The last moments

I don't have a Twitter. However, I felt some twitter-like inspiration on the last leg of my journey back home from Spain in late May.

I had a notepad with me and decided I would write random thoughts down as they happened. I just found this notepad while cleaning my room and realized that I didn't post any of this here on my blog.

Before I write this, I wish I had written "tweets" about the "morning" before traveling. I put quotes around "morning" because I had to leave my host family's house at 4:30am. I ate dinner as usual the night before around 10pm, then said goodbye to Rocio before she had to go to sleep around 11:30. Carlos stayed up, watching TV, while I sat in my room and packed my bags until 2am. Thinking that I should get SOME sort of sleep before leaving, I took a nap until 4am, then made sure Carlos woke me up if I wasn't in the kitchen by 4:10am. Luckily he didn't have to, and I ate my "breakfast" then got ready to leave.

I remember that the first thing on my mind at the moment was how much I would miss my host family and my Alicante home in which I had lived for the previous 5 months.

The second thing that was on my mind was how I would miss the live broadcast of the series finale of LOST, which would be at 6am Spain time. It was devastating, really.

Anyways, on to the "tweets," which are un-twitterlike in their order, because I wrote them in the order they occurred, the newest posts at the very end.


May 25, 2010
(Alicante airport)
6:15am: Just saw a guy make the last call for boarding on his flight. He ran to the gate and chucked his papers at the flight attendant, in a rush.

6:18am There seems to be 2 types of people at the airport: those with some sense of style, and those who equate "travel clothing" with "mountainous terrain clothing."

6:20am There is a woman dragging her duffel through the airport. Someone needs to tell her it doesn't have wheels.

(Madrid airport)
8:55am You know Security's having a good day when they are whistling Duran Duran.

9:04am Airports everywhere are collections of people looking around aimlessly and being confused.

9:15am Asked if the toy store clerk would take a picture of me and a lifesize cardboard cutout of Pocoyo. He said taking photos isn't allowed. Jerk.


Pocoyo.

9:35am I just got abnormally excited for a tortilla bocadillo. I'm gonna miss those.

9:36am Received a plastic cup for my squirt-top Evian watter bottle. Way to be wasteful, Spain.

9:45am Just got a call from Katie [Blubaugh]. It was a much-needed surprise after not talking to anyone in the past 5 hours.

10:15am Why is that man holding a woman's legs in the air at the bookstore? Oh, I just noticed 2 EMTs leaning over her. Sure took me a while.

10:20am I am BALLIN' with $400 cash. Looks like funny money after a semester of dealing with a rainbow of bills.

10:25am Why does the Chupa Chups machine appear to me now, when I am fresh out of Euros?!?!

(on Madrid-Chicago flight)
7:15pm Snack box time on the plane! Unfortunately, due to orange allergies and refusal to eat marbled deli meat, I only scrounge the 1-inch candy bar and small palmeritas cookies.

(Chicago)
2:30pm Back in the good ole US of A: where sedate people ironically wear athletic clothes on a daily basis.

Dante is an ARTEEST.

Dante loves to draw.

When he comes into my room he always asks for my colored pencils, because he wants to color.

When he sees my mini orange notepad filled with paper, he makes a similar request.

Once he has a pen and paper in his hand, he will ask for requests, on what the people want to be drawn.

And he will give you a terse "no" at most requests.


He will draw you anything in the entire world, anything you request. That is, as long as your request is potatoes.

Get on with it!

This conversation recently occured when Dante was playing on the armchair and we were sitting to eat dinner...(translation below)
Dante: *crying* Quiero pinones! Damelos por favor?
Rocio: Vale.
Dante: *still crying* Pues, venga, vamos!


Dante: *crying* I want pinenuts! Will you give them to me please?
Rocio: okay. (continues dishing out her bowl of soup)
Dante: *still crying* Well, alright already, let's get on with it!

Parents' visit to Spain

I have uploaded pics from my parents' visit to Spain.

http://bit.ly/ax25ID

That is the link to the pics from Barcelona and Alicante!

Among the Alicante pictures are pics of my host family, me at the radio, and my cooking classroom!

Reindeer Syrup

I was talking to my host dad about typical breakfast food in America today, so of course I needed to talk about maple syrup. They don't really have that here, because they don't have maple trees.

