• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • HOME
  • SHOP
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT CATHY
  • CONTACT

CZ Design

August 2, 2010

Glory Days

This is nearly 9 minutes of your life that you will never ever be able to get back.

Still, I like to think you will walk away armed with just a tiny bit of precious knowledge about an unsung sport that combines athleticism, power, raw talent and grace—elements that will soon become alarmingly clear to you that I possessed nearly zero knowledge of myself.

Enjoy!

Glory Days (I was a teen-aged figure roller skater) from Cathy Zielske on Vimeo.

 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bev says

    August 2, 2010 at 5:22 am

    I really enjoyed that! As the mum of an ice skater, I can totally relate to much of that, including the ‘why can’t I land that’, ‘because you didn’t train properly’ comment.

    Reply
  2. Mindakms says

    August 2, 2010 at 5:47 am

    okay, now I’m late for running, and I have tears in my eyes from laughing at your commentary. Could it have been 2nd place Cathy? You are so funny!

    Reply
  3. Angela H. says

    August 2, 2010 at 6:15 am

    Your commentary is hilarious! However, you are definitely too hard on yourself! I skate a lot, but I certainly couldn’t have skated that well, either at 17 or now! Thanks for sharing – makes me want to go roller skating. Forward. In regular clothes.

    Reply
  4. Kendra B says

    August 2, 2010 at 6:32 am

    OMGosh you crack.me.up! with your commentary!!!! But hey I totally give you props for even getting out there, so don’t be hard on yourself!!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this 🙂

    Reply
  5. Shanon Gibson says

    August 2, 2010 at 6:51 am

    Loved it!!! Girl, you had great legs! I can’t skate or dance so I admire those who can do both, at the same time. Great job!

    Reply
  6. Tracy says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:13 am

    I was a competetive ice skater for 10 years – I totally get the whole “I was so done mentally” thing! Roller skating looks way harder, too – especially the falls. You looked to be competing at a freestyle 6 or 7 level (equivalent in ISIA). Scotty was my boy, too! Thanks for sharing. PS – in my last competition video – I wore a black dress, too – and couldn’t land my axel for beans!

    Reply
  7. Lee Currie says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:28 am

    I relate to the missing the butt … and those legs! I wish I had old video of my tennis days, if only to show my kids what life was like when dinosaurs roamed the earth 🙂 Thanks for my morning smile, great commentary!

    Reply
  8. Laurie says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:30 am

    So fun. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  9. krys72599 says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:32 am

    As great as it was to watch you then, it was more fun to watch you and LISTEN to you in the now! Your comments were absolutely worth those 9 minutes!!!
    Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Keianna says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:34 am

    Loved the intervideo commentary 🙂

    Reply
  11. francesca di leo says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:54 am

    girl, i absolutely loved watching that. you just crack me up. how you managed to spin on roller skates, 10 out of 10 from me. you’re first in my books… lol.

    Reply
  12. Dorothy F says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:57 am

    I am so impressed with your talent. I didn’t know you could do all that on roller skates. I laughed myself silly from your commentary. You are so real. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. ale says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:07 am

    (lol) so, so funny, cathy! i loved to watch you watching the video. don’t be so harsh on yourself – i think you were great. by the way, nice legs!

    Reply
  14. Lorraine says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:12 am

    God, I absolutely love your blog! You are hilarious – you need to be on a talk show or a host of a late night show. And I so could not skate to save my life – so I thought you did great – and wish I could’ve seen you when you were “into it”. Thank you for sharing and for the continual inspiration on scrapbooking and life in general. (P.S. You’ve inspired me to quit smoking – now I just have to DO IT – LOL, but well running is another story…LOL)

    Reply
  15. Leslie @ {Tiny Wings} says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:23 am

    Oh, Cathy — I love you!! You’re a hoot!! (I choked on my coffee with the Michelle Kwan comment!!) I do love the whole “let’s talk to our 17 year old self” aspect of it — I think of that each time I run. I scold my high school self for wimping out in cross country!! WTH! If I can do it at 41, I certainly could have done it at 16! Wuss. You, on the other hand, had some skillz! How fun to watch!

