Muffinman

[Muffinman]

Yeah, my Chops is kind of sloppy -- it either gets too thin (close to my hands) and makes me lean forward and end up losing the balls away from me, or it gets too deep in my armpits and I lose the balls in myself...it's hard to make clean right now, but it's not too hard overall. Thanks for the tip, though, Dat!

I am going to beat the crap out of juggling! This is so exciting!!

I always thought that moves like The Box and Mills Mess were big tricks, and the sites that I've been looking at (mostly the same one that Johnny linked to) have all of these tricks of different variations of the same pattern all listed together -- I always thought for some reason that, like, I should learn all of one pattern before moving on to another, and with the list that way Mills Mess looked like it was a FAR ways away. I got discouraged when a few tricks right near the top of the list were super hard, so I moved ahead and scanned through some other patterns. I looked on another site at a description of Mills Mess, and it seems sooo totally easy for a trick that I've always only associated with really good jugglers and stuff... I just need to practice my Chops and I think it should be good! Yay!!



I juggled for like an hour and a half straight a bit ago, not counting juggling earlier. I filmed, because I wanted to make a little video, but all of my runs look exactly the same probably. I tried forever to get that three-ball behind the back toss beesauce...rahr! I just barely got and dropped right after a few times. I had bright lights in my eyes and couldn't do some things like my 4-ball alternating columns and I couldn't do my flip Shower at all. I don't know anything about juggling yet, so I'm assuming it's like footbag where you can't really INVENT a trick... but I did this move where I held one arm (like I would for Chops) and tossed, with one hand, a ball back over it, and then tossed the other ball forward over it, alternating two balls with one hand back and forth over my arm. It felt neat because it felt like I made something up...

Oh yeah...I looked at Shuffle, I think it was...wow... I need to practice that "direct toss" thing a LOT to be able to do that. It looks so cool, and I liked a lot when Jorden does that in his juggling videos. I tried and the balls were just going all over the place and missing my hands I laughed at myself and it was funny!


EDIT: I just got the Juggling Master Java thing! I had used this years ago, but I never really got into juggling then because I had footbag. I understand a lot more just from playing around with this. So when I said the alternating columns I meant fountain. I still don't know the terminology and stuff, though. I looked for forums and kind of found some, but they were those really bad old school ones where nothing is organized and hard to find what you're looking for. I'm wondering if there are terms for things like the direct toss I was wondering about, and like...if saying "tricks" and "runs" is proper; or if every trick is just a "pattern"...or are they called tricks?... It's kind of confusing, but really fun learning something new!

[qphox]

I was doing this thing that I THOUGHT was Mills Mess...it's kind of like, a windmill, but alternating on each side immediately after the other. Sooo...two balls go "over" on each side...but there's not as much arm crossover, except for when I cross the single "middle" ball underneath.

Finally, last night, I learned what I was doing that was different from Mills Mess. So I took 10 mnutes and now I've got Mills Mess pretty dialed.

[Muffinman]

I did a tiny bit of stuff today just spur of the moment in my knee braces since a friend had a bag on her. I make it a point to never carry one and to wear steel toed boots when I go to Hackrifice jams so that I don't try to play.

I did some infinities, ducking clip > spinning clip [repeat] first try, and mobius both sides. It felt so nice; it's the first time I've touched a bag since November. I don't know how my knees feel. I don't think I will know until I take of my braces. I should definately not do this again any time soon though.

I have an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon on, like, July 4th, or something. In other news I have a sweet office job at the moment (ends this week), I've been playing disc and had my first game of table tennis today in, like, many many years.

I just finished reading Angels and Demons. It was good, though I didn't like it as much as Da Vinci Code. I dunno. I'm now reading an anthology that I put together and bound of all of the books found in Daggerfall (Elder Scrolls 2). I will eventually make about 5 other volumes this size (about 450 pages). I started reading today and it's so awesome. I love it. Currently on the complete "Real Barenziah", which is good; it's a lot like "The Horse and His Boy", but with the Elder Scrolls races, history, cities, characters, magic, etc...VERY awesome. Very geeky, I admit, but I'm really into it.

That's my story.

I'm also designing a big 10-years-of-glow-bowling anniversary logo for the bowling alley that I work at that will be on big posters, tshirts, and everything. It should be neat. I should work on that. Any ideas what I should charge my boss? A couple hundred dollars? I dunno. I should look into that too.

We also have a sweet condo lined up on the waterfront in Toronto; that will be exciting. It is sweet; all of my Toronto footbag friends are going to have to come visit when I move out. I'm really excited to visit Paul's house and see all of his animals.

