Much to my complete surprise, it was easier than ever. In less than 2 seconds I snaked my way feet first up the pole until my feet were touching the ceiling. Apparently my grip and arm positioning has improved so much since the last time I tried it, that it's now almost effortless.
I'm very pleased. Sometime I spend so much time teaching that there just isn't room for me to learn and improve myself. So I'm happy when I discover that I have improved dramatically.