Boogie Nights

For New Year's Eve this year we decided to go skating at the roller skating rink. It's amazing how different roller skating as a kid is when compared to roller skating as an adult. Growing up, my sisters and I became expert roller skaters as a result of living in a house with an unfinished basement (concrete flooring) and having no cable T.V. (we lived too far out). We could skate backwards with ease, twist, twirl and perform some pretty amazing tricks. As a teenager I continued to skate on occassion (though I maintained my skating skills, I wasn't quite as good as I was when I was ten-years-old). Then, five years ago, a friend and I went skating on New Year's day. After a few close calls, I was able to pick skating back up with ease (and was even able to roller skate backwards). Last night was an entirely different story...I'm in pretty good shape (probably more so than I was five years ago) but without a doubt I struggled last night. Though I didn't fall, maintaining my balance was a challenge and going out onto the skating rink was comparable to walking into rush hour traffic. In my defense the rental skates they gave me were horrible (back in the day I had my own pair), however, there is no doubt that roller skating at thirty was an entirely different experience than roller skating at any other time in my life. Without question, I am lucky I survived the madness of New Year's Eve at the roller skating rink.