things I make
Feb. 17th, 2012 03:03 pmvarious available in the shop, including a spiffy spiffy rainbow gradient. check 'em out!
| Etsy gizmometry |
this is my body, dammit
Feb. 10th, 2012 04:06 pmThis morning I taught my second class with the VSA's Self-Advocacy Theatre program. For this semester it's also my last - I just did a two-class guest-spot bringing in movement techniques, and of course the dis/abled teacher perspective, always good to role model. I had a great time! It was a bit scary - I haven't taught movement before, nor have I taught in a cognitive/developmental dis/ability environment before, so I was nervous about planning my lessons so the group would get the most out of them, and being able to guide students appropriately. It went really well though I think. They're great kids and they really got engaged, each to the extent of their abilities. There was a wide range of age and disability - from 14 year olds to recent highschool graduates doing an extra year in the transition program, and disabilities ranging from more minor-seeming focus/direction-parsing issues without physical/motor components to students who were unable to initiate movement and/or communication independently. So that was a challenge, to find activities that would engage them all at an appropriate level, without leaving anyone out. But they were lovely kids, with such great energy, and the preliminary feedback I have is that it went well. I tried to pick activities that had clear, concrete instructions that could nevertheless lead to more abstract or varied interpretation if the student was up to it. I led them through some acting/movement combos (miming, basically, which bridged to what they'd already been working on), some individual movements, and some coordinated group items. I tried to let them generate movements naturally from their bodies and find their own ways to express themselves and coordinate when in groups/pairs, then observe & discuss the results. There was some chaos, but I think I was largely able to keep the group on-task and engaged, redirecting from the distractions. And even the shyest, stillest, most reticent students did engage, and move a little, and smile.
I am happy. And proud.
We went downtown this afternoon, and while we were out walking (H & I), enjoying the balmy weather, the sun, each other's company, we passed by a random guy. He didn't say hello, stop us, or even make eye contact, but he turned with us as we passed by and called out to me, "I hope you feel better soon, ma'am."
I say this because I want you to know that it happens, and that it is so not okay.
I am not sick. (I had the flu a couple weeks back, but I don't now!) I was happy and feeling well. I was getting fresh air and good exercise in the company of my sweetheart. Pain was present, but not so much as it'd show to the uninitiated. I am, somewhat to my surprise, a successful artist and educator, if on a small scale. And some stranger thinks I should be wished better from this. Without knowing anything about me. Thinks that because I use crutches, I am hurt, ill, suffering, pitiable. That I am broken. Well, I am here to say that I am not and I am tired of combating this belief. (Do I have pain? Do I get sick? Does it suck when that happens? Yes. Was that today? No. Do the crutches indicate a thing that is bad or wrong? Emphatically, no.) It was incredibly damaging to me in the first twenty-odd years of my life and it takes a lot of effort even now to shake it off. And from strangers on the street, no less, in passing, someone I wouldn't know from Adam, as it were, just heckling. Judging my body.
This is my body, and it is not broken.
I've talked a bit before about how hard it is to respond to interactions like this, and how frustrating it is. You can read about that here ("Unpacking Questions", also applies to statements and patronising well-wishes) if you missed it first time. But in the spirit of such instances, I wanted to share another piece with you.
In the lesson plan for today, the class's regular teacher and I wanted to bring in overt discussion of dis/ability, which the kids don't actually do very often (somewhat to my surprise, since they're grouped together by virtue of their IEPs in order to learn how to transition into a world without that kind of support; the whole thing is founded on disability (I think all students should get classes on self-care and transitions, but that's a post for another time)). They had been asked, earlier in their bridging program (as it's called) to write about what they know about their disability/ies and how that factors into their lives & self-concepts. One student wrote a particularly eloquent piece and the thought was he could share it with the group to kick off discussion. Ideally this would have come out of our sharing our individual, self-generated movement phrases with the group, going from performing & viewing diversity to talking about it. But, working through the elements of the movement activity and coordinating them between students ended up taking the whole class time, so we didn't quite get there; after we talked about the different movements we'd seen, I just said a few words about the value of difference and how movement/performance can come from who we are, and our different bodies, personalities, and abilities.
I had written up what I wanted to share with the class, though, were I asked, and now, given the events of the day, I'd like to share it with you. It's a short (for me, at least! just three paragraphs) version of my story, simple and direct enough to share with a very mixed-ability group, and distills the elements of how my disability factors into who I am now.
( Read more... )
I am happy. And proud.
We went downtown this afternoon, and while we were out walking (H & I), enjoying the balmy weather, the sun, each other's company, we passed by a random guy. He didn't say hello, stop us, or even make eye contact, but he turned with us as we passed by and called out to me, "I hope you feel better soon, ma'am."
