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Thank you Andy Warhol July 4, 2005 10:01 pm

Posted by djuggler in : Daily Life , add a comment

I forgot to mention that at the time I was on stage with no mic and basically having to choose between speaking to the crowd or performing, which ruins the comedic timing when much of what I do relies on the ability to speak to the crowd, that I was in front of 500 or more people. I really had no way of judging. It could have been 1500 for all I know but I know a crowd of 100 and this crowd was at least 5 times that.

Had my 15 minutes of fame today from the show. Ran into Fuddruckers for a drink for my parched wife and the casher declared, "aren’t you that juggler?" to which I responded, "yes, were you part of the crowd that could hear me?" Front row.

I’m glad people enjoyed the show.

Here’s an example of one of my routines. I have these huge, 9 inch bean bags not quite the size of bowling balls. I get two kids on the stage and I ask one "is this juggling ball heavy?&quot and toss the volunteer one. They respond yes. I then ask, "if I give you another would they be twice as heavy?" to which the response is either yes or no. No is always fun. The third, 3 times as heavy? The other volunteer I give a noise making toy I call my "portable drumroll." I then talk about juggling heavy things and explain "I am going to juggle for you tonight ping pong balls while volunteer 1 juggles these heavy balls" Of course, the volunteer typically protests. I then explain that balance is important in juggling and that I will juggle the ping pong balls and catch one upon my noise (despite the wind and other environmental comments). I juggle the ping pong balls and then toss one high in the air and it lands and stays on the bridge of my nose. I pocket the other two and then reach for a bean bag. Using my peripherial vision I make sure I miss as the volunteer tries to hand the bean bag to me. I usually end up grabbing the top of his head. I then ask volunteer 1 to toss me the third bean bag. As the bean bag leaves his hands I yell "one.. two…" and on "three" it plops to the ground. Sometimes as it leaves his hands I say "on the count of three" It all depends on the volunteer. As I continue to balance the ping pong ball on my nose the volunteer gets the bean bag and then tosses it on the count of three. I juggle briefly, then toss a bean bag up in the air and catch it on the back of my neck. I encourage my volunteers to take bows with me all the while the ping pong ball defies gravity as it hangs from the bridge of my nose. End of routine.

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Perception July 4, 2005 12:34 pm

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Today my tasks loom ominously above me
Today I cower in ambivalence and distraction
Today I see an unmovable mountain
Today I lift a single grain of sand
And the mountain falls.

The plain expands endlessly
Touching horizon to horizon
I am frozen
I look to my feet and they move
I look to the horizon and it stands still
I look again to my feet and the ground passes quickly
The horizon does not move
I shall focus on the task at hand
My feet move
And know that the horizon shall come.

-DM 7/4/5

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Of Grasshoppers July 4, 2005 12:05 pm

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Student: Happy Independence Day!
Master: Are you independent?

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The Show July 4, 2005 8:51 am

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So my strange feelings toward the show were more premonitory than nerves. We get comfortable with our lives. We have routine and exceptations of order and performance. I expect my juggling gear to be in its place and my show to basically be prepackaged. I can pretty much grab my bag at a moments notice and be ready to do a 30-45 minute show.

During sound check I discovered my mic had be crushed. The resulting short meant brief spurts of audio followed by unbearable speaker popping crackling.

I did the best I could but my current show is based more on cornball humor than juggling talent. Hopefully this was the inspiration I needed to develop a purely visual show which would be more physically challenging where my current show is more mentally exhausting. Regardless, I had a good time and the audience seemed to have a good time also I as received many good words after the show.

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