"Murphy was an optimist!"
Show went pretty well July 3, 2009 11:13 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Juggling , 2comments
I really enjoyed tonight’s juggling show. A friend from the juggling club showed up and showed some real expertise. He obviously practices far more than I do. We started with the setting sun blinding me. For much of the first show I might as well have had my eyes closed. I tried to introduce a new trick that I’ve wanted to do for years but forgot to bring a longer rolla bolla board. Coupled with my nerves and having the rolla bolla on slick concrete, the trick met with fail (but not fall). The 2nd time I tried it I picked a volunteer who was too young. That was awkward and I should have bailed. I didn’t even try getting her up on the rolla bolla. Going to set that trick aside for older audiences only and only after I’ve fine tuned it. Performing that one was a bit like a magician buying a new trick on the way to the performance and trying it out for the first time in front of the audience.
On the most exceptional side, Mike and I were able to jump right into some decent passing without even a warm up. We even braved 7 torches although we rethought that one quickly and adjusted down to 6. I think if the two of us would practice together with any regularity we could be passing 9 clubs and torches in no time. I would love to put together a fully produced show at some point Karamazov style with musical accompaniment, laser lights, video screens, smoke machines, okay wait…maybe just music and microphones and we can grow from there. I had a blast! I owe Mike big time.
In other news, The Flying Karamazov Brothers have a three letter domain name! Wow!
Dr. Internet July 2, 2009 11:03 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health , 4comments
Okay. What disease do I have? My leg has acquired a rash. I’ve never seen anything like this. When I sit at my chair and put my foot under my seat, the skin from the calf touches the thigh exactly where the marks are so it is likely the rash started in one place and spread to the other but it is not getting an larger nor spreading anywhere else. Doesn’t seem to be getting better either.
Juggling and Fireworks tomorrow July 2, 2009 1:07 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Announcements, Daily Life, Health, Juggling, Of Interest , add a commentI will be juggling fire, knives, people, and other things at West Park Baptist Church’s annual fireworks show tomorrow from 7pm-9pm. West Park is on Middlebrook across from Fox Lonas. Hope to see you there!
add a commentChild Protective Services - Don’t read this July 2, 2009 11:15 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Amy, Cathy, Daily Life, Evan, Family, Health, Juggling, Noah, Of Being Dad, Sarah , 2comments
Here’s some additional information about the rolla bolla from my comment on Cathy’s flickr set:
2commentsI now get to tell a story which may or may not add a little bit of a technical appreciation for what’s happening in this picture. My rolla bolla freaks other jugglers out. Mine is completely homemade. It uses a 4 inch diameter thick pvc pipe. The board itself happens to be exactly the same length as a shelf in a homemade bookcase I built for my dorm room in college because it is one the shelves which happen to be precisely 19 inches in length. Most jugglers are more accustomed to using rolla bollas closer to 3 feet long. For instance, Dube’s is 29 inches (btw, there’s your spec).
Juggling is all about physics. This is center of gravity trick. The longer the board, the greater the center of gravity. In essence, if you drew a line from the ground up to the top of your head (or the head fo the person on your shoulders) that divided your torso symmetrically and simply made sure that line never passed over your foot, you would never fall down. Since my board is so short, there is very little room for error. One way to cheat the physics is to use a larger diameter piece of pvc but frankly the 5 inch pvc tends to flatten a little taking away from the visual effect (in addition to simply being disproportionate to the other equipment and plain ugly).
Regarding the pvc when making a homemade rolla bolla. I learned the hardway that the pvc pipe should be the same width as the board (or slightly larger). If it is smaller you create a third degree of freedom and you might as well be doing this trick on top of a ball.
Don’t use those stupid stoppers on the bottom of your board! If you look at the Dube rolla bolla you will see that the underside of the board has stops at each end. This prevents the board from flying at high velocity to your left or right severely hurting people. Instead the board stops and you go flying at high velocity to the left or right breaking yourself and the people standing beside you. When we were first learning this trick. My brother fell off the board and sent it flying into a filing cabinet. 3 days later we were still trying to open the drawer. Without the stoppers you can safely take the board to the very edge without falling. I mean the very edge being exactly at the halfway point on the pvc pipe. Instead of the stoppers, control your board.
