So yeah, worlds has come and gone. My mind went through quite a few ideal changes through worlds, and I feel like I have more direction in the player I want to be, than previously. There has never been a part of me that just "played" to "play", I always came away from even the shittiest of sessions at half mast, but I found for the last few months I didn't know what I wanted to do, other than get better. This had plagued me for many months, because all I wanted to do was school basics, and get a good foundation, but I never pushed anything, with the passion I could use say, when I learned...Swirl? Now that I have a clearer vision of how I want to be, I can do every swirl like I mean it.
Versus
Now, instead of a typical "Here is every event that happened at worlds" writeup, I think I'll just go day by day, by how I felt.
Day One: On the plane.
So, I get on the anti-littlest Air Canada plane, one way flight to SFO, personal head rest entertainment centre monitor. Would I be tempted by the movies, soap operas, or low budget Canadian short films? No teacher, leave those kids alone, I was going to think about dexes. So, I tossed my head on top of a sweater on the fold out tray, and thought about cool shit that would, should, or I would make happen at worlds. I was really worried about my performance, because I had been injured about 2 months before worlds, hadn't been schooling as much or as hard as I wanted, and I had a lot of competition from the cool kids.
So, I get to the airport, and Eric Chang answers the phone saying "Wait, you're here at 12:30 PM, not AM? Shit, I'll come right now. I'm at Steve's".
Mission One Accomplished: Somehow get to Steve's, even though I'm sure he wouldn't want me there during worlds. I got to carry a large order of "in and out" burgers for the Czech crew, which also was like, epic. Seeing the Czech's in Steve's house, is like seeing a Da Vinci painting in a museum, versus, a monitor. So, I get there, and Cleaver is there, Muffinman, Steve, oh Steve, sigh, Czechland, and to my surprise, 90% of Poland. Little Norek, massive Bujo, ontop of things Rafal(w), Owstrowki duo, and female owstrowki partner. Turns out that no one wanted to play due to an epic session the day before, so I had to get out my plane leg shit-playing-ness while all those cool kids watched me. Like, Steve and I warmed up together, and then Eric Chang and Jeff Mudd played I think. Like, the entire footbag population sub Finland was at one house, and it is like a typical Stanford session. Thought that was weird. It really sucked having like, Norek-megabap-Hitech watch me play when I was more or less warming up, because I knew I wouldn't have a good session if I tried my "big" stuff. So, shrugged my shoulders, and I embraced the guiltless, and Steve making me cry during two square. Steve's deck is quite nice.
Milan, at one point, was playing Rihanna songs on one of Steve's computers, singing along without missing a beat. Everytime I hear her sing now, his face comes to mind. Is that considered something like a "cock block" of music?
If you are wondering about the quality, expect similar standards of his "beat it" dance routine at worlds 2009.
So, later we went to the train station, where Debrace drove me to the BART station parking lot at spot 2583, lot D, and we reunited with the Poles, Cleaver, and Muffin. The poles quickly started playing the "in jeans and non laver add horse game", were you do 1 add, 2 adds, 3 adds, 4 adds, --- all in a horse format. I had already played, and was stretching, and a standingby female asked me if we were a team or something. It felt cool to point and say like "These are the best in the world", and then she see's like, Cleaver drop an atw in jeans.
Once the train came, Muffinman and I sat together watching the Horse game, but adding the mix of moving train.
Question, when you read that last line, does your brain catch any rhyming? Or without speaking aloud, does your brain just skim over it?
So yeah, highlights of that were Dave showing kids what footbag was, Norek hitting barfly swirl in jeans first try, and many people falling over mid-trick. I believe Dave won the 7 add horse round with a montage, with a moving train. Imagine if like, 4 of the top players at worlds injured themselves because they were playing horse? That would be, the opposite of a sensation. This was when worlds started for me, because even the too-cool kids were busting at the seams with footbag-giddyness.
I'm just going to stop now, and note that it was sad throughout the ENTIRE tournament that Johnny and Jorden didn't go. Like, take some parenthesis, and factor out that statement throughout this entire post. Here you go, your tools await you. ( ) or { } if you feel saucy.
My first worlds impression, was walking outside the hotel and feeling like I was in Portland. Then all of the sudden, a massive shred circle between half of Canada, and the rest of the world was outside the not-main doors of the hotel. Quickly some hellos were given, a hug or three, and it just felt very, odd. I'm sitting here nearly creaming myself about worlds, and I'm at it, but I wasn't even aroused. Just like a "yeah yeah, these are footbag people, but I can't wait for WOORLDS". Something about it still had yet to hit.
And then, moments later, this appeared.
And underneath it, was an accelerator. I didn't quite notice it, until someone pointed it out to me, but as soon as I noticed Anssi was standing a few feet away from me, I just pelvic thrusted into a pole. Yeah, that was what I was missing, worlds was here, right then and there. All of worlds, under that little hat. Fuck yeah. After a series of props were given, I feel like the next event was to go to the "pacific coast brewing company". This bar was quite nice, because it was right beside the hotel, not huge dollars, and had footbaggers in it at all times. Anssi, Kevin and I grouped with some more people, and just like at worlds 08, we sat down together to feast. Anssi and Kevin got Bangers and Mash, thankfully I got Anssi's peas...As he is allergic, and I got the bratwurst platter. We caught up on, nothing, and instead just talked about foosbag. I think that is part of the reason why footbaggers can be best friends so easily, is because such a big part of our lives is footbag, so there is nothing to catch up on, to have in common. This thought shouldn't be revolutionary.
