h4x354x0r
computing geek, hackysacker
h4x354x0r
Just. Gotta. Push. Myself.
A little bit, at least. Not rashly, not harshly, but steadily. Push myself.
Catching up on events: I totally blew off footbag the week after my 2012 start. What can I say? It was Beer, Tools, and Electricity. When there's an opportunity to mix those three...
Since then, I've been back at the Secret Hideout, faithfully putting in some kicking time. The good thing is, I've got access to the building at 6, instead of 8, for this semester. That gives me a much bigger window of opportunity. Last week, the cleaning crew caught me, and ended my session, but I still managed 1:45.
The "workout" pattern I've settled into is to count 3+ add rallies with each bag for a bit, as I rotate through them with each song. My numbers were pretty dismal, for the most part. The Man took best of show at 28; Mr. Softy 2nd with 19, and low to mid teens for the rest.
But I'm trying to push myself. At least a little bit. I love playing footbag, and I'd probably still do it even if I could only do basic kicks. But even if I suck compared to today's top freestylers, I still love being able to cut a few moves. Friends have thrown down gauntlets; Maybe I haven't picked them up, but they're still on the table, and I keep looking at the damned things...
I'm very eager for spring. Of course we've hardly had a winter, but I'm looking for that first nice day that will draw the students out to the circle. Until then, I'm trying to apply gentle pressure in the Secret Hideout so I am fit and ready for spring. Speaking of that, I believe I've gained about 6-7 lbs since Christmas. I've stopped the increase, but taking it back off is gonna take real work.
Push. Myself.
1:45 / 1:30 / 5:15 - Thanks for tuning in!
New Years, Old Years...
Happy New Years, everyone! My first footbag session of 2012 sure started off right, with a 2nd freak, mid-winter, super-warm Thursday in a row:
The first freak-warm Thursday capped a fantastic 75-hour plus year for 2011:
I didn't do the typical New Years post a week ago, but I feel the need for some New Year's accounting now. According to last year's blah blah blah post about it, My 2011 goals were:
1. 60 hours of footbag. I did 75! I had a great year, lots of great sessions, stayed healthy, had a special "48th Birthday, 30 Years of Footbag" celebration session. It seems like I've lost some add ratio / technical density over the last year. But, as always, I love kicking and have a great time; even as a slowly fading, old-school styler.
2. 3,000 Km on bike. Well... I'm certain I didn't make that goal, but I don't know how far I actually did go. My cyclocomputer display got so bad it became completely unreadable. I'd estimate I barely did over 2,000 Km; a far cry from my stated goal. What can I say? It was another bad bike year.
My 2012 Goals are:
1. 60 hours of footbag! (you knew that was coming, didn't you?)
2. 2,400 Km on the bike (I got a new dual-bike computer for that 
3. Do *something* kinda crazy (to be determined rashly)
2:00 / 2:00 - I'm a bit bummed to reset the counter, but... a great start to a new year! Thanks for tuning in!
Next to the last is a blast!
This is almost it! The next to the last Thursday of the year, my next-to-last session of the year.
Let's see... Building is clear @ 5, early access! Feeling good 'cause I helped put the smack-down on our first big intersession work project already. Feeling very stoked to have such a great footbag year already, over 72 hours before tonight's session started. I'M so thankful for the Secret Hideout, when it all comes down to it. This is my 3rd season here, meriting a spot in the top 3-4 most stable winter venues ever. I'm still wistful for the magical 5-year run I got out of the ARC, but... The Secret Hideout is genuinely worthy - especially for the price - as a winter shred venue.
So, I got my iPad, set up my boombox and all my stuff, my footbags, towel, and water, and did my footbag thing. And even though I didn't seem to be playing so well, time just flew by, and before I knew it I was already past 1:15. In fact I ended up pushing myself solidly past 2 hours. The last nearly 25 minutes was counting guiltless strings, each bag to each song in turn (PhatTyre Pro, Mr. Softy, Original Fattie, Repeat, and The Man). Then, 3 more rallies with each bag in turn. The only one I'll share is a 25 contact string with The Man near the very end. So of course he won one more bonus song round. You getting a feeling for why this session kept going on so long?
