Hi again everyone!

Well im back on-line and now work from home, which means more time for spinning and making videos!

Since my last post, the response has been MASSIVE. All i can say is thank you to everyone for being so supportive, and for all the kind messages, it really does make it worthwhile.

I realise that the site really hasn't been active enough for you guys (and girls!), but now that i have more time to devote to it, things should start moving along. Here's whats to come over the next 2 months:

~ New Site! - In the next couple of weeks my new site will be launched, which is a bit more professional and will have plenty of new content for you all to dig through. The site will have a new address but you will still end up there through this one.

~ New Videos - Guess what? I have TEN...... yes.. TEN new videos finished and ready to go, which will be saved for the new site launch and then uploaded one at a time over the course of a week or so. *EDIT: Suffering technical problems with the new site but bear with me, it is coming!!!* . The main reason is that they have the new site address on them and i dont want any of you seeing it yet!! :0)

In the mean time, please do me a favour, i never ask for much! :

Shane Husbands AKA Jasper is a friend of mine and an amazing unknown artist that NEEDS to be seen.
Check out two of his tracks below and if you like them please go and leave a comment on the youtube page HERE (opens in a new window).
We all have something we love in life, and it's a great feeling to see the feedback from people, so get to it!

Keep spinning people, the videos are on the way!

Just a quick update! I am currently without an internet connection, but hopefully not for too long!

First off, thank you for all of the emails and messages that i have been recieving, and i apologise for not managing to email everybody back, there has been alot! I thought i would answer some of the most commonly asked questions here, so people don't think i have missed thier messages!

Lessons - Currently, the lessons on the site and YouTube page are all i have finished so far, but don't panic! I am working on the next batch and they should be live very shortly, keep an eye open!

Cone Poi - Many people have asked which poi i use, and the answer is - My own!
They are custom made, non-stretchy cone poi with handle bar type grip handles. They are an ideal wieght to learn throws, impossible to tangle up, easy to control, and the best poi in the world for learning stalls!!!
Due to the interest, we have been busily testing different designs and materials, fine tuning the template, and are actively thinking about making some sets to sell to you guys for the fairest price we can through this site. The bonus of course is that we COULD take requests for different material patterns etc. I would love to know how many people would possibly be interested, bearing in mind that these poi are ideal for every ability level of spinner.

Advice for beginners! - Take a good look at the Types of Poi page to decide which kind of poi to buy first, then get stuck into the video tutorials and dont give up!!!!!

FINALLY i've finished my first poi video lesson (actually now a few poi video lessons!). This involved thoroughly trashing my kitchen, drinking lots of german beer and realising how much i hate the sound of my own voice! But hey, it was worth it. I just hope people benefit from this - and future lessons. For some reason i skipped to lesson 3, the 3 beat weave, maybe it was the full moon or something.... couldn't possibly be due to alcohol... not atall!
Anyway, enough rambling, the lessons are appearing in the Poi Lessons section. Please feel free to leave a comment on the videos! Unless your a spammer, in which case you can enjoy the fact that your comment will be zapped by my blog software! Muhahahaha victory!

Woohoo! My video backdrop has arrived! That means that i can now start recording the poi lessons in my studio (kitchen) under professional lighting (a table lamp). The first ones should start appearing in the poi lessons section in the next week or two, and will also be available on my YouTube page. Good day!

Here's a message for all the fire spinners and would-be fire spinners out there...

Since i first started fire spinning, safety has been important to me. I have never been one to follow the rule book, but i take all the precautions i feel are necessary when working with fire.
This weekend i suffered my worst burn so far..... But it wasn't from fire, it was the paraffin itself. Just to set the scene, i was doing a little fire spin for some family at a barbeque, and everyone had drunk a few beers (myself included). I wasn't drunk, but i was happier than usual. While pouring more paraffin into my dunk jar, i knocked it sideways and spilt about half a litre on the floor. Unfortunately i didn't notice that i had spilt a fair bit of that onto my shoe, which must have immediately soaked in, as i didn't feel any wetness around my foot at all. After the barbeque we went out on the town, stumbling home at about 2am. I then took it upon myself to pass out on the sofa with my shoes still on. When i woke up in the morning my foot felt like it was on fire and i couldn't work out what i had done. When i pulled my sock off, my foot was a bit red, but as the day went on it flared up, obviously enjoying the oxygen i had just given it, and the burning got worse. Needless to say it was a hell of a chemical burn considering it was 'only' Paraffin. I felt it was important to show you all what can happen, and that there are hidden dangers to all aspects of fire spinning. Stay safe kids.

An update on the OnePlymouth channel launch - it's scheduled in for mid September, will keep you updated.

What a weekend...

Ok, first things first. I've never been one to slate the rail network, mainly due to lack of knowledge on the subject. Very rarely do i feel the need to use a train, which i thank my feet for regularly. However, this week there will be much swearing in the fat controller's direction, and a swift "V" sign to any train that crosses my path. The reason for this is that last friday, my journey should have taken a few hours and 2 train changes. Needless to say it didn't, it took 4 train changes and a lot of hours, some 5mph crawling through floodwater and what seemed like a scene from a horror film when myself and 20 other passengers were abandoned by the driver at a maintenance platform, having to walk the tracks to the next station. Regardless we got there in the end, but i can now officially announce that "i hate british rail and the train now leaving from platform 4 will probably never reach its destination." "bing bong"

Saturday night brought some yang after all that yin on the rail network, in the form of some very nice presenters and a man with a big camera :0) They belonged to a new channel being launched on sky soon called One Plymouth, "The first fully independent city based TV network in the UK". The crew were recording for a show called Life's a beach, and were wandering around at Ocean Fest, talking to people, before spotting us fire spinning nearby on the beach. They came over and immediately started filming us spin, with the presenters talking to the camera, before interviewing us, about what maybe spoiling the beach for us and a few other topics. I cant wait to see us spinning when the show is on, but am dreading them using any footage of us talking, as i probably started rambling on about non related rubbish as usual. "HI MOM!!!" I will be keeping an eye on the web site, and will hopefully be able to link to the pod cast when the show is released. Fingers crossed!

So i finally have a site! it's taken far too long to sort out but i got there in the end :o)
Since i've never kept a blog before, be prepared for chaos, incoherent rambling and ear splitting drum and bass. Welcome to my world!

Let me give you the lowdown on the site. I have a tonne of work to do in order to populate it to a decent standard, so will be adding lots over the next month or so. "Like what?" i hear you cry! Well I've added some stuff to the Poi videos and Music sections, just things I've created so far.
The Poi Lessons section is my next project. Now armed with a funky video camera and some combat cone poi, i'll be producing a series of instructional videos aimed at the beginner poi spinner. All will be hosted on YouTube and hopefully will be as useful as a fried lettuce.
Also keep an eye on the Artwork section. Being a digital artist, i can have the equivalent of an epileptic fit with mouse in hand (bad times), and then post here to show you all the results (good times).

To all the people i know (and all the people i never will), i hope you enjoy your adventure into my special place (no... not my fridge).

So what's next.....? erm... bugger... poi videos....