On this day in 1768, the first modern circus (featuring a central ring where acrobats, clowns, and dancing dogs performed) was born in London. God bless Mr. Philip Astley: without him, countless generations of dissatisfied people would have nowhere to run away to.
I have a childhood desire to be a tightrope walker (aka funambulist) which has recently resurfaced with a passion. What better way to fill a gap year between high school and college? Not one of those animal abusing, overly-expensive-snowcone-dispensing corporate circus, either. I would want to do something more beautiful and experimental, like Cirque du Soleil (though they've gotten almost as ginormous as Ringling, etc. in recent years... at least they're animal friendly). I also have a friend whose siblings travelled with these guys for a while. It's a bit less sparkly than I'd like, but it seems to be the least discriminating option. Cirque du Soleil talent scouts only hang out at the Olympics.
I got a 70s book on circus skills from my local library: the key to funambulism (and most other deathdefying acts, it turns out) is gradually increasing the amount of deathdefyingness involved. So you begin by constructing a tightrope that's about a foot off the ground (around two tree trunks is ideal) and slowly move it up to two feet, then three...
Unfortunately for my budding career, I live on a hill.
Well, if everything else fails, I still have my psychic powers. I worked on my Celtic Cross spread all through Christmas. It's been hit-and-miss, but predominantly hit. Like my sister said, "The more you do it, the more true it becomes."
I have a childhood desire to be a tightrope walker (aka funambulist) which has recently resurfaced with a passion. What better way to fill a gap year between high school and college? Not one of those animal abusing, overly-expensive-snowcone-dispensing corporate circus, either. I would want to do something more beautiful and experimental, like Cirque du Soleil (though they've gotten almost as ginormous as Ringling, etc. in recent years... at least they're animal friendly). I also have a friend whose siblings travelled with these guys for a while. It's a bit less sparkly than I'd like, but it seems to be the least discriminating option. Cirque du Soleil talent scouts only hang out at the Olympics.
I got a 70s book on circus skills from my local library: the key to funambulism (and most other deathdefying acts, it turns out) is gradually increasing the amount of deathdefyingness involved. So you begin by constructing a tightrope that's about a foot off the ground (around two tree trunks is ideal) and slowly move it up to two feet, then three...
Unfortunately for my budding career, I live on a hill.
Well, if everything else fails, I still have my psychic powers. I worked on my Celtic Cross spread all through Christmas. It's been hit-and-miss, but predominantly hit. Like my sister said, "The more you do it, the more true it becomes."
2 comments:
i'll be the contortionist!
And I'll be the trapeze artist!
We should start up Cirque du Creative Writing.
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