CeeBeeGee

That was a typo, and it should be obvious--J and H are right next to each other on the keyboard. That said, I did notice the typo earlier and left it in because it was so ridiculous. I haven't seen any sexually aggressive comments about Eteri's brood although I agree if they're out there, that's disgusting. They're children (which is part of the problem). But I've been on record as blaming Eteri and not the skaters for this shitshow. Humping Beans instead of Jumping Beans was truly just a typo--and I thought an amusing one--but if you feel strongly about it, I will correct it, just let me know. Abbott slamming into the boards I am pretty sure was Sochi in 2014. A lot of the men ate ice at that competition, including Yuzuru. I remember posting to "Figure Skating Confessions" (?) on Tumblr about it, about how so many of the men fell, and getting a lot of angry Yuzuru-bot responses.

Soo, because apparently any Russian skater who ever had any status has been given their talking points (See also: Elena Radionova*), Anna Pogorilaya made some salty remarks about Worlds this year, about how Alysa Liu had URs and the judges were determined to award her anyway. So some wag posted a compilation video of all of Anna's "dramatic" falls and I can't stop laughing at it. My favorite is the second one where she eats the ice, gets up and then slams into the wall. And Johnny and Tara wondering out loud if she'd ever actually learned how to fall. "It's just a very dramatic way of falling..." *Elena was nasty about the content, saying the women were doing the same content 9 years ago at the last Boston Worlds. Honey, the only ones who were pushing the envelope were for the most part the ones who were drugged. We're glad that's gone from the sport. There are a few up and comers with quads but it's not a whole bevy of them and good, quality skating is being rewarded, not underfed humping beans. And it makes me sad because I always liked Radionova. She always showed such joy in her skating--she had an ebulliance that I liked.

Actually IIRC, was Anna melting down? As I recall it, poor gold medalist Anna was sitting frozen in her seat wondering if anyone remembered her while Noodlehead berated Kamila. Until finally Kaori graciously hugged her and congratulated her like the class act that she is. Because of course Noodlehead didn't remember that's your effing job. UGH. The audience did--not--like--her. People were quietly booing under their breath. *Cough* including me *cough* Also, looking at Jason's performance in these most recent Worlds. He finished fourth on the free skate. Fourth, without a quad, because his component scores were that good. Imagine if he'd skated perfectly in the short (but still without a quad). He would've ended up 6 or 7th--if one or two people above him mess up in the LP, he has a shot at a medal. Sure, it depends on him skating both programs perfectly and someone above him really tanking--but isn't that was Andrew and, to a lesser degree, Yama, did?

Much like Bolero, you almost have to earn the right to skate to Hallelujah. I thought Kamila, as lovely a (doped) skater as she was, was far too young and frankly callow to skate to Bolero. It's a complex piece and you need to build it, piece by piece. Why saddle her with that warhorse? Give her something fun and light--her Wednesday program was adorable and very imaginative. Similarly Hallelujah--I thought Mariah did a lovely job because she feels like an old soul to me. But not everyone can take you on that journey.

It was a BLAST. One pairs team did this gender-swapped program--the guy dressed in a tutu and skated a bit to Swan Lake and the woman (who had on a padded muscle suit) actually carried him! And then they switched from Swan Lake to (I think) a song by Beyonce about it being a woman's world. The whole thing was a blast. Isabeau was adorable in her braids, skating to Fever. And Amber looked soooooo relaxed--she too was wearing (messy, adorable) braids and a sequined football jersey. Oh, and Niina Petrokina did a fantastic rendition of Cell Block Tango--I think I was the only person who recognized the song for at least a few blocks! He had it comin'/He had it comin'/He only had himself to bla-ame... I was so excited once I realized what Jason was about to skate. I taped a little of it then forced myself just to enjoy it. God, that man is a treasure. I think this spring I'm going to sign up for the really expensive SOI package so I can meet him :)

I'll recycle an old joke: Was Dune on sale or something? (I said the same thing about Bolero three years ago.) It is undeniably great music to skate to.

God, if we got Team gold next Games and Jason finally got his Olympic gold, I would be so happy, I would be crying ugly tears.

