My Biggest (Photographic) Hit!

I love this photo that I took at Warrior's Path Park in Kingsport, TN. I barely had to toy with the coloring (although it is cropped a little for better framing), I was elated when it came out so vivid. I put this bad boy up on my Etsy shop and it was gone the next day. I had a request for more, so I put two more prints of it up for sale, gone the next day. How awesome is that? I'm not ready to stop if you guys aren't! I am always willing to sell reprints of my work if someone wants them.

Speaking of my Etsy shop.., check it out if you haven't, shop up! Support local art!

Anywho, the reason I love this photo so much is because to me it represents everything I stand for: peace, passion, and love. The colors and atmosphere are soothing and peaceful. I worked really hard to get the perfect shot of this little area, so it evoked my artistic passion. Finally, I took it on a day when I was surrounded by people I loved. I think this really comes through in the photo; that I was in a peaceful but passionate and very loving place when I shot it. I try to make these things evident in all of my work...evidently something went right this time (see what I did there? Chuckle, chuckle).

I think when you approach your career/hobby/relationships in a way that encompasses everything you stand for it shines through and the results are going to be prosperous. Maybe not financially, but in other ways that matter just as much (or maybe even more). I would love this photo even if it hadn't sold a damn print, but I think my love of it guaranteed the rewards it's reaped: I was in a good place to create, I created happily, and success was manifested.

So think about this as you go about your lives. Whether you wish to create art, business success, cultivated and healthy relationships, or all of the above, approach this creation in a way that will satisfy you first.

Wishing each of you the peace, passion, and love required to create things you will adore! MUAH!

Thursday Thankfulness, yo.

I need this so much right now! What a trying week, but luckily, it's Things I'm Thankful for Thursday!

Here are things in my life this week that:

Inspired Peace
Organizations like the Make it Better and Aliveness Project who make tangible steps to make various aspects of others' lives better.

Watching my boss work some customer service. Her bubbliness and kindness has inspired the duration of my customer service career

A best friend who can give it to me straight without hurting my feelings.

Actually having a WHOLE DAY to lounge around on the beach, give tarot readings, and eat strawberries

Realizing I spent too much money on iced chai this month...and then promptly realizing I'm okay with that.

Evoked Passion
Lots of street art. I watched Exit Through the Gift Shop and was hella inspired by some of the other (IE NOT Thierry's) art in the movie.

Swinging by Play by Play Bookstore and talking with Ms. Kelly Schaub

Knowing what the Gadfly season is! (Shhh! Still a secret for now)

Doing some research for marketing for next year's Mixed Blood Season

Selling my photos on Etsy!

Things I Just Plain Loved
Evenings spent watching too much Scrubs.

Making new friends! Always a plus.

Making Gadfly fliers.

My vegan friendly Easter basket from my mom!

Waking up to my cat inexplicably licking my hand. It just made me laugh, a lot.

Listening to old school Dresden Dolls

Scattergories!

AND THE THING I LOVE THE MOST:

That all of my favorite Southerners have survived the terrible, heartbreaking storms. I love them all and was VERY worried when I woke up this morning and heard what happened.

To each of you: peace, passion, and love.

Alternative Easter on the Beach

Hello Loves!

In a break from my pedalstool of self-love and shameless self-promotion, I wanted to share my fun Easter tales with you. I decided this year, since I unexpectedly had the day off from everything that I do, that I wanted to have a fun Easter adventure on Lake Calhoun. I invited all of my chums and we woke up to what was luckily a dazzlingly cheerful morning. I was especially excited because while I was prepared to host if the weather was...well, Minnesotan, I was pumped for beach time. We did end up surprised and blessed by a perfect lakefront day.



I call upon a diverse set of religious beliefs, but I don't want that to be evident in the festivities. A lot of non-Christians (or people who use Christianity as a base, but have beliefs beyond that) use Easter as a day to celebrate rebirth, renewal, personal triumphs, etc. I still felt like for what I wanted that was a little isolating, so I saddled up my picnic baskets, and set out for a all-inclusive celebration of friends, food, and...well, sunshine.


