Jusby’s Best of 2009

January 5, 2010

January - Honey the Clown is born! She attends (approximately) SEVENTEEN events with me in 2009!

February – Trish and I take “The Art of the Tease” class with Miss Indigo Blue and I start reconnecting with David Raffin upon reading his short story “Twilight of the Clowns”.  He creates (approximately) SEVENTEEN works of art featuring me in 2009.

March – I continued classes in anthroposophical based clowning with Dawn of the Simple Fool school (of top secret esoteric clowning).  Orion turned 5 with a Glow Golf party.

April – An old friend gets stuck on her way home to Alaska and gets the first mini-pie-in-the-face.

I turn 40 and eat fried crickets.  I break the 100 pie mark.  Honey and I clown at Procession of the Species.

May – Jusby the Engineer is born!  Red Nose Brigade parade season starts.  I get called into the ring to be an assistant at Circus Gatti!  I get interviewed for Folkshine.  Jusby the Agent is born.

June – The Timberland Regional Library now has 2 years of the clown magazine “the New Calliope” thanks to me (and the RNB).  I order a whipped cream dispenser from e-bay so I can offer sugar free non-dairy organic pies in the face.  Honey and I march in the Pride parade.  Mish and I do a party in McCleary.

(c) Steve Bloom, the Olympian

July – Pied Monica Drake, author of Clown Girl in Portland… and her husband, and two of their author friends!  I bought a red unicycle.  I graduated from the Simple Fool school.  We see orca whales in the San Juans.  Jusby the Referee is born and I break the 200 pie mark!

(c) Greg Wahl-Stephens

August – I pie zombies!  I construct the first two models of the flaming pie.  The zombies survive.

August -  I get a job at a school I used to work at.  (I go into the interview with two letters of recommendation from members of the interview committee).  They nominate me to lipsynch to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect” at the first assembly.  I debut the unicycle.   I pie a woman I haven’t seen in 25 years… and her 16 year old daughter.  I buy a pair of size 20 shoes for $5.

October -I appear (4 times) in a huge photo collage at Fall Arts Walk in the window of Hot Toddy.  Orion and I go to Portland for the Juggling Festival and I practice my unicycle for hours.  The alley attends the Northwest Festival of Clowns.  I take home three medals and $20 for my shoes (sold to a Belgian clown).  I escort people through the Tumwater Halloween House three nights in a row.

November – I meet and pie (of course) Dingo Dizmal and his girlfriend, Olive Rootbeer.  I also meet (again) Pamela “Fancie” Woods and her poodle, Olive.

December – I debut my new theme song and the flaming pie at a birthday in Portland.  I pie David Raffin’s mother in Lacey.  (The pie is not flaming.)

1 Comment | :o), :pie:, Animals, Apparel, Birthdays, Celebrity Friends, ClownCollege, Communities, Diplomacy, Friends, K-12, Olympia, Parties, Performances, Red_Nose_Brigade, SON, School, Services, Synchronicity, Tech, Transformations, Vehicles | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Things got weird at work that Monday

October 7, 2009

I’ve been working as a one on one paraeducator for about three years, and there’s a pattern of kids moving on. I worked for a year at Madison Elementary, and the kid moved on. The district reassigned me to McLane Elementary. After a year (and some change) the kid moved on. I spent the summer in Displaced Worker limbo. Then the district told me that a position was opening back at Madison, but I would have to interview for it. Although this was an annoyance because I was not used to simply being assigned a position, I had two aces up my sleeve.

At the conclusion of the interview they asked if I had any questions. I pulled out two letters of recommendation… from two of the interviewers in the room and asked, “Recognize these?”

They called to offer me the position later that afternoon.

I worked in 3rd grade, helping the kid and the others in the classroom or on the playground or in the lunchroom. I already posted the picture of my debut during the assembly. So let’s fast-forward to the 2nd week of school, the Monday after the two trips to Tacoma.

I showed up, but the kid wasn’t there. The special ed. teacher said that he had transferred to Lincoln.

Hmmm. What does that mean for me? It’s still in the Olympia School District, right. Sure enough, HR and Special Services confirmed that my contract means one on one with the student not the school building.

