2010 to 2011
After 2009 was over and transitioned into 2010 I was sure it would take a LOT for the year to top the previous. So much happened in 2009! Graduation, gallery shows, WEDDING, pgraph east coast tour, taking over the hideout, etc etc etc a whole lot more that I posted about here: http://bellatrixamici.livejournal.com/2009/12/31/
But it's funny, I feel like the good energy of positive experiences doesn't stop when the experience is technically over. Those good feelings can be carried over into useful energy for making more good things happen. Does that make sense?
2010 started out a little rocky for me emotionally, I just felt lost after the holidays and whirlwind of 2009. I was unsure of where I was personally going. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to make a career in the "arts" work and that I would be leaning too heavily on Roy while my friends secretly despised me for making my husband the workhorse while I slept in and complained about stupid shit like stomach pains and indecisive design requests.
I always share my feelings with Roy and he helped to anchor me. Getting back into the swing of a busy life made a big difference for my everyday emotions and soon I was back to being happily productive.
Jobs and gigs began to appear before me (or so it seemed in some cases, word of mouth and all that) and I said, "Yes, I can do that!" even if I wasn't so sure I could.
My work for the Hideout seemed to be paying off nicely and getting into a good rhythm. I felt happy with all my set designs and executions and was able to pull-off another Out Of Bounds set-making-marathon-of-mayhem in addition to a big install for the Ladies Are Funny Festival (and discovered a new style of "quick" and good event design - large hanging pieces!). I redesigned and painted a new mural in our downstairs box office.
I've been learning/designing in Photoshop this year and it has made a world of difference in my design work (and I could still become 100X more proficient, I know, I'm working on it).
2010 was a sort of trial in some ways with my design work for the Hideout. But now they're giving me constant stuff to work on, and that makes me happy overall.
I booked a big commercial in 2010 (pizzzza) as a principle actor but ended up as only an extra in the final footage (this happened to me and 6 other people, no big deal). But it was three full days of shooting with SAG pay and that was awesome. Goood money. And now I am SAG eligible.
Soon after I booked a few other things for Livescribe, a smart pen company. I'm in a promo video for their new pen which is supposed to be in every Best Buy in the country and friends have found the video kiosk at Brookstone's and Fry's Electronics as well (and it's still at these places currently). I also did my first professional voice-over for them, for some demo videos on their website, right after the 41-Hour Improv Marathon when my voice was GONE. That had never happened to me before and I freaked out. But then I rested and coated my throat and I made it work.
I completed three big mural projects - amy's garden shed, jaybyrd's house mural, and the box office mural.
I taught improv classes and workshops and did a lot of various corporate improv gigs. I started coaching a kid in improv on a regular basis. I created a bunch of new improv shows, actually, I should go into that further...
New Improv Projects of 2010:
Girl Embassy World Team (co-creator, performer, dancer)
Austin Secrets (performer)
Hitchcocked! (performer)
PGraph's Dick & Jane (co-creator, performer)
The Andersons (performer)
Who Is T. Henry Baudecliffe? (co-creator, director, performer, designer)
PGraph's ERIS 2035 (co-creator, performer)
Theatresports (performer)
Victrola, improv in the dark (performer)
Fitzgeralds For Hire (co-creator, performer)
I traveled A LOT this year:
(in chronological order)
Bellingham, WA
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Toronto, Canada
Minneapolis, MN
Sarasota, FL
Orlando, FL
Philadelphia, PA
I did improv shows in all of those cities. It was a big fuckin' blast and I made a ton of new friends and contacts.
I took the Keith Johnstone 4-day intensive when we brought him here last January and working with him has given me so much to chew on every day in my improv.
The Hideout Theatre performed beyond my expectations in many ways. Hard work began visibly paying off. Lots of shows sold out. New policies became regular policies. Happiness levels of everyone went visibly up (performers, owners, audience members). Our quality became more consistent. We overcame mistakes but still took lots of risks for better or worse.
On the home front - we re-organized our house! Roy and I paid off our debt! Roy started working from home! We started cooking at home more!
Bad bad stomach pain/digestion issues and unexpected weight loss led me to *finally* seek specialist help for 11 years worth of Acid Reflux Disease after 5 years of poor medical assistance (I just never saw someone qualified to treat me).
