Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated everyone and so much has gone on. My mom and I moved from our apartment in Bradley Beach to a two family house in Belmar. It's so much nicer, I'm much more happy here, and it's closer to the beach!

Anyway back to skating, there's been some change in program plans since I last wrote. I got my short program about two months ago, and it's the love theme from the movie Somewhere in Time. I had used the piece six years ago when I was Junior, but since I was so young I felt the music was never expressed to its full potential. So, I decided to use it again. I also used the same choreographer, Heather McLoughlin, who is now lives out in California, but comes back to Jersey about four times a year, so she'll be able to check up on me before I compete it.

Picking the music for my long was a long, hard, task. At first I was going to skate to the The Sleeping Beauty, but after listening to it I didn't think I'd be able to take skating to that everyday for a whole year. So, that idea had to go out the window. I kept thinking of pieces and my coach kept turning them down. Finally I said, Samson and Delilah and I had a winner. I got to choreograph this one myself, which is something I've done many times before, but I'm very proud of how this came out. It's very different from what I'm used to, but I think I skate it well and I really feel it. I can't wait to get a chance to put this out in front of an audience, after I get my dress of course which will be done by none other than Brad Griffies. I loved the dresses he did for me last season so much!

So now that both my programs are done, I'm really getting into training. I'm skating three to four sessions a day and spending at least five days a week at the gym and twice a month with a personal trainer. I'm very determined to make Nationals this year, especially being there three years in a row and missing last year... I want it bad this year! Talk to you all again soon.

Love,
Steph