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DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
Really bad timing - just as falmouth is coming up, but I seem to have lost all interest in poi frown

Contact Juggling - I can pick up and play with any time. Finding it very slow progress at the moment but still enjoying it.

Double Staffs - ubblove

But poi confused Maybe it's because I've been doing it for longer than anything else. Maybe it's because I haven't learnt anything new for a while. But it just bores me now.
There are moves out there I could learn, but frankly can't see the point. There are moves out there that I just can't seem to learn. There's nothing really inspiring me to spin or learn poi anymore (Apart from some nice wibbles off Mr Chutney recently - thanks smile )

I used to get home from work and instantly pick up poi and spin in my room and learn stuff - but recently, meh. Nothing. No inclination to pick up the ol' socks at all.

Anyone else have this?
Words of advice?
Chocolate muffins?

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude


dromepixieveteran
1,463 posts
Location: Florida


Posted:
I totally empathize with the lack of inspiration to pick up poi... smile

Sometimes you need a change and sometimes you have used up all your creative flair in an area thus a break should be in order. I find that during the winter my interest of poi goes DOWN especially in England. I dont fancy braving the weather as i have become ill on various occasions due to trying to overcome the weather...

BUT the sun is coming up, and Durbs... You will be spinning when the sun is out I'm sure.

Ah sometimes we just need to look at other areas we can improve in our manipulations. If you are getting tickled by the contact bug follow it...

I also found that although frustrating learning EVERYTHING I can do backwards, forwards, behind the back both ways, etc... as inspired me as I have found the weakest aspects of my spinning like this and thus have a thirst to improve...

HUGS
Chocolate muffins for all..

and love and light

JUGGLEwithyourmind!


_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
Hey Durbs m'lovely,

You inspired yet? ubblol

Hope you enjoyed Falmouth hug

Getting to the other side smile


DuncGOLD Member
playing the days away
7,263 posts
Location: The Middle lands, United Kingdom


Posted:
ditto

Let's relight this forum ubblove


MrConfusedBRONZE Member
addict
529 posts
Location: I wish I knew, United Kingdom


Posted:
It's because you're old wink
Seriously. I've been feeling the same thing of late, and we've both been doing poi for about 4 years now. It's only natural that your interest should drop off after a while; also, learning anything properly new becomes much, much harder.

What keeps your interest going in the first couple of years is the fact that you seem to be learning something radically new every few weeks, and you have that whole wow thing every time. At the point where we both are now, you just don't get that any more. Something that would have seemed amazing and new two years ago, you now realise is just a very small variation of somethin you already knew. And because these things do come so easily, when it comes to learning something genuinely new (say hyperloops for us pseudo-old-schoolers), which seem to take a lot of work in comparison, it makes it that much harder to work up the effort to put in the hours it would probably take to nail them.

I know I very rarely practice any more; pretty much the only time I pick up my poi is when I come over to guildford, and even then I don't mess around with them much. I don't feel like I've actually learnt anything (as in, seriously put some effort into nailing a move) for maybe a year and a half. Still, when I actually sit down and think about how spun a year and a half ago and how I spin now (having some old videos handy helps), there is a world of difference. I've learnt a lot, but since the wow factor has gone, I have far less interest. frown

It doesn't help that there are a lot of people that have been doing poi less than a year and already seem to have overtaken us technically. Hyperloops and isolations, throws and whip catches, all these things seem to be second nature to them. Good for them, can't wait to see what they're coming up with in a couple of years, but I can't help but feel a little depressed given that I've tried on and off for the last two years to get hyperloops, and I've all but admitted defeat now. I wish we could all be like Bluecat, and constantly be pushing the boundaries and throwing completely new ideas out there, but 99% of us just don't have that dedication. Think of all the HoPpers that have come and gone from these boards over the years.

Not wanting to end on a negative note, I will say there is something I still love about poi - fire. I still love playing with fire. It's the one time when not learning anything really new for ages doesn't bother me, and I can just get lost in what I'm doing and properly dance with my poi. devil Odd, considering I used to see myself as a non-dancey, technical spinner.

Hope this is something more than an incoherent ramble.

J

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.


GlåssDIAMOND Member
The Ministry of Manipulation
2,523 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Dance smile

(and NYC: wow really, Ok I'll start planning and I want a monrail smile )

PyrolificBRONZE Member
Returning to a unique state of Equilibrium
3,289 posts
Location: Adelaide, South Australia


Posted:
my goodness! a de-emphasis on tricks and a shift towards poi holism from yet another 'oldschooler' smile

and FWIW: mr confused, your technical ability might have been staggering, but it was your groove that kept us entranced.

