"What is a fun blog," I hear nobody ask.

Yes. Thank you for noticing. The original intent actually has nothing to do with actual english language concept of "fun," but we can all pretend it does.

Funwalker is my social media handle everywhere that I can get away with it. It's my very clever way of not having to fight 6 other people on the internet for the coveted "funambulist" handle.

You see, it all started long ago, when I was a wee Sydney...

My parents have a fondness for Cirque du Soleel. We own almost every original soundtrack from their shows. (or we did about 10 years ago, but who has money for live performances these days? not us. u_u)

Anyways, when I was in middle school, I had a much more embarrassing handle that I will not divulge here, and my parents took me to see Varekai. Now the fun thing about Cirque du Soleil is that--unlike a regular circus where they're just kinda like, "look at these cool guys doing neat tricks"--there is a story going on in the background (or foreground). Like, there are characters with emotional arcs and junk, so the music tends to be very evocative of some sort of interesting adventure or dramatic story.

So like any pre-teen with no friends, I would sit around and listen to these soundtracks. I would lay in bed and listen to French-Canadian circus music on blast in my room. Just really let the accordion vibrate with my soul.

My mind would be transported to a far off fantasy land where I would choreograph dramatic stories with my OCs. I wrote a whole story specifically around the soundtrack for Varekai. Anyways, I won't go too into detail about the story that I wrote, but I will say, I still have all of those OCs. They're my oldest living OCs and I have indeed written and rewritten their story multiple times and I may or may not have planned a video game around them. I make no promises.

It's one of those soundtracks that features a lot of music box music, man-saying-cool-words-through-a-distant-megaphone, and whispered-kind-of-nonsense-words for texture in most of the songs. One of those things that was very cool back then that may be mmm considered a bit cringe now. lol (It is actually a genuinely good soundtrack. It mixes textures in a very pleasing way.) But there's a song on the tracklist called "Funambul" and my little brain latched onto it so fiercely.

Funambulist is a word with roots in latin meaning "tightrope walker." "Funis" meaning rope. "Ambulist" meaning one who walks. Similarly to other words we've borrowed with similar roots: Somnambulist - a sleep walker. Funicular - a vehicle, usually a rail car, that is pulled up a steep slope by a cable. Etc. Etc. You get the idea.

So now you know my dirty secret.

The reason why they call me

the original . . Funwalker.

(except for that awful person who stole my handle on twitter and then never made a single post!!!! give it to me!!! i know twitter's dead, but you're not even using it!!!! ugh)

Anyways, my sad backstory of growing up listening to circus music in my room alone may or may not have influenced my love of clowns and my whole general deal. -gestures at my whole body-