MICHAEL'S JOURNAL

Mike, Christopher, Annie Mae and Lisa -- Christmas 2007.

A great Christmas holiday; now the touring begins

January 9, 2008

So, we survived the holiday season!  It started with a party at our house for the whole cast of Musselman’s Music of Seal on Ice.  Lucky for me, this show took place in my hometown of Washington DC.  So, we had a get together that was graciously sponsored by the Michael Weiss Foundation’s biggest supporter – Nick Castaneda of Morgan Stanley.  It’s not that often I get to have skating friends in town so close to the holidays…so it was fun to have them over.

The show followed at the Verizon Center the following night.  It was cool to meet Seal.  He is very laid back, down to earth guy, who really loves music.  For the songs he was not singing live on stage, he sang along to his own music – giving us skaters in the tunnel a rare treat.  A fun night, where I had many supporters, family and friends attending the show….including a very enthusiastically rowdy bunch – my hockey team from Reston.  I play in the summer time in a men’s league, and the team came out, reluctantly to a figure skating show, and showed their support!

Another special day for me was, taking a day trip up to New York City with my daughter, Annie Mae.  It was just the two of us.   We refer to these special days as “Daddy-daughter days.”  We drove up on a Thursday night and my only commitment was to skate early morning for a taping of the Today show on NBC at Rockerfellar Center.  After the early morning taping, we were able to have a nice breakfast overlooking the Famous Christmas tree at the ice rink.  We then took tourist trips to the Empire State Building, the site of the World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty.  We finished off the day by driving home at night, with her sound a sleep in the back seat surrounded by fluffy comforters and pillows.  Great Daddy-daughter day for me!

Christmas at the Weiss house this year consisted of Christmas eve church, opening presents Christmas eve from family members, a slumber party of Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents, Great Grandparents and cousins, more opening presents from Santa Christmas morning, too much eating, watching football in our pajamas,  Guitar hero on PS3, and a lot of Madden Football 2008!  Oh yea, and more eating! More family stopping by X-mas day!  It really was  a perfect holiday for us this year.  I think the only time in 3 days I came out of my pajamas was for church.  That’s a very relaxing Christmas for me.

New Year’s Day and off to Japan, for Stars on Ice Japan.  That is where I am now!  We have 11 shows and I will be home for 1 week before packing up and takin’ it on the road in the U.S.  This is the hardest time of year on the family.  It means I am gone from Jan. 2 – the end of April.  I have looked over the tour schedule this year, and I have planned to bring Lisa and the kids on for 2 extended stays in San Diego and Orlando.  I also plan to fly home at least once every week and a half for a day or two – here come the red-eye flights again!

Only skated 2 shows - so far here in Japan.  The people here are so friendly and welcoming.  I very much enjoy touring in Japan.  The show does have a number of guest skaters – many of them the Japanese superstars.  Watching them practice as they are getting ready for Worlds is awesome!  Such amazing technicians….I saw Miki Ando do two Quad Salcows in a row yesterday!  Yes that’s right, a woman doing a QUAD!....Clean!  Wow!

Til next time,
Mike

A party for the cast of the Seal show: Kyoko Ina, Kristi Yamaguchi, Jason Dungjen, Mike, Yuka Sato, Brian Boitano, Amber Corwin and Linda Leaver.

Mike and Todd Elredge at the Nogoya Castle in Japan.

Thank you, a big surprise, and a lot of fun!

Lisa and I celebrated our 10th anniversary recently in Mexico.

October 16, 2007

Thank you to everyone who made it possible for us to raise over $ 45,000 from this year’s U.S. & World Figure Skating Champions LIVE.  A great show, generous people, and successful event! 

And congratulations to all of our scholarship winners from previous years, who have worked hard and are in the middle of a winning season!

Before my skating year got started, my wife, Lisa planned to surprise me – by taking us away for our 10th wedding anniversary.  I accidentally stumbled upon her plans and found out where we were going -  Cozumel, Mexico.  So, I decided to re-surprise her back and plan a Renewal ceremony on the beaches of the Caribbean. Along with a friend, I created a DVD of our favorite pictures and video clips to music, of our 12 years together and 10 years of marriage.  I packed her a white dress – and needless to say, she was surprised when I told her the night before about the Ceremony on the beach.  It was a perfect day for the ceremony… a beautiful sunset, where the water was so calm, it looked like glass!  Check out the photos….wonderful day….as memorable as the special day 10 years ago!

Then it was  back to reality and the start of the skating season.  Thankfully, the first event, was AWESOME!  I love the concept of Kristi Yamaguchi’s Friends and Family show, held this year in Phoenix, AZ.  This year was a special treat for my family.  Annie Mae and Christopher, along with millions of other American children, are huge fans of Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) and the Cheetah Girls.  If you are not between the ages of 6-14, or have kids of that age….you may not know who these musical guests are.  But, to the world of Elementary and Jr High…..they may as well be Elvis Presley! 

I was given the choice as to what Corbin Bleu song to skate to….and I conferred with my choreography committee, (Annie Mae and Christopher) and they unanimously and enthusiastically screamed, “Push It to the Limit”!!  So, we got to work on learning the steps to his video so we could perform them in the show. 

When we got to Phoenix, I practiced with Annie Mae, and as we were doing the dance step in front of the stage…..I told her we would have to “time” the steps with Corbin and his back up dancers because they will be right behind us doing the same steps.  Her eyes got real big and she said to me, “We are doing Corbin’s steps while he does them RIGHT BEHIND US?”  I said, “yes.”  She couldn’t believe it, and was even more excited now.

Backstage during rehearsals, all of the skater’s kids were running excitedly up and down the halls.  Word had flown threw the under 10 year old backstage world……that the Cheetah Girls’ Sabrina Bryan was rehearsing in a back room with her partner for her performance in “Dancing with the Stars.”  The kids were fortunate enough to get pictures taken with her and her partner….and autographed CD’s and posters as evidence to their friends at home that it was not “just a dream.”

As if that were not enough to rock their little world, they got to teach Corbin how to skate, tape a commercial with him, and work on his dance steps with HIM on stage! 

The kids were well prepared to perform with me in the program along with Corbin.  But, as we were about to step out of the curtain and on to the ice, they both told me….”Daddy, we are really nervous!”  I said to them, “ #1, it’s okay to be nervous…I feel this way every time I step on the ice to perform….it’s a good thing.  And #2, I’m out there with you the whole time….and you’re performing with one of your idols - Corbin Bleu…Let’s enjoy it and have some fun!”  They did great!

As Annie Mae and I started the program, we began our dance step to an amazingly intense high pitched, thunderous screaming of the young fans!  You can not prepare anyone for the rush you feel when you hear that sound for the first time as a performer, and Annie Mae looked at me as if to say, Oh my gosh Dad….that is REALLY LOUD!  She was AWESOME, and Christopher nailed his featured trick too.  What an Amazing time we had…..one of my favorite moments with the kids.

A long day, with a lot of fun resulted in a relaxing ride home in the back seat!  (See attached photo of kids sleeping)

As some of you may have read, I was lucky enough to meet a nice young lady from Hampton, VA, Hannah Peelen.  Hannah is a special Olympics star who loves skating. Earlier this year, she had her autographed skates stolen from her mom’s car.   Thanks to the MWF and Disson Skating, we were able to get her a new pair of skates, fly her and her mom out to Phoenix to meet all the stars of the show, and get her new skates personally autographed by Kristi and me.  She was a delight to meet, and I do hope she had a great time!

On to the next show…. Tylenol Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular in Oklahoma City.  When I arrived, it was a full morning of media with Bart Conner (Olympic Champion Gymnast).  We hit all of the local TV and radio stations to promote the show.  It was fun to see my family’s two worlds, gymnastics and skating, come together to put on a unique show.

The musical guest was Lang Lang, famous concert pianist.  I performed one number to his Hungarian Rhapsody with Yuka Sato on the ice, along with the gymnasts on beam, floor, and parallel bars - adding to the 9 minute number!  The combination of Lang Lang’s masterful artistry and the athleticism of the skater’s and gymnasts, made for a memorable show.

I think our media day paid off, with a very energetic and enthusiastic crowd that came out to the show during severe thunderstorms and a tornado warning!

On the agenda next…preparing for Stars on Ice – rehearsals for 2 ½ weeks in Lake Placid, and the show with Seal at the Verizon Center right here at home in Washington DC.  If your in DC, come see the show!

The kids are interviewed for a TV show.

The Cheetah Girls with Annie Mae and Christopher.

Corbin with Liza Kulik, Annie Mae and Christopher.

