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This year I spun fire for the first time (and will again, next time I get the chance), but I got introduced to spinning flags at the same time and quickly got hooked! Now I have 3 sets of flags (and want to make more, since each pair is suited to different situations - daytime vs. under blacklight, lighter weight vs. heavier weight, etc.), and I've started spinning more regularly whenever I have 20 minutes, some free space, and my iPod.

Breaking through my old habits of introversion and self-consciousness has been occasionally difficult, and revelatory at the same time. As I look at my children and think "go on, get out there and try --- ", I gain a new perspective on my old tendency to hold back and be shy. It really is a waste of time, since no-one's going to come and try to drag the brilliance out of you - you have to let it out yourself. Be yourself and be proud of that. If you have a desire, a goal, then go for it - don't limit yourself before anyone else has the chance to even see you and your talents.

I also love finding cool quotes, so here's a couple of my current faves:

1. "You just have to decide if you're a Tigger or an Eeyore. I think I'm clear where I stand on the great Tigger/Eeyore debate. Never lose the childlike wonder. It's just too important. It's what drives us."
– Randy Pausch (1960 - 2008), CMU Professor and author of “The Last Lecture”

2. “Nobody is obliged to be a genius, but everybody is obliged to participate.”
– Philippe Starck, designer

3. “Make the most of yourself … for that is all there is of you”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson