My Blog

un-New Vid: Fire Play, 2005

sayyida — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:32:05 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3z90qdA9gk I just realized that there are absolutely NO fire vids of me on my YouTube account, so I figured I would post one just to prove that, yes, I do fire. But since the fumes/chemicals give me headaches, nowadays I generally only do it for the $$$. Here is a really old (2005) vid of me going through my repertoire of contact fire tricks (of course I have more tricks NOW, but you can't see em! nyah nyah! lol). For more of my old fire vids, go to: http://www.pyrokinetika.com/Videos.htm

New Vid

sayyida — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:30:55 GMT

Blindfolded Sustained Stalling; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-KvZJBbA2I . This is the type of flow/meditative hooping that we will be working on at the upcoming Kiras Oasis classes.

Hoop and Poi Class Session Coming SOON!

sayyida — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:36:36 GMT

For those of you who haven't heard, I am teaching a new class session at Kira's Oasis in Centerville, OH (near the Dayton Mall.) . I am bringing on board two new instructors; Shaun and Jurusik, who will be in charge of the poi portion of this class. The hooping class will be taught by myself, but I have developed a whole new teaching methodology for this session which focuses on flow and meditative hooping. Details: Date: April 20-June 8 Time: Sundays 7:45-8:45 pm Where: Kira's Oasis ( www.kirasoasis.com ) Cost: $15/drop in or $70 for all eight weeks (MUCH better deal!) You can prepay and view details here: http://www.kirasoasis.com/spec.asp#ericka Let me know if you are interested, so I can get a rough count! Thanks!

Anime Updates

sayyida — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 04:24:08 GMT

Well, its been quite a while since I posted about what anime I am watching. I am still watching Naruto:Shippuuden (and am actually reading the fansubbed manga too), but am no longer watching Bleach. I will probably download them all and catch up at some future date, but last I watched they were all running around Hueco Mundo fighting random baddies and it was rather dull. I love Clannad. It is so sweet and cute. It is probably my new favorite. It is about a boy and his friends in high school. There is a vague plot about trying to start a theatre club (silly, i know) but pretty much it is just a feel-good show. My main problem with it is that the girls look too similar, so it took me a while to get all the characters straight. Ghost Hound is also pretty good. It is about these teenagers who discover their ability to have out of body experiences. Spice and Wolf, and Persona Trinity Soul are both ok. I have only watched about 5 eps of each so far though, so no serious judgement yet. My husband really liked Heroic Age, but I got bored and stopped watching (we have completely different tastes in anime. the only one we are both watching right now is shippuuden.). The one I am watching the most of right now is Fullmetal Alchemist. I had tried it a while ago, and didn't like it (but I didn't start at the first ep), then I stumbled back across it on [adultswim] on maybe ep 3 and discovered I liked it this time. It is definitely not better than Clannad or some of the others, but I am watching more of it since they play a new one every night, and most of the other stuff I am watching (subtitled) only comes out with one new ep per week, and since I download them I wait to watch them til I have 5 eps saved up, so I can burn them to a DVD. Blood+ is almost over. Instead of downloading it I have been watching it on [as]. Definitely a good one, there!

New Vid- My first steps with hat manip

sayyida — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 22:24:51 GMT

Since I never took any footage of my earliest stages of hooping, I figured I would try a vid as a baby hat manipulator. The hat was an Xmas gift, and I have been practicing for about half an hour a day, for about a week or two now. So the progress is a little slower than the hooping, cuz I was hooping a couple hours a day when I started. PS- the cut is from when the hubby walked in and started watching, and I am still bad enough at this that I can't do anything with someone watching cuz I get all flustered, so I made him leave the room! lol song- virtual insanity by jamiroquai http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZuZJteJPSY I was sorta wanting to post this on a tribe, but I couldn't think of which one, since it's not a hooping vid or a fire vid or a tech poi vid or a tutorial vid. Ah, well. Hope you guys enjoy, then!