I got new medication that seems to work most of the time. I eat now. I don't hold back tears when I drink alcohol because my stomach can handle it with this time-release medicine! :)
I gained back the weight I lost.
Not because I wanted to, necessarily, but well, it's been worth it to feel alive more often and I don't feel tingly and fuzzy like I used to (I used to sometimes only eat one meal a day, some days I could barely choke back bread and water blah blah blah NOW IT'S BETTER!!!)
When I was at my thinnest, I got a lot of compliments. And that kinda makes me sad, because I got that way because of a forced eating disorder. In 2011 I am going to continue to eat :), but healthier foods with more frequent exercise.
Well, soon I began to realize that 2010 wasn't going to be a disappointment next to 2009, because to compare and to think so would be to not live in the moment. I want to live in the moment as long as I can. Also, a lot of badass unpredictable stuff happened! There were tense times, oh yeah, and some hard stuff, but we're constantly trying to assess situations and fix them with minimal stress. Fuckin' yes, and! (I always feel geeky when I say such things, but I really believe this to be true!)
And would you believe it, 2010 turned out to be a pretty amazing year. :D
I can't even name or talk as specifically as I'd like about it all because it is too much for one post!
So. 2011.
You are here.
You bring great promises already. Let's see if we can tackle them AND be there to walk through those unexpected open doors.
Here they come:
performing in, creating, and directing amazing improv shows with great people
more professional painting and design jobs
special headlining PGraph performances in Chicago and Providence
A month in Edinburgh, Scotland performing and living with Parallelogramophonograph
A month in Vermont, painting by myself, surrounded by other artists
The Responsible-Rockstar Danger Family Project - healthy eating, exercise, and more! (at home with the husband)
The getting of my official driver's license (I'm driving all the time lately, soon I will test!)
The purchase of my first car (car fund is fed more every week!)
Acting opportunities? Art opportunities? Improv opportunities? Yes, please, we will see.
Same Goals All The Time
-Make smart, purposeful choices
-Be more productive
-Make Mo' Money
-Be Grateful, love more, hate less
Here's to Falling Down And Laughing About It
Here's To Embracing The Element of Surprise
Here's To Trying New Things
Here's To New Friendships Formed By Mutual Passion
Here's To Amazing Creative Friendships (and new tattoos)
Here's To Supportive, Freeing, Ever-Changing Joyful Love
Here I come.
But it's funny, I feel like the good energy of positive experiences doesn't stop when the experience is technically over. Those good feelings can be carried over into useful energy for making more good things happen. Does that make sense?
2010 started out a little rocky for me emotionally, I just felt lost after the holidays and whirlwind of 2009. I was unsure of where I was personally going. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to make a career in the "arts" work and that I would be leaning too heavily on Roy while my friends secretly despised me for making my husband the workhorse while I slept in and complained about stupid shit like stomach pains and indecisive design requests.
I always share my feelings with Roy and he helped to anchor me. Getting back into the swing of a busy life made a big difference for my everyday emotions and soon I was back to being happily productive.
Jobs and gigs began to appear before me (or so it seemed in some cases, word of mouth and all that) and I said, "Yes, I can do that!" even if I wasn't so sure I could.
My work for the Hideout seemed to be paying off nicely and getting into a good rhythm. I felt happy with all my set designs and executions and was able to pull-off another Out Of Bounds set-making-marathon-of-mayhem in addition to a big install for the Ladies Are Funny Festival (and discovered a new style of "quick" and good event design - large hanging pieces!). I redesigned and painted a new mural in our downstairs box office.
I've been learning/designing in Photoshop this year and it has made a world of difference in my design work (and I could still become 100X more proficient, I know, I'm working on it).
2010 was a sort of trial in some ways with my design work for the Hideout. But now they're giving me constant stuff to work on, and that makes me happy overall.
I booked a big commercial in 2010 (pizzzza) as a principle actor but ended up as only an extra in the final footage (this happened to me and 6 other people, no big deal). But it was three full days of shooting with SAG pay and that was awesome. Goood money. And now I am SAG eligible.
Soon after I booked a few other things for Livescribe, a smart pen company. I'm in a promo video for their new pen which is supposed to be in every Best Buy in the country and friends have found the video kiosk at Brookstone's and Fry's Electronics as well (and it's still at these places currently). I also did my first professional voice-over for them, for some demo videos on their website, right after the 41-Hour Improv Marathon when my voice was GONE. That had never happened to me before and I freaked out. But then I rested and coated my throat and I made it work.