We (my friend who helped me get it together and I) did bill the festivities as Pagan-influenced, but for our event that mostly meant sharing our skills of divination, being truly appreciative of the water, sand, wind, sun, and connections with each other, as well as open, free discussions. Some hilarious conversation actually came about in the process. Everything from my roommate joking with a friend about directing a production of King Lear where we fly Lear in and he just hovers over the whole play...which by the way, takes place in the Metrodome (pre-blizzard collapse), to another friend wondering why everyone was walking...apparently not understanding the point of exercise as leisure while we sat around munching our strawberries and cupcakes.



We did end up getting to some (spot-on, I must say) tarot readings and an astrological discussion where we probed the darker side of our respective signs' natures. Eventually my roommate and I headed back to our apartment where we indulged in chardonnay and watched Exit Through the Gift Shop. While initially I was disappointed by the turn out, it ended up being the most (let's be honest, probably only) truly relaxing day I've had in a really long time...and I can't wait to do it again, for a holiday or no reason at all.

Hope your Easters (or just your weekends) were full of peace, passion, and love!

Free Your Mind...

...and the rest will follow.

Awesome 90's song lyric, or advice for your future? The answer to that question...is yes.

My roommate and I play this fun game when we're trying to make trivial decisions. We learned it from an episode of Friends, and basically what happens is you take a second to clear your mind, and your friend/spouse/sparring partner asks you a series of questions that you're supposed to answer rapid-fire. It goes a little something like this:

A: What's cuter, cats or dogs?
B:Dogs
A: Would you rather be able to breathe underwater or fly?
B:Breathe underwater

And so forth, until you get to the question you want to know the answer too.

A: What are we eating for lunch, burritos or pasta?
B: Burritos

TA-DA! Lunch date = made. We play this game mostly in jest, but lately I've been playing it in my own head to try to figure out bigger problems. I firmly believe that your own intuition can give you all of the answers that you need to answer any questions that might be puzzling you. For some people relying on self-awareness is difficult, so you I encourage you to clear out your mind. Take a deep breathe...or seven, whatever it takes. Then ask a series of silly questions, until it feels right to hit your problem area. If it's too hard for you to do alone, ask someone else to lead the questioning; just tell them what to end on. Remember, you can be both person A and B as outlined below.

A: Who's funnier, Blanche or Sophia?
B: Sophia
A: Which Beatles song is your favorite?
B: Eleanor Rigby
A: What's funnier, 30 Rock or Modern Family
B: Modern Family
A: Do you want curry or marinara?
B: Curry
A: Why are you unhappy?
B: (Insert valid, often surprising reason here)

So give it a go, for sport or for real.

Wishing you peace, passion, and love.

Just In Case You Were Wondering

You are not:
one wrong action
what other people think of you
a number on a scale
someone else
your parents
part of some other person
less than
better than
a victim of circumstance
a statistic
the sum of your failures
the number your bank account shows
going to succeed at being anyone but you

You are:
powerful beyond measure
more beautiful than can be summed up by words
wicked smart
hella strong
full of love
deserving of love
capable of being happy
how you treat others on a day-to-day basis
the sum of the things & people & experiences that you put your love and energy into
you, and that is all you need to be.

Chamomile, Etsy, and Harry Potter

I'm just going to jump right in and start, you guys know the format by now.

