Living in Distopia

Skippy! · Post by **Skippy!** » 12 Feb 2006 19:40

Johnny, maybe you can create a protege!!! Like, a shredi master or something!!! Good to hear you have a shred partner.

jon · Post by **jon** » 12 Feb 2006 20:16

Johnny wrote:My warmup consisted of 300 kicks > 200 toe stalls and easy tiltless > 100 tiltless > 50 guiltless (no drops).

That is friggin awesome!!! This is the most impressive thing I have read on this board in a long time.

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » 07 Mar 2006 22:37

As time goes on I've been having progressively less time for footbag.

That's not even the hard part to understand. I'm in the final semester of my final year in highschool with a heavy course load. I should be busy. What's hard to understand is why when I do get the chance to have a session, I can't go any longer than 20 minutes without getting bored. Maybe I don't have time for footbag because subconsiously I don't want to play footbag anymore.

I haven't had any noticeable positive trends with my footbag game in quite some time. I remember progressing so fast and having so much fun when I started. So did I progress because I was having fun, or did I have fun because I was progressing? Maybe both. Neither now.

It would be easy to blame my lack of motivation on the absence of a scene here in Brantford, but that would be pretty lame. I shouldn't have to rely on other people for motivation if I enjoy footbag as much as I should, or as much as I thought I did. I guess its my fault for slowing down just when I started to get as good as I thought I'd never be.

If only there was a tournament every weekend...
[eagerly anticipating the upcoming tournament during the week, enjoying it on Friday and Saturday, savouring it on Sunday, and the shittiest feeling ever (the one I get when I finally realize its all over; on the way home) would be diluted by] > rpt.
...but surely such a Eutopia doesn't exist.

I miss being self-motivated.

I miss needing nothing more than a pair of lavers and a footbag to make me happy.

I miss everyone I've ever met at a tournament.

I miss what footbag was to me.

I suppose I should quit whining and ranting, and go grab a glass of water, eh Cleaver?

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 07 Mar 2006 22:47

Please don't lose your drive Johnny!

You are really fucking insanely good at footbag!!!!

You have so much talent and smarts and I love how you apply it to footbag.

Every shredder that has met you and spent any time with you automatically consideres you their favourite shredder ever. That's because you're the best and nicest.

Please stay stoked!!!

Go Ontario!

mc · Post by mc » 08 Mar 2006 09:28

yo johnny,

we all go in motivational waves. The magic will come back. You just need to get your driver's liscense and plan to go somewhere cool for college. Those two things can add greatly to footbag becoming more to you, because when you've got your car, you can get around to playing with others, and when you're at college, you can use it to meet a lot of other people, and get them involved in freestyle. Adding a big social element to your game can make footbag a whole, new special thing for you, and for others. Being that I'm not such a technical player, the social element of footbag has been the very best thing about the sport for me. It's brought me around to the places where I have the most fun, and I'm surrounded by people that relate to me and love me. It's very rewarding...

so, yeah, work on that mobility, buddy. Let's see some pictures of some new johnny footbags!!!!!!

m

david · Post by **david** » 08 Mar 2006 10:04

I hope the water helped. If it didn't here's some stuff.

I've known you for a while, but only online, so I really don't know how cool you are in real life, but ive heard your pretty swell. I really like your game and your style, but really even if you sucked i think id tell you the same thing: that footbag is a personal experience and you shouldn't play when you dont want to. Ive had weeks where I didnt like it and playing just made it worse. Just take a break, who cares. And even if you do stop, your still one of the coolest people ive met.

relax, and find the fun.

-david

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » 10 Mar 2006 17:41

Thanks guys.

I had two sessions today. The first "session" was only like 15 minutes. I really wasn't feeling it so I didn't bother dragging it out. The second session on the other hand was great. I started around 5:15, and stopped around 6:45 or so. Not a bad length of a session by my standards.

About halfway through the session almost a dozen girls came into the studio at the YMCA where I was shredding. They did some crazy dance number, and cramped my space a bit, but it was totally cool because they brought music. After the music picked up so did my shred, it was a really cool atmosphere. I drilled a lot of swirls and swirl related moves, they're so wickedly fun. I think I'm going to skool them to death because they feel that smooth. Hitting stuff like pixie swirl>swirl>symp swirl>swirl> symp whirl > symp whirling swirl is just so exciting and powerful.

I guess the biggest accomplishment was having fun shredding. Hopefully I can keep having sessions like these.

I've been shredding with a Granny Smith (crocheted bags made by Lon Smith's grandma) bag almost exclusively since I got three about a week ago. As I started getting serious about freestyle I completely ruled out crocheted bags as shred bags, but DAMN. These bags aren't just good for being crocheted bags but they are good for being a footbag.

Just like a 32, crocheted bags can be really good, and really bad. Unfortunetely most people have only been exposed to the bad kinds. If anyone is looking for a unique, cheaper alternative ($5US each) to 32's, then you should definitely get hooked up with one of these bags.