There was a session that night in the Gym, because we didn't yet have the convention center secured, and I believe this is when Cleaver got on his red shorts and took off. Slowly many a bagger watched, and it felt much more like a private viewing session than worlds, which was cool.
Day 2?
The next morning, Anssi and I woke up at 8:00 and had a private session. He asked for it the night before, and there was no way in josannah hell that I was missing out on that. The last private session we had I *think* was during NYJ, where we played at the sporthall, and he showed me his "normal" warm up, for the first time. Like, 45 minutes of basically every concept, with things like spin->spin down->spin whirl, or step->side->step->side*rpt, things that I wouldn't consider warm up. Anyway, for a few months, I kept this warmup routine, so it was nice to keep pace with him this time. Lon watched this circle [it never occured to me that it was odd that Lon was up at 8:00...?] and it was cool, because first thing when he walked in, I did a ~20 contact string with lots of variety, even unique for me tricks, ending on spender.
More on Lon Later.
After the session, Anssi and I went for a swim in the really hot pool, in the really cold outdoors. Apparently some other footbaggers could see us, which in hindsight was obvious because every footbagger seemed to have a view of the pool. Thanks Marriot. We talked with Ianek afterward, another room mate, and he commented that he had no idea how good I was, since he had not seen me un-injured since like, 2008, and I thought that was funny. Anssi told him, from our session that he had seen my set precision improve, and utter serious-ness. Anssi's serious face is just like, fucking epic. At the beginning of his semis routine, it had like, 15 seconds of him just staring at the crowd. I don't think he had a pulse for those 15 seconds, and it was hilarious. Everyone in the gym was like, in shock, and I was just pissing myself laughing in the corner. So Classic.
We then decided it would be wise to get groceries, so, Kevin, Dave, Anssi, Ianek and I went to the closest grocery store, "smart & final" and purchased goods. We met the remainder of Team Poland who was not at Steve's, namely Hania/Szymon, and minutes later Emily / Fletcher, damn it started to feel like Worlds. I got dried Cherries (Sexual taste, by the way), and split the peanut butter/jam with Kevin, which turned out to not be that good in Kevin's favour, since he wasn't my room mate, and it stayed in my room all week. Good thing was, I made triple decker, peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches all week. Anssi got Canada Dry gingerale, which he first experienced in Canada. His breakfast many mornings was like, a few handfuls of chips, a muffin, and canada dry. This also marked my, more or less official meeting of Allan Hagget. He was wearing a sun hat, because I suppose he has sensitive skin. Conversation continued as follows
Dave to Allan: So Allan, which way to the Lion's?
Allan blows Dave off.
Dave to Allan: But really, where will we meet to enter the safari?
Allan has a camera in hand, which dave is pointing at.
etc.
Cleaver was also using a dialect of his sexy voice.
Worlds hadn't really started, it was only Sunday, but I was really glad it was starting off so "chill". Like, imagine Nathan Pipenberg listening to Sandstorm (You know, the technosong EVERYONE recognizes). So, somewhere inbetween "Yeah, I could pwn you at chess" and "OMGZORZ CHESS IS OUR BASE BELONG TO ME". That day was a session just a block away or so, where I got to kick with Toni, Tuukka, Tanja, Wiktor, and Lon. This was likely the best anyone saw me play at worlds, because like, for some reason I just fucking love Finland. Playing with Finland always works out the best with me, because there is such low pressure. Like, they are gods, I am a boy, and no matter what I do, it is futile in comparison to Toni's consecutive symp whirls. So like, against that, all I do is have fun, and shit just works out. Then like, Lon Smith joins the circle, and what am I supposed to do that he hasn't done 40 times over? He has played 17 years, and I am 19 years old. So, I tried some new things, hit them, and received props from him, even though he hit half the shit first try afterward
Some things like...
nuclear far whipping rake. Lon+1
Grifter Rake. [possible invention #1 of worlds for me?]
Gyro swirling mirage.
Whirling Twirl. Lon+1
I forget what else. Either way, this session I footed alpine 69, did some quantum ducking, multiple runs over 40 contacts of cool shit, longer double dex runs, inspins, another combo I liked was
Far twist->twist->twitch->near twist->twirl,
and things that...No one does. I hoped someone filmed this circle, because I'd pay to see it all over again. Sunny, warm weather, good atmosphere, and complete freedom.
At the beginning of that session, Toni and Tanja presented to me, a gift, for my Sauna that I will build once I move. It is a sauna elf. I'm not sure how I could describe this, like, half of it felt like "aww, this is the first footbag gift I've ever gotten. I want to cry in a willow tree, eating grapes", and half of it felt like a throaty -
I've been smoking for 30 years and am in the movie predator- "YYyyyeeaaahhH!".