I completed three big mural projects - amy's garden shed, jaybyrd's house mural, and the box office mural.
I taught improv classes and workshops and did a lot of various corporate improv gigs. I started coaching a kid in improv on a regular basis. I created a bunch of new improv shows, actually, I should go into that further...
New Improv Projects of 2010:
Girl Embassy World Team (co-creator, performer, dancer)
Austin Secrets (performer)
Hitchcocked! (performer)
PGraph's Dick & Jane (co-creator, performer)
The Andersons (performer)
Who Is T. Henry Baudecliffe? (co-creator, director, performer, designer)
PGraph's ERIS 2035 (co-creator, performer)
Theatresports (performer)
Victrola, improv in the dark (performer)
Fitzgeralds For Hire (co-creator, performer)
I traveled A LOT this year:
(in chronological order)
Bellingham, WA
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Toronto, Canada
Minneapolis, MN
Sarasota, FL
Orlando, FL
Philadelphia, PA
I did improv shows in all of those cities. It was a big fuckin' blast and I made a ton of new friends and contacts.
I took the Keith Johnstone 4-day intensive when we brought him here last January and working with him has given me so much to chew on every day in my improv.
The Hideout Theatre performed beyond my expectations in many ways. Hard work began visibly paying off. Lots of shows sold out. New policies became regular policies. Happiness levels of everyone went visibly up (performers, owners, audience members). Our quality became more consistent. We overcame mistakes but still took lots of risks for better or worse.
On the home front - we re-organized our house! Roy and I paid off our debt! Roy started working from home! We started cooking at home more!
Bad bad stomach pain/digestion issues and unexpected weight loss led me to *finally* seek specialist help for 11 years worth of Acid Reflux Disease after 5 years of poor medical assistance (I just never saw someone qualified to treat me).
I got new medication that seems to work most of the time. I eat now. I don't hold back tears when I drink alcohol because my stomach can handle it with this time-release medicine! :)
I gained back the weight I lost.
Not because I wanted to, necessarily, but well, it's been worth it to feel alive more often and I don't feel tingly and fuzzy like I used to (I used to sometimes only eat one meal a day, some days I could barely choke back bread and water blah blah blah NOW IT'S BETTER!!!)
When I was at my thinnest, I got a lot of compliments. And that kinda makes me sad, because I got that way because of a forced eating disorder. In 2011 I am going to continue to eat :), but healthier foods with more frequent exercise.
Well, soon I began to realize that 2010 wasn't going to be a disappointment next to 2009, because to compare and to think so would be to not live in the moment. I want to live in the moment as long as I can. Also, a lot of badass unpredictable stuff happened! There were tense times, oh yeah, and some hard stuff, but we're constantly trying to assess situations and fix them with minimal stress. Fuckin' yes, and! (I always feel geeky when I say such things, but I really believe this to be true!)
And would you believe it, 2010 turned out to be a pretty amazing year. :D
I can't even name or talk as specifically as I'd like about it all because it is too much for one post!
So. 2011.
You are here.
You bring great promises already. Let's see if we can tackle them AND be there to walk through those unexpected open doors.
Here they come:
performing in, creating, and directing amazing improv shows with great people
more professional painting and design jobs
special headlining PGraph performances in Chicago and Providence
A month in Edinburgh, Scotland performing and living with Parallelogramophonograph
A month in Vermont, painting by myself, surrounded by other artists
The Responsible-Rockstar Danger Family Project - healthy eating, exercise, and more! (at home with the husband)
The getting of my official driver's license (I'm driving all the time lately, soon I will test!)
The purchase of my first car (car fund is fed more every week!)
Acting opportunities? Art opportunities? Improv opportunities? Yes, please, we will see.
Same Goals All The Time
-Make smart, purposeful choices
-Be more productive
-Make Mo' Money
-Be Grateful, love more, hate less
Here's to Falling Down And Laughing About It
Here's To Embracing The Element of Surprise
Here's To Trying New Things
Here's To New Friendships Formed By Mutual Passion
Here's To Amazing Creative Friendships (and new tattoos)
Here's To Supportive, Freeing, Ever-Changing Joyful Love
Here I come.