Pics from the concert

Bryan and k.d Lang singing Imagine!

Bryan Adams and k.d Lang!

Oh my goshness. Tonight was absolutely stellar!

I saw Bryan Adams and k.d Lang LIVE! Was a loner but in the end took misss Kate Hanly with me :)

So...the concert was fabulous. k.d started and I must say, I think I am in love with her voice more than I am in love with..hm um, john lennon? She is spectacular and is SO funny. I had a good laugh. She came on stage barefooted, and also danced for us. But she truly is one of a kind. My ears are still ringing.

Mr Adams on the other hand, was so handsome as always, and his voice just turns me on. Ah he is such a great performer and good story teller. I was really looking forward to seeing him perform.

Had a free ticket to take anyone with me. Had some 1st choices that couldn't so I decided to go by myself but mother dearest had a lovely idea/person to ask, and so I did. And am damn glad she could come. Her mom taught me how to speed skate actually, and we used to short track back when we were 9 y.o. Now kate is 16 and was on the junior CDN team last year. :) :-*

The best song that Bryan sand tonight was Let's Make A Night. And I totally can NOT believe he started with 'Run To You'. That's like one of my love theme songs. AH!

Will post a video or two from tonight. Ok seats, good sound, great night. Now off to Ben and Jerry. Ha (inside joke)

I didn't get any work done this afternoon. Had to study for an exam tomorrow and also write another essay. Will do that right now actually. It's just 12am. I think I will sacrifice one night out of the month to do that. Then training in 5 hours. Will not be too good but I'll survive. Just one night. ACTUALLY- change of plans. I need to be at school in the morning, so I will probably train in the afternoon which works out quite well if I do say so myself.

Have a new focus plan. Don't waste time on useless stuff- therefore I will do homework like everyday (har har) and will focus on skating. The two things I am here for. I don't wait for no one, and I move fast. So keep up.

Noapte Buna.

-Alexandra-

I wish all days could end the way they should.

Bonne soir.

I just got back from coaching- which was probably the worst night I've ever had out. Home now, finished half a tub of ice cream. Still doesn't taste like ice cream. Nothing tastes like anything since last Monday. Why does it feel like I have to stop liking him? I don't want to but like every time I see him, he just pulls himself further and further away.

I don't even know how to act normal anymore. Because every time I do, he probably thinks it's annoying so then I try and be distant and cold, but that's not like me. Why am I over thinking this?

Watching Kiss Kiss Bang Bang now.

I was lying down on my couch and my landlord's cat just came and sat itself down on my lap and just curled up. Sometimes I wonder how this random cat can just love a stranger. Ok I promised myself I won't be down, and I will just go on with life. Life will go on.

Now onto the happy things- Talked to Ireland, Wotherspoon and Myk Makowsky today and got the greatest new outlook on a bunch of stuff. Me can't wait to FINALLY start skating fast. Finally.

Ok, gonna go finish up the ice cream. Tonight was just stupid. He was awkward so I just decided not to say anything at all. Hate it when anyone just over does something when they know a certain something and then they just make it weird.

But what just made my day, and I just read it now- got a message in my honesty box by a guy, don't know who, and he just said something really nice, and it was kind of sweet cause a tear just rolled down my cheek. It's people like these that keep you going on days like these. :(

You look good with some stubble.

Alex

Think about it.

Hey!

Today was rather interesting. And good! I got my address for where I'll be staying while I'm in Vancouver for the 2010's. This morning's training was really good. Partly because I was so focused during the warm-up but still made it fun. You don't want to be too serious during practice, but you still want to have that tunnel vision. Once you get to a higher level like Nesbitt or Wotherspoon, you'll see the difference to the approach they take in warm-up, as to our approach.

It's like painting. Everyone has a different style in painting one thing. Or like looking at one object from a different perspective. Or adding extra detail to that painting. Being a perfectionist has it's advantages but also has it's disadvantages. I find myself focusing on one thing for weeks at a time and if it doesn't work in a race, when I think I am prepared for it, I get quite frustrated but then I have to look at the different things I do right, instead of focus on the negative.

When I do race, it's quite interesting because my sport psychologist got me to look at things in a very different way..

I'll finish racing and if I had a bad race, well first off, I NEVER look at what I did wrong.

Here's how I approach it:

What did I do right.

What can I improve.

Lets go to work. What's next.

Another thing I have been working on, not only inside the oval, but during everyday life/every where I go, is to pretend I have already been at the Olympics and that it's just my second time around. To not be starstruck when I see the national team, but instead be a part of the team. Hence the name of my blog- I've been here before. It's just my second time 'round.

Walk it

Talk it

Think it

Act it

So I'll leave you with one more thought and then I have to get on with my homework, or there will be consequences at school. (kidding)

What you think might be your worst race, will actually be the best opportunity to bring the best you've EVER given.

-Alex Ianculescu-

Racing.

WOW. Surprisingly weird, I am very excited.

Went to sleep at 230 am last night, and woke up at 8. Got to the oval at 9am, instead of 830. Ice warmup felt great and starts were super!

Racing, that's different.
My 500 time was 42.11. 30.6 lap time, and 11.49 start. Not impressed.

1500 on the other hand, was SO good. Laser focus and tunnel vision. Had a 28 start-slower than usual, and 2.11 finish. Great feeling throughout the race, no pain. Felt strong and low, and pumped the arms. Good focus and powerful. So happy!



Richard Maclennan had an outstanding 1000m race- beat Mike Ireland. Now I am so positive that anything is achievable and it doesn't matter if you have experience or not, and race someone that's so good, because you can still beat them. Richard proved that theory today.
Congrats- you're amazing!

On my way to Banff now. TTYL

Alex.

Got out ALIVE!

So. 3 essays! DONE! Well almost. Still have one more to write. I got out of school alive though. Am at the oval now- had a new offset on my long track skates and needed to test them out before tomorrow's racing.

I found that my right skate constantly touched the ice in the corners...the boots. And so I had Crispin move the blade over like in ST.

And it feels SO good!

Tomorrow's races are going to be quite exciting... but for some reason not really looing forward to that 1500. 500m, 4th pair, Outside lane (bonus), with Brianne Tutt. 1500m, 9th pair, Inside, with Steph Bergeron.

Gotta write that essay, and then dinner out tonight.

Gotta find an outfit!!!

Alex