I think my figure skating fandom is dying out. Weird. The biggest factor is that the new scoring system is purely idiotic, but it's also like I only have so much energy to go around, and these days a huge chunk of it gets sucked up by writing and writerly activities. Which may mean I'm getting a bit too single-minded, but I'm having fun with it.

I know what you mean, Susan. Not so much about the scoring, I never understood it all that well, but about the losing interest part. I started losing interest when they started all the pro contests. It just seemed to make it even more of a popularity contest. Plus, I got tired of seeing the same routines over and over and over...

The past few days have been scarily positive. Amazing fic feedback packages and notes and emails, plus, when I went to the eye doctor I discovered that my eyes show no signs of deterioration that could be attributed to diabetes. That has been my secret dread since the diagnosis, especially with a pimply-faced nursing student doing the initial consulting and saying, as she casually shoved her glasses up, "Of course, you could do everything right and still lose your feet or go blind." If she'd had gum she'd have popped it, she was so bored.

Anyway. Old trauma, since reported to the management of the hospital.

"Fortunately", to sooth my odd phobia of things going right which only means bad things will soon follow, Hubby's holding on till his scheduled back surgery by the skin of his teeth. They say they can rebuild him, they have the technology (and if I add up all the medical bills, I don't want to see how close we are to six figures). I've not only let that bitch Hope park in the driveway, she's turned off the engine and thinking of coming inside. I think I'll make her sit on the porch for a while, just in case.

That has been my secret dread since the diagnosis, especially with a pimply-faced nursing student doing the initial consulting and saying, as she casually shoved her glasses up, "Of course, you could do everything right and still lose your feet or go blind." If she'd had gum she'd have popped it, she was so bored.

And? Wrong.

connie, that's excellent news.

I think if you're going to make Hope wait out on the porch, you should consider serving her some tea. Might make her more disposed to come in and set a while.

P-C, what model is it?

Not a clue. If it's written anywhere, it's probably on the back, which is against the wall.

Yay, Connie!

Also, Stephanie, if you're around: very good blog questions, and I'll answer them in my next post, whenever the hell that may be.

That is great news, connie.

I know what you mean, Susan. Not so much about the scoring, I never understood it all that well, but about the losing interest part. I started losing interest when they started all the pro contests.

I never paid much attention to the pro contests. With me, it's mostly that the new judging system seems to only look at the parts of the skate, not what they sum up to, and that somehow I haven't fallen for any new skaters to replace retired/pros who used to be my favorites like Todd Eldredge, Alexei Yagudin, or Sale/Pelletier, or ones who'll likely retire after 2006 like Kwan or Shen/Zhao.

Alexei Yagudin

I wonder whatever happened to that tape I have of the exhibition skate from the 2002 Olympics, when he stripped down to some very skimpy underwear while changing his costume. I bet they don't let the cameras follow the skaters into dressing rooms anymore.

From Scott Hamilton: "If he takes off any more, we're going to have to go to cable." I still wonder if the camera man wasn't paying attention and had to have someone yell in his ear "Move the camera!" before he realized what he was taping, or if he knew damned well.

Liked the opening credits to the JM heist film.

How much do I like JM in a turtleneck? I wanna lick my TV screen. Been too long without him on it.