Welcome to this place
Here’s what readers just like you are saying about The Girl From Malibu:
From Jeff:
New readers BEWARE! Some of Sarah’s stories are very funny. You may laugh so hard that you injure yourself. I especially like her 3 Musketeers stories, which are fictional accounts of adventures of the world’s three most lovable gymnasts.
Sarah writes about women’s gymnastics, music, sex, and other important issues. Input from readers around the world provides info and perspectives that we generally do not get from sports and news media in the USA.
After being entertained by Sarah’s writings, you may find that you have unintentionally learned something. If you are easily offended, you may find that your time is better spent elsewhere. You have been warned.
From Daniel:
This blog is very informative and humorous. Sarah’s writing is always creative and brings up interesting topics to discuss. Every time I come to this site I find new and old stories to keep myself entertained. Sarah’s interaction with her readers is what really makes this blog special.
I swear I didn’t pay these people any money – I just offered them dates with Lili Arboreen.
From Anthony:
Sarah’s site is a fine place to go when you want to read about gymnastics in a way that’s not all too serious, but is still honest. The love for artistic gymnastics (don’t forget that important word ‘artistic’) is apparent, so fans of Russian and especially Romanian gymnasts will enjoy this site.
Sarah’s unique style may not be for everyone, but she always stands for what she says, she’s not a hypocrite who gives false praise just to keep people happy. So if you want to have a good time on a site made by a true gymnastics fan who does not blindly follow the crowd, you will love Sarah’s site.
From icemeltsfast:
Sarah’s gymnastics blog is more of an outlet for creative writing based around gymnasts than a site for recent gymnastics updates. It’s certainly a nice break from the news stories that get posted and reposted until you hear from 10 different sources that X gymnast is uncertain about retirement or Y gymnast has withdrawn from Z competition. I am not a diehard fan of Romanian gymnastics or gymnastics before 1995 like Sarah is. However, her writing alone is worth reading.
In my mind, girlfrommalibu is the equivalent of The Onion for gymnastics. I wish more people would recognize satire and not spend their energy bitching when it’s quite obvious nothing is seriously mean-spirited.
That said, this site is not for the faint of heart (probably the closest I ever get to pornography!) or for those without a sense of humor/sarcasm. It’s a bonus, if, like me, you are a gymnastics fan and American but hate the American “power” style of gymnastics. It’s good to know there are more of us out there. (:
From bewitchers:
Sarah! writes raw, honest, highly creative and often wickedly funny posts. She engages in dialogue with her readers as directly and consistently as any blog host around. Where else can you exchange views with an intelligent female blogger who has an open offer to pay anyone who can provide film of the sex 17-year-old Dominique Moceanu had with her married “friend” in the Cayman Islands? Let’s just say that there are subjects you get to talk about here with a perspective unique on the Internet tubes.
Strong opinions and exotic tastes, with the courage and wit to lay them out there- that’s what you get from The Girl from Malibu.
Before the release of her album “Blue”, Joni Mitchell played some of the songs for Kris Kristofferson. He responded by saying, “Oh, Joni, leave something for yourself.” I admit to thinking that sometimes when I read Sarah! here.
From deluxe81:
Welcome to Sarah’s site, the best place for gymnastics and not only. Here you can find a successful mixture of gymnastics, music, sex and life in general, always with a lot of fun and a little touch of indecency. You can even learn English and other languages.
In this blog, the old gymnastics legends are still in force, which is unique with gymnastics websites. All in all, a very informative, funny and clever blog designed by the awesome creativity and imagination of this California girl. Like we Romanians say: “Un blog foarte fain!” (“A very cool blog!”)
Yes, Sarah!, I was in the wrong place…
Just wanted to say I do enjoy your site and find most of it funny, though a few of your articles erk the hell out of me. Sort of like a gymnastics version of What the Buck.
I’m glad you enjoy EGS and find “most of it funny.” I have no idea what “What the Buck” is, but if only a few of my articles upset you, I’m not doing too good of a job. I try to shoot for at least a 35% pissed-off rate. (Remember: there is no truth, just opinions about it.)
Sarah!
I love the gym it ROCKS!!☺ You can do everything. I feel like a star there!!!!
And just think – if you get good at it, you can become a celebrity like Nastia!
Sarah!
Nasty is a bitch not a star or a starr
You live in California? You are lucky.
Some people think that living in CA, especially the area where I live, isn’t very lucky. I like it, thought. Did you say before where you live? Tell me here, if you feel like it.
Sarah!
Born in Romania, I live in Spain.
California is the promised land! :p I’d love to live there (or at least make a visit). Or maybe I’ve idealized it a little bit haha. USA must be a great country.
I’ve never been to Romania or Spain, but I would really love to go to Romania. I just watched some videos about Deva – a video about Aqualand and one about the Strand (those are the English names the videos gave). Looked like fun. Plus Deva looks beautiful to me.
