Josh Cummings' Blog.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 03 Oct 2008 15:14

Had a great session today.
I drilled left leg mirages a lot barefoot, then later in quantums. They are feeling better. Legovers are slowly coming around, and so are my left leg pixies. Also my spinning clippers are becoming a little more controlled. My left clipper felt awesome today, more natural. Also osis is feeling great on the right leg. I had a few good runs. My string length is slowly getting longer. I want to make a video, but that isnt gonna happen until my string length is better.
I have been thinking about coloring my grey quantums black in some spots. I just dont want them to look stupid, so I am gonna think about it some more. I think it would looks sweet though.
Havent stitched at all. The book Eragon has consumed all my chill time, when I would normally stitch.
Peace Out.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 05 Oct 2008 10:18

Played yesterday and had a super lot of fun.
I hit Paradox Mirage!! It felt so sweet! I hit it a bunch of more times to!
I got one panel left on my bag! I just got 25 pounds of lead shot... It was all they had at the gun shop. I may be selling it on here if I can. 25 pounds will make like 700 bags or something crazy like that. Its size 7.5.
So maybe I can finish the bag today, I just have to figure out how to close it.
Peace out.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 05 Oct 2008 15:21

I finally finished my bag today!!!!!!! It is so awesome. Closing it was confusing, but I will get used to it quickly. I would post it here, but my computer wont let me take it off the camera.
Heres the details:
-32panel
-3 stitch
-Smaller than a golfball
-Orange Pents
-Blue Hexes
-Medium/High gather
-Heavy, probably around 50g.
-7.5 lead shot
The bleed holes are good for the most part, except on the last side I stitched. The stitching isnt very consistent. Plays pretty will though. Definately happy. I can now repair my 31 panel Card Burn bag, and make it a 32. I might do that tonight.
Later!

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 06 Oct 2008 16:32

Fixed my 31 panel Card Burn bag today. I put a blue pent in place of the lost one. I think I did a pretty good job. I had to put a stitch through a bleed hole because it was a little to big. I just need to get used to closing. I filled it perfectly it seems, so it stalls great. It was already broken in before it was destroyed. I dont know how long it will last. It has a small hole in another pent from my dog. What do yall use to patch those little holes?
Peace.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 09 Oct 2008 17:53

Kicked a little yesterday by myself.
My bag had its deput in the hack circle yesterday morning. At first everyone was skeptical about the size and weight. But they liked it more and more as we played.
Today I played a little barefoot. Hit symposium mirage on my strong side. That move is sweet. I will have to work on it tomorrow with shoes.
Peace

Jack Stutler · Post by **Jack Stutler** » 09 Oct 2008 18:00

hey man, props on symposium mirage and paradox mirage. i've been dreaming about paradox mirage for the past week and i have yet to hit it. seems like we're kinda on the same page.

maybe if i can ever get my hands on a camera you'd be interested in a hack off?

let me know

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 11 Oct 2008 15:44

Talked to Jack Stutler, we may have a hack off in the far away future.
Tried to play a little today but my hamstring in sore, so I took it easy.
My first bag is kinda falling apart... I tried to repair a bleed hole and messed it up. This idiot at school just took it and through it really hard at the ground... After that some of the shot fell out. I was so pissed, but I didnt say anything. They dont understand how much time it took to make. So I will make another! I made a new template today, taking in Andrews tip. The template is:
Pent Length: .75 inches
Hex Long side length: .74
Hex short side length: 28%
Does that sound good?
Traced and cutting out the panels now.
I'm out.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 12 Oct 2008 16:14

All I did today was stitch.
I finished my second bag and it looks awesome. It looks so much better than the last and its much rounder. A little bigger than the last to. I really like the new template, although I may make the short side hex percentage a little bigger for the next bag. It took about 6 or 7 hours total. Heres the specs:
Pent color: Blue Hawaii
Hex color: Saffron
-3 stitch
-About the size of a golf ball
-medium gather
-kinda light
After my mom saw it, for some reason she wanted to buy me more colors. Maybe because she showed me a way to tuck the last knot away, or maybe because she read this blog last night a liked it. Either way, I supported her decision. Here are the colors we ordered, all 1/8 of a yard:
-Small Pony, Cream, Black
-Baby Cougar
-Burgundy
-Spanish Gold
-Soft Ivy
I am so psyched! I probably wont be able to stitch again til the weekend after this next one, so the stuff will be here by then. Didnt play at all today either, and probably not for a while. I will be away this next weekend and school takes up to much time.
Time to tell yall about my other sport, the one I am most dedicated to. Short Track speedskating. Here is a video of the best in the world: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ63r8ThxgQ Watch the fast version to (in the same video) it much cooler and more realistic. Its basically NASCAR on ice, but way cooler. Short track is in a hockey rink, around a 111 meter oval marked by blocks. The aim of the game is to beat the 4 or 5 other competitors in each race. The distances are 500, 1000, 1500, and 3000 meters. The blades we use are 17 inches long and as sharp as a knife. After every race and practice, I have to sharpen them. I practice on the ice 3 to 4 nights a week and off ice training the other days. The season is just starting up, and I leave on friday for my first meet of the year in Rochester. Last year I finished 9th in the country in my age group. I guess I can write here about that too. Last year I broke my leg skating, so its a very dangerous sport. Check out some of the short track falls on youtube. They're pretty insane.
This is my biggest post ever...
Peace out.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 13 Oct 2008 16:35

Filled my bag more today. Now it is very heavy. I like it way better. I didnt play much today. My osis is feeling very good now though on my right leg. I'm hitting it much more often.
My dad just kicked with me a little today. It was fun, although I couldnt keep it up. Maybe it was the pants. Hes pretty good.
Back to school tomorrow!! Yay!!!

