Remember...

[justsk8]

~ when we found out within a couple of days (or was it the same day?) that Michelle would be at Campbell's AND that she had a new coach?

~ when the Skate America video of The Feeling Begins was finally up on the internet and how crazy the forum was, and how many people were trying to download it. How everyone was trying to help everyone else and several people hosted it, and people got it over AIM and shared screen names. I remember I left my computer on overnight so people could download it, and some people did!

~ you first started posting here and you never thought you'd actually recognize people's names when they post, let alone meet them at a competition and make really good friends?

~ exactly what you were doing and how you watched/were spoiled for Worlds?

~ December 5th, 2002? **edited because my barin was not working again!!**

~ when an MKFer did something nice for you that was completely unexpected, and it made you feel like you really are friends with people here?

~ when you used a word that no one understood and then you realized it was only your MKF friends who would know what you were talking about?

~ you watched 2003 Nats TFB and couldn't believe you had seen yet ANOTHER awesome performance from Michelle, in a season that you didn't even know was going to happen? Only to have it repeated 3 more times this season with Nats Aranjuez and Worlds TFB and Juez.

~ that cute New Year's card Michelle posted for the forum, and the way her signatre came gradually, as if she was signing it right then?

:RB :CK :SJ :SE :JP :EOE :MV

[Kwanstruck]

Yes Splits!!! I remember when I was pretty new here and imzadi put up Michelle's Chocolate Dream Tartlets recipe for me. That was sweet of her! :D I love those things!!! :p :p :p

[GoldenMichelle]

Nice Post Splits :)

~ December 5th, 2003?
Hard to remember this considering it hasn't come yet. :lol LOL:lol
Yeah I know you meant 2002 ;)

[littleone4eva]

When Michelle first posted... I had a hunched and just checked :P

[kwanette]

Splits, I really like this thread...Thanks for starting it....

I remember that my friend Ann and I had taken taf2002 to the Philadelphia Airport the Sunday after SS and S...and i had come home and slept...Then nymkfan51 called me with the Campbell's news....

yes, I do remember when TFB was downloaded for MKF and I couldn't get it and I was throwing fits and saying some not-so-nice words...It took me an entire day to finally get to see it...thanks to all of you...and a million phone calls from AYS who wouldn't give up until I had it...and leon's cd that he so kindly sent to me...Now thanks to springerluv, I have it on VHS...(I still live in the Dark Ages...no DVD)

I can't even begin to list the kindnesses shown to me by the people on this board...when I was sick in 01...getting an autographed napkin from Health South...with MK's message on it...from a total stranger, the lovely flowers and bear from a few weeks ago from someone I have never met in person...

Worlds...being there and seeing every wonderful moment with "Eyes Wide Open.."

MK's first post...missed it on the board...AYS had to tell me by phone...

The last year or so has been great meeting so many MKFers...NYC crowd and lots of others...


A gift season to be sure....

[jvanal]

I really like this post. It truly is a year to remember! My second home, my SLC healing place, the many fabulous awesome people I ve met through this board and at worlds, the tapes and cd's. I could go on and on but it has been a gift season in many ways! One I will never forget and I hope it continues to grow.

Splits: Thanks again for the CD's. They are awesome and do magic to melt the stress away!! :)

[belladella]

I remember:
Michelle at Toys R Us

Going to Nationals and being blown away by TFB and Aranjuez.

Watching our New York group grow and grow and grow.

Meeting Michelle at the skaters' party at Nationals and seeing Taf give her the cell phone to speak to kwanette.

Going to Worlds and crying through the Aranjuez footwork sequence.

Feeling warm and fuzzy about all of the MKFers who came together at Worlds.

Bursting with pride and joy over "The Decade of Brilliance" honor, and the naming of the Michelle Kwan Award.

MikeNYC's Victory Party. A memorable event dedicated to Michelle's brilliance at Worlds.

The season keeps giving and giving and giving. Do you have the feeling that the best is yet to come?

[balletgirl2]

Great Splits! This posts does sum up this season at MKF. My greatest memory of this season was/is reveling in the pure joy Michelle showed in her skating this year and feeling so privileged that I get to share in the unfolding final chapters of her competitive career with you all here at the MKF.

:EOE

[graciesfriend]

What a lovely thread Splits; thank you! It has already lifted my gloomy grumpy mood that was due to another downpouring rainy day in NY/NJ!

This has been such a special season! Seeing Michelle at ToysRUs and The View were so incredible for me! I never dreamed in a million years that I would ever get to say hello to Michelle!

The NYC group does grow and grow and Dell said and it is such a wonderful group of people! I am blessed to be able to share Michelle with others!

