Let’s get this straight, my neighbor is insane. I don’t mind saying this cause she won’t ever actually read the blog. Unlike Steve, who will read this, but I don’t like at all… but that’s neither here or there. This neighbor comes home from a whirlwind shopping trip with skates and pads with a grin on her face from ear to ear. Ohhh, did I ever NOT want her to bug me to get out there on my skates, practice, smile and generally foster a positive attitude about life. Grrr. But, late in the day she says, let’s go for a spin. She starts talking about going to a skate park. SKATE PARK?? Not only that, but she, in her (40 + old body) explains the etiquette and merits of skateboarding culture. How these are the kids who respect boundaries and respect the board. I am shrinking further into my seat, into my fear zone of …. holy shit, just let me roll unsuccessfully with my husband down the street and make an ass of myself. We get to the park…with the 5 -m 12 year olds. Shame, I am telling you, shame. I can hardly believe it cause I never thought I would ever be at a skate park. I put on the Tron pads though my husband would hide his face in shme. Without him, I knew I needed them to avoid a lifelong injury. I was wobbly….at first. I did a couple of laps and DID fall. It didn’t hurt too much and really wasn’t too embarrassing except for grinning neighbor asking if she can help me up. What the *&%$ is she going to do to help my iceberg ass off the skatepark cement? My limit was 2 laps at a time. My whole body would quiver by the time I was done with lap 2 due to muscle unrecognition. But, I did at least 15 laps. It was hell, but okay. Neighbor didn’t want to leave, but it is a good thing myvoice of quitting reason prevailed and we returned home cause it ends up she was tired too (hah). Now that I know of a new place where the seams in the sidewalk won’t take me out I am more motivated to get skilled in skating. Thanks to the neighbor, I won’t have to do it alone!!! Do you think she’ll stop her enthusiastic smile?? I personally doubt it.
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health at my size (or any size for that matter) 
The posts on this blog get better and better every day! I love the visual of Jen out there skating around the park laughing and smiling. Meanwhile, I sit on the couch every night and eat Tombstone pizza and drink wine. I am inspired, but most likely won’t act on it until 2nd quarter 2011. It takes me a while. Bravo Jen!
Yeah, sidewalk or street skating is the hardest place to learn, simply because of the cracks and seams in the pavement. It’s too bad that there aren’t that many roller rinks anymore, those are great places to learn, whether they have plastic-covered floors or hardwood floors. I’ve skated on both, and prefer the plastic-covered ones, hardwood floors are a lot more slick and you’re more prone to slip and fall on them (although if you fall on a plastic floor, the floor burns are worse).
I think the plastic floors in roller rinks were similar to the floors used in roller derby, at least, they look the same.
I used to skate a lot (3 to 4 hours a night, 4 nights a week) and ended up with very muscular thighs and ass (my calves were pretty strong too, but didn’t match the development of my thigh muscles).
One thing about skating on sidewalks and streets, being able to skate over the seams and cracks will make you a more stable, better skater (if there are irregularities in your floor surface, they won’t throw you off your stride).