Something close to this, without the bottom half, in stone.
I believe this night, I walked around with Father Cleaver and Matt Kemmer in search of good food, near late night Oakland hours, and eventually settled on Pizza. Randomly most of the Stanford crew showed up mid walk, so I got to catch up with them at we waited, which is nice. I'm not sure if I'm honourary Stanford, but in my mind I've crossed that barrier, as I've been there three times this year, and it feels cool to talk with them about "shop".
Day 3: Monday bloody Monday.
What day was this again? Rats...
I think that this was the first day of Circle Competition. We were in the green convention center, it was cold as balls, and I competed at like 11:30 AM. It was against Rafal(w), John Goode, and Eric P Chang. P Chang played well, hitting an eggbeater and 15+ contacts first string, which was cool. I don't really remember, because I was in a zone, but apparently I played really well, and beat Rafal who was seated above me. I'd also love to see that footage. I didn't want to play the rest of this day, because my muscles were already cold, I already played an hour and a half, and I wanted to save myself for routines a bit. This began my first apparent "not playing at worlds". *sigh*.
The next day was routines. This was a total mind fuck. I was against Manna, Bear, Toni, and Vasek. There was a bet between some higher players of whether I'd beat Toni or not, plus for the last like, 6 months I had been training this routine. I never *really* liked the song, and I changed my mind up until the last week for choreography. I just never "felt" it, and I never actually got a version of the routine I felt was really solid. So, needless to say, I wasn't in a "I'm going to rock this" state of mind.
And I didn't. 5 drops later, and I just fucking fell off the map with choreo, because I even missed my first toe stall cue. Just like, downward spiral, it was by far the worst routine I have ever done.
Sooooooomehow I got through to semi's, and that just felt like, somehow worse. Like, in one way I really wanted to do the routine I knew I could do, but some part of me knew that I obviously wasn't making finals, and I just didn't want to relive the possibility of sucking that hard again. I feel like going through that routine experience was a huge wake up call however. I think I'll put MUCH less time and pressure into routines, and concentrate more on just getting passionate about something, and letting my skill go through it, for this year. Maybe when my legs resemble a cleaver, a benda, or a pimpske, I'll plan a routine and knock it out flawlessly and droplessly, but I think at my level it would be more appropriate to do a routine for 2-1 months before the competition, and use my current shred style to just mask how I feel the routine...Versus, doing a routine choreo 6 months before, and holding onto something my body doesn't like.
I could elaborate more, but I think that even my mind is just bullshitting myself, and I think I'll understand that experience more in the time to come.
So, day 3 of not playing as much as I would like. Let me tell you, after 6 months of doing a routine everyday, doing it in front of parents, texan family, Jorden, Johnny, hundreds of times, dropless more than 100 times, and then just crumbling in front of all your peers. You don't feel like kicking afterward. So, I started just trying hard shit, in front of Kevin, Anssi and Ianek, and later Chris Dean.
Stuff I hit..
Gyro Kilo. (invention 2?) - - tempting to name "Jaylo", coined by Eric P Chang.
Ducking twich (invention 3?)
Symp Quantum whipping near Mirage (Invention 4?)
Gyro swirling near drifter (Invention 5?)
Toe Whipping near twirl (invention 6?)
I also footed whirling near torquescrew. That would have been nice. With the stanford crew I had a mini session, where I hit the blurriest->flurry->paradon drill, and I'm sure something else. So, those made me feel better. Like, out of all of those, I'm sure at least one is an invention, and those just boost my confidence a bit. Just legitimately being able to say "No one has ever done this, but me...Ever..." is something not many people can say, about anything.
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Alright, rest of random thoughts about worlds later. I do want to focus on now, however, the fact that I want to specialize a bit more now. Like, it was clear that Jorden could do "everything" as of 2005, but into the years of 2007 and whatnot, you could say Jorden and think of like, grifter, flux, whirling sets, symp torque, motion," as tricks that he could just own..Meanwhile, he could continue to regulate with anything else that existed. I think that is the direction I want to begin exploring this year, getting obscenely good at the tricks I love hitting, while maintaining the rest of my game. This is sort of the Vasek approach, since you can obviously see in his game, and read in his book, that he did this with ps whirl, torque, ripstein, whirr, and other things in stages, but could clearly pop out downtime barrage, or whatever other odd trick, whenever he wanted.
So, if all goes as planned, in a month of two I should be more than marginally better at some nice tricks. Woot. Time to begin.
Oh, by the way, my first day at work back, I had to lift way to much weight, more than I had the entire summer before. I'm talking more than 90,000 pounds over 12 hours. You remember that back pain? Iiiiiiitttt iiiissss bbaaackkk. Fucking cunt shit fuck printer ink soggy bread dead penguin squeaky hinge FUCK.
Next year, I *will* not work for my father again. It just wont happen. Every year I get back pain, and every fucking year I lift more boxes than my women frame can handle. I just want to get a part time job in Finland, eat Kebab, and dance by myself in the starlit sky.
, 