California has many good things and many bad things, depending on how you look at it. If you have never been here, it’s easy to “idealize” it. In general, people here are somewhat artificial – not really genuine. A lot of fakeness. Especially the females 14-30. California is pretty expensive. Movie stars and all that stuff live here, but there are many poor people, too.
The best things about California are the beaches – I live right on the beach in Malibu – and that’s kind of fun. If you like to eat, there’s this place called In-N-Out Burger, which makes the best hamburgers you can ever eat. Here’s a video about a women who grew up in California with In-N-Out and now lives in Texas, where they just opened an In-N-Out, and she’s so happy about it she’s crying.
Plus here in the Los Angeles area we have the L.A. Dodgers baseball team. My parents have season tickets, so we go and watch the games sometimes.
Here’s Dodger Staduim.
Hollywood is a total dump – trashy, filthy people, ugly, I think. Beverly Hills is really nice because they keep it clean. Plus no scumbags live there, so it’s a nice city.
Here is a video of some houses in Beverly Hills and other local communities.
So there’s your tour of where I live – ha ha. Malibu is pretty close to the actual city of L.A. and Beverly Hills and all that. It’s not too bad, but I really want to go to Romania. I want to go meet Raluca Haidu. I want to see a real vampire.
Sarah!
Wow, very informative
Are those In-N-Out really that good? People look crazy for it, haha. I’m not a big fan of hamburgers, but it maybe deserves a try. That girl in the video doesn´t look the typical ‘hamburger eater’, so I’m a bit surprised by her devotion 
Baseball is…so American!
I don´t know much about that sport. It’s not very popular here in Europe, but in Romania we have a similar game called Oină. The stadium looks nice. Don´t you go to LA Lakers games?
Hollywood, Beverly Hills (impressive mansions)…it’s all so glamourous. A person should visit those places at least once in his life.
Now in the summer, people in Romania and a good number of foreign turists go to the ‘Romanian California’: the Black Sea coast (the zone around Constanta).
Here a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJcYZJVZAPs
If I remember correctly the girls from ‘The secrets of Deva’ go to Mamaia for a competition (long way by bus). Mamaia is an important place from this zone.
Romania has beautiful places that deserve a visit. Of course Transylvania is full of vampires, so people have to be careful
Travels to this zone are organized here for American people (well it’s a bit for freaks, but still…): http://www.dractours.com/
I find funny the Tour Reports in there because you get the American vision of the place.
Visit us whenever you want, Raluca is waiting for you
If you’re into food and eating and all that, In-N-Out really are that good. You ought to see the lines, almost any time you go past one of those place it’s very busy.
I’m not interested in basketball. Gymnastics is the only sport I really like, but baseball is fun. There are a lot of interesting mansions out here to drive by and look at. The prices are a lot higher than they’re worth, but they cost so much because of the area – Beverly Hills.
I LOVED that video about the beach – the songs were AWESOME! It looked so fun and so different from California beaches. People in the video seemed so laid back and every girl in it didn’t look like a paid whores like they do here. Constanta is where Simona Amanar is from. I’m sure Americans love seeing Transylvania. We have an old TV show here called The Munsters, and they’re a family of vampires and monsters who came from Transylvania.
I wish Raluca was waiting for me. But tell me – if I did go out there, like to Deva for a visit, and if I went to the training center, would I be able to say hi to Raluca? Would they let me? Do you think I could have access to one of the gymnasts, or do they keep them kind of protected?
That Dracula website looks cool – I bookmarked it and will read it later. Yeah, I’m sure it’s mainly stupid Americans who go there and get lulled into all the myth. But you know Americans – they all think they’re rich and will spend money on anything.
Thanks for sending that stuff!
Sarah!
I really don´t know about the visits to Deva training center. They use to be very meticulous and scrupulous, but who knows.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001136671794
Here is the real facebook of Amelia Racea, maybe you wanna ask to her
There is a good doc about the gymnasts in Deva; you probably have seen it, but just in the case….http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjYO2y50Qo
Americans are welcomed in Romania (even if they are crazy, haha). Romanians are traditionally more pro-Americans than pro-Russians. After WW2, many of them slept every night with their ears stuck to the radio: they expected Americans coming to save them from the Russian Communism.
Americans never came; but better late than never
That’s why Romania vs USSR/Russia was more than a sports rivalry for Romanians. Gymnastics became the main, and probably the only, discipline where Romanians could (sometimes) beat the Soviets. Gymnastics and gymnasts meant a matter of pride during the 70′s and 80′s.
Just a glimpse of history, I don´t wanna bore you with these things.
I have seen the documentary you linked here, and I love it. It shows how Forminte reduced the system that Belu and Bitang had worked for years to build. I especially love Daniela Druncea!
I’m glad to know that Romanians are okay with Americans, since so many nations hate our guts. I never knew about tension between Romania and Russia, but it makes sense. And no – it is not boring to me – I like reading those things.
Sarah!
Happy Birthday to Sarah!
Thank you! You’re the only one who remembered. (Online, I mean.)
Sarah!