I spent the remainder of the day helping other kids, but drove myself over to Lincoln to get acquainted with the situation: staff, building, schedule, etc. The principal asked if I could start the next day. My philosophy was: I should be two steps ahead of him instead of running to keep up.

Lincoln was, in many ways, just like coming home.  The classroom had a loft (like Orion’s school) and felt dolls.  They work with beeswax and finger knitting.  In fact, many former Waldorf parents and educators are now Lincoln parents and educators.  The physical building reminded me of my old elementary school, Metropolitan Learning Center (MLC) in Portland that I’ve mentioned in previous blogs.  It also had three stories, so there’s lots of stairs to climb each day.  The Lincoln philosophy is similar to MLC’s, Waldorf’s and Evergreen’s.

Then the teacher gave me an outline of the schedule.  “The first recess is from 10:30 until 11, and…” Whoa, Whoa, Whoa! Hold Up!  It’s WHAT?  I had to steady myself.  Did she just say it was a HALF AN HOUR?!  Every other school has 10 whole minutes for recess.  This place is really putting a high value on PLAY!

I attended the first weekly assembly and nearly fell over again.  There’s a parent/ teacher band EACH week.  With drums, cello, guitar, bass, banjo, etc.  Mclane had a piano (with a candeabra)!  Though they often use a CD.  Madison sometimes had a guitar.  But this was a BAND!  A band with a CD out.  With a White Stripes cover song on it!

Check out “We Are Gonna to Be Friends“mp3

Leave a Comment » | :o), Communities, Download, K-12, Music, Olympia, Performances, School | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

The Assembly Showcase (w/ recommendations)

October 4, 2009

So, the embarrassment didn’t stop after I realized I had shown up on THE WRONG DATE!  To my credit, at least I was EARLY.  I haven’t been late to a party since my Going Into Business Sale four years ago!  The universe was reflecting back to me that I was really interested in this event, and I had extra time to prepare for it.  However, I didn’t have a good plan about how I would prepare.

I’ve been showing up at events, uninvited, for a while now.  It’s good gonzo clowning, but it takes its toll.  [see blogs about Lakefair parade, Sand in the City, etc.]  I had considered coming to the showcase in clown.  After all, I’d like to have some assembly gigs.  The extra day gave me time to run this idea by Trish.  She talked me out of it.  “It would be unprofessional.  Like showing up at a trade show where people have paid for booths and trying to sell stuff out of your coat.”

Oh, yeah.  I could see that.  She continued, “Go.  Watch the show and learn from them.  Make connections and hand out your card… as Justin.”

So I did… with Orion.  Kids were free.  [Actually, it was free for me, since I RSVP'd]

I was, at turns, astounded, inspired, and underwhelmed.

I counted a room off approximately 40 with seating for an additional 20.  So, we’re talking intimate.  Jeff Evans later sent a spreadsheet with the breakdown of attendees.  He said there were 28 attendees, possibly a dozen of them kids.  There were about 14 performers, and each group was given about eight minutes on stage.

bucknelizabeth elizabethwlasso

We arrived just as Buck & Elizabeth took the stage.  They have a country themed act that plays well in the East part of the state, but they’re trying to book more shows with the city folk.  Elizabeth sings and does ventriloquism.  Buck sings and plays the guitar.  I liked their professionalism, attitude, and humor.  See for yourself at http://www.cowboybuck.com

rhysfinalesm

The finale (he’s pulling the tablecloth off the table while 9 bowls spin)

Then we saw Rhys Thomas do an amazing 7 minutes and 59 seconds of juggling, humor, and science.  Definitely one of the highlights of the showcase.  His site is http://www.jugglemania.com/ We saw him a few weeks later at the Portland Juggling Festival, and he excelled even more with a longer set and a much larger audience.  In the parking lot he stopped me to say that he used to have a gag about a Bi-Polaroid camera that works much better now that he put in a Lithium battery, but the camera is obsolete, so he’s not doing that one anymore.

