I Can't Stop Juggling

Blog is in limbo

2008-12-06T18:20:00.000-08:00

Only 9 posts since June 2008. Does this mean I'm retired from blogging about juggling? Time will tell.

The absence of adequate indoor juggling space renders late fall through early spring non-juggle-able due to cold temperatures. I've got to go very far out of my way to find indoor space to juggle 5 balls. Basically I need to juggle in a subway station.

You can't play baseball without an adequate field... you can't juggle without an adequate space. I guess that's life. Go with the flow.

Jugglers I want to see perform

2008-11-20T01:42:00.000-08:00

The jugglers I want to see perform are:

Wes Peden
Jay Gilligan
Anthony Gatto

Draitube 3 Ball Tricks (WIP Series)

2008-10-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some videos with a lot of 3 ball variations. The video WIP 2 is not nearly as good as the others, so I've left it out of this post. Draitube's Youtube page is here. If you've ever wanted to study 3 ball tricks, these videos should help a lot.

WIP 1

WIP 3

WIP 4

WIP 5

WIP 6

Tossaball® Hybrid 'Super Soft' 3.2

2008-10-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

My quest to find the perfect juggling ball continues... I remember my first balls which I received at a motivational speaking event. They were made of vinyl and never really lost their square shape. These days there are lots of balls to choose from and I think there is a real lack of reviews to help people sort them out and spend their money wisely. In this regard, this post is an attempt to help other jugglers make good buying decisions.

I have a new set of balls called Tossaball® Hybrid 'Super Soft' 3.2 which I've been practicing with recently. These balls are the new line of hybrid balls from The Flying Clipper based in Oregon. A few months ago I made the switch to juggling the original line of hybrids which are 2.8" 130 grams. You can read my review here. Below is a description of the Super Soft balls I pulled from the manufacturer's website.

Finally a 'Super Soft" completely washable juggle ball that will always keep its shape even after many washings. Hand made craft is taken to high a form in this new Hybrid juggle ball offering. Like our other Hybrid balls this one also isolates heavy crushed rock filler between two layers of material, keeping most of the balls weight on the outside rim. For a super soft ball, this ball also rolls like a firm ball allowing for a unique combination of rolls and stalls unlike any other ball before it. This is the larger cousin to our new "Crossover" Hybrid footbag/juggle ball. The larger diameter and super soft feel make this one a great performance ball.
Diameter: 3.2" Weight: 140 grams

So what do I think about these new balls? In a word, quality. I feel the same way about the originals as I do about the Super Soft balls. As soon as you see and touch these balls, you will understand the high level of craftsmanship in them. The fact that they are sturdy and will last a long time, and the fact that you can machine wash them means these balls are a good investment of your money.

Personally, after juggling the original 2.8" Hybrids, I find that I prefer them over the Super Soft version. Both balls have their advantages and disadvantages. The tighter packed originals are easier for me to multiplex with and I have fewer collisions. The bigger, underfilled Super Softs are more visual because of their size, and easier to do stalls with. I prefer the smaller version because I love doing multiplexes and I think I have small hands which makes catching the smaller balls easier for me.

Regardless of my personal preference for the smaller, tightly packed originals, I can definitely confirm the quality of craftsmanship in both of these products. Basically, if you are looking for a high quality, washable juggling bean bag that will last you a long time, the new Super Soft balls are a good choice. Whether you like small tightly packed balls or larger loosely filled balls, I can honestly recommend Tossaball® Hybrid Series.

MOM blogged me

2008-08-27T21:32:00.000-07:00

The Ministry of Manipulation blogged about my blog recently. Here is the link. Pretty cool! The guys over at MOM are hoping to get me back into posting here. The gap in my postings is growing day by day, but it's not because I don't have anything to say about juggling. It's because I'm spending so much of my free time and energy on learning to speak Korean. Also, I've been swimming laps at the pool for exercise to get rid of the spare tire around my waist (something juggling has not been able to do for me). Both of my goals are manifesting themselves, however my juggling related activities have had to take the back seat. No worries though, life goes in cycles. Soon enough, I'll return to the juggling blogospehere.

In the meantime, I'm testing out some new balls. A while back, I got my hands on some Flying Clipper Hybrid Toss-a-balls. You can read about my review of them here. Flying Clipper has released an newer version that is bigger and underfilled to meet the needs of people who like an underfilled ball. The ones I have are called Hybrid Super Soft 3.0. I'll give a review of the new balls in a couple months after I've had some time to play with them and form an opinion.

2 month gap in postings

2008-07-29T23:15:00.000-07:00

Seems like I've fallen off the face of the earth, huh? No posts in 2 months. In fact, I haven't even read rec.juggling for the same period of time. Truth be told, I haven't juggled much either. Then what have I been doing?

I've been working hard at learning to speak Korean and getting back into good physical condition. In order to do that, I've had to put many things on the back burner, so to speak. Not only juggling related activities, but also other interests of mine.

Technitivity

2008-06-06T06:42:00.000-07:00

Act performed by Marco Paoletti in 2006-2007. www.maggler.com

Poll: Practice Alone vs. With Others

2008-06-06T02:14:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View poll statistics

4b Tricks from Dreamjuggler

2008-06-05T19:56:00.000-07:00

There are some nice 4 ball tricks in these videos.

Interesting Threads June 6, 2008

2008-06-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

It seems to me like everyone is saying that you should juggle to do new tricks that no one has done before. I see a trick that i like and i want to learn it. Once you learn that trick there are endless variations on that trick and endless variations on those variations, so why do people say its so bad to learn tricks you have seen before. In the future when you have learned all of these tricks that hav the endless posibilities then you can use creativity around them. This is how new tricks are born! Then if you are throwing all of these backcrosses and decide "oh wat if i can throw them under my arm and a backcross at the same time a new trick is born." I think that becoming an amazing juggler and learning all of the tricks you see is exactly the key to unlocking new tricks. Any responses?

Transitions out of a 4 ball shower?

Hi there

Anybody knows any cool transitions out of a 4 ball full shower?

-Matias

1up 4up Variation

Hi rec.

I was playing around with 1up 4up variations [1] last week and I'd like to suggest a trick for someone to get on video because I am not up to the challenge as I suck at pirouettes.

The trick:

(starting from 5 ball cascade)
1. Throw one very high and collect two in each hand.
2. Throw synch _split_ duplexes so that one split is much higher than the other.
3. Do a pirouette under each of the throws (3-stage pirouette?) and go back into cascade.

Thanks to anyone who attempts this and kudos to anyone that actually gets it on video.

[1] www.freewebs.com/multiplex/blog.html

Vova Galchenko Article in NY Times

Link to the article

Interesting Threads May 28, 2008

2008-05-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

What is the definition of a "squeeze"? Are there different types of squeezes? Thanks.

Jason interviews Wes & Jason interviews Wes: Jason's Version should be mentioned at the same time. I won't add the original posts because they are really long. These are really interesting reads in many ways.

The Juggling Crib - Lube

THE JUGGLING CRIB is a juggling related comic strip featuring some local jugglers here in Stockholm, Sweden. In the main cast you can watch bad imitations of jugglers like Elias Hedlund, Wes Peden, Peter Åberg and Jay Gilligan amongst others.*

http://www.informatik.umu.se/~svph0214/index.php?page=projects&proj=tjc

Feel free to give feedback either here or at eliashedlund AT gmail DOT com

* The script and all characters in this comic are based and inspired by real life situations. The following strip contains coarse language and due to its content it should not be viewed by anyone. The truth is always nastier though.

/ Elias Hedlund

Druggling

I was curious how other jugglers feel about JUI (juggling under the influence). I used to be a pretty dedicated gamer and liked nothing more than to puff a bit on my magical hippy pipe of wonder and sit down to a few hours of Halo or Everquest or whathaveyou. Now, thought, since I started juggling, after an evening of typical hippy antics I usually spend that time juggling. It is interesting to think about if my drug-induced runs are more or less productive than sober-minded ones (i am still not sure, but i am selflessly continuing to experiment as often as i can).