[sampotter]

I LOVE Daggerfall. I always wished I had the patience to stop and read all of the amazing literature in the game, but never bothered because I was too busy piecing together my phat daedric epicness. I wish I still had a computer that could play that game...

How's the juggling been, Erik?

[hacksterbator]

hey erik,
isn't it nice to play footbag

i knwo how you feel man. it sucks being told AGAIN that i have to stop playing, cause i thought i was done with this! so are you still working at the bowling alley? i thought you quit working there and were just doing the desk job thing? so what's the plan when the desk job ends?

[brian relly]

bump.

[Muffinman]

Hi Stephen

EDIT: Oh, I post in the FAT blog quite a bit.

[Muffinman]

I've decided to school osis daily (though it's only been two days so far...really, only one...). Osis has been my bane for as long as I've played -- I've always avoided them except in practice sessions, because I know I will drop, ESPECIALLY flipside.

Today I schooled osis exclusively for 3 hours after work; it felt sooo good. I hit some cool stuff that is really hard for me, and really enjoyable, but sounds really weak. I am so excited to get good at osis, because it is low-impact (though I'm concerned the akward knee-bending may be bad for me?), and because osis moves are bloody styley!

Here's some stuff I hit:
-osis > torque [repeat] (I have a really weak torque too, so I spent, like, 10 minutes on some torques)
-osis > peeking osis [repeat]
-diving osis > diving clipper [repeat] > ducking clipper > ducking osis [repeat]!!
-diving osis > ducking osis [repeat]!

and I was suuuuper close to spinning osis > peeking osis [repeat], though I think it will be easier with more space and on a surface other than really really thick carpet. I will try alternating spinning osii next time too, since I forgot about that. I hit, like, maybe, 3 peeking osii on each side -- I LOVE that move!!

(Oh, there was a really long osis-drill run posted in my challenge thread AGES ago...I should try that now!!) Oh yeah, and also, I hit 20 osii (I think my record is 22). My average was probably 7, which doesn't sound very impressive, but it felt like a lot, and even just a few felt really satisfying.


Anyway, that's all.
I have a kind of Toronto blog here, with pictures and stuff: http://chantienyee.multiply.com


EDIT (4:32 A.M.): Feeling MUCH discomfort in my knees from osis session; hope I'm okay for shred with Mike tomorrow (today) (At the same time very excited to play in our awesome new shred spot in my rec centre -- would like to record...)

[Muffinman]

I'm sick with a flu, or bronchitis(?), or something and wish I could play so bad! I just had the most horrible day at work EVER...I worked up a fever at work yesterday and it was suckass -- then today I had to work at 7 in the morning when I usually work at noon, I hadn't got barely any sleep, my fever hadn't gone down, and there was a lineup looped from one side of the building to the other, non-stop for 5 hours. Sooo crappy. And then to top it off it turns out I traded my shift with the ninja, and my favourite coworker who just quit came back for one day to do a favour and she only agreed to work because it was with me and I didn't get to.

I've been sleeping a lot -- as soon as I get home from work I fall completely asleep. I'm up now but I will be dead tired again very soon. Can't wait for more feverish work tomorrow.



I've been trying to think of cool stuff I can throw into my game. This morning I thought of adding symp to my dlo moves, but I think the force required for that will put too much pressure on my knees, so I'm going to start with some smaller stuff like spinning symp mirages, and then adding a duck. Gyro symp dlo might not be too tough, 'cause there isn't that pivot. Spinning ducking symp mirage would be an easy 6 that I can actually do.

I thought I would try to come up with some neat fearless that I can do with my limited moves too -- that would be cool. And I want to get my flip atomic better so I can do flip tapping dlos and maybe ducking even. I'm going to try adding fairy next session (starting with fairy same mirages, 'cause they're easy) -- fairy work my hips more than my knees, but I will be careful. I hate watching people do the fairy -- I do it on one side, but my "good side" is like sameside atomic (that's actually how I think it, which makes me realize that I can probably do fairies now)...

What else should I do?
I want eggbeaters so bad, but they hurt
Maybe I will practice legeaters (and maybe merlins too -- though maybe too much symp on that...).

Any suggestions or challenges?
I thought I would post in the challenges thread, but if I start posting more in my blog again I think I would like to keep it all together. Maybe I will think of some drills and write them down here. I should get that osis drill I was talking about from my challenges thread and try it, but it's soooo long -- I don't think I will remember it, which is why I've been avoiding; it seems the memorizing would be the hardest part :p



EDIT: Gonna try some stuff:
-dlo > ingyro clip [repeat] (as many times as I can)
-gyro dlo > legbeater > ripwalk [repeat] (and then move on to rubberman with gyro dlo instead of blur -- I'll also work on rubberman with fog)

EDIT 2: Oh yeah, I hit, like, 22 spinning clippers at that outdoor Dundas Square session; someone was trying consec -- I think Josh? And I tried -- maybe someone asked how many I'd done or something? And I was like, "I think 15-ish?" and then hit more than 20 first try. I remember saying how hard it is to do consecutively because during those last 5 or so contacts I couldn't even see I was so dizzy (seriously).