ricktoyman mrtoy-je

Rick “Mr Toymaker” Hartman took the stage with a huge wooden box from which he produced a clothes-pin man that can amuse kids without batteries!  http://www.toyworkshop.com/

rickhuddle

Rick Huddle came on stage, and his deal is all about storytelling, writing, and music.  He brought a guitar, but he didn’t play for us.  http://www.putthebookdown.com/

msfinale ms-je

Then, my old boss, Sherril Stead came on representing Mad Science of South Sound.  She later told me that she’s getting her teaching certificate, and when the franchise expires she does not plan to renew it.  She also offered to bring me back on for a few gigs.  She loaded up a bag of great Mad Science toys, but I set it down to take a group photo and forgot it!  Very embarrassing.  http://www.madscience.org/locations/southsound/

charliewilliams

Another guy I would recommend unreservedly was Charlie “The Noise Guy” Williams.  He produced the most laughter and best audience participation of any presenter.  His website is good for 10 minutes of laughs even if you don’t click anything.  http://noiseguy.com

noiseguywebpage

He’s a former children’s librarian with a background in radio.  Completely inspiring!

wecaresportsb

Then we had more jugglers.  The guys from W.E. C.A.R.E. Sports did a wonderful routine.  Their message is “The Most Fun Wins”. http://wecaresports.com I saw Mag Hughes a year ago at West Linn’s Art in the Park, but this time he had two other members of the group.

wecaresports

Don Fogle did most of the talking during the presentation, and they ran a tight show.  I’d love to see their staff development workshops. Orion and I took the How to Juggle class with Mag at the Portland Juggling Festival a few weeks later.  I don’t think I’d ever take another class held in a racket ball court, but it was great to have a gentle and familiar face around when Orion got frustrated with himself.

clintonshattersthefrozenglove

Clinton and Megan represented the Pacific Science Center’s assembly program, and Clinton demonstrated the effects of liquid nitrogen on a variety of objects.  His best line was to a boy in the front row: “Sit down, energetic friend.”

http://www.pacificsciencecenter.org/

rickandersonwbunny

Pulling a live rabbit out of the hat

The show’s MC, Rick Anderson (Yes, that’s THREE guys named Rick we have to keep straight) concluded with his magic act.  He is also Jeff Evans’ business partner over at http://www.edumazement.com/ He knew enough to pick Orion from the crowd to be his assistant.  How did he know?  Because his dad was the one in the front row taking so many pictures!

orionatcabelas

On the way home we stopped at Cabella’s.

sealionatcabelas

And the sea lion laughed and applauded: “Aaarp!  Aaarp!  Aaarp!”

Leave a Comment » | :o), Animals, Celebrity Friends, ClownCollege, Diplomacy, K-12, Performances, SON, School, WIFE | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

1st School Assembly of the Year

September 11, 2009

respectws

I got nominated (in absentia) to take the lead role, lipsynching to Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”.

I knew it meant I had to do something a little bit different, so I wore a long Elvira wig and my signature helmet.

Then I attempted to ride my unicycle with the assistance of two ski-poles (with tennis balls on the pointy tips).  I made sure the first two attempts were failures (that part wasn’t hard).  By the finale I could travel a few feet.  That’s EARNING respect instead of just EXPECTING it.

respectcu

Leave a Comment » | Apparel, K-12, Olympia, Performances, School, Vehicles | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Two Pied Thespians, Mother & Daughter

September 2, 2009

As an eighth grader, I was introduced to Bobbie Jean Sitowski, a junior in high school . She was the daughter of one of Dr. Joe’s patients, Dominick Sitowski. Dr. Joe had shared that I had always been very theatrical. I had a lead role in the eighth grade play, and Bobbie gave me my first exposure to the word thespian.

She said, “You would be so great in thespians!”

O, Rilly? I had no idea.  She pulled out a yearbook and proceeded to go through it page by page and picture by picture, overwhelming me with the possibilities and pitfalls and overall DRAMA of my future high school career.  [Which was awesome, btw.  I earned a varsity letter as a thespian, competed at state conferences and performed mainstage at the International Thespian Festival in Muncie, Indiana.]