I would love to visit Romania too, it’s a beautiful country.
There is a Dutch girl (an ex-gymnast) who went to Deva, and she not only met the girls, but trained with them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf9IOTxXYdk
If i went to Izvorani (the new training center), firstly i would be (like the Dutch girl) shitting in my pants, secondly i would try to convince Bellu (in the video he seems to be really nice) that i am not crazy, that i’d just want to say Hi to the girls (specially Ana Porgras, Raluca Haidu and Sandra Izbasa) and if i could watch them train. I wouldn’t ask him to train with them, since i have never done gymnastics (i just love the sport).
Maybe we have not many chances to meet Raluca (or Ana), but watching how happy the Dutch girl (i think her name is Froukje) was at the end of the video, it makes me imagine how it would be to meet the Romanian Team.
PS. I miss your articles.
Happy Birthday!
Yes – I bet Romania is very beautiful. That video of the Dutch girl – I saw it before and really like it. But I only saw a version that didn’t have subtitles, like the one you sent does, so that helped a lot. Thanks for sending it!
Right – I forgot that they moved from Deva to a new center. Me too – I would be really nervous if I went to meet the gymnasts and coaches, especially if they expected me to do any training, since I can’t do gymnastics at all. I would try to get them to let me take Raluca to lunch somewhere and send along an interpreter. Knowing me, a few days after the visit, they’d call me up: “What the hell did you do to her???”
That Dutch girl really had a good time. I was happy for her because she obviously had much respect for the Romanian system and their girls.
I miss my articles, too, but WordPress has changed, and I don’t have the patience for it. I hope to get my head on straight and get used to the new system. I’m glad you like the crazy stuff I have written.
Thank you for happy birthday. I am finally 19!
Sarah!
La Multi Ani, Sarah
Let’s see . . . based on the video and when you sent the comment, I guess “La Multi Ani, Sarah” means “Happy Birthday to beautiful, charming, smart and skinny Sarah.” Am I close???
Thank you for sending this!
Sarah!
LOL more or less.
Frumoasa si delicioasa Sarah.
Ha ha – I’m sure it doesn’t mean all that. I don’t read Romanian, so you have to translate these things for me. Like
Frumoasa si delicioasa Sarah.
What does it mean?
Sarah!
Come on…I know you have your own methods to translate
And you have to learn a bit of Romanian, how are you gonna talk with Raluca if not? I’m sure you already know some things.
Frumoasa is beautiful, and delicioasa is something like charming.
La multi ani is simply happy birthday.
Yeah – I have Google Translate, which is always suspect, so I wanted you to tell me what those things mean so I know I’ll have it right.
With Raluca, I would have to hope she knows at least a little English, because otherwise we’d need to use sign language. As far as hanging out with Raluca, I would be good at that – as shown in the story linked below about a fantasy day where me and my friend, Aimee, take Daniela Druncea around Malibu and the surrounding areas.
http://theelitegymnast.wordpress.com/category/daniela-druncea-rom/
Thank you for “La multi ani.” I was never told Happy Birthday in Romanian before! Now that I know the definitions, I guess “frumoasa” and delicioasa” are good to describe me. Ha ha.
Sarah!
I had read that story with Daniela Druncea before. Your imagination has no limits, right? haha.
You’d take her to a strip club, you want to pervert our little girls :p
Don´t worry, I’ll translate for you any Romanian word.
Until all this shit with WordPress, yes – my imagination was unlimited. Now it is reduced.
I think of it as “corrupting” Daniela, not “perverting” her. Mainly I just think she seems like a really fun person who I’d like to spend a day with. Anyway, Aimee would be the primary corrupter. I just kind of follow along.
Thanks for any future translations. Here’s one you can answer for me now. It has been said by commentators and in stories that Simona Amanar’s teammates used to call her the nickname “zidicala,” which, according to commentators means “air head.” Somebody told me that “zidicala” is not correct but rather the name would be “zapicila,” or something like that. Do you know the right word? Do you know the actual name they called Simona?
Thank you.
Sarah!
The correct word would be ‘zapacila’, that can be translated as airhead or nuts.
I never heard of zidicala.
I don´t actually know the nickname for Simona. My knowledge about the gymnasts is not very vast, you know much more than me. I’ll try to investigate and I’ll tell you if I find something.
Well, I kind of went back and forth with the person who said it was “zapacila” and not “zidicala,” but I wasn’t sure. This is just one more reason to not listen to the damn NBC commentators. I think it was dumbass Al Trautwig who said Simona’s teammates call her zidicala. Al is a fucking zidicala AND a zapacila.
I did some investigating myself, and I think I found a few places where they called her (in print) “zidicala,” but they might have been going on what Al’s stupid ass told them.
The good thing is, whatever Simona’s nickname was, she was one of the best Romania ever had and she is the rightful SILVER medalist from Sydney.
Sarah!
