Skategeek, I just wanted to thank you for posting your progress reports. I actually have your three year report saved as a favorite, not because I am a complete stalker, but because I found it somehow doing a search on here, and it reminds me that sometimes slow and steady wins the race.
I am on my sixth month skating (3-4 hours a week) and am working on forward crossovers, two foot turns, backwards stroking, backwards circle pumps, etc. Just trying to get through my alpha elements right now. I get frustrated that things seem to come so slow sometimes, but I can nearly always say that this week is better than last week. Just today I did multiple front crossovers in both directions independently (have been holding hubby's arm for support and it is hard to make myself let go) and this is better than last week where the independent ones were fewer and far between. I have goals but I try not to make them unreasonable. By the end of the year I hope to be comfortable with beta elements, but if I'm not, I am sure there will be tangible improvement that I can still be proud of.
I can relate to the falling thing a bit, I fell three times in the first couple of months skating (I started as a rail hugger) but have not fallen since. Though I did not really hurt myself in the falls, I had a really hard time getting up... I was shaking so badly, and I even got teary eyed though I was not hurt. It must have been adrenaline running or something, I had practiced getting up with my guards on at home with no problem, but in an actual fall my legs just went to jelly. I am afraid to fall still, and I think though that fear may sometimes slow me down, it does not ever stop me. Thanks again, and please continue to keep us posted!