Worlds was a phenomenal experience! Seeing Michelle skate like that! I was afraid to hope she could duplicate her skates at Nationals but she did not disappoint us one iota! The dinner at Tony Chengs was such a blast! To be able to meet MKFers from all over the country; what fun, esp. my Oklahoma friend Gotspeedyfingers and her mom! What truly wonderful people! (By the way, where have you been, speedy?)

And to have been able to get your cd's, Splits! I had always loved Michelle music (I think that was what attracted me to her skating initially) and to have it all together is just great!

This is a great place! Thank you all! Thank you, Michelle!

[epoibim]

Dell, YES! Yes I do. I am sitting here smiling...
Kim, what a WONDERFUL thread...ARCHIVE! (:lol at our lil language!)

~I refer to December 5th as "MK Day" as it was on the Forum...am I remembering correctly that we first had TFB uploaded AND Michelle posted the very same day? Additionally, in one of those wonderful special moments, I was putting together my Worlds, Baby scrapbook the other night and came across my ticket confirmation form. When was it dated? December 5, 2002. I just shook my giggling head...

~I remember the night of the medal presentation...Colleen calling me right after she had met Michelle and they had presented everything: "Remember I told you I had a surprise for you?!" I remember chatting with my girls and chatting into the wee hours waiting for Heather, or one of the 'Atlanta 5' to post their breathless reports. It was just way too exciting!:D
~I remember kwansong999 calling me from the Bridgeport comp and letting me listen to Aranjuez...and then calling me back to hear them announce the winners. The lil bugger refused to tell me, she just giggled and said "You have to listen!" I thought I would forget to watch the broadcast because I felt in my heart I had already "seen" it...
~I remember November 13, the scream heard round the Forum as she made it official on the Today show:"...and thats why I've decided to compete this year..."
~I remember Worlds, Baby.
~I remember hearing MK visit Karen next door to us in the hotel and flipping out at 1 am...
~I remember our "Miracle Seats"...I still think about that and get goosebumps. I have determined that God is a figure skating fan.
~I remember crying with Aggie and Kristen and jumping jumping jumping...Lots of jumping and screaming.
~I remember chanting "Six! Six! Six!" for both TFB AND Aranjuez..then when it died down I started yelling 'SEVEN!':lol
~I remember barreling into bagelpuss and katializ's row after Michelle had skated, just crying and hugging, and knocking down two poor men who were in my way.:\ Sorry!
~I remember the faces of my MKFers...we all magically met up at the exact same place after the Worlds medal ceremony. We ran into each others arms crying and hugging and over the moon crazy proud and happy.
~I remember Ginny's "Gimme an M!!" cheer outside the MCI Center that I swear you could hear 6 blocks away...
~I remember the first time I met MKFers, and I remember ALL of the kind souls I met at Worlds, Baby. I remember every overwhelmingly kind and amazing act (you know who you are and what I'm talking about) and wonderful words and people that entered my life that week.
~I remember the day I realized that, although my parents never gave me any sisters, Michelle Kwan did.:)
~I remember crying at the first sight of 'Aranjuez Blue':D
~I remember telling my dad I "had to check" to see if I'd be able to go on our Christmas gift vacation to Cancun...I was NOT going to miss seeing Nationals on TV!:lol
~I remember putting up my "JOY!" sign on my car in support of Miss Michelle at Nationals...
~I remember being unspoiled and downing Junior Mints like a crazy person and jumping up and down during her Nats SP. I got a cut on my hand where my ring broke the skin on the other finger because I was squeezing so hard on my brother's hand.
~I remember countdowns to Nats and Worlds, Baby.
~I remember the thread: "Sarah Hughes Out, Michelle IN at Skate America!!!!!!!!!!!"
~I remember that day on the Forum when we read about Scott and Campbells...goosebumps...I remember where I was sitting when I read that.

She's not done yet...Thanks for the gift.

[GardenKitty]

What a lovely thread!

I remember the Toys R Us appearance for 2 wonderful reasons - the first time I ever saw MK live and the first time I ever met any people from MKF !! I was standing on line (with about 3 hours to kill), starting to talk to the other people on line when I tentatively asked if they were from MKF - what a wonderful start that was! I was greeted right from the start like a family member and my respect and love for the people here has only grown from that date. I've been a fan for a long time, but I view that day as the start of my MK journey (and to think I only decided to go on a whim at the last minute!)

[pblueyes]

Really nice thread, Splits!! I love it, I love it!!!