Things That Inspired Peace This Week:
[Perusing through used bookstores and finding hard to find books by my favorite authors for three bucks.]
[iPods on shuffle that play just the right songs at just the right moments]
[My friend Sarah, who I ended up venting too a lot this week]
[The Pagan and divination books I read this week that quite literally, push you towards peace and clarification]
[Lots of chamomile tea and honey on my super-sore throat]

Things That Ignited My Passion:
[Getting to see Mixed Blood's touring production of Minnecanos before it hit the road]
[Urban Samurai's inspiring and flawlessly simple production of [title of show] ]
[Switching journals. After I end one, life always seems even more full of possibilities than it did before]
[Loaning friends books; I know it's weird to be thankful for something I do for them, but it feels like I'm sharing a piece of me, introducing them to something new that I'm passionate about]
[Making sales on my Etsy store]

Things I Just Plain Loved:
[Sleeping in my big new bed]
[Coffee with honey and white chocolate but no milk/cream/etc]
[Evenings "wasted" watching Scrubs]
[The fact that my cheat days, two weeks in a row, have involved artichoke dip]
[Roommates who surprise me by buying the newest Harry Potter DVD while I'm at work]
[Malinda Lo's Huntress. I not only LOVED it, but think it's amazing that there's mainstream fantasy fiction aimed at girls that center around lesbians.]

So there you guy m'loves! Enjoy, and as always feel free to share your own! (Or link to your own blogs in the comments). MUAH.

Peace, passion, and love.

Die Vampire Die

Hello Bloggers,

I have several playlists that I listen too when I get down or pessimistic and need some inspiration. Sometimes it's classic rock with fight-the-man and free-love messages. Sometimes it's girl power that can be anything from Sheryl Crow to Britney. AND...sometimes my strongest self-love inspiration comes from musicals. What can I say, I'm a theatre geek through and through and I'll be damned if Sondheim can't soothe my ailing heart.

My new favorite musical is [title of show]. [title of show] was written as the writers went along, and it chronicles them putting a musical together. It's adorably clever but it packs a lot of punch when you need a reminder to believe in yourself. Things have been a little tricky around these parts lately; I've encountered some road blocks and self-doubt started creeping back in for the first time in a long time. "Other companies have more community support" I told myself. "Other freelancers don't need day jobs" I said. I said these things repeatedly, and told myself a lot of other very horrible things that I won't bore you with. I couldn't even pinpoint what exactly was wrong with me, I just felt really down and worse yet, down on myself. Then in the car, with the iPod on shuffle, some [title of show] lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks and I was choking back tears. First is a song called "Die, Vampire Die", and here is the basic gist of the song (edited to make sense if you haven't seen the show):

There are some people in the world who say that writing stories,
or composing music or dancing sparkly dances is easy for them.
Nothing interferes with their ability to create.
While I celebrate their creative freedom,
a little part of me just wants to punch those motherfuckers in the teeth.
This song, I sing this song for you guys and for all the rest of us.

You have a story to tell, a novel you keep in a drawer.
You have a painting to paint, but you lazy like an old French whore
You have a movie to make, Shrinky Dinks you can bake
but you best grab a stake, cause,
in sweep the vampires, in creep the vampires, knee deep in vampires,
Filling you with doubt and insecurity, ‘bout what you art should be
in sweep the vampires

And when they come run like hell, see those bats in your belfry, then call on Van Helsing.
In swoosh the vampires
in a whoosh ooh, the vampires,
ooh, all the vampires
Filling you with thoughts of
Self consciousness
Feelings of
Worthlessness
They’ll make you
Second guess
Die vampire!

There are so many vampires, inside, outside, and nationwide,
it helps to recognize them with this vampire hunting guide!
Listen closely,

A vampire is any person or thought or feeling
that stands between you and your creative self expression,
but they can assume many seductive forms.
Here’s a few of them!

First up are you pygmy vampires.
They’ll swarm around your head like gnats and say things like:
Your teeth need whitening
You went to state school?
You sound weird.
Shakespeare, Sondheim, Sedaris
Did it before you and better than you,
or they might say that you cannot
sing good enough to be in a musical, or they might say:
Ooh, your song’s derivative.

To keep that song from you! Just tell them:
Die vampire, die!

The last vampire is the mother of all vampires and that is the vampire of despair.
It’ll wake you up at 4am to say things like:
Who do you think you’re kidding?
You look like a fool.
No matter how hard you try, you’ll never be good enough.
Why is it that if some dude walked up to me on the subway platform
and said these things, I’d think he was a mentally ill asshole
but if the vampire inside my head says it
It’s the voice of reason.

