u/ExtremeToucan

I’ve been skating about 8 months, but have been doing a ton of skating during that time. I’ve got all of the basics, like crossovers, C-cuts, hockey stops, etc down cold.

Some things I’ve been working on lately with a skating coach include backward crossovers, punch turns, Mohawks and transitions—basically edge work in tight spaces. They’ve also had me do some physicality drills like keeping my feet when I’m receiving contact.

On my own at stick and puck, I’ve been practicing crossover starts, v-starts, and sprinting on the ice.

I was thinking of stopping the skating lessons soon and continuing on my own to save some funds now that I have the basics down. I will, of course, keep refining the skills I’ve learned.

Based on where I’m at now, what would be the next round of skating skills to focus on learning?

Hoping for some thoughts on evaluating my situation and what next step to take.

I am a fourth year at my firm in a slow practice group. Basically, the group was already a bit slow and then one of our main partners lateraled elsewhere and took a bunch of clients with him. Also, though I started with three partners in my group in my office, I am now down to one partner in my office and that partner is winding down to retire at the end of this year. Everyone is slow, but I don’t know exactly how slow everyone is in relation to me. I have billed maybe 80 hours/month in 2026, and that is with regularly asking for work and picking up substantial assignments from other practice groups.

I applied for jobs over the last few months because I was worried I was going to get fired. I ended up with two cool exit opportunities—one boutique firm that’s pretty much right in my goal practice area, and one in-house offer on a small GC team with a company whose mission I really believe in. I need to decide on these offers by next week.

Both would involve a huge pay cut, down to less than half what I currently make for the in-house job, and almost 1/3 of what I currently make for the boutique firm. Both supposedly have way better WLB, though (the firm is only 1600 billables annually).

Meanwhile, partners at my current firm have told me that everyone’s slow and they know I need more work and they are working on it. So that’s reassuring, but I still don’t know if that’ll get me through this slow spell in my group. I’d love to leave before getting let go.

Basically, I’m trying to decide what to do. Is it safe to assume that I’m going to be on my way out the door soon at my current firm anyways? Anything I should be aware of when trading in a big law job for smaller, less well-paid shops? Which would be better as a fourth year, assuming both the boutique and in house job are directly in my areas of interest?

(I am okay with taking a big pay cut, but I am a little concerned about COL in my area. I currently have no debt, do not own a home, and was able to save a lot in my big law job these past few years)

I’m interested in books that follow athletes or sports. Can be fiction or nonfiction. Ideally a good story to it and not boring or overly informative/slow.

My stepdad (55M) and I (28F) have had a rocky relationship for past several years that really came to a head this past Christmas.

My mom (61F) and stepdad are both heavy drinkers and my stepdad is seemingly unable to get through an hour with me without saying harsh things to me (mostly once he starts drinking, which is any time I’m around them).

The last time I spoke to him was last Christmas time. We went to this party with some extended family and he told a story about the worst thing that’s ever happened to me in front of everyone, leaving me feeling deeply humiliated. I didn’t speak to him for the remainder of the trip and haven’t spoken to him since. I haven’t spoken to my mom much either, just a few phone calls.

I’m going to visit tomorrow, staying with my dad through the weekend and spending a night at my mom’s. I’m so anxious about spending the evening with them that I can’t sleep.

I’m hoping for some advice on how to approach this visit?