Here's how it all began...
Okay, here's how it all began. Back in October of 2004, I was writing a show about the weather and using a single soap bubble in the show to demonstrate the atmosphere. "Everything inside the bubble is our planet. Everything outside the bubble is outer space - which would make you aliens by the way. Then the skin of the bubble would be the thin layer of air that surrounds and protects our planet, called the atmosphere." Etc.... A softball sized bubble needed to hang from a wand for up to 30 seconds while I did the talking, and I was having problems. With the bubble, not the talking.
It being near winter in New England, there were not many different bubble juices to choose from at the stores. I tried Miracle Bubbles, Mr. Bubbles, and various knock off brands along with the different wands that came with them. Nothing worked better than Mr B. with Mr. B wands, but even that wasn't good enough. Sometimes it worked. Other times I couldn't even get a small bubble to last more than a few seconds. I was in trouble. It's a bad thing to goof up in front of 200 fifth graders while doing an assembly program in schools, where the Weather show was headed in the fall. Because fear is the ultimate motivator, I decided to find out what I could about what makes bubbles work so I could fix the problem and move on with the show development.
I had only seen two bubble performers at that point, Casey Carle's Bubblemania I saw live about 8 years previously. Tom Noddy, I saw on TV in the '70s or '80s. Although both performers were excellent and unique, I couldn't just call to ask for help with my problem. Casey lives in near by CT, and I didn't want him to feel like I was out to rip off his act (as if!). Tom, well I saw him on the Tonight Show or someplace like that and I had no idea where he was. Besides, I love a good science mystery. I thought, "What would be so difficult about doing a little research and brewing up a really good solution that I could count on? I mean, how difficult could it be?" Little did I know.
First to the library. Richard Faverty's book (Professor Bubbles' Official Bubble Handbook) was in. It was very informative and included his great passion for Mr. Bubbles brand manufactured by Tootsietoy/Strombecker. He also had this advice on solutions: "Many people assume that commercial bubble solution and additives can't be mixed together. Actually, the opposite is true. Combining the two is the easiest way to get sure-fire, quality bubbles that last." He talked about Dawn detergents and glycerine. He discussed the troubles with hard tap water and recommended distilled water. He suggested various recipes for blending the different elements. Finally he wrote, "You should experiment to find the right bubble solution for you, refining it to match the climate and time of year you're working in." It was then that I got my first inkling of just what I was in for if I wanted a solution I could count on the year round.
And then I turned the page and Richard was off and running, discussing various wand types, tricks to try, and so much more. There were two handed bubbles, bubble frames, giant bubbles, bubbles in bubbles, tiny bubbles made with straws and a quote from Mark Twain from THE INNOCENTS ABROAD:
"A soap bubble is the most beautiful thing, and the most exquisite in nature... I wonder how much it would take to buy a soap bubble if there was only one in the world." Wow!
Now I was really in trouble! Being a juggler/magician/balloon twister from an early age, I just had to learn those new tricks. Now I not only needed a good recipe, but there were cool looking tricks to learn. I was well and truly bit by the bubble bug.
After all, Richard closed his introduction with these words, "When you've gone through the tricks in this book, take the next step--invent your own. There are too few bubble-ologists in the world right now. We need you to join us." Okay, he did write it back in 1987, however there surely must still be room for one more bubble-ologist in this world of ours...
I highly recommend this
book to you: PROFESSOR BUBBLES' OFFICIAL BUBBLE
HANDBOOK by Richard Faverty with John
Javana, Greenleaf Publishers. © 1987. ISBN#
0-913-31905-8.
Click here to return to the notebook index page. Were your experiences like this? Please write to let me know how you got started in bubbling, and if it's okay I'll tack your story (short or long) to the end of this page. Creativity is served by learning different perspectives. Add your point of view today. Yes it's similar to free promotion. No, I don't charge. Just make it true to (your) life and it'll be interesting enough. Best. Keith.