Top 5 Ice Show Rules

My laptop died last week and it has stopped me in my tracks. A week without any posts. Sorry, but I had to wait all that time for the keyboard to dry from ...my TEARS.

The rule is: Always, always back up. I had some very important documents I hadn't backed up recently. AAaarrrghhhh! So, the lesson is, repeat after me, kids: Always back up.

No need to bother with backup tapes, extra CDs or flashdrives. Just email yourself the documents and they'll be hovering out over the internet so you can get to them from ANY computer. You know, preferably, one that works.

And that got me thinking ... always back up is one of today's big rules in computers.

In the ice show world, I came up with my Top 5.

5. Never leave your skate guards on overnight
This one goes for more than show skaters. But I did revert back to guards after my first two travel days where I carried my skates in my backpack with only the soakers on. It left my hands free to push off a would-be-robber, but the toepicks, even underneath the soakers, found their way into my back, which didn't feel good. It came to symbolize why, with every jab and poke, I hated travel days.

4. Never keep your show make-up on overnight
Again, this nugget of wisdom is for more than show skaters. Have you read the magazine articles claiming you'll age 2 years for every night you left your makeup on? And they're referring to street make-up, not the thick coat of pancake foundation you slathered on or residual false eyelash glue clinging to your delicate eyelids. If those articles are true, I would look about 101 now.

3. Never whistle backstage
This one stared in the theatre and I never knew about it until a few Ice Capades girls clued me in. They didn't want to take on this superstition, so instead they kept busy reciting their "goodies" backstage. Remember those?

2. Don't let them catch you checking your watch during rehearsals
Nuff said.

and the #1 show rule (in my very unscientific poll)

1. Guide left
It keeps all the pinwheels straighter and it's not a bad thing to do when you're crossing a busy street either!