Today we have our very own @digitalcharlie !!!
What got you into throwing, how did you find the hobby?
I first got started during 90s yo-yo boom like most millennial throwers I know. I have no idea what got me into it at the time, but I have a ton of memories of yo-yoing in elementary school — performing at a talent show, competing at the mall near my house, making some rudimentary tutorials on VHS tapes using a camera my dad borrowed from work.
I got back into it twice. First in 2012 when I was at the Mall of America and passed the store I bought yo-yos at as a kid and decided to pick one up. It was a plastic whip, I loved it, and used it as a way to keep my hands occupied on conference calls. It didn’t stick because work became chaos and once it calmed down I was no longer throwing.
The second time was in 2022, two years after I bought a sage during the height of lockdown to see if I wanted to pick it back up. I don’t exactly know why it stuck this time, but I’m really glad it did.
What is your goal in 2025 for yourself? Yo-yo or not!
I have so many goals! But I think the biggest one is to feel good about how I use my phone. It’s easy to get sucked into scrolling and I just don’t want to do that anymore. I’m starting with just one rule for now — when my daughter is around, my phone goes in a box — and giving myself a pass on how I use it the rest of the time, because if I’m doing that one thing I’m doing better. I’ll probably add some other elements soon, we’ll see.
If you could only have one yo-yo for the rest of your life what would it be?
Probably a gtr-js. I just love it a whole lot, and I feel like I think about how other yo-yos play based on how they’re different from it. Honestly I’ll probably get a second if there’s another run so I can keep one in my office.
What trick are you working on currently?
Rancid milk. I really like it, and it’s been a great trick to push myself with on responsive yo-yos.
What’s the trick that gives you the hardest time?
I absolutely suck at slackcides. Something about them just does not click. I can do basic ones, but anything complex I struggle with — and if I do them at speed I feel like I land them based on luck rather than skill.
What’s your favorite trick?
All things beefhook. I first started landing them at the hospital after my daughter was born. I needed something to do while she was sleeping besides just staring at her to make sure she was still breathing, and just doing lots of reps on a single element felt right.
A few months later I did ante, and totally botched landing a beefhook — which made me decide to record a beefhook video everyday, and that pushed me to get better more than anything else.
What’s your favorite yo-yo of all time?
I don’t know about favorite, but I’ve probably used my Thesis Paladin more than anything else. It’s silly, but because the pouch it came in is really nice it became the yo-yo I felt comfortable just leaving in my fanny pack. So anytime I’m walking around or have some time to kill outside the house, it’s right there with me. I have a lot more yo-yos now, so I could put something else in there, but it’s served me nicely and if I carried anything else I’d worry about hitting it on the pavement (whereas the thesis has already made that sacrifice).
What’s the most meaningful throw you have?
I have an old Terminator Tornado that way back in 4th grade I swapped halves with the friend I threw with the most growing up. It was the first yo-yo I brought with me from my mom’s house after I started throwing again and it has a special spot on my desk.
What’s your worst habit with yo-yos?
I use my arms to move the yo-yo way too much instead of my hands/fingers. It takes so much mental focus to not do it that way.
What’s kind of things are you into outside of yo-yos?
I love walking. Going places on foot just makes me relaxed and happy. Going to the store, taking my daughter to the park, backpacking for a few days, whatever. I just love going for walks. I had a shirt in high school that said, “It is a great art to saunter” and I feel that in my bones. I had one day in London after a work trip last year and I took a 30 mile stroll across the city organized around a series of radical history tours from a book my friend lent me and a string of espresso shops. Great day.
What song best fits your personality?
I only know one song right now and it’s Here Comes the Fire Truck by Super Simple Songs
I’m making a run on #1 listener worldwide, and I would like to thank my daughter and her cousin for requesting it on repeat during carpool every morning.
Favorite restaurant and order?
Having a vegan breakfast sandwich and sunshine espresso at Catalog Coffee is probably my favorite way to spend a meal.
Favorite movie and or Book?
I’m going to answer a different question. If I could only have one streaming service right now, I’d happily just watch Dropout.tv. Game Changer is easily the best game show airing right now with an honorable mention to its spinoffs, especially Make Some Noise. It’s just a bunch of smart, funny, caring people making each other laugh and finding a way to make money while doing it.
What does yo-yo’ing mean to you?
The California Lottery sums it up pretty nicely: A little play can make your day.
What’s your favorite memory from your time in the hobby ?
The Baltimore yo-yo club just started up, and at the first meeting I made it to I got to teach some kids the basics, reintroduce a few parents to it (and see their eyes light up probably more than the kids), and learn a bunch of stuff from Coffin that I would never have thought about otherwise. I’ve barely thrown in person with other people as an adult, and that made me so hungry for more.
What’s your best advice for people to get better at yo-yoing?
It’s okay to not always be learning new tricks. Ride the wave of inspiration when it strikes, and when it doesn’t, just be consistent with your throwing. Plateaus happen when you’re learning anything, and there’s plenty of value in just getting a little smoother, a little more consistent, or just having more repetitions under your belt. The two most important things are
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to not get discouraged and
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to keep having fun.
How has the community changed since you started? Where do you want it to go?
Not particularly, because it’s only been a couple of years. But in general I want more diversity in the throwing community.
If you never picked up a yo-yo - what would things look like now?
I’d probably be using begleri or juggling. I like skill toys in general, partially because I’m just a fidgety person.
Advice/ words of wisdom to new players?
There are so many yo-yos and there will always be another drop. Don’t get caught up in the hype.
Whats you want to tell the world?
Build your community, fill it with people who are different from you, and love them as fiercely as you can. Life’s richer with more people to share your joys and pains with. Also, venn diagrams are a really great way of expressing conflicting feelings.