Any thoughts?

wikidiabolo.com now online

Hey there,

Check out http://wikidiabolo.com - the only wiki site dedicated to diabolo.

Feel free to add, change and learn from the site.

Seeya

Rich

Gandini juggling commercial

2008-05-27T20:22:00.001-07:00

xylocybin

2008-05-25T19:01:00.000-07:00

This is a really really cool video titled "xylocybin" by a juggler named Georg Pelzer. If you are surfing my blog for juggling videos, this is a must-see video. I can't say more. Just watch it.

Neverending progress #1

2008-05-25T08:04:00.001-07:00

This is an amazing video, full of insanely difficult siteswaps. The juggler says he's been practicing for 2 years and 1 month. The title of the video "Neverending progress" is exactly what a person needs in order to be able to do these kinds of tricks within 2 years. I think the juggler's name is Pawel Witczak.

This is all he wrote about the video:

The first video of a new series. Some nice siteswaps in there.

I'm looking forward to the next video.

Juggling Research Survey

2008-05-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

There are some jugglers who are trying to answer the question, "Which is the most interesting siteswap [juggling pattern]?" They've created an interesting online survey. When you go to the survey, simply create a user profile (1 minute) and select the more interesting pattern you see between the pairs of patterns presented. Click 'next' as many times as you want to continue the survey. There are 70 different patterns which can be combined in a VERY large number of ways, so just go as far as you are interested, in terms of 'next'. Below is the original post on rec.juggling. Or, if you want, read the entire rec.juggling thread about it.

Hi,

I was talking to a friend of mine and this question came out of nowhere: Which is the most interesting siteswap? (Well, actually it came out of a couple of beers)

After that question, we found another: is there a "most interesting siteswap" for everyone or everyone has a different opinion?

We were so curious about this question that we created a web site to find out. The url is http://frodo.matcom.uh.cu/Juggling and we will need as many opinions as possible.

In the web site, you will be asked to compare several pairs of juggling animations and in each pair you should select the one which is more interesting to you.

When we have enough information we will try to find out if it is possible to "guess" how interesting is a siteswap using only the numbers in the siteswap, without looking at the animation.

Comments, suggestions and beers are welcome.

Fernando.

Poll: Artisitic or Technical Juggler

2008-05-23T03:20:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View poll statistics

Interesting Threads May 23, 2008

2008-05-23T02:21:00.000-07:00

These are interesting threads from Rec.juggling. Click on the links above the quotes to read the entire threads. The quote is the original post or a condensed summary of mine if it is a really long post.

I like the idea of posting links to threads I find interesting, if for no other reason than I can find them easily when I'm bored. :-) So here are a few more that I've enjoyed reading.

Are there juggling-videos of historic value?

Imagine someone who doesn't know anything about juggling and its cultural conditions asks you for some juggling videos in order to get an overview about juggling and its development (18xx - today). Which videos would you show that person?

As there are tons of good juggling videos out there, I'm interested in finding out if there are any that one should have seen absolutely. You know, which ones are the essentials that still will be watched in 50 years or so because of their content. I know it's hard, but please try to mention up to 20 videos (not more!) that you think are important. Let's see where it gets us... have fun, thank you Jo

What the Duck!?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Eb7Qq8yHuKk

so let's see something happen. show me some action. make something new!

please and thank you.

/wes

The Juggling Crib - laura

THE JUGGLING CRIB is a juggling related comic strip featuring some local jugglers here in Stockholm, Sweden. In the main cast you can watch bad imitations of jugglers like Elias Hedlund, Wes Peden, Peter Åberg and Jay Gilligan amongst others.*

THE JUGGLING CRIB
http://www.informatik.umu.se/~svph0214/index.php?page=projects&proj=tjc
New strip every monday

Feel free to give feedback either here or at eliashedlund AT gmail DOT com

* The script and all characters in this comic are based and inspired by real life situations. The following strip contains coarse language and due to its content it should not be viewed by anyone. The truth is always nastier though.

/ Elias Hedlund

social desire

What do you all think about performers being valued or devalued based on gender presentation? I was prompted to write this after reading the new 'Juggling Crib' comic, but i hope this to be a seperate discussion on what perspective or experiences some of you might have on this topic. I have a few things to share that I'm sure are very limited so I really hope to open it up to everybody (particullarly those who may have unique experiences or perspectives to share).

Just a recently I saw a show where I woman performer got a super great reception. She had a nice routine, but I think people were really celebrating her in terms of her sexyness. Maybe I was jealous, but I realy felt that If I had done her routine, in the way she had done it, that it would not have been very well liked at all (by the same audience). I am not saying it was a bad routine, or that there is anything wrong with any one acting sexy on stage. But I wonder if audiences are missing out on women who may not to play it up.

Fun fact: I have been called 'a faggot' more times when I have been juggling than when I have not (even if you count junior high-school [that's 11 to 13 yrs or grades 7-8 in the u.s.])!

Sorry this is conceptually messy and probably full of typos. -brian

Four ball videos

I`ve seen quite a lot of really good and impressing four ball videos which I found on rec. juggling.

Whar are the best four ball juggling videos or four ball parts in juggling videos that you know?

All suggestions are welcome!

Best wishes and sunny spring greetings from Austria

Elisabeth

Whatever you want

2008-05-22T21:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a new and interesting juggling video by Sean Blue and Marcus Monre. Apparently this is a concept they are exploring for use in the IJA teams competition this summer. It's titled "Whatever you want".

Interesting Threads

2008-05-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

I'm going to start posting links to the interesting threads I read on rec.juggling which is an online juggling discussion group. These are from the last couple months. There are more recent threads which I will post soon. Click on the links above the quotes to read the entire threads. The quote is the original post or a condensed summary of mine if it is a really long post.

Combined halfshower-fullshower siteswap?

Hi there. Anybody knows the siteswap for a combined 4 ball halfshower - fullshower? Not a transition from one to the other, but a continuously pattern. -Matias

The Juggling Crib - Pilot

THE JUGGLING CRIB is a juggling related comic strip featuring some local jugglers here in Stockholm, Sweden. In the main cast you can watch bad imitations of jugglers like Elias Hedlund, Wes Peden, Peter Åberg and Jay Gilligan amongst others.*

I will be releasing a new episode every monday starting on the 28th of April.

THE JUGGLING CRIB
http://www.informatik.umu.se/~svph0214/index.php?page=projects&proj=tjc

Feel free to give feedback either here or at eliashedlund AT gmail DOT com

* The script and all characters in this comic are based and inspired by real life situations. The following strip contains coarse language and due to its content it should not be viewed by anyone. The truth is always nastier though.

/ Elias Hedlund

The Juggling Crib - language

THE JUGGLING CRIB is a juggling related comic strip featuring some local jugglers here in Stockholm, Sweden. In the main cast you can watch bad imitations of jugglers like Elias Hedlund, Wes Peden, Peter Åberg and Jay Gilligan amongst others.*

THE JUGGLING CRIB
http://www.informatik.umu.se/~svph0214/index.php?page=projects&proj=tjc

New strip every monday

Feel free to give feedback either here or at eliashedlund AT gmail DOT com

* The script and all characters in this comic are based and inspired by real life situations. The following strip contains coarse language and due to its content it should not be viewed by anyone. The truth is always nastier though.

/ Elias Hedlund

Multiplex terminology

Hi rec.
I was chatting to Tiff a couple of weeks back and he mentioned a duplex (I forget what he called it) and wondered what terminology everyone uses or has heard being used to describe the first 2 of the following 5 duplex throws. I've labeled them using the terminology I use or have heard of from others but I want to know what others use.

(1) Martin Duplex Taken from the trick with the same name. Throw a ball with a ball held in the hand. Siteswap [?2]

(2) Slice Duplex Throw both balls but one ball goes straight to the other hand as a pass while the other ball is caught on a later beat. Usually thrown so the catching hand is directly above the throwing hand and claws the 1. Siteswap [?1]

(3) Split Duplex Throw both balls and catch them in separate hands. Common siteswaps [43], [54], [65] etc.