I say this because I want you to know that it happens, and that it is so not okay.
I am not sick. (I had the flu a couple weeks back, but I don't now!) I was happy and feeling well. I was getting fresh air and good exercise in the company of my sweetheart. Pain was present, but not so much as it'd show to the uninitiated. I am, somewhat to my surprise, a successful artist and educator, if on a small scale. And some stranger thinks I should be wished better from this. Without knowing anything about me. Thinks that because I use crutches, I am hurt, ill, suffering, pitiable. That I am broken. Well, I am here to say that I am not and I am tired of combating this belief. (Do I have pain? Do I get sick? Does it suck when that happens? Yes. Was that today? No. Do the crutches indicate a thing that is bad or wrong? Emphatically, no.) It was incredibly damaging to me in the first twenty-odd years of my life and it takes a lot of effort even now to shake it off. And from strangers on the street, no less, in passing, someone I wouldn't know from Adam, as it were, just heckling. Judging my body.
This is my body, and it is not broken.
I've talked a bit before about how hard it is to respond to interactions like this, and how frustrating it is. You can read about that here ("Unpacking Questions", also applies to statements and patronising well-wishes) if you missed it first time. But in the spirit of such instances, I wanted to share another piece with you.
In the lesson plan for today, the class's regular teacher and I wanted to bring in overt discussion of dis/ability, which the kids don't actually do very often (somewhat to my surprise, since they're grouped together by virtue of their IEPs in order to learn how to transition into a world without that kind of support; the whole thing is founded on disability (I think all students should get classes on self-care and transitions, but that's a post for another time)). They had been asked, earlier in their bridging program (as it's called) to write about what they know about their disability/ies and how that factors into their lives & self-concepts. One student wrote a particularly eloquent piece and the thought was he could share it with the group to kick off discussion. Ideally this would have come out of our sharing our individual, self-generated movement phrases with the group, going from performing & viewing diversity to talking about it. But, working through the elements of the movement activity and coordinating them between students ended up taking the whole class time, so we didn't quite get there; after we talked about the different movements we'd seen, I just said a few words about the value of difference and how movement/performance can come from who we are, and our different bodies, personalities, and abilities.
I had written up what I wanted to share with the class, though, were I asked, and now, given the events of the day, I'd like to share it with you. It's a short (for me, at least! just three paragraphs) version of my story, simple and direct enough to share with a very mixed-ability group, and distills the elements of how my disability factors into who I am now.
( Read more... )
Doctor Who Yarn Project: Donna
Feb. 8th, 2012 10:02 amMaterials:
Red bamboo top, a dozen peacock feathers (to be dismembered), purple corriedale wool, purple milk fiber.
Becomes... on the bobbin, the purple/feather single:
Then: 220yds of 2-ply sport ish weight.
The feathers were a real trick to spin - they initially were shedding everywhere and are all over my apartment - but I think I got the hang of it and the ones that remain seem secure (...mostly) in the yarn. When the sun hits the jewel tones of the purple and red, and the blues and greens in the feathers, she really shines.
To see other yarns in this project so far (Jack, Rose), to read blueprints of future ones, or to sponsor your own, check out the relevant blog posts.
The question of special requests (for other characters/elements, and from the older series, especially) has been raised and I am open to it, let's talk! (Note that I do want to do all the Doctors and the TARDIS(es) at some point; still thinking about the best ways to go about it.)
Red bamboo top, a dozen peacock feathers (to be dismembered), purple corriedale wool, purple milk fiber.
Becomes... on the bobbin, the purple/feather single:
Then: 220yds of 2-ply sport ish weight.
The feathers were a real trick to spin - they initially were shedding everywhere and are all over my apartment - but I think I got the hang of it and the ones that remain seem secure (...mostly) in the yarn. When the sun hits the jewel tones of the purple and red, and the blues and greens in the feathers, she really shines.
To see other yarns in this project so far (Jack, Rose), to read blueprints of future ones, or to sponsor your own, check out the relevant blog posts.
The question of special requests (for other characters/elements, and from the older series, especially) has been raised and I am open to it, let's talk! (Note that I do want to do all the Doctors and the TARDIS(es) at some point; still thinking about the best ways to go about it.)
(no subject)
Feb. 6th, 2012 02:13 pmIt took two weeks, but I'm finally over the flu. Sickest I've been in years - fever and all. But I can breathe again!
Good thing too since this morning I taught my first ever movement class. Well, movement with a side of theatre. The VSA runs a HS program called "self-advocacy theatre" for kids with disabilities (read: with IEPs) in their schools' "bridging" program(s), getting ready to transition from highschool. They do performance and arts to explore self-development. I guest taught a dance/movement class and will do it again Friday. :) It seemed to go very well. The kids were all engaged and all participated to the extent of their abilities, some of which are quite limited. I had a moment of panic when we started moving around the space and I could feel the chaos and hubbub rising but I managed to keep everyone (it's about 16 kids, plus aides) focused. And even the shy/quiet kids were smiling and involved by the end of the class. Success!