Corbin teaches Annie Mae and Christopher some dance steps.

And the kids teach Corbin how to skate.

Annie Mae, Christopher, Liza and Gabriella.

Sabrina and the whole gang.

Tour's over, time for rest and relaxation!

May, 20, 2007

The tour is over, I’m back home, and enjoying the time off. 

The last few shows were a lot of fun.  Since a most of the final shows were on the East Coast, Lisa and the kids were able to make it to a number of them.  Each one of the kids got a special trip with daddy -- where they were able to take one of the bus rides (and sleep in my bunk on the bus -- a big deal for a 7- and 8-year-old).  Christopher made the trip from Baltimore to Grand Rapids, MI and back with me.  He loved being able to stay up late, play video games, and eat ribs…. all on the bus !!

Annie Mae took the trip from Hershey, Pa., to Baltimore.  She thought it was very cool that she could wear her pajamas on the bus!  We read books in my bunk, watched Star Wars, and ate ice cream!

The last show in Portland, Maine was full of practical jokes.  In the baseball program, we had some sound effects added….when John Zimmerman was talking about how he wanted to be a NASCAR driver…..I added some Jeff Foxworthy Mascara rambling bit that had the cast doubled over laughing.  And when Todd contacts the ball in his golf swing, the normal sound effect of a golf ball being hit, was replaced by a natural gas “slippage” as he hits the ball.  More tricks -- when Steven did his number to a couple of screaming fans in the front row….(some cast members dressed in drag)!  All in all, a great tour, with great people, and great skating!

After the tour ended, I took a week and a half to go down to North Carolina with the family and just RELAX!  It was a great way to unwind with the family.  We stopped by the Thornton Family Farm on the way back, and spent the day on the go karts.  The Grandparents have provided go karts on the farm for all of the grandkids and cousins — but I think I enjoy them as much as the kids do!

After N.C., Lisa and I went to Cabo San Lucas with some friends to celebrate her birthday.  We had an awesome time, relaxing in the sun and reenergizing on the beaches!

We just celebrated Mother’s Day with all of the mothers in our family.  We went to Sunday brunch with Lisa, her mom, my mom, her sister, my sister, her brother, and all the cousins.  We had a total of about 25 people, and showed our appreciation for all that the mothers do year round. 

Taking up most of my time since I’ve been home are the kids' activities now.  They are very active in extracurricular activities.  From baseball, soccer, hockey, gymnastics — to piano, guitar, and tae kwon do.  It is a constant schedule of who goes where and when! 

Lisa’s Wine Cellar Company is doing very well.  She really does a great job of balancing work and family.  If you want to check out her website, it’s www.WineCellarsbyLisa.com . 

My latest hobby, is something I said I would do for years.  I am finally on a hockey team with my brother in law – Billy.  I have said for years we would play together, and now we both have the time to make it a reality.  I’ll keep you updated on our progress….we started the season off slowly with two losses, and now have won the last two and are starting to play a little better.  It is a great way for us to get some exercise and a little friendly competition.

Summer holds a lot of time with the kids, a vacation to the beach, and a few projects around the house.  Thanks to everyone for your support and interest while I was on the road this season.  I am looking forward to a second successful season as a pro!

Surprise visits, wrong arena, special phone calls

March 6, 2007

I couldn't resist playing around with this huge hockey helmet in Long Island.

It’s been a while since my last update.  I’ve been a little distracted by all the traveling.  After the start in Japan and Portland, we moved down south on the west coast. 

On the days off in San Francisco, I took the red eye home to surprise the family.  As luck would have it, it snowed a couple of inches, and the kids got out of school and we spent the day sledding!  Back on the plane again to CA - 4 shows and another 2 days off….and a redeye from LA to see the family again.  I’ve been making the jaunts cross country, because even one night in my own bed, dinner at my own table, or a drive in my own car… is worth a 5 hour flight.

Well, now we’re 20 shows into the tour and I’ve had a few funny happenings.
The other day when we had a couple of days off in Columbus, I rented a car and drove home through the night to see my son’s first hockey game.  I saw his first shift, his first face off, and his first shot on goal! 

When I was in Columbus, I took a cab to the airport to pick up the rental car.  When returning in the rental car to the hotel, I recognized the arena as I exited the highway. So, I thought, the other skaters are about to leave from the hotel to the arena on the bus….so I’ll just go straight to the arena.  I drove into the back parking lot at the loading dock, and told the security guard I was one of the skaters….so he showed me in and I parked my car.  I have been to this arena many times to perform with Champions on Ice and a few other events.  So, I went right through the familiar entrance with my skate bag.  As I walked in, I noticed a giant Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and a Goofy head were sitting on a table at the entrance to the ice.  As I stood there wondering what was going on….The little Mermaid and Prince Charming walked by and stepped onto the ice.  I dropped my skate bag and thought ….WHAT ??  Did I drive to the wrong venue in Columbus?  I immediately looked in my tour book to see where the show was today….and saw that it was at the Ohio State Arena about 15 minutes away… NOT the arena where the Blue Jackets Hockey team plays. 

So, I was ready to skate in the “Disney on Ice” show at the WRONG arena!  I felt like a complete idiot….so I snuck out (hoping nobody saw me) and couldn’t stop laughing on my way back to the car. 

What are the chances that another skating show was going on at the same time as our show 10 miles away…AND that I would make the mistake to go there…. AND say I was a skater to get in the building…AND actually get in….and be turned away by Mickey Mouse!

Well, when I finally made it to the correct venue, and the skaters and crew had a big laugh at my expense.

Another habit I have gotten into….each night as we perform the baseball program (SWING), I call the kids, and put my cell phone in my pocket for them to listen to the whole number.  Each night, the guys and I are talking to my pocket through the whole number -- to entertain Annie Mae and Christopher.  They seem to get a kick out of it, and it’s a way for me to share the evening with them.  So, if any of you are watching the show and you see me talking to my pocket, I am not crazy…..someone IS listening !

To pass the time back stage before each show, we play soccer for about 40 minutes.  It warms us up for the show and it is FUN!  To carry on our sports tradition, I invited the skaters to my house during our 3 days off in Philadelphia.  We played pick up hockey for 3 days straight!  Steven Cousins has never been on Hockey skates…..so it was very amusing to see him make the transition to NO TOE PICKS.  His soccer back round helped him pick up the team concept quickly and he scored a couple of goals by weeks end.  Dave Pelletier comes from Canada, so he is required by “National Law” to be a good hockey player. - j.k. We had a great time and got a few sore muscles!

One of the nights they stayed over, we went to see my hockey team -- the Washington Capitals -- play a home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.  It was a great game to the end -- the first ever 6 on 3 that I have seen!  The Caps tied it up with 10 seconds to go with the goalie pulled and a 6 on 3 man advantage.  It went to a shoot out that went scoreless through 10 rounds, only to end with a Lightning goal.  The Caps organization treated us great -- with a Luxury Suite -- and some signed Alex Ovechkin jerseys!  Let’s Go Caps!

The show is going smoothly, and we’ve received some nice feedback from the show.  It has reached the point in the tour -- where the numbers are so comfortable, the show flies right by.  The back stage practical jokes are what keep us going.  From surprises in your skates to giant football helmets……it’s been a wild ride!  Almost to the End……

Annie Mae and Christopher with Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

Jamie helps Annie Mae with a star lift.

Jennifer Robinson, Steven Cousins, David Pelletier, Jamie Sale and me at a Capitals hockey game.

David and Steven in their hockey gear.

A wonderful holiday and back to work

So, I’m back on the road again after a great holiday.  As is our tradition, we all (my family and Lisa’s) went to Church Christmas Eve together.  After the service, we went back to my sister’s house to eat dinner and open presents from family members.  It’s a tradition in my family to have a slumber party at a different family member’s house each year.  This year it was my oldest sister, Genna’s turn.

This year, all the kids had the plan to stay up all night to see Santa.  Annie Mae, Christopher and all of their cousins lined up their sleeping bags overlooking the family room.  But Santa’s magic sleeping dust must have gotten to them, ‘cause they all fell asleep.  They did make it pretty far though – about 1:30 am! 

Back up at around 6:45 a.m. – running down the stairs to see what Santa had brought them!  Santa usually brings one or two items that they asked for on their Christmas list.  They were all very appreciative of their gifts.

After Christmas breakfast at my sister’s, we packed up the car and went over to celebrate with Lisa’s family.  This year, it was at Lisa’s brother’s house!  A fantastic Christmas dinner and more present opening from the Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Grandparents.  This year we limited it to the Secret Santa rule – names were picked- and one present given to each. 

