San Jose, where I'll be competing in about a month. I'm already looking forward to that, because I've never been to California, and I love going to competitions and seeing people from out of town. Hopefully that will go well, but for now I just have to concentrate on my training! Hope you're all having a great summer!  
Sk8 Gr8 and take care!!!

June 3rd, 2000
Things here are going great! School will be over on Wednesday, so I've been a little stressed with studying for finals, but the torture is almost over! ;-)
 Skating has been going really well lately; I'm still trying to get my endurance up, but the jumps and spins are going well. This week, Alexei Mishin is at my rink for a skating clinic, and few of his skaters are here with him as well, so I've gotten to skate with Elena Sokolova, too! It's been pretty cool to work with him.
 This summer is going to be great! Most days I'm going to skate in the morning, so I'm trying to get a part-time job in the afternoons to help pay for skating and save for college. And I'll have more time to spend with friends when I don't have to sit in class all day! Either way, I'm looking forward to a fun and exciting summer!