(4) Stack Duplex Throw both balls to the same or other hand treating both balls as if they were one. Common siteswaps [33], [44], [55]

(5) Cut Duplex Throw both balls to the same or other hand like a stacked duplex but in a staggered fashion so the bottom ball of the duplex is caught and re-thrown before the top ball is caught. Commonly used in Shower Explosions with the siteswaps [53], [64], [75] etc.

Thanks in advance to everyone who replies.

Danny

High patterns

I've been practicing 744 recently and I think I'm in love with high throws...

Any suggestions for some nice 5 ball siteswaps or tricks that involve high throws? It doesn't matter how hard they are (as long as they are possible), I'll start easy and work up to the harder ones or something like that, so long as they are prettyful.

Thus far I've only got 744, 94444, 5 ball box and d151.

-Thanks guys and gals :)

What is the value of juggling?

What is the value of artistic juggling or of sport juggling?

What are the practical benefits for individuals or society by having us jugglers around?

To Workshop Teachers: Re: Siteswap Workshop Handouts

If you don't mind, could you send me the files of the Siteswap Workshop Handouts you have used to teach workshops? That is, of course, you used one. I'm really curious to see what people have used in terms of handouts.

5b [53] and [64] Multiplex Lists

2008-05-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

I have been using 3x5 cards with siteswaps listed on them during my practice sessions since last spring when I got serious about 4b multiplex patterns. The most recent card I made has 5b [53] and [64] multiplex patterns listed. Up until now, the only 5b [53] trick I've done is [53]25.

In order to make the list, I used a multiplex generator and then selected the patterns I felt were within my reach of ability or looked interesting enough to engage my focus.

*I have edited this post. The information below is updated.

I took my list to practice and realized I had no clue how to enter the patterns. So I brought my list home, plugged the patterns into a transition generator, wrote the 'In' and 'Out' numbers, and noted which patterns appeared to have a squeeze. I think that an 'In' of a 1 is like a squeeze, but it is easy to get around... just throw three high 5s before you throw the 1 to enter the pattern. Also, some of the patterns have more than one 'In' and/or 'Out' but I chose to put one of them in most cases (the one I thought looked easiest for me in the animator). The patterns where there are more than one 'Out' I used a / to seperate them. 'sq' = squeeze in the pattern, in case you want to avoid squeezes altogether. Cut and paste. Create your own practice cards!

Transition generator: is called ulbox; Danny Marden shared it with me

The actual siteswaps are big. The numbers before the bold ones are the 'In' and the numbers after the bold are the 'Out'.

Here are the results of the 5b [53] list:

Period 3

4647 [53]07 [54]0 sq
25 [53]25 [53]
1 [53]34 [54] sq
1 [53]52 [54] sq
25 [53]61 [53] sq

Period 4

725 [53]165 [75]500[54] sq
27 [53]327 [43]4/[53]3/[54]2
25 [53]345 [53] sq
25 [53]363 [53] sq
25 [53]525 [53]
25 [53]561 [53] sq
725 [53]705 [75]500[54] sq
25 [53]723 [53]
25 [53]741 [53] sq

Period 5

27 [53]3527 [43]4/[53]3/[54]2
25 [53]5525 [53]
25 [53]5561 [53] sq
25 [53]5723 [53]
27 [53]6227 [43]4/[53]3/[54]2
25 [53]6425 [53]
25 [53]6461 [53]
25 [53]6722 [53]
25 [53]6731 [53] sq

Here are the results of the 5b [64] list:

Period 3

624 [64]14 [54]50[54] sq
1 [64]23 [54]
1 [64]41 [54] sq
624 [64]50 [54]50[54] sq

Period 4

26 [64]271 [43] sq
1 [64]424 [54] sq
1 [64]451 [54] sq

Period 5

626 [64]1626 [42]
626 [64]1671 [42] sq
26 [64]2526 [43] sq
26 [64]2571 [43] sq
1 [64]4344 [54] sq
1 [64]4524 [54]
1 [64]4551 [54] sq
1 [64]4623 [54]
1 [64]6324 [54]
1 [64]6351 [54] sq
1 [64]6621 [54]
626 [64]7026 [42]
1 [64]7323 [54]
1 [64]7521 [54]

Let me know if you see one in there you have done or tried, should be on the list, etc. Thanks.

New Rueben Video

2008-05-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here is the newest video from a young and talented juggler named Rueben. He style is fast and crazy. If you can't figure out what his hands are doing, just try to enjoy his skills.

Here is his Juggling TV video page with a bunch of videos.

Great Michael Moschen Video

2008-05-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Link to the video.

Poll: How often do you visit?

2008-05-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View poll statistics

Siteswap Workshop Handouts

2008-05-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

Do you have any siteswap workshop handouts? I am collecting them out of curiousity. I want to see what kinds of information workshop instructors are putting on their handouts (if they use them). I'd also like to learn from them.

If you have an electronic file of the handout, could you email it to me?

eddie_provencher at hot mail

Portland Clowns Without Borders Benefit Show

2008-04-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

From Leapin' Louie, Don't miss it!

Dear friends and lovers of laughter,

The 11th annual Portland Clowns Without Borders Benefit Show is just around the corner! Come on out for an evening of fantastic vaudevillian entertainment, and support this wonderful cause. And please help us pack the house by forwarding this on to your friends in the area.

When: Saturday, May 3, 7:30pm

Where: Da Vinci Middle School Auditorium (2508 NE Everett)

Tickets: RESERVE YOUR TICKETS NOW, online at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/33371, or buy them at the door. Pre-purchased ticket holders will have priority seating. $10-25 adults, $5-10 youth 12 and under.

THE SHOW: The 11th annual Portland Clowns Without Borders Benefit show promises to be a wonder-full evening of laughter for all ages. Live music will accompany clowns, jugglers, comic ninjas, acrobats, and more.

Some of Portland's finest and funniest vaudevillian performers have come together in support of this great cause, including Nanda, Henrik Bothe, Stevie G, Charlie Brown, Zephyr, the Shoehorn VonTap Quartet, Fist of Dishonor, members and affiliates of Do Jump!, members of Kazum, Curt Carlyle, Barnaby King, the Nomadic Theatre Co, and Michael O'Neill of The Other Brothers.

ABOUT CLOWNS WITHOUT BORDERS (CWB): Clowns Without Borders is an international organization which offers laughter to relieve the suffering of all persons, especially children, who live in areas of crisis around the world, including refugee camps, conflict zones and territories in situations of emergency. We bring levity and contemporary clown/circus oriented performances and workshops into communities so that they can celebrate together and forget for a moment the tensions that darken their daily lives. In the past year alone, Clowns Without Borders-USA sent expeditions to areas of crisis across the globe including Indonesia, Guatemala, Southern Africa, Haiti, and Egypt. Portland is a hub of active CWB volunteers, and this annual benefit is their main source of funding. We are currently fundraising to send a group of Portland performers to bring shows and workshops to refugee camps in Liberia. Read more about CWB, our mission, and past expeditions at www.clownswithoutborders.org.

If you are unable to attend but would like to support local CWB volunteers in spreading laughter and joy in areas of crisis around the world, you can make a tax-deductible donation online through the Clowns Without Borders-USA web site, www.clownswithoutborders.org. Put "Portland CWB" in the item line.

Definitely not going to EJC

2008-04-29T06:02:00.000-07:00

So my summer vacation dates were announced by my employer today. I will not be able to go to EJC.

Re: Karas on the Duck!?

2008-04-24T22:48:00.000-07:00

I can't figure out how to post comments on The Karasel of Progress, so I'll post them here.

Michael said:

In many ways, I think "what the duck" is really an argument that wes is having with himself. Many people felt like wes was unfairly chastising jugglers for not coming up with new material when in fact, my belief is that the video, just like the graffiti of "make something real" on the wall on the way to circus school, is a reminder to wes. Some people think Wes comes off as cocky in the video. I don't really see this. In fact, I see the opposite. I see a lot of selflessness and admission of failure and shortcoming. Wes admits that he is scared, that he has fear, that he has made videos strictly to please an invisible audience or WJF judges, etc.
In other words, "what the duck" is wes sharing an internal scolding that he has already had with himself.