That's it! Yes, it made me sad because we liked Egadze. There was a kid nearby who was hanging over the barrier, trying to personally give him a stuffed animal. Egadze finally noticed and skated over to take it and there was a muted "awwww..." from us. Then when we saw Noodlehead there was a different reaction ;)

I would attend Nationals if they ever decide to have it somewhere in the Northeast. It always seems to be some place in the Midwest, or small city in the South. I don't want to travel to those places. I'm sorry, I don't. (I would probably travel to Chicago though.) Have Nationals in a place that's already a tourist attraction and more people will come. I remember that. Disgusting behavior. At the Olympics, no less. I'm sure I've mentioned this already but the three Japanese skaters who at that point were waiting to see if they'd still be on the podium at the Grand Prix Final, who executed that incredible gesture of respect for Amber (they imitated her closing pose, with the left arm extended)--that is decency, that is respect, that is incredible sportsmanship. One of them had just been knocked off the podium and she still joined in! Such a breath of fresh air after "Starved, drugged, lied-to teenager* has a meltdown backstage because 'everyone's got a gold medal but me.'" The Russian skaters and the Russian audiences leave something to be desired in terms of good sportsmanship. Believe me, I'd love to be wrong--I actually admire much of Russian culture and speak the language a bit. But I can't stand that kind of pettiness, refusing to clap for anyone but their own countrymen. She's such a California girl and I love it. *Also believe it or not, I don't really blame Sasha for her meltdown--I blame her coaches. I blame Eteri. Sasha was starved and almost certainly drugged. Eteri was there yesterday--she's the coach of one of the top men--Daniel Grassl, maybe? When we saw her picture on the Jumbotron, there was a murmur. Lovedlovedloved Ekaterina Kurakova's Cats freeskate! So much fun, she's such an artist and sells her program so well! Love me some gimmicks like the changing the costume midskate--just a blast! Thrilled for Alysa. Amber put up a valiant fight, I hope she's not too disappointed. Same with Isabeau. Kaori had a hell of a free skate. All three top skates were excellent.

It's SO much fun. I love the camaraderie of FS fans. Wednesday I was between two older ladies (the audience tends to skew older and female--which, I am, I just look a lot younger ;). As the ladies' SP went on we started chatting and my two neighbors were pumping me for information. (And I realized I know a lot more about the sport than I thought!) I was explaining to Lady on the Left how to tell an axel from the other jumps--you approach facing forward. (I can tell some of the other jumps--I'm better at toe jumps. Honestly I used to know the jumps better, when I was actually taking lessons. Not that I ever got to jumps--I'm too old to jump--but I did study them.) Lady on the Right asked me about Kaori's program--she'd popped a triple but it was still relatively clean. I said "Regardless of how clean it was [and I honestly don't know if a double instead of a triple in the SP means NO POINTS FOR YOU!] they still have to ding her for the GOE because when your leg flies out like that, it looks sloppy." Her: "GOE?" Me: "Grade of execution." (And then I explained what that was.) Free day tomorrow--I did not get tickets for the ladies' FS (I didn't want to overwhelm myself). But I will be there Saturday for the men's FS!

When the announcer was interviewing Ilia after his SP, she said something like "what does it feel to have the first standing ovation from this crowd?" and a bunch of us were calling that out. I said "not only did Jason and Andrew get them, it wasn't even just the Americans! We stood for Kevin as well!" (And then after Ilia's program, we stood for Yuma. I think Donovan Carrillo might've also gotten a SO, he was wildly popular.) Ilia was just in the zone, feeling his oats--I had an insanely good seat at one end of the arena (3 rows back!) and a couple of times as he zoomed past he pumped his fist at us or urged us to cheer. He didn't do the 4A (not sure if he's allowed to in the short) but we all cheered wildly at the Raspberry Twist. I can't remember who skated before Shun Sato but someone threw out a couple of flowers that hasn't been wrapped (as a bouquet). One of the petals came off and when Sato started to take position a bunch of us were trying to alert the powers that be that hey, there's an obstacle on the ice. No one took notice of it and he went through his program, at one point coming very near the petal. Luckily he was fine and after his program we were able to alert one of the "sweepers" (the little girls--mostly--who fan out after to program to collect the stuffed animals people throw out for the skaters. When she picked up the petal and skated off, we all cheered for her).

I was there today and I had a feeling as soon as the final group came on for their warmup--Amer had a deer in the headlights look. She didn't look relaxed and ready to go--that said, she rallied beautifully after the first jump. The crowd was cheering wildly for her and the other two Americans. Isabeau was gorgeous out there. And I just love that dress.

