Monthly Archives: December 2021

As a demon hunter, it will be important throughout the leveling process to not only be able to quickly kill your enemies but to stay alive as well. To do that, you’ll need some tips and strategies to stay out of harm’s way, which begins with choosing the best Demon Hunter leveling build.

Demon hunters don’t have the thickest armor and as such I will be basing this build around abilities which add to your survivability, kiting skills, and massive AOE damage. This build will focus on the skills to use early on in Diablo 3, but the concepts and thought process for choosing which skills to use will help you in making smart build choices throughout your demon hunter leveling.

This new character class is unique in that it is the only class to have a dual resource system. They use Hatred for many of their damage-dealing abilities and Discipline for many of their defensive abilities. In accordance with this unique yin-yang resource system, they have three categories of skills: Hatred Generators, Hatred Spenders and Discipline Spenders.

While both Hatred and Discipline will regenerate on their own over time, only Hatred can be generated through the use of specific abilities. To acquire more Discipline, you’ll have to be patient. I guess that’s why they call it Discipline, huh?

By level 10, aim to be using the skills listed below:

The first active demon hunter skill you will be grabbing is called Evasive Fire, which is a Hatred Generator.

Evasive Fire offers both solid offensive damage as well as a handy defensive ability. When used, it generates 4 Hatred and does 125% weapon damage to your target. If your foe happens to be very close to you, you’ll get the added benefit of a back flip to put some distance between you and your enemy. This back flip will cost you 4 Discipline.

The 2nd active demon hunter skill to use is called Bola Shot, also a Hatred Generator.

Bola Shot generates 3 Hatred and fires an exploding projecting at your enemy. The cool part is that after a second, the bola will explode and cause 130% fire damage to the target as well as 110% fire damage to all other enemies within 7 yards.

The 3rd active demon hunter skill is called Rapid Fire, a Hatred Spender.

Rapid Fire is your first Hatred Spender, costing 20 Hatred to cast and 10 more to continue channeling as you fire at your targets. This skill does 228% physical damage to your targets and is really great for laying out a massive amount of firepower to groups of enemies.

Your first demon hunter passive skill is called Tactical Advantage.This will grant you an additional 20% movement speed whenever you use your Evasive Fire ability. The speed buff will last for 2 seconds and should give you even more of an advantage when trying to keep your foes at a safe distance as you annihilate them.

Neckties, Cravats, Tie Bars, Tie Tacks, Cuff links, Bolas,Some guys really love them. Others really hate them! We are talking about that symbolic bastion of British snob attire, the gents tie. But where did they come from? Let’s take a look at a little Necktie history.

Britain!! would probably be your first guess, but a careful analysis of the history of neckties will reveal some interesting facts that show that they were popular in China many thousands of years ago and they came to Britain via the French, from Croatia from whence the name ‘Cravat’ originated.

· Necktie, neck tie, Cravat, cravats, scarves, all have a similar origin. Necktie history goes back many hundreds if not thousands of years and I guess the original idea was a very practical one. It was very convenient to have some sort of cloth draped around your neck to soak up the perspiration or perhaps to wipe your face.

· ‘Cravat’ (French, ‘Cravete’ a corruption of the word ‘Croat’ linking it with the land of Croatia, which traces its history to ancient Iran.) The Croatian soldiers wore a handkerchief around their necks made of standard or floral silk, as standard equipment to be used to either wipe their faces or as a bandage in case of wounding. The later uniform included a red necktie. – see ‘Croatian soldier’ link below.

· Cravat Day debuted on October 18, 2003; the Academia Cravatica undertook to wrap a giant red necktie around the Roman arena in Pula. However the practical application of this appendage was soon replaced by the potential to accentuate fashion for men, tie fashion in fact. Coat and tie fashion by extension.

George Bryan “Beau” Brummell (7 June 1778 – 30 March 1840) was an iconic figure in Regency England, the arbiter of men’s fashion, and a friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV. He established the mode of dress for men that rejected overly ornate fashions for one of understated, but perfectly fitted and tailored clothing. This look was based on dark coats, full-length trousers rather than knee breeches and stockings, and above all immaculate shirt linen and an elaborately knotted cravat.