[Slowsis]

I was hoping you'd revive this blog now that you are playing a lot! You better be feeling good for the weekend, cuz the shred don't stop.

[janis]

great to see you playing again
as for some suggestions, how about ducking mirage, spinning mirage and ingyro mirage. How about diving mirage>ducking mirage > repeat?

[Asmus]

Neutronsmasher!!!
Challenge: Neutronsmasher b2b
Coolest trick ever.
I think it would be a great addition to your game.
Good to see your playing again.

[hacksterbator]

How about diving mirage>ducking mirage > repeat?

pffffftttt.... erik was hitting that when you were still in diapers skooling your inside stalls. i'm pretty sure that run is on "just shred" or is it "time to jam"? any way, really looking forward to you coming home for a while.

[Muffinman]

Neutronsmasher!!!
Challenge: Neutronsmasher b2b

Is that atomic gyro mirage? Or nuclear gyro mirage or something? I remember hearing that move name for a move that I already called something else..."Johnny"-something... I remember some dispute over whether Lynton or Brian McKenzie hit it first? Anyway, what's the move? :p

(Watching Yves in that "HEROES" video made me REALLY want to school my nuclear!!)

[Asmus]

It is also called Johnny Quest.
Its Atomic Gyro Mirage.
Yeah, Yves' nuclear is sick!

[setman]

yes, neutron smasher (aka Johnny Quest) is atomic gyro mirage.
nuclear gyro mirage is tornado.

[Muffinman]

Oh, I hit that move a long time ago. I will try flip some time, but back-to-back will take some time :p

I was thinking of adding some more torque moves to my game too...pdx torque and mobius, and maybe blurry (though quite a bit of impact there)... Being sick is giving me lots of fun ideas!

[mc]

hey muffin,

I'm downloading heroes and waiting and waiting... just wanted to say hi, and thanks again for helping to turn my little trip to TO into a vacation. I had a blast with you and marita. I hope I can come again soon thanks also for the sweet video, I love it.

can't wait to play again.

matt

[Muffinman]

Thanks Matt!
We had a ton of fun with you too! I always look forward to seeing you again



Shred: Sunday, December 10, 2006
We had a session today; Alex and Andrew Langstaff came to my place. It was my first shred with Andrew -- he's a really nice guy. As last shred in my "workout area", I ended up spraying the window behind me a ton with my sweaty spins...even after putting on a toque to purposefully prevent this.

Oh yeah, it was a REALLY crappy session. I somehow forgot kleenex (I thought I had a roll of TP in my bag) and forgot that even though I'm over my fever, I've been blowing my nose (very productively) every few minutes of every day... I also noticed that after a half-hour in or so that I was getting really dizzy and realized that I'm still pretty sick :p BLEH. My stamina was out the window.

One highlight was spinning ducking clipper x 10 I came home and checked the world record, and it's 17 by Ricky -- I think I can beat that. I also hit a ton of spinning clippers again -- I lost count in my dizziness, but it may have been more than my previous 22-ish. I did one flipside attempt and got 11...I will work on that...I feel really onesided on bigger spinning things...I also could barely do one flip spinning ducking clipper...that made me feel crappy.

Ripped warriors were working okay, but I tried some torque moves and I think all I hit was, like, torque one side, each...that was so lame. I really want to dial mobius...the problem is that I am too injured to have solo or practice sessions. I guess jamming with Mike is really nice for that -- I feel the most laid back shredding with Mike, and we often take turns practicing moves we're both trying to hit... I was going to call him today but remembered he's off in some exotic country for a week or so :p

Anyway...that was my lame highlight. I did some other stuff that was ALMOST neat, like working consec DLOs, and ducking mirages. I did, like, 10 ducking mirages each side and 5 DLOs each side...it was so-so. Next session I will do tons.

Whoa, I just wrote a lot.

[Langstaff]

Hey man... It was great to meet you! Footbaggers are definitely the nicest people in the world, based on who I've met so far. And I must say, you blew my mind with that session. If that was a "REALLY crappy session", I'd probably have a heart attack to see you at your best . Tons of spinning and ducking, great style. I'll forgive you for almost spattering me in sweat multiple times, haha. Hope for another session again some time soon... Later!