Her heartfelt tears with Cromwell and that embrace with Henry--Henry loved his children (as long as they toed the line) and until the split started emerging between Henry and Catherine, Henry was a very loving, indulgent father who was very proud of Mary. I'm not crazy about the fairly recent Marian revisionism I see (burning to death hundreds of people for their religious principles is absolutely cruel, no matter how many people want to say "well, this person killed more!" Burning is one of the cruelest ways to kill people--I'd much rather be beheaded) but it can't be denied that Henry did a number on Mary. I can't imagine experiencing her incredibly privileged childhood--she was the acknowledged Princess of Wales, the heiress apparent at one point--and then processing the betrayal she experienced during her teens. He didn't even allow her to see Catherine when she was dying. Loved Mary's talking about her (full) brothers and sisters--she had a bunch of them, she was the only one who survived.

That's been my impression as well, that the Virtue/Voir contingent have such a massively overdeveloped sense of entitlement that they simply cannot accept that they lost to David and White and are trying to spread the "everyone now thinks they were overrated..." No. We don't. I still can't stand Virtue and Moir and all the face grabbing and histrionic crap. I can't give you technical reasons for that because I don't really study ice dancing but I know what I don't like.

One of my absolute least favorite tropes is the serial killer. They always, always want to romanticize him and make him out to be handsome, super intelligent, charismatic. I absolutely detest that. It's statistically dishonest and it's insulting to victims of serial killers. I love watching Blue Bloods and SVU but as soon as I realize the story is about a serial killer, I change the channel.

I love the imaginary scenarios! They're always so funny. I really don't think the show is going there--yes, that would be devastating for Ava. I thought she looked different!

That was *fans self* really effing hottt. I really hope so. I love this show.

I was stunned when I saw that. How could you be so blithely unaware of the risk? I have stayed on good terms with nearly all my exes (child of a nasty divorce, I didn't want to repeat that pattern) so yes, it's possible. A couple of them were kind of toxic though so I didn't bother pursuing a friendship afterward. Ludo and Morgan seem to have great chemistry--and more importantly, respect for each other.

I've said this before here but one of my memories of Button's commentary is when he was commentating during 1991 US Nationals. Tonya Harding, being more of an athletic jumper than the Sasha Cohen-types he typically preferred, with their exquisite posture, etc. probably wasn't one of his favorites. But he was so excited when she landed the 3A--maybe even more than she was! I just loved his aristocratic tones "Good girl!...How terrific!" He knew how important that jump was for women's FS. What a sad week for all of us. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIGoWGjetog

You don't think this Franks is also a misogynistic sexist pig? I cannot stand the way he talks to Lala. In one of the earliest episodes (I can't remember exactly which one, IMDB doesn't help), he accuses her of wanting to sleep with Gibbs in really gross, inappropriate language.

I had a feeling after Alysa's FS that Amber would take gold. As thrilled as I am that Alysa is back and that she's skating for the right reasons (it broke my heart when she said that she'd hated skating before--they didn't talk about it but it looks as though the rumors about her dad being an unbearable skating parent have some truth to them)--she still skates a little juniorishly to me. Amber's presence and skills just seem more refined and polished and "special" to me. Just my opinion, of course. I'm loving Sarah Everhardt and I LOVED the Viking program by Sonja Hilmer! What fun!

Guess what???? I'M GOIN' TO WORLDS!!!!!!!!! I bought tickets last week (women's SP, men's SP and FS and the Gala. I wanted to get the women's FS but for some reason I couldn't get a single ticket--I may try again). And I just booked the hotel, right smack in the middle of Boston, just a few blocks from Boston Commons. When I'm not watching skating, I'll be wandering around Boston exploring history. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!!

Thank you!

Can someone explain to me what is the difference between an ADA and a deputy DA? In SVU Barba et al. are ADAs but in Blue Bloods, Erin is a deputy DA. Are they the same thing or what? I thought that might have been a gentle tease at the original French series. Well...except for Napoleon...but then he was actually Corsican, n'est-ce pas? I will say, in the Middle Ages, the French Army was legendary, which is why is was such a big deal the few times it was defeated (Agincourt, the Battle of the Golden Spurs).

I realize this thread is years old but I literally LOLed at this: "the sailor in a Village People cover band was murdered! Grab your gear!" Well done! 😂