Variations of the Necktie – The American Bola

Now mass-produced, and bolos are usually made of leather cord, with a silver or turquoise buckle. They are common throughout the west and are often worn for business. In 1971 Arizona legislature named the bolo the official state neckwear.

Where did the Bola Necktie originate?

Silversmith Victor Cedarstaff of Wickenburg, Arizona, claims to have invented the bolo tie in the late 1940s, and later patented his slide design. According to an article in Sunset: Victor Cedarstaff was riding his horse one day when his hat blew off. Wary of losing the silver-trimmed hatband, he slipped it around his neck. His companion joked, “That’s a nice-looking tie you’re wearing, Vic.” An idea incubated, and Cedarstaff soon fashioned the first bola tie (the name is derived from boleadora, an Argentine lariat).

Tie Bars, Tie Tacks Cuff links, and all that

It was only a matter of time before the neck Tie or the cravat would be seen as a marvelous display piece for jewelry.

The purpose of a tie bar of course is not just as a decoration as any man will tell you if he is trying to keep his tie out of the soup. A Tie bar or a Tie tack can do two jobs. Decorate as well as keep your tie pinned in place, far away from potential gravy discoloration. However there are other uses for tie jewelry, not necessarily connected to the masculine practicality of keeping it in place.

The drabness of modern suits

Can often be lifted by a nice bright matching tie and kerchief. They can also be lifted with the use of a gemstone. The setting of opal in tie bars or tie tacks means that your guy can wear a fairly plain tie highlighted by a most unusual rock that actually changes color as it moves. The Australian Opal can be an appropriate answer to your question.

After his final class for the day, Bola walked into the school’s cafeteria to fetch himself a meal for lunch. Excited about being newly admitted into this prestigious institution with great intellects as students, Bola had his meal with a feeling of self -fulfillment. Not sooner than he had finished doing justice to his meal, he saw a medical student who had sat close to him throw an empty container of a drink he had just finished on the floor, while a trash can was two tables away. Bola was surprised that a medical student of such an amazing institution didn’t know better, so he decided to know why the student had acted that way. He asked the medical student why he had littered the floor and was awed when the reply came thus; “is this not the reason they employed cleaners?”

Just like this medical student, Bola met, most of us are guilty of social disobedience, disrespect for individuals, the environment, and even God, even when we know better. The statement made by the student who threw his container on the floor indicated that it was a public practice for people to litter the environment since there are structures in place to clear them. What he did not realize is that it was people like him that necessitated the need for cleaners in the first place.

The problem was a dirty environment and the solution, cleaners. Now let’s do a quick check on ourselves by answering these simple questions. Are we part of the problems or a solution to the problems? Are we part of the people that will necessitate structures to put our society, homes, and churches in order simply because we have made it uncomfortable for others to dwell? If the answer is either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, we still have to take out time to go through this piece as it serves as a reminder of who we were made to be.

As believers, we have been called out by God to be the light to the world. We have been chosen by Him to teach the world the right ways of doing things. It is of utmost importance that we demonstrate the character of God in our daily living. It will be an error for you who God has chosen to be a solution provider, to now be the pioneer of problems. This is why I’ve taken out time to prepare this piece to encourage you to be the light God has called you to be.

You have been called, not to be part of the existing problems but to be a solution provider, proffering answers to these problems. Your presence in a place should always make a difference because you are a carrier of God’s glory. It amazes me when I see people who God has called not really living the life he has ordained for them. I decided to write about it and correct certain behavioral patterns I have seen.

Ephesians 4:7 “… train yourself in godliness for while bodily training is of some values godliness is of value in every way… “

A good friend of mine, (name withheld) has proven herself to be a lady with a difference in this regards. Most times what this lady does after eating in a place and there are no waste bin around, she puts the sachet of what she has eaten by the side pocket of her bag. If it were some persons, they will justify their deeds by saying that there are no waste bin around and that’s the reason they dropped it on the floor. Her actions have really motivated me to always want to do the right thing.