Bobbie graduated in 1984 and went on to Beauty College.  I graduated in 1987.  It’s been 25 years since I’ve seen her.

Thanks to FACEBOOK we reconnected, and  I just got to present her with a pie-in-the-face.  I also pied Allie, her 16 year old daughter.  Bobbie was probably 16 when I met her.  They live in Grants Pass, Oregon, but they’d been on a mother-daughter Twilight-inspired road trip pilgrimage to Forks, and I convinced them to have a brief stop-over for Jusby’s speciality.

Actually, their only concern was that they didn’t want to get their hair messed up.  They could re-do their make-up, but the hair was a trickier deal, and they had other friends to meet later.  Hence, the red bandanna on both.

I chose to host the pie-ing at Peter G. Schmidt, our neighborhood elementary school, since I didn’t yet have any playgrounds pieing pics, but I had plenty shots of my own backyard.  Some time I will  get the Abandoned Brewery or Tumwater Falls in the shot… or the capital dome.  I think that kind of thing is important, especially for the out-of-towners.  I also hauled a kitchen stool over to the playground, to give it more of the “getting a facial at the beauty parlor” vibe.

I could incorporate the swings next time.  Oooo…

bobbieprepped

bobbiepied

Bobbie had also spent four years as a clown, working with Jolly Molly, but she’d never been pied before.

bobbiepiedb

alliesigns

Allie signing.

allieprepied

Allie, seated and ready.

allieprepiedb

Allie REALLY ready!

alliepiedb

And PIED!

alliepied

3 Comments | :pie:, ClownCollege, Friends, K-12, School, WLHS | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

More from the Monica Drake shoot

August 17, 2009

We went down to Portland last weekend.  On my agenda, besides a teeth cleaning and sister Betsy’s graduation, was obtaining more pics from the Monica Drake shoot.

IMGP4525

Jusby, James Bernard Frost (“World Leader Pretend”), Lance Reynald (“Pop Salvation”), Monica Drake (“Clown Girl”), and Kass Alonso (“Core”) having their portraits taken by Greg Wahl-Stephens (http://www.photographyfirst.com/)

Although I didn’t get the photos from Greg and I didn’t get the photos from Keith Caspar, who shot me later that evening, I did convince Dan Mueller to upload the set his wife, Serena Reidy, took.  He admitted that she had the better lens for the shoot, and thought her pictures were better than his.  Greg was the high school photo teacher.  He was also the journalism teacher.  Keith and Dan were also his students at WLHS.

Here’s some kids and a mom I pied while I warmed up.  Plus two ladies I tried unsuccessfully to convince.

IMGP4541 IMGP4552

IMGP4565 IMGP4585

IMGP4600 IMGP4647

IMGP4620

What a Life!

IMGP4659

James posed like a fresh white rose.

IMGP4677

Lance got the full water-boarding experience.

IMGP4688

Monica and Kass got the 2Fer1

IMGP4695

IMGP4699

There’s the smooch again.

IMGP4701

Looking at Greg’s postcard business card.

Leave a Comment » | :pie:, Celebrity Friends, Friends, K-12, WLHS | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Kallie’s 8th B-day

July 11, 2009

Because I constantly reminded the students of Ms. Lilly’s 2nd grade class that I was a clown… I was able to book this party months in advance!

Even though Kallie had been pied at Tristen’s party a few months ago, she was still keen on getting pied at her own birthday.  In fact, she wanted the whipped cream all through her hair and everywhere… going back for a second pie after every one had theirs.  She knew about the red clown nose I sometimes use and had a suitable substitute in the form of Groucho glasses!

kalliepiedwgrouchoglasses

emilyonstilts

Here’s Emily trying the low PVC stilts.

jusbyonunicyclewfence

The first appearance of Jusby’s new unicycle!

jusbydrinkingfromstraw

Exhausted from the ride, Jusby has a drink of water.

emilypiedwgrouchoglasses

Emily pied!

emilypiedinhairtoo

The full head deal!

isabellepiedwgrouchoglasses

Isabelle got pied, but said “Not in my hair!”