At around 8pm the festivities wound down, and packed up the car one more time to shuttle the loot back to the house. 

This year Lisa’s and my gift to one another was to fly out to San Diego to spend New Year’s Eve with our good friends Nick and Brooke.  They were having a New Year’s party, and we surprised them by knocking at their front door unexpectedly!  They couldn’t believe we flew across the country to spend that evening and next day with them!  It was worth the trip.  We had a nice evening, then lunch and shopping the next day in La Jolla.  Good times and great memories created.

A couple of days later, it was off to Japan for the start of Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour. 
We rehearsed for a couple of days, to add in the Japanese guest skaters, who gave special performances in Sapporo and Osaka.  It was a great cast – Mao and Mai Asada, Nobunari Oda, Daisuke Takahashi, and Shizuka Arikawa. They were a nice addition to the Stars crew – amazing jumpers!

The shows were all sold out – as skating is very popular in Japan right now.  One of the arenas is a very unique arena.  It is a swimming and diving facility where the ice surface has been built OVER the swimming pool.  At one end of the rink, there are the diving platforms above the ice! 

My oldest sister, Genna used to be a World Jr. Diving Champion off of the 10 meter platform (the highest one).  I also used to dive, and was the regional champion on the 5 meter platform.  During the show, before the finale….I walked to the top of the 10 meter with my skates.  I watched a couple of programs – Amazing viewing angle - and laced up my skates high atop the 10 meter.  I was up there with Steven Cousins, and he snapped a picture off for me.  I walked down the stairs with my skates on to do the finale of the show.  I thought my sister would think that was cool….I told her – “Did you ever think I would make our two worlds combine by lacing up my skates (my passion) on top of a diving tower (your passion)??”  That was a really cool moment for me.  She liked the story.

Here I am, lacing up my skates on top of the 10 meter platform!

The Japanese fans were very appreciative, kind, and respectful people.  I really had a good time!

We flew back to the states to Portland, Oregon to continue the U.S. tour.  We had a couple of days off to recover from our overseas travel, do some laundry, and see some of the Northwest.  I always like to explore on my days off, so I rented a car.  I don’t like to be stuck in the hotel, so I adventured out into Oregon.  No particular place to go - just took a map and started driving.  I love to look at real estate, compare the houses of different areas, and different lifestyles of the region. 

One night, John Zimmerman and I went on a quest to find a casino about 40 miles from the hotel.  As we started on our way, it began to snow and sleet.  In about a half hour, the roads were completely covered in ice!  Needless to say, our planned 45 minute trip turned into about 2 hours each way.  Our little rental car was struggling to keep up 20 miles an hour. Came close to a few ditches a couple of times – but we arrived safely, and had some slippery stories to tell.

After Portland, we headed off to Seattle.  Two good crowds in a row – well attended and enthusiastic!  The show is a lot more work on-ice than I am used to.  The opening, my first solo - “Already There:, a 60’s group number, my second solo - “Home”, guys baseball number, and then the finale.  At the end of the night, I am exhausted! 

One saving grace for being on the road this long is – I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to tour with.  This group of skaters gets along better than any I have ever skated with - A group of classy, professional, disciplined, respectful skaters – working hard every night to put on a good show. 

As if my flights TO Japan, IN Japan, FROM Japan, to San Francisco, to Portland, to Seattle, back to San Francisco weren’t enough….I am currently on the red-eye back home to spend the 2 days off at home with Lisa and the kids.  But- SSShhhhh – don’t tell ‘em….it’s a surprise!

I’ll let you know how it goes.

A great show, and then home for Christmas!

Yep, it's the gang in kilts: From left: Steven Cousins, Brian Boitano, me, Ryan Jhanke and David Pelletier.

December 17, 2006

On the plane again.....on the way back from Brian’s show.  It was a sold out show, with a very enthusiastic audience.  I skated my Bocelli program to ‘La donna e mobile’ and for the first time- ACDC’s “You shook me.”  Talk about two completely opposite ends of the spectrum!  I really have enjoyed these new pro shows…it’s like I am free - and skating like a 10 year old kid again. 

I was concerned about how well the ACDC program would be received…but I did see a few people standing at the end….so I think they liked it.  I know I had fun…Lisa used to sing that song with her band…and it’s always my favorite to hear!

The musical guest was “Celtic Woman.”  They are a group of 5 women who have the most beautiful, soothing voices.  They performed live in the opening, closing and a few group #’s.  The most fun to perform was the guy’s group #.  Steven Cousins, Brian, David Pelletier, Ryan Jhanke, and I were all dressed in kilts!  We really had a great time choreographing the program and I think our goofiness came through to the audience.  A couple of times, the audience got a playful “flash” from underneath our kilts!  Don’t worry it was PG.   A great time!

That’s the last of the Disson shows for this year…..and my 14th and final different program for the season.  Now, everything starts airing on TV!  So, check out the TV schedule on this site, and you can catch all these shows I’ve enjoyed being a part of. 

After the New Year, I will get back to the Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour - performing “Already There” and “Home.”  But, not before I get 2 weeks at home to enjoy Christmas and New Years. 

To everyone….Have a great Holiday and a fantastic New Year!

Brian Boitano, Steven Cousins and David Pelletier.

Great skating, families and a lot of fun!

My kids, Christopher and Annie Mae, enjoying themselves on beanbags on the ice at Kristi's show.

December 15, 2006

I am in Loveland, Colorado….just finished a dress rehearsal for Brian Boitano Skating Spectacular.  The real show is in about 2 hours.  We are taping it to be televised on New Year’s Day on NBC. 

As for last week, Kristi’s show was so much fun.  All of the skaters had their families with them and in the show.  It was great to see all of the kids get along so quickly.  They seemed to be so excited that the spotlight was on them, and not just their parents for once.   Many of the kids were planning “play dates” after the rehearsals to watch movies or play together at the hotel.  They ranged from 11 months to 14 years old…..and all of the older ones looked out for the younger kids.  They did have a special play suite for the kids complete with toys, games, and snacks…so they were kept very well occupied.

In the show, each child had their moment to shine.  Victor skated a great # with his daughter, Nancy skated with her two boys, Katia skated with her two girls, and every child had the spotlight individually in the family number! 

At the start, Scott Hamilton drove a choo-choo train around the rink carrying all the children….while polar express played over the speakers.  My kids are a little older, so they helped the young ones enter and exit the train.  Annie Mae and I did a mini-star lift, and Christopher and I did a full twist and pull through.  He just started playing hockey, so he was the only one with hockey skates on!  He liked that.

During rehearsals, the kids really enjoyed having snowball fights.  So, the parents supplied the “ammo” for the kids to pelt each other with.  I got many pictures and video to remember the experience.

In my first program, Scott had my kids up on stage asking a few questions.  Scott asked my son, what his favorite move his dad did was….and he answered “the back flip.”  Scott said “a back flip?? That’s impossible…no one can do that on the ice!”  Christopher answered “you wish!” to a big laugh from the audience.  Then Scott asked if they wanted to introduce their dad….and Christopher yelled “introducing Michael Weiss!”  I had to refrain myself from laughing as my music started.

If you only get a chance to see one of the TV shows…..watch this show.  (NBC Jan. 14th) It was a very memorable experience for all of the skaters participating….and a joy to see the children have so much fun with each other.

Well, I’m off for a quick warm up for this show.  Then, I will be home for a two week break to enjoy the holidays. 

Have a great holiday season, and I’ll catch you up after the New Year!

Annie Mae with Kristy's daughter, right, and Ilia Kulik and Katia Gordeeva's daughter on the left.

Annie Mae poses with Scott Hamilton as Ilia Kulik and Katia Gordeeva's daughter shows a different pose!

The skaters and the kids.

Michael holds Annie Mae in a star lift.	Annie Mae, Michael and Christopher.

Learning the TV ropes at Fashion On Ice

Me with Evgeni Plushenko, Chris Issak and John Zimmerman at Fashion On Ice.

Me with John Zimmerman and his wife, Silvia Fontana.

December 7, 2006

On a plane to Columbia, South Carolina right now…..Headed down to do the Kristi Yamaguchi Friends and Family show.  It should be cool, ‘cause all of the skaters who have kids, will be in the show with their kids.  I think they have a group number planned with the kids getting on the ice and skating!  My daughter took skating lessons for about 6 months and hasn’t been on the ice in a while….and my son plays hockey….so he’ll be out there in his hockey skates!  It should be a cute number.   We’ll see…..they’re excited to be IN the show….AND miss a day of school! (that’s big stuff for a 7 and 8 year old)

I’ll catch you up on the Fashion on Ice show last week.  As I mentioned earlier, it was to be my first time in the role of ON-AIR reporter for NBC.