---

and I'm amazed at how Glass can post the same one word post on so many different threads and have it be on topic everytime ubbrollsmile

--
Help! My personality got stuck in this signature machine and I cant get it out!


Anna-panannaThinking...
179 posts
Location: Oxford


Posted:
MrConfused: you just totally articulated how I've been feeling about poi over the last 6 months or so, thankyou.

I've also been thinking about why it might be... Perhaps because I find myself only spinning when I'm teaching or performing, and therefore I don't try anything new and I just get oh-so-bored. My twin brother is a rather fantastic juggler, unicyclist, and diaboloist- who of course has it in for poi (despite not shutting-up for about a week when he learnt to do a hyperloop recently!)- so even though he is only joking when he says to the audiences in our shows 'I'm a juggler, I have real skill, Anna only does poi and poi's crap', well it hurts!! I have in fact started to juggle a lot recently and I do love it, I find it much more rewarding than poi becasue it demands a different kind of discipline, a different mental and physical challenge. I have begun to feel bitter that I'm good at poi rather than juggling- yes I am a wannabe juggler!

So my advice to Durbs would be just to accept your lack of interest, you might get it back in little bursts every so often (that's what happens to me sometimes) and continue developing your other disciplines like contact juggling. Come to the European Juggling convention!! It's in slovenia this year and should be fantastic. Perhaps you just need a break from the world of poi...

Practice as if your hair was on fire...


VixenSILVER Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,276 posts
Location: Oxfordshire/Wiltshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
haha Anna im sorry about Jakes new poi spinning ability... he stole my socks at falmouth and there was just no stopping him!

I enjoy the social side of poi, its nice to be around people when you spin, people who can point out where your going wrong or bounce new ideas into you. I think my problem with poi isnt that fact that i get bored.. its that i get lonely.

tHeReS gOoD aNd EvIl iN EaCh InDiViDuAl fIrE, iDeNtIfIeS nEeDs AnD fEeDs OuR dEsIrEs.


MrConfusedBRONZE Member
addict
529 posts
Location: I wish I knew, United Kingdom


Posted:
redface thankx hug Funnily enough, I was going back over my travel diaries the other day, remembering what a great time I had in Adelaide. Can't wait to get on the road again and re-learn how to start enjoying life!

Errr, back on topic, thought of a useful analogy:

Really, really loving my unicycle at the moment. Normally the first thing I do when I get in from work is get out on my uni until my legs can take no more. I get a real sense of achievement when I manage to free mount and ride for a hundred yards or so.

When I get to the point where just getting up on the thing is so natural I don't have to think about it, will I be down at the nearest car park practicing every chance I get? Probably not.

Slightly more succinct.

J

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.


FearpigSILVER Member
member - tee hee "member"
279 posts
Location: Bethnal Green, London, England (UK)


Posted:
Hello...

My interest in poi seems to come and go but there's always something else to do. When I get bored i go to a big show and try and find inspiration. Things like the Falmouth gathering, Play festival, Glastonbury, Burningman would all be good.

Moving city always helps but may be a bit drastic!

"Whats wrong with the cat?" - Mrs Schrödinger


MrConfusedBRONZE Member
addict
529 posts
Location: I wish I knew, United Kingdom


Posted:
In recent memory, I've been to falmouth, met some amazing spinners around the world and been to the last two Burningmen / Burningmans / whatever the hell the plural should be.
Each time I get all excited about poi again. Usually for about two weeks. Then I return to the state I was in before.

But maybe Mr Durbs feels differently.

I'll stop hi-jacking his thread now.

J

If you're not confused, you're not thinking about things hard enough.


DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
smile Well, Falmouth was fun - but I still didn't really learn poi, or particularly get into spinning them again - lots of other inspiration (Thanks Ms. Firepoise hug ) and stuff, I did enjoy spinning poi - just preferred everything else biggrin

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude


_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
biggrin biggrin biggrin


i'm expecting a Durbs' 'funky things to do with firehands' workshop at the next Falmouth hug

Getting to the other side smile


elastaaddict
645 posts
Location: wishing to be in Rio


Posted:
well hey there Mr Durbin!
Kinda suprised by some of the stuff I've read in this thread actually eek I started doing poi a month after you Paul if you remember - in your front garden with the newly bought tail poi from some random website called "home of poys?" tongue

So I guess that would also put me in about the 4year category. And though I wont say I NEVER get bored of poi... I still dont find it hard to play pretty much everyday. You know what the answer is?