I was thinking about the good number of Romanian gymnasts born in Constanta. Amanar, Ponor, Sofronie, Tamarjan…plus other good sportsmen such as tennis or handball players. I wonder who will be the next gymnast hero born there
Actor Sebastian Stan and singer Alexandra Stan were born there too. Stan is a very Romanian surname.
I only knew Simona came from Constanta. I didn’t know those others did, too. That’s cool. I wish I could go there.
Sarah!
Dear Sarah!
I just wanted to let you know I discovered your website while googling “I hate Elfi Schlegel,” and I’m so happy I did!
Your stories make my roll on the floor laughing hysterically! I especially love the Three Musketeers ( Lost in L.A. was by far the best) and Magnificent! (Jaycie Phelps happens to be my favorite of the Mag 7).
I’ve now made it a goal to read every single article on this website (I’ve gotten all the way to the OPERATION GABI category already!) I hope you do keep writing, this website is absolutely brilliant.
Sincerely, a literate member of Generation Cell Phone (Who is neither a Nastia nor Shawn fan. Ksenia Semenova was my favorite in Beijing)
Yeah – “I hate Elfi Schlegel” is probably a good search term to get a person over to this site. I’m happy that you found it and like it!
The Three Musketeers stories were SO much fun to write. I really love those girls and I had a great time getting them into and out of messes. I agree that “Lost in L.A.” was a good one. I was laughing myself when they had those SEALs out on the beach and were training them. But my favorite part was when the other girls were in the cafeteria ordering food.
OPERATION GABI was a nightmare to write, but it turned out really good. I hope you like that when you read it.
I probably won’t be writing much in the near future, but there is a lot of stuff here to keep you occupied. I would like to hear more comments from you when you have something to say about anything. Feedback is always good.
I suppose it’s okay to be a member of Generation Cell Phone as long as you’re literate and NOT a Nasty or Shawn fan. Ha ha. I don’t know a lot about Ksenia, but I have watched her and always enjoyed her. I like the Russians and Romanians in every era, no mater what.
Sarah!
I’m glad you are back. I missed your stories.
Thank you, Jeff. I’m glad you like my stories, but the recent comments from this person calling himself/herself “Only losers blog” are almost as entertaining as a lot of the stuff I come up with. Feel free to comment on those comments (several are on the Home page). This person has no foundational knowledge or perception, but the writing is fairly engaging.
Sarah!
A. This blog is NOT boring.
B. I’m going to write a good comment to this when I have time, because even though you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, you are intriguing.
C. What did you think about the photo of the little blonde girl in the swimsuit?
D. Play fair, though, or I won’t approve your stuff.
Sarah!
How are you doing today Sarah, are you alright?
I’m doing fairly well, thank you. Just taking a little time off to recuperate. I’ll be back pretty soon.
Sarah!
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2011/09/espn-the-magazine-3rd-annual-body-issue-alicia-sacramone-hope-solo-blake-griffin-jose-reyes-steven-jackson-gretchen-bleiler-sylvia-fowles-apolo-ohno/1
I guess you’ll get even more inspiration for new stories when you’ve read this article!
I have saved the link, and I will rake A-Suk over the coals VERY soon for this stupid fucking move. What a dumbass! First of all, how is posing nude going to help her shit career? Second of all, who the fuck would want to see her body with no clothes on it? I almost throw up when I see it in a leo.
Fuck!
Sarah!
Pitic is leading the AA qualification!!!! Go Pitic!!!
I am so out of the loop on the WCs due to too much personal shit to deal with. THANK YOU FOR THIS UPDATE! I will be sooooooo happy if she can win this damn thing.
Sarah!
It’s good to be here again. Keep up the good work!
Where are you?
We miss you!
No update for nearly a month… is everything OK?
Anthony,
As you can see I’m getting to some old comments. Thank you for caring about me!
Sarah!
Hey, keep it up. You should really cover Classics when they come around….
Wait, what is your site about?? I am from Malibu, my entire family was born there and my grandmother moved there in 1949; why haven’t I heard of you before?
Because I keep a low profile. Your comment is one of the very few of the 155 I have received over the last three months of my absence. (I’m very sick, emotionally.)
Sarah!
just read some of your stupid, snide commentary. youre a nasty little twat.
SARAH, You are One of Those People that Scares Me A Lot !!!!
EVERY ONE IS EQUAL : That IS What My Father & Mother Taught Me @ An Early Age..
I Am Fantastic In What I have Been Trained to Do ; But The Other Person Has A Talent That I Can’t DO !!!!
THAT IS WHAT MAKES US ALL EQUAL !!!
Noby
Where did I say we’re not all equal?
Sarah!
I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog! I just came across it one day last week after googling “Dominique Moceanu Cayman Islands” and watching her ride her husband’s disco stick in her edgy music video. I hope you continue writing, you’re hilarious!
It’s people like you who I write this website for. I’m so glad you like it. There’s plenty to read, so have fun – and make all the comments you want.