Me and Frederique

Frederique Van Der Wal was the host of the show as the emcee and IN ARENA announcer.  My role was to be backstage as the skaters finished their programs, and ask the fashion designers how they liked their designs on the skaters.   It was a perfect start for me to get a taste of hosting a skating event.

 I arrived the afternoon of the show in time for dress rehearsal.  I anticipated talking a bit with the skaters and fashion designers in the afternoon to get a feel for what to ask them while I was on the air.  During the rehearsal, I was rushed to the dressing room and told “we need to shoot some of the interviews, ‘cause there won’t be enough time to get them all in during the show tonight.”  So, off I went to hair and makeup.  I really didn’t have a whole lot planned out yet….but I know you’ve got to be ready to go “on the fly” in the fast paced world of TV. 

I started off with a couple of questions with Lotta Stennson.  She is a world famous fashion designer who made a number of the outfits for the skaters to perform in during the show.  First take, I pronounced her name wrong….so….Take Two - this time got her name right and it went smoothly.  After that, I think it went well.  I interviewed two other designers - Tomer and Cindy Rose - both very talented and friendly. 

At about 4 pm, I was asked to play another role of warming up the crowd in the arena and listing the cast of skaters and performers.  In addition, I was to finish the show by giving the audience a special treat….(I’ll tell you in a minute).  The show started at 7:30 pm, and off we went.  During the intermission, I interviewed Chris Isaak and his drummer.  They were both great guys….and had fun with the questions.  I did learn a quick on camera lesson….when interviewing TWO people….DON’T stand in between them!  I was constantly turning left, right, left, right….to get the microphone to their mouths as they both answered at the same time!  Oh well, lesson learned I guess.  It was still a great pleasure to meet and interview Chris.  He performed in the show, and he was awesome to hear LIVE.

At the end of the show, was the treat I told you about.  I went out on the ice with a microphone and had a surprise that only I, the NBC producer, choreographer of the show and Mark Fitzgerald knew about.  Mark is a friend of mine from my skating days as a junior.  It was his birthday and he had a special birthday wish he wanted to share with the audience.  He laced up his skates as a spectator in the front row, and I handed him the mic to say a few words. 

For those that do not know, Mark has been dating Naomi Lang (5-time National Champion with Peter Tchernyshev) for a while and they are very much in love. 

That being said, his big birthday wish was to have Naomi’s hand in MARRIAGE!  She did not know he was going to do this DURING the show!  She was completely taken off guard….and very emotional as she accepted. 

As “luck” would have it….he proposed right on the logo on center ice - (a KLEENEX logo - the title sponsor of the event)  And…wouldn’t ya know….she had a box of KLEENEX to dry her eyes as she exited the ice to the TV cameras.   It was a beautiful moment to be a part of, and I wish them both the very best.

What a perfect transition….from the engagement and start of a new family…. to a family and friends skating show in South Carolina!  I’ll let you know how it goes.

Thanksgiving in Lake Placid

Lisa, Annie Mae and Christopher joined me in Lake Placid for Thanksgiving.

The 60s Boys: John Zimmerman, Dave Pelletier, Jason Dungjen, and ME.

The Swing Boys: Todd Eldredge, Steven Cousins, ME, John Zimmerman and David Pelletier.

November 29, 2006

So, I’m back home for a few days…and pleasantly surprised that I do not have to be in NJ until Friday for Fashion on Ice.  I thought I would have to leave on Tuesday to rehearse for a few days, but I am not skating in this show (I am the backstage, on-air Interviewer for NBC)….so I can arrive on Friday and enjoy a few extra days at home.  Yeah !

Thanksgiving in Lake Placid was very nice.  Amazing weather, a beautiful dinner, family and friends made it a warm and enjoyable holiday.  Lisa, Annie Mae and Christopher were there for 4 days and made the rehearsals fly by. 

Opening night on Saturday went very well.  I was nervous about the group #’s….but they came off without a hitch.  For those that didn’t see the show….which is most of you….One number we do is a 60’s program where we all dress up as hippies !  We have some OUTRAGEOUS outfits that give us each a character role and bring out the fun-loving spirit in all of us.  You have to see it to believe it !

Another fun program is the boys SWING program.  We are all baseball players, and skate the program with baseball bats.  I remembered all of my steps in the show….so I was happy.

My solo program to “Already There” has photos of the kids playing on the big TV monitors as I skate…and it makes it very difficult (emotionally) for me to get through the program….while the photos of the kids faces are watching me perform.  But, I did LOVE performing it.  It is an emotional piece and I hope they like it.

I think the show has a nice contrast of skating styles that blend well together to make an interesting show.  With the addition of new talent like Kimmie Meissner, the show has added a lot technically….while maintaining the quality of artistry Stars on Ice fans have come to expect. 

So, if the show comes near your town….Come see me!  I know this year’s show is well worth the trip.

If you need to find out when we’re in your area….Go to StarsonIce.com

On to Fashion on Ice …..and my first ON-AIR skating gig !  All of the skaters, including both 2006 Olympic Champions will be skating in designer outfits made exclusively for them by the world’s top fashion designers.  And hosted by Frederic Van der Wall (top fashion model)….and myself (not at all a fashion model) helping out !

Up next…Kristi’s show in South Carolina.

Fun with a Latin beat!

Me, Silvia Fontana and Rudy Galindo

Roslyn Sumners, me, Carter (Caryn's boyfriend), Caryn Kadavy, Shae-Lynn Bourne, Brian Boitano, and Roman (Israeli Ice Dancer).

Nov. 19, 2006

After many hours and a few days of rehearsals, a 2-hour car ride to Albany, and two flights to get to Ft. Lauderdale, I arrived at the Hard Rock Casino at 3 a.m. for Latin on Ice.  It was a different experience for me because the show combined on-stage dancers, live singing, and the on-ice performances.  The dancers were awesome as they choreographed a lot of dancing to coincide with the skaters' programs.  The singing of Marco Antonio Solis really got the crowd involved in the show.  He has fans all over the world, and A LOT of them were in Ft. Lauderdale !

I did not realize the ice surface was only 60ft x 80ft — and tank ice…which is temporary ice, and usually pretty bad.  So, when I arrived, I had to make some quick adjustments to my programs to make them fit.  Surprisingly, the ice quality was pretty good for the show…and I was able to do 9 triples in the show.  I skated two programs.  One was an altered version of my old competitive Santana program.  I enjoyed doing that number for the first time in 9 years ! 

My second program was to Malaguena.  Another competitive program transformed to a small ice surface — and an appreciative audience made it a joy to skate.

The morning after the show I began my trip back to Lake Placid to continue the Stars on Ice rehearsals.  Two plane rides with delays and a 2-hour car ride got me back in time to catch a 9 p.m. movie.  I’ve wanted to see Borat….so I met up with John Z., Todd, Steven, Scott H., Angela, and Jen.  It was hilarious….and nice to get a chance to relax a bit for the first time in a few weeks. 

…Up again for practice and rehearsals at 8 a.m.  An awesome surprise at the rink on Saturday…..I was walking down the hall to grab lunch in catering…and I heard “Mike” from a familiar voice.  I turned around and it was Lisa!  A friend of ours had flown her up in his plane for the day.  They were able to fly into the Lake Placid airport (no commercial flights…that’s why I have to fly into Albany and drive to Placid).  Silvia (John Z’s wife) also drove up to surprise John for the day.  So, we were both surprised and very happy….and all went out to a nice dinner.  A lucky schedule for Sunday, allowed me to spend some more time with her….as I didn’t have to be at the rink until noon that day.   She flew back to DC that afternoon…and will be back up with the kids for Thanksgiving in a few days. 

The group numbers are really starting to come together and the first show is on Saturday.  I am anxious to see how they will all be received by the audience.  There has definitely been a lot of work by the cast, producers, choreographers, costume designers, and all the crew to make this show a success. ‘Til next week….

Scott Hamilton: What an inspiration!

Mike and Scott Hamilton at the SCOTT CARES show in Cleveland.

Nov.  9, 2006

ICE WARS

Ice Wars was my first pro competition.  It started off well….I skated to “ I can only Imagine.”  I won the first program of the competition, but as a team we were behind going into the second program.  