I can understand this view. Wes has recently been at an elite circus school where, no doubt, he has been bombarded with ideas about creativity. The video was probably the culmination of his indoctrination into the elite sector of the creative class of jugglers in the world. It reminds me of my buddies in college who joined fraternities. They would be pledges for a time, learning about the organization, their culture, beliefs, ceremonies, etc., and then finally be made into brothers when they had shown their loyalty to these things. The same psychological process applies to joining a major religion, cult, or military. When you enter these groups, you must reject a part of your old self and put on your new self. Wes was rejecting his fearful, conformist self and putting on his new brave, creative self.

The problem with this is that Wes scolded his peers at the same time. Did he really need to say to the world that most jugglers bore him because they are afraid to try something new? Couldn't he have made his point by simply talking about his own shortcomings? I think this was Wes' crucial mistake in his speech. He should have kept his rant directed at himself.

Michael said:

"What the duck" is a call to change and a call to think.

I can see that.

Michael said:

Wes is clearly a lifer. There is little doubt in my mind that wes's life will be dominated entirely by the study, practice, and questioning of juggling. So I think we should encourage the fact that he is putting down his props for five minutes to think about why he spends so much time doing what he does. And luckily for us, he has shared these frustrations with others. Notice that he doesn't offer a solution. Nor does he say that he is following his own example. He admits that he falls short of his own expectations.

I agree, but with the reservation that he should have stuck with talking about his own perceived shortcomings.

Michael said:

If you are a hobby juggler with no intentions of performing ever, then I wouldn't worry too much about the video. If you are a hardcore sports juggler who really only cares at this point about perfecting juggling technique and execution, I wouldn't even put this video on your radar screen.

That's probably good advice.

Poll: Wes Peden's Rant

2008-04-20T20:49:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View Poll Statistics

View the video I am referring to here.

3 Ball Juggling Video

2008-04-20T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a simple 3b video. There are some good combinations in there. Cool style.

Wes Peden's Rant

2008-04-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, prodigy juggler Wes Peden posted a video of himself urging the juggling community to be more creative. Wes is currently studying at an elite circus school in Sweden. I think he is 18 or 19 years old.

The video has been received with mixed results. Many people are saying Wes came off a bit condescending or that his tone was a little harsh. You can read all the comments here.

This next video is a response to Wes Peden's video. I am looking forward to more response videos like this one.

Juggling's value to one's self

2008-04-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

In this post I will try to share some brief thoughts about the value of juggling to one's self. The value to one's self can be divided into two simple categories: physical/mental health, and social health.

(1) the value of juggling to one's self
(a) physical/mental health
(b) social health

If you juggle consistently for 30 minutes or more, you can increase your heart rate and work up a sweat. I think this kind of juggling could count as exercise. Everyone knows exercise is good for you

In terms of mental health, you could say juggling invigorates one's spirit. I know it does that for me, especially when I have had a particularly good practice session. Juggling can simply be good fun. A life with no time for immersing one's self into a pastime is sad. Writing this makes me think of the millions of people who are in that situation

Now I will make some points about the social health benefits of juggling.

If juggling is done in a public location, passersby have a chance to enjoy your pastime with you. The simple fact that you are playing where others can see you creates a good social vibe.

If people organize clubs for jugglers, you get to meet people whom you can share part of your life with, and maybe create lifelong friendships. Humans need social bonds.

4.25 years of juggling

2008-04-18T00:12:00.000-07:00

I have been juggling for 4.25 years. There have been ups and downs in the learning process. At times I've wondered if I was learning anything, since I was clearly unable to do the tricks I was working diligently on. It must be true that learning occurs far beneath the surface of visible progress.

Out of nowhere, it seems, my last few juggling sessions have been on a whole new level. My 5 ball pattern is more stable than ever before and I'm consistently hitting new 5b siteswaps. My 4b stuff is going for longer and longer runs without drops and lots of variety of tricks.

With this new level of stability in my patterns, I am set to learn a lot of tricks this summer. This is one really happy juggler.

What is the value of juggling?

2008-04-17T22:57:00.000-07:00

I posted this to rec.juggling yesterday:

What is the value of artistic juggling or of sport juggling?
What are the practical benefits for individuals or society by having us jugglers around?

My goal was to spark a discussion around these questions, however the responses were mostly sarcastic with the notable exception of the reply from "Mats1". Read them yourself by clicking here.

I've often wondered about questions such as these. I find they are difficult to answer. Regardless of their difficulty, I think they are deserving a try however lacking our answers may be.

Each one of us has a limited amount of time on Earth. How we decide to employ our time is completely up to ourselves. Of course this freedom to choose is limited by the social, economic, and political environments we are in. My own such environment is one of privilege and wealth. I have never been in need of something as simple as food, clothing, shelter, and medicine.

With increasing privilege and wealth comes increasing social responsibility. It is out of this reasoning that I find myself examining my own actions and their consequences.

So what is the value of juggling? One rec.jer replied with the question... to whom? A good question because the value stated will be different according to whom it applies.

I'd like to divide the question into parts:

(1) the value to one's self

(a) physical/mental health
(b) social health

(2) the value to society

I'd like to examine the possible negatives as well as the positives in order to get a complete perspective. I will begin with the positive... in my next post.

For now, if you want to read about another juggler's answers to the question "How can my juggling positively affect the world?", go to The Karasel of Progress and read the first three posts.

EJC 2008 August 2-10

2008-04-16T05:30:00.000-07:00

Will I make it to the EJC 2008 in Karlsruhe?

I found out at work today that the Korean government has not decided when the summer vacation will be for public schools. I don't work for a public school, but my private school follows their schedule.

The possible dates are July 26 - August 3 or August 2 - 10.

If the dates are August 2-10, I am definitely going to seriously consider attending the EJC.

Currently the best price from Seoul to Berlin is $1155. That includes a 5 hour layover in Russia.

Going into Frankfurt would cost $1171.

Going into Stuttgart would cost $1461.

I'm liking the Frankfurt option.

Korea Juggling Festival

2008-04-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Today I discovered the place where I want to hold the first ever Korea Juggling Festival. There is an outdoor amphitheater nearby the Lotte World amusement park that is perfect for juggling. It has high ceilings, a large round juggling space, rubber mat flooring, a stage, and seating.

Check out some pictures:

The thing to do now is talk to the local juggling store owner and get him to inquire about reserving the site.

Poll: Learning Difficulty

2008-04-13T21:24:00.001-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

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Pumpkineater 3b Juggling

2008-04-13T20:26:00.000-07:00

These are both rad videos. If you like 3b juggling, you will like these videos uploaded to YouTube by pumpkineater23.

645 Tutorial

2008-04-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

(6x,4)(4,6x) Tutorial

2008-04-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

5b Mills Mess Tutorial

2008-04-12T20:01:00.000-07:00

744 Tutorial

2008-04-12T20:00:00.000-07:00

5 Ball Tutorial

2008-04-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

Part 1: Getting started

Part 2: getting past the flash

Yomay Juggling Tutorials

2008-04-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

A juggler by the name of Yomay has been putting together juggling tutorials. You can find these videos on his YouTube page. I will post the videos on this blog also.

Mills Mess Variations

2008-04-12T19:23:00.000-07:00

A guy named Reuben has been putting out some nice 3 ball videos. He uses a lot of loopy throws and quick hands while seemlessly changing from one pattern to the next. It's a very interesting style because it is very difficult to pin down exactly what he is doing.

