Nice Worlds’ Reflections: My Questions Answered

Shortly after the World Figure Skating Championships were a wrap in Nice, France, I messaged a friend who attended my frustrated questions and musings about the results to see if he could offer an insider point of view. They included questions about the Chan/Takahashi, Davis & White/Virtue & Moir, and Weaver & Poje/Pechalat & Bourzat rivalries. I wondered if seeing their performances live might shed light on the results in a way that my tv viewing couldn’t.

Well, Aaron over at Axels, Loops & Spins answered all of my questions in rather grand fashion. I was pleasantly surprised by his thorough responses, via his blog.

Read his responses in “Post Nice Reflections”

Find out…

“What happened to the House of Sato/Dunjen?…”

“Were Kavaguti/Smirnov decked for their public commentary on the ice?”

“Did Weaver/Poje deserve the bronze?…”

…and more!

jcm Nominated for “Blog of the Year”: Vote Now!

I am thrilled to be one of the Top 6 nominees for “Blog of the Year,” in Axels, Loops and Spins’ “3rd Annual Loop Axel Awards”! Although AL&S has apparently pre-determined his winners, if you like what you see/read/hear here, please vote for me there (under “Comments,” or click on his “View my complete profile” and email him directly), to help sway the deal for jumping clapping man! And, while you’re there, enjoy seeing Aaron’s other Awards. Last year Lifeskate.com deservedly won for best blog.

I’m takin’ a shameless page from Kathy Griffin’s “book,” and launching a guerilla marketing campaign for votes (Avenue Q also won the Tony this way in 2004!). Of course, I think I should be up for “Best New Face,” and “Best Outfit” too. 😉 Thank you kindly for returning to jcm, (and even more for your votes)!

The Best of jcm Rink Side

Here’s a look back at some highlights of my skating posts, balancing legit commentary with high camp. Click here to see all/only my skating-related posts:

A Rivalry Reignited: Torino Worlds Ladies FS, and other Worlds’ posts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

“GAY Stars On Ice & Friends!” PRESENTS: (My response to the “Stars on Ice” “family friendly” assertion, and supposed Johnny shut-out.)

Vancouver Games: Week 1 Supersized Recap, and other Olympics’ posts: 1, 2

jcm’s Olympics’ Podium Predictions Contest, and Winners (What other blog gives away money…and for free!?)

The Best of Spokane: Buttercups, Fizzles & Knives

Skaters Who Blew Through the Technical Ceiling (A robust technical overview.)

Ghoulish Figure Skating Clinics (Some Halloween season fun…yes, at the mercy of skaters.)

Olympic Reigns Ending: Likelihoods or Naysaying? (I nailed it! Bet your money on my soothsaying next time.)

Yu-Na Gets A Makeover! (Yes, I even made-over Yu-Na.)

[UPDATE: AL&S has announced that senior ice dancer Todd Gilles’ entertaining Vlog “Blips of Todd…“ is the winner.]

jcm Celebrates 1 Year!

104 Posts Later

In the midst of the buzz of the Vancouver Olympics, and following on the heels of Chinese New Year and V-day festivities, there is another notable, although perhaps somewhat smaller scale event occurring…jcm’s one year anniversary!

I take this moment to step back and survey the view on this first whirlwind year in the blogosphere. For many years I admired and enjoyed the outspoken thoughts of such bloggers and online community hosts as Malibran and the queens at Queer Opera Punks (now largely dormant), Aaron at AL&S, and La Cieca at parterre.com. Taking a page from their books, and a good dose of their inspiration, I launched jcm because I felt I too had something to say, with a unique perspective to offer, both informative and enlightening. It has proven to be a very satisfying creative outlet and communication tool for me.

Thank you for reading, commenting, and returning again! I’ve very much enjoyed connecting with you here…hearing reader’s perspectives, and getting to know other bloggers touting similar or parallel topics.

A Snapshot of Year I in Stats

Top Post:
The post with easily the most hits is “Olympic Reigns Ending: Likelihoods or Naysaying?” This issue clearly must have really hit a nerve with skating fans, and their searches!

