i forgot to blog.

sorry... i mean... if you've been anxiously awaiting a written account of how my 2nd year throwing a single wooden fixed axle yo-yo is progressing.

if not, then, i guess... bonus!

like the lego movie, everything is awesome. as i mentioned a few months back, it's surprising how little i have missed my other throws. they sit patiently, locked within their strange little airlock/museum of a display case, and i can count the number of times i've missed throwing them on a couple of fingers. (mostly i'd just like to toss a no jive.)

i am beginning to think it's reflective of a change in my attitude toward throwing more than anything else. i really haven't thrown as hard this year. maybe that's not the right way to say it. more like: i haven't been as consumed with the idea of progression. i took some time to look back at some of my tricks from the last few years, and had a pavlovian response which was a combination of stress and fatigue. i chased some really hard (for me) trick ideas for awhile - years! it was worth it to me then, and it is still, but i'm in a different place as a thrower lately. this year has definitely been more about playing DEEP than going hard. i'm filming sessions way less, but i'm probably throwing as much as ever. but the emphasis has been on digging into a session with more intention (and possibly delight) as opposed to with a mindset of "seeking".

it's weird because, while i've always preached an attitude of contentment as a yo-yo player, for 15+ years or so i've mainly been about trying to break ground or push outward into areas i haven't seen. not that those things are mutually exclusive, but there's always been an undercurrent of compulsion driving my playing. it feels strange to have largely shed that this year. strange, but great - i'm spending a lot more time shooting moons, spinning varials, and stopping go's than trying to push anywhere.

i was at the beach last week, and one morning i was out in a lineup which was almost entirely older guys (and yes, i realized i AM one). everyone out there was so chill. the waves were all waist-high or smaller. there was plenty of room, so no one was worried about space. pretty much every good turn or long ride had the lineup hooting and cheering each other on. those sessions are always so much more restorative than the ones where you catch a legitimately "impressive" wave or strive valiantly to push yourself forward. not so different.

the deHcade is holding up great. i've barely had to change the axle and while i'm not tossing it against brick walls, i'm definitely not babying it. i hope colin is doing well. i know he was pretty burned out in terms of making wooden yo-yo's and it was time for him to focus on other stuff. still really appreciative of how he and andre supported me for 10 years of eH yo-yo's.

much love everybody.