Poll: Choose One Prop

2008-04-12T06:19:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

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5b Multiplex

2008-04-11T19:29:00.000-07:00

On the practice list yesterday were these tricks:

25[53]
26[43]
71[43]
21[65]6
24[54]5
24[65]3
26[43]5
25[65]61
24[22]3[543]

The easier patterns for me were:

26[43]
25[54]5
24[65]3
26[43]5

I couldn't get 21[65]6 because it is an "excited state" siteswap and I was unaware at the time. Excited state refers to a pattern that requires particular set up throws in order to enter into the pattern. I've since put the 21[65]6 into a siteswaps transition generator (which I think is extremely important to use if you are serious about learning siteswaps) and found several entries into the pattern and a single exit:

666 21[65]6 2
675 21[65]6 2
756 21[65]6 2
774 21[65]6 2
855 21[65]6 2
864 21[65]6 2

There's bound to be one of those I can manage to do, so I'll give them a try next time out.

Up until recently, the only 5b multiplex pattern I have really tried was 24[54], also known as the Gattoplex. So, there is a lot for me to learn in this area of juggling.

Juggling Blog: The Karasel

2008-04-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

Michael Karas, a juggler popular for things like Karas Kwikies (videos), and Whee-los (a juggling contraption?), has created a juggling blog called The Karasel. His first few posts are interesing.

If you have the time, I recommend watching these three Kick-ass Karas videos. They are really well made and have a ton of rad tricks.

"Heart of a Champion"

"Kineticut"

"Normal Like You"

Juggling Pacific Northwest Style

2008-04-08T22:51:00.000-07:00

During the month of February 2008 I returned to the US to obtain a criminal background check for my new job in South Korea. Going from a juggling wasteland (S. Korea) to a juggling superculture (Oregon) was a huge breath of fresh air for me.

While on this trip I was able to watch the OSU Jugglers perform for a local kids group, practice with the OSU Jugglers, practice with the Corvallis Jugglers, practice with the Portland Jugglers, practice with the University of Oregon Jugglers, and visit the new Serious Juggling store in Portland.

This is a photo of a carpet being used at the Serious Juggling store. I asked if it was for sale, but it was not.

Here is a short clip of a Portland Jugglers club meeting I attended. The number of people here would make a great small festival anywhere. And these lucky jugglers get to experience this every Wednesday night!

The University of Oregon Juggling Club has a great practice facility with high ceilings, sound system, and warm temperatures. I'm not sure what the name of the trick is that this guy is doing, but it looks cool.

My next trip back to Oregon may be in March 2009 for the Pacific Northwest Juggling Convention. This all depends on my work situation and so on. The University of Oregon has a MA degree program for teaching English as a foreign language, so it's possible that I may find my way to that region again.

5b Period 4

2008-04-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a great time practicing some 5b Period 4 patterns. Here's what I had on my notecard for the practice session:

7742
6752
7463
7562
6662
6734
7445
7 5681 44
6 6671 4
6 8246 4

I was able to get two rounds of half of the list. It blew my mind as I was doing them because, well, they're five ball tricks with lots of variability in throw heights, trajectory, and timing.

I think the easy ones were:

7463
7445

Nice siteswap video (balls)

2008-03-21T20:03:00.000-07:00

Lot's of rad juggling in this video.

Quote of the Day

I am an old man, but in many senses a very young man. And this is what I want you to be, young, young all your life. ~Pablo Casals (1876 - 1973)

Tossaball Hybrid Juggle Balls

2008-03-12T18:59:00.001-07:00

In mid January I got a hold of some new balls (pictured above) called the Tossaball Hybrid Juggle Balls made by Jim at the Flying Clipper in Oregon, USA. To start off my review of these, I'll post information about them that come from the maker.

These balls are constructed with two layers of cover material with crushed quartz trapped in between the layers. They should prove to be stronger than all other handmade balls. Because of the “composite” layers of material, these balls will also hold there shape better than any other ball in its class. The crushed quartz filler trapped on the outside of the ball gives this ball some unique qualities. It should stall very well and also roll very well. The physics of heavy filler on the outside rim of the ball also give this ball very true and predictable flight. We use plastic pellets for the interior filler of the ball, which insures that most of the weight will remain on the outside portion of the ball. Another great attribute to these balls is that they are machine washable and dryable.

On to the review.

I can't speak about the specific process of manufacturing or of the physics of flight involved with this kind of ball because I don't know anything about the two aspects, but I can speak about my experiences juggling it over the last 2.5 months.

These balls are 2.8" and 130 grams and have 12 panels. Cost is $15 a ball. Out of the box, you will recognize their excellent craftsmanship, even if like me, you know nothing about making juggling balls. The balls are packed tight, giving them a solid feel in the hand.

I prefer a less tightly packed ball as it makes it easier for me to catch. So I immediately began using the heal of my foot on top of the ball while on the floor so I could stretch the material to my satisfaction.

I had been strictly using my Juggling Thingies by John Nord for a couple of years up to this point, so I think it's important to talk about them. These balls are supposed to be 2.75" and 130 grams, but I think they are closer to 3" and 120 grams. Anyways, they are a little bigger and lighter than the Hybrids.

Changing to the Hybrids has had a huge benefit to my juggling. I have found that I prefer the smaller and heavier ball. I am having much fewer collisions and more success throwing multiplexes and making catches.

Just yesterday, I washed them for the first time and they came out of the wash looking good.

In summary, I recommend these balls to anyone looking for a durable, handmade, machine washable, juggling bag.

CouchSurfing.com

2008-03-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

I have just become a verified member of the online travel network called CouchSurfing.com. CouchSurfing.com is a place where people can offer their couch/floor space to people travelling in there neighborhood.

There are over 300 members in Seoul making it very likely that one could stay in Seoul for a very long time while surfing couches.

The discovery of this network is very exciting to me as I continue to plan my Do What You Love World Tour and North American Tour.

Suggest a Poll

2008-03-07T17:27:00.000-08:00

Do you have a juggling question you want to see in a Poll? Let me know and I will create a Poll for you like the ones here.

84717113

2008-03-07T17:04:00.000-08:00

From rec.juggling, here is a post by Will Pennman on an interesting siteswap he discovered:

Is fun to juggle. I'm a big fan of 6451, and this feels like an extension of it to me. You throw the first one as an 8 instead of a 6, and it gives you room to start two of the balls in a shower instead of just one, then do something fun with the extra 1, and add a small 3 to make the pattern work out right. And voila, 84717113. If you add a 4 at the end you make it symmetric, of course.

Does anyone else like this pattern?

Will Penman

So far, just one reply:

Just tried it in my room, but didnt have the ceiling to do see what could be done with the 1 1 3. Seems like a fun pattern though. I guess 845151 is an intermediate pattern between 6451 and 84717113.

Louis

I just plugged 84??? and 84???? and 84????? into the siteswap generator to see what other kinds of 4b "84" siteswaps are out there. It's not an area I have explored much. I have tended to stay away from throwing 8's, but I think I'm ready to see what interests me with "84" stuff.

Here is some of what I found that looked like it would help build "84" pattern throwing skills or looked like it would be plain old fun:

84??? Period 5

57/84 84017 440/530
57/84 84017 440/530
84233
84242
84413
84440
84512
84530

84???? Period 6

845124
845151
847131

84????? (exclude 0;11) Period 7

8413345
8413363
8413525
8413561

I only pulled siteswaps off the top of the list in the Period 7 group. There is a ton more and I'd like to see all of them in the generator.

If you are into siteswaps, the siteswap generator and transitions generator is essential for your learning. The basic fuctions are quite easy to use. You can find the generators here.

Another useful tool is JugglingLab. JugglingLab can be used offline to animate patterns you are working on in practice sessions.

Juggling Subculture Blog

2008-03-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

I just discovered the Juggling Subculture Blog today. I've added it to my side bar links because the posts have come out fairly regularly, the blog looks nice, and the content is interesting.

One feature of the blog is the "Store" where this blogger sells an 'I Juggle' t-shirt, sticker, and poster.

No Man Is An Island

2008-03-02T16:28:00.000-08:00

Only 4 days back in Korea and I already feel the isolation of being a juggler in this country. It is quite dissapointing to not have easy access to a gymnasium/indoor facility to practice juggling. I did have a place to practice when I was going to Yonsei University during January, but I will not be going back to the Korean classes because I signed a new contract to work on the other side of the city.