Congratulations to Obama!

sayyida — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 17:02:29 GMT

Obama, One Voice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmUUYo9o9eg Barack Obama won the Iowa caucus! That is so awesome. Until now, all the news sources said that Hillary was the strongest candidate, but last night Obama got like 38% of the vote, Edwards got 30% and Hillary actually came in third with something like 29%. I am so excited. Bush has been president for my entire adult life. I have pretty much never had a good thought about the American government. I feel that they are generally controlled by lobbyists and interest groups that allow the rich to get richer, and more and more people become poor. And of course I hated the Bush presidency. Stupid religious conservatives trying to force their views and laws onto the public. But for the longest time people still supported him and I couldn't see why. Anyway, Barack Obama is the first politician that has made me feel hope for this country. He has made me feel that if he wins, maybe things can get better. He refuses donations from lobbyists and interest group and is supported by small private donations more than any other candidate in history. He is not scared to say things that might be unpopular, if they are true. For example in Detroit he said that the auto industry needed to make more fuel efficient cars. He has worked together successfully with Republicans and more than any other candidate I think he really does believe in the unity of people. I leave you with his own words: Please watch. Obama's One Voice speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmUUYo9o9eg

Yay aerial silks! and a job and such

sayyida — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 07:30:03 GMT

Woohoo! I just bought aerial silks and a magic 8. For those of you who don't know, I have been wanting to do aerial silks for a while now. I have gotten to play around on my friend Jeremy's silks a couple times, but he lives in Cincinnati, so I can't really learn or practice much because it is so far away. I really need my own stuff. Jeremy is helping me buy it (paying for half) as payment for a gig I did for him, and also sort of as an investment, because he is sort of a talent director and we work together a lot. I still need some really expensive hardware (triple lock caribeeners, swivels, and stuff that can take a very large load) and a mount point. My husband agreed to build me a mount point though. Although I will eventually want portable rigging, for now just something I can hang them from in the back yard will be ok. It will be cemented into the ground. On another note, I start training for my new job on Friday. I got a position as a part-time cashier at Home Depot. Anyone need a discount? lol. The discount will definitely come in handy for building the mount point. The hours are low, so I am still job hunting for another job. Just sent in my resume to Montgomery County Juvenile Courts for a position as a Youth Supervisor. I am really crossing my fingers for this one. Am signing up for one or two history classes winter quarter. I will need to force-add, to get the ones I want, but I pretty much got an ok from one professor, and am still waiting to hear back from the other. I joined a new weekly D&D game with some of my friends. It is my first time really gaming ( I went to a really bad game with an ex once). I am playing a Half-elf, Neutral good, Druid named Lia Galanodel (I just mixed and matched out of the book). I have a yet-unnamed wolf companion. Although, really, what need does a wolf have of a name? Anime-wise I have finished with Claymore. It was VERY good. (more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claymore_Anime#Anime )Hope they are coming out with more though because the first season did not have a conclusive ending, and it looks like there are currently no more manga. Have been watching Peacemaker. It is ok, but it is free on AnimeOnDemand channel, so I will keep watching it. I don't get the entire plot, because I don't know enough about Japanese history. The anime takes place in a real historical group called the Shinsengumi, during the Meiji era (late 19th century). Another anime I a have started watching, Rorouni Kenshin/ Samurai X also takes place during this era. For both these anime I can never tell who is fighting for what. I think there is some sort of civil war, and some people support the newly restored emperor or shogunate and others don't, and people are either for or against Isolationism or expansion and the westerners who are coming into the country now. I could be wrong though.... Kenshin is better than Peacemaker, but I haven't seen much of it yet. Still watching Blood+. I really like it, but watching it is going slow, because instead of downloading it I am DVRing it on AdultSwim and they only show one new episode a week. Saya is one of my favorite female anime characters. Also watched one episode each of: Ergo Proxy (confusing, but good. will probably watch more), Mushi-shi (beautiful and interesting, but I hear it gets repetitive), Kino no Tabi (Will definitely watch more), and FLCL / FoolyCooly (wtf?!?! it is both mind-numbing, and makes no sense, but is somehow addicting). So I have to decide which I want to finish first. I think I will go with FLCL because there are only about 6 episodes, so it should be quick. Anyone have any anime recommendations?

Death Note on Adult Swim

sayyida — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 02:00:55 GMT

I missed the first episode of Death Note on adult swim. It aired Oct 20. But luckily they are keeping the most current episode available on their website here: http://www.adultswim.com/video/?episodeID=8a25c39215b258260115b392d7a20045 Death Note is an AMAZING anime. I liked the Japanese voices better, but the English dubs are not bad. I highly recommend checking it out. Lemme know what you think.