I was on a bus and beside me was a young pretty lady, she was having a drink and when she was through, she threw the pet bottle outside the car and I said to her “keep your environment clean”. We should stop the habit of always throwing things outside the car especially when we are done eating whatever it may be, it’s wrong. Look for a way to dispose properly or drop it in the car. This is something both private and commercial carriers are guilty of. Rather than throwing it off the car, in the case of a commercial bus, look for a waste bin to dispose it or tie the trash properly and drop it inside the vehicle when the bus driver gets to his park he will clean his vehicle. Which do we prefer, to litter our environment or to litter the bus? It’s left for you to answer.

The habit of littering the environment with sachets is one major cause of blocked drainage, especially in the period of the rainy season. We should be mindful of how we dispose of our trash so as not to cause more damages to what is already on the ground. I was passing through a street along Agege area of Lagos State, Nigeria. The drainage was blocked and guess what caused it, disposable plates.

Another habit I would love to discuss briefly is the habit of spitting. Not just spitting, but spitting carelessly anywhere you find yourself. Some persons are fond of doing that. They can’t control themselves in this regards and it is bad. It does not portray one with good morals and self-composure.

There are times when I feel like pouring out saliva before I do that I look at my side and behind to make sure no one is there before doing such and if there are people behind me I just look for a place where there are nobody and do what I want to do. Most times I find it uncomfortable to even pour out saliva in public places. I remember a scenario that occurred some time back, how a guy in front of me without even looking, poured out saliva and guess where it went, my body! There was nothing I could do, as a gentleman that I am I had to walk away. I’m sure there are several others who have had such encounters. We should take precautions in this area. These are little habits that sometimes ruin the good once we think we have.

Will I call this a spitting etiquette? Make sure before you pour out saliva, there are no one in front or behind you. Watch closely before you do. If the place seems rowdy or crowded, excuse yourself and look for a place where people are not so many and do what you want to do. Sometimes people don’t even take note of people in front or behind them before pouring out saliva, they just do it carelessly and trust me the sight of that is disgusting. Let everything about you portray excellence.

There’s an old West African saying, loosely translated into English as: “When the money’s gone, the lady will run!”

Putting aside the gender stereotyping, the harsh reality is that the current global recession is putting an immense strain on many relationships, leading to tensions, arguments and break-ups. In short, many couples are at risk of splitting up because of the credit crunch.

The simple fact is that during more than a decade of cheap and easy access to credit, many people lived well beyond their means and were (to quote another source): “spending money they hadn’t earned to buy things they didn’t need, to impress people they didn’t like.”

It’s now payback time, but for many couples, the realization that the good times are over is difficult to accept. The challenge of paying off debts and cutting back on luxury items which were once considered ‘essential’ – while working under the threat of redundancy – is causing a lot of stress, resentment and frustration. This is a time when relationships are really put to the test. It’s easy when things are good, but how do people cope when things are not going so well?

Virtually every couple in the world has been touched in some way by the global recession, from those who don’t have much money and are worried about how they are going to make ends meet, to those who are much better off, but are concerned about losing what they have. In all cases, actual debt or the potential threat of being in debt can trigger underlying, unresolved issues that may have been swept under the carpet during the ‘fun times’.

The following scenario shows how one couple sank into a spiral of debt. Let’s call them Bola and Femi.

When they met, Bola was a highly-paid IT consultant earning a six-figure income, while Femi was a newly-qualified solicitor taking home a more modest, but better-than-average salary. They were each paying a mortgage on one-bedroom apartments and enjoyed a very active lifestyle, which included frequent overseas travel, live shows, regularly dining out, designer clothes and the latest gadgets.

Then Femi fell pregnant. To please both sets of parents, they decided to get married. The wedding was a showcase event with more than 250 people which, even with a healthy contribution from both of their families, still cost the couple more than £10,000. The newly-weds sold their properties and moved into a three-bedroom home in a ‘nice’ part of town. The mortgage was more than they’d been paying previously, but with Bola’s salary and the prospect of Femi returning to work, they could easily manage the repayments.