I remember:

finding MKF not long after SLC and realizing that it WAS normal to be so heartbroken, but also realizing that it was going to be okay

instantly feeling at home here because of the warmth, humor, fun, and giving nature of this forum

watching Campbell's and Skate America with new anticipation, new passion as I learned about eating chicken and jr mints:)

meeting eventerbess at COI last year and us deciding to go to Dallas

the "Official Nationals Excitment Pen"

Dallas!!!!! My first live competition.

I remember crying before Michelle even got to center ice during her footwork in :SE and being speechless upon seeing her at the boards after the medal ceremony.

meeting the MKF group at the Hyatt....the first time I had met a large number of MKFers and vowing that it would not be my last.

getting cherie's 'Best Of Michelle' tapes and Splits music cds

I remember and am so thankful for watching Worlds bursting with pride not only for Michelle but for all the MKF members who were there and who allowed us live it through them.

So much to remember and be thankful for.
Thanks MKF!!!:D

[patsue]

Great thread Splits. I also remember: coming out of lurkdom and posting for the first time (and the warm welcome from Kwanette); watching AVIDLY (on pins & needles) for news on the comps at Campells, Nats and Worlds, reading breathlessly all the reports that came in, (the excitement you could feel in the written word was palpable); laughing out loud, dancing, pumping fists and yes, shedding tears of JOY when learning Michelle had won and calling other Kwanophiles with the news; being so thankful that not only did she win- -but she blew the rest of the competitors out of the water (or rink, lol); going to my first COI and seeing the 7-time Nat'l & 5-time world champion perform (being disappointed in myself for not attending sooner to see perhaps the best exhibition program of all time--FOG, but that's the only disappointment I suffered in this 2002-2003 season) and sitting in awe as I watched a Legend in Her Own Time perform and once again gave all of watching a little piece of her Heart. Yes this past season is one that will hold all the memories all of you have written about to get me through the long, hot summer,and the cool crisp fall of withdrawal pains! I need my Michelle fix every day!!!
:LB

[GMAN]

Thanks Splits for that trip down memory lane! Man, was this year MEMORABLE or what to say the least!! It was truly been an awesome year and I'm so happy to share it with all of you here:)

[Sharon]

Thanks Splits for starting the thread and to everyone for their "rememberances" :D :D :D :D :D ! A kwanderful year to be sure :) !

[Beach Springer]

So many wonderful surprises this year! It got so I never knew what I was going to find next when I checked the Forum. What a year! I know I'm repeating some of what has already been posted, but these are the things I remember...

...The joy of Michelle's skating in Campbells (and on my birthday!), followed by Skate America and the reports of her incredible new short program, The Feeling Begins.

...Then there was the reports and pictures from The Today Show and ToysRUs. And from Hong Kong.

...There was the excitement of Michelle's first post and the online version of The Feeling Begins. The New Year's message from Michelle.

...Going to my first NYC pre-Nationals luncheon and meeting MKF'ers while still a lurker! And instantly feeling at home!

...Actually registering and posting on the Forum, in January, and then experiencing all the excitement of Nationals through the posts from all of you who were there. My sister's excited phone call as soon as Michelle skated (she's a regular lurker).

...Visiting with the NYC crowd again at the pre-Worlds luncheon, going to my first competition - Worlds! Sharing more wonderful moments in DC with MKF members from all over the country. Waking up Sunday morning after Worlds and remembering how wonderfully Michelle had skated and that yes, she really had won her 5th World Championship!

...Learning that Aranjuez went undefeated as we read the reports from Bridgeport online.

...The spur of the moment trip to COI on Long Island where Nymkfan and I had such a great time!

...Celebrating Michelle's incredible season at Mike's party in NYC.

...Being part of the Michelle Kwan 12(14) at The View and standing so close to her in the photo that her hair was touching me!

What an amazing year!

[taf]

It's been an unbelievable season, after we really didn't expect to see much of Michelle. For me, this has been the best MK season of all....

I remember getting to know G Man better because his skating club was chosen for Michelle's skating clinic...he started posting more....also the famous kiss....now he's her online boyfriend...

..the Stars Stripes & Skates show in Sept-a pretty mediocre show but a really fun time with kwanette and then meeting again the NYC MKFers plus new ones, and receiving a wonderful skating booklet with MK pictures from belladella.

...getting to go to Nationals AND Worlds....seeing fantastic practices and competitive programs from Michelle....calling kwanette from the arena after TFB at Nats-I tried to tell her Michelle skated perfectly but then burst into tears... meeting Michelle at Nationals...and lots of new MKFers at both Nats & Worlds...having her speak to kwanette on my cell phone-wish I could have seen kwanette's face.

After such a season, it would be easy to get a little moody & cranky from skating withdrawal, but I still think about all the wonderful things that I've gotten to be a part of this year and I get a high all over again.