I have other related websites to this one, including The Law Offices of Podkopayeva & Piskin, Live . . . from Mailbu! and Pray for Raluca. You might enjoy them, too. There’s nothing new on any of them, but they’re pretty interesting and relevant to my insane life. (I get no money from any of this.)
Sarah!
Sarah, I just saw that you are back up and rolling! We missed you while you were gone.
Thank you, Terri! I missed you too and everybody else.
Sarah!
Hi Sarah! I’ve loved going through your blog here and having seen your comments on many of GTT’s posts last year. I was wondering, is your other blog (the elite one?) protected/locked or is there a way I can read up on the articles you’ve linked both here ones GTT mentioned in the past. I love your writing and just can’t get enough. Either way, I hope you’re doing better, and it’s nice to see you around again.
Hi Sarah! Just wanted to check in again to see if you’d seen my message. Still reading your stuff, hoping all is well!
Hi, Allie,
I THOUGHT I got something from you, but I can’t find it. Was it e-mail or a comment here? I am not good with keeping up with correspondence. But I could swear I replied somewhere to you. Let me know.
Sarah!
It’s Yelena Zamolodchikova’s birthday tomorrow! Hope she knows how much we all love her.
Here’s a link to a Russian-language interview from around the time of this year’s Olympics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mJZB21Dkyo&feature=youtu.be
I also sent some nice photos of her via e-mail.
Yay, Zamo!!!
I’m sorry I missed Zamo’s birthday – it’s been one thing after another around here. I know how much you love her. If I ever get to e-mail, I’ll look at the photos and probably do a story about them.
Sarah!
Thank God i decided to look up Dominique Moceanu one day and stumbled onto your website. My world is a better place for it. Also “Magnificent!” has to be one of the absolute funniest things I have every read, you are a very funny person. Seriously though, thank you for your stories, they never fail to make me laugh even on the shittiest kinds of days.
It’s comments like this one that make me feel better than anything else. Not only because you think I’m funny, but because you can see through all the . . . weirdness, vulgarity, naked pictures, etc., and realize I’m just trying to A. make people laugh, and B. vent a little about my own life. If I can make you laugh on your shittiest days, I’ve succeeded greatly.
Thanks for being here.
Sarah!
Excelent sarah !
The home page is excellent?
Sarah!
I hung around on the page a while just in case you put up a new story or replied to a comment or maybe needed someone to talk to. Want you to know I’m thinking of you and hope you’re ok. You know I pray for you every night and only you (99% of the time anyway…”Save your prayers for when you’re really gonna need ‘em”), I added some extra last night, I’ll add something extra again tonight. Hope it’ll help.
I appreciate your sentiments. You’re always comforting in a crisis. I think prayers work according to what the prayer believes, so thank you for taking the time to pray. I don’t pray much anymore after Scott.
Sarah!
Good to know I’m comforting. You’re welcome. I quit praying long ago, started again for you because if they ever work I want them to work for you. You need it and deserve it.
I am glad you pray, but there are probably more worthy things to pray for in this world than me.
Sarah!
Yo sarah! Is it true that your a fat cow??
I’ll reply to both your comments (since they’re the same comment) on the story page.
Sarah!
Hi sarah. I’ve got something especially for you. When cleaning my room I found the magazine that was made for the World Championships 2010 in Rotterdam. In it, they also looked back at the previous time the WC were held in Rotterdam: 1987. And on that page they also put two pics of Aurelia Dobre. So here’s for you: http://i45.tinypic.com/2hy87wp.jpg
Hopefully I’m giving you something you hadn’t seen yet.
Greetings and hugs,
Anthony
Thank you sooooo much for this – you scanned it? It’s great, and I have never seen either photo before. I really like the bottom one. Aurelia’s beauty is astounding. It can drive nails into your soul.
Thanks again! I’m determined to use the other three photos you sent (Nabs, Sandra, guitar) and I’ll throw this new one in in a little piece about the things you’ve sent me.
One more thing, since we’re on the subject of selling guitars for women. Would you sell one for Lili Arboreen? I’m just curious because I can’t GIVE her away to Deluxe, and personally I think she’s so beautiful. If you wouldn’t sell a guitar for her, how about a wa-wa pedal . . . or a set of strings?
Sarah!
Hi,
Can you please tell me how tall you are? I might talk about the size of gymnasts (all, collectively) in the story about your photos, and I’m trying to get a perspective on Sandra and Tatiana in those photos. If I know how tall you are, then I can “visualize” how small they are. I’ve never met a top-level gymnast in person, so I have zero perspective.
Thank you.
Sarah!
I’m 1.81 m, or 5’11”
I started reading this too fast, not thinking that you guys use the metric system and I’m thinking: Shit, this guy’s 181 feet tall! Ha ha. Okay, 5’11″ gives me a perspective on those girls’ sizes. I guess Sandra is pretty tall then, huh. Sure is a pretty girl, and classy too.
I’m going to plan to get your photos up tonight.
Thanks.
Sarah!
LOL… Lili is so beautiful that I will never have enough guitars to sell.