However, a few months after giving birth to a baby boy, Femi fell pregnant again. The couple decided that she should give up work to look after the children and save on childcare costs. Then they were hit by a bombshell: Bola was made redundant. His severance package was good, but due to market conditions at the time, there were very few opportunities for IT consultants and he was out of work for nine months before he gave up job hunting. He then decided to retrain as a teacher which would eventually lead to a new career and an 80% pay cut. House prices had also started to fall, so the couple were soon in negative equity. With virtually no money coming in, other than a tiny training bursary and child benefit payments, the couple’s savings quickly ran out. To keep up with their financial responsibilities, they were forced to sell their cars, borrow money from the bank and max out their credit cards.

The strain of their financial situation soon led to frequent arguments, a trial separation and ultimately a divorce. It’s easy to see how Bola and Femi went from a stress-free “double income no kids” existence, to a “no income, two kids, no job, no money and big debts” hell.

It could happen to anyone.

So, how do you stop your relationship going into meltdown during the credit crunch? As every couple’s situation is different, there is obviously no one-size-fits-all solution. However, there are a few useful tips to help couples deal with a ‘debt disaster’ and potentially save their relationship.

1. Tell the truth, the whole truth…: If you are responsible for putting the household finances in jeopardy, be brutally honest with yourself and your partner about the full extent of the debt you are in. The UK Consumer Credit Counselling Service revealed that women were more secretive than men when it came to hiding their debts; but don’t fall into this trap, no matter how scared you are of your partner’s reaction. Retrieve and deal with those unopened bills. Creditors can sometimes be reasonable.

2. Avoid the blame game: Some people may immediately react to a bad debt situation by pointing the finger at their partner. However, raising the issue of a loved one’s reckless spending which has benefited both parties is counter-productive and is very likely lead to rows, rage and recriminations. After all, where were the complaints when you were both living the good life?

3. Plan: With no plan in place to deal with money problems, couples are likely to go round in circles and spend a lot of their time dwelling on the situation and fighting with each other, rather than focusing on the bigger picture. Some hard choices may need to be made, and these are best done with both parties actively engaged with drawing up and executing a plan of action. There are many debt management templates you can download from the internet and work on together.

4. Teamwork: If you’re in a loving relationship, you’re not alone when it comes to solving problems. Resist the urge to go it alone or to run away. Work with your partner to to develop creative solutions to improving your financial situation. This will help nurture an ‘us against the world’ mentality, useful when used positively, for dealing with a crisis. Also, seek help (not necessarily financial) from family, friends and debt specialists. If there are no relatives or friends you can speak to confidentially, there are many groups, charities and networks than can provide a discreet service and some very useful advice.

5. Discipline: In times of stress, people tend to seek the ‘basic pleasures’ of life: drink, drugs, gambling, food and sex. As most of us will appreciate, these activities can be expensive, potentially destructive and the benefits will be short-lived. Beyond that, the consequences of overindulgence may potentially lead to alcoholism, addiction, poverty, obesity and unwanted pregnancies – the last thing anyone needs to solve their money problems.

Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that if you’re a couple being crushed by the credit crunch, the way you view your money situation is essentially an emotional response (anxiety/stress) to a physical problem (debt/not having an income). Once you separate how you feel about the situation with what you need to do about it, you’ll be in a much stronger position to make a rational decision on how to come up with a workable solution to your money and relationship problems.

Every time I begin to pack for my next camping adventure I always think about those family camping trips I took as a kid. I remember the stress that my brothers and I put on my parents not only while packing for the weekend, but also while at the campgrounds.

As a kid, my brothers and I were always on the go. We constantly wanted my parents to play some game or do something besides sit and relax. I also remember my parents struggling to find activities that we could do as a family on our camping get-a-ways.

It’s interesting because I still play the following games and continue to pack the gear/equipment every time I go camping. Below is a list of 6 personal favorite family camping activities of mine.

Ladder Golf

Ladder golf is a game that is played by 2 – 4 players or 2 teams of 2 players. The object of the game is to toss the bolas (the 2 golf balls tied together by rope) onto the rungs, or steps, of the ladder. Ladder golf is great for camping trips because it’s easy to play, easy to set up, easy to transport and can be played by anyone on virtually any surface.