My 2nd number was the Casey and the Sunshine Band program.  It’s a disco themed program that is very goofy, but fun.  I started off well with the triple lutz, but I ate it on a triple flip late in the program….and that dashed all hopes of Team USA making a comeback.  Brian, Angela, and Rory skated solid 2nd programs for our team.  Fresh off her Olympic Gold, Shizuka was awesome in both her performances and anchored the World team’s victory. 

SCOTT CARES

Lisa surprised me by showing up in Cleveland.

From Chicago, I went straight to the Scott CARES show in Cleveland.  Over the years, Scott has helped to raise over $10 million for the Cleveland Clinic and their pursuit to cure cancer!!!  What an inspiration for myself and other skaters to use our celebrity to make a difference in the world.  His determination, on and off the ice over the years, has amazed all who have watched as he has handled everything like a true champion. 

Lisa surprised me by showing up in Cleveland…a great surprise!...and we were able to enjoy a couple of nice nights out together. 

The musical guest for the show was Three Dog Night!  They played live on stage, as we skated to their legendary music….including “Joy to the World.”  The night didn’t end after the skating event though….a black tie event capped off a wonderful evening of awesome skating, music, and charitable donations to raise more than a million dollars again this year!

COUNTRY ON ICE

While in Philadelphia for Country on Ice, Lisa and I filming a vignette commercial for McCormick spices (a sponsor of the Country on Ice show).....where Lisa gives seasoning and cooking tips on how to make Chicken parmesan!

Annie Mae and I goof around on the McCormick set!

Christopher and I at Country on Ice.

On to Philadelphia for the Country on Ice show!  Lisa and the kids came up to Philly for the rehearsal days and the show.  They got a chance to meet Gretchen Wilson and backstage the kids entertained the band! 

The show was really a loud Rock 'n' Roll concert on Ice….with a country twist.  The energy in the building was great… and everyone skated well so it made the night that much more enjoyable.  Annie Mae and Christopher were mesmerized with the live band…complete with fireworks, flames, and light shows on stage. 

After a late night drive home after the show….I got the kids off to school, hopped on a plane to Albany….and I’m now in the car on my way to Lake Placid for my first full rehearsal for Stars on Ice.  I’ll be up here for a couple of weeks, with 2 days to do Latin on Ice in Florida, then back to Lake Placid for the first show on the 25th. 

I’ll let you know how rehearsals go….and the show in Florida.  On the road again !

What a unique show!

Michael takes a break with Morgan and Paul Hamm (Olympic Champ) and Steve Disson.

Carly Patterson (Olympic Gold Medalist), Raj Bhavsar (World Silver Medalist), Steve Disson and myself.

November 1, 2006

A fun show in Portland !  The Hilton Family Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular was a very unique and interesting show.  After 2 days of rehearsal, the show started with a bang.  It was a very unique on-ice setup with the gymnastics floor exercise at one end of the ice.  At the other end, was the parallel bars and balance beam.  On an island in the middle of the ice, were the rings and high bar. 

The show started with Brian Orser and I doing back flips on the ice….as Paul and Morgan Hamm did them on the floor !  The show went on with performances by Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Ivan Ivankov and many other Olympians amazing me with their double somersaults and iron crosses ! 

Carly Patterson sang her original songs live, (she sang on the TV show Duets)  and was accompanied by on-ice skating and hand balancing acrobatic World Champions. 

I did the Tornado (back flip with a full twist) in my first program to “I love Rock and Roll”  It is very dangerous…and it makes me very nervous to perform….so I don’t do it unless it is a special occasion.  What better time than a gymnastics show to perform “a full” on the ice?  I missed it in my first number (slipping to my hands and knees on the landing).  I was able to perform it again…successfully this time…to a very energetic and fun crowd!

My second program was to Casey and the Sunshine Band that is a tribute to the Disco era.  It’s a program that gives me a chance to get lost in a character.  Audience involvement makes it so much more enjoyable to skate….and Portland was a crowd that came have fun.

During practices, it was difficult to focus while the gymnasts were practicing right next to us.  It is absolutely amazing the things these awesome athletes can do…..a double somersault with a full twist?!? …are you kiddin’ me?

From Portland to New York City, I performed at the opening of “The Pond at Bryant Park.”  John, Kyoko, and Silvia Fontana also skated in the show to start off the new skating season in NYC.  Skating outside with skyscrapers all around, and the sun shining on a beautiful day, I performed to “I can only imagine.”  I’ve said this before, but it is a fun piece to skate to….especially outdoors looking up to a clear blue October sky. 

I’m now in Chicago to skate in Ice Wars tomorrow.  A brand new arena….the Sears Center…should be a great venue for the competition.  My USA teammates are Brian Boitano, Angela Nikadinov, and Rory Flack-Burghart.  The World team we are competing against has Kurt Browning, Alelxei Yagudin, Oksana Bail, and Shizuka Tarawa.  It should make for a fun event!  We’ll see tomorrow?

On the road again, and loving it

Me, John Zimmerman, Kyoko Ina and Todd Selvedge at "Gretchen Wilson's Country on Ice" in Philadelphia.

October 24, 2006

So, my pro career is underway ! And the schedule is a bit tight….so I thought I’d keep everyone up to speed with journals and a few pictures after each show!

I just skated the first of 6 NBC Disson Skating shows that I will perform in over the next couple of months. The first just took place in Las Vegas, and was taped to air on NBC Christmas Day 4-6pm ET. It is Capital One’s Holiday Celebration on Ice. After 3 days of rehearsal, I skated two holiday themed programs…..the first I performed to the live music of Dave Koz’s White Christmas. It is always a pleasure to skate to live music, and see the performers up on stage as I skate right past them into a jump! It does require some rehearsal time to get the timing of the jumps and spins to match the live performers' timing. But, the musicians are more than helpful when watching the skater’s ending and timing it accordingly. My second number is one of my favorites to skate. It is called “I can only Imagine” by Mercy Me. It is a spiritual piece that I love to perform. I am a religious person, and I am very inspired to express, through the talents given to me by the Lord—and sing His praise through song, art, and athletics.

What a thrill it was to meet Anita Baker!

A very special moment for me was when I met Anita Baker. She is one of Lisa’s favorite female vocalists. When I got the chance to meet her personally, I told her my wife and I have been married 9 years and when we first started dating, the first song she devoted to me was “You bring me Joy”. It is a beautiful song Anita sang, and it is a special song to me. When I told Anita this, she was very touched and kind, saying she loves to hear how her songs inspire and strengthen relationships.

When in Vegas, Lisa and I took a side trip to see a good friend of ours who is Captain of the Arizona Cardinals Cheerleaders…. perform on Monday Night Football in the brand new, state of the art Cardinals stadium. It was an exciting game that, as you may have seen resulted in a very exciting ending! Unfortunately, it was not a win for the Cardinals. Nevertheless, we had a great time and continued on our way to Vegas for rehearsals.

After the Holiday show, I went straight to Philadelphia for a 1 ½ day of media to promote “Gretchen Wilson’s Country on Ice” show Nov. 8 at the Wachovia Center. Todd (Eldredge) flew in and we spent the day doing interviews, skating with kids, signing autographs, and taking photos. One perk was the Red Hot Chili Peppers were performing live that night and we were able to see the show. I am a big fan and grew up in the early 90s listening to nothing but their Blood Sugar S Magic album. So, it made the 12 hour media day a little more enjoyable.

So, I am on the plane to Portland, Oregon for the Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular at the Rose Garden. It will be aired on NBC Jan 14th 4-6 pm ET. We have 3 days of rehearsal and the show on Saturday. I plan on doing the Tornado in the show….since it is a Gymnastics show! I did a couple today with my dad spotting me to get the hang of them again. It’s been months since I performed one….so I am really nervous. It’s definitely the scariest thing I have to do. I let you know how things go!

A big THANK YOU!

September 13, 2006

What another amazing weekend for the second U.S. & World Figure Skating Champions LIVE !  A weekend full of great skating, generous donations, selfless volunteers, and hardworking family members. 

To give you an idea of the Family effort…My mom organized the entire silent auction, recruited volunteers, and pulled together any loose ends to make the show work.  My wife, Lisa, was the head honcho….organizing everything from the VIP reception to after show skater party.  My sister - Genna manned the mic at the silent auction… Brother in Law - Brad was the MC announcer and donated Gold’s Gym memberships…Father in law contributed to the music and auction items, other Brothers in law -  Dal and Billy were in charge of security for the skaters, and donated corporate Gold’s Gym memberships…Sister - Geremi helped with the on ice seating….Sister in law - Maryellen donated a beautiful handmade “Totally Rocks” necklace to the auction…Mother in law - Nano handled the grandkids during the weekend and helped with transportation of the skaters.  Sister in law - Maria was there to confuse everybody (she is the identical twin of my wife Lisa, -- many of you think you saw Lisa…you didn’t…you saw Maria)….  It really was a family effort to make the show a success again this year! 

