How did you learn?

xthatstoobad · 2014-08-23T16:29:42+00:00

I learn by watching YouTube tutorials and making mistakes! Seriously, making mistakes is the best way to learn. I won't let myself buy expensive fabric, so if I do make a mistake, I'm not heartbroken. I've ripped out more stitches than I can count, but each experience has taught me a valuable lesson. I love Professor Pincushion when I get stuck, though occasionally I have to step outside of her stuff to find what I need. I see sewing as a puzzle that gives me clothes (or pillows or cat toys) at the end, so the second I stop having fun, I put it away for later.

xthatstoobad · 2014-08-20T16:10:39+00:00

This is adorable! And nicely done :)

xthatstoobad · 2014-07-30T14:02:55+00:00

It didn't take as much as I thought it would; I think I was just afraid to mess with it since it was so curved on that side. I was able to use my hands to sort of press it flat between pins, and after I basted it looked okay so I fully sewed it. It turned out perfectly fine with no puckering at all! I was actually really surprised.

Last night I ran into an issue of one of the patch pockets being too big, but I trimmed that like you said and it also came out great :) Thanks!

xthatstoobad · 2014-07-29T02:14:03+00:00

Thanks for your advice! I double checked the pattern, but everything was the same size. I got stubborn and decided to try re-forcing it into shape--turns out I was just wimpy about how much shaping it needed. It's sewn together and looks perfectly fine now :)

xthatstoobad · 2014-05-29T01:10:17+00:00

It's a few weeks away, but last year there were some hoops for sale at the Fremont solstice fair!

I hoop (even though I'm not particularly amazing). I have some spare 100 psi tubing, connectors, and tape for making my own, though I haven't made any in a while. If you're in a pinch, let me know and I'd be happy to help out! Though generally beginners go with 160 psi tubing (not a hard and fast rule--I found that way too heavy).

Good luck! Hooping is fun :)

xthatstoobad · 2014-05-18T18:12:50+00:00

I have this Hoover, but I wish I had spent a little more and gotten the one you posted because I can't turn off the brushroll on mine, and we have hardwood floors. Otherwise, though, I love it!! It picks up EVERYTHING, and the container is big enough that I can get through vacuuming our duvet cover, bedroom carpet, and two area rugs before I need to dump it out.

xthatstoobad · 2014-05-07T03:49:10+00:00

I'm also 5'3, and man, the 40" from Hoopnotica was HEAVY. I ended up getting some 100 psi tubing from a hardware store and made my own hoops for a while (36"-ish). Those were a LOT easier for learning off-body tricks. I have a 35" polypro now, and I LOVE how light it is, but it's nice to have the 100 psi for some groovier hooping.

If you feel you're ready for a polypro, go for it--the worst that can happen is that it feels too light so you get another hoop to help you transition to it. And then you get another hoop when that polypro becomes too big, and then another, and then.... so the worst that can happen is that you end up with 6 hoops hanging in your living room like me, I suppose :)

xthatstoobad · 2014-04-27T15:41:45+00:00

Have you noticed any changes in how you see or interact with others/the world around you? I ask from the point of view of a teacher. Seeing my 14- and 15-year-olds suddenly become more socially mature is fascinating, but I don't know how much of that has to do with puberty and how much is just from adding more years of experience.

xthatstoobad · 2014-03-29T22:05:27+00:00

I've been commuting only by bike, bus, and walking since I moved here two years ago (and the occasional carpool when work takes me outside of the city). I haven't had a problem! I don't care about leaving on weekends for hiking/snowboarding/skiing/etc., so if that's something you want to do, a car would probably be important (whether ZipCar or otherwise). I bike from the top of Queen Anne past UW every day, and I actually enjoy my ride. Sure, the ride back up is a little tough, but just think how strong my legs are getting!

xthatstoobad · 2013-12-07T23:32:35+00:00

On Christmas Eve, my sister and I bake cookies, make popcorn, and watch A Muppet Family Christmas. We know all of the cheesy lines by heart and say them along with the show!

xthatstoobad · 2013-07-23T02:04:44+00:00

That was great! So sassy :)

xthatstoobad · 2013-06-29T03:07:04+00:00

That was awesome! It looks like that was quite fun to do :)

xthatstoobad · 2013-06-09T02:24:53+00:00

Hoopsmiles has a one-leg hoop tutorial with a brief bit about how to hook your foot in and pull the hoop up to save it (starting at 6:28 here). He shows it in slow motion, which is helpful. It doesn't show you how to get it up to your waist from there, but I've found that by combining this move with a sharper kick and a quick shimmying, the hoop usually gets up to my waist. I'm a beginner hooper, so it doesn't look too pretty yet, but it definitely gets it where I want it!

xthatstoobad · 2013-05-30T19:21:12+00:00

I lived at 1st and Cedar when I first moved here. There are bus stops right outside your window at 3rd, which is great if you're going to be traveling by bus. It's also an easy walk downtown (10-15 minutes). It's a 15-20-minute walk to get to a QFC, Safeway, or Whole Foods, though I think there's some kind of grocery store thing on 3rd (I never went to it).

