BJC '08

What a fantastic convention! Although muddy, windy and cold (wednesday night was freezing - waking up to ice on your tent is not fun!). But those are things that no one can control.

I arrived Wednesday night after Julien stupidly left his coat (with his wallet) on top of the car at Donnington service station. And, obviously, it wasn't there when we arrived. So was a hectic start to the convention, running around Julien calling people to cancel cards, borrowing money etc...

I didn't suceed in my pre-set goal of attending more than one workshop. Every convention I never find time to go to more than one workshop - so I was determined to go to at least two. Unfortunately only one really took my fancy. PhysioMonkey's Injury Prevention and Posture. It was fantastic! So much good advice.
So the next long (not one or two day) convention I will attend two. I think that would be the EJC.

Thursday and was normal fun, juggling, games, eating... I think Fight Club was Thursday night. Always good fun to watch, although always the same people win (but I suppose that is because they are good jugglers).

Friday day was good, the BYJOTY had far too many young good jugglers in there!! Luke H did amazingly well with his show. I remember him showing us at Camden juggling club, and thinking it was good then... he executed it 100 times better on Friday. Sarah B also was fantastic, so good to see amazing female jugglers - we are far too under represented.

I played far too many games of Jungle Speed on Friday night. And don't think I won more than 1 game!!

The Friday night show was good - and Italian! Silivia was amazing, as per usual! The compere was funny and dealt with the hecklers really well.

Saturday I woke up far to early to go on the parade, which was long, wet, and cold. We ended up in a park, apparently in the middle of some housing estate... not really in a city centre. It was cold and wet so I stayed to see Haggis and Charlie's street show which was funny. Then I walked back to the Dome to eat some warm chips and hot chocolate.

I started to queue for the Public/Gala show about 6pm! Time went pretty quick though as was having fun playing with Rubiks and chatting. We had a brief scare when we thought we would be seated by seat numbers, luckily we weren't. So I managed to get a good seat (central to the stage).

The show was amazing, not a single bad act. I wont review each one, but my favourite act was lorenzo(?) the Hats guy. I remember him at the EJC, but his act had improved. It blew me away!

I then went to see the band, who were amazing!! Conor, Ellie, Sandy, Rob and me were rocking the seat dancing. And probably drinking far too much Amaretto.

Sunday was mainly packing up, in the sun!! I watched the end of the games, then we headed off home.