the bar

ok... so matt has discussed how the quality of spinning has improved.. I've sure as hell noticed that the level of spinners have improved.. So basically I'm starting this thread to see what other people have seen as the improvements in the past year or so.. what was the bar (in your words) and what is it now? Has anything rocked and shaked you? And what are some things that you've seen both across the board (generically) and in specific person (yourself or someone you spin with)?

perhaps I'm oversimplifying, but for me the bar was the period of stagnation that would perpetuate itself for months on end.. not stagnation in the forums but in the culture..no new ideas.. nothing.. it was like there was this ceiling that we were climbing to and once you got there everything kinda leveled off.. I thought of it like maxing a character in a vdeo game.. you don't have to, but going and getting all the abilities kinda rounds you out, gives you a sense of accomplishment.. now, I see the bar as being raised because the caliber of spinners has shot up.. new variations and ideas pop up all the time.. and regardless of how much you practice, you can't even really take it all in.. not that you could before, but at least then it was accomplishable, I mean.. well.. I could think of all the different things I needed to work on or lacked.. and now I cant.. I can't even keep track with what me or someone else is doing to month to month.. to me the ceiling is gone.. which takes away from the ceiling ever being a point of reference.. as in I used to be able to say, that I'm x from the floor and y from the ceiling.. but now those references are indeterminant.. kinda like determining the boundaries of space.. lol.. and its come from some such a broad and diverse group of most excellent spinners.. I mean just ye ol generic spinner outclasses a lot of what was around last year.. The most importnatn thing: can't... is no longer apartof mine or many other peoples vocabulary.. and I don't me that -we- can't do it.. I'm talking the -it- can't be done..

I ahve to say that planes and patterns have rocked me.. I've seen things done with butterflies (ttns) and tangles, that I thought only happened in my imagination (where science doesnt necessarily apply).. and captivated obviously by the btl/utl/atl stuff.. apart form the tangles I used to hate bf's and never gave the legs much time of day..

The caliber of spinners in the community, their control, their creativity, their ability to not be afraid to ask question or push boundaries.. in short the community has evolved one step higher rather than merely perpetuating.. and shuffling things around.. which was the feeling I got before.. Taking back and focusing a lot on teaching people, I've seen 1- first time spinners become last years generic spinner almost overnight.. 2-seeing people that used to inspire me (that have taken breaks for whatever reason come back) spinnign poi non-stop their so full of inspiration.. 3- seen how far I've come.. from the gap that itchel is quickly closing back on me, and just the breathless look on peoples faces...

I give props to spherculism for this accomplishment.. with special thanks to gsc (for the people I've met), and HoP for arugments with people that don't argue with me here (though i think they've all signed up now )

peace