Anyways, I'll be taking a walk around the new neighborhood I'll be working in to see if there is a suitable facility nearby. There is a small park outside my new apartment, so when the weather is dry and not cold, I'll have a place to practice. The task is to find an indoor facility.

Sweet Juggling Vacation

2008-02-27T08:39:00.000-08:00

I'm at the airport in Portland, Oregon surfing on the free wireless internet at this moment. If Oregonians know one thing, it's the importance of free wireless internet.

My journey back to Seoul, Korea began this morning at 6:30 and will take me about 21 hours door-to-door. I've ended a 21 day trip to Oregon to get a Criminal Background Check for work as an English teacher in Korea. In those 21 days, I did a lot of fun things including juggling.

Just about everyday I went to McAlexander Fieldhouse, pictured below.

McA, as it is referred to, is where I juggled when I was on my own or with the OSU Jugglers Club. I've mentioned it before... Korea does not have very many indoor facilities that are open to jugglers, so McA was a treat.

I visited the Portland Jugglers Club twice, and the University of Oregon Jugglers Club once during my visit to Oregon. I stopped by the new Serious Juggling shop in Portland to chat with Ben and Ivette, and contacted Jim, owner of The Flying Clipper, about some balls I am reviewing for him.

I picked up some Dube wood cigar boxes, small flair bottles, and sent a Nils Poll Bowler hat to be modified by a hat restoration company.

During my practice sessions, I really got into using Juggling Lab, the siteswap generator. I'm beginning to explore more of the '4b multiplex families' I used in my 4b video.

All in all, it was a fantastic trip in many ways, but particularly with respect to juggling.

Wicked Cool Diabolo Video

2008-02-21T23:58:00.000-08:00

Two brothers rock 1, 2, and 3 diabolos like I've never seen. High energy and really neato tricks.

615714 is better than 534

2008-02-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

I've decided that I like the combination of 615 and 714 is much more enjoyable than 534 which was for a long time my favorite pattern to juggle. It was my favorite because it is a mildly complex pattern with a very nice rhythm. After playing around with 615714 during this afternoon's practice session, I think it is a little more complex yet retains a nice rhythm.

You can transition with 55 or 64.

The combination can be started with 615 or 714 giving you:

55/64 615714

55/64 714615

Another fun transition is 734.

Multiplex Juggling Facebook Group

2008-02-21T12:41:00.000-08:00

Danny Marden has created a Multiplex Juggling Facebook Group. Check it out.

HeatBands for Raynaud's Syndrome?

2008-02-21T10:22:00.000-08:00

I found a website that sells special bands for people to wear on their wrists to help keep the blood vessels in that area warm and thus keep the hands warm. This product was designed, it seems, for people like me who have Raynaud's Syndrome (Disease), but is marketed to everyone.

http://www.heatbands.com/

The bands strike me as a fancy 'medical' wrist band. I think you can buy sporting wristbands at any sports store, use them, wash them, and reuse them as many times as you like and get the same effect of warming the area around your wrists. So I won't be purchasing the HeatBands, but I will give regular wristbands a try.

2008 Goals

2008-02-19T00:32:00.000-08:00

My 2007 goal achievement wasn't great, so I'm a little weary of what to set my sights on this year. Instead of making a long list of specific tricks to learn, I will simply put general areas I want to improve upon.

I'm going to focus some of my time learning (no particular order):

Hat manipulation

Box manipulation

Flair

4b multiplex siteswaps

4b non-multiplex siteswaps

Insane 4b combinations

5b non-multiplex and multiplex siteswaps

It would be nice to:

Develop 2 stage act ideas I have.

Go to the Japan Juggling Festival.

Go to the 4th Ansan International Busking Art Festival.

Poll: Siteswap Generator

2008-02-19T00:26:00.000-08:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View Poll Statistics

New Ball Improves Stability

2008-02-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

I've got some new balls I'm doing a product review for at the end of the month. They are a bit smaller and heavier than what I've been using for the last couple of years, and that has turned out to be a great benefit for my 5b juggling.

I've been able to have a much more stable 5b cascade out of which to do tricks. One such trick I've been hitting with frequency this afternoon was 75751.

After such a long time (4 years) of feeling stagnant in my 5b progress, I am finally feeling confident. The timing couldn't be any better... Spring is just around the corner and I will be juggling outdoors a lot.

Keep an eye out for the product review sometime in early March.

Endless Freestyle Juggling

2008-02-16T17:48:00.000-08:00

Last Summer I produced a 4b multiplex video. It took me a few months of practice to get the tricks I used solid enough to film. The idea behind the video was to demonstrate how these multiplex siteswaps could be connected with each other rather easily. Something of which I discovered in the process of learning 4b multiplex tricks. The video was intended to encourage jugglers to explore the numerous combinations available with the demonstrated set of siteswaps.

I could do these tricks *blind folded* as they say. Well not really, but I can do them pretty damn well. I have begun to explore deeper into 4b multiplex siteswaps. I want to expand the 'families' I began with... the [54] family, [43] family, [53] family, and [64] family.

I also want to explore the combination of non-multiplex siteswaps and multiplex siteswaps within these families. For a quick and easy example, let's look at the [54] family tricks I used in the video. (Note: the [54] family is much bigger than these 3 members)

23[54]51
[54]21
[54]6122

Each of these tricks can easily be combined with these 4b siteswaps:

5550
5551
55514

These are, in fact, the first 4b non-multiplex siteswaps I've combined with 4b multiplex siteswaps. This was an exciting discovery for me in that I have come one step closer to having a bag of tricks with which I can freestyle endlessly.

M.I.A. Report

2008-01-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

So I've been Missing In Action (MIA) for a while. Here is an update on my situation.

In December I went to Sweden via Stockholm to visit with my family. Unfortunately, I could not meet any of the local jugglers.

I spent 4 nights during the new year celebration in Amsterdam on my way back to Korea. I was able to meet a juggler by the name of Joost Dessing. He is a Ph.D. who studies human movement via juggling! Yes, he is as cool as his field of work. Joost met me on my first night in Amsterdam for a Belgium beer tasting session and a good chat. I was going to meet up with him and some of the local jugglers there on a regular club meeting night, but I lost Joost's phone number and couldn't find the location!!!! I was seriously pissed off at myself and embarassed that I made such a silly mistake.

Since I've been in Korea, I've begun to take Korean language lessons full time at Yonsei University. I've completely stopped working, but I'm planning to go to the 2008 EJC event in Karlsruhe so I'm considering taking on a part time teaching job. Also, I've recently contacted a children's party entertainment business and it's possible that I will be juggling for them.

I'm extremely happy to attend Yonsei University because I have access to an old gymnasium for juggling practice. I've decided to move to an apartment that is only a 5 minute walk from my classroom and a 15 minute walk from the gym.

Diabolo Videos of the Week

2007-12-18T06:53:00.000-08:00

Diabolo.ca has a wonderful feature called Videos of the Week. Here is the Youtube page where you can watch them all online.

I´ve never tried to play with a diabolo, but I´ve been thinking about trying recently.

Juggling in Stockholm/Amsterdam

2007-12-03T17:48:00.000-08:00

I have my plane tickets and host.els booked. In just two more days, I will be on my way to Europe. I will be in Sweden for 3 weeks followed by 4 nights in Amsterdam.

I'm trying to hook up with jugglers in both cities. So far it looks like I may be able to meet some jugglers in Amsterdam on December 30. Joost from rec.juggling replied to my post about it and said they usually have a juggling meeting on Sunday. He also mentioned going out afterwards, so I'm pleased that I could have a local as a guide for a night.

There is a juggler in Stockholm named Elias Hedlund who made a really cool juggling video called "I think all you scientists are crackpots". It would be nice to meet him and maybe learn a trick or two, or just simply be amazed with his skills. Wes Peden is also in Sweden, but I think he's busy with circus school. I'll have to give him an email to see where he's at.

My Finger Is Fractured

2007-11-04T21:46:00.000-08:00

About 3 weeks ago I was juggling 3 flair bottles (1 liter liquer bottles) and one of them jammed my finger when I reached to catch it. My finger hurt a bit when it first happened and the days following, but recently the pain has subsided for the most part. I simply can't extend my finger.