Anime Reviews

sayyida — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 04:25:41 GMT

Started adding anime reviews on the top of my tribe page. Will add more soon. Here is how I think I would rate some anime series I have seen recently : Really Good 1st) Death Note 2nd) Naruto 3rd) Avatar 4) Blood + 5) Bleach 6)Elfen Lied OK 7)Hellsing 8)Fushigi Yugi/Mysterious Play 9) InuYasha Stupid 10) Muhabaru (sp?) 11)Evangelion

Clinton got a Blowjob!

sayyida — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 20:01:17 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAVI16FSjxU

Hoops in Medieval- Rennaisance Europe

sayyida — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 19:40:03 GMT

Hi all! The following is an SCA class handout on Hoop Games. The author is Master Brusten de Bearsul, OL, OP. He got his laurel in period games, so even though I have not seen the primary sources myself, I am obliged to take him at his word. This is posted here with his permission. Hoop Games Hoops have been used in various games since at least the classic Greek period. There are pictures of men playing with hoops on Pottery and other similar sources dating to the golden age of Athens, and coutinuing down to the hula-hoop craze of the 1950's. In Pieter Brughel's painting of children's games, dated to 1560, a boy and a girl are shown in the foreground rolling hoops with sticks. The practice of rolling hoops of various sorts with sticks was a common amusement in period, and is not as simple as it might appear. It generally was played such that the hoops could not be touched with anything other than the stick, and often had to be rolled over quite a complex course, or steered through crowds. This racing through crowds, and the problems presented thereby, are one reason we know the game was played. There are over 100 edicts banning the playin at rolling of hoops, from most of Europe, from most periods from which records survive. One of the odder ones bans the rolling of hoops by those on Pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Joseph of Camposena while traveling on 3 of the 4 major routes into the Shrine, and allowing on the 4th route only if no riders be in sight, and not on Sundays or Holy Days. Only hoops of wood were allowed to be rolled in the streets of Paris in 1473, and only in certain districts. Rolling of hoops is not the only game played with hoops. There was a form of tag in which a hoop was carried by the player who was 'it' , and who made the tag by getting the hoop over the tagged player's head. It could be played quite energetically, as a game in Germany resulted in the death of one player whose neck was broken resisting the tag. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find other evidence of the rules of the game, so the version I teach is largely speculative. There is a picture of a cooper at work from the mid 15th century France in which a child in the background has a hoop around their waist, seemingly playing 'hula-hoop,' while another child looks on. The handout goes on to describe Rules of Play for both Rolling hoops and Hoop Tag. On the other side of the handout is a Xerox of a painting showing the rolling of hoops. Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the painting that had the hula hooper in the background.

Jobs I've Applied for

sayyida — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 16:51:53 GMT

Kettering Patrol Officer, Mont County Juvenile Courts Youth Leader, Mont County Sanitation Dept Customer Service, Mont County Sanitation Dept Lab Assistant

Help! Looking for a tea...

sayyida — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 22:29:51 GMT

My favorite tea (ok, its not actually a tea, it is a spice infusion or something...) is Celestial Seasonings' Bengal Spice, but nowhere within 25 miles sells it anymore (I even looked on the website) I found another tea at Pennsic that is similar, but again, won't be able to get more until next Pennsic. So, I am wondering if anyone knows of a similar type tea that is sold near where I live (Centerville, OH)....I feel silly buying TEA online. Here are the ingredients: Bengal Spice: (website: http://www.celestialseasonings.com/products/herbal-teas/bengal-spice.html ) Cinnamon, roasted chicory root, roasted carob, natural spice and vanilla flavors with other natural flavors, dates, ginger root, cardamom, black pepper, cloves and nutmeg. The Tea I got at Pennsic (Indian Spice Herbal Chai Tea): Cinnamon, Fennel, Ginger, Anise, Cardamom, Cloves, Peppercorns Any help is much appreciated!

What I am watching now:

sayyida — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:50:02 GMT

Shows I am watching over the summer: Naruto (subbed), Bleach, InuYasha, Psych, Eureka, Burn Notice, Weeds, Dexter The first three are all pretty good anime. I think the next anime I watch will be one of those dark ones like Blood+, Vampire Hunter D, or something. Any reccomendations? Im sure most you have heard about the next three. The last two are Showtime series. Weeds is about a widowed mom who sells and grows pot to make ends meet. In Dexter, the protagonist is a homocidal psychopath type who was taught by his adopted father to hide his insanity and to only target violent criminals. Amusingly enough, he works as a blood splatter expert for the Miami PD. Not reading anything currently, because I am embroidering while I watch tv. Cant really embroider while you read. I am making stuff for my SCA head of household who just got put on vigil for her pelicanate. What are you watching?