    Reply
  16. Tiffany says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:46 am

    Awesome!! It brought me back;D

    Reply
  17. Mariangeles_Spain says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:49 am

    Thanks so much for sharing this with us 🙂 I’ve always wanted to learn how to skate but too scared to fall down…

    Congrats!

    Reply
  18. Rita says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:32 am

    that was so much fun!! You’re brave to put it all out there~

    Reply
  19. Madeline St Onge says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:32 am

    Thank you for making me laugh. Love your voice and your commentation on the video. I fall down just walking so you did great

    Reply
  20. Michelle S. says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:37 am

    Loved it! You so need to do more videos with commentary. I don’t even care what the video is about, I’d watch it! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  21. Siân says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:45 am

    Cathy, seriously, is there no end to your talent? Who knew you could do that stuff on roller skates! Loved the commentary too.

    Reply
  22. Jenny Alfonso says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:57 am

    hilarious! what an awesome way to start my day! I’m totally cracking up by myself here 🙂

    Reply
  23. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 9:58 am

    I was in Junior ladies (Age 15 and up, IF you win a regional event prior to hitting 15, and I didnt. I had to win in Sophomore ladies the previous year, where all the not so good skaters ended up! ha!)

    Reply
  24. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:00 am

    Sian, i know, i know. Its a blogging GOLD mine, i tell ya. ; )

    Reply
  25. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:02 am

    Minda, how did you guess that?
    ; )

    Reply
  26. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:03 am

    well, i was hoping it would pay off for you… ; )

    Reply
  27. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:05 am

    oh yeah, smoking… THAT insidious thing. Youll do it when youre ready, and heres a tip: dont think of it as quitting for the rest of life. Seriously. One day at a time. Just like an alcoholic. I did it when i was ready. It was really, really hard. I loved smoking beyond measure. It can be done.

    Reply
  28. deb says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:19 am

    Well, if you ever decide to give up the whole scrapbooking/graphic design gig, you should definitely look into figure skating commentary as your next big career move. Hi.lar.i.ous. And I thank you for my Monday morning giggle. 😉

    Reply
  29. Diane says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:21 am

    Cathy dear, there is NO SHAME in Silver. No shame…

    I actually enjoyed that very much…especially your commentary! =)

    Reply
  30. Shannon says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:28 am

    Hehe. You’ve made my morning. I was a dancer for over 15 years and my sister and I always do commentary when reviewing the home videos of our old performances. Of course, it’s never this funny! Thanks for a good chuckle 🙂

    Reply
  31. AngMomof3 says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:40 am

    HA! Love it! Inspires me to drag out the drill team videos. Any chance that, like me, when you hear the music from your routines the choreography pops back in your head and you’re able to pull off a few sweet moves? It’s amazing what my brain will remember…

    Reply
  32. Holly Denghel says

    August 2, 2010 at 11:07 am

    Oh, that was awesome. You are a funny woman. I’ve always thought that figure skating on roller skates looked a lot harder than ice skating. You did have nice spins!!

    Reply
  33. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 11:36 am

    Oh, it IS harder! ; )

    At least the way I did it! LOL!

    Reply
  34. Angie says

    August 2, 2010 at 12:35 pm

    Not many comedians make me laugh out loud…you do!

    Reply
  35. Dana says

    August 2, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    You make me laugh so hard, Cathy!

    Reply
  36. Leora says

    August 2, 2010 at 12:57 pm

    I LOVED the play by play. And, for the record, I could never have done any of that. I am so impressed. And I am smiling. You made my day!

    Leora

    Reply
  37. Dorothy Sica says

    August 2, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    Very Cool Cathy!

    on a different note, are you still planning on getting out a template for recipe? I remember a while ago you were planning that?

    thanks
    dorothy

    Reply
  38. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 1:37 pm

    hey dorothy, i am planning it, but its not coming together presently! sorry. its on the list. Im just not happy with binder choices, and cant decide on the size. I have to be able to use it myself to properly say, Yep, its a keeper!

    Reply
  39. Teal Myre says

    August 2, 2010 at 2:01 pm

    I TOTALLY understand the mentally done! I used go hang out with my loadie boyfriend when my parents thought I was at figure skating practice. Didn’t go over so well when they found out.