You have a story to tell, pull your novel out of that sock drawer!
You have a painting to paint, you best paint it and then paint some more!

In fly the vampires, oh my the vampires, then die the vampires,
filling you with life, creativity, all that you heart should be, out go the vampires
Die vampire, die vampire, die vampire, die!

______________________________
Immediately another song from [title of show] came on entitled "Nine People's Favorite Things" that I really needed to hear. It was more of a career-focused self-love boost then a general one, but listening to it back to back with vampires left me uplifted on the whole. Again, these are edited a bit for space and to make sense:

We can either follow our instinct
Or take advice from every joker
We can either be distinct
Or wind up merely mediocre
But not me
Not me

When we set out to write this musical
We said we’d write a show that we wanna see
We knew we’d never please everyone
Remember that day
You said to me

I’d rather be nine people’s favorite thing
Than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing
Nine peoples favorite thing
Than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing

And when Bock and Harnick were writing “Tenderloin”
They were taking a risk to write a show about whores
When Kander and Ebb were working on the Rink
I’d like to think at some point; John looked at Fred and said

I’d rather be nine people’s favorite thing
Than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing
time for the annual church bazaar
There’s a cake-baking contest
I am going to be the big star
But I don’t want to make a German chocolate
And a seven-layer I’ll never complete
So I show up with pride this morning
With a tray of rice-crispie treats

And they try to push them aside
Say that they are too strange to compete
And sure, most of the judges award the red velvet
But one picks the rice-crispie treats.
Let our show be the rice-crispie treat.

I’d rather be nine people’s favorite thing
Than a hundred peoples ninth favorite thing

Nine people’s favorite thing
Than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing

Those nine people will tell nine people
Then we’ll have eighteen people loving the show
Then eighteen people could grow into
Five-hundred and twenty-five-thousand, six-hundred people
Loving our show

Nine peoples favorite thing
Than a hundred peoples ninth favorite thing
Nine people’s favorite thing
Than a hundred people’s ninth favorite thing

So the decision’s made
And we’re on our way
And we may lose or maybe we might
Be nine people’s favorite thing.
_______________________________
So there you go, a little dose of self-love and determination, musical theatre style. Click on the links below to:
Hear Die, Vampire Die.
Hear Nine People's Favorite Thing.
Learn more about [title of show]

I'd love to hear some of your own self-love inspiration, as well as music in general that inspires peace, passion, and love in your life!

My Newest Muse

“Good is towing the line, being behaved, being quiet, being passive, fitting in, being liked, and great is being messy, having a belly, speaking your mind, standing up for what you believe in, fighting for another paradigm, not letting people talk you out of what you know to be true.” ~Eve Ensler


My next photo challenge is someone who inspires me. Now, there are a lot of strong women, GLBT, or just plain smart people that I look up too. Recently though, I've become newly aware not only of the brilliance of Eve Ensler's plays, but her activist work. Her primary focus is violence against women; a worthy cause in and of itself. She's also not afraid to tackle GLBT or basic women's rights either. This is all in addition to being a brilliant and admirable playwright, director, and actor. If I achieve half of what she has artistically or as an activist, I will consider myself a success. I won't stop there though...because that's now what Eve would do.

So cheers to a woman who works her ass off aspiring to peace, evoking passion, and showing the kind of love that all humanity is capable of.

Jacks and Jills, Inc.

Good Afternoon Readers!

One of the projects that I've undertaken in 2011 is writing a "Behind the Curtain" style look at Gadfly Theatre Productions and life in queer art and queer entrepreneurship as a whole for a super-fun new social networking site aimed specifically at gay men and the women who love them. Jacks and Jills, Inc. has been incredibly kind to me-and all of their writers...plus it's a crazy-fun site to hang out, procrastinating for an afternoon. There are lots of articles by quality bloggers from around the blogosphere, lots o' queertastic networking opportunities,and (arguably) most importantly: tons of opportunity for giggles and smiles. You can connect with real-life friends, find a brand spankin' new Jack or Jill to connect with, or independently gobble up queer culture articles by the dozen.

