Quick updates:

Ice-skating: I guessed the skating school realized that there are many new skaters this season, so they hired more instructors. When they sorted students into groups once again, my former instructor - who was familiar with my situation - placed me into a group that better complement my skating abilities. While I am the "amateur" in my group, I thoroughly enjoy learning the new techniques (despite the falls). I sometimes feel a little embarassed just because others in my group can do more advanced moves, but I am trying hard and having fun. I'll just have to practice more during open rink hours to work on the techniques! :)

Blogging: I started a new entry for this blog several times in the past two week. Everytime I sat down to write, though, I felt like I could not convey exactly what I feel. So I didn't. I find it amazing that some people could update their blog daily, but then again, I guessed it's also a matter of personal preference. I like writing, but I only want this blog to give others a glimpse into my life and as an outlet for my rantings. If it's anything more and I'd have to force myself to write, I think I'd have to quit blogging altogether. And I don't think I want to do that just yet.

School : I am moving back to school this weekend. I am taking five courses this semester, even though I only needed three more to graduate. I need four courses to be considered a "full-time" student, but I think all my courses would be beneficial. Besides, it should be fun since all but one are my electives. The downside is that I won't have any classes with my friends except for one! One out of five! Don't get me wrong. I'd appreciate the opportunity to meet new people, but sometimes, you'd just want to be in a class with people you know - especially since it's the last semester of college.

Life : For a short while, I thought I was all alone in thinking that I am living my life aimlessly, without direction. After speaking with some of my friends, I've realized that I am not the only one. Most of us have such big plans when we were younger, but as we grow older, things changed. Plans changed. People changed. And sometimes all these changes are overwhelming, making us feel confused and doubtful about life: what we wanted to do and accomplish and where we want to see ourselves in the future. I know it's all part of growing up, but why does it have to be so hard sometimes?

With graduation coming up in May, I have lots to think about. Jobs? Graduate School? Actually, I've been thinking about it since high school. For a long while, I've thought I was in the wrong field of study (Computer) - despite the fact that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought I wanted to do science, but that didn't work out because my parents oposed my decision to attend a certain school which has a strong research program. I was very upset with my parents over that issue, and they knew full well that I resented them for it. After much thoughts, though, I realized that I don't know what fields other than CS that I'd rather be in. I do like science - a lot - but that interest only began after my physics course during my junior year of high school. Prior to that class, the only science I liked is Earth Science, even though I did respectable in biology and chemistry.

Now I figured out that perhaps my interest in science was not as strong as I might have believed. After all, I have electives during my senior year of high school. Guess what? I did not take any AP Science course, instead, I chose computer courses as my electives. I guessed I thought that I liked science so much that I fell into the trap "what could've..." The "what-could-have" isn't important as what is. So while I like(d) science a lot, there were other areas that I was even more interested in. And you know what? After everything, I truly believe that things worked out for the best. As one of my favorite quotes said, "I may not have go where I intended to go, but I have ended up where I intended to be". And I don't think I could say it any better than that.

I started taking ice-skating lessons in late November as a beginner; I've never been on the ice before. I didn't care about taking some falls as I had a wonderful instructor and it was just so much fun that I even dreamed about ice-skating. I guessed you can call it an 'obsession'.

Well, the new season began in late December and I have a new instructor. He's most certainly a strong skater, I'll admit, but he's more into "showing off" his skills than "teaching" them to us. We just stand there on the ice listening to him talk and watching him demonstrate, but I think most of us just want to try it ourselves. I know I do. And I know one other person does too - she had the same instructor as me last time.

My former instuctor is now teaching people at a more advanced level, which doesn't work for me since I am still a beginner. My forward skating is relatively strong, and I have started to learn how to move backwards. With my new instructor, however, we're still learning how to do forward strokes! I am so frustrated! I want to improve; I want to learn new skills, but I feel like I am being kept back! I usually go to the ice-rink an hour or two before the lesson to warm up and practice, and I don't just want to keep practicing the same thing over and over again. I want to learn new techniques!

Our former instructor would give us tips and pointers during lesson time and practice time, but my instructor was nowhere to be seen! I think he was talking to another student somewhere across the rink. Guess how many tips/pointers I got today? Zero. Zilch. Nothing.

During practice time, I spent my time doing more productive things. I've practiced the snow-plow stops, backwards skating, forward skating, and skating on one leg (I'm still very shaky on that). And, I fell at least three times today. Hard. At least I was wearing my helmet. When the lesson was over, I skated toward the exit where a group of kids was still exiting. I've been skating pretty well prior to that and I am feeling graceful (for the very few rare times in my life). The high school hockey team and cheerleaders were already gathered at the rink. To slow down time (to let the kids exit), I did a quick turn around the rink - even though it's one of my weaknesses. I heard my current instructor commenting (from a faint distance) that it was a great turn. As I complete my turn, I saw that the kids were still exiting. Since I hadn't give myself enough space to do another turn, I tried to stop but I fell down. Hard. Right in front of the exit. So much for being graceful, huh? :)

I have never fell so many times on the ice rink in one day. I am still sore from my falls even as I am writing this.

After all my rantings above, I just think that instructors played a huge role. I think my new instructor is crushing my love for ice-skating into frustrations. The lessons doesn't come cheap either and I paid for these lessons (10 sessions) with my summer earnings. And right now, I just feel like demanding my money back! (No refunds). I know I'll stick with ice-skating, but I really don't know how I can improve at the current rate.

I've done all the research I can on ice-skating online. I've watched ice-skating events on t.v. I even watched others skate in the skating rink to see how I could improve, but it's not the same if I don't get the necessary pointers on the ice! I don't think it's entirely my new instructor's fault; he does have a whole group to work with and it's hard for him to give some individual attention, but where does that leave me and the others!?!?!

Happy New Year!

It's another new year and plenty of people are making new year resolutions. I never really believed in making resolutions, because I probably won't keep them anyway.
That doesn't mean that I won't work to change some things in this coming year.

For one, I am going to try to stay away from the computer as much as possible. I don't know if I am the only one who does this, but I think I have spent far too much time on the AIM in the past. I think I also spent too much time reading people's blogs. However interesting as they may be, I need to spend more time to live my life, to share my time with people I care about, instead of sitting in front of my computer reading about the lives of others. I want to spend more time getting to know people better. That doesn't mean I am going to stop reading other blogs altogether; it's just that I am going to read them on a less frequent basis. On the same note, I am (of course) going to update my blog, but only periodically.

I've actually started staying more away from the computer since the start of finals in December. For those who I can't keep in touch unless via e-mail or AIM, the Internet is a great mode of communication. For those people who lived closer to me, however, I'd much rather hang out in person. I am going to hang out and spend more time with friends as well.

Unlike most years, I've decided not to work this winter break and instead to spend some quality time with my family. In addition to my ice-skating lessons every weekend, I've played video games, darts, and went ice-skating with my brother and sister during open rink hours. (I am only starting to learn how to ice-skate backwards, if you have any tips or advice, do share!) :)

I've also gotten my semester grades; most were better than I had expected. I am still waiting for a grade from a class which I received an "incomplete". I was incredibly surprised when I first saw the "I" while checking my grades online; I thought there must be a mistake! I e-mailed the professor and it turned out that she misplaced my final exam and term paper. How likely is that, really?