I remember looking it up in the dictionary before, and it's "jarabe de arce" (syrup of maple). I kept saying that until he stopped me and said "Arce? Arce? When we think of Arce, we think of the animals that Santa Clause has."

So he was saying "arce" meant "reindeer." But I looked up maple in my dictionary to be sure and I was right, it was "arce." Reindeer was something completely different. But if that's what he calls reindeer, I have no way of describing maple.

I mean, I could draw a maple leaf, but it would most likely look like a marijuana leaf.

And I can't just point out the type of tree, because they don't have them.

It's something so abstract that you can't even describe the flavor...just that it is sweet, and goes well with pancakes.

Multi-use items

Carly just posted the following on my facebook wall. Prior knowledge needed to understand:
This week there are a ton of processions for Easter week.
Her host mom tapes notes on her door with bandaids.




A) I just looked out my window and there is a large crowd which means there is going to be another f-ing parade.

B) If I die within the next few days of heart complications or clogged arteries don't be surprised, I discovered that my host mom rarely cooks with olive oil--vegetable is her oil of choice, olive ...oil is just to add after the food has been in a hot tub of oil.

Oh wait, there is one more thing...

C) I discovered that my host mom likes to make use out of more household items than just bandaids, she uses feminine pads as cushioning for her shoes. HahahHHHHHaaaa

As a distinguished singing legend, this voice thing could prove to be an issue

This past weekend I went to Valencia with Sarah and Carly. I have been sick for over a week now, but if you want to call that sick, you probably could say I have been a constant sick since I got to Spain.

But starting last weekend, my throat really hurt, so I went to the doctor and he prescribed me some antihistamines and ibuprofen. I was only to take them for 5 days or so.

Randomly on Friday, my throat hurt and I decided to rest it by whispering to my friends for the rest of the night, or using sign language. That provided at least some entertainment.

On Saturday morning, Sarah nudged me to wake up in the hostel, whispering good morning. After Carly came back from washing her face and we were whispering in our room, Sarah pointed out that there was no need to whisper; we were all awake. Yet, I realized that had I tried to speak normally, it came out as cracks and gurgles beyond recognition.

I whisper-gurgled through the afternoon and evening, when I just flat-out attempted to talk. I forced myself to formulate words and sentences with the crackling soundbox I called a voice. Saturday my throat didn't hurt at all, only my confidence in speaking did.

After chatting with a couple cool Manchester blokes that night, my voice warmed up a bit and heavily improved from the morning. No longer was my laugh a hissing gasping noise, but there were actual inflections at the "HAs."

Sunday my voice was back but raspy. When I got home that evening, my host parents noticed immediately and said that I just sounded more Spanish. It's true, the young chicas over here all have raspy smoke voices.

This morning it really was no different. The pitch in my voice is very different, more in the lower range. Usually it is in a low range to begin with, but it's even lower, since I am unable to make my "omg that child is adorable" squealing noise when I see a stroller, since it comes out as a screeching hiss that could deter any and every parent from allowing me near their kin.

Tomorrow or wednesday I will record my radio program, and I am sure it will sound JUST LOVELY. If it hasn't changed, I will have a radio recording of my "spanish voice" for me to cherish the rest of my life.

As a way to un-swell my vocal chords, I have been trying to hum songs, usually to no avail. Right now no one is home and I just try to cough or scream, and a raspy HHHHHHH noise comes out.

Since I know my singing voice is probably in the terrible to horrible range when I have all of my pitch, imagine how it must be now. Even slow, jazzy songs like "Old Fashioned Morphine" that require little to no singing effort on my part (when I sing to myself around the house) have become like Christina Aguilera songs now.



I can't even hit the note of the "sister don't get worried" lyric without it coming out as a screeching HHHH. So sad.



I hope this doesn't last forever.

"ooooh f**k."

Normally, on Tues. and Thur., I eat lunch with Carlos. I call him and hang up (it's free if he doesn't pick up) to notify him when I get on the bus to go home. Then I come home and the food is ready and we eat.

On Mondays/Wednesdays, I make a meal or take a tupperware of pasta/food to the internship and microwave it there.

So today, Wednesday, Carlos asked me the following (translation follows).

