Meanwhile, yours truly is not going to let a little sick time set him back on the road to roller skating glory. Now that I've been skating a few more times, and feel far more comfortable and smooth on wheels than I did even as a fulltime skating kid, I'm raring to start learning jumps and spins again. I've gotten some
great advice on an artistic roller skating forum, including some pointed encouragement from the
current world champion of inline freestyle skating, who happens to be 35 himself; I've found a great rink to practice at, plus a coach who's willing to train me. God knows what the end result will be, but I really do want to
do a perfect double axel again; I could even put together a routine and compete--I also got some encouragement on the same forum from a 52-year-old freestyle skater who just started competing again, so I'm certainly not the only middle-aged mad person on roller skates out there!
I just bought a pair of starter skates for sixty bucks on the internet--and these'll last me a couple of months as I get comfortable doing single jumps and standing spins again. Once I pass that point, I'm going to need some major equipment to support my aging bones as they attempt to do double jumps and more. Mainly, I need some super-rigid, custom-fitted boot action because my ankles are already weakened and enlarged from skating way back when. The entire package for my new figure skates, including boots, plates (super-light, single-piece construction!), wheels, bearings and toestops, all top of the line or close to it, is going to run me about a thousand bucks. And that's where this post comes in, which is where you, my dear friends, family, readers, supporters, and even cautious observers, come in. It's my 40th birthday on February 10, and this is my version of the midlife crisis purchase. Some men go for a Porsche--I go for a pair of state-of-the-art roller figure skates, a much healthier purchase if you ask me. Because I'm not one of those aging fags with huge disposable incomes that all of that new advertising is supposedly out to snag, I need your financial help, and I've made it easier than pie for you to donate to my current cause!
Simply press the button below to donate to Rob's roller skates fund
via Visa, Mastercard, Amex or e-check--no minimum!!
The donation period will end once I reach a total of $1000 through online donations and mailed-in checks (Yes, if you have my address, you can also simply mail me a personal check). Everyone who donates gets a thank you in the book I'm writing (because this experience is going to be part of it) and a free DVD or digital download of my progress after one year (perhaps I'll have a "routine" by then--you'll love it!). Support a starving artist/author in his quest for roller skating bliss and publishing viability. And thank you in advance!
Also, if you're interested in my progress and my stories of skating yore, I'll be writing all about all that on my figure skating blog, Dream of the Perfect Double Axel. Meanwhile, which is where I began this post, the Naked Animal will continue on this blog to excavate the many other rich veins running through his past, present and future.
Here's to fun and fusion as I flutter, fascinated, towards forty!
Wheee!
Categories: skating, transformation