The doctor showed me my x-rays a few moments ago. He told me I have an "aversion fracture". I took pictures of my own before going to see the doctor. The first picture above is of my left pinky finger fully extened. The second picture is of my right pinky finger attempting to do the same thing. In the x-rays, the bone looks as if it slipped out of place.

The doctor gave me a little splint to keep my finger extended. He said I should come back in a week to have him look again. He said I'll probably have the splint on for 3-4 weeks.

Quote of the Day
I think people don't place a high enough value on how much they are nurtured by doing whatever it is that totally absorbs them. ~Jean Shinoda Bolen

UnicTube: Unicycle Videos

2007-10-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

I came across a new video website designed for unicyclers. I don't unicycle but maybe you do...

UnicTube

You've got to find what you love.

2007-10-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computers and Pixar Studios, talks about never graduating college, being fired from his own company, and turning it all around. He says you've got to find what you love. You will know when you've found it. To do that, you must search for it now by following your interests wherever they lead. You can connect the dots of your life looking backward in hindsight, so just follow your heart. Life is short, live your own life. Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

2007-10-16T08:23:00.000-07:00

This introduction is quoted from Google Video. This video is 1:25:21 in length. It's really worth watching.

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, who is dying from pancreatic cancer, gave his last lecture at the university Sept. 18, 2007, before a packed McConomy Auditorium. In his moving talk, "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams," Pausch talked about his lessons learned and gave advice to students on how to achieve their own career and personal goals.

Diabolo.ca Forum

2007-10-14T02:19:00.001-07:00

I don't do diabolo but have found a forum for those of you who do and want to talk with others about it. It appears to be a very active forum!

Diabolo.ca

Quote of the Day
If the Nuremberg laws were applied, then every post-war American president would have been hanged. ~Noam Chomsky

Help Me Improve!

2007-10-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

I want to make my blog interesting for readers other than myself. Could you take a few moments to browse my blog and make suggestions or criticisms? What do you think makes a juggling blog worth visiting? What turns you away?

Thanks!

~Ed

Pen Spinning Tutorial

2007-10-13T05:28:00.000-07:00

My Korean students introduced me to the two moves taught in this video. I think this is a decent tutorial. Now that I can do these tricks well, I can't resist spinning my pen while I teach class. There's a lot of tricks that I don't even know about, so I'm looking forward to learning more.

Poll: Choose One Convention

2007-10-13T05:21:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View Poll Statistics

Adrien Mondot 3 ball juggling

2007-10-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

This is a sweet video. The music is interesting and the juggling is really smooth.

The Power is On

2007-10-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

Here is a Wes Peden video he put on Youtube.com back on August 23. Wes is really talented and funny. I especially like the song he uses.

Luke Burrage DVD Clip

2007-10-04T06:04:00.000-07:00

This is an extract from a DVD project called "Mind Trip", 2003. There are some really interesting tricks with 3 balls demonstrated for you.

Here's a rad video from Falco

2007-10-04T06:02:00.000-07:00

This is fast juggling of fluid and difficult tricks. I love it.

New props, the journey begins

2007-10-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

I finally have all three of the props that I will use to create a stage performance with. Since it's super top secret, I won't tell you what the props are, but I will say the performance will be in the style of Steven Ragatz's "Red Hat & Ball" routine amoung others of his. The goal is to play a regular looking character that manipulates objects in the immediate environment.

Living in Korea really makes it difficult to find practice space during the winter and the rainy season, so this will be a challenge for me. Also, when I do get to an indoor practice area, two of the three props I've chosen for my act make A LOT of noise when I drop them. I'll be lucky if I can find a space where this won't bother others.

In addition to the challenge of finding suitable practice spaces, I have the equally hard challenge of choreographing a performance. There are so many elements that I will need to think about. I hope that I can simplify as much as possible in the beginning and allow myself to grow with the act. For sure, I will only do the easiest of tricks. My audience, the people I hope to entertain, are non-jugglers. This means I can keep the trick difficulty level very low and within my skill range at the moment.

This is a very exciting time for me as I am about to begin a journey into stage performances. My hope is to polish this act enough to take it to juggling festivals' renegade shows around the world in my Do What You Love Tours. I have two years to practice and develop it. Wish me luck!

Quote of the Day
Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome. ~Arthur Ashe

1852291215

2007-09-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

Another nice video from Jugglenerd.

Juggling Social Network

2007-09-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

There is a new website for jugglers called Juggling Social Network. Here's what the site says:

What is Juggling Social Network?
Juggling Social Network is a world-wide community of jugglers, that helps you to find, contact and meet new friends and jugglers!
This community has some nice and new features like a jugglers map, the ability to search jugglers that live near you and the scheduling of the next juggling events all over the world.

There is something like this now called JuggleStay. The new website will have the same concept as JuggleStay, but with more features.

I'm really excited about this because it's another tool for planning my Do What You Love Tours.

Quote of the Day
Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~Jane Howard, "Families"

Working Matt's List

2007-09-10T18:07:00.000-07:00

Matt Hall has published and republished a long list of siteswaps. Before he republished it, I wrote down all of the siteswaps into my notebook that I take with me when I juggle. I've just begun to explore the 5b patterns. So, in the last week, I've been working on these:

744 - Short runs 3-4 cycles.
645 - Twice through the pattern.
75661 - I've nailed this one a few times, but haven't run it twice yet.
7463 - I've thrown all the throws correctly, but haven't returned to the 5b cascade.
73636 - Attempted
75751 - Attempted
77461 - Attempted

I'm really stoked that I've come to the point in my juggling where 5b siteswaps are on the practice sheet. It gives me some satisfaction given that I've been juggling for 3.75 years.

I'm hopefull that this new area of juggling will bring me even more satisfaction in the coming years.

Quote of the Day
Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing. ~Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

Sick Siteswap Video!

2007-09-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

My jaw hit the floor watching this video. It is by far the sickest juggling video I have ever seen. It's full of 5, 6, and 7b siteswaps... long runs. Prepare yourself...

Quote of the Day
Self-reliance is the only road to true freedom, and being one's own person is its ultimate reward. ~Patricia Sampson

Tour Planning

2007-09-05T06:15:00.000-07:00

I've added another tool to my Do What You Love Tours planning. It's simple. I use rec.juggling to participate in online discussions about juggling.

Every so often someone posts an announcement about an upcoming juggling festival or a recently held festival. All I need to do is add the topic thread to my "Favorites" and walla, I have a permanent record of the festival name, location, dates, and any other important information such as websites for the events. I'll even know, from the responses, who has gone or who is involved with it if I ever need to contact someone for questions about it.

Quote of the Day
What happened in the past? What did I learn from it? What can I do differently now? ~Spencer Johnson, M.D., The Present (2003)

Juggling Discovery

2007-09-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

After a 4 week juggling layoff (doctor's orders), I got my first session in today. Things went pretty well for 4b, but 5b had a slow start. After 3.5 years of juggling, I'm surprised at how unstable my 5b cascade is. Surprisingly, things began to stabalize when I started working on 75661 and 7441. Maybe my mind and body prefer patterns with variations in throw types.

My club practice went better than balls. I discovered a really interesting trick involving 3 clubs and head rolls. As time has gone by, I've begun to explore my own personal interests in juggling which I think has lead to improved skills. The things I explore are simply interesting to me, and therefore motivating and fun. It's a great realization that in this process, I'm developing a style that reflects my personality.

I stopped my practice 15 minutes early when I busted my upper lip on a club knob. That was the first time I've bled from a juggling injury. I feel like I've been initiated somehow...

7b run

2007-09-03T19:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a video just posted on Rec.juggling of "Jugglenerd's" record 7b run of 314 catches. I still haven't even qualified 7b with 14 catches...

Quote of the Day
Being in The Present means tuning out distractions and paying attention to what is important, now. You create your own Present by what you give your attention to today. ~Dr. Spencer Johnson, from The Present (2003)

Poll: Which Forum Is Best?

