Fire twirling, again

I did manage to make it to the 12-2pm training session. I watched their bags while they went to the Common Room to get the equipment. Despite the fact that it was trying to rain, some familiar faces showed up. I learnt the 4 beat weave, and how to do 3 beat backwards. Both feel quite awkward. Also acquired the following tips:

- Hold arm away from the body when doing the 2 beat weave backwards, there'll be less beaning of self.
- It is possible to do the 4 beat weave backwards, but it only looks good when done slowly.
- 4 beat weave is easier to do if the turns are done on a plane parallel to the body, rather than at whatever angle one allows the arm to spin the stick at.

Went back later in the day, arriving ~20:00. Sat and watched for a while. Someone had bought a two ended light-up lightsaber from the Easter Show and were using it as a staff. It flashed different colours. Pity it was light and flimsy.
Someone also brought LED poi along, and someone gave me a set of sock poi to learn on. It wasn't too difficult to start with; then I was shown Butterfly and they kept tangling together.

There was a brief span of time when there was no one on the cement and everyone on the grass because we wanted to see whether an orgy was happening. Turned out to just be a two person tickle/strength contest. At some point, photographers showed up, and they got given a small show, about 5 people with lit staff, hoop, poi, and devil stick.

Before that, Hugh had pointed at me to light up fire because nobody else had; my excuse was that I had hair, to which someone else's solution was to stuff my plait down my tshirt. After that, I decided I would, and it wasn't so bad.
Even learned to spin off, although Hugh did it properly for me because I hadn't spun the stick fast enough to start with.

I'm finding myself quite taken with Hugh. Character-wise, he is mostly Elmin's more helpful side - willing to explain stuff, making sure that it's understood, and somewhat more patient - with the random thrown in at amusing times. "We mean it about the guarding of bags! If an army of Persians shows up, we expect our bags to be safe!" Also he says meaningful things to me without trying to get my attention first. Interesting how I haven't had problems hearing him so far. Oh. And he's often topless. There's nicely defined muscles there.

Fire on a stick makes whooshing sounds. It sounds really nifty.