And a Huge thank you to the volunteers that made this show possible.  Their commitment to support our show, is what this foundation is all about.  Sue Elseth, as the seating director, took charge and sat the audience quickly and efficiently.  SkateQuest of Reston, and Mike Ryan, continued their support by hosting the event, and making all of the skaters feel welcome.  A special thank you to Betsy Willoughby, and the front desk staff for their hard work in organizing ticket sales. 

To save on hotel expenses, and get more $ to the scholarships…..Lisa and I had 16 house guests (all skaters) spend the weekend with us.  So, it was an atmosphere for a good time!  From volleyball and basketball in the rain, to hockey, tennis, and dancing….the skaters enjoyed their time in VA !  Thank you again to the skater’s for donating their time.

With a successful show and auction….This year’s event was able to raise $30,000 to be awarded as scholarships again for the 2006-2007 skating year.  We will soon announce the acceptance of applications for the scholarship process.  Thank you again to all of the supporters of the Michael Weiss Foundation !

Counting my blessings

January 17, 2006

Michael Weiss

As I sat in the locker room after my long program, I went through all of the emotions that come along with extreme disappointment. Shock, disbelief, anger, and embarrassment all came rushing over me. But, they surprisingly left pretty quickly.
I found myself focusing on how lucky I really am. Yes, I just suffered a huge defeat. I was devastated. But, I said to myself—If not making a third Olympic team is the worst thing that ever happens to you, you are in for an incredible life.

My grandfather, in his 96 years of wisdom, always tells the family—“Count your blessings.” And that is just what I did to put things in perspective.

Starting with the love and support of my wife of 8 years. She has been with me when I have been on top of the world, and when I was at the bottom. We have both been blessed with two healthy, loving, intelligent kids -- Two sets of grandparents that love to spend time with our children -- Aunts and Uncles that love our kids like their own -- Food on the table and a roof over our heads! ….. and the list seemed to go on forever in my head.

It’s on a night like that, when I felt I was all alone in the rain, that I truly saw the character of people around me. I was not at all alone. I am so thankful I have family and friends who all seemed to say exactly what I needed to hear.

In every success and failure there is a lesson to be learned. I am a believer, there is a plan for everyone. And I think my daughter put it best when she said, “Daddy, it wasn’t in God’s plan for you to win Nationals.”

Sometimes kids have the simplest and most accurate outlook on what is important.
I am anxious to find out what journey this result will take us on next.

Thoughts before Nationals

January 9, 2006

Well, we’re leaving tomorrow for St. Louis. I hope my hard work leading up to this, my final National Championships, will pay off. Thank you to all of my family for taking the time out of their busy schedules to come support me again. You guys are giving me my own cheering section…I love the support !

Things have come full circle for me. I remember being 11 years old, in 1988, and getting ready the night before to leave for my first National Championships in Denver, Colorado. The excitement was buzzing in my mind. So much anticipation of what was to come at my first Big competition. I mean….I was going to be skating at the same competition as Brian Boitano !!

Now, 18 Nationals later, I prepare for my final National Championships. I am now used to my competition final checklist the night before leaving. Costumes, skates, music, and a plane ticket….that’s all I need to compete. Anything else is just fluff.

As I pack my suitcase, I think about how great this sport has been to me. Through my years of training, I have learned discipline, determination, hard work, passion, and numerous other skills. It has brought me fantastic highs and forgettable lows. But mainly, it has taught me that if you want something bad enough, and are willing to work for it, you can do anything. I have tried to apply this to marriage, fatherhood, career, and all areas of my life.

I have been blessed enough to travel the world, honored to represent my country in the Olympics, pushed myself to my limits and broke through those barriers, and fortunate enough to get through it all in one piece. Whatever this final season brings, I know I have enjoyed the ride. And I am thankful I took it !

I have put my heart and soul into my training this season. I appreciate and respect the process of preparation ……And I know that what I give….will be my best.
So, I leave tomorrow, with the excitement and anticipation of the 11 year old boy. But, with the experiences and knowledge of a 29 year old father of two.

October 13, 2005

All the broadcast representatives at the Summit loved Mike because of his poise before the camera.	Mike practices reading from cue cards at the Summit.

Campbell's Classic and the Olympic Summit

Well, the Olympic season is under way!! It got off to a good start at the Campbell’s event last weekend. It felt good to get the first performance of a new program out of the way. It was a strong group of skaters at the event in Minnesota, so I was pleased to come in 2nd.

I have grown accustomed to skating first recently. And this event was no different. At the draw ceremony for the starting order, they drew numbers in alphabetical order by last name. So, I was the last, of six, to pull a number out of the bag. Since the five other skaters had drawn their number already, the only number left in the bag was #1. As I reached in the bag and pulled my # out, I looked at it and said, “Seven!!” Unfortunately, my joke didn’t fool the officials and I started off the night of skating.

The highlight of the program for me, was landing the triple axel triple toe loop combination. I think my work with Todd on the triple axels is starting to pay off. At the end of my program, I had contemplated putting in a triple toe loop. I thought twice and elected to leave it out. That turned out to be a mistake. If I had done it, I would have won the event. I guess you live and you learn.

The new system still has some bugs to be worked out. One of the frustrations I have heard from the skaters seems to be the inconsistency of the levels given on spins and footwork. Some skaters were told their footwork was a certain level, and then they received a far lower level in
the competition. The discrepancy in levels, can really make the difference between a few placements! Hopefully these will get ironed out as the season builds to the Olympics.
Overall, I was happy with the way the season began. It is a good foundation to build the season on.

The morning after the Campbell’s competition, we flew to Colorado Springs for the 2006 Torino Olympic Media Summit. It was a day full of TV and newspaper interviews from early in the morning until late at night!

It is a media circus with all TV networks, magazines, and newspapers worldwide. The Summit is a way for the media to get all of the back round info and interviews from the athletes, so they can use them as we perform in Torino. I must have done 40-50 sit down interviews with Today show, Tonight show, TV Guide channel, USA Today, People, etc, etc. In addition, we had a 1-hour press conference, about 25 very quick photo shoots of 10 pictures or less, and a late night poker game/round table interview for ESPN with about 6 different Olympians. And no, I didn’t win the poker game! So my day was a full one. It was a really fun time! I have done the media summit for the 1998 and 2002 Olympics and it is always a great experience.

An early morning flight home on Tuesday got me back in time to pick the kids up at the bus stop, and resume my fatherly duties….oh yeah and train for the Olympic season.

April 2005

Smucker’s Stars on Ice Imagination Tour

So, with the Smucker’s Stars on Ice tour just finishing up, I thought I would tell you a little about my experience on the road.

My first show was in Cleveland, Ohio on February 4th. I did two programs in this tour, so it was different from my 8-year run with Champions on Ice….where I did just one.

The cast was much smaller than I have been with in the past, which gave it much more of a family feel. I really enjoyed the show because I was reunited with some of my friends from their competitive years. John Zimmerman, Todd, Jamie and David, Elena and Anton, Steven, and Sarah had been competing with me for years….and now I’m the only one left.

The show is very entertaining this year. The theme is “Imagination” and it is full of magic tricks and special effects. My kids were mesmerized the first time they saw the show.

The highlight of the travel would have to have been the buses that we traveled on. I have been into cars since I can remember, so to have a luxury bus to travel in was a big bonus for me!! This thing is amazing -- 8 beds, refrigerator, freezer, bathroom, sinks, sofas, video games, and too many flat screen TVs to count! I am just in heaven after a long day of skating and performing, when I can sit down with a few friends -- watch a movie, relax and a few hours later I am in another city!

The cast and crew were a pleasure to work with as well. From the first day on tour, I felt very welcomed to the Stars on Ice family! Since this is my first year with this tour, I’ve been given an ironic nickname… after touring and competing for a long time, to be referred to as “Rookie,” is a funny feeling! But, that’s what I am on this tour and thus the victim of practical jokes. Okay, I instigated a lot of them as well. From middle of the night surprise snowball fights…. to all out X-box soccer battles… to unexpected hotel room service deliveries… it is a fun tour!

Many of the skaters on this tour are married, engaged or have significant others. So, I felt like I had a lot in common with them. It’s not easy being away from loved ones for an extended period of time. But, it’s a little easier if you’re with people who are “in the same boat.”