The game is played by having two teams, each have their own set of colored bolas, and they each take turns tossing the bolas at the ladder. Each bola that stays on the ladder receives a point. Tossing a bola on the top rung is 3 points, the middle rung is 2 points and the bottom rung is worth 1 point. The two ladders are normally 15 feet, or 5 paces, apart. Each player/team will alternate tossing the bolas until one team reaches exactly 21 points at the end of his/her turn.

Bean Bag Toss/Cornhole

Bean bag toss (or commonly referred to as Cornhole in the Southern U.S.) is a childhood favorite of mine. This game is similar to Ladder Golf in that it’s played by 2 – 4 players. This great camping game is extremely easy to play by men, women and children of any age.

Essentially, all you do is take turns tossing your bean bag (corn bag) onto the platform and the team that reaches 21 points first wins. One point is scored when a player tosses his/her bag onto the platform and it stays there. Three points are scored when a player gets the bag into the hole within the platform. Each platform is roughly 30 feet apart and teammates stand by opposite platforms tossing bags back and forth.

Croquet

Croquet is not a traditional camping game but can be even more exciting when played at campgrounds as compared to a grass court. Croquet is not only a lawn game but also a competitive sport. This game can be played with 2 – 4 players in which each player tries to hit plastic or wooden balls with a mallet through a series of metal loops that are stuck into the earth.

Why is playing croquet at a campground more exciting? Well, normally you play this game on a grassy field without obstacles. Think of the exciting challenges that await you and your family/friends if you have to play around trees!

Bocce Ball

Bocce ball is another game that is not only played for leisure but also professionally. I personally love bocce ball because, like croquet, it’s very exciting and challenging when playing at a campground.

The game is played by 2 – 8 players. The goal of the game is to throw/toss a bocce (a wooden or plastic ball) at a pallino (a smaller ball). The person/team to get their bocce closest to the pallino scores a point. The team that scores the point gets to toss the pallino in a new location. Now just repeat. The first team to 13 wins the game.

Wildlife Identification

This fun camping activity is great for any family. This isn’t really a game but more of an educational adventure to explore and discover the natural beauty in the great outdoors. This gets you and your family out of your campsite and exploring the surrounding area.

The goal of this little adventure to get out and see how many different types of wildlife you can identify. You can search for mammals, insects, plants, flowers, tress, birds, etc. Wildlife identification can be extremely rewarding not only because you get to see some incredible wildlife, but you’re also learning about the great outdoors.

You will need to purchase some sort of wildlife ID kit or booklet in order to fully enjoy this activity. I’d recommend purchasing a book from a local bookstore so it will contain wildlife that is relevant to your area. You can also order kits online by doing a simple Internet search.

Geocaching

Geocaching is my latest hobby. This is an exciting outdoor treasure hunt that uses GPS technology to locate and find hidden containers (caches) that were hidden by some other geocacher. The basis of this activity is to go online and find and download latitude and longitude coordinates which will get to very close to the cache. Once you’re close, it’s up to you to find the hidden container. After you find it, you sign the log book, leave a little trinket for the next geocacher and then replace the cache exactly how you found it. Once you return home, you go back online and write a brief log about your adventure for the rest of the world to read.

The above 6 activities are only several camping activities that you and your friends/family can enjoy on your next outdoor adventure. Please remember to always be courteous of other campers and obey all park/campground rules when enjoying any of these activities.

Remember, it’s not what you do on your camping adventure that’s important, it’s the memories that you create and share that are what will bring you to fully enjoy everything Mother Nature has to offer.

What is Ladder Golf? It is a terrific new alternative to horseshoes and croquet and some of the other more “traditional” outdoor games. It is really not like golf at all except that you play with golf balls. It is competitive and fun and children and adults of almost any age can play. At this point, the only negative is being able to find a local dealer of the game, or waiting for it to be shipped to you.

Equipment that you will need for Ladder Golf:

1. The ladder: this is an upright ladder with three steps on it. The legs of the ladder and the base are made of wood while the steps are made of metal.