    Reply
  40. Darlene Taylor says

    August 2, 2010 at 2:24 pm

    Funny, I was thinking, “Do all roller rinks look the same because that looks JUST like Skate Palace in Salem.” Then I heard you mention Oregon. Yep. You graced my state with your presence and I missed it. So. Very. Sad. (I think I’d still love to roller skate!)

    Reply
  41. Judy says

    August 2, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    TEars and gasps….coffee all over my screen….

    That was priceless! Thanks for the fun.

    Reply
  42. Jen S. says

    August 2, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    I so loved watching you watch yourself – you look hawt by the way! Your self-depricating commentary is the best and provided a much needed afternoon break. BTW – I,too, could really rock the roller skates in my youth. I was both a figure skater and roller skater, but I really shined at roller skating. I never participated in any competitions, but if I had I’m confident I would have totally taken the bronze medal had I been the 3rd skater in your competition 😉

    Reply
  43. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 3:07 pm

    Oh man, it might have been! I cant remember for the life of me. Although I think it was in Gresham. Maybe its coming back to me now…

    Reply
  44. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 3:07 pm

    Ha! Love it. We needed a third!

    Reply
  45. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 3:12 pm

    ha! that is HILARIOUS! : )

    Reply
  46. Donna says

    August 2, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    Oh my gosh…you’re such a riot!! You did better then I ever could have, This coming from the girl who broke her tailbone roller skating & didn’t walk normal for weeks afterward : ) Thanks so much for sharing…I needed a good laugh.

    Reply
  47. Margaret C says

    August 2, 2010 at 4:08 pm

    I LOVED THIS !!!!

    And you’re too hard on yourself, I couldn’t have done that at 17 !

    And the butt and legs ? Wasn’t fixating, but I could see why you were ( and i didn’t hae those at 17 either !!)

    SHOW US MORE !!!

    Reply
  48. Gypsy says

    August 2, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    Oh 9 minutes well spent for sure! Serious funny!

    Reply
  49. Jules says

    August 2, 2010 at 6:02 pm

    As I was watching this I couldn’t help but think how grateful I am that I have NO videos of my ballet days. I commend your bravery watching it for the first time in years along with us. Too funny.

    Reply
  50. Jenell says

    August 2, 2010 at 6:16 pm

    Loved every minute of that video but especially your play by play commentary. Hilarious!

    Reply
  51. anna says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:39 pm

    ahh cathy. the commentary, so worth it! you are super funny and i just love that you posted this.
    i wish you had a tv program or something. 🙂
    thanks for the fun 9 minutes! 🙂
    a

    Reply
  52. molly says

    August 2, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    Well, that was hilarious!
    The fact that there were two of you and you were second cracks me up- because my mother loves to remind my aunt (her twin sister) that in 5th grade she (my mother) was the smartest student in 5th grade. Guess how many students there were in 5th grade? 2, hence the only other student in my mother’s class was her twin sister.

    I agree with the other commentator that you need your own talk show. I would TIVO that in a heartbeat!!!

    Reply
  53. Sarah Bowen Shea says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:26 pm

    My favorite line: “Get me in the frame, Dick,” which, of course, comes across as, “Get me in the frame, dick!” Then you nonchalantly explaining, “the man who was filming this video was named Dick.” Yeah, sure. Likely story.

    Reply
  54. cathy says

    August 2, 2010 at 8:39 pm

    I swear to God. His name was really Dick. Some things, my dear Sarah, you just cant make up on the fly that are THAT good. ; )

    Reply
  55. Jamie says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:34 pm

    It may be the wine, but dammit I cried thru this whole thing. Oh thank you for sharing this! 😉

    Reply
  56. Pilbara Pink says

    August 2, 2010 at 10:36 pm

    This was gold! Reminds of our girls’ dance videos which we love to watch now and recommentary – always leaves us in stitches. At the time I couldn’t understand why they never placed – looking at the videos they were so totally underperforming I can’t believe I didn’t see it at the time! Talk about `mentally checked out” – and that was while they were still taking (and I was paying!) for lessons!!!