"Qué pasó hoy? Dónde estuviste? He esperado tu llamada por dos o tres horas, y hice la comida. Rocío estuvo aquí y comió, pero le dije “voy a esperar a Melissa.” Y esperé, y esperé, y después me dije “voy a comer ahora también, porque ahora tengo hambre!” Pero pensé en que era tú, y normalmente me mandas un mensaje si no puedes comer o algo, pero…ohhh Fuck. Es miércoles."

What happened today? Where were you? I awaited your call for two or three hours, and I made lunch. Rocio was here and ate, but I told her that I'd wait for you to eat. I waited and waited, then I was like "Now I'm gonna eat because I am hungry!" But I thought with you being you that you would send me a message or something if you couldn't get home and eat, but...oh fuck. It's wednesday."

And yes, he actually swore in English.

The Chupa has left the building.

On Saturday, Dante officially "ha dejado la chupa," or gave up his pacifier for good. His parents planned it for a while, but now they think he's too old to have it.

They took him to his cousin's house, who is an infant, and told Dante that they would give his little cousin all his chupas, since he is younger and needs them more. Dante was very mature about it and said it was okay, a bit proud to pass something down to him.

Of course, Rocio and Carlos gave Dante a Spongebob Squarepants stuffed animal (or, as they call him over here "Bob Esponja") to cushion the fall a bit. He cried a lot when he would need to go to bed, take a bath, or leave the house, but so far the transition has been okay. Bob Esponja has been lending his shoulder to Dante for some support in these rough times.

Potty -Training a 2 yr old

Yesterday before I left for cooking class, I was going to use the bathroom. Dante saw me walking in the hall and ran to catch up with me.

There are no locks on the bathroom door (probably so Dante won't lock himself in), so I can't keep him out. I try to shut the door but he just enters, so I am not about to use the bathroom with him in the room.

Thing is, his parents let him in the bathroom when they go, most likely to make him not feel shy about using the big-person potty.

I am not quite as comfortable, so I eventually opt to wait to use the bathroom.

He grabs the step stool for the sink and carries it in the hallway to the front door and announces he will let me out. I give him my keys and he opens the door, but the step stool is in the way. He doesn't figure out that he has to move, just that it is really difficult to open the door. I pick him up and move him, but he won't let me touch the door handle because he wants to shut it.

After I go into the hallway, I reach to lock it from the outside, but he says he wants to do it. "No, Dante," I explain, "You can't lock it from the outside because then YOU will be locked out." He gets it finally, then nearly shuts the door.

But then he frowns and mumbles something, then I realize he is saying "Beso" (kiss). He has one hand on the doorknob, both feet on the step stool and brows furrowed as he leans in and gives me a big wet kiss on the cheek. Then he finally shuts the door.

___________________________

This morning when we got in the car to drive Dante to school, then Rocio and me to the University, Rocio announces that Dante woke up with a clean diaper and peed in the big people toilet! HURRRAHHHHH! I didn't understand completely what she said, but she either said "This is the first time since January that he's done that" or "I have been trying since January to get him to do this."

This is a big moment.

Okay? Okay. Okay! OKAY!

The other day, Morgen called me after dinner. I was staring out the window in the family room, where Dante and Carlos were sitting.

Of course, Morgen and I were speaking English on the phone. She did most of the talking, so I was mostly saying "okay" over and over.

I turned around to look back at Carlos and Dante, and Dante had a huge grin on his face. He then started saying "Okay! Okay! Okay! Okay! Okay! Okay!" over and over again. He had no idea what he was saying.

Carlos was like: "Dante, sabes que significa okay? Es igual a vale, pero es la palabra en inglés." (Do you know what OKAY means? It´s the same as the word "vale", but in English)

Dante just kept repeating it over and over with a huge grin. It was super cute. Even when it started morphing into nonsense words, then eventually Carlos' nickname (koki). "Okay! okayokayokayokaykoh! kay! kayko! koki?"

A love/hate letter to Lola, my host family's dog.

Dear Lola (my host family's dog),

I had high hopes for you. I really did.

At first I was disappointed that you simply existed when I found out my host family assignment. I didn't want to live with a dog! My friends said I would like you better than the 2 year old. I was doubtful of that claim. I knew that I would love the child more than you.

However, you didn't seem that bad at all. You made strange grunting noises when you breathed, but it was just plain funny. You were a little annoying when I would come home from school and you'd scratch at my brand new gray leather boots. But you made up for this typical dog behavior when I would leave again, and you would stand in the doorway, nearly getting your head stuck in the door because you didn't want to see me go. You even followed me around the house, and got so excited when I said your name.