Thank God I’m not the only one who sees it. If I could put together a Handjobs for the Homeless event outside of Walmart with Mustafina, Viktoria AND Lili, I’d make more than fucking Walmart. Over there in YOUR town, you’d see the tail end of a line of horny guys, and you’d be saying What the fuck???
I’m so silly. (But I am going to write that story as soon as I get a few things out of the way including a story about how you can see Aly the Jew’s g-string hanging out of her leotard in a photo I found. God help us.
Sarah!
I’d see the tail end in MY town? LOL, then I’d be sorry for the guys who are drowning in the Atlantic Ocean.
But at least they’d drown in their lust. Or maybe they’d get ambitious and build a bridge. They might, because this event would be worth working for.
You’re funny. I hope you liked the photo story I put up.
Sarah!
Cool blog, fan of WAG and MAG in general, big fan of Pitic, nice work!
Thanks for this! Why don’t you join in and make some comments? I’d like to hear more from you and surely others would, too.
Sarah!
I will. I literally stumbled upon your blog during a google search for Raluca Haidu!
You have different screen names. What’s the deal? I’m glad you’re here, regardless.
Sarah!
I love the cattiness of your gymnastics journalism, I love and share your opinions about the good old days of gymnastics and the best gymnasts / most pleasing to watch (Miller, Gutsu, Amanar, Dobre, Silivas). I really don’t like the racism that comes through strongly in almost every post though.
And I love your screen name. Obviously you’re a fan of one of the greatest ever.
Sadly the “good old days” are gone. And sadly, anyone who says anything negative about a black person is called a “racist” in our over-sensitive society. Probably the majority of my remarks that offended you center around Gabby Douglas, but that’s only temporary. Since she’s the current Olympic champion, I’m obligated to give her a reasonable amount of space here, and I haven’t found anything “nice” yet to write about her.
If you had read deeply here, you’d see that “racism” doesn’t come up that much.
Sarah!
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20121221/SPORTS/121221036/NEW-Gabby-Douglas-likely-won-t-return-to-gym-in-2013?Sports&nclick_check=1 Ugh, isn’t this so typical? Spoilt American robot undeservedly wins gold at the Olympics, and after that she’s not going back to the gym while hard-working girls who totally love the sport remain underrated. It really makes me wanna puke. (But on the other hand, not having to see this eyesore again is also a good thing.)
Have a great Holiday, and take good care of yourself!
Greetings and hugs,
Anthony
Hi, Anthony,
I hope your Christmas was good. Mine was not much different than every other day.
Thanks for that link – I hope the Monkey takes off and keeps flying. Her and Mammy are only in it for the money now, so fuck them. Like with Carly, Gabby got LUCKY and now she thinks she’s something. (As much as I dislike Nasty, I believe she was qualified to win her gold medal, even though I wish she hadn’t.)
Is King Diamond big where you live? I think I read that he’s Dutch. Do you like him?
Sarah!
Hello Sarah.
My Christmas was relatively OK. Actually I should say it was a miracle – no fights in the family.
No, King Diamond is not big over here. And he’s Danish, not Dutch. I still have to listen to his/their music. I like some heavy rock/metal from time to time (just finished my runthrough of the KISS discogaphy before Christmas), but my musical heart belongs to progressive rock the most.
Greetings,
Anthony
Hi, Anthony,
No fights in the family – ha ha. Are you a rowdy bunch?
You have to forgive my geographical ignorance. When you are raised in a country that things it’s the only country on earth that matters, you tend to mix up Danish and Dutch.
Don’t ever feel obligated to listen to anything I send – I try not to send much music to people unless there is relevance, because most people don’t have time to listen to something they never heard of, and musical tastes are different from person to person.
But if you like KISS, you’ll always be a friend of mine. What’s your favorite album? Mine is “Rock and Roll Over.” I don’t like much of what they did after they took off the makeup in 1982 or whenever it was.
Sarah!
Hello Sarah. It’s difficult to choose, I think my fave Kiss-album will be either “Destroyer” or “Rock and roll over”. And while I can understand the dislike of many fans for the non-makeup era, I have a soft spot for the song “Heaven’s on fire”. I think I told you I was staying in Sweden with my fave band Introitus this summer. And we were playing together at this street music festival in the town Mora, and while we were rehearsing the days before, they asked me: “Do you know “Heaven’s on fire” by Kiss?” Up till then I knew basically nothing about them. Here in The Netherlands all we hear of them on the radio is “I was made for loving you”, and if we’re lucky we might hear “Sure know something” once a year. So they taught me how to play the song and surprisingly when we were riding back to their home in the night, the song even was played on the radio. And that made me decide to check out the rest of the discography.
Greetings,
Anthony
Hi, Anthony,
“Destroyer” is really good, too. Actually up through and including “Unmasked,” I like all of them. Do you have a favorite Ace solo? Mine are “Dr. Love,” “Got Love For Sale,” “Love Her All I Can,” “Rock And Roll All Night” (the live version), “Rocket Ride,” and a few others.