2007-08-20T02:26:00.000-07:00

Opinion Polls & Market Research

View Poll Statistics

Gandini Siteswap Cards +

2007-08-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

Sean Gandini announced on rec.juggling that he has made some learning materials available, free to the community. Follow this link Gandini Siteswap Cards + to the materials.

The Gandinis sold the Siteswap Cards and I think the Popcorn Cards in the past, so it's nice to see they are letting them go for free now. I've been using the Siteswap Cards for about 1.5 years. I've seen three people, including myself, print out the cards, lamenate them, and bind them with a ring or spiral binder.

There are so many numbers on the cards that they can be a bit overwhelming at first. With time, patience, and practice, you can benefit from them as I have. I'd also suggest making a friend of a siteswap lover, and buying the Siteswaps DVDs made by the Gandinis and sold through Media Circus and other juggling vendors. There is a wonderful explanation of siteswaps and tons of tricks demonstrated. Enough to keep you busy for many years.

There are other learning materials there for you to look into. Most of it is new to me, so I'm looking forward to what I might learn from it in the future.

Quote of the Day
I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. ~Voltaire (1694 - 1778), (Attributed); originated in "The Friends of Voltaire", 1906, by S. G. Tallentyre (Evelyn Beatrice Hall)

OSU Jugglers USO Show

2007-08-12T03:20:00.000-07:00

My friends in the Oregon State University Jugglers Club just finished doing their now annual fund raising event. Last year was the first and this is the second year the club has been invited to warm up the crowd for the Oregon State University Outdoor Theater Shows in the university quad. This year the club earned $902 in tips, about $100 dollars more than last year!

The video below is a highlights video, showing the best of two weeks of shows. Congratulations to the OSU Jugglers Club on another successful performance fundraiser!

Quote of the Day
The biggest thing [Frida] brought into my life was this peacefulness. I still get passionate about things, but my passion is not so scattered and it's not needy. It's a lot more powerful because it comes with this groundedness and peacefulness. That it's about the process, not about the results. ~Salma Hayek, Conversation with Salma Hayek, 2002

Visionbot.com

2007-08-11T16:41:00.000-07:00

Visionbot.com has released the 4th and final video in the manipulation series called VSNBT MNPLTN SRS. You can download all four high quality videos here. They are all well made videos and show some interesting manipulations. They are all worth a viewing if you have the slightest interest in manipulation, video making, or art.

Juggla's Paradise

2007-08-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

This video made me laugh. It's a juggling show where the jugglers sing the song "Gangsta's Paradise" but change the words around to fit the juggling theme.

Quote of the Day
Health is not valued till sickness comes. ~Dr. Thomas Fuller (1654 - 1734), Gnomologia, 173

Multiplex Juggling: Featured Juggler

2007-07-31T07:22:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to announce that I've been chosen to be the first featured juggler on the new website Multiplex Juggling created by Danny Marden. All of the tricks I used in my 4b Multiplex Families Demonstrational Video are presented in indivdual clips available for download.

I'm planning to release another video of multiplex tricks in October. I will submit them to Multiplex Juggling at that time.

Thank you Danny for creating the website and hosting my videos!

Quote of the Day
If you don't risk anything you risk even more. ~Erica Jong

Korean Bartender Flair Show

2007-07-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

A while back, I went to a bar and watched my first flair bartending performance. I made sure to go back with my video camera so I could record it. These two video cover both sets they did, back to back. Enjoy. (BTW, the performance starts at 2:30 in the first video)

3rd Ansan Int. Busking Festival Pt. 2

2007-07-28T04:12:00.000-07:00

The facility used for the 3rd Ansan International Busking Festival was quite large. It was a giant sport center which also had a large performance auditorium. However, none of the busking acts performed indoors or in the stadium.

It's hard to really call it busking in the first place since it is an organized event. "Busking" is a word that means "street performing" and is done in busy streets around the world. One of the challenges of busking is gathering a crowd to watch your act and then getting them to give you some money. At this festival, the performers didn't have to work too hard to get the crowd since people new it was a place to watch performances. Anyway.

The event lasted from Friday May 4 to Sunday May 6. I went on Sunday and was not able to see all the acts. So I will talk about the acts I did get to see.

The first act I want to talk about is Tezuca. Tezuca is a pantomime performer. He doesn't do any talking and uses physical comedy to get reactions from the crowd. I thought he was really good and not just because he chose me to participate in his show.

He asked me to hold a small disco ball over his head while he lipsinked " I will always love you" by Whitney Houston. Whenever Whitney hit a high note, he would put a piece of lemon in his mouth to make his face look funny and continue with the song. By the end of his act I was wearing glitter hair and eating lemon too. Here are some photos:

Quote of the Day
Nothing can be attained without any effort. ~Unkown Author

Korean Network Grows

2007-07-24T03:19:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday was a great day at the park. I met a Korean juggler, Byeong-Yoon, from Busan, about 3 hours away by high speed train. I don't know why he was visiting Seoul, but I'm glad he did. He is closer to my age than the high school kids, so that was a refreshing change.

I tried teaching Byeong-Yoon and the others some 4b multiplex patterns I used in my recent video. It was a lot of information for them to take in, so I hope they remember a couple of the patterns or at least are inspired to practice them some more.

Another semi-fun thing that happened was having some people stop by to learn to juggle. I don't usually like to teach juggling when I'm practicing because I find it difficult to focus on my juggling if I'm talking with someone. The truth is, I would teach people to juggle a lot more if I were to let it happen. There is always someone who is looking at or hovering around my props as if they want to play. It's hard to know where to set the teaching/practicing boundaries. I always feel like a jerk when I don't teach someone, but I deal with it.

Below are two random girls that stopped by to do some juggling. A few other random Koreans stopped by as well.

Chris Fowler 4b Sequence

2007-07-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Chris Fowler filmed this really clean and technically difficult 4b sequence in response to a request for Jason Garfield to film a particular challenging trick. If you like techinical ball juggling, you will like this sequence.

Quote of the Day
Restlessness and discontent are the first necessities of progress. ~Thomas A. Edison

Extreme Juggling Video Podcast

2007-07-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is a very funny video filmed at the WJF 4 event. Enjoy!

Quote of the Day
I'm convinced that every boy, in his heart, would rather steal second base than an automobile. ~Tom Clark

3rd Ansan Int. Busking Festival Pt.1

2007-07-18T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of photos from my trip to Ansan, Korea for the 3rd Ansan International Busking Art Festival. Enough to make several posts about the event.

My first post will be about the morning I went to meet my Korean friend Jae-Eun at the train station so we could go together.

I arrived about 45 minutes early and decided to sit down and rest on a bench in the shade of a tree. The place where I was meeting my friend is pretty far away from where Westerners typically stay, so I received a few awkward looks from passerbyes. Nothing I didn't expect.

However, after sitting for about 10 minutes, a man came walking over to the bench and said something that sounded very angry, and apparently directed at noone at all. I could smell alcohol on his breath. Then he grabbed a tool from his tool belt and slammed the pointed tip into the bench. The tool penetrated the wood and stood upright. I got the immediate feeling this man had done that before and could be some kind of show of strength or something intended to startle/frighten me. Whether or not he intended it, that is what happened.

I was eating Pepperros, a Korean chocolate candy which are a box of pretzel sticks covered in chocolate. Instinctively, out of self-preservation, I offered some to the stranger. My hope was that any anger he had would be disarmed by the offer.

To my delight, the man accepted. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of chocolate covered seeds and began to offer them to me. We ate the seeds and then he bought some street vendor food that we shared.

His English was minimal. He learned it in the military while working with US soldiers. He was trained as a sniper. These days he is a section chief for power line maintanence. I think he said he was 42 years old.

While we talked I made him an oregame flower (just in case he needed to chill out a bit more). He made me an oregame crane. Shortly after exchanging these, I took a photo of him because it was such a strang encounter.

If you look closely, you can see the wratchet like tool behind his left arm. That is the thing he slammed into the wooden bench.