I'm having a great time so far-how can you not love a website whose taglines include "Because Faghag is so 2010" or "The path to friendship isn't always straight." You should all sign up if for no other reason than to read my dazzingly charming articles and connect with me...but try to check out some other stuff while you're there!

Peace, passion, and love.

New Etsy Shop!

Hello Bloggers and Friends,

In an attempt to be able to support my love of photography, I am selling some of my photos on Etsy! Everything has been really fun so far. So hop on, buy some prints, and tell your peeps. I am adding new stuff all the time, so check it out ...frequently!

Peace, love, and passion.

Newly Formatted Things I'm Thankful for Thursday!

In keeping with this blog, I have decided to break down my Thursday Thanks into three sections: Things that Bring Peace, Things that Evoke Passion, and Things I Just Plain Love. It's still things I had contact/have been mulling over/have infiltrated my week just broken down a little more so as to why I love them. SO without further ado...

Things that Bring Peace:
*Animals in the workplace. Distracting, but important for employee mental health*
*Tarot readings in cafes*
*Rearranging my living room. The exact Feng Shui 'science' is admittedly not for anyone, but exposing yourself to more natural light, creating more room, and bringing in proper storage facilities just seems like common sense*
*Lazy lunches on outdoor patios*
*Time spent on farms. I'm a city girl at heart, I've accepted this. I do love the outdoors though, and getting quality time with fresh air, good company, and animal friends is just wonderful*
*Brown sugar & cinnamon toast, just like Grandma makes*

Things that Evoke Passion:
*Studying other queer theatres and their work*
*Well-written novels, like A.S. Byatt's*
*Late night discussions about art, life, and love with the BFF*
*Listening to Sheryl Crow and Aqualung in a row*
*Talking to my sister about the baby ducks! (This makes sense to us, don't worry)*
*Quality films like "I <3 Huckabees*
*Gadfly's wonderful Suburban Redux cast.

Things I Just Plain Love:
*Getting like, seven bags of groceries for just over $100-and it's all organic!*
*Joshua Allen Harry's 'Inflatable Art'*
*The [title of show] soundtrack! Local company, Urban Samurai opens it this weekend and I can't wait to see the whole show!*
*Yara Sofia. She was my favorite on this season of RuPaul's Drag Race, and I'm sad to see her go*
*Sandwiches with guacamole AND hummus*


(Cast of Suburban Redux, photo courtesy of yours truly!)

How about you guys? What brought you peace, passion, and love this week?

Spring Upgrading: Because You're Too Fab to Spend Your Life Cleaning

This spring, without even realizing it I realized I'd shifted away from a 'cleaning' phase and ended up focusing on improving my living and sacred spaces. Yes, to some extent this involves 'cleaning' and purging lots and lots of extra things. We're really frickin' spoiled here. I realized one day that I don't need two couches. Yup. Two. Couches. Stupid. So I'm ditching one. I'm also ditching clothes I've shrunk out of, books I didn't love, and all of the things that generally no longer appeal/are useful/are in usable shape. Yet the focus this spring hasn't been on the purging. It's been on an apartment wide streamline and upgrade. I'm getting a bigger bed, more bookshelves, and everything I'm getting rid of is intended to improve, and not just cleanse my life. As much as I love purging (I've written entire blog entries about it), upgrading feels even better in away. You're not depriving yourself of anything as overpurging can do, you are making substantial improvements in your home.

