More About Vacation

Re-entry. Coming back from vacation always involves a re-entry process, especially with being gone for 10 days.

I have more to share about my vacation out East.

While I was at juggling convention, I got hooked on a new prop and skill. Going forward, I suspect that my juggling bag will forever include a 4 foot long piece of rope.  Throwing and making knots is a blast. When my hubby and I saw that someone was going to do several knot throwing workshops, we went to Home Depot and purchased some rope before the convention started.  On the first full day of the convention, we walked around the perimeter of the space to check out the vendors. That’s where we met Greg. His juggling club had a table and he had a number of ropes on the table. I asked if he was the workshop instructor. He was not, but he was willing to show us some rope tricks.There was another guy, Jeff, who did two workshops on knot throwing.

I became hooked. I practiced while walking back to the hotel. I practiced in the aisle at the theater before each night’s show would start. I taught others the tricks that I had just learned. One day on the elevators, another juggler wanted me to show him a trick that I had just done. I wasn’t even out of my hotel room for 5 minutes when that happened. It was great!

What was especially interesting was that it came fairly easily. In the past, it’s been much harder to mirror what someone else is doing when it involves twists, turns, changes in direction and multiple steps. A few times, I did have to reposition myself next to and slightly behind the person to see what they were doing, but for the most part the visual translation (even when I was in front of the person) just sort of clicked. Most of the time, it felt like brain was saying “okay, I’m ready to take in and use this new information”. My husband also noticed this and commented on it.

I honestly believe that over the last 2 1/2 years I’ve been working at learning to draw and paint, my brain is slowly rewiring itself and getting better at processing visual information in a different way.

The other thing that happened was that I successfully packed and flew with my painting supplies without any sort of paint explosion or disaster. I consider that a success. While I didn’t forget anything, next time, I should pack few more paper towels. In a weird way, it felt good to set up my palette knowing that I wouldn't use all of the paint.  I have materials to support me, not the other way around.

I am most comfortable painting in my little corner of the basement, so it was also weird to paint in a hotel room. The table and chair situation was not exactly comfortable and the light was horrible. Still I did it. My first opportunity was on day 3 of the convention when my husband went off to mid-morning workshop. I stayed in the hotel, set up my paints, drew out a picture, and completed about 75% of a painting. I finished the painting the morning we left.

It felt good to paint. It was relaxing and I needed that since juggling convention is one big non-stop ride on the over-stimulation bus.

#244 - Hammett - 8" x 8" - paper