Learning to juggle

Yesterday I met up with a busker friend of mine who gave me a few tips on how to juggle. It seems there are a lot of ways and things to juggle, but I just want to get the basic three ball routine down. I never expected juggling to be easy, but I went to a barbecue last night after my juggling lesson, and was surprised to find that everyone there (I mean EVERYONE) could juggle like it was nothing. People I've known for years who were all like, "Oh, yeah, I can juggle. Check it out."  And then they proceeded to perform a circus act while carrying on the previous conversation and drinking their beers. Where was I when everyone learned to do this? The irony of it is I actually took a clowning course at university but we did not learn this skill.

I'm thinking either I shouldn't bother to learn since it's obviously so passé, (unless I can quickly progress to juggling fire and live chain saws, which may turn a head or two) or I'd better damn well learn otherwise I'll be the only one in town who can't keep her balls in the air. Or, um, something along those lines. Anyway, it's on my list, and I've already made juggling balls, so I might as well just get on with it.

Here's a simple recipe for juggling balls that don't bounce and have good grip:

1. Wrap a few handfuls of dry rice in cellophane (make the ball of rice smaller or larger depending on your hand size)
2. Cut the spout off a regular (12") balloon and stuff the rice ball into the balloon
3. Cut the spout off another balloon and wrap the first one with it 

Now make a couple more and you've got yourself a nice homemade set to learn with. Or just to throw at the neighbour's cat if juggling really isn't your thing.