While the things I've been thinking about and talking about are tangible material things, I think that this train of thought could apply elsewhere. As I ALWAYS tell you and firmly believe, if you are unhappy with your group of friends/job/book club/significant other/etc. then you should ditch them and move on. Instead of just ditching them though, I think you're ultimate goal should not only be to rid yourself of the dead weight but to find something that's...well, an upgrade. A more fulfilling job. A significant other who's going to love you as much as you love yourself. Friends who interest you and are there for you. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

Spring cleaning is a very important process and one I have always enjoyed. I just think it can be limiting or leave a feeling of 'what's next?' if you've cleaned and cleaned and have nothing left to clean. Instead of feeling relieved you might feel empty. It happens to the best of us, and if you've reached this point, it's time to upgrade to things that bring peace, evoke passion, and that you love.


P.S. Here's a picture that I want to get a tattoo based on. It represents the next photo challenge "Something You Want to Do In Your Life." I choose: get this tattoo, which is really personal to me...and still cute.

24 More Hours!

Blog World Call to Action Alert:

Gadfly Theatre Productions needs your help! We are having a teensy bit of trouble covering up-front costs for Suburban Redux, and you can help. We are not asking for donations (but by all means, are not turning them away) but instead asking you to shop. My friend Chelsey Gaddy has very generously agreed to donate half of her Etsy proceeds from this weekend to us! I mentioned it on my Thursday thanks, but that was a heady post-so don't feel bad if you missed it. Just go to her Etsy shop now and SHOP UP before midnight EST tomorrow night.

Thanks a bajillion for the support! Help me and my business partner see this show through; bringing peace, passion, and love into our lives.

Wish the same to you. Now ready...set...SHOP.

Sisters, Improv, and ...Jeff Daniels?

Hello Blog-World,

I have really been terrible at keeping up with this lately. I promise all 30 Days of Photo-Fun will happen, it just might be a little sporadic. I have been hella busy lately. Gadfly is at a really amazing turning point. We've streamlined our mission and vision (which streamlines the types of script submissions we'll accept), and are simultaneously putting on a show under the original scope while resculpting and preparing for next season. It's big, but I don't feel intimidated at all, just busy. I've been planning and e-mailing and taking workshops and reading and a million other things. It's going to be a really special, amazing final show and a really special, amazing second season. So get ready!

Additionally things are going crazy-good for Mixed Blood and Avenue Q. The box office phone is ringing off the hook and web orders are pouring in. AND I started a brand-new temp job with The National Theatre for Children. The link has more info on the company, whose work I've seen (at a much younger age of course) and am excited to be a part of. Basically I call Elementary Schools and get them to sign up for a show that's completely free to them. It's easy, but a substantial contribution to the company.

All of my jobs end in early summer, so I'm also trying to line up crazy amounts of photo, tarot, and other various arts gigs for the summer. I would love to Direct, Assistant Direct, or Act in one or many Fringe shows, so if you know anyone looking, send them my way yo! Obviously if you want photos, a tarot reading, etc. for this summer fly my way too. Word.

So, that's what I've been up to in my blog absence. It is indeed Thursday, so I will once again try to knock out two birds with one stone by incorporating a Photo-Adventure into my Thursday Thanks!

~The next photo entry I need to do is 'Someone You Couldn't Imagine Your Life Without'. I choose my beautiful baby sister (well, she's the second oldest of our brood but still younger than me). I am very thankful for her, always, so it's completely legitimate to put this in today's article. You can see a super cute baby picture of us the bottom of this entry. Not only can I not imagine my life without her, but I don't WANT to imagine my life without her. That chick's a rock star, and I love her.

~Social Media! I, like the rest of the world have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, Twitter, and yes, even my blog. However, they are invaluable tools for artists and businesspersons. Even more importantly, it allows you to stay in touch or get in touch once again with people who once meant the world to you. This latter reason has been hella present in my life lately, and I am so grateful to live in a time where this is possible.

~Movie nights with friends (even if it is Dumb and Dumber).

~The movie Breakfast With Pluto. Everyone should see this movie. It is touching in parts, hilarious in parts, and definitely worth your time. Cillian Murphy is surprisingly uncreepy and touching.

~Late nights spend reading Sweet Valley Confidential in one sitting. Jessica Wakefield, you harlot you.

