Junior Worlds

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As far as I know the Belgian and Dutch team left for Oberstdorf today. We are sending a Lady only. Barbara Klerk will represent Belgium at the Junior World Championships. Ironically Barbara was born Dutch but became Belgian a few years ago. Now her coach Sandy Suy has also the Dutch skater Eva Lim with her, so in fact Holland has two skaters there with one Belgian coach. LOL That's just the way it could be, cause Barbara never skated for Holland although she does have Dutch roots she is a real Belgian! Good luck

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EYOF

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I would like to take this oportunity to congratulate all winners at the EYOF in Jaca, Spain but especially the Belgian figure skaters Ruben Blommaert and Laurie Lougsami who did a very good job!

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History repeating! (maybe)

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On May 20 I'm going to see Diana Ross in concert here in Brussels. In fact I'll go see her on the 19th already cause then she's in Rotterdam Ahoy which is only a 1hour drive from where I live. Lucky that Europe is so small! Anyway, this is the second time Diana will perform in Brussels on May 20. She already performed in Brussels on that date. It was 1989 when she was promoting her "Workin' overtime" album. I guess you all wonder why I remember that date so well..... Just take a quick look at the picture and you'll see why! When I first saw Diana live in 1985 she just waved my way. It was then and there that I decided that the next time she was coming to Brussels I would make sure I had front row tickets so that maybe I could give her a hand or so. Can you imagine my surprise when she invited me up on stage to dance slow with her in 1989...

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"Red red Wine........."

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Tomorrow I'm leaving for Bordeaux, France and this for the rest of the weekend. No... not to drink some "Bordeaux" wine, well in fact I will drink some wine but mainly I go their to judge.
Looking forward to see some of my international skating friends again, which is always fun! This will be my first time in Bordeaux so I hope that I will have some time to vist the city but I doubt it... Judging is hard work as you all know...

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"Happy Valentine"

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Although I'm single at the moment doesn't mean that I don't celebrate Valentine! You see my dad has his birthday today so no matter what...
I always have a festivity going on! Of course I also think about some of my good friends who mean a lot to me! I'm not gonna mention any names before some people will over react once more but I'm sure that the friends I think about know that it's them that I mean! Hugs & kisses to you! LOVE YA!

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Linda

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I just came across this nice interview about skating.

Just watch!

http://www.sf.tv/var/videoplayer.php?videourl=http%3A%2F%2Freal.xobix.ch%2Framgen%2Fsfdrs%2Fvod%2Fsportpano%2F2007%2F02%2Fsportpano_20070211.rm%3Fstart%3D1%3A02%3A53.511%26amp%3Bend%3D1%3A05%3A30.487

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Blast from the past (Diana Ross at the Super Bowl)

The finals of the "Super Bowl" in the US are as big as the finals of the World Championships Soccer everywhere else in the world. Every year they have a celebrity sing the national anthem just before the game starts and they have some other(s) during the 30 minute break. Most of the stars just sing a song are two and that's it, nothing special. That was until Diana Ross took center court during the finals in 1996. Ever since the Super Bowl isn't the same anymore...
If you think the show is great.... just wait till you see the exit!


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HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC # 8 "The Eyes of Laura Mars"

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Eyes of Laura Mars is a 1978 horror film starring Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones and directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, adapted from a spec script titled Eyes, written by John Carpenter, was Carpenter's first major studio film. Producer Jon Peters, who was dating Barbra Streisand at the time, bought the screenplay as a starring vehicle for the actress, but Stresiand eventually decided not to take the role because of "the kinky nature of the story," as Peters later explained. The role went, instead, to Faye Dunaway, who had just won an Oscar for her performance in "Network."
Production began on October 17, 1977. It was shot entirely in New York and New Jersey. The famous sequence where the Laura Mars character photographs a group of models against a backdrop of two burning cars was filmed over four days at New York's Columbus Circle. The $7 million production wrapped on January 9, 1978, after 56 days of filming. It was reported that Peters and Dunaway had tense relationship while making the film, and that Streisand visited the set on a few occasions.
On its release, the film received mixed critical reviews, with critics such as Roger Ebert pointing out its clichéd "woman in trouble" plot. Despite its lukewarm critical reception, the film was a box office hit, earning $20M off of a $7M budget.
The film's theme song, "Prisoner," was performed by Streisand, and became one of the major hits of 1978. The soundtrack included other hit songs from the period.
Laura Mars is often compared to the 1994 film Color of Night. They're both poorly-reviewed erotic thrillers with big stars, themes of alternative lifestyles, and award-winning, haunting theme songs. Both films are archetypal examples of the giallo genre of film. Oddly, they also both star Brad Dourif, and both contain scenes where a boom mic is visible. Here's a link to one of the scenes where Laura experience one of her visions:.

Celebration

This week is another week to celebrate something! Belgian coach Lieve Westerlinck is coaching now for 25 years! There was a time many years ago that we were still skating together and that she thought me how to do my double three turns during compulsory figures. I hated those eight shape things... but she took the time to teach me how to do them. She skated internationaly herself. She's been with the same club (Turnhout) for the same amount of years as a coach which is incredible all by itself. Anyway, congratulations Lieve!