rogerpiedwgrouchoglasses

Roger signed the waier and then walked off, saying “See you.”  So we had to stalk him with a pie and convince him to come back.

rogerpiedkissingmelissa

He decided that Kallie’s mom should enjoy some of the sweetness too!

isabelleseaserpentface

Isabelle asked for a Sea Serpent.  This one had a jewel in its mouth and a touch of glitter.

tristencrocface

Tristen wanted Croc-man from Batman.  Loved using the mesh for the scales.

kalliefishface

And since Kallie wanted a fish, I got to use it again.  I was somehow inspired to add the hook with a worm.

kallienfriends

All in a day’s work!

(psst!  Austin!  You’re supposed to smile!)

Leave a Comment » | :pie:, Birthdays, Friends, K-12, Olympia, Parties, Performances, Services, Vehicles | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Monarch Sculpture Park Field Trip

June 12, 2009

From our field trip to Monarch Sculpture Park… which I finally visited after living in Olympia for 16 years!  Ridiculous!

sacredgrove

the Sacred Grove, where you write your prayers on ribbon and hang them in the trees.

I wrote “For Jusby to work full time”!

orioncroquet

Orion playing Giant Croquet

jusbytristencroquet

Tristen jumped in front of the ball!

This would be a good clown field trip!

The kids got to do two art projects while they were there.  First, they colored in a butterfly and attached it to a dowel.  Later, they worked with clay, either pinch pots or wheel-throwing.

As they left, Myrna, who created the place, also presented with them a print.

myrnasgift

Leave a Comment » | Communities, Feng*Shui, Friends, K-12, Olympia, SON, School | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Agent Jusby takes his target(s)

May 30, 2009

“You know, we’ve been talking about this all year” ~ Tristen, at the end of his party.

Since Halloween, he and I HAD discussed the birthday party pie-ing details at least once a week, sometimes several times a day.  When the cost became a factor, he even used his accumulated allowance to make up the difference.  (and I adjusted the fee schedule accordingly!)

targetTristensm

My assistant, Agent O, acquired the target and lured him to the rendez-vous spot.  Agent O was also in charge of the photography.

tristenpiedlg

Birthday boy gets his wish, chocolate pie-in-the-face!

tatepiedlg

Signed, Declined, Re-signed!

Tate was first to sign the waiver.  Boy, his expression changed when I read it to him!  He immediately crossed out his name.  Then his friends started signing up, and he jumped back on the band wagon with a vengeance.  He got a French Vanilla pie.

joelpiedlg

Joel took it like a champ, very subdued as always.

kalliepiedlg

Kallie didn’t want to wash her face until her mom arrived.  She also got chocolate.

josiepiedlg

Josie got the Sugar Free version.

Tristen’s other school friends opted NOT to get the pie.  David and Daniel signed up, but crossed their names off after watching it happen.  Aidan and Cody just kept playing in the museum and missed the pie-ing altogether.  They showed up in time for cake though!

Note the Lego-ness of the cakes, courtesy a baker friend at Safeway!  Each cake has 4 bumps with a candle in each to celebrate turning eight.  The red was chocolate, the yellow was vanilla.  Dee-lish!  I had left over French Vanilla topping instead of ice cream on mine.

agentsonjlg

Note the matching orange shirts.  They were inspired by the Lego Agents sets.  The henchmen of Dr. Inferno wear prison orange.

legoagentvillaintorso

I decided against marking the Inferno logo on our shirts with a Sharpie.  Maybe next time.

agentjusbywcigarlg

Agent Jusby caught smoking by the shed.

A few other thoughts… I am so pleased with the new sign and easel!  I needed some signage for the upcoming Enterprise for Equity showcase (June 2 at the Water Street Cafe), so I convinced Agent McIsaac of Pinch to design it and update my card.  It’s a 22.25″ x 36″, laminated and mounted on black foam core.  I rigged up an easel out of giant Tinker Toys and brought it to display outside of the room.  Quite a gimmick!