2. The bolas: these are the balls. Two golf balls of the same color are connected with a short piece of rope driven into the center of the ball. You will need at least 2 different colors of bolas to play ladder golf.

3. The carrying case: Although this is not necessary, it will be something that you will probably want so that you can take the Ladder Golf game with you and also store it when you are not playing.

How to play Ladder Golf:

Each player needs 3 bolas of the same color-but every player must have a different color from the other players.

The toss line is 5 paces from the ladder. Paces are used so that the distance for children will be shorter.

Every player tosses 3 times in every round. Who tosses first in Ladder Golf is decided by a coin toss.

The player can toss the bola in any way they choose as long as they only toss one bola at a time and do not cross the toss line. The bola can bounce before it goes on the ladder. The player must toss all three bolas before the next player tosses.

Ladder Golf Scoring:

1 point for the bottom step

2 points for the middle step

3 points for the top step

The round winner gets to go first the next round.

The winner of Ladder Golf is the person who gets exactly 21 points first. If they go over, they go back to the point total of the previous round and try again. If two people tie at 21, then the rounds continue until one player has 2 more points than the other.

Players are encouraged to knock other players’ bolas off the ladder. You cannot touch another person when they are tossing but you can make as much noise as you want.

Philippine ham or “jamon” is one of the culinary legacies left by Spain after their rule which lasted 377 years. There are other traditional Spanish dishes that they have left as their legacy but for many, ham is the most popular of all of them.

Philippine ham comes in many shapes and tastes but the most famous shape is the ball shaped “hamon de bola” which is usually sweet. Although the hamon de bola is popular, the Chinese ham is more popular and it is also present on the table during Christmas alongside the hamon de bola. The Chinese ham differs in taste from the hamon de bola as it is both salty and sweet. Most people like this mix of saltiness and sweetness.

The Majestic brand of hams is another sweet and salty which is distinct to this kind of ham. The secret to its unique taste is the curing process. The hams are cured in oak barrels and then aged to attain their full flavour. It is seasoned with spices before cooking to achieve the perfect taste. Their brand have been established for over seventy years and they are one of the most popular brands of ham in the Philippines.

When serving Chinese ham, it should first be heated or cooked and then drenched in the sauce that comes with it. There are Chinese hams and jamon de bola that are available commercially but those that taste best are made by restaurants and specialty shops. Commercially available hams are usually made with preservatives which are harmful to our health. The more expensive hams tastes better than the cheap mass produced varieties. During the Christmas season, people give Chinese hams or Jamon de Bola to other family members, friends, and business colleagues.

After going to the midnight mass or “simbang gabi” the people go home and eat their “Noche Buena” or midnight meal. It is also the time when the family exchanges gifts with each other. The Christmas buffet or “Noche Buena” is not complete without the trio of Chinese ham, jamon de bola, and queso de bola. Queso de bola or edam cheese is eaten together with the ham and is usually placed inside slices of bread to make a sandwich. During the Christmas evening meal, the Filipinos also drink wine.

Other countries have their own kind of hams with unique curing processes but the most popular and rare is the “Jamon Iberico de Bellota” of Spain. It is an acorn cured ham that is best known for its very nutty and distinct taste that is very famous around the globe. It has a very long curing process that contributes to its flavour and texture.

Sometimes known as hillbilly horseshoes, hillbilly golf, or redneck golf, ladder golf is a great summertime sport for everyone. You can find it being played by families in backyards, by students on college campuses, by children on a playground, by tailgaters at sporting events, even by senior citizens at RV parks. It was named the 2007 ION Sports Toy of the Year.

Ladder golf is lawn game that is played with a ladder that consists of three rungs and bolas. The bola is a nylon rope with a golf ball attached to each end. The ladder is set up, with each player taking turns tossing their bolas at the ladder from about five paces away. The official throw line is 15 feet from the ladder. Teams of two or individuals take turns tossing the bolas (each player gets three) at the ladder to earn points. Usually a coin toss decides who gets to go first. The opposing player or team stands next to the ladder while the other player or team throws. Often, the opposing player or team will make distracting remarks, sounds, or movements, but they cannot touch the others bolas.