I don’t remember you telling me about staying with the band last summer, but you probably did and it went into Budweiser memory. That sounds like a lot of fun – and most KISS songs aren’t that hard to learn. I like “Heaven’s On Fire.” From their no-makeup and makeup-second-time-around eras I like “Lick It Up” and almost everything from “Hot In The Shade,” even though it seems like a lot of people don’t like that album.
KISS is almost NEVER played on the radio here. In fact, I can’t remember if I ever heard them, but then I don’t listen to the radio too much.
Did I tell you I met Ace Frehley at a book signing and got his autograph on his book? I’m sure I did tell you. He’s getting older, but he can still rock and roll.
Sarah!
Hello Sarah. Well, in case I DID forget to tell you about my favourite band, I’d like to point to the photo of myself where I was a bit “off” with my D-chord. The man beside me is the bandleader of Introitus, and father of the family where I stayed. Yes, Introitus is a family band. Father, mother, son and daughter playing together with a former pupil, plus two friends of the son, with whom he also plays in the metal band Decraved. All lovely people, and without doubt this was the best holiday I ever had. They’re now working on their third album, but of course, as it’s no commercial music, they don’t get played on the radio. Here’s my fave song “The hand that feeds you”, if you’d like to know more. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLy__rx5tuk
I think I’ll need a few more listens to decide about my fave Frehley solo, but “Rock and roll all nite” is definitely one of my fave songs. And how can I forget how you introduced “Christine Sixteen” to me in your article about “Jailbait” Tatiana Nabieva. (Good thing she’s no jailbait anymore, though I still have to wait until April 15, Yulia Inshina’s birthday, then none of my fave gymnasts will be jailbait anymore.)
And well, Ace might be getting older, but rock ‘n’ roll never dies. Great you had the chance to meet him.
Greetings,
Anthony
Hi, Anthony,
Sorry this took so long – as usual it’s one thing after another over here.
I’m listening to the Introitus song you linked as I write this. The audio recording isn’t very good, but I can tell they are a good band. Thanks for telling me about them – it’s great that it’s a family band. And it’s cool that you know them and are close with them.
You said how once Yulia turns 18 on April 15, none of your favorites are jailbait anymore. ha ha. Yeah, you guys have to watch that. You have always seemed like an honorable man. A girl would be fortunate to have you – as long as she’s over 18.
Yes, rock and roll will never die. It’s one of the better things to come out of America.
Sarah!
So, I will admit. I’m a member of Generation Cell- Phone…. I’m sorry. And even worse in 2008 I was a Nastia and Shawn fan (Sorry :/) But watching the 2012 Olympics I fell in love with the Russian team and eventually found your blog and now I’m completely converted to the Russian and Romanian gymnastics team
I love this site!!! So much!! I mean, I spend so much time on here that I began to run out of things to read. 
Ok, that’s all I wanted to say.
That’s very nice for you to say all this. I’m glad this site got you into Russian and Romanian gymnastics, even if you’re still a U.S. fan
If you run out of things to read here, you must have read A LOT, because there is a ton of stuff. I’ve been not writing lately, but I’ll be back soon with new stuff.
Merry Christmas!
Sarah!
I hope you had a good Christmas
I have now read Operation Gabi and Magnificent. I also found some stuff in the back of the archives I haven’t read. I can now say I am not a USA fan. (Although I can never hate them, because I wouldn’t have heard about gymnastics or cared about it if it wasn’t for and article about Shawn.) After watching Carly Patterson for the first time today (her personality and her voice, it BUGS me). Unfortunately I was kinda forced into being a US fan, I was 2 in Sydney and 6 in Athens, so I don’t really know what happened. And Beijing wasn’t really the Russians greatest year, and NBC showed Stela on bars and that was it for Romania…. but in London I fell in love with Aliya Mustafina. Also I hated Gabby Douglas’ floor music. That was honestly the worst thing I heard in my life. And Elfi Schlegal (or however you spell it) did nothing to boost my enjoyment. So I rooted for Russia, and when they came second I wanted to punch something. I have also decided that Simona Amanar, and Aliya Mustafina (<3)(Zamo a close second) are my favorite gymnasts and Lilypod had a cute nose in '96. Also, do you plan to write more Three Musketeer stuff? Just because whenever I read that, I end up rolling on the floor with laughter. You are really talented! I usually have this tab open on my computer now.
I hope I have redeemed myself for being a US fan once upon a time.
Also, sorry if this annoys you, I just had to get it out of my system, so I don't look totally lost on this site)
I had a good Christmas, hope you did, too.
Wow – you are plowing through some of the long ones. I’m glad you are having fun with it.
It sounds like you’re around 15. Are you a guy or a girl? The U.S. gymnasts have gotten worse over time. Go back and watch some Shannon Miller from 1991 to 1994. You’ll see why she is still severely loved.