[Pauline]

Aww this thread makes me squeal with joy!! Everything y'all mentioned brings back such KWANderful KWANderful memories!! (only that I wasn't as lucky as those of you who attended Nationals and/or Worlds :\ ) LOL I remember rushing home from school (during Worlds week) to my computer here at home, which was already set up to the MKF site ;) , and I was eating chicken caesar salad (which Michelle loves too!! :lol ) with my ear glued to the speakers on my computer, listening anxiously to the British commentators on EuroSport Radio!!

Oh yeah and I also remember the "screams heard around the world" (as an MKFer so correctedly described!!!!) when we first found out that Michelle would be competing in Skate America!! :lol

WOW sooo many KWANbelievable memories!!!!! :D *squeal*

[yankgrl46]

What a beautiful thread! :)

Speaking of the MKF NYC group, i was just thinking that for Campbell's we are gonna have to rent out the entire Deli :) There are so many of us, and so many wonderful people flying in that oooooh! I'm so excited just thinking about it :)

[belladella]

This thread is like the MK season, it just gets better and better.

I remember our January pre-Nationals luncheon. I had left the restaurant when my cell phone rang. It was kwanette. Remembering that it was her birthday, I went back to the restaurant and had the MKFers who were still there sing "Happy Birthday" to her.

I remember how excited I was that the NY crowd was going to The View. I got work at seven o'clock and started calling everybody who I knew would be there. Bless them,they called me back with updates.

I remember our New York Second Annual Dinner at Ben's. I couldn't believe that everybody showed up. We all went to Stars Stripes and Skates, had on the ice seats and yankgrl uttered the now famous phrase, "I smell Carmen".

I remember when Taf2002 invited me to stay with her for Nationals. Those were the best five days I can remember. I had second row seats on the end and for both of Michelle's programs. Michelle footwork came right toward me. Imagine, seeing her coming down the ice at you in TFB and Aranjuez.

I remember Gman's brilliant post - renaming The Feeling Begins to The Fire Begins in recognition of the passion of the piece.

I remember when they announced that Michelle had won Worlds, I turned around, looked up to the mezzanine and flashed five fingers at Schez, bagelpuss and katializ. They were all flashing five fingers back at me. We were going wild.

I remember SamChez passing tissues to me at Nationals.
I remember SamChez handing Michelle the bouquet of roses.
I remember SamChez's reaction to Michelle's flip in Aranjuez.

I remember the International Skating Challenge at Bridgeport that marked Michelle's undefeated season.

I remember Aranjuez blue.

[Skatekwan6]

I am so happy to have witnessed this season with Michelle. While the media speculated and people created their own path for Michelle, I always refused to listen to predictions and just waited to see what was going to happen. After the 2002 Worlds, deep down I knew I definitely wanted Michelle to keep skating...but I waited patiently to see what she was going to do. I was so happy to find out that she would be skating. Something deep down told me she would...So I waited for this season. While listening to the media make comments about her being too old or washed up, I knew that the only thing that mattered was what happened when Michelle got on the ice. The critics ran their mouths, just like in the past. And just like in the past, Michelle silenced them once again. I admire Michelle for conducting her career on HER OWN terms, not according to what anyone else says. It hasn't been just the media...even other skaters seem to think that they have the right to dictate what is best for Michelle...but Michelle knows exactly who to listen to and she does just that. She knows who to trust and sticks to a quote she said at the Olympics that I will never forget..."I've learned that the best thing to do is to listen to your own voice." What a season. And for all those critics out there....you may as well give it up. Michelle Kwan will skate until her heart is content. She will skate until she gets ready to stop.

[michellesmom]

Great thread, Splits.

kwanstruck, so you've actually made the tartlets? I keep wanting to, but then I look at the recipe again and it seems like a lot of work, lol.

[Kwanstruck]

Actually I don't make the tartlets myself! I'm a really good cook, :b but not a very good baker. :x My girlfriend makes them for me when she wants to reward me for good behavior!!! :lol :lol :lol

[skatesindreams]

Weeping with joy while reading the wonderful reports from Worlds. I wasn't able to be there in person; but I thank all of you for making me feel as though I were!:RB

[GMAN]

ITA skatesindreams! Thanks to everyone who brought us such wonderful Worlds reviews!! We felt as if we were right there in the arena!! Those were such memorable moments!!!

[eventerbess]

Great thread
I remember finding the MKF when I was trying to find the name of the song Michelle skated to at the NY tribute performance.

