w00t! Thanks so much to everyone for sending me birthday wishes! Been having a great time so far today, carving it up at Speaker Circle, then grubbing and going for a nice, slow, easy bike ride. The old Rt. K bridge is open, new pedway over bridge is awesome! Now I'm hanging at home with the fam, taking it easy, having someone fetch me a sandwich...

2:40 / 51:10 Thanks for tuning in!

...Or, getting sunburnt. Yeah, In addition to missing torques and blenders, I forgot the sunscreen too.

Early on in the session, I got a whole crowd of students around me. And, turned in one really good rally for them. It's kinda funny that everyone has video cameras in their phones now. Other people get more video of me than I do with my old-school, MinDV-based Handycam. I should probably do more searching for other people posting clips of me kicking.

I also got at least one other dude that stopped and kicked with me for a bit, and 2 others asking how much longer I would be out there (sorry, I was fried already). But, I told them all I've got a Speakers Circle date for my birthday next Tuesday, hoping to start early, around 9am. And, I'm gonna bring the sunscreen. Hopefully they'll be able to find me there.

Not much else to report, but I'm looking forward to using this new venue when it's sunny, but chilly. South-facing, sheltered by a big building to the north, tons of student traffic. w00t!

1:30/48:30 - Thanks for tuning in!

Aside from nearly getting sick in the middle of the session (when I moved to the shade), it was... a ho-hum session. I realize I've gotten spoiled by kicking in building shade all summer. But the students definitely add a little pizzazz to the mix, eh? One of the ladies even stopped to try a hack.

I still haven't been able to recover the w00t factor from a few weeks ago when I was averaging minute-long rallies at City Hall. What I did get on tape was barely 20 seconds a pop. On the upside, I've been pushing the drifters, torques, and blenders, and getting at least some reward for it. But it would be really nice if I could keep the damn bag off the ground, too.

At least as a small bonus, a couple guys came by and kicked with me for a bit at the end of my session. They were totally stoked, and will probably be meeting me for some kicking sessions.

MU classes start Monday (Aug. 23rd). I probably won't be able to pull off a daytime session this week, because I support a lot of technology equipment on campus. I'll be a human pinball here for a couple of weeks as technology gets shaken down with classes.

But I'm definitely planning a daytime session for my birthday - August 31st - if weather cooperates. Hopefully a circle full of students will inspire me to shred it up!

2:00/47:00 - Thanks for tuning in!

When I got there, workers were still doing something about a half block away. I keep a piece of sidewalk chalk in my bike traile, and like an idiot, I couldn't resist writing "Hacky Circle" on the concrete (kinda small because I didn't have much chalk). About the time I was done 'marking my territory,' the construction guys were leaving and one of them came over to talk to me. But all the construction guy said was that they had just finished sealing some joints in the concrete, and I might get sticky stuff on my shoes. I pointed out where I would be kicking, and he said, "Well you should be OK then." and left.

Just a couple minutes later, an MUPD - campus police - car came up 9th and turned his lights on. I figured he was going to chase me out right away. But he drove around the corner and down to the end of the street and parked behind some construction equipment. Then another 5 minutes later, he came back, lights still flashing, and approached me. Apparently he had gone to talk to the construction workers. I guess the construction guy couldn't bring himself to ask me to clean up and scram, but was perfectly willing to put the cop up to it.

The cop said a construction worker wanted me to leave because they wanted to keep the area clean and let the concrete cure before they opened the area. Nevermind the fact that there were truck and tractor tire marks all over the place from the construction workers already. But... OK, I get it: They're pissed about the sidewalk chalk, the place is still roped off with caution tape (very poorly; others were walking around the tape through the area), and it wasn't officially open yet. OK, I'll leave without a fuss.

Or would have, if they had let me. Instead, the cop got all puffed up, demanding to see my ID, and doing that "You stay right where you are while I run your license." thing. Whatever, dood. I guess a sweat-soaked, middle-aged hackysacker with a bicycle and trailer looks like a big threat to you. The cop was nice enough while I had my camera set up, but he waited in his car while I packed up all my stuff. After I packed away my camera, he got back out of the car and started being a bit of a jerk.

"You know we're not just talking about asking you to leave, Mr. Fogle. We're talking First Degree Tresspassing Charges." He insisted a couple of times that the only reason he wasn't arresting me was because the area "...just isn't quite marked well enough." And finally, in a very confrontational tone, "You got any questions, Mr. Fogle?"

"Nope."

I didn't need to ask. I had already figured out he was an unwitting tool for a two-faced construction guy, and maybe a bit... insecure. Just asking me to clean up and leave would have accomplished the goal. The puffed-up authority figure routine, running my license, and threatening to arrest me on trespassing charges really wasn't necessary. Really. Not. Necessary.

Getting busted and having to move cost me at least a half hour of my 1-1/2 hour session, and rattled me pretty good too. I'm calling this session an even hour. 1:00/45:00

The craziest part of it all? They took down the caution tape and opened the area the next day - less than 24 hours later.

They can hassle the blades, but they can't stop them. Thanks for tuning in!

My rallies in this week's footbag session! Not so sure what's up, but I was way off my game. Ironically, I got more props from passers by that I've ever gotten before. Go figure, but that's the way it works.