MirrorMask

sayyida — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 07:47:45 GMT

How have I never even heard of this Gaiman movie? Anyone see it? Whaddya think?

Just finished HP7 (no spoilers)

sayyida — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:48:37 GMT

Just finished Harry Potter 7. Got it at midnight at Barnes & Noble. Actually closer to 12:40ish: I was in group f. While I was there I also bought the boxed set of the His Dark Materials trilogy for only $20. I borrowed them when I read them, but I would really like to read them again. Definitely before the first book, Golden Compass comes out as a movie this fall. I must be getting old because I actually DID take breaks this time around. I was planning to read it straight through, but I slept from 6:30a-1:00p, and I took some short computer breaks and stopped to watch some anime and eat. HP7 was, of course, very good. (duh) Think I need to read it again sometime to digest all of it. I think most good books are worth reading at least twice. Epilogue was a little confusing on who was who. And I have to admit that I didn't cry as much as I thought I would, seeing as how JK Rowling said she could hardly stand to write some of it she was sobbing so hard. (ok, i dont consider that a spoiler, cuz everyone knows that SOME people are gonna die in book 7, yeah? ) Maybe cause I've been reading Song of Ice and Fire, which is much more emotional. Or because there was no real mourning in the book. Either way. There were some themes and plots I wanted to see develop more, but we can't have it all, eh? Otherwise the book would have to come with wheels and a handle to pull it around with, lol. I'll probably make a blog with spoilers later, but now Im gonna go sew and watch me some Bleach and Inuyasha. (so yeah, Im an anime freak now) I definitely recommend it, not that it matters since pretty much everyone who likes to read is gonna read it anyway.

Harry Potter Midnight Showing

sayyida — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 07:28:00 GMT

Just got back from OotP midnight show. I love the midnight premier shows because you get the HP-fans who clap and cheer and hoot and generally have a lot of energy. It makes the experience so much more fun to be in a packed house with a bunch of fellow geeks who arent sitting on their hands. Downside: We got to the theatre about 40 minutes early (our tix had already been bought and picked up, so we got to just walk right in) and almost all the seats were already taken. We sat in the third row. Apparently 40 minutes is not enough! lol About the movie (may contain SPOILERS): Of course, a lot of things were changed. I won't deny it, but for the most part I think the writers did a pretty good job of compressing the story-line but still getting the important stuff in......Until the end. I was very dissapointed with the ending fight scene in the MoM. Not so much because it was compressed, but because I think it's essense was lost. In the books, the kids (who had been training all year with Harry) managed to hold their own against the DE for a goodly amount of time. They were getting beat up badly, and it was horrifying, but all in all, they did pretty well, delivering their own blows against the DE. However, in the movie, they pretty much just run away from the DE, don't get beat up, and most importantly don't hold their own. The Order shows up almost immediately and "saves" them all. I think this was a big blow to the theme of the movies. Also, in the movie, when Voldemort goes into Harry's mind, Harry "mind-fights" him off while Dumbledore watched. This was in vast contrast to the books where Harry was helpless against Voldemort's "mind-invasion" and it is Dumbledore who is the hero, while V is possesing HP and telling Dumbledore to kill HP in order to kill V. (yeah, right. lol) I am very understanding that scenes need to be cut and such but I think the MoM scene was pretty fucked up. In short: Book: Kids= Heroes fighting against DE (i.e. the next generation of the Order) Order= Kids can't do it ALL, so Order saves the day with last minute backup Dumbledore= Hero against V Harry= Can't fight off V's mind invasion Movie: Kids= Helpless against DE Order= Adults save the incapable kids Dumbledore= Still a hero against V, but watches helplessly while Harry gets possessed Harry= Fights off V's mind invastion

What shows should never have been cancelled?

sayyida — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 22:48:27 GMT

In your opinion, what shows shouldn't have been cancelled? I am not talking about really good shows that ran their course and then ended (like gilmore girls or buffy) but rather shows that were cancelled before they should have been. My List: Dead Like Me - I never even heard of this show til after it was over. A friend let us borrow the DVDs, and this is probably one of the best TV series ever. Watch it if you ever get the chance. Arrested Development- Critics and such loved it, but for some reason it never got popular. Very amusing. Veronica Mars- I didnt start watching until the last season when it started going on right after gilmore girls. but it was a pretty decent show, and i was sad it got cancelled.