Of all the dogs I have met in my life (and subsequently hated) you didn't do what they did. You never put your paws on my legs when I was sitting (you were too short, and too fat) and you never ate or chewed any of my personal belongings (yeah, I still remember that dog that chewed my 8th grade yearbook. To that dog: you've made my list). You never barked (except for the rare occasion there was something on TV that you didn't like). You never drooled. All you ever wanted to do was sit in the same room as me and sit on a blanket or piece of cardboard or Dante's counting mat to protect your butt from the cold marble floor as you looked like a cross between a person bobbing to sleep on a bus and a dog who's face was melting as you dozed off.

That's all you wanted to do. Follow me around the house, or sleep. It didn't matter where you slept, but it had to be somewhat warm. Warm, like the Alicante sun on a Sunday afternoon.



When I was in my room and you were on the patio, the sound of me rustling things around would draw you to my windowsill, where you would sit until you saw my acknowledgment.



Even your creepiness was charming, when at night I would go to my room at the end of the hall and you would stand in the hallway, the dim light outlining your silhouette as you watched me retreat to my room for the night and shut the door.




I loved you for all the times I would exit the bathroom into the dark hallway and get jolted out of my skin when you were lurking in the shadows, growling, or as you like to call it, breathing.



You had so many charms, and I had high hopes for you. That is until today, when you threw up on the living room floor.

Home Stay Tour...second attempt

Here is a direct upload of my home stay tour.


Enjoy.

This is my home.

EDIT: THE HOST FAMILY VIDEO IS NOW AVAILABLE AT THIS LINK http://melissainspain2010.blogspot.com/2010/02/home-stay-toursecond-attempt.html

If you are wondering how I live it up in Alicante, check out this tour I did of my host family's house.


I will embed the video here, but if you can't view it below, go to this direct link. It is private, so that might be a reason that the video below may not work.

http://www.youtube.com/watch_private?v=0mSxKUjxtTs&sharing_token=c2MqgKgEHYpNHT8-ZG0IDA

NOW we have a plan.

I love listening to classical music.

Today, Rocio was listening to classical music as she graded papers, and it made me think about how I love to just sit and quietly listen to it.

It gave me an idea.

I have been dying to figure out where I want to travel to this semester, b/c I have the urge to see some places, and to NOT see others.

After hearing this music, it inspired me: I want to travel somewhere where I can see an opera or see a live orchestral performance or an orchestral ballet.

So that decision is made. The question now is...where is that exactly? Germany, perhaps?

Regalos!

Last night I was up really late doing homework in the family room when Carlos came in holding this box-like toy. It's made out of that fabric and plastic ring to make it pop up, like a tent. And it's in the shape of a cube (2x2x2 feet), with a little "oven" with velcro door, a sink with a fabric drain plug, and a stovetop. They bought it for him b/c originally it was 70 euros but it went on clearance for TWO euros. They bought it immediately.

As soon as I saw it, I thought to myself "Yet another place for Dante to store his toy cars that he loves so much."

They also bought the same type of fabric cube in the shape of a washing machine, and then they bought one of those rubber balls that has a handle that you can sit on and bounce.

I was so excited for the moment that Dante saw these gifts. He didn't see them until after he got back from school and daycare, around 7pm.

First they showed him the stove and he just started grabbing everything. As he would touch the parts of the oven/stove, Rocio and Carlos told him what the parts were called.
(Dante grabs the door) Rocio: The oven door!
(Dante grabs the sink) Rocio: The sink and the drain plug!
(Oven knobs) Rocio: The knobs to turn it on and off!

Dante would repeat each part after her.

Then, Carlos started joking "Are you gonna make us dinner? Make some coffee, perhaps a snack of bread and honey? Howabout you do the dishes."

My favorite part was when he pointed to the painted-on stove burners (which are circles) and was like "LOOK! A rectangle! And look! Another rectangle!" And Carlos was like "Those are circles, dude."


Then Rocio asked him if he wanted to see his new washing machine, which was in his room. He kept saying no, until she asked if he wanted to show me the bouncy ball. As we walked down the hall, Rocio asked if he wanted to see the "lavadora" (washing machine). He said yes. He went in and was so excited, and he shouted "HOLAVADORA" (combining hola and lavadora), opening and closing the door of the washer over and over again, and twisting the knobs.