~How well things are going for Avenue Q!

~How well rehearsals are going for Suburban Redux.

~Having lots of things to do! Monotony and routine bum me out deeply. I love everything I'm doing, and I love that (at the moment at least), I'm doing fairly well and getting to do it by incorporating variety into my life.

~SPRINGTIME. SUNSHINE. GRASS. OUTDOOR PATIOS. I have spent two of the most wonderful afternoons this week eating on outdoor patios. It has been Heavenly.

~Cheap Improv Theaters! There's a new one in Minneapolis, called Huge Theater. I saw a show for very cheap there that some friends were in on Sunday. It was wonderful.

~Gadfly's fiscal sponsor, Springboard for the Arts. This week they set up a free Marketing and Communications website with Kathy Graves and it was spectacular. I figured I'd leave with some things to think about, some new ideas, etc. Instead I left completely fired up with lots of tangible things to do. It's an amazing feeling, and I owe it all to them and Kathy Graves herself.

~Lowertown St. Paul. I don't know if it's the nearness of the river, the artistic community, or the comfort of old timeless buildings but I have concluded that it is impossible to feel rushed or stressed in Lowertown.

~AND to conclude...the Namaste Cafe. Probably my favorite restaurant in the entire Twin Cities. It's Nepalese food, and I spent my afternoon lounging in a colorful outdoor patio sipping soy chai (that they did NOT charge extra for!)and eating the most wonderful Nepalese food. One day I'm going to write a book called The Hipsters Aren't Always Wrong about the Twin Cities hangouts labeled hipster joints that people should still go too. Number One? The Namaste.

Before I go, I want to encourage/beg you to head over to my friend Chelsey's Etsy Shop. This weekend half of her proceeds go to Gadfly! Your contribution will help us break even for Suburban Redux, and you will get some wonderful goodies for yourself or a loved one in the process. So shop up!

Stay tuned, great things are happening! I wish you and yours the most peace, passion, and love possible.

The Beatles!

Today's photo challenge wants me to name my favorite band. I have a lot of favorite bands that change with my mood, and contrary to popular belief, I'm not exactly stuck in the past musically. However, I do have a weakness for rock, soul, and folk music from before my time. As I mentioned, my tastes change with the wind. The reason my Beatles obsession is so significant is because not only has it lasted twenty-six years, it is the only music I love regardless of my mood or what I'm doing.

I love this picture, and found it on Deviantart. I want to make sure I credit the artist, so check out the rest of his stuff.

The Beatles definitely inspired peace, passion, and love everywhere they went and still do it through their timeless music, speeches, and substantial activist work. It's one of the things I love most about them. They make me feel centered, remind me of what I want to be personally and artistically.

As always, I sign off by wishing you peace, passion, and love.

Farewell March!

March was a little tumultous for me, and I wasn't as adventurous or productive as usual. I don't necessarily feel that I inspired and lived a life of peace, that I devoted myself properly to my passions, or that I evoked love in myself and others. That's what these monthly checks are for though, no one is perfect. March wasn't terrible, there were some highlights. They are listed below. Enjoy, and feel free to share information about your adventures and productivity this month! I love hearing from my blog readers!

March 2011

Home Base: NE Minneapolis

What I Did:
Closed up Agnes Under the Big Top box office, Opened Avenue Q, began producing and marketing Suburban Redux, commissioned a new Manifesto for Gadfly, redid the Gadfly website and published that beast, landed a gig doing some phone marketing for the National Theatre for Children (starts in April, but hey, I landed it this month!), found my new favorite view of Minneapolis, donated to Japan, did some headshots for some cute artist-types, baby-shopped (because I’m going to be an AUNT! SO excited!), actually got some writing and personal photography projects done, thought a lot about the ever-changing role of women in society (mostly because of International Women’s Month), and got to see some long-lost close friends from out of town.

Where I went:
I traveled to Chicago, IL on a whim which was really fun! That was really my only travel for the month, but it was worth it.