    Reply
  57. scrapper al says

    August 3, 2010 at 12:18 am

    Best nine minutes I’ve had in a long time! Thanks!

    Reply
  58. Priya says

    August 3, 2010 at 1:17 am

    Fell on my behind…..twice…..and it hurt……a lot……that was enough to make me run a mile every time I saw skates. But you made it look so easy. Best 9 min of my day today. Thanks to you, Cathy.

    Reply
  59. Petra from NL says

    August 3, 2010 at 2:49 am

    “and she stood up”…. FUNNY!

    Reply
  60. c@rol w says

    August 3, 2010 at 7:58 am

    As I watched you in practice, my first thought was “hey, I’m watching Nascar!” You know, go fast, turn left. But then I saw your performance and wished I had half the talent you do. Who cares about the falls – you had the courage it takes to show ’em your stuff. Great job! I’m so glad I watched for 9 minutes. 🙂

    Reply
  61. Wendy says

    August 3, 2010 at 11:06 am

    I still have my plaques from the Tiny Tot division. Yes, I was a figure roller skater at the age of 5. That’s it, no further than age 5. I wish I could have gone on to do the jumps and turns like you did! Thanks for sharing and giving us all a laugh with your commentary!

    Reply
  62. cathy says

    August 3, 2010 at 11:07 am

    oh Tiny Tots! I love that! I forgot it was called that!

    : )

    Reply
  63. alexa says

    August 3, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    Yep, you’re right. You had natural grace, Cathy. Make that ‘has’ – grace shows up in more places in your life than the roller skating rink.

    Reply
  64. Toni Brockliss says

    August 3, 2010 at 6:11 pm

    Oh Cathy! So funny with the commentary.
    I have no idea how you could even lift a leg up. Skates are heavy.
    I remember when I got my first pair of boot skates. I came home from school and Mum had them on the bed for me. They were white with rainbows on the side and I used to wear them with my long flowing skirt and leg warmers….just like Olivia Newton-John from Xanadu.
    sigh.
    Sadly the long flowing skirt used to get stuck in the wheels. Very un-xanadu.

    Reply
  65. Marty says

    August 3, 2010 at 8:14 pm

    You crack me up!! Thanks for sharing — I think you were a lovely skater! 🙂

    Reply
  66. cathy says

    August 3, 2010 at 9:07 pm

    awww. how sweet are you? : )

    Reply
  67. Dianne K. Nelson says

    August 3, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    Two Words: Roller Derby. Think about it. 😀

    Smiles,
    Dianne

    Reply
  68. tena says

    August 4, 2010 at 1:11 am

    This was pure gold….loved it. I thought I was the only other person who had a past in “serious” roller skating. at least serious enough to have my own skates, special outfits semi private lessons and medals. You took it to a much higher level than I ever did. I skated at a rink called the Rolladium and I dreamed of auditioning for the performance dance team there the “Rolladiumettes” alas it was not to be. Damn I wish I had video footage of those times. This brought back some great memories, as always I love your commentary…. your rocked that rink Miss Cathy. Definitely Legendary.

    Reply
  69. Kathie Simmons says

    August 4, 2010 at 3:09 am

    Oh, the awesome awesomeness of it! I was mesmerized. Heartbroken that you gave up your skating career, but thrilled that we get the running, biking, scrapping awesomeness of the Cathy of today. Absolutely awesome!!

    Reply
  70. Emma says

    August 4, 2010 at 5:49 am

    Love it! Looking at that I’m actually in mourning for the legs I never had, ha!
    Seriously though, I’m sure if they’d had that commentary back then, you totally would have scored first place..

    Reply
  71. Jen says

    August 5, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    That’s so cool!! I was into figure skating at the same age, but I didn’t get anywhere near as good as you (!): I managed to damage my knee ligament after a few weeks, and was on crutches. My knee has never been the same again, and although I took part in the end-of-year show, it was as a 1920s flapper who had to kind of shimmy out to a cafe table and chair in the middle of the ice, and stay there watching the show. Oh yes, the highlight!!

    Reply
  72. Claire says

    August 5, 2010 at 6:29 pm

    Oh, Cathy! That is so excellent! I just finished watching it with my roller-skating 12 year old daughter. We went to Nebraska this year so that she could compete in Nationals. We LOVED the video and the commentary, and, as my daughter, rightly pointed out, “That is one funny lady!” Yes, you are!

