“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” -George Bernard Shaw
Back in probably the early 2000’s, I got into yo-yoing. Now here in Korea, a decade later, my students are getting into it.
I remember carrying a yo-yo with me all the time. They’re good for that, actually, since they fit conveniently in just about any pocket. Now my students have their yo-yos with them all the time. They even try to break them out in class, a big no-no.
I use to practice many of the same tricks they’re learning, with the additions of Confederate Flag and Eiffel Tower. I haven’t seen anyone in Korea do either of those tricks.
For some reason, boys get into yo-yos more than girls. That happened in America. That’s happening in Korea too. Why is that, I wonder.
A decade later, yo-yos and yo-yoing still fascinate me. I no longer carry one around all the time. I don’t practice anymore. But when I see a kid pulling one out in class, I’m still tempted to teach him a few new tricks before confiscating it for the day.
I’m a kid. I’m a boy. Then and now.