So, I've got one more possible session left this year. Again, I've already had what I consider an absolutely awesome year, I feel very pleased with the situation. I don't need to make anything in particular happen that last session. But, I do still want (and plan) to play that last footbag session!
2:00 / 74:15 - Thanks for tuning in!
Local Hacky Sack Guru is Hall of Famer
OK, so my footbag session at the Secret Hideout basically sucked this week. So, I offer you, instead, a great article recently done on me by an MU student:
As for the session itself, the floor was a mess from all the rain recently. And, I forgot to wash my footbags. The PhatTyre bags stay soft, but the facile Abshire bags get a little crusty. At least the music was good. Got the iPad rocking again, and have my Twitter account set up on it now, so I can sorta live-tweet my session.
Sad fact is, I've got things on my mind again this week, and spent too much time pacing the floor in agitation. I wasn't counting contacts very much, but I'd be surprised if I hit more than a dozen guiltless in a single string.
I wasn't planning on doing any more than an hour, and I was satisfied to throw in the towel when the timer went, Ding! (plus a little bit extra to make up for the pacing) I can tell it's gonna be a hard slog through winter this year. I want my warm summer days on Speaker Circle.
1:00 / 72:15 - Thanks for tuning in!
The Session That Satisfies
Whee! This week's session was WAY better than last week's! I wasn't feeling particularly enthusiastic; my sciatica was doing it's usual Thursday acting up, and I was experiencing another case of mild intestinal distress. I think I'm gonna have to stop getting a veggie slice at Shakes' Pizza for lunch. That's just about the only common food Item I can think of related to this problem.
I was also in a much clearer state of mind today than last week. I've gotten to fix several things over the last couple of days. It always makes me feel better when I can figure out a problem and take something that was broken and make it whole again.
Still, with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, I occupied my Secret Hideout, and started kicking. One small pleasure was that I've been issued a new iPad at work, so I've got all my music on it. My old iPod's headphone jack is so worn out it's hard to get both channels to play. Ironically, this brand new iPad has a similar problem, but not nearly as bad. So it was nice to have a fairly reliable music source tonight. I could have taken my laptop, but it's one more clunky thing to carry around.
Now, for the good news: the session may have started slow and uninspired, but I picked up the pace pretty quickly, and never let off. I'm still off my mark technically, and choreography-wise as well, but once I got warmed up I had some really nice rallies. I hit all my typical go-for moves, including a diving butterfly on one side, but... not on the other side.
Probably the best news is, I ended up putting in a full 2-hour session tonight. And that was actually kicking, not just pacing the floor. I got going right away when the space became available. The cleaning crew usually shows up between 9-10 and interrupts me, but they were late tonight, and I just kept going. Why stop, when you're having so much fun? Just as I realized I had gone past the 2 hour mark, and decided to pack it in, they showed up. Perfect timing... Iz Happy!
2:00 / 71:30 - Thanks for tuning in!
The trying session
My Thanksgiving holiday vacation is over. It was fun while it lasted! I went to Universal Studios Island of Adventures and rode the roller coasters over and over again with my kids. I also got to see the launch of the Mars Science Laboratory; the first rocket launch I've ever gotten to see in person.
But, back to footbag. Tonight wasn't the best. I was sporting a headache, abdominal pains, and some of the worst sciatica I've had in years. Half the muscles in my left leg felt like they were cramping. My vastus medialis keeps feeling like it's got electricity running through it, tingling or burning.
Problem is, I already took a week off. I don't get 2nd chances to kick, especially in the winter. It's Thursday, 8-10p in the secret hideout, or nothing. So, I kick. And it was tough. My headache was fleeting enough, it didn't bother me. But the abdominal pains wouldn't go away. I was rippin' em, that's for sure, but not footbag moves. It's a damn good think a bathroom is nearby at the Secret Hideout. My sciatica usually calms down once I get moving too, but, not tonight. Now if feels like I've got knives jabbing in some of my muscles.