We had 4 days off in Miami which I took advantage of….I had Lisa and the kids come down and make a mini vacation out of it!! The Florida leg of the tour ended too quickly for me. I love that part of the country, especially in February. The warm weather and relaxation were a great recharge for the batteries.

After an enjoyable few weeks, the tour ended for me in Providence, Rhode Island.

Lisa and I took the kids out to Arizona for a week of vacation for spring break. We stayed with some friends and relaxed in the warm weather. Thanks to my friend and his thoughtfulness… Annie Mae and Christopher were treated to their own private magic show! They loved being entertained with card tricks, slight of hand, and cookie tricks. After a great vacation, it’s back to work on new programs for next year’s competitive season!

Thank you to all of you out there who continue to send me words of encouragement. I appreciate all of your support!

Michael Weiss

Nationals, in Mike's own words

As many of you saw, Nationals didn’t quite go as planned this year. Although the Portland audience was great, I didn’t give them much to cheer for. I really have no excuses. I was healthy, practicing well by Nationals, and it just didn't materialize.

Before I give you all some details on the competition, I wanted to thank a few people close to me. I have to start with my family. My parents, sisters, in-laws, cousins, aunts,uncles, nieces, nephews and even great grandpa -- all of you are always there to pitch in and help Lisa, myself and the kids any time we need you. We count on you guys a lot! And you always come through.
Also, a big thank you to my friends -- you guys know who you are… and you’re there when we win and lose!

And thank you to my coaches. Don leads the way with his calm and confident encouragement. Lisa with her all encompassing duties, and never ending support.

With all of the "bottom kissing" out of the way, I can tell you a little about the trip. (I have to say “bottom” because if my kids knew I wrote the word “butt”, I’d get in trouble)

I traveled to Oregon with just me, Lisa and Don. The kids stayed home with my mom and Lisa’s mom. (thank you Nano and Gumpa). The kids are in school now, and it seemed better to keep them at home this year.

Shortly after we arrived, we heard some horrible news. My friend was taking a cab from the airport to the hotel and saw an accident on the side of the road. As his cab drove by the accident, his driver slowed and said ”oh my gosh”. My friend said “what?” The cab driver said the driver of the cab in the accident was his cousin. My friend asked him if he wanted to stop and see if he was all right. Instead he called him and found out his cousin was okay. They drove on to the hotel.

My friend told me the story, and how he saw the cab “all messed up” and we said how that could have easily been someone we knew in there, since this was the day a lot of skaters were arriving.

That evening, we were stunned and horrified to find out Angela Nikodinov was in that car, and her mother had been fatally injured. I immediately said a prayer for her and her family. I know how my parents and my family are everything to me. I could not even imagine how hard it must be to lose a loved one. But our thoughts and prayers were with her all week, and her family will continue to be in our prayers. When real life tragedies occur, it certainly puts things in perspective, and makes you realize the insignificance of a skating competition!

Remorsefully, the competition did have to go on.

When the short program starting order was determined, I drew first to skate in the second warm-up. Since I had hit the quad toe triple toe successfully in the practices on Wednesday and Thursday morning, I decided to go for it in the short. That turned out to be the wrong decision! I fell on the quad, and that put a pretty big damper on the program. I went on to hit the triple Axel and the Lutz, but it was only good enough for 5th.

Although I don’t LOVE being in 5th, I had been there before and had skated my way out of trouble. So, I tried to remain confident and optimistic. In practice on Friday, my full long program run-through was pretty good, and Saturday morning’s practice I hit the quad again a few times on one foot. So, I was going to GO 4 IT again in the long.

I drew first to skate in the last group. With a six minute warm up, and skating first, it only allows five minutes of warming up, and one minute to rest and prepare for your program. So you have to be efficient.

It didn’t help my efficiency when in the first minute, Tim and I collided and both fell to the ice. I don’t really know what happened. We were skating by each other, and before I knew it, I was sliding across the ice. I lay there stunned for a few seconds, afraid to get up, fearing the worst. I looked back to see if Tim was all right, and he was okay, thank goodness. I got up slowly, and was very relieved to realize my knee and inside of my left foot hurt, but not too badly. I skated it off, and warmed up as quickly as possible with the limited warm up time left.

I have to say, with all of the adrenaline, my knee and foot didn’t bother me at all in the program. They really didn’t have any effect on my performance. But when all of that excitement and adrenaline wore off and I had my skates off later that night, my knee hurt pretty badly. No serious injuries, but man was I sore!

I have struggled with my triple Axel all year in the Grand Prix events. So, I can feel good about one thing, I landed all three of them at Nationals.

After my long program, as I started to skate off the ice…..I looked up and saw my best friend -- Johnnie Bevan -- in the stands with a football cocked in his hand. He threw it up…. and I was lucky enough to catch it. I am a big football fan, and I’ve seen all of the end zone celebrations. I thought for a second about doing the Randy Moss “fake moon”, but I quickly remembered the controversy that caused! So I just spun the football and pretended like it was a bon fire and warmed my hands in front of it! I thought that was pretty funny when I saw one of the Redskins do it after a touchdown.

Oh well, this competition, and season for that matter, wasn’t exactly a touchdown…..but my career has been about perseverance and determination. So I plan on putting those skills to the test for next year’s season!

Aside from all of skating stuff, I have been truly blessed by the Lord with a close family, great friends, and the health and happiness of loved ones!!

Anything else would just be icing on the cake!

I taught Andrea Bocelli how to skate!

This season will be a different experience for me. With my two Grand Prix events out of the way, I have the new opportunity of doing some shows with Disson Skating and touring for the first time with Stars on Ice.

My first show of this season with NBC was the Tribute to Andrea Bocelli in Bridgeport, Connecticut. I am a big fan of his music and have admired his talents for years. His passion and emotion in his music are a perfect match for the beauty and power of figure skating.

It was an amazing experience for myself and my family to participate in this event! It started with a day of rehearsal, followed by a cast dinner. In a cozy, family owned restaurant that seats about 50 people, we were served fantastic homemade Italian food. After we enjoyed our dinner, Mario Reyes, the flamenco guitarist and vocalist of the Gypsy Kings also performing with Andrea on his new album, brought out his guitar and sat down next to Mr. Bocelli. The lucky patrons of the restaurant, including myself and Lisa, our stomachs dropped- thinking … are they really about to sing right here at our table?

Well they did! And it gets better. After three or four songs, Mario came and sat in front of Lisa and I. Now let me give you some history about Lisa and I. We have been to see the Gypsy Kings live - twice and we are big fans of their music. So it was even more special when Mario asked Lisa if she wanted to hear a song. She immediately said “Bomboleo!” It is their most famous song, and with in moments the restaurant and all at the table were waving their hands in the air singing “Bomboleo!” Lisa and I looked at eachother thinking “can you believe he’s singing his hit song to …..US !!” After seeing him perform in concert, to have him sing directly to us was unforgettable!

If that thrilling night wasn’t enough, it continued the next day. After a dress rehearsal the next morning, Andrea decided he wanted to try skating for the first time. He started out with Silvia Fontana assisting him on one side and I jumped in to help, by holding his other arm. Yes that is right, I can say I taught Andrea Bocelli how to skate!

At first, he was pretty shakey. But after three or four laps, he got his sense of balance and was pretty good.

My father, who is a big fan of Bocelli’s as well, enjoyed the opportunity to see him perform live. My mother, son Christopher, and Lisa were all there to enjoy a once in a life time weekend.

If the other NBC shows are as enjoyable, than I can’t wait to do ‘em!

The Weiss House is preparing for the Christmas holidays and we wish you a safe and happy Christmas and healthy and prosperous 2004.

Today was a great day for Annie Mae. She learned to tie her shoes by herself today. That’s been our project for a little while. In her kindergarten class they have ten things you have to do to get on the Wise Owl board. It’s things like learning your name, birthday, brothers and sisters name among others. Tying shoes is the last and the hardest.

About a week ago, after working together for a while, I just let it go and today we started practicing again and she tied her shoes five times with them off her feet. She put them on and tied them again. And last week Annie Mae had her Christmas ballet recital.

Christopher has begun calling me "big guy". Like we were sitting at the table one day and Christopher said, "Hey daddy, can you get me some milk big guy’. He’s upstairs and says ‘Daddy, come on up here big guy’. I think it’s so funny. He probably got it from one of the kids’ TV shows.

We went to the mall Friday and saw Santa. Annie Mae asked Santa for a play kitchen and Christopher wants a boat. He’s only four but he wants a big boat. We’ll have to wait and see what Santa brings them. They were pretty good last year.