You can break things with a rolla bolla! These things may include: glass, bones, teeth, spines, and metal cabinets. When learning to stand on a rolla bolla do these things:
- Get a partner! Have the partner stand behind you with their arms underneath your armpits but not touching you. When you fall, they will spot you and keep you from breaking yourself
- Make sure your feet are at the edges of the board.
- Wear shoes!
- Practice daily in short spurts
- Start with the board touching the ground on one side and about one third of the board on the pipe. Starting by jumping up to a horizontally balanced board is cool and fun but an advanced trick that will land a beginner on their hind side.
The rolla bolla will increase your balance, develop your abs and back, and tighten your buttocks.
Warnings!
- Don’t let people stand to your left or right. I cannot emphasize this enough.
- If you fall…er…when you fall, think of yourself as being on a skate board or inline skate. Protect your wrists! Better to belly flop on concrete than to impact your wrist, elbows and knees
I will happily get together with anyone that wants help learning the rolla bolla.
Can I borrow your mic for Friday? July 1, 2009 5:47 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Juggling , add a comment
KNOXVILLE: Do you have a Shure WCM16 Hypercardioid Headworn Condenser Microphone I could borrrow for Friday night? Actually, any head worn countryman style microphone with a T4 connector will work. (Two would be ideal as I have a partner working with me)
Several years ago I loaned my wireless headset microphone to a friend. He crushed it. I thought nothing of it because I figured the expense in my rig was the transmitter and receiver so I’d just buy a new mic. However, I only do 3 or 4 juggling shows a year so there was no rush to find a replacement. I’ve been asked to juggle Friday night at West Park Baptist Church’s fireworks show from 7pm-9pm possibly with a show on the main stage (which would require me being mic’d). Lapel microphones are horrible for juggling and a hand held mic is just comedic. I promise I won’t crush your microphone!
add a commentIt’s 5 o’clock in the afternoon. Do you know where your mind is? June 30, 2009 5:09 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Mental , add a comment add a commentMy last juggling performance with my brother was 15 years ago June 25, 2009 8:42 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Announcements, Health, Juggling, Of Interest , add a commentThe 20th Knoxville Kuumba Festival begins tonight at 5pm. The last time my brother and I did a juggling performance on stage was at Kuumba Festival roughly 15 years ago (I may be off a year more or less). I was wounded at the time with a splinted finger so much of the performance for me was done with one hand. They had a camera crew but didn’t start filming until the end of our performance. So if it’s truly been 15 years, does this mean my brother and I need a reunion tour? Or do we have to wait another 5 years?
add a commentOn Healthcare Reform June 24, 2009 11:35 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health , add a commentWhy doesn’t everyone have health insurance? Shouldn’t we make a law like the one that requires car owners to carry car insurance? Seems simple enough right? I have health insurance therefore everyone must have it. Those 50 million people without it are just bums unwilling to pay their premiums or welfare abusers who won’t get a job right?
If only it were that simple. Take Jen for instance. She has a job with an employer who offers health coverage. That employer happens to be a hospital but Jen is still uninsured. Why? Because pre-existing conditions cause her to be uninsurable (possibly NSFW). That’s criminal.
Please get involved! Talk to your representatives. Look at options such as Standing with Dr. Dean. (I’ll update here with other options as they appear in comments below or I find them)
add a commentMy family is trying to kill me June 12, 2009 9:47 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Sleep , 6commentsI have a challenge ahead of me that is keeping me on the computer night and day. Last night at midnight I decided to rest a couple of hours then try to work through the night but it would take all night to get those couple of hours:
- midnight: I close my eyes.
- 12:15am: Evan comes into the room and asks for yogurt.
- 12:15am-2:30am: The rumbling of the thunderstorm keeps me tossing an turning. Exhausted but unable to rest.
- 3am: I realize the thunder is actually my daughter trying to put together a desk in the room above us.
- 4am: Dog asks to go outside. I brush her off as neurotic.
- 5am: I concede she’s not neurotic and take her for a walk. She really needed to go out.
- 5am-8am: Score some sleep!