Biggest Referrer:
AL&S has been my biggest “Referrer”, thanks to Aaron’s “Blog Check” sidebar, noting the most recent post titles, and his periodic jcm post mentions.

Most Clicks:
The website link with the most clicks: Required Elements, in my “rink links” sidebar (with AL&S a very close second). The video link with the most clicks: the Duchesnays ’90 Worlds FD! Who’d-a-thunk-it?

Top Ten Search Terms (in descending order)
cheeseburger — Huh?! It was the nickname of my character in “Hair”: Berger
2010 vancouver olympics — No surprise here!
drag me to hell — 2009 Horror film directed by Sam Raimi
johnny weir boyfriend — Way more interesting (and elusive) than Evan’s latest
tara donovan — An American installation artist
michelle kwan — Only the most famous figure skater of the past two decades
adelina sotnikova — 2009 Russian National Champion
no night is too long — 2002 titillating BBC gay flick
elvis stojko — Really? People still care?
heidi melton — I’m very pleased people are getting Melton updates here!

Most Amusing or Curious Search Terms (in random order)
michelle kwan boyfriend
why did michelle kwan separate from lori nichol
johnny weir naked
johnny weir high heels
why did paris leave johnny weir
evan lysacek naked
evan lysacek gay
is yuna kim overrated
scott hamilton loves yuna kim
drag king workshop
hot glue and glitter
styrofoam
albino man
cow tipping

Some Overlooked Posts

Perhaps you missed these the first time around. They are some of my favs with just a few too hits.

Ode to “Home”
My musings on my apartment, and life in SF.

Know Thyself: Theatre as a Tool to Discovery
Just a bit about what theatre has taught me about myself.

The Best Things in Life Are Free
An international urban phenomenon dreamt up by an installation artist.

Pinch Me! A Diva Tale
My experience as Chauffeur for Anna Netrebko’s Violetta.

If music be the food of the soul…
My list of the most spiritually transformative classical music.

A Hip “Hop”: In Search Of
The tale of my self-guided SF art hop.

Schwanewilms. Schwane-who?
An introduction to german soprano Anne Schwanewilms.

What Next?

Who knows what bloggin’ the next year of livin’ will inspire. But, if it’s even half as enticing as what the past year brought, I’m sticking with this! Perhaps a new blog look is in order? We shall see.

I’ve periodically thought about specializing in one particular subject (ie: just skating, just opera, etc.), to try to attract a demographic or more followers, but that wouldn’t be true to me and my schizophrenic interests.

So, plenty of diverse events, shows, and life experiences linger, and just may inspire me to post: the Vancouver Games, Torino Worlds, the threesixty° production of Peter Pan, the SFO productions of The Girl of the Golden West and Die Walküre, my BIG four-ohhhhhh, and more!

Vancouver: A Final Shout-Out

Seven Days & Counting!

The light’s at the end of the tunnel now, with the opening ceremony just one week away. Now is the time I start wishing I had forked out the dough to attend (waaaahhhhhh!!!). Thankfully, I can live vicariously through blogger friend Aaron, at AL&S. He’s been selected as the Gold Blogger, all expenses paid! This honor couldn’t have been awarded to a nicer, more knowledgeable guy. I am so proud of, and excited for him (…can you say insane jealousy?). I’m lobbying to be his towel boy. Be sure to follow him online, if you want the real behind-the-scenes (click on button at right). Go Aaron!

I just posted my own predictions for my Olympics’ Podium Predictions Contest (which of course don’t count). I’m so pleased at the level of participation, and it’s especially nice to see a few fellow bloggers and family represent: incl. Aaron, Matthew at VR=A, and my mom! The men’s result is easily the hardest to predict. A coin toss or Magic Eight Ball consultation (ala State of the Skate) could probably offer an equally accurate result, given how deep that field is.