Also, I had an experience of synchronicity while getting the costume pieces together for the gig.  Orion and I went to the Westside Goodwill to browse, and we found his blue fedora.  We also found a Lego Agents set there for $8!  It was in its original box with a SALVAGE sticker on it, and I was reluctant to part with it as a gift for Tristen.  I rationalized that it might not have all the parts AND he might get that same set from a friend or family member, whereas Orion didn’t yet have ANY Lego Agents sets.

We’ve often looked at Goodwill or Value Village for Legos ever since I scored two loose Harry Potter sets one day.  We hadn’t found any until the Turbocar set showed up.  We’re keeping it in the box as an incentive for Orion to visit the dentist!

We decided that we could part with two of our vintage spacemen mini-figs as a gift.  We bagged up a red and a white, each with a gun and walky-talkie.

He did get that very set from someone else, in a brand new box!

We also gave him an issue of Lego club magazine, and I burned him a CD.

It included the following music:  [please, no suggestions as to what I forgot!  I download as fast as I can on P2P networks using dial-up, but I'm soon to upgrade with a wireless PCI card and share wi-fi with the neighbor]

  • Danny Diamond – Squirrel Nut Zippers
  • It’s a Crime – Magnetic Fields
  • How Soon is Now (Smiths tribute) – The String Quartet
  • Don’t Die In Me – Mirah (remixed by Bryce Panic)
  • Red Angel Dragnet – the Clash
  • Highway Man – Sandman feat. Andras, Giles, & Calvin
  • Jail – OldTimeRelijun
  • Prisons [Frieze to a Phrase Remix] – Anomolies
  • Possibly Maybe (Bjork tribute) – Roots of Orchis
  • Dub Plate – Systemwide
  • Bad Businessman – Squirrel Nut Zippers
  • Secret Agent Man – Devo
  • Working Undercover For The Man – They Might Be Giants
  • Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
  • Secret Agent Man – The Ventures
  • Birthday – Beatles
  • Dance Of the Sugar Plum Fairies – Beavis & Butthead
  • Get Smart theme song
  • I Controlled the Lego Village – The stupid, stupid henchmen
  • Secret Agent Man – Johnny Rivers
  • I Had But Fifty Cents – Robert Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders
  • Secret Agent 8 – Secret Agent 8
  • Lego – The Maccabees
  • The Last Words of Dutch Schultz (this is insane) – William S. Burroughs
  • Singapore – Tom Waits

END TRANSMISSION, THIS MESSAGE WILL SELF-REPLICATE THRU CYBERSPACE IN 3… 2…1

Leave a Comment » | :pie:, Apparel, Birthdays, Friends, K-12, Olympia, Parties, Performances, SON, School, Services, Synchronicity | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Storybook Theatre

March 22, 2009

On Wednesday, we took another field trip to the Washington Center for an Olympia Junior Programs presentation.  This time we saw the Storybook Theater musical version of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

I loved it, and so did many of the kids.  This is Storybook’s 12th season, and they’re running a tight ship.

babybear

All the actors were women, but to their credit, the kids didn’t seem to notice.  The bears had inflatable furniture… and inflatable fat suits.  The suits were filled with helium, no less.  It decreases their weight.  They’ve also got underarm pockets with ice packs to decrease the heat.

Momma Bear’s first song had some great lyrics like:

“Children should come with a clicker.  Children should come with a Mute button.  Children should come with an owners manual… and an 800 number!”

Both Baby Bear and Goldilocks start out as spoiled brats.  Goldilocks sings a song that goes: “Manners who needs them?  Manners why use them?”  It is later reprised after she learns they are useful.

When Goldilocks sits in Baby Bear’s little inflatable chair we discover that it’s been customized with a couple of Whoopie Cushions, so instead of ‘breaking’ it for every performance she just deflates it… with the sound of ‘breaking wind’.  The kids went nuts for this!

Goldilocks, herself, had a kind of burlesque-y appeal.  So sassy with hot pink socks!

When she and Baby Bear started becoming friends they played a game of “I Spy with My Little Eye” and the house lights came up so she could pick a kid with a pink shirt.  Very effective and clowny breaking of the fourth wall.