I’m in print! June 9, 2009 10:42 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Communications, Education, Gadgets, Health, Technology , 5commentsSome of my digital words seem to have leaked into today’s newspaper! Go to Knoxnews and read Teach cell phones, don’t ban them. Comments are open on Knoxnews or commentary can be added at the School Matters website.
5commentsGoogle Study Tips for Students May 28, 2009 9:07 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Education, Health , add a comment add a commentChasing that early bird May 19, 2009 6:04 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Daily Life, Health, Sleep , add a commentI like to get up early. I accomplish a lot and the sound of near silence plus chirping birds is very appealing to me. However, I don’t do it often anymore. I’ve become a 6am riser although today I scored 5am. I went to bed at midnight and almost rose from bed at 2am. But almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
add a commentUS could insure everyone by reducing bureaucracy May 18, 2009 10:06 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health, Politics, Touchy Subjects, United States , add a commentBy adopting Canada’s system of administration, the cost savings would allow all uninsured people in the United States to have medical care.
USA wastes more on health care bureaucracy than it would cost to provide health care to all of the uninsured … Administrative expenses will consume at least $399.4 billion out of total health expenditures of $1,660.5 billion in 2003. Streamlining administrative overhead to Canadian levels would save approximately $286.0 billion in 2003, $6,940 for each of the 41.2 million Americans who were uninsured as of 2001. This is substantially more than would be needed to provide full insurance coverage. [Source, Medical News TODAY]
The benefit to the single payer plan is the reduced overhead and associated costs of managing the health care system. France has issues but it may be a better model for the US health care system.
The American health care model, [Houston native Jennifer Hua] says, is too expensive and too insecure. France offers her family good medical treatment, better insurance, more convenience and no worries about how to pay medical bills if her husband’s job changes.
French model encourages people to put health ahead of economic anxiety.
As America seeks a better way to provide medical care, France offers an example of a system where everyone has government-provided, basic health insurance – citizens and immigrants alike. Expenses for such chronic illnesses as cancer, diabetes and multiple sclerosis are covered entirely by the state so patients can focus on treatment rather than financial ruin.
[Source, Dallas News, Is French health system a model for U.S.?]
I personally think I’d live longer and contribute more to our society if I wasn’t constantly worrying about how I will be able to pay for my family’s health care. The worry makes me more ill than anything else.
add a commentJuggling for the Elementary School May 12, 2009 12:36 pm
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Education, Health, Juggling , add a commentI had a great day of juggling this morning. Since Clown Day was canceled, the school invited me to participate in their Field Day event so I had an opportunity to juggle for each of the 1st grade classes which mean 20 or so students each time (about 20 minutes) for about 5 classes. The juggling went pretty well without too many horrid mistakes. Amy even did the hand game in which she stands with both feet in one of my hands and balances above my head.
The finish to the day was a bit of bummer. The principal had okay’d juggling fire out of the baseball field but nix’d it when I went home to have lunch. I returned and the teachers had gathered the students but I had nothing to show them. I’d run through most of my tricks, gags, and jokes between the classes. With all the students gathered together outside I really didn’t have anything they had not already seen. So I pulled out the diabolo and tried to reproduce the Clement Hall days. See, in college I juggle a lot. I mean an absurd amount of juggling. And I was fit, toned, and on my game. I once threw a diabolo higher than 8 stories and caught it on a string. I know this because a friend who lived on the 8th floor said he kept seeing this thing fly past his window and he looked down to see me in the court yard catching it. Today wasn’t so good. It went high but got missed several times. Anxious to give them a little more, I pulled out the crystal balls. I never perform with the crystal balls because my contact juggling is super sloppy and when trying to juggling 5 crystal balls I tend to scatter them more than catch them. And that’s what happened today. So the close act was rubber chickens. I must do better next year. The laser light juggling spectacular will be ready ready READY! Moral of the story? Quit while you’re ahead. When they canceled fire I should have said we were done for the day. But like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a true artist has to always go for the next level.
Now my swing shift Tuesday begins. Between now and midnight I’m programming with one break for an errand around dinner.
add a commentBut playing with fire is so fun! May 11, 2009 11:15 am
Posted by Doug McCaughan in : Health, Juggling , add a comment