With much on my mind, I'm pushing it to claim I did 1:15 tonight. I probably spent almost half the session pacing the floor in agitated thought. It's a moral hazard of kicking alone. When I kick in public, I'm totally focused on keeping the show going.
The results were... as expected. I did manage to hit at least one each of my 'bigger' moves. But mostly, I struggled.
Still, I did it. I pushed through, pushed on, pushed it out. I think next week will be better. It's been so long since I took a week off, I'd forgotten what it's like to get back in the groove. After tonight, I've got 4 more possible sessions for the year. The good news is, Xmas and New Years aren't close to Thursday, so I won't lose any more sessions to holidays.
1:15 / 69:30 - Thanks for tuning in!
Ur missin' it! WAIT... NO. I'M. NOT!
While stuck in a 1pm meeting, I was mentally forming my next tweet:
Last Friday, weather forecast said, "Thurs looks good for kicking!" This Tues., forecast says, "Too bad, U missed the good weather. Sucker."
By the time I got back to my office, I was getting depres... wait, no, fuck that shit. I'm skipping work to kick!
In less than an hour, I was on Speakers Circle. And where were the circle-hogging preachers? Who cares! I'v always been the hardest core Speaker Circle Freak Show. I'm the first one there in the spring, the last one there in the fall. The preachers have all slunk away. The circle is MINE MINE MINE.
I took advantage of that. Just getting one more outdoor session was enough to peg the stoke-meter. I wasn't actually hitting near as many harder moves; I think torques were the only 4-add move I was landing. But, I was keeping the bag off the ground and having some great rallies with the rest of my moves. This week, unlike last filming session, I got a total of 6 rallies with over 30 2+ add contacts, on tape. I feel vindicated after the film-choke of my last session.
The best part? I finally caught a pair of dives, live, on tape. I've been working on them, and really started getting the feel for the set a few weeks ago. Now, it's all falling into place. Many thanks to Ben who gave me the encouragement, and a few pointers, to get here. Next up, get one more dex in there for a diving butterfly.
I started kicking at 3. It gets dark about 5. I not only drove that session right into the dark, a couple guys showed up just as I was about to quit. We ended up hacking for another half hour, straining our eyes to see the bag by streetlights. These guys were solid kickers, too, with a couple of tricks each they finally busted out for me. Let's hope they're still interested, and show up again, next spring.
Next week, no footbag. Family obs, instead. That's OK, I haven't taken a week off for awhile, and I've already buried my goal of 60 hours for the year. I'm already almost at my goal-after-the-goal: 70 hours. After that, no more goals, just seeing where final tally lands.
2:00 / 68:15 - Thanks for tuning in!
Going Underground for Winter
Yes, the Secret Hideout has been put back in action! But first, the "Does Not Represent" video from last week's epic scorched-earth outdoor session (which would not be caught on tape):
Rarely have I burned up the circle like I did last week, without some proof. I was throwing down all my best moves; torques, whirls, drifters, paradox whirls, new ducks and dives, even a paradox drifter and a barfly. But I choked so hard every time I turned the camera on! D'oh!
That was probably my last outdoor session of the best fall kicking season I can remember in a while. It was a great run, but I've finally run out of weather luck. Hello, Secret Hideout. I will face you with dignity.
I've not been there since midsummer, until I scouted it last week. Key still worked, place seemed the same. It was supposed to be empty by 8pm. I was so anxious to get going on last night's session, I had a super-close call with the last student workers leaving. I was at the door, fumbling for my key, when I realized there were still people inside, heading straight for me! Thank God for modern technology; they were busy texting, and totally oblivious. They never noticed me. Whew!
Once I got inside, I set my sights on an hour long session. Better yet, an hour and a half. As I got started, I realized again: This place isn't so bad. It's warm, well lit, and big enough with a high enough ceiling for some serious kicking. In fact, this place is pretty good. I've got access to Internet Radio!
My session started with Last.fm streaming out a killer set of funky beat shredding tracks, and I cranked it up! I also discovered that so many footbags (I've never had 5 in my rotation before) don't fit on the shelf where I usually put them with my radio and computer (instead of iPod) for music. But... 4 footbags will, and I'm always using one of 'em. So, it's still good
The great news is, I've made a real breakthrough in my ducking / diving set. I've finally got the feel for getting the set at the right height; I'm almost always doing the duck / dive part successfully, but still not always landing the next stall. I swear I'll catch one on tape soon!