The Russian Surge

A lot has shifted in the skating world in the eight months since my post about the end of some long-standing Russian reigns. It revealed my not-so-covert desire for these “reigns” to be passed on. With Plushenko’s successful comeback since, that’s now much less likely in the mens. Even “DomShabs” (or “Moksana”), who barely held it together at Russian Nationals will probably make it onto the podium, with a fight and some helpful nudges from a few biased judges. And, Kavaguti & Smirnov are raising the bar with each competition. Just shows you how resilient and determined the Russian skating community is.

Torino Ice Dance: OD Hawt Mess

We all remember the gasp-inducing affair that was the ice dance competition in Torino, with costly mistakes from several top teams. First, there was Denkova & Staviski (gold medalists one month later at Worlds!) falling out of contention with a botched spin, as well as some biased judging. Then there was Fusar-Poli getting dramatically dropped by Margaglio on their final lift. And, who can forget the stare-down that ensued afterwards, worthy of a Latin Telenovela!

Most tragic of all was Dubreuil getting hurled across the ice by Lauzon, also during their final lift. I wonder if any such slip-ups (or “fizzles”) will be deal breakers in deciding the medals. I certainly hope not, but it did make for some unforgettable and unexpected outcomes in Torino.

My Wish Short-List

I’m praying that Akiko Suzuki, Johnny Weir, Jeremy Abbott, and either American woman (see below) lands on the podium. Akiko and Sparkly-Boy are probably longshots, and really only viable for a bronze, but I can dream! I’d also really like to see Takahashi and/or Oda snag a medal. And, of course, many of us are also hoping for an historic U.S. ice dance gold!

Will he be "on", or lost in the icicles?

Historic Sweeps?

Speaking of ice dance, wouldn’t a North American sweep in ice dance be positively scrumptious?! I would also find it compelling to witness an Asian sweep (ala the Asian Invasion) in the ladies’ competition, in which case, maybe Morozov was right?

Ladies’ Dark Horse Trend

Will the next Sarah, Tara, or Shizuka please stand up? Who might be the unexpected dark horse for gold here? No, neither Tara nor Shizuka came out of nowhere (having won a previous Worlds), but they certainly weren’t the favorite. Judging from recent past results (offering varying degrees of surprise), perhaps we should really be putting our money on Ando, Flatt, or Suzuki, the current viable underdogs, rather than Yu-Na, Asada or Rochette?

My fingers are crossed that Flatt and/or Nagasu deliver. If not, as I speculated, this will be the first time in 11 Olympics (40+ years, since ’64) that an American woman doesn’t stand on the podium. Oy vey!

I wish all the best to each and every Olympic skater (and athlete). My truest hope…that they each may perform to the best of their ability, and walk away from the Games with only the best of memories of what they laid down on the ice, and experienced throughout!

…but you can’t take the gay outta skating

Aaron at Axels, Loops & Spins has brought to the public forum some important perspectives on the recent controversial Skate Canada PR campaign. Thankfully, jumping clapping man’s voice is a part of this commentary. See the complete story “Time to ‘Man Up’ on the Ice?,” on gay.com’s Gay Sports Blog.

Here’s the excerpt including my commentary:

What are gay fans of figure skating saying about all this? “We need to get to the place of embracing the fact that our sport NEEDS, and should encourage and nurture BOTH the artistic and athletic skating qualities” says jumping clapping man, Figure Skating fan and fellow blogger. “These are the yin and the yang, or right and the left brain of figure skating. When both “sides” thrive, they offer a certain tenuous equation that makes skating so compelling, a symbiotic relationship that encourages the constant evolution of the entire “package” of a skater and the system, and therefore maintains the interest of and debate among fans and foes alike.” jcm continues, “Sadly, for the Canadian Federation, Elvis Stojko, and/or skating fans/critics to try to make this into a simple discussion of gay vs. straight is small-minded, offensive, and abhorrent. It’s as comedic as Miss California purporting that marriage should ONLY be between “opposite” sexes… when a large part of pageant fans and supporters are gay men. In the skating community we clearly have the same large fan base. No, it’s not the whole fan base, but it’s a large enough part that our voice should be heard, and is likely no minority.”