Like with the gymnasts, U.S. coverage of events is getting more biased and one-sided. I haven’t watched much of Beijing, but I can imagine how disappointing it was for fans of girls from other countries to have to sit through routine after boring routine from the American girls before they got to see Steliana Nistor’s butt.
If you hate Gabby’s floor music, go listen to some of the stuff Jaycie Phelps (Mag 7) performed to.
I can take or leave Mustafina, but I will love Simona until I die. She was magnificent. And I agree – Lilia’s nose – and her whole person – was super cute in Atlanta.
More Three Musketeers on the way. I need more time to do those, so I can’t just knock them out in some spare minutes. Maybe one coming for New Years, depending on what my brain decides to do. I’m so happy you like those so much. Personally, they’re my favorite stories to write and read.
You have redeemed yourself for being a U.S. fan. And none of what you wrote annoys me. I’m glad you wrote it. I hope you make more comments regularly.
Sarah!
Merry Christmas Sarah! I hope you and Aimee have a wonderful holidays. Terri;):);)
please tell half the stuff iv read on the teengirl mag is not true is that how mag 7 girls are ,and the john handcock tour stuff is that true !
If you’re talking about Teengirl magazine in the Mag 7 interview I wrote, no, it’s not true. It’s a play.
Sarah!
http://usagym.org/pages/features/130129_sacramone/
Great news. A-Suk retires.
Wow, you got this just as it happened! But I thought she had already retired. It’s impossible to keep up with the Three Stooges. Now I’m trying to remember if Nasty and dimwit Shawn have officially retired. Well, we all knew they would never be back. Please keep me posted on Fucked-up Five retirement announcements.
This USAG piece on A-Suk is a little overblown. They giver her as much space as if a U.S. president was stepping down from office. Then they link about 100 videos of her at the bottom of the page.
I might write something about this, but I’m sure as hell not going to go through the whole damn article and cut excerpts from it. I’ll find my own angle.
FYI: when you send something that is likely of interest to many people, send it in a comment on a recent story, that way more people will likely see it. (You can re-send this A-Suk piece if you want.) Nobody reads the Home page, and the newest comment is buried at the bottom, and there are like 100-plus comments on the Home page already. Send it again and I’ll approve it so people can check it out.
Sarah!
I don’t know if you have seen these, but I ran across them, and they are pretty cool. They feature Svetlana Khorkina in “Circus With the Stars.” Which, from what I can gather, is exactly what it sounds like, but I don’t speak Russian, so I’m not quite sure.
I haven’t seen them, and they’re really cool. Svetlana excels in whatever she does.
It would have been awesome in the magic video if after the guy took the swords out and opened the box, it was Carly Patterson in there and the swords had worked. They would have got a standing ovation for that.
Sarah!
Love your blog – even though I don’t agree with everything you write, it still kinda makes me laugh. One thing – why don’t I see some of modern Russian gymnasts here? I see you’re not too into nowadays girls, but you can find some pretty worthy things coming from Russia. P.S. I am still sitting shiva for Raluca Haidu
I’m glad you like this website. You’re not supposed to agree. I refuse to censor my self for the exact reason that I want some disagreement. I’ve learned many things here because somebody saw things a different way than I do.
There aren’t many “modern” Russians here because I don’t pay that much attention to them. I know there are plenty of things I could write about them, but in general I’m not interested in much of what has happened in the sport since Athens. I do write about “modern” stuff, but mainly to make a point or be funny – like with the U.S. teams and individual members.
What does “sitting shiva” mean, and how does it relate to Raluca?
Sarah!
It was a joke
Sitting shiva is a Jewish tradition of mourning closest relatives’ and your beloved ones’ death. What I am trying to say – I was heartbroken when she retired, I had huuuuge hopes for her, and from certain interviews I gathered that Octavian Belu also saw a lot of potential in Raluca.
Aaaaanyway, I’ve been reading your blog for a month or so, I kinda got the picture what kind of gymnasts you like, so that’s the reason why I asked you about Russians, I think you’d like them, that’s all
in this last quad Khorkina got some decent heiresses.
Okay – I understand. I thought “shiva” had something to do with Jewish. In that case I guess I’m sitting with you for Raluca. We’ll probably never know exactly what was happening inside her when she decided to leave. I’m guessing life got frustrating for her, at the least.
Your second paragraph makes me think about exactly what I’m doing here, my “mission” for a real lack of a better word. I view the Russians and Romanians as completely different. I’m very pro-Russia, just in a different way than I’m pro-Romania.
I’m glad you’re here and finding interesting things to read. This site is not a straight road, like most sites that talk about gymnastics. We take a lot of detours on the way to the final destination. Whatever that is.
Sarah!
I like the new Romanian flag header!
Thank you! I’m trying to make this place look nicer.
Sarah!
But why does it say “Go USA!” at the top!
It’s to symbolize the fact that anybody can speak words, but at the end of the day, it’s what’s on the foundation that counts. It shows that the words “Go USA” when written over the Romanian flag, which stands for generations of greatness the U.S. will never touch, means basically nothing.
Sarah!