The number of points gained per rung may vary from game to game, but one of the more common scoring variations is that the top rung is worth 3 points, the middle rung is worth 2 points, and the bottom rung is worth 1 point. Players get no points for bolas that fall short of the ladder or go past it without hooking on to a rung. Some players like to bounce the bolas off the grass, which may cause them to bounce up and hook onto a rung. Other rules vary. In some cases, if both teams score on the same rung, neither of the points counts. Also, if balls are looped around other balls, those points may not count.

If a player’s bola knocks another player’s bola off, the points for the bola that was knocked off do not count. Scoring is only determined after all players have tossed their bolas, in case some are knocked off during play. At the end of each round, only the bolas that remain on the ladder are counted for points. The winner of each round gets to go first in the next round.

The goal of the game is to get exactly 21 points without going over. If a player gets over 21 points – say he had 19 and hits a 3 point rung by accident – that player is usually reverted to their previous total. If players or teams are tied at the end of the game, overtime rounds are necessary until one player or team has a two point advantage.

• Are you fed up with Club Juggling?
• Do your Juggling Clubs spend more time being dropped and lying on the floor than soaring majestically in the air?

If so, then why not try creating a few routines by rolling the clubs on the floor! Have you ever noticed that when you roll a club on the floor, it makes a circular shape, and returns to its starting point. Go on, give it a try so you can see for yourself (best to use a wooden floor!) Armed with this knowledge, then there are a few patterns you can try! If you have 6 juggling clubs, then there are a few patterns you can try out!

First Few Patterns

• One Club Roll around Feet: Stand with your feet together, and place a club in front of your feet, with the handle just in front of you. Give the club a little roll/push to one side (so that you can rotate it clockwise or anti-clockwise), and it will travel round your feet and back to starting position.
• 3 Club (or more) Roll around Feet: Start with 3 clubs side by side in front of your feet so that they are just touching each other. Roll the first club, wait a second, roll the next clup, wait a second, roll the third club. The aim here is to keep the pattern going, but keep the clubs spaced evenly apart. They will keep slowing down due to friction of course, so you need to give them the occasional roll to speed them up. How many clubs can you keep going? A good way to end this routine is to stop one club in front of your feet, and hold it still so that the other clubs come round, bang into it and come to a halt also!
• Clockwork /Gears: Try putting a club in front of you but the other way round (with the handle pointing away from your feet). Now give it a push. This time the circle goes away from your body. You can now line up the clubs so that some roll around your feet and some roll in a circle away from your body! This can look like a series of gears!

More Patterns

Leg Roll (one club) – Sit on the ground with your legs in front of you (raised at the knee). From your knee down to your feet forms a nice ramp which you can take a club and place at the top so that the knob end fits nicely on your legs and just let go. The club should roll down your leg, then roll in a circle until it reaches you again. Practice picking it up and letting it roll down your leg in the other direction. This is like a cascade pattern!

Leg Roll (2+ clubs) – Now place a club on each side of your ramped legs ready to be picked up. Lift one club and roll it down your legs and once it has reached the bottom of the ramp, pick up and release the 2nd club. You can do a pattern where the clubs return to under the same leg each time, or they start to chase each other! Try experimenting with 3 clubs now!

Leg Roll (6 clubs) – I do my club rolling with 6 clubs! I have 3 set up at each side of my ramped legs and as long as I can pick them up and roll the 6th one down my leg before the first one returns, then you can pick up a good rhythm and keep going!

Bum Lift! – Do a leg roll as above with just one club, but when it comes back round, lift your bum and then your legs, so that the club has done a full circle, then continue your pattern! Try doing this as part of a routine with more than one club now!

Club Rolling and Pickups on Rola-Bola

Place 3 clubs in front of the rola-bola and by pushing them lightly (which involves lowering your body so you can touch the clubs on the ground, and reaching forward, so you are a bit off balance), you can make them revolve around the cylinder and back to their starting point.

You have to make sure that your board stays far enough off the ground in order that the clubs can roll the whole way round!

Now get back to your Club Juggling, and if you drop, you can break into some Club Rolling and the audience will think that you meant it!

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