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End Of An Era
Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome

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cirocco
05/02/09

In reply to End Of An Era
When I was little, I broke the leg off a Madame Alexander doll that had been my mother's. I was mortified. When she told me there was a doll hospital in New York that could fix her, I thought she was making things up--like Santa's Toyshop, which I knew by then to be a fiction.

Little Anne came back good as new.

Rest in peace, Mr. Chais.
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wry_bred
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
He repaired a doll that belonged to my mother and then to me... over 50 years old. I still sleep with it. He did a fantastic job... what a shame that such an institution will disappear.
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Easybreezy
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
I always wanted to stop by the doll hospital. Walked by it many times, intrigued.

I hope he and some dolly angels are whooping it up in the afterlife.
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Mama Penguino
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
Is he who the character in Toy Story 2 is based on?
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Mama Penguino
05/01/09

@Mama Penguino: That's wretched syntax, sorry.
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SarahHeartburn
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
I never had a doll operated on there (it was way out of our family's budget) but it wasn't far from where I grew up and from time to time my mom and I would pass by it. We'd say a prayer for all the sick dollys in the hospital. Oh dear. Who will cure them now?
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jemandtheholograms
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
I had some book as a kid that talked about the doll hospital and it sounded so cool. I didn't know it actually existed and now that I know, it's closing! So unfair.
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bangers
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
when i was a child i went to ballet a few blocks from the doll hospital, and i used to have extensive dreams about working at the doll hospital and hanging out there. this is so sad.
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Jello Mix
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
I would love to do this for a living.
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Jello Mix
05/01/09

@Jello Mix inspired Little Chocolate Donuts, No. 5: Ahh, where's my second sentence?

He must have made a lot of people very happy.
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hellosunshine
05/01/09

In reply to End Of An Era
Oh, that's so sad. My old nail place used to look directly into the doll hospital but you couldn't see into the windows very well, unfortunately!
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bowleserised
01/27/09

In reply to Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome
The time difference beats me again, but I read a brilliant memoir about an Englishwoman who ran away with the circus, and now has her own travelling gig. Josser by Nell Stroud. Really great book.
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LaComtesse
01/26/09

In reply to Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome
The idea of a circus family was rather ruined for me by "Water For Elephants." I friggen hated that book.
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RaisedOnWhiskey
01/27/09

I loved the book and all of its sappiness. I listened to the audible, so that may have helped. It was great storytelling.
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LaComtesse
01/27/09

@BuyMoreMakeup: My blog actually has all my thoughts on the book, but, as you can see, I'm pretty ruthless when it comes to books.

[lacomtesseii.livejournal.com]

Though, to be fair, I also have a section of books that are awesome.
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CherriSpryte
01/26/09

In reply to Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome
There's a song by World / Inferno Friendship Society called "So Long to the Circus". Its now stuck in my head. Thanks, Jezzies!
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penguins268
01/26/09

In reply to Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome
I'm so jealous of people's connections to the circus! I've always been fascinated with circus-life, behind-the-scenes. Excluding Water for Elephants and that one episode of CSI: NY, I haven't seen/read much with it. Any suggestions?
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Bgirl_Hamster
01/26/09

@penguins268: I loved Water for Elephants! I scrolled through all the comments to see if anyone else would mention it! Alas, I was rewarded with your comment-currently the last one on the thread.
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MadamVi
01/26/09

In reply to Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome
Heeeee!
I love le cirque. Truth time: I'm an aerialist. I work on trapeeze, rope (spanish web) and Tissue. It is super rewarding and those are some great great people there. The kind of ...erm...emotions that one goes through during training kind of bond you for life.
Falling, twisting, bruising, smacking of two heads...ect. After a while you have this weird, almost painful bond. You both know the effort it takes, you both understand 'tingly hands', rope burns and what time of the month you just WILL NOT do a front balence (it hurts the uterus pre period)

And while I'm not in a travelling circus, it is what I've been working for. Here's hoping.
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CherriSpryte
01/26/09

@MadamVi: Me and my cubicle job and inflexible body envy the life you've chosen. I wish you all the best. :)
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boxspelunker
01/26/09

@MadamVi: I AM SO JEALOUS. YOU ARE AWESOME.
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MargaretFalcon
01/26/09

In reply to Under the Big Top: Circus Families Are Creepy, Awesome
I have a friend who's father was a clown with Cirque du Soleil. She spent her childhood traveling with the show and took class with the children performers. She also trained with them, which led her to be freakishly flexible by the time I met her in highschool. She went to circus school (yes, there is such thing) in montreal majoring in Aerial hoop and minoring in Contortion. She now tours with a different Cirque du Soleil show. I envy her lifestyle, its glamorous and passionate.
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Lymed
01/26/09

@MargaretFalcon: If you want to feel less envy, she will probably have a lot of physical pain when she retires, and may even have a lot of pain now. It's beautiful to watch, but the human body is not meant to take that kind of stress.
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boxspelunker
01/26/09

@MargaretFalcon: I also am envious. Cirque is so beautiful and amazing. I have always wanted to do something like that, but alas! I am a regular person, not a super-talented performer person :(
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cirocco
01/27/09

@Lymed: To bolster what you said, my friend who is an aerialist says that the hoop is the most painful apparatus there is. Tissu and sling are the kindest. With the hoop or trapeze, she ends up covered in bruises just from the pressure of the bar against her skin--the athleticism required for circus work has left her with little body fat, making matters worse. It's a very painful livelihood.
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