Maybe I'm just bummed because another World Footbag Championship is passing me by. Good luck, good skill, and good fun to all competitors! Wish I was there.

In other news, the Speakers Circle reconstruction is nearly complete. It should just be another week or so before it opens back up. At first it looked like it was being rebuilt exactly the same as before, but now I can say it's actually quite different. Before, the area outside of the main circle was all paved in brick. The reconstruction is all concrete. Only a few token sections of highlight brickwork remain. That's OK with me, the concrete is smoother and has better grip than brick. It actually gives me a much bigger prime playing surface. I'm checking every day now, determined to be the first "freak show" to happen at the new circle. Look for an inaugural New Speaker Circle video soon!

2:00/42:00 Thanks for tuning in!

I was about to bail on my session when a group of kids stopped by to kick. Kept me going for a while, and I ended up putting in an hour and a half. I also shot musicless video from lots of different angles. I'm trying to put together a video about the venue in general.

Having the kids drop by and kick for a bit was awesome, but the rest of the session - without music - was decidedly uninspired. I'm totally addicted to having music to kick to; I suck without it. Oh well. Sound system will be working again next week.

1:30/40:00 - Thanks for tuning in!

A relatively average session this time - not the high of 2 weeks ago or the low of last week, but I hit a couple torques in this run and racked up 30+ 3-add contacts. The City Hall "honeymoon" may be over, but I really like kicking there. Good surface, good exposure, very interesting acoustics. I haven't really shown the building and the area yet; I'm waiting for them to finish some construction work around there before I take shots of the whole thing to give you a better perspective.

I kinda tweaked my back early in the session flailing at a torque, but I still put in another solid 2 hour session. Bonus: Mike dropped by and kicked for a bit! Always good to have partners in fun.

In other news, Speaker Circle is being reconstructed almost exactly like it was before. Steps are done, almost all the center part of the circle is done, and they are working on concrete pours around the outside of the circle now. I'm really looking forward to the re-opening of Speaker Circle, and the start of school. City Hall is a great place to kick, but Speaker Circle, when the students are in town, is THE BEST.

2:00 / 37:30 - Thanks for tuning in!

This week's session was a "return to normal" experience for me. Average rally length back to the typical 20-30 seconds, etc. This was the only halfway decent rally I got on tape. Sometimes it just takes Weapon of Choice to make the difference, I guess. Long live Fatboy Slim!

I was visited upon by some former co-workers (that live out of town) too. I didn't recognize them at first. Awkward!!! But... you've got to understand:

1) I'm not wearing my glasses when I kick. I couldn't recognize anyone from 20 feet away.

2) Freestyling takes an incredible amount of focus and concentration, and shutting out the rest of the world is a valuable skill for competition and public performances.

2) The part of my brain that recognizes faces - never good to begin with - just gets shut off during footbag.

4) Losing myself in the activity is the goal!

My greatest "recognition FAIL" happened on Stankowski Field a couple years ago. Some guy came by and said he was interested in putting me on his website. Carl Edwards. I think I asked him his name twice (he took off his sunglasses the 2nd time) before I realized it was THE Carl Edwards - our local famous racing homeboy. D'oh! I'm not on his website.

So if you happen to run across me playing footbag, please don't be offended if I don't recognize you right away. I've got to pull myself out of the footbag tunnel, and re-launch my facial recognition wetware, first. It might take a minute.

2:08/37:30 - Thanks for tuning in!

I skipped the blog last week, just posted the video. I'm sure you were crushed, but rest assured the new City Hall venue Rocks!

Two minutes, 80+ total contacts, over 70 2+ add contacts. Had a great time, caught this on tape. Average taped rally length almost a full minute tonight. Snagged a few gawkers, got a few hollers from cars.

It is midyear, and I'm definitely ahead on my goals. 2:00 last week, 2:22 (just 'cause) this week, 35:22 total for the year so far. If I can keep nailing 2-hour sessions most weeks, I'll have this thing cooked.

Speaking of sessions, Speakers Circle is currently being reconstructed. It appears to be getting put back exactly like it was before. My goal is to be the first freak show when they re-open it. I've gotta beat Jeb & Crew and stake out my turf! But until then, and afterwards, I'll keep coming back to City Hall. It rocks for footbag!

Thanks for tuning in!

In front of the new City Hall for the first time!

Wow what an incredible session tonight! I had the longest rally I've had in years. Sorry it's not on tape, but I still represented tonight.  Average on my taped rallies tonight is about 50 seconds, and I swear that one monster rally was close to 5 minutes. I started towards the end of one song, went the entire next song, and got 1:20 into the third song.

I almost hate to admit it, but I really like the keyhole sculpture / obelisk thingy. The area I'm seen kicking in seems very spacious, is mostly level, and the surface is some kind of glassetized concrete that has excellent grip properties. Plus, I can do stuff like figure-8's through the keyhole, and bust out in front or off to the side every so often. It's definitely a high-visibility venue too; I got a few people stopping by to say Hi, another contact with another Journalism student, honks and waves from drivers, and compliments from some pedestrians. Not bad for an evening's hack session.

I was very skeptical just looking, but after kicking there, I'm totally in love with the new City Hall entrance, and plan do regular sessions there. The first session was certainly a success: 2.5 hours tonight, 33 hrs for the year!

Thanks for tuning in!