Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on March 16, 2011 at 10:09am

I'm very seasonal too.  I go through phases with my hobbies, and even within a hobby, I'll go through phases where one area of focus holds my attention.

 

I was a beader for years, and now I find myself uninterested in it, even though I have enough tools and supplies to keep me busy for years to come even if I don't buy anything else.  I could get rid of everything, but I learned from my crocheting not to do that.  I had "given up" crocheting, sold and given away all my yarn and hooks, then one day I decided I wanted a non-wool beret.  Couldn't find one anywhere, so I said, "I'll crochet one."  Had to buy a hook and yarn, and my interest was reborn.  Now I have a full set of hooks and three shoeboxes of yarn.

 

Same thing with hooping - I go through phases with it.  Current phase is playing with my polypro hoop and learning to do jump-throughs.  I'm also playing with more contact-style hooping than learning off-body tricks.  I think my style is beginning to develop into what best suits me, rather than copying other people's moves.

 

I haven't been on here much lately either, but that's just another part of the phases thing.   When I first started hooping and frequenting Hoop City, I was on here all the time, watching videos, reading journals and participating in discussions.  And posting videos, of course.  Then life offline reinserted itself into my consciousness, so I'm just not here as much. 

 

I think that's healthy, though.  I'd rather be doing something than reading or talking about doing it. :)

 

And now that I'm jumping through hoops literally as well as figuratively, my hoop practice has a freshness to it.  Fresh is always good.

StudentPermalink Reply by Shelley "HoopyChick" Gilbertson on March 16, 2011 at 12:50pm

Good points, Tracy!  I too have been guilty of just up and abandoning hobbies. I was an avid rubber stamper for years.  I even sold stamps, earned cruises and did very well with it.  One day I realized, "I don't even want to do this anymore."  At first I thought it was just the selling part, like I didn't want my hobby to be one of my jobs anymore.  So, I quit the company I worked for and just chilled for a few months. I didn't stamp anything, but I figured I just needed some time away.  After almost a year, I realized I had absolutely no desire to stamp anything at all ever again.  Boom.  Just like that.  Fortunately I was able to sell most of the masses of supplies I had, but I did end up giving quite a bit of stuff away just to get it out of the house.  That was about three years ago, and I've never looked back.  I picked up a catalog from the company I worked for not too long ago (a woman here in town still sells it), and I just thought, "Uggg.  What a pain in the ass."  LOL!

 

I worry that'll happen with hooping.  Like one day I'll just be sick of it.  I sure hope not.  It would break my heart not to be a hooper. Then again, if I just don't feel like it, I just don't feel like it.  I'm hoping though that hooping is with me for life.  Sometimes when one of my hobbies isn't calling to me I start to panic and worry that my interest is permanently ebbing.  Like I've been upset that I haven't felt like hooping a lot lately.  It drives me crazy that I get upset that I'm not doing something I don't want to do!  LOL!  It's temporary though, I know. I'm already getting the itch.  I think in the next week or two I'll teach myself a new trick.  That usually sparks my interest.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on March 16, 2011 at 12:54pm

Learning something new always reawakens my interest too, and getting (or making) a new hoop also helps because getting used to it is like learning to hoop all over again.  My latest video combines the two - new hoop and new moves:

 

Playing with my new polypro hoop feels like rediscovering hoopdance.  I love it!

StudentPermalink Reply by Shelley "HoopyChick" Gilbertson on March 16, 2011 at 3:15pm

Great job, Tracy!  It does like you're really enjoying yourself just playing with the hoop, seeing what you and it can do!  I loved the stuff you did around :26-:26!

 

I kind of felt the same with Breaks & Reversals.  When I started that class a few months ago, it was like it total revolutionized my hooping.  I need to get back to it.  I haven't gotten through all the lessons yet.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on March 16, 2011 at 3:19pm

Thanks, Shelley!  (BTW, it's Traci with an i)

 

I'm so psyched about the jumping thing; you'll probably see a lot more of it in my videos from here on. :)

Permalink Reply by Jenny Anderson RaineDanceHooper on March 19, 2011 at 8:58am

welcome back Hoopychick! sometimes the things you love come in and out of your life until you've made enough space for it to be as big as it can be. Yoga was like that for me, I had to create space by letting go of extra stuff before it took it's rightful place in the centre of my b,m,spirit connection. Hooping is a spin-off of all that. I've been MIA too - at the beach - I've posted a couple of first ever videos. Even one of me attempting the 3 beat weave - darn it still isn't flowing.... how's your 3 beat weave?

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on March 19, 2011 at 9:20am

Hi,  Jenny!  I know what your mean about making space - I'm doing some of that too.  Decluttering physically (cleaning out the closet and tagging and bagging things for our next yard sale), but also mentally by downsizing and storing away my jewelry supplies.  I haven't made a piece of jewelry in a while, and while I don't want to get rid of all my stuff, I do want to scale back to just the essentials in case I decide to take the hobby up again.

 

I need to make the space for my hooping and my writing, both of which have been taking a back seat to the distractions in my life.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on May 30, 2011 at 5:00pm

It's been quiet around here.  Everyone must be too busy doing stuff to tell us what they're doing. ;)

 

Here's my latest playdate with the hoop:

 

StudentPermalink Reply by Kacie Knight on June 20, 2011 at 10:15pm

I loved this whole video!!!! Yay for cheeky simultaneous hat/hoop manipulation! Well done!

 

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on June 21, 2011 at 5:14am

Thanks, Kacie!  Glad you liked it. :)

 

My latest endeavor is to combine hat play with linked hoop play.  I just started a couple of days ago, and I'm seeing some potential with it.

StudentPermalink Reply by Domini on June 26, 2011 at 9:52am

I love this!  Your videos are always inspiring.

Permalink Reply by Traci "CircularPraise" Bonney on June 26, 2011 at 8:33pm

Thanks, Domini!  That makes my day. :)