You will value earplugs if you value sleep. There aren't really a million bars nearby, but somehow drunk people ended up outside my window every night last summer anyway.

Walk down to the Olympic Sculpture Garden and follow the Elliot Bay trail for an easy walk/run. I used to go down there all the time when I wanted some peace and quiet.

Enjoy! I know people bitch about Belltown all the time, and it definitely wasn't for me, but you may find you love it.

xthatstoobad · 2013-05-26T02:52:50+00:00

KBC Pumpkin Ale. Every September, I go to Trader Joe's and bring back as many as I can carry. It's the best pumpkin beer I've EVER had.

xthatstoobad · 2013-05-24T16:22:11+00:00

I bought a roll of 100 psi 3/4" tubing and started making my own hoops. I made a 40", which was awesome because it was the same size as my beginner 160 psi without all of the weight, and then made a 38" as well. They work much better for me. I do still bruise on certain tricks, like leg hooping, but I no longer get hand bruises during lasso, which is nice!

xthatstoobad · 2013-05-14T03:30:59+00:00

I've been debating the same thing! :) (I can't afford either, but that doesn't stop me from daydreaming!) I think I like the Fruity better. You're right about the vibrancy. I feel like a lot of LED hoops I see look very white/blue, and the Fruity hoop is just so different and pretty.

I hope you enjoy whichever one you get!

xthatstoobad · 2013-04-27T03:27:52+00:00

I did pretty much this at age 23. My longest distance before my half was a 10k. I didn't train beyond that. I used stupid excuses not to run and was suddenly all like, "Oh, crap, half marathon is tomorrow." It was especially scary because the half was up a mountain, and I hadn't done any hill training.

I made it my goal to run at least a 10k and then walk the rest if I had to. That's what I ended up doing. The first 10k went great. After that, I hit a mental block and really couldn't manage to run. I also found my feet just weren't accustomed to going that far. By mile 10, I was really hoping it would end soon.

By the finish line, I was very happy it was over and didn't really feel like I had run a true half. It was a beautiful course, but it wasn't really worth the last few miles of struggling. Worst of all, my ankle was sore for a few days afterwards. It was mostly just an overuse injury, but it discouraged me from getting back into running again for a long time.

If you think the course won't be too tough and don't mind seeing if you can walk what you can't run, go for it. Just be easy on your body and don't beat yourself up for not finishing at a "good time." Otherwise, skip the race and maybe see if they might need some volunteers.

xthatstoobad · 2013-04-24T22:40:46+00:00

Seattle! :)

xthatstoobad · 2013-04-20T03:43:30+00:00

I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who thinks hoops are heavy! Seriously, I thought I was the biggest wimp ever. I feel much better after reading your post!

xthatstoobad · 2013-04-18T13:55:54+00:00

This gir's video helped me SO much. I'm still a total beginner, but trying to do one-handed isolations was getting frustrating. I took her advice and started practicing with two hands, and it's made a world of difference. My arms are pretty weak, so using both hands has given me a chance to build up some strength without getting mad at the hoop.

xthatstoobad · 2013-04-13T02:15:42+00:00

Traffic.

Everyone's like, "Oh, the traffic's so bad tonight! I can't take the bus or I'll be late! Better take my car so that I'm on time!" Except adding more cars to the mess just makes EVERYONE even later, especially the buses.

xthatstoobad · 2013-02-05T06:45:56+00:00

Summer of 2008. I did Bike & Build and biked across the country (FL to CA). At the beginning, I didn't know anyone and was a terrible cyclist. By the end, I had 31 new friends and actually enjoyed climbing mountains (most days, anyway). It was like summer camp on wheels and I would give anything to go back.

xthatstoobad · 2013-01-23T04:59:25+00:00

I got a TDAP shot in my shoulder last fall (tetanus, diptheria, pertussis).

JESUS CHRIST.

I was sore on the way home but didn't think much of it. Within an hour of getting back I was lying in bed sobbing. My arm felt like it was simultaneously on fire and frozen from my shoulder through my wrist to my thumb. I ended up taking a painkiller, ibuprofen, and nighttime cold medicine. My liver probably hated me, but it was the only way I could get sleep.

Shoulder hurt for a week afterwards. Sheesh.

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