Not.

Peace
Out

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 20 Oct 2008 13:09

Got back late last night from Rochester.
I finished 3rd overall and did awesome. I got personal bests in all of my races. It was a lot of fun with some pretty awesome racing.
Havent shredded much lately. I got my fabric in the mail and its sweet. I need to was it and then I will start making another bag. I just printed a new template.
Pent Length: .72
Hex long side Length: .71
Hex short side Length: 40%
See how that works.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 20 Oct 2008 15:04

Just finished an awesome session.
I played really well. I broke out all the bags Eric gave me plus the few others I had, including mine. It was the first session using my bag and the first with the others. I realized how crappy my bag is. Its to floppy and heavy and big. I will make a better one this weekend. I finished washing all the fabric. Its drying now.
My favorites out of the ones Eric gave me are the Eskimo Joe bag, and another that I dont know who made it. The others all feel to light and rolly. I could replace the filler, but I dont have a straw.
I used my old Dufflebag mostly today. I forgot how awesome it plays. I used to not like it, I thought it was to rolly and light. But today it felt great, compared to mine.
Highlights
-26 same side clippers on right leg
-5 on left leg (working on shrinking that margin)
-left paradox mirage to right symposium mirage.
The last link felt great, I tried it over and over again, switching bags. I finally hit it with the Eskimo Joe bag. Til next time.
Peace

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 21 Oct 2008 12:02

Today I realized that I havent filmed myself since I learned to do things other than kicks and clipper. So I broke out the camera phone. And of course, whenever there is a camera, the irresistable urge to hit something big came upon me.
So I tried over and over again to hit a new super hard link... For me...
Then it happened:

Left paradox mirage>right butterfly>clipper symposium mirage!!!
It was freakin sweet. After probably 30 tries.
I also did 10 same side clipper on my left.
Big Day.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 22 Oct 2008 16:51

I had a fresh sesh today....

You like that?
I only played for 20 minutes or so. I drilled left clipper and left mirage. I did the triforce drill and got to 3 on one side. I hit that link again and I came close to hitting paradox mirage on my right side (setting from my right foot). For a move like paradox mirage, is it a left side pdx mirage if you set it from your left clipper, or is it a right side pdx mirage because you dex and catch like a right side mirage?
I meant to trace and cut tonight, but I ran outa time. Hopefully I will be able to motivate myself to do it on friday (I have friday off!).
Later

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 23 Oct 2008 11:59

Shredded for a little again today.
Set a bunch of new personal records:
-22 alternating clippers (thats double my previous)
-32 alternating inside stalls
-up to 4 on the triforce drill. 4 on the right, then 2 on the left
-back to back right osis.
That last highlight felt really good and I hit it on the second try. Tomorrow I will definately shred and stitch. Time to go skating.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 24 Oct 2008 13:03

2,000 views!
Another shred today...
Nothing special, just clipper drills and mirage. Left mirage is starting to come a little more natural. Hit right mirage 14 times with a hand catch. I could have kept going, but my hamstring was hurting.
I will definately trace and cut tonight.
I updated the first post and moved the uninforming blabber to my second post.

mc · Post by mc » 24 Oct 2008 14:24

you trace and cut?

you poor guy...

If you haven't, I posted a thread about faster stitching in the bags and equipment subforum, in which I described a technique that reduces your panel cutting time dramatically (in comparison to tracing and cutting).

if you have indeed read that, and you still choose to trace and cut,

nevermind

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 24 Oct 2008 15:24

I havent checked that out. I definately will. Thanks Matt!

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 25 Oct 2008 12:35

I guess this poll was a runaway.
I shredded for the longest in a while today. About and hour and a half.
I hit that killer combo a bunch of times along with a new alternate clipper record: 23!! Had some pretty decent runs. Probably the best I've ever played. I really like the Eskimo Joe bag I have been using. It seems perfect. I finished two flowers last night. I am really trying to work on getting my gather better. I think that is one reason why my bleed wholes suck...
Bye.

JoshC. · Post by **JoshC.** » 26 Oct 2008 17:19

Stitched a ton today. It didnt come out like had hoped. The gather was uneven and the bleedholes are terrible...
Specs:
-Soft Ivy and Babt cougar
-Messed up pattern
-uneven gather
-medium weight
It is very sloppy looking and it is not round. If you massage it, shot comes out. I am happy with the color choice though, it looks like camoflauge. Maybe we will see how it plays tomorrow.

Drew · Post by **Drew** » 27 Oct 2008 15:59

Yo what's up meng?

beginning bags can be really nerve wracking, once you find the right gather that you like, things sorta click.

your shred game looks like it's improved, look forward to shredding with you sometime soon! keep working the foundation stuff, strong foundation is the best thing you can build from and work up to higher levels.

peace!

-Drewk