Key Hangouts Around Home Base:
Baja Sol, Caribou. I stuck really close to my apt. for the bulk of this month for some inexplicable reason. Play by Play Bookstore, various Noodles & Company locations, and the Pizza Luce in Uptown where also still really important to me.

Power Music :
Robyn, Mika, Rent soundtrack, Hair soundtrack, and The Beatles ‘Help’ album which in the past has not been my favorite. This month I totally rocked it though. The Swell Season proved great for mellow moods.

Most Loved Television:
Buffy Season 6, Friends Season 6, and of course my three still on: Modern Family, Pretty Little Liars, and Drag Race (although PLL did just wrap up so you can stop hearing about it)

Best Movies I watched this month:
In theatres: The King’s Speech; Queerborn and Pervsersion
On DVD: For Your Consideration, Better Than Chocolate, Dorian Gray, Stranger than Fiction, Milk, Happy Endings (of course), and Easy Virtue all had their fair turn in the DVD player.


Best Theatrical Experiences of the Year:

Getting to see Avenue Q in it’s run through stage, Oedipus El Rey at the Lab, my occasional stints into acting that are mostly seen at 'First Reads' at Play by Play, attending the Sally Awards, and seeing the taping of America’s Got Talent.

Favorite thing I fed myself:
Mushroom not-pizzas, Japanese Pan Noodles from Noodles & Company, Baja Sol Tostado fajita bowls, Toasted almond coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts, Caribou Coffee Iced Chai Soy Lattes and my CHEAT MEALS: Chicago style deep dish pizza (I have no regrets!), Godiva chocolates

Best Books I Read:
Necessary Targets and The Good Body by Eve Ensler, Speech and Debate by Stephan Karam, Gender Outlaw by Kate Bornstein, The Summer of Our Revolution by Judith Ortiz Cofer, and the mind-blowing Transforming a Rape Culture (which I think everybody should read).

Best Websites:
Danielle LaPorte’s ‘White Hot Truth’, Joey Comeau’s blog, Snark Valley in preparation for Sweet Valley Confidential’s release!

Favorite New Unnecessary Material Items I acquired:
$10 rock-star boots; A pedometer I found; Several DVD’s


Biggest Challenge of the Month (and how I overcame it):
I have actually struggled a lot with mood swings this month, mostly likely because of my PCOS. There is only one way to overcome it though, that I have found to be successful: take a deep breathe, think about three things that make you happy, and try harder to not let it get to you next time.

I’ve also been legitimately hurt by certain situations in my life, professionally and personally, but again, you have to overcome it by knowing that you can, and reminding yourself every day that nothing is permanent.

Best Thing I Did for Myself:
Gave myself a facial. Started using leave-in conditioner. Grocery shopped instead of eating out all the time. Giving up alcohol for an indefinite period of time (Don’t worry, I don’t have a problem…I just want to see if I can get even more out of social gatherings. This excludes beer with dinner or wine over desert or something like that).

Couldn’t Be Without:
Gadfly Theatre Productions supporters. Burt’s Bees Chapstick. That’s about it. Pretty simple.

Quotes of the Month:
“The penguin would be sad because he was in handcuffs, but then he would be happy because he didn’t have hands.”
~Manny

“I hate this rest stop!”
~Carolyn Fritz

“Safety is more than the absence of danger, although this wouldn’t be such a bad thing itself. Safety is proactive, the creation of a space in which all people, women & men, gay & straight, and of all colors can experience and express the fullness of their being.”
~Michael S. Kimmel (from Transforming a Rape Culture)

“You’ve gotta go after the things you want/while you’re still in your prime”
~Kate Monster, from Avenue Q

“I’m 98% sure that I don’t know where I’m going. And that remaining 2% is just ego.”
~Andrew ‘Pickle’ Harrison


There you go. Thanks so much for reading. April is going to be a lot better, and I will be blogging about it as we chug along.

Peace, passion, and love.