The Amaryllis today is blooming like crazy. A new bloom opened today right next to the one that opened yesterday. Now there are two buds in the shade of the two open flowers. Will that stunt the growth of the buds?
Should I worry about what’s in the shadows or be glad for what’s out in the light?
Hey, the ugly juggler just got a new set of juggling balls! And you’ll be thrilled to know my juggling is just as ugly as ever.
I know next to nothing about juggling except what I’ve learned in the last month or so. The Zeekio balls weigh 110 grams (almost 4 oz) each and they’re 62 mm (2.4 inches) in diameter. They have substance to them.
They’re very different from my first set, which came in a box along with a manual for how to learn juggling. I bought that kit on a whim at Barnes and Nobles in mid-October. The balls started leaking their innards in November and they were small. I made do with decorator balls that I think are made of latex, filled with some kind of liquid which leaked. They stuck to my hands and to each other. One of them has shrunk in size. They’re not real juggling balls.
But the Zeekio balls are real and an early Christmas gift from Sena. They make a satisfying thud when they hit the floor or my head. That’s how I know they’re high quality.
The Amaryllis Star of Holland has a wide-open bloom today. I can see why it’s called a star. And it looks like there might be two more on the way.
I’ve been practicing for a juggling trick, the behind the back throw. For me, it’s harder than any other trick so far.
And to be clear, I’m not talking about juggling the full cascade entirely behind my back—that’s for the pros. I’m just trying to toss one ball behind my back while juggling the 3-ball cascade.
First, the Learn to Juggle manual says try just tossing one ball behind your back. That’s actually not so hard to pick up on.
Then the manual instructs the learner to try a 2-ball practice trick. With two balls, one in each hand, you toss the trick ball first (in my YouTube video, the trick ball is yellow) behind the back, then a split second later, toss the 2nd ball up. You’re supposed to catch both, of course, which I finally got the hang of—sort of.
The next step is to try the variation of the 2-ball practice, which is to throw one ball before you toss the trick ball and catch both.
I’m still working on the variation.
Both are important parts of the whole thing, which is to toss one ball behind your back while incorporating it into the 3-ball cascade.
I’m dropping balls all over the place. I even got a bruise on my right wrist from a dropped ball. I think one of the keys to this trick is getting my hand back into place super-fast after tossing it behind my back.
The Amaryllis Star of Holland is not only opening but it looks like there might be 3 blossoms coming. Sena says all three will open by Friday this week.
I’m not so sure they’ll all be open, but it’s opening a lot faster than I thought it would.
Today was the inaugural game on our new Sasquatch cribbage board. It’s a very handsome item, made of walnut by the maker, David Sprouse, in Ferndale, Washington. His website is 3MoonsMakerSpace and he markets the boards on Etsy. It was delivered only a couple of weeks ago. It came with pegs and deck of cards. It has a hole in the back for hanging on a wall, if you want.
We played the game to 61 just for the sake of brevity since the point was to show off the board itself.
I don’t know really what to make of Bigfoot stories. Many claim to have spotted the creature way out in places like Washington state and elsewhere. There are reports of a few sightings even in Iowa.
I wonder why you never find corpses or even fossils of Sasquatch? Probably because extraterrestrials beam them up too quickly in order to harvest the fur for throw rugs for their space ships. The usual problem, of course, is getting the smell of beef jerky out of them.
I have announcements that you don’t want to miss! We got our Sasquatch cribbage board and it is gorgeous. We hope to have a YouTube video of us playing a game in a day or two.
The Amaryllis Star of Holland continues to open, almost before our eyes. It’ll probably be in full bloom before Christmas.
I have been working so hard on my juggling practice, trying to get so I can do a behind the back throw—I got a bruise on my right wrist without even realizing it. I must have got smacked by the ball. More on the agony and the steady but slow progress coming soon!
I heard this song, “Golden Rule,” on the Big Mo Blues Show tonight on KCCK radio 88.3. We all need to hear it. Lyrics here.
The Amaryllis Star of Holland opens up a little more each day. It may open before Christmas.
I make do with the sticky juggling balls. They’re easily squishable and tacky enough to pick up the little granules my original juggling balls were stuffed with. Evidently, the vacuum cleaner couldn’t get them all.
In the process of shopping for new juggling balls, we’re learning new things. I had what are called 4 panel balls, meaning they were covered by fake leather panels secured with thread at the seams—which turned out to be not very durable.
But they can have 6 or even 12 panels. I guess the idea is that the more panels, the less likely the seams will get smacked and break on impact with various objects, such as my glasses, computer, window shades, and whatnot.
The impact factor of dropped balls are pretty important right now because I’m still a beginner. You can buy one acrylic ball for $26. They’re virtually unbreakable, so they can probably last for years—unless I use them.
Some juggling balls are filled with millet, which is bird seed. I’m ambivalent about juggling balls which could spread food all over when I break them.
I’m busy trying to learn how to do a new juggling trick, which is to throw one behind your back as you do the 3-ball cascade. I’m struggling to get the hang of it. You’d think it would be about the same level of difficulty as the under the leg throw trick, which I can do (in a very ugly way, of course). It’s much harder.
There are lot of jugglers out there on YouTube who are really great teachers. You can tell right away which ones are just trying to dazzle you. Sena found a website called Renegade Juggling. There’s a chart showing how your hand size relates to the size balls appropriate for you. I’m sticking with 62mm diameter balls, since they’re supposedly right for somebody with 7-inch hands from wrist to fingertips.
I went out to the mall yesterday and it was fun. I tried a Chick-fil-A sandwich for the first time ever. I got there at just the right time, after the noon lunch crowd thinned out. You get these waffle fries that are actually pretty good. The chicken sandwich is moist and delicious. I love the big photos outside the restaurant. I get the biggest kick out of the “Eat Mor Chikin” jokes.
I also flipped through a few Dad Jokes books. I think Dad Jokes are really funny. One of the books had a legal warning in it on the copyright page that sounded like the publisher would come after you if you repeated the jokes anywhere.
I thought you were supposed to tell jokes, not keep them to yourself. Besides that, the sale price on the book was almost $18. Hey, do yourselves a favor and google “Dad Jokes.” You can read them for free on the web. I doubt anyone would throw you in jail if you repeated any of them.
Do you have to be a dad to tell Dad Jokes? Yes, if you tell a Dad Joke and you’re not a dad, that’s a “faux pa.” Rim shot.
The ultimate dad at the mall is the guy in the Santa Claus suit. He was walking around waving at everyone, taking pictures with kids and spreading good will.
I actually got lost in one of the big department stores. No kidding, I walked around and around the store and could not find the exit. It was embarrassing. I suspect they designed the store a lot like how they design Las Vegas casinos—to keep you trapped inside, spending your money.
Here’s a shot of the Amaryllis, Star of Holland, as of this morning.
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