I ordered three (pink, green, orange). The pink one is about 45 grams and the smallest of the three (most ideal size imo). The orange one is 55ish grams and slightly larger than the size I make my 32's. The green bag is the largest and heaviest of the three, definitely too large for my taste, but still fun to kick around. The orange one I have is a bit loosely made so it leaks a bit, but thats nothing I can't fix.

I'll try to post some pictures of these sick, sick Granny Smith bags, some of my newly stitched 32's and 12's, and a new Michal Hadas bag I just got in from Poland for the stitching exchange.

Coming home and finding out you have mail from footbaggers is soooo good.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 10 Mar 2006 19:43

Glad today felt good.

jake · Post by **jake** » 10 Mar 2006 20:23

i love fun sessions.

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » 12 Mar 2006 11:41

Spring weather is finally here! I can't wait to have an outdoor session. Maybe I'll have one soon, before it starts getting dark.

Sporatical_Distractions · Post by **Sporatical_Distractions** » 12 Mar 2006 11:53

Johnny wrote: I've been shredding with a Granny Smith (crocheted bags made by Lon Smith's grandma)

I love these bags. I bought a yellow one with a huge smiley face and hair (which fell out the first time I kicked it). these bags rule. glad you're enjoying it and that swirls are sparking your footbag interest again.

hope to see u at a tourney/jam someday.

good luck with your final semester

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » 17 Mar 2006 21:29

YMCA Session/Workout. Initially I was pretty excited to play because I watched the lon smith todexon special, and tom moshers new vid... but as I started playing that died down and I ended up getting bored. I hit some new stuff even though its not really an improvement on anything, it's really just hitting stuff I hadn't tried before.

-Tomahawk>Blurry Whirl>Blurry Whirl>Tomahawk>Paradox Torque
-Blurry Drifter>Blurry Whirl>Blurry Drifter>Blurry Whirl>PS Whirl
-Swifter>Swifter (bs)
-PS Whirl>Swifter (bs)

I can imagine SOO many tight rpt combos with swifters, so I think I'll continue schooling them. I know I'm forgetting something that I hit, but oh well. I came close to Pixie Swirl>Ripstein>Swifter, too bad my ripsteins suck. What is the swirling set secret?!

Peace.

mosher · Post by **mosher** » 18 Mar 2006 16:02

The only thing Ive found to work for swirling sets is to 'press' the bag upwards and make sure it's left your foot and then snap the swirl motion *forwards* over the bag.

Anthony · Post by **Anthony** » 04 Aug 2006 05:52

Go johnny!

HG · Post by HG » 18 Aug 2006 10:01

Your welcome johnny. i can only hope you did as well with my challenges

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » 18 Aug 2006 10:32

Not quite as well.

For any of you who care, I've been skooling a bunch lately. I'm eagerly anticipating KICKASS. I think I'll do alright in Shred30 this time.

My back was killing me yesterday, but it feels bit better today. I could actually play. Phew!

Later.

HG · Post by HG » 18 Aug 2006 11:01

so sweet!

zach4th · Post by **zach4th** » 19 Aug 2006 10:52

Johnny posting.

At Zach's (mr sponcership himself). Back is fucked. Fun shred anyway. Yay.

I hit:

-sole kick > flapper kick
-some footbag juggling

Yea. That's pretty much it. I think my best run was my warmup run. Unfortunately.

I've got some videos at home I might upload on Monday when I'm back from my girlfriends house.

Moxie · Post by **Moxie** » 19 Aug 2006 11:03

Don't be stupid.

Also, heal your back.

Johnny · Post by **Johnny** » 21 Aug 2006 15:13

Yea, I haven't played since Saturday Emily. I'm trying to let it heal.

I had a great weekend. After I played (or tried to play) footbag on Saturday I spent a lot of time relaxing with the gf. Spent plenty of time in the hot tub. The jets massaged my lower back and I loved it.

I went rock climbing on this 40' indoor wall twice over the weekend. At first I was scared that my back wouldn't like it but the climbing didn't bother it at all. I love climbing. I got to the top of the wall on a difficult line and it felt soo good. My fingers are still numb.

I went shopping and in the mall there was a shoe repair shop. I wanted to see if the guy could do anything for my footbag shoes since they are dead but I still love them. I asked him what he could do for them so he asked me to show them to him. I put my foot up on the counter and without a moments pause he just shrugged and pretty much told me there was nothing he could do.

They're that bad. Fuck that though. I bought some soles and I'm installing them right now. I can't wait to shred in them after my back feels better.

People probably think that I'm being cheap and I can't afford a new pair of shoes, but the reality is that I would rather spend 50 bucks to repair the old ones than get a new pair. I've had them so long they are more like slippers than shoes. The transition into new rods is almost impossible for me. I love my shoes. Get off my back.

Pictures soon.