My Blog

The month of May

claudiahays — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:08:15 GMT

May is always such a busy/fun/stressful time for me. Not only is it really an entire month of finals, presentations, and papers - but it is also the month of my birthday, the last month of my lease, and the beginning of the end of my stay in Sarasota until August. In addition, this specific month of May will also include the graduation of my best friends, which is especially depressing/exciting given I have one more year of my undergraduate career to experience. I am super excited to watch them finish the impossible - but a selfish part of me wants them to stay an extra year to be a part of the remainder of my 'college experience'. Fourth year seems so daunting - what with thesising and the prospect of the real job, grad schools, growing up, etc. But, then again, I will be experiencing next year what I am so jealous currently - being done and able to move on to the next chapter of my life. This summer should still prove to be exciting - I am hoping to do a bit of exploring in the Carolinas/Virginia to check out school/job options. I will also have more time to devote to my hobbies. I lovelovelove hooping so much and wish I could give more time toward it, but hobbies will always be more of a 'summer' thing. I also have attained a sewing machine for my birthday - so I hope to make some serious progress once finals are over on producing all of the clothes that I can't afford to buy at the store (ahh...new ways to feed my clothing addiction). It is always so surprising how wherever I am in life, I am always looking forward towards the next big thing - I wish that I could be happy and content with what is going on right now. People who have the ability to sit back and relax - those people who aren't stressing over the future - amaze me. I truly admire that ability. I suppose just breathing, and knowing that wherever life is taking me - I will still be me - should become my mantra. It sometimes becomes so difficult to believe this, though. hrm...

Sping Break

claudiahays — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:41:25 GMT

I cannot believe I have already hit the halfway mark of my break this week! Daniel and I are planning on heading up to Suwannee Springfest on Thursday - it is a bluegrass festival located between Tallahassee and Gainesville, FL. Donna the Buffalo will be playing there and I haven't seen them in ages, so I am quite excited. There should (hopefully) be a group of hoopers attending so I may actually be able to view more experienced hoopers for the first time (in person - not just on youtube). I have continued hooping at any moment of free time I come upon (although these moments have been somewhat infrequent recently). Improvement is slowly but surely put-put-puttering along. I have also begun really getting into crochet and yoga. My roommate could be a yogi herself, and she has been leading me through even the most basic of sequences in order to perfect my breathing and stance (she is amazzzing!!!). In return, I have begun teaching and providing hoops to my friends and anyone, really, who is willing to listen. I am attempting to not sound like a crazy person when explaining it, but I too often go into my own world and forget that the people in front of me may not be *quite* as obsessed as I have become...I am even making my stepmother a hoop to bring to her nieces in New Zealand in May - anything to spread the joys which I have encountered from hooping. Although my hobbies have been in the forefront of my mind recently, I have also been pretty weighted down by classes, work, figuring out a thesis topic, etc. - so I am really looking forward to this weekend. I haven't had a real escape since last fall (Daniel and I went to Echo Fest during Fall break). I hope to return from Suwannee with pictures, a knick-knack I probably didn't need, a few more hooping skills, and the ability to get back into the school groove by Monday...

pausing to take a breath

claudiahays — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 03:24:28 GMT

Tonight I finally have a (short) break from what has proven a very busy semester. Having had to juggle work, school, and friends - finding 'me' time has proven a bit difficult. Daniel (the boy) and I won't be going to Langerado, to my disappointment, due to his sister turning 30 this weekend. It'll still be nice to see her, though - maybe we can talk her into coming along with us...this will probably be something of a blessing in that I will be able to get some much-needed work done this weekend. It is around the time of year in which the work load seems almost unbearable =(. Regardless, I have still found at least an hour in my days to fit in hooping (rain or shine!). It helps to live in Florida during the early months of the year; in that it is pretty chilly if it gets to the low 70s. It feels so amazing to be progressing (slowly) - performing tricks I had previously could only awkwardly attempt before the hoop fell down to my feet or shot across the yard. I am now covered in bruises which my friends at work (NCF Fitness Center) always enjoy pointing out (mostly around my knees). I have already peaked some other girls' interest, though - a few are even considering purchasing (or making) themselves a hoop of their own. The Dan-man and I may end up going to Marley Fest in order to make up for our absence at Langerado this year - we also are semi-planning on heading up to New Orleans one weekend for Jazzfest. We know a ked who goes to Tulane up there, so it would mean free housing and a friend who knows the city. thinking of hooping a bit....

new hooper

claudiahays — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:43:22 GMT

I have only been hooping for about a week now and although I have the basic waist hooping down, the crazy tricks I see on youtuand hooping.org seem almost impossible! I, thus, am joining this awesome tribe to try and get a better feel of this amazing underground community. It seems as though learning tricks and feeling more comfortable with the hoop will take time and practice, but I also think that going out and trying to find other hoopers in the surrounding areas (South/Central Florida) would help better my understanding of how to handle the hoop! I am going to Langerado this year (in two weeks!) and hopefully will be able to meet more experienced hoopers there...