Soon to come: update on my intercambio, the radio, and hike to the mountains (and pics)

Fact of the Day

Today, when I asked Carlos why Lola didn't have identification tags on her collar, he told me that all dogs are required to have a chip installed in their inner ear.

If a lost dog is found, or something bad happens to it, the police have a machine that scans the ear, and on the screen it shows the name of the dog and the address of the owner.

I feel like I'm in I Am Robot or something!!!

Can you repeat that?

Rocio and Carlos were telling me how their parents would mispronounce old movie actors from back in the day, and it was pretty funny...

John Wayne---Yon WHY-nay
Cary Grant---Cahr-ee Grahnt
Gary Cooper---Gah-ree Cop-poor
Humphrey Bogart--HOOMP-hay-ray BO-gurt

DANTE TIME!

Some great Dante moments as of late:

I had my backpack on the floor in the corner of the family room the other day when Dante saw my cell phone sitting on top. He wobbled over to it and saw me watching him, then picked up the phone, rotated it 90 degrees, then set it back down again. I have noticed this is his behavior all the time with my phone: he either picks it up and rotates it, or he picks it up and moves it 3 inches then sets it down again. I have no clue why.


At lunch the other day...
Dante: Quiero agua. (I want water)
Rocio: Si. (she pours him water)
Dante: Quiero jamon (i want ham)
R: (passes him the ham)
D: Quiero mas comida. (I want more food)
R: (she puts more food on his plate)
D: Quiero...cerveza (I want beer)
R: No, no no no...es la cerveza de mama.(No, it's mom's beer)
D: quiero cerveza! (I want beer!)
R: Toma mas agua. (here, take some more water.)


After lunch the other day, Rocio was enjoying a cup of coffee. The sugar bowl was on the table, which Dante spotted and immediately he requested: "Quiero azucar!" Rocio laughed and made a face like "like hell you are eating a spoonful of raw sugar," as she moved the sugar bowl to the other side of the table. Rocio and I were chatting about something, and Dante was playing with his toy cars. He stared at us talking, then did a lap around the table and said "Mama aqui, y Melissa aqui (mom here, and Melissa here) pointing to our seats in which we sat, respectively. Rocio responded with a "si." Then, as she turned to continue our chat, Dante (who had planned this sneak attack all along) started going for the sugar bowl. Rocio spotted it and took the sugar as he was an inch away from obtaining it.


Dante was coloring on some paper with his markers when he picked up the yellow one, took the cap off, then held it with both hands, perfectly straight up in front of his face. He slowly approached Rocio, repeating "Look! Look!" She was like "Yes, I see, the pretty yellow!" Then he was about 5 inches from her face when she realized he was coming so close in order to draw on her face. She laughed and grabbed the marker, saying he couldn't draw on her like they do in school (they have had a body painting unit the past couple weeks). After he cried a bit and after she explained that she wasn't mad at him, she rolled up her sleeves and let him draw on her.
Dante: (eyes wide, with an inquiring face) Te pinto? (can I draw on you?)
Rocio: Si, carino. (Yes, honey.)
He then proceeded to take full advantage of the opportunity, going to town with the green marker all over her forearms.


When it was time for dinner the other day, I found Dante five inches away from the TV, pressing the eject button on the DVD player and watching the tray slide in and out, over and over again. I grabbed his hands to lead him to the dinner table, and he said "NO!" and slowly laid down on the floor with his knees bent. He then used his heels to push him backwards, sliding on the floor on his back.


During lunch today, Dante's food was hot and his dad instructed him to blow on it. He would do these short bursts of air, almost near hyperventilation, until it was cool enough to eat.


I found his little ball-popper toy in the hallway on the floor, so I picked it up. Dante was walking towards the dining room, so I took the popper and rolled it towards him, kind of chasing him. He kept looking behind himself at the toy, grinning at whatever game we were playing. I chased him around the 3 foot diameter coffee table about 20 times before I had to stop because I was getting really dizzy. He LOVED it.



After I came home from my cooking class, Dante was eating dinner in the kitchen: tiny noodle stars with butter or something. They were all over his face, some noodle stars even were under his eye, or near his temple. I love how he eats so haphazardly. Later, when he got up, there were some noodles stuck to his pants behind his right ankle.


