Something about me that has nothing to do with food...

 

I'm a fire spinner.  Ok, in all honesty, I haven't actually spun real fire in over a year, but still...I use to pick up my practice poi once a night, so needless to say, I still spin.  Here's my story...condensed version:

Way back in 2005 :) I was at a fund raising event.  During the event, a group of fire spinners (also know as fire dancing or fire twirling) performed and I was in complete and utter awe.  Oh how they gracefully wielded that untamed creature: Fire!  I didn't waste a moment.  The minute they stopped spinning, I went up to the first person I saw and immediately (well, as best as I could despite how shy I am .. and that is another story for another time) asked them all about what they had just done.  A week later, I ended up at a party with a good friend of mine...and lo and behold...there were two of the fire spinners from the previous week, performing for this small party.  Long story short, a day later, I was actually being taught how to wield that same animal.  Two or three weeks later I was spinning actual fire for the very first time!  I took to it like....well, let's just say that it seemed to be what I was made for.  Ok, in all reality, I think it was just something that I was in love with, and believe me, I was no prodigy, it was just fun and fascinating and I spent hours upon hours learning all I could about it.  I had found my calling!

In my illustrious fire spinning career, I had a ton of ups and few really big downs.  I learned a lot about fire and about people.  I spun in front of 30,000 people once.  I never made more then $100 for a performance.  I burned three fingers on my right hand.  Singed my hair numerous times.  Got my picture in three newspapers.  Lost friends.  Lost I brows and eye lashes.  Gained a great set of arms....I could go on and on but the point is, I had good times and I had bad times and in the end, my spinning took me no where but right where I am today...in the kitchen ...of course :)

After making a few bad decisions, life took me on a different path and I drifted from those that I loved to spin with the most.  Then life got even darker for me and I lost the drive to want to even light up. I would still spin at home, with head phones on, no fire, no audience, no group to learn from…but even that became old and tiresome.

That was the case, until last night.  Last night I picked up my practice poi for the first time in about 4 months or more.  Oh did they feel good!!! I spun so long and so intensely, that four of my fingers are now carrying large, painful blisters.  I went to bed last night with my arms on fire and my back in knots.  But oh my goodness, what a great feeling it was!  I remembered my passion, I remembered my love, I remembered my desire, I remembered spinning again….

So here I am, telling you this story just because it felt like something I wanted to share with you all.  It's something that means a lot to me, and I'm hoping last night sparked my drive for wanting to do it more and more.  My goal is to spin actual fire for my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew when they come to visit in June.   If that's the case, I'll hopefully get some updated pictures, and I'll post them for you!

Well, hope you all have a fantastic weekend!  Maybe you'll be inspired to do something you've put aside for awhile and find the same joy I did last night!

Ciao!