That's right, not contact juggling - contact poi!! seriously man, maybe I'm a bit osessive with this now, but it's like learning poi all over again - you still get that wow feeling and although it takes months of practice to get even the basics - isn't that what its all about?! And it looks bloody amazing! Like little worms slithering over your arms n stuff! ubblol

but still, the others are right - dont force it frown

there's nothing quite as fulfilling as a tasty airwrap

if you're full of sh!t, at least you're fertile

"we are all flowers growing in God's garden... and that is why he spreads the sh!t around" - David Byrne


DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
It wasn't my front garden, it was Abby's - but yes smile

I did actually enjoy a spin recently... but that was with fire, and fire's always great biggrin

Contact poi - I played with for a bit, but meh, lost interest, not sure why.

Spinning balls in socks all seems a bit futile really....

Now, pretty crystal balls on the other hand wink

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude


animatEdBRONZE Member
1 + 1 = 3
3,540 posts
Location: Bristol UK


Posted:
I've decided I'm the same with Everything, except CJ. Poi, I pick up occasionally when I'm bored, or experiening a CJ overload or something, Staff I pick up hardly ever. I lost the enthusiasm when I realised all the contact moves could be done with devilsticks. And devilsticks are becoming a bit of a pain because I don't know anyone locally that can teach me a lot of stuff. Meeting Ads was a real pleasure, He awoke a spark of inspiration inside me again that I haven't seen for a little while. I've found that I love to teach. that is one of the things that keeps me going. I love the feeling of being able to help someone else grasp a move that they've been trying ages on their own to do and not been able to do it.

Speaking of crystal balls, how's your CJ doing? haven't spoken to you in a while... how are you managing with the bridge? I decided I have to do exercises to make my left arm more bendy and supple before I can conquer the second half...

I might be coming down to Guildford at the beginning of may with my fiance nucleopoi... would be cool for her to meet the people that gave me inspiration...

Empty your mind. Be formless, Shapeless, like Water.
Put Water into a cup, it becomes the cup, put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, put water into a teapot, it becomes the teapot.
Water can flow, or it can Crash.
Be Water My Friend.


duballstarSILVER Member
slack rating - 9.5
2,216 posts
Location: Suburbiton, Yoo-Kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
for me it's contact staff at the moment spurred on by the BJC and my mate stavy... i'm still not very good at it but i'm starting to learn how to link all the basic tricks together and my fishtails are begining to improve and become useful... and everything you learn with one you can attempt to incorporate into two!! biggrin

thinking of buying a diablo soon and have a feeling contact poi's gonna make a return in the summer... i'm already spinning lots more now the suns out despite the fact i still haven't done my dissertation... sunny

i'm probably gonna be back round guildford as well during the summer so you guys can teach me more CJ if you like.... wink

It is our fantasies that make us real. Without our fantasies we're just a blank monkey' - Terry Pratchett


colemanSILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
a princess just fixed my orange poi for me ubblove

might make a diffrence to how much i spin.
but i doubt it.

that damn stage ball is becoming more and more of an attraction though...


cole. x

"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood


GelflingBRONZE Member
Watcher of 80s cartoons
665 posts
Location: Chepstow & Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
For me I have a few basic poi moves that I enjoy but have no ambition to move on, almost the same with staff and as for Diablo I’m close to giving up - I need someone to teach me. CJ is my favourite - can be done anywhere no matter how much space is available - can practise on the train, walking home, on a bus - where ever time would normally get wasted on getting from A to B.

The other problem with poi is that balls-in-socks just don’t look all that impressive – flags do, fire poi does, even “classic” poi with tails – but balls in socks should be left for practice. Sure, sock poi are great fun to use – it just doesn’t look all that great.

>What do you think about the state of the Earth?
>I'm optimistic.
>So why do you look so sad?
>I'm not sure that my optimism is justified.


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
If sock poi don't look good, then IMO it's down to the spinner.

Fire does have a fascination, but it all depends what you're looking for (eg spectacle vs technique).

One of the best poi vid clips I ever saw was with sock poi.

A good thing about socks is that they're especially well suited to advanced releases/catches/one-hnad moves, so, for anyone into watching that stuff, sock poi are great.

I can accept that you aren't particularly impressed by the sock poi stuff you've seen, but, as far as I'm concerned, they look better than tailed poi/flags.

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


GelflingBRONZE Member
Watcher of 80s cartoons
665 posts
Location: Chepstow & Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Sock poi look good at night with glow balls inside them - in the day they only look good to other spinners. Maybe tails attached to sock poi would work. Now cones on the the other hand look alot better than socks.

>What do you think about the state of the Earth?
>I'm optimistic.
>So why do you look so sad?
>I'm not sure that my optimism is justified.


onewheeldaveGOLD Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,252 posts
Location: sheffield, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: Gelfling


Sock poi look good at night with glow balls inside them - in the day they only look good to other spinners. Maybe tails attached to sock poi would work.