Reading move by move reports from Nationals 2002 on the MKF

Cole50's Where are you from thread and linking up with someone from my very small hometown

pblues and i sitting at lunch in dallas seeing how many famous skaters we could spot and how sweet her mom is. then watching as michelle signed her sign after the awards ceremony

taf2002 making name tags for the post party at dallas and meeting other MKFers. Then rocognizing them from seeing their distinctive articles of clothing you could see across the arena.

GMan's posts after he kissed Michelle and when he landed new jumps.

Meeting Michelle after COI this year and her saying that she would post soon.

[GetTheSet06]

Thanks for this post Splits! And thank you everyone at the forum. This is such a positive place and you all understand my love for Michelle! Also, I haven't been able to experience MIchelle at competitions (I've only been to COI once) so thank you for sharing. I hope to meet some of you guys someday!

[egskater0003]

Yes I definately remember nats 2003 and how blown away I was! And it was also when I finally figured what MKF was and what the whole deal with Heather always posting quotes from MKF on her "seen and heard recently" section. After I found out I could get even more updated info here about Michelle, I was hooked and was a lurker for the longest time. I had even visited MKF from links on Heather's AWESOME site, but I didn't understand to conept of message boards.

Sigh..

:JP :JP :TJL :TJL :FBO :FBO

[goldblossom88]

when i think of ....all the awesome people I have met from the forum,
The excitement of Toys RUs , the View , the blast i had at Mike's victory party, all the NY lunches that lasted for three hours but seem like three minutes.
and the worlds dinner meeting MKFers from all over the country!
At the top was the Aranjuez footwork at Worlds, my first comp ever and having a satisfying memory to last a lifetime! And for Mk to skate happy was the icing on the cake! And my colleagues at work who think I have reverted back to my teenage years to "chase" around a celeb. But this is not just a celeb, this is Michelle who touches your heart everytime she skates!:LP

[kwansong99]

So many memories.

I remember:
~ finding MKF last season and seeing that I wasnt the only one who was struggling becasue of SLC.

~ all the threads about the medal.

~ Sending my scrapbook page from overseas because i didnt have enough time to finish it when I was in the U.S.

~ Rereading the Campbell's thread in Oct 02 and the Skate America thread--- She was gonna compete!!

~The absolute chaos on Dec. 5th 2002. That was the best chaos ever! :lol :lol :lol

~The scream heard around ezboard. Michelle was going to compete at Nationals!!

~Being one of the lucky 50 in the MKF chatroom for the Nat 03 sp.

~ My parents saying to me: "Why are you crying?!?! She just WON!!" :\

~ Finding sisters for life. :D :D :D :D :D

~ Karen's face when she saw that Michelle's krazies were rooming next door to her.

~ Sitting at Tony Cheng's and looking around at all the kwanderful people who "get it".

~Visiting Aranjuez, Spain for 4 and a half minutes while still in DC.

~Cell phone calls at all hours of the day and night that put smiles on my face.

~The kindness of MKFers.

~ 30something MKFers raising their hands in unison at the end of Aranjuez in manhattan, NYC.

~ All the AIM conversations.

~ Learning that V8 splash and AIM conversations with MKF sistas nver mix! (I think my laptop is going to short-curcuit any day now! :rollin )

~The happiness I feel in my heart when I think back about this season. Perfect.

~All the countdowns, even my own special one for Worlds. :lol .

~ Kicking myself for not investing in Kleenex stock this season. ;)

~Meeting so many kwanderful MKFers who have no idea how special they really are. :)

~ The day someone said: "The feeling has only just begun!"

What an incredible season! The gift season has been such a blessing and MKF made it 500000times better!! :SP

[Biff]

Love reading this thread. Thanks Splits

[SweetAngel]

...when I found out from MKF that Michelle replaced Sarah in Skate America and the joy I felt of being able to see Michelle skate at least once this season not knowing her plans for the rest of the skating season.

...someone mentioned "what if" Michelle was able to compete in the Grand Prix Final with only one event.

...not wanting to be spoiled for the Nationals but couldn't help myself and kept checking back at this board throughout the day while at work. What excitement! Then having my whole family watch the Nationals on TV with me. How we jumped when she won. I think the whole neighborhood heard us scream.

I remember doing the same thing again for the Worlds and the incredible euphoric feeling right after Michelle won.

...all the lastest up-to-date fellow MKFers provided throughout the season.

Mostly, I remember all the prayers for Michelle from my husband and my son chanting go Michelle, go Michelle.

[Sheekah1]

What a wonderful thread. Thanks Splits!! So many memories, such a Kwanderful year.
I remember feeling great about being able to be at all the events that Michelle competed in and all of her appearances and then remembering that I wasn't there but that being a part of this forum and constantly being updated made me feel as if I was there for everything.
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