I also have a confession to make: When I'm kicking in private and enjoying the music, sometimes I'll keep dancing for a few moments after I drop the bag. Sometimes, the body movement feels so good, the body just has to keep moving. Especially if it was a really good, saucy rally!
One other small bonus of having my computer at the Secret Hideout... it was super easy to type a few quick thoughts I had during the session, to help me with my blog post later. Writing this blog post a day later, those notes have been a tremendous help in remembering the details of the session.
I faded pretty hard near the hour mark, and then, my phone rang. It was a friend with a dire emergency: he had a new ceiling fan he needed help installing, and bottles of good beer crying, no... they were absolutely bawling, "Drink Me! Driiiiiiink Meeeeeee!"
Now, I don't know about you, but the sound of wailing, needs-to-be-drank malt beverages, mixed with a project involving tools and electricity, is an utterly irresistible siren song to me. Big, bold, red letters start flashing in my head like a highway detour sign:
BEER. TOOLS. ELECTRICITY. EXIT NOW.
I had to steel my concentration just long enough to do one last thing: A 25 contact guiltless run with Mr. Softie.
2:00 / 1:15 / 66:15 - Thanks for tuning in!
Circling the Circle on a Friday Afternoon
Another awesome session! I bailed on my usual Footbag Thursday because the weather was marginal, and I was stuck working an important project anyway. But, I got my schedule cleared on Friday just long enough to enjoy the peak weather with a footbag session on Speakers Circle!
This session was loaded with variety, so I went a bit crazy with the videos this week and posted 4 of them. When I got there, there was a "Jumproping for Muslim" thing going on, with the circle full of people jumping rope. Someone dressed in a gorilla suit was also there playing an accordion, and I taped a rally with me kicking to the Accordion Playing Gorilla (sorry you can't really see the mask in the video).
The jumproping group left shortly afterwards. Then, KCOU 88.1 FM showed up and started playing some tunes. I taped an impromptu promo rally for them that also features my Phat Tyre Sport. A Caped Shadow also came by, and Shadow Hacked with me. Plus, the Circle the Circle session feature rally (at top).
Two other people also came by and kicked with me for a bit; one of them looks quite ready to take it to next level with some freestyle moves. I hope I can keep in touch with these guys over the winter. Still don't have anything but the Secret Hideout, and I haven't brought myself to that, just yet.
I'm not giving up on outdoor sessions. There are still some occasional really nice days, and if I can skate out of work to play footbag, I plan to do just that. Weather forecasts say next Tuesday might be nice. Iz Hatching Planz!
2:00 / 63:00 - Thanks for tuning in!
Kicking for OccupyCOMO
Hey, I was there first, but... I don't mind showing up to kick for the cause now that the OccupyCOMO group has occupied one of my favorite kicking venues. They're a lot more respectful than the preachers in Speakers Circle, that's for sure!
I've been overwhelmed by "blog slog" lately. I used to see how fast I could "turn around" one of my footbag sessions, with blog and video posted and announcements out to Twitter, FB, and the like. Sometimes, I could do it in 2 hours. Now, it seems to take me days to get around to ingesting, producing, and posting.
Last week, I posted the vid, but didn't tweet or post it anywhere but YouTube. I meant to write a blog post, but... after a couple days, the thoughts and meaning of the moment have leaked away. What would I write? After getting over my shock of dead batteries last week, I pretty much tore into my session. This week, the cold, wind, and a possibly busted camera couldn't hold me back. I broke past my 60 hour per year goal today, with almost 10 weeks to spare.
Now, with the summer season over and little prospect of a decent indoor winter place, I'll be stuck to writing blog posts. Let's hope I can keep them going. My goal is to capture at least 5 years of my "end of career" zenith. I'm only in 3 so far, I can't give up now.
2:00 / 1:45 / 61:00 - Thanks for tuning in!