They also had another interesting gimmick.  They thanked their sponsor, Parent Map, by including a copy on stage that Papa Bear read and identified as such.  Then Goldilocks found it… and identified… twice!

After the show, they took some questions from the audience.  That’s when we learned about the suits.  We also learned that the set was made of Gator Foam and had been designed by a children’s book illustrator.

I wish that our school had downloaded the study and activity guide for the show.  It’s as chock full of goodness as a bowl of porridge that’s Just Right!

http://storybooktheater.org/Links/GoldilocksGuide09.pdf

It even tells which EALRs are covered.  [that's teacher code for the goodness]

Leave a Comment » | Apparel, K-12, Olympia, Performances, School | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Soul Alchemy pt. 1

March 13, 2009

waldorfspace

The beautiful big room at Waldorf.  It might have stayed empty on a Friday night, but for a few intrepid and industrious souls who insisted that this workshop happen.  Firstly, Eve (pronounced ‘ev’ cuz she’s French-Canadian), decided that she would fly up from San Francisco just to take the class!

I told Dawn that I would publicize the heck out of it, but it didn’t actually spur anyone to contact her directly.  On Wednesday, Dawn called after sending out an e-mail that it would be her last workshop in Olympia.

She’s planning on splitting her time between British Columbia and Switzerland.  She’s also planning on taking an old bus to Burning Man and possibly the Yukon!

She asked me to look into some of the legal issues around insuring a former King County City Bus.  I went willingly down the rabbit hole and found that it is definitely better to convert it into a House-Bus than leave the 22 seats in.

On Friday afternoon (around 5:15) I got a call from Bubble~Trouble.  She was wondering what to eat and wear before the class.  She was starting to peel potatoes for soup.  I told her, “No way!  You don’t have time for that.  It starts at 6!”

I arrived and found Jona waiting outside the locked building.  She’d accepted a personal invitation from Dawn just 45 minutes prior.  Then Dawn pulled up with Eve AND Heather.  It was like a clown car, spilling forth with clowns, costumes, and props.

My mood lifted enormously.  I was ecstatic to be part of this epic final workshop.

Then Heidi arrived and we all started playing.  After about an hour we were exhausted and meditating when Dawn went over to open a windown and saw someone else arriving.

It wasn’t Bubble~Trouble at all, but Pauline.

Eventually, we all got to do the sheet exercise.

It was full of epiphanies and catharses, empty nests and crones, inflated supermen and bits of fluff.  But no potato soup.

Maybe it’s in the crock pot, and she’ll bring it tomorrow.

soulalchemy3-13-09b

Heather, Eve, Pauline, Dawn and Jona (not pictured: Heidi)

soulalchemy3-13-09

Leave a Comment » | ClownCollege, Exercises, Feng*Shui, Friends, K-12, Olympia, School, Synchronicity, Vehicles | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

More McLane pics pt. 2

February 21, 2009

Thanks to Teacher Hollie for these.  Again, this was a Deluxe Visit Donation to the McLane Elementary Community to honor their 125th birthday (as an institution, not necessarily at that address or in that physical building!).

assembly

Crashing into the assembly at the bitter end to help sing Happy Birthday.

balancing

Balancing “Snowball” the white pie-rat on the medium stick

balloondog

One balloon dog for 50+ kids to share!  They never guessed I would talk about ancient animal sacrifice!

Here’s one more (from Jen Flo of the PTSO).

jusbywoldmanmclane

That’s Old Man McLane who started this whole deal!

[Still looking for another batch of pics from Teacher Julie...]

1 Comment | Animals, Birthdays, Donations, K-12, Olympia, Performances, School | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Olympia Junior Programs field trip

February 20, 2009

Last week I got to take a field trip to the Washington Center w/o my usual charge.  It had been determined that he probably wouldn’t enjoy sitting still that long.  We had to leave early last year during LASER Vaudeville, much to my chagrin.  This time I sat next to some first graders who were also challenged to keep to their seats for the duration.

