From: thomasl@copper.ucs.indiana.edu ((thomasl))
Subject: Shop until you Drop
Summary: Products of a warped imagination
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 20:35:02 GMT

The addiction hit before I even reached the convention, and I
turned to a reliable source for my fix.  In D.C., where I was
going to pick up the ill-fated "juggler train", I whipped out my
trusty IJA roster (don't leave home without it!), and placed a
panic call to Michael Ferguson, to score some FergieBags for the
convention.  Fresh out, he said.  Capitol Juggling, the first
all)juggling store in the nation, had depleted his stock of fine
Fergie products.  So on my way to the train station I paid a
visit to this mecca of juggling.  It coulda been called Clubs R' Us.  
It was full of juggling toys. 
And the devil sticks were leaping off the shelves, because the
gracious and suave eurohost demonstrating them was staffmeister
and 1985 juniors champ Neil Stammer, aka Adam Andrews (or is it
Andrew Adams?  Check out the ToddStrong Devil Stick book cover,
or the name on the bigthick german archival volumes.  Same guy).
We exchanged photos.  His were postcards. I got them autographed.  
They had a great selection of other postcards, too, so I bought a couple.  
Wellworth a visit, if you are in the area.  By the time this report
hits press, the great juggling show will be about to happen. Will it be 
great? You betcha!

The most important aspect of any convention, aside from the
schmoozing and workshops, is finding out what's new. This year
there was an explosion of product development.  You could select
style, substance, or both.  Bearing in mind that this report
reflect only the impressions of me and my close personal friends,
and does not reflect the views of the editorial staff, which
welcomes all advertisers with open arms, here it is: 

Dube' lead the style parade with that longed for product, the
glow in the dark club.  Yep, now airflites are glow in the dark,
as well, and I applaud that development.  The new ultrasaturated
violet silicone ball is the best color ever, so I bought two. 
Share them with a friend.  Dube' clubs are now available with
black bodies, and a huge variety of decorations.  It was a real
thrill for me to meet THE MAN himself.  He even gave me the big
upside down smile and glumly mentioned the words "good will", as I
whined for a discount.  Lighten up, Brian --  your name is a
household word!

But, as we were reminded by the cheers and chanting when the
judges were introduced:  Todd is God.  Noone provides the
personal service that Todd Smith does.  He is a joy to deal with; I
suspect because, on a fundamental level, he knows how little material or
wordly things matter.  He's an existential kinda guy, and he likes to have
a good time.  No waves; it's just not worth the bother.  My kinda guy.  
With Todd, it's customer satisfaction that
matters.  (BTW, thanks for the sweet deal on silicone seconds!). 

This year Todd was carrying a lighter model devil stick, all
wrapped up pretty in mylar, and also the bouncing rings, which
are fun.  His silicones are now available in brighter colors, as
well as the pastels, and the peachy orange ball was tempting. 
But mostly the news at the Todd Smith table was was the 
Satillite clube, a sweetly balanced and decorated light-weight club,
designed to really fly by juggling mathematician
Arthur Lewbell, and testdriven by the rigorous numbercrunching
MIT club.  Just as I was THIS CLOSE to dropping the bigbucks
on 7 satillites, (Todd re-wrapped my old europeans instead, and at
a more than reasonable price) I was distracted by a strange glow from
across the room...There they were: the glowiest bags ever.  
Heck, these bags glowedin the LIGHT, they were so glowing.  

A new company, SpotlightProducts, from Amsterdam, represented by David, 
the congenialowner, was showing a line of inexpensive clubs he manufactured
himself.  Decent quality, at Jugglebug prices.  A not
unattractive hibounce ball, too.  But by the time I went back
for the globags, they were gone.

The Reflections Co. people are as much fun to watch shows with as
the irreverant folk from Indiana and Ohio.  Also, they now carry a number
of jugglingrelated goodies, but their big news is the improved
softclub.  Now the blood wipes right off!  Thanks to a vinyl
coating, they won't get grimey.  There are great new colors,
including red, if you really don't want the blood to show, and
colorchanging (!!!) ones too, for those who can't decide which
color they want.  I liked the stealth black model.  The new
construction technique practically guarantees that your bones
will break before that dowel does.  They really stand up to the
abuse that the Purdue Club has given them -- no breaks yet on the
new Reflections soft club.  Too bad there no combat this year
(except when Jay nailed my thumb), but sales should still be
strong, as the soft club makes an inexpensive and painless
"training club", in the hands of the amatuer.  Reflections Co.
has a nifty logo of three clubs juggled, and it looks good on the
wristwatch and coffee mug they carry.

Renegade of California.  What strange drugs are these people on,
and what ARE they thinking?  Perhaps the sun and surf has gotton
to the folks in the design shop, because their new products
looked like pool toys.  The "stage club" made it's first official
appearance, tho I had seen this mutant monstronsity before.  And
the "passing ring", available in two sizes: thick, or thicker. 
Maybe soft on tender young hands, and useful for throwing to
someone, should they be drowning, but for passing?  The thrill of
ring passing is that so many of them can be done that rings fill
the space solidly.  These brightly colored lifesavers take up a
lot of room.  I passed on them, and shuddered at the sight of
those cartoony caveman clubs.  Even with a nipple I wouldn't want 'em.
Get serious. The Renegade club is a good thing, I suppose -- soft, visible,
durable, politically correct, though my heart belongs with the
elegant flash and taper of the traditional Europeans. 

Cirk-O-Globe had beautiful things.  All manner of circus mouth
pieces and things, and gorgeous rolling globes, rolla bolas and
cigar boxes.  Pricey, but worth it, for the professional.  Don't