    Reply
  73. cathy says

    August 5, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    oh my gosh, a fellow skater? You know, even i remember they do nationals either in Lincoln, or the year I competed, Fort Worth.

    Sigh. Is your daughter in Elementary or Freshman girls?

    Reply
  74. Claire says

    August 6, 2010 at 4:56 pm

    She has just finished Elementary and will be moving up to Freshman next season.

    Love your blog – between you and the Cake Wrecks blog, I get my daily on-line dose of laughter.

    Reply
  75. Brenda says

    August 6, 2010 at 8:16 pm

    Oh my god. I have not laughed that hard since my last weekend with the girls. My husband came upstairs to find out what was going on — I started the video again and the two of us were helpless with laughter.

    I love the “you …. never…. have…. to… skate…. again”. My moment like that was in tap dancing. NO good can come of a dance style that has a move called a “fallap”. I think “F” in the upcoming Me: The Abridged Version will be “Fallap”.

    Reply
  76. tara says

    August 8, 2010 at 12:10 pm

    anna and I just sat and watched. She wants to be you. 🙂
    *I* want to be you.

    Reply
  77. cathy says

    August 8, 2010 at 1:18 pm

    Ha! Love it. LOVE it.

    Reply
  78. Brenda in Sunny SoCal says

    August 10, 2010 at 12:39 pm

    For the record, My first competition program was to a “Like a Virgin” / “Xanadu” (Title song) medley.

    Reply
  79. Amy Kroeger says

    August 13, 2010 at 12:11 pm

    This is so funny! Your little head in the corner and commentary reminds me of Mystery Science Theatre! And I do have to tell you that your skating actually rocks as compared to 99.9% of the population, so take comfort in that. I used to just skate around in circles and try not to fall. 🙂

    Reply
  80. TamiK says

    November 5, 2011 at 10:40 am

    Flipping through your blog Cathy and can’t believe I found this! HIlarious and touching because I used to skate!! 😀 I sucked at freestyle though and gave it up after breaking my wrist on a double flip. Stuck with dance and figures….got 4th at regionals in Junior ladies figures TWICE in a row and said I’m DONE. So close yet so far away from World Class….thanks for sharing…loved your commentary on the screen!

    Reply
  81. cathy says

    November 5, 2011 at 11:57 am

    Argggh. The double flip. You know, I think I rotated it once, maybe twice. NEVER landed it. Sigh.

    TOO funny that you know about roller skating. I loved dance and figures, but I sucked at both! LOL! Thanks for sharing your comment. What part of the country were you in at the time?

    Reply
  82. ken kuhlman says

    January 10, 2015 at 12:02 am

    When was this. I found this to see if I could find anything from while I was employed at the fantastical location of Skate Palace in Salem, Oregon. granted the mural never changed even though it showed the visible mountains of the area (and as pointed out by me St. Helens still had a peak – not since 1980).

    Reply
    • Cathy Zielske says

      January 10, 2015 at 8:39 am

      Oh my God, it WAS the Skate Palace, wasn’t it? Didn’t even make the St. Helens connection. It was in 1983, so they must not have changed the mural. I was 17.

      Reply
  83. ken kuhlman says

    January 10, 2015 at 10:55 pm

    So well before I was employed there. (2000 – 2003) but probably some of the only video capturing it in all it’s glory (it is now a KIA dealership).

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Categories

  • Cards
  • Crafts
  • CZ Life
  • Free Downloads
  • Products & Classes
  • Project Life
  • Scrapbooking
  • Tutorials

Archives

Footer

About

I'm Cathy Zielske and this is one of my homes on the World Wide Web. Want to learn more about me? By all means, click the link below:

  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest

Let’s Connect

If you have specific questions that can’t be answered by stalking me on social media, please click below:

Categories

  • Cards
  • Crafts
  • CZ Life
  • Free Downloads
  • Products & Classes
  • Project Life
  • Scrapbooking
  • Tutorials

Copyright © 2023 Cathy Zielske · site by bello via design