From feedback I've received, my sock-poi spinning looks good to both spinners and non spinners alike.

Jugglers are not known for their love of poi, but I've been asked on two occasions to perform on stage at juggling conventions... with my sock-poi.

The very last thing I would ever do to my sock poi is attach tails to them confused

"You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it."

--MAJOR KORGO KORGAR,
"Last of The Lancers"
AFC 32


Educate your self in the Hazards of Fire Breathing STAY SAFE!


eSC.dA3m0nnewbie
13 posts
Location: Uk, England, Devon, Plymouth


Posted:
I was inspired to start when i watched a good friend of mine, its not quite the same but i think watching others and having the company and harmony is what makes poi so attractive to me. plus it is good forthose unhappy moments etc its an emotional release and a way to connect with people. let people be your motivation

~^^Everyone has the right to be stupid, but your abusing the privaledge^^~


duballstarSILVER Member
slack rating - 9.5
2,216 posts
Location: Suburbiton, Yoo-Kay, United Kingdom


Posted:
Written by: Gelfling

Now cones on the the other hand look alot better than socks.




what's the (visual) difference dude? confused besides you don't always spin for others viewing pleasure and like dave says it's all down to how you use 'em.... each kind of poi has it's plusses and minuses in terms of performance....

Written by: OWD

The very last thing I would ever do to my sock poi is attach tails to them



ubblol

oh... and by the way guys... offtopic

It is our fantasies that make us real. Without our fantasies we're just a blank monkey' - Terry Pratchett


Mr MajestikSILVER Member
coming to a country near you
4,696 posts
Location: home of the tiney toothy bear, Australia


Posted:
poi. how tiresome........

"but have you considered there is more to life than your eyelids?"

jointly owned by Fire_Spinning_Angel and Blu_Valley


ShawnFmember
162 posts
Location: Springfield, MA - USA


Posted:
Well yeah, I think this happens to everyone after a while for their main hobby. I have quite a lot of hobbies, so I tend to just rotate through them if I lose interest in one for a while. But the house is full of stuff because I also know that I tend to come back to things after a while.



I usually find taking a break does help. You get some perspective and are more likely to lose bad habits and have a bit of a cleaner slate. Sometimes if I stop working on something and go do something else, when I come back I can suddenly do it now.



I don't know if I've missed them in my absence, but I wish there was a bit more fun crazy vids like I see in yo-yoing. People going to interesting locations and clearly showing tricks, club meetings of people having fun, etc. I suppose it is easier with the sheer number of types tricks in yo-yoing that look different from each other to give a visual variety. I don't know.. I just see literally day by day people one-upping each other or doing skateboard style videos or touring videos or whatever. I could easily watch hours and yours of yo-yo videos just for the editing and excitement..



Not that I haven't seen any great poi videos, because I have, but I guess it just doesn't seem quite as active in that area, which makes things a little harder if you aren't near a lot of fellow poi people. I'm not sure I'd even have seen a hyperloop buzzsaw yet if it wasn't for all the yo-yo videos I saw it in.



But that's all kind of off-topic. If you don't feel like doing poi, just relax and go for something else. That "something else" may even inspire you to innovate with poi in a new way some day.



Shawn



PS.. Could always learn to yo-yo.. wink ubblol

pricklyleafSILVER Member
with added berries
1,365 posts
Location: Manchester, England (UK)


Posted:
Yeh, go away and play with something else, the urge will come back.

Now I've suddenly discovered the wider circus world my poi are starting to feel a bit neglected for my juggling, diabolo, unicycling, but In a way its the best thing thats happened to me. Every now and again though my poi call to me, its refreshing to just dance and do something I can actually do!

use it as an opertunity to play with other, not necessarily circus things.

I'm ythe same with the tricks too, I could learn more, but I don't seem to bother any more.

Just do what makes you happy! biggrin

Live like there is no tomorrow,
dance like nobody is watching
and hula hoop like wiggling will save the world.

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson


DurbsBRONZE Member
Classically British
5,689 posts
Location: Epsom, Surrey, England


Posted:
Ah - the urge came back today smile

Spent some lovely time out in the jardin playing and learning bits and bobs.

I think I've got all 4-petal-flower variations too... Arms any direction, poi in any direction smile

Burner of Toast
Spinner of poi
Slacker of enormous magnitude


_Clare_BRONZE Member
Still wiggling
5,967 posts
Location: Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)


Posted:
Nice one... well done. hug

I still can't get my brain to do these opposite-direction flower m'larkies. Ah well.
Someday smile

However, I did have a really nice spin last night. Just a few people huddled round a fire - twas nice.

Getting to the other side smile


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