Lisa’s sister had a baby boy named Jackson. He’s only a month old and he’s so cute. We took care of him one night last week and Lisa and I got up to share the time feeding him just to help out Jackson’s mom.

It’s times like these that make me so appreciative for what Lisa and I have with our families. We’re so lucky to have both sides of our family here. On Christmas Eve we spend it each year with my family. Last year it was at my house this year we’re having it at my sister’s. We will open our Christmas Eve presents, go to church have a big dinner and then we’ll have a big slumber party where everyone will sleep over The next morning we move to Lisa’s parents’ family.

Our entire families live within 15 minutes of each other.

Lisa is such a big help over the holidays. She takes over and handles everything since Nationals is so close to the holidays while I continue training. During the week Lisa will do the shopping and takes care of the kids. She takes the pressure off of me so I can focus on the Nationals.
I’ll get to enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas day with the family.

I will continue training through the holidays. Lisa and I will go out with some friends and have a nice dinner on New Year’s Eve. My mom is the standard New Year’s Eve sitter for the kids.

October 24, 2003

It feels great! And first place is great!

This was the first time I won Skate America. I have skated in this competition before and skated well. I was tired of skating really well and finishing second. It wasn’t my best at all but I feel that I skated well and skated the program from start to finish so the program flowed.

The new judging system fooled me a little bit. I was watching the night before and saw the judges rewarding triple-triple combinations. So when I opened up in the air on the quad toe I wanted to make sure I got off a triple-triple. I knew I couldn’t add another jump box since they were already filled.

The crowd got involved in the end during the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It’s a very intimate arena in Reading, Pennsylvania and you can feel the crowd and the excitement. I could feel the emotion during part of my music.

Although I haven’t seen myself on film in my outfits I have received some nice compliments. I like the characters of Henry V in the short program and the patriotic outfit for the long feels good. That's the best I can say about them until I get to watch the programs!

Don (coach Laws) told me after the program he was real proud of me and said I did a good job. He said we steadily chiseled along and climbed up the ladder.

There was an unusual thing that happened during my long program. The railroad runs right behind the arena and you can hear it even when you’re inside. Right when my music started playing I could hear a train toot its horn. Then just as I was about to go into my quad jump I heard it again. I got to thinking that the timing might make some people think it was part of my music. I’ve never had anything like that happen to me before!

Now we go home and try to get landing the quad on one foot again and get ready for the next competition.

I didn’t think my first skate was all that great but it wasn’t that bad either. Don and I had practiced the last three-quarters of the program really hard and that’s what worked so well. Don said he wanted to really work sections over and over, especially the first part and continue to get better.

The program has a lot of potential and I think we all see that. There were some good things we can take out of this program. It was the first skate of the season and there is room for improvement but we know what we have to do.
I missed my opening quad and was a little shaky until we got to the final two-thirds of the program. I hit my last five five triples.

We’ll get back home Saturday night and on Monday begin working on improving some things and continue to keep running through the program in sections.

Well the season gets underway Friday night at the Campbell's International Figure Skating Classic. I’ve skated at Madison Square Garden about a dozen times. It has character and a lot of history. I’ve been in New York since early in the week. I did the Fox Morning Show Wednesday at the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers. Thursday I attended an ABC-sponsored luncheon and Thursday night Lisa and I had dinner at the restaurant where the NBC reality show is filmed. Fumie Suguri came in early and we practiced together Wednesday.

I’ve gotten in some good practice since I’ve been here. Don is with me and we’ve done some run-throughs of the long program I am skating to Friday night. He’s very encouraging. He told me if I perform the program like I’ve just practiced today that it will have a great impact. It’s early and the program will probably take shape around Skate America and the Grand Prix events. It will have a patriotic theme. It’s coming together well and I’m getting much more comfortable with it, especially the last three-quarters of it.

It’s early in the season and I just want to go out there and give a good performance. It’s important to set the tone early in the year. If you get a good skate right off the bat it makes it easier and it’s good to get the season off on the right foot.

They’ve really stepped up the men’s field here and the level of the competition. It use to be a show or more of a technical show. When you put together an ISU program with the top three to four skaters in the world it is real competitive. It gives you an opportunity to skate well and compete against some of the best skaters in the world.

It will be interesting to see what the other guys come up with. Some will keep older programs and most everybody else will have new stuff.

I will do two quads in my long program beginning Friday night. There will be two triple axels and one of everything else. The program is really packed. It’s the same thing I would be doing if I was competing at Skate America right now. This will be a great little practice run-through before the competitions. We will get some feedback from the judges under the new judging system. Don will be talking with a lot of the judges, too. My program is geared toward the new judging system.

The new judging system is emphasizing transition. All of my spins are changed edge and changed foot. A lot of skaters don’t do that but the risk to reward factor is definitely there. For example I do a flying camel to begin one combination spin.

I'm in good condition and ready for the season to begin. It should be a lot of fun.

Last month we went to Rome to attend the wedding of John Zimmerman and Silvia Fontana. We took advantage of the trip to spend a few extra days there. The wedding was gorgeous and the setting was spectacular. It was held in a church right next to the Colleseum.The church was built in 500 A.D. It was such a beautiful service. John did some of the vows in Italian and English.

The reception was held in the mountains, about an hour outside of Rome. The guests rode in a bus to the place overlooking a beautiful lake. It was held outside and the sunset going down over the mountains was such a magnificent site with a lake in the background.

Surprisingly it was a very enjoyable vacation. I scheduled four to five hours for each day we had and Lisa mapped out our walking tour. We scheduled it so we would have lunch in the middle of the day. I think we saw all the Roman monuments and museums possible. Like one day we visited four museums. One morning we visited the Vatican. We got to see the Colleseum, St. Peter’s Cathedral and Fountain of Trevi among all the historical landmarks.

I think it's probably our favorite place in Europe and the most enjoyable trip we had. We’ll wait a little while before going back but I definitely think we’ll revisit Rome.

Last month I had an appearance with Capezio in Chicago in conjunction with Rainbo Sports. It went well and I signed a lot of autographs. The Capezio people were there and promoting two sets of pants we designed that are in Rainbo’s new catalog.

I went to another wedding - this time it was my agent’s wedding (Steve Disson), which was held in D.C. We didn't have to travel as far for Steve's wedding!

And Lisa had her second gig recently in Herndon, Va. The band is called "Yes, No, Maybe". Lisa came up with the name. They’re pretty good. In fact I’m now being introduced as Michael Weiss, the husband of the band’s lead singer!

August 12, 2003

I was saddened to hear about Brian Wright’s passing.

I will be going to Reading, Pennsylvania on Thursday to help promote Skate America. We will skate a little bit and meet the media.

I’m going to have a Capezio autograph signing on August 23.

Then at the end of the month Lisa and I are going to Italy to attend the wedding of John Zimmerman and Sylvia Fontana. We will definitely enjoy the trip and take a few extra days off. This will be the fifth wedding we’ve attended or been in.

I’m happy with my programs. I just started to have some pretty good run-throughs recently. I wasn’t too happy a couple of weeks ago but Don (Laws) would just say ‘don’t worry it’s only July’. He was right they’ve been coming along well.

This summer has been great. The Champions On Ice tour was a lot shorter than last year.

Lisa and some friends have a band and need a place to practice. My brother-in-law lives in a townhouse and that isn’t exactly the best place for a band to practice.

Lisa is the lead singer of the group. She’s very good. She sang at her brother’s wedding on June 28.

I’ve been finishing one of the rooms in our basement for them. I’ve never done any kind of building or fixing up things around the house before but I’ve enjoyed this. I love to do it but I don’t really know how.

I just follow the manuals and take it one step at a time. It’s actually been a lot of fun. I love going to Home Depot almost every day. I got a nailgun for my birthday and it’s so cool. My dad and I have been nailing things that don’t even need to be nailed!

I want to make sure the kids don’t hear anything when I put them to bed. I think I must have put 20 inches of insulation in the ceilings and walls. They are as near soundproof as anything can be. I’m beginning the drywall this week.

June 16, 2003
I had a great Father’s Day. We took a vacation to Wilmington, N.C., and had some fun with the kids.

I decided that I wanted breakfast at McDonald’s. Right when we got inside it started pouring sheets of rain with a lot of lightning and thunder. The lights flickered for a moment and Christopher thought that was cool! About 10 minutes later it was sunny and beautiful again.

We took the kids to see the movie Finding Nemo. That was a great Father’s Day movie with the father looking for his son. We were sitting in the second row and there were a couple of times that could have been scary for the kids.

Lisa’s cousins, who live in Raleigh, joined us after the movie and we had lunch, went to the pool and then to th