Perfect Circles

Weekly Hoopers!

Down By the Seaside

sherialice

Lookin' Down on Creation

marrryyjane

Headless Hoopgirl

psychodeliah

Find a Beautiful 
Place to Get Lost.

sarahlynn_eve

Hoop-Hoop Hooray

littlehoorary

Beautifully Bent.

lunairefaerie

Pretty Hats and Acrobats

m0rg4nl3igh

Things are Not Always
 What They Seem.

iamimaginary

Tornado Warning

twirlingcircus

So Much Beauty 
it'll Make You Cry.

jessjay_jay

Up is Down.

ash_o_

Waves Across the Sand

hulatallulah

Forest Fairies

sundusthoops

The Land Down Under

madgirlmadrigal 

Draw a Blank.

Creative ruts are extremely unhealthy for the creative mind. The part of you that should flow like a river dries itself up and turns into a seemingly insignificant puddle. It feels as though there's a drought in your brain. Expression should never be difficult, but somehow it occasionally finds a way to shut itself off. I'm not a firm believer in writer's block. I feel that when the heavy clouds roll in, there's a significant reason for it--there's an enormous, amazing idea hiding deep within. The only way to bring it to the surface is to write about not knowing what write. If an artist doesn't know what to paint, they should take that frustration out with a paintbrush. Find an inspiring or favorite color and start from there. Writers, grab a pen and vent about the lack of thought. Maybe then the ideas will start pouring through. The truth always comes out in writing or any other expressive art form. 

Let's change the phrase 'writer's block' to 'creative block'. Writer's block is far too limited. A stunt in creativity often makes one feel impatient and at a standstill. Perhaps, that's because their life or a certain part of it is at a standstill. When there's nothing happening, there isn't much to say or express. That's when the realization sets in and one has to make things happen. Create the rainstorm that refills the river. Draw a smiley face, take a picture of the first thing you see, write about a missing sock, etc. Every creation begins with a tiny thought. 

Fun Haters Suck.

Last night, MGMT put on a fantastic show at The Peabody Opera House in St. Louis. The only problem was that the crowd was an uncomfortable mess. Typically when an electronic psychedelic band like MGMT walks out on stage, the lights come on, and the people begin to shout as they immediately rise from their seats. This did not happen. Approximately 3 people (myself included) demonstrated what can be considered the normal concert reaction. It wasn't until halfway through the first song that a higher percentage of people stood up. When you think of MGMT, you think of dancing, glow sticks, lasers, ravers, and a positive energetic vibe. From the 13th center row on the main floor to the front, there was a circular, 7 row mini crowd of people sitting down-- for the entire show. At least stand up out of respect for the band if you're going to pay money to listen to their music in real life. Obviously, none of these people could see anything from the main floor with people standing up and having fun directly in front of them. My question is 'Why?'.

Why do people do this? And I mean this generally speaking. If you're 75, dying, or have a broken leg, it's understandable. But for the average human, why would you waste your time and money at an event where you aren't even going to try to make the best of it? If those people simply stood up for one song and tried to enjoy themselves, they would have. They looked bored and there was absolutely nothing boring about the situation. Some people are just so afraid to let go. They live like caged animals. BREAK OUT OF YOUR CAGE, PEOPLE! Do the Safety Dance or something, because "if they don't dance, well, they're no friends of mine.", and I don't want to be at a show with people I can't be friends with. I don't think anyone does. 

How people looked:

How people should ALWAYS look:

(By the way, everyone should really check out the link for The Safety Dance. Probably the greatest music video of all time.)

Perfect Circles

 

I've decided that there are just too many amazing hula hooping photographs out there and I need to make 'Perfect Circles' a weekly post. This week I found some amazing photos. People can do the same types of poses in thousands of different pictures, there are no two exactly the same. 

I'm Still Fly.

@missflyhips

Breathe in the Air.

@breatheintheairrr

Into the Light of 

the Cold Black Night

@dayydreambeliever's photo of @greenwaylove

Beautiful Like 

Diamonds in the Sky

@dimond_soul

Happy Hoops!

@TwirlingCircus 

Cloud Nine

@jaowjoe

Hula F*** Cares?

@hulafukcares

Looping LuLu

@misslululam

Flowing Fringe

SetList

Smile Like You Mean It.

@sun_flower_faerie

Turn On Your Love Light

@kels_wit

Get Ready for the Get Down.

@TwirlingCircus

Shadow Dancing

@KronicKupcake

Look Around and Within.