It was another opportunity for us to see a puppet show by the Tears of Joy theater out of Vancouver, WA.  This time, they put on Anansi, the Spider.  Our puppeteers were Ithica and Amy (in the title role).

amithica-anansi-008

Afterwards they showed us some of the materials and tricks of manipulation to put on a puppet show.

The Lion puppet was dressed in kente cloth, originally a pattern designed only for royalty but now available to the public.  Puppet heads had been sculpted from pink foam blocks and covered with a cloth-mâché (similar to paper-mâché but using fabric).   Puppet bodies had been constructed with PVC ribs.  Ithica demonstrated how the elephant came apart and was packed into one of the boxes used as a set piece.  Very handy tip for cleaning up after a show.

We practiced manipulating our hands as a puppet so it appeared to be breathing, looking, coughing, and talking.

She also taught the kids how to speak from different levels for different characters.

A head voice would be used for a mature female character, for example.

A nasal voice could be a goofy character.

A throat voice could be cute or a stage whisper.

A belly voice could be used for big characters or men.

Leave a Comment » | :o), ClownCollege, K-12, Olympia, Performances, School, Tech, Transformations | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Mentor Carnival

January 30, 2009

In honor of National Mentoring Month, the Be The One coalition invited me to attend their Take A Bow Carnival at Komachin Middle School.  I wondered how they had found me.  My friend, Heather, of Profoundia, had referred me.  She and I met at one of Dawn’s Simple Fool classes a year ago.  It seemed natural that I should call her and make sure she came along.  She decided on her clown name when we reached the parking lot: “Honey”.

honeybbbsjusby

Honey and I surround Stephanie from Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

honeyjennjusby

Our initial contact was with Jennifer, also of Big Brothers, Big Sisters (Foster Care enrollment/ Match Support).

pucknjusby

Then I got in contact with the coordinator, Puck, of Thurston County Health and Public Services, who thought she might be able to provide me with great quantities of pies and towels.  Although that was later vetoed, she did then promise to give me her spats and hooked me up with some pizza… from Brewery City, no less.

jusbynadamlee

Here’s Adam Lee, the illustrious balloon twister.  He used to clown but tired of the make-up and had an uncanny knack for the balloons.  (Not pictured, his mom who accompanies him.)

honeynjackie

Honey was excited about the cotton candy Jackie’s making.  Jackie gave us the word from the North Thurston school district: No Pies!

So I only brought one pie and made discrete inquiries.  Then left them wanting more.

Leave a Comment » | :o), :pie:, Celebrity Friends, Communities, Diplomacy, Friends, K-12, Performances, School, Services, Synchronicity, Transformations | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

Facepainting with The Missoula Children’s Theatre

January 28, 2009

We just had two members of the traveling Missoula Children’s Theatre in our 2nd grade class.

tad_kerriheidkamp

tad_katelynvawter

Kerri and Katelyn gave a demonstration on the application of theater make-up, and…

.. the same ideas could be applied toward the face painting segment of a clown’s visit.

They first asked for reasons why we need theater make-up.

The correct responses include:

  • To show characters who look different from the actors (or from any human)
  • To reduce the glare from stage lights
  • To increase the visibility of expressions from a great distance (the 30 foot rule)

They chose the students sitting criss-cross applesauce with quietly raised hands to be part of their demonstration.  They painted them up with:

  • Sunburns (1st, 2nd, and 3d degree)
  • Old Age
  • Black eyes (fresh and healing)
  • Broken nose
  • Beard
  • The Wicked Witch of the West
  • Nana, the dog from Peter Pan

Eventually, they had to wrap it up, so they offered three choices to the remaining students: Mustache, Sunburn, or Harry Potter scar.

We have MCT with us for the week as they prepare Robin Hood.  In our class we’ve got a horseman, an angry villager and two skunks in the cast.  The lead, Robin,  is played by the older sister of one of our classmates.

They’ll put on two shows at McLane Elementary on Saturday, Jan 31st at 2 PM and 6 PM.  Tickets are $3 or $10/family.  Sounds like a hoot.

Leave a Comment » | Celebrity Friends, ClownCollege, Communities, K-12, School, Services, Transformations | Permalink
Posted by Jusby the Clown

« Previous Entries