speedball101's posterous

a bucketload of purpose

I admit I was nervous, but then again I've been told that if you're not nervous when it comes to performing it's a sign that you just don't care...

Seattle's Northwest Folklife Festival is the city's largest free block party of the year, I've been going for as long as I can remember, and after you look past the headliners and the food booths and the drum circles, the one thing I've always noticed is the huge number of buskers.  It's not just musicians either, it's open season for jugglers, puppeteers, mimes, balloon twisters and the occasional magician.  It's my opinion that Seattle's magic scene is next to non-existant, we have only one brick-n-mortar magic shop in town and the prices are overinflated for tourist dollars because it's centered right in the middle of Pike Place Market.  For the past 4 years or so when I've been going to Folklife I keep telling myself that one day I'm going to busk my magic there and it'll be well-received because I will have no competition.

The "tripe & keister" project I wanted to unveil didn't get done on time so I used the next best thing; after watching Tom Krzystof's "Tables, Cases and Gear" (one of my first downloadables bought from Penguin) I took his advice and built a portable performance table, aka my trusty Harbor Freight steel briefcase mounted on a microphone stand.  I found a great foot traffic zone at the festival, set up my table and before I could spread a hunk of sequined fabric over the top of it I had a dozen kids surrounding me.  I was so tense the only routines I could remember was David Williamson's Rocky the Raccoon opener and a routine from Jay Noblezada's spongeballs, yet within 30 minutes I had already taken in $12 in tips.  Rocky has always been my crowdpuller; for many years I've gone to street fairs and just walked Rocky over and over again not looking for money but just to get some flight time in, so I worked him to the point where I had a huge clump of fur stuck to my shirt from all the shedding.

I like to carry my Rocky around in a PETCO box, it makes for a more realistic hook and I found it doubles as a tip jar.  About 2 hours into the afternoon, I had a young single mother and her 6-year old daughter come around the corner; one quick glance and I could tell the little girl was developmentally disabled which meant there was no way I was going to have Rocky spring out of my arms and scare her like I had done with the previous forty teenagers.  I walked up to her ever so carefully and asked her if she'd like to pet my baby raccoon, that he likes to be scratched on his chin, then I lifted his head up so she could reach.  What happened was a total surprise, she came over and kissed my puppet on the nose and hugged him tightly, and for a minute I was afraid I'd never get him back.  I looked up to her mom who had whispered a gentle "Thank You!" and snapped a bunch of pictures of us together; I knew that after this, drawing any tips to pay for my gas money was no longer important and my nervousness simply faded away.

my very own pop-out keister

With Memorial Day weekend only 3 short weeks away, my back is against the wall to get this project done and operational.  The execution is slow and steady but I seem to be screwing up on the smallest details, like my 45-degree miter cuts on the trim work... thoroughly frustrating, because had I built this thing 10 years ago when I had woodworking tools in my hands every day, I woulda snapped this box out in a heartbeat.  Now that I'm second-guessing myself, even the addage "measure twice, cut once" doesn't help me much.  Fortunately it will still resemble an antique steamer trunk when finished, unfortunately if it rains at all over the weekend I run the risk of this thing delaminating on me right there at Folklife in front of my spectators.

Like I don't have enough stress as it is... I really need to get it down by Wednesday, complete with felt lining and brass hinges mounted, faux labels and banners printed up in good time in hopes that it'll all be done by May 15.  I still have a vest, jacket, pants and sash to sew up, a cart and racking system that fits in a car trunk, a semblance of a mobile sound system stashed somewhere so I can make an entrance playing caliope music...

... and oh yeah, almost forgot... I have to practice my routines, too... :D

first post

My horoscope today said "Now is the time to try something new."  At first I thought it was black cod ceviche for lunch, now I realize it was starting this blog.

11
To Posterous, Love Metalab