It's hard to stay positive when you feel as though there are no smooth roads to walk down. All the open signs are closed, and you're aimlessly wandering through emptiness... The truth is, it isn't an actual emptiness. The majority of society is wandering around in there with us. Many might think it's wrong to ignore reality, but in times like these, we cannot drown in it. We have to keep going. In the words of John Michael Montgomery, "Life's a dance." If we continue reminding ourselves that and dance together, the entire world will appear completely different. 

As we look around, we see unemployment, poverty, and a crumbling economy. What most people don't see is the connection we all share during these hard times. When finding a positive train of thought seems impossible, we shouldn't dwell on the darkness we find ourselves in. We need to remember our individual gifts and have faith we'll find the light. Something as small as playing the piano or riding your bike can form a smile and a sigh of relief; a reminder that the little things in life are priceless, and only we can create them. We can't forget that we aren't alone while we're online job searching or debating whether or not we should buy that new pair of shoes. We need to recognize that the people around us share the same struggle. We share the same pain, but we can also share the same happiness if we help one another find it. Smile at a stranger, share your talents and inspire someone. Most importantly-- never lose faith that things will get better. There's a reason we were taught 'Patience is a virtue.' 

Many struggle with their patience; especially when they have creative minds. Society and businesses generally claim to crave 'creative thinking'. However, if someone with blue hair walks through the door for an interview anywhere other than a Hair Salon or Tattoo Shop, they might as well deny the offer to avoid any false judgment. Creative thinkers typically express themselves through unique physical appearances, fashion, and many art forms. If conservative society wants a change through creative thinking, they need to learn to accept those that fit the criteria. It's a very confusing and frustrating paradox. It does nothing but separate us from one another. We're called the United States because we're supposed to stick together. How's that working out? 

HoopFurthur's Hoopspiration

"I shall now recall to mind that the motion of the heavenly bodies is circular, since the motion appropriate to a sphere is rotation in a circle."

Nicolaus Copernicus

Many hoopers find themselves watching one particular hooper more than others because they are inspired by that individual artist's style. Every hooper has their own 'flow', and imitations are just inspirations made into another form. Brandy Kimbrell, aka @hoopfurthur, is possibly one of the greatest hoopspirations. She has a YouTube account full of flawless videos of her amazing gift. As an individual performer at this year's Hulaween, Brandy proved her talents paid off and she is beginning to receive the recognition she deserves. 

Her videos and photographs are absolutely mesmerizing. It's nearly impossible to sit through an entire video and resist the urge to go grab a hula hoop. Her genuine passion for her abilities makes her even more likeable and enjoyable to watch. Even if you're not a hooper, she's definitely worth watching.

Brandy is the type of person that you don't have to share a similar passion with. Her overall passion for life and happiness makes her an admirable role model and human being. She has inspired thousands of people and she is unstoppable. Her fans will keep growing and good vibes are bound to keep flowing in her direction. 

Hula/Halloween: Call it What You Want

Because of its diverse worldwide recognition, Halloween is possibly the most fantastic holiday. It began as an annual ritual with bonfires and people dressed in dark clothing and masks. Its purpose was to blend in with and/or scare off the evil spirits and demons they believed would roam among the living that night. This simple tradition evolved into at least thousands of different universal celebrations. In present day, Halloween knows no boundaries. The most common and commercialized traditions involve costumes, trick-or-treaters and candy, haunted houses, watching scary movies, pranks, etc. Being that this night is said to connect the living with the dead more than any other, it is not uncommon today for spiritual people to perform Seances, use Ouija Boards, or read Tarot Cards. This belief also increases late-night graveyard attendance. The list could go on forever. People of all ages put serious dedication into Halloween. College students are known for their more risque attire and house parties, and typically celebrate a weekend prior because the holiday is not always a convenient party night. In this generation's counterculture, attending concerts and raves ranks at the top of the list for a great Halloween experience.

The most important aspect of all today's traditions is that there are no limits. Occasional controversy is expected. In the music scene, a costume doesn't really need to be a costume. People can wrap
themselves in rope-lighting or simply paint a rainbow on their face and blend right in. Halloween concerts are now the ultimate psychedelic experience. Jam Bands like Phish and String Cheese Incident have played these spectacular shows for decades, but due to the new wave of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and its fans, they've taken things up a notch. Rather than hoping for a more exciting crowd and performance, SCI created their own holiday-- 'Hulaween'. As if the String Cheese Incident's Halloween shows weren't already intense enough, Hulaween is now a 3 day celebration and music festival. This year's lineup includes artists such as STS9, Big Gigantic, Moon Taxi, Eliot Lipp, and many other groups to combine and balance EDM and Jam Band vibes. Concerts like Hulaween are a great way for people from all over to come together and simply let go. Halloween brings out the strangest sides of people, and music always brings people together. Why not combine the two?