Updated my Bio

sayyida — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:16:49 GMT

God those things go out of date fast! I really mean it about reading Song of Ice and Fire series. Even if you don't generally like fantasy. Here is a minorly spoiler idea of what you might find in the series. *SMALL SPOILER* (nothing that will hurt the book) Jaime likes to fuck his twin sister (who happens to be married to the king). Bran, a main character and adorable 8-year-old boy, accidently sees them through a window (he likes climbing walls). So Jaime proceeds to throw Bran out a window. Luckily, Bran doesn't die (many main characters in this book do). Instead he is in a coma for a couple months, only to awaken paralyzed from the waist down. By book 4, Jaime is one of your more sympathetic characters (He's not quite a "good guy," though not many in the series are) and you are very sad when he has his sword hand cut off by some outlaws. *MORE SPOILERS* Also, think about the civil war for succession when the heirs to the throne are not the king's children. They are Jaime's. Not everyone knows this. Some "bad" people have good claims to the throne. Some "good" people have bad claims to the throne. Most of them die very violently. Behind all this is a bunch of political intrigue, of course. Death by poison is not uncommon. On top of this are some side stories of things going on outside the Seven Kingdoms. Banished Targaryens (the ex-rulers) (who we like, except for the fact that if they win they will kill most of your favorite characters) are gathering power. There is an inhuman threat north of the extremely under-manned Wall, but no one else believes. There are neighboring countries we get to visit too. And Winter is Coming. READ GAME OF THRONES, DAMMIT! Then tell me how much you loved it! lol Dont wait for the HBO show. lol

Vegan Cheese is NASTY!

sayyida — Wed, 02 May 2007 17:00:37 GMT

I would like to go vegan, except I love cheese. I bought some vegan cheese to try yesterday and it was one of the worst things that I have EVER eaten. Do not eat vegan cheese.

Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis!

sayyida — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 19:36:43 GMT

Hilarious! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exDo2SMdB-0 In other news, I climbed my first 5.9s last week.

Ohio Aerial Arts Tribe

sayyida — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 02:15:20 GMT

So, I set up a tribe for those in the area who want to learn aerial arts. Here is tribe: http://tribes.tribe.net/ohioaerial In other news, it was the last day of my month pass at Urban Krag. I can now climb all the 5.8s (unless I missed one.) Wahoo! I tried a 5.9 at the very end, but even if I could've I was too tired at that point. I may get another pass in a couple of weeks. My goal for the next two weeks or so is to cold call a bunch of Fitness or Yoga studios, until one of them lets me hold a CardioHoop class there. I am also making a really fun vid. Once that is done, I may get another pass. But it is pretty expensive, so I dunno yet. Also, I can almost do a pull up. I am about one inch away. On March 30, I'll take a little video to share.

Happy Birthday Stilts!

sayyida — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 15:50:11 GMT

Yay! Its my birthday, and my wonderful hubby made me stilts! And I went shopping with my mom and got a cute outfit for teaching in. You can see the top of the outfit in the pic. I changed the pants because I didnt want to duct tape them. I called off work, and later today, my hubby is picking up some Hagan Daaz Mayan Chocolate Ice Cream. It is dark chocolate and cinnamon flavored. My fave! yay stilts!

Vid: Jamming with Carmine

sayyida — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 04:04:06 GMT

Heres a new vid, but it was put up by the videographer (thank you paula!). Anyone know how I upload it onto my account? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdpqO8WN2ug

Submission to Hot Hoop Moves Contest

sayyida — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 17:20:28 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P90mutX0tUg So, I am really glad that someone bumped a thread about HoopGirl's Hot Hoop Moves contest. When the thread was first posted I wasn't on YouTube and wasn't making hooping videos. So I submitted a video yesterday with some moves I've made up. Just in time for the March 1st deadline. I REALLY hope I win, because first prize is a scholarship to HoopGirl's teacher training program, which I have been really wanting to go to, but can't afford. Even if I win, I don't personally have the money for plane tix to CA and housing, but I have a birthday coming up. Wish me luck! (and if you are a hooper, it is not to late to submit something!)