01-04-10
Happy New Year Everybody!! (To the 6 of you who still actually read this)
I’m sitting in a coffee shop in Sierra Madre, California nursing a giant designer caffeinated beverage enjoying the nicest weather in these entire United States of America. (Even Florida has hit freezing temps this week. Neener neener!!)
In anticipation of the huge talent pool migrating toward the 3rd installment of Jam Camp, a ‘pre-JC’ jam was coordinated for the Friday immediately preceding the official clinics. Roughly a dozen jammers met at 1PM on a little green patch overlooking the beach known as Fraser Park in Santa Monica.
Check out my Jam Camp photo album on Facebook here.
I was honored and excited to start my jam with Dave “the Chill man” Schiller, who, in 2005 FPA World Championships went drop-less in all 3 finals (pairs, coop & mixed) and consequently won titles in each one! Shilz is amazing with either spin.
Jake Gauthier has an answer (and rarely one you’d expect) for almost any angle, spin or speed, and his reach is just downright UNFAIR. No matter who you are, or how experienced a jammer you are, you WILL mistakenly deem one of Jake’s combos “dead” or “unreachable”, just before his long legs or arms extend just enough to breathe enough life into the disc to turn it over one more time and seal or pass to someone too stunned to react to the perfect set.
We played through a spectacular sunset and convened at the nearby John (Z) Weyand, aka: “Dreamer” residence for drinks, videos and stories.
Jam Camp was spectacular. Teachers and campers from all over the US converged on Eagle Rock, CA to share the freestyle Frisbee experience. Each camper signed a sheet that described their playing level and instructors took turns giving tidbits of their sage advice. Jam Camp was also a venue for the disc doggers to “bone-up” on ways to spice up their routines. I was to be involved with the K-9ers, but Mike Miller, a veteran disc-dogger aptly took that leash and ran with it.
The event was blessed by the presence of other freestyle veterans such as Amy (Bekken) Schiller, Carolyn (Yabe) Hubbard, Dan “Stork” Roddick, Dan “Dan” Cameronesi, Cindy Kruger, Lori Daniels, Dave Lewis and even a surprise visit by a legend of freestyle Frisbee, Krae Van Sickle.
Another surprise was came in the form of the gym being unceremoniously locked well before the contracted closing time before many jammers could get their belongings out. This put a crimp in the time-table of our visit to a fantastic Asian restaurant but did not deter us.
Sunday’s activities culminated with a skill-level based teaming of groups of 4 jammers who were given 1.5 hours to choreograph a 3 minute routine. K9 & human freestyle teams alternated, each trying to show off what they had learned. This, as is tradition with any organized freestyle event, was followed by a massive mob-op, which ran until the lactic acid build up exceeded the recommended ibuprofen intake.
An informal post Jam Camp dinner was held at Beth Verish’s place, after which, I headed over to Mark Horn’s place where I sat in a hot tub, drinking a glass of Shiraz-Merlot overlooking the shimmering sprawl below. It didn’t SUCK!
01-04-10
Originally, I had tickets to attend a taping of the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson for this afternoon but this was the only day that Tony Pellicane could get free to show me around the “Flying P” (which sounds like something I would do off of a high-dive after a keg party) disc golf course.
The # of acres eludes me at the moment, but it is ample for a full 18 of non-crossing fairways. Though it is verrrry hilly and verry rocky, pretty much personifying a private “extreme” course. Some very tricky elevation changes and a few demanding placement shots combined with precarious footing gives the 1st timer more than enough to think about. I had taken a bit of time off from disc golf in prep for jam camp and literally had to drop by Innova for some fresh plastic prior to the trip down. Erin Hart accompanied me on the trip. Normally a mild mannered marathoner, her (still) broken foot relegated her to moderately interested spectator from a plateau with a buena vista.
My two O.B. drives left me two strokes shy of the course record of –1.
Another drive back north to drop off Ms. Hart and once again dropped my bags at the Horn residence to reprise my role as the sleazy hot tub-meister of Pasadena.
01-05-10
Erin’s child was sick yesterday, so I had been very lucky to have her along for the trip. Luck, is often two-sided. In this case, her company was muchly enjoyed, but (as it turns out) she also got sick and I may be following suit. Should be perfect timing for the Late Late Show taping and my flight home tomorrow.
Re: LLS taping… I’m sitting in the CBS parking lot, blasting the A/C (yes, currently America’s BEST weather) catching up on the blah blah blah’g and preparing to line up in the studio audience que.
A few hours later…
The Late Late Show taping was excruciatingly tedious.
OK, OK, I only said that for the benefit of the two people who had intended to come along but couldn’t make it. I hope that makes you feel better about missing it.
In fact, the entire experience, with the possible exception of the waiting, was quite a bit of fun. My seat wasn’t great…all the way in the back and directly behind the camera, So I couldn’t even see much more than his shoulder during the monologue. Chunky, the warm-up-guy did a great job at getting the audience in the right mood. So, I have no doubt that we were “possibly the best audience they’ve ever had” for the umteenth show in a row.
I did my best to shake off the jaded ex-comic persona and laugh, scream and clap along with the crowd. Though the woman next to me was a great crowd unto herself and took up any slack that I may have created.
I had hoped that I might get tickets for tomorrow since Ray Romano was on. But, just like my routine these days, my timing is too slow. A few years before “Everybody Loves Raymond” began to air, I worked with Ray twice in the same club. The club owner booked us together the 2nd time because he liked the diversity of the show, because, well… Ray was funny. I wrote Ray a note congratulating him on “Raymond’s” $yndication and condolences for his golf game. It’s probably in the stage manager’s waste basket as I type.
I headed back to Z’s place on Santa Monica Beach for a beer and a sleeping pill.
Tomorrow: Orange County to Orange County in reverse.
01-06-10
Fully expecting a massive line at security, I was again quite early and again got through the gate and security line faster than pre-crotch bomber.
The first flight was uneventful save the attractive blonde falling asleep in the chair next to me and eventually drooping over onto my shoulder.
The flight connection in Houston to O-ville was delayed for mechanical reasons. As I headed to the gate I met another juggler friend (2005? National Champ) who had been hit by a cab last year in Nassau, Bahamas. I had heard that his whole left side had been pretty badly crushed. I had inquired about him to some friends but hadn’t gotten much in the way of info. Glad to see that he’s fairly healthy and doing shows on ships again.
This version of the ‘Screamin Baby Express’ also included copious bouncing in the seat directly ahead, which is connected to the tray on which I am trying to type. This is why I’m pounding out mindless drivel instead of actually working on something productive.
Tomorrow: Realizing that I have way too much to catch up on.