Rocio, who was out for the night, called Carlos on his phone. Carlos handed it to Dante, who picked it up and had the following conversation:
Dante: Ma-MA!
Rocio (you can hear her on the other end) Si, Carino (yes honey)
Dante: ma-MA!
Rocio: Si, carino.
D: Ma-MA!
R: Si, carino, que quieres (what do you want)
D: Ma-MA! (he then took the phone off his ear, brought it to the front of his face, and yelled MAMA into the receiver five or six more times until Carlos took it back)


After his dinner, Dante followed me to my room, where he grabbed his favorite thing: my house keys. He sat there playing with them for a while, until he suddenly looked at me and asked ...
Dante: Tienes hambre? Has comido? Quieres comer? (Are you hungry? did you eat? Want to eat?)
Me: No, he comido en la clase de cocina. He hecho la comida. (No, I ate in cooking class. I cooked the meal)
Dante: Has...has...has hecho la comida? (Did you, did you, did you make the food?)
Me: Si, he hecho la comida. (yes, I made the food)
Dante: Has hecho la comida? (you made the food?)
Me: Si, he hecho la comida. (yes, I made the food)
I love when Dante acts like the host of the household.


While in the kitchen, Dante took his empty cup and held it up to his mouth and shouted into it "MELISSSSSSAAAAAAAAAAAA" and kept doing so until I responded with a deep "DANTEEEEE", to which he responded with a grin and a squealing giggle.


He had one of those party blowers that makes noise and unfurls a piece of paper, and he just honked and honked in the kitchen, scaring the crap out of Lola, who was frantically looking for an escape.


Once he was done with the party noisemaker, he told Lola he just wanted to give her a kiss. He got on his hands and knees and tried to catch Lola so he could kiss her. Traumatized by the previous noise, she was running in circles around him. Dante tried to crawl and catch up to her but was way too slow. He at one point grabbed her tail while she wailed in pain, but she wriggled free. The best part is that the kitchen is about 12 by 5 feet wide, so this was all happening in a fairly tiny space. He started getting upset, repeatedly saying "I JUST WANT TO KISS YOU, LOLA!" I was dying of laughter. Finally, Carlos yelled at Lola to sit. Lola, hesitant and fearful, stood still, then warily sat down. Dante leaped onto her, grabbing her body and kissing her side. Lola wriggled free once again, leaving Dante to fall over.


Finally, after playing (and by playing I mean "picking up various objects and moving them around the room) in my room, Carlos came in to tell him it was time for bed. I have never seen Dante get so upset to part with me! He started crying and saying how he didn't want to say "hasta manana" (until tomorrow) to me, and he wanted to keep playing.

Today was a good day.

bad dreams:sad::ice skating:happy

I was in the family room area with Carlos and Rocio, while Dante was napping in their room, and I heard some quiet tapping noise. I get up and turn on the light in the hall, and it is just what I thought: Dante hurriedly running in the dark hallway towards the family room on the verge of tears. I am pretty sure he had a nightmare. Carlos quickly ran into the hall and swept him up and handed him his "chupa" (pacifier). He quietly sobbed in Carlos' arms, then Carlos took him to sit on the sofa chair. Dante quietly sucked on his pacifier as he calmed down.

Eventually, Dante got up and laid on Rocio, who was napping on the couch. She woke up and wrapped the blanket around him and they cuddled. It was so adorable. Carlos continued watching TV while Rocio and Dante laid quietly on the couch, until Dante perked up at a TV show that Carlos flipped to. Dante, as usual when it comes to television, zoned out, mystified by the moving pictures. It was partner figure skating ("patinaje" en espanol).

Every time the partners would do jumps or acrobatics like flipping upside down, Dante had this huge grin on his face. Like I've mentioned before, when Dante likes something, he just grins and screams/squeals at it. He did this earlier when he was attacking Lola (the dog) with his push-and-pop roll-y toy.


(Imagine a 2 yr old child traumatizing a 2 yr old puppy by aggressively and repeatedly ramming this toy into it as he laughs maniacally)


He grinned and laughed and squealed for a good half hour. Carlos, Rocio and I especially liked the Matrix routine (2 people dressed as The Matrix characters and skating to a soundtrack song) when the girl did a flip over the man (who was laying down) and was an inch away from spearing his forehead with her ice skate.

After watching happy ice skating for an hour or so, you could tell Dante felt much better.