Skate and Ski

I returned to the ice skating rink today for the first time in more than two weeks. My chops had regressed. I could barely do the salchow jump and couldn’t do the toe loop jump at all. It is quite a challenge to learn alone. I don’t have my kids to motivate me anymore. They no longer wanted to do figure skating. I don’t want to give up yet. I am going to keep trying. Maybe I should take some private lessons to help me accomplish these jumps.

I also returned to the skatepark to rollerblade when the weather permitted. I am working on my pumps. Dropping in has been scary as hell, but that’s only half of the battle. Pumping out is less intimidating, but harder to do. I spent months already, but I am starting to get it. My sons are no longer interested in rollerblading so I have to go solo. I made a video of my progression from last year to now.

They still love skiing and snowboarding; therefore, we have made tremendous progress together. Đạo, Đán, Xuân and I can do black and double-black slopes. Unfortunately, the season seems to be over already. I put together a video of our 2021-2022 skiing season. We’ll definitely go with the season pass again next year.

Skiing and skating have provided me with two benefits. I haven’t had a gout attack and I have been drinking on a regular basis—a glass of wine and a bottle of hard coffee a day. I also lost my beer belly.