When I got home it was so warm and sunny out (unseasonable, but, mmm) that we had a quick lunch and went for a nice long stroll by the waterfront. We let our feet dangle over the water and enjoyed the breeze. Then to our surprise a wee furry face peeked out from the jetty and a mink emerged! It scampered around the docks and stones and disappeared. Cute little thing. I hadn't seen one in years.
I was going to be taking dance composition class last weekend and this weekend (with an informal performance on the 11th, my birthday, how fun) but it was cancelled due to low enrollment. :( Well, at least I still have improv lab class, which is great. And I'm determined to make some work anyway. I'll try to schedule some studio time somewhere.
I'm also knitting my first pair of socks. Done a lot of spinning lately. I spun Donna's yarn for the Doctor Who project; I'll post about that a bit later.
Good thing too since this morning I taught my first ever movement class. Well, movement with a side of theatre. The VSA runs a HS program called "self-advocacy theatre" for kids with disabilities (read: with IEPs) in their schools' "bridging" program(s), getting ready to transition from highschool. They do performance and arts to explore self-development. I guest taught a dance/movement class and will do it again Friday. :) It seemed to go very well. The kids were all engaged and all participated to the extent of their abilities, some of which are quite limited. I had a moment of panic when we started moving around the space and I could feel the chaos and hubbub rising but I managed to keep everyone (it's about 16 kids, plus aides) focused. And even the shy/quiet kids were smiling and involved by the end of the class. Success!
When I got home it was so warm and sunny out (unseasonable, but, mmm) that we had a quick lunch and went for a nice long stroll by the waterfront. We let our feet dangle over the water and enjoyed the breeze. Then to our surprise a wee furry face peeked out from the jetty and a mink emerged! It scampered around the docks and stones and disappeared. Cute little thing. I hadn't seen one in years.
I was going to be taking dance composition class last weekend and this weekend (with an informal performance on the 11th, my birthday, how fun) but it was cancelled due to low enrollment. :( Well, at least I still have improv lab class, which is great. And I'm determined to make some work anyway. I'll try to schedule some studio time somewhere.
I'm also knitting my first pair of socks. Done a lot of spinning lately. I spun Donna's yarn for the Doctor Who project; I'll post about that a bit later.
Dear nerdy friends on the internet,
Jan. 31st, 2012 02:17 pmI want to learn about colours.
Specifically, I want to understand why things look the colours they are - I get that it's the wavelength of the light, but what makes it be the frequency that it is? Why is cobalt blue? I remember my professor for college chem explaining why things burn different colours, but I don't know how/why we see the colours we do when there isn't some kind of exciting energetic reaction occurring.
And when we mess with the colour of something, especially permanently, how are we doing it? I've done some fibre dyeing and pottery glazing and I know a little about each (like the involvement of heat and acids in protein fibre dyeing, and oxygenation level and temperature in kilns) but not enough to really get the processes. I want to know how the components interact, not necessarily just why. Why does wool from different breeds of sheep (let alone different species of fibre animal) make the same dyes come out drastically differently? Chemically, physically, how? What components of the water chemistry makes my results different from someone on a different water supply? Why are glazes sludge coloured before firing and colourful and shiny after? How is their final state determined? Why, when I dyed wool red, did it look black for the first hour in the pot, then purple, then a brilliant red (in perfectly clear water) only the morning after, when it had cooled? Why and how does bleach lighten things? And why/how does it make some things change colour rather than lighten? How does oxidation cause drastic colour change (eg. copper pink/green)? How does heat bring out colour - I assume it's putting energy into some sort of reaction, but what, and why does the material attain a new colour as a result? What change happened?
Et cetera.
I did well in the semester of physics that was all about light, though it was a looong time ago now, and in college I did well in my chemistry, so I assume I'm up to understanding the science that drives these things. I also assume that I could do chains of Google and library searches to try to find books and papers about this stuff, but I also also know that I have enough science-nerdy friends that there's a nonzero chance someone will be able to recommend something to read, or somewhere best to start looking. Suggestions?
....this is what happens when nerds take up crafts. I want to know ALL THE THINGS.
Specifically, I want to understand why things look the colours they are - I get that it's the wavelength of the light, but what makes it be the frequency that it is? Why is cobalt blue? I remember my professor for college chem explaining why things burn different colours, but I don't know how/why we see the colours we do when there isn't some kind of exciting energetic reaction occurring.
And when we mess with the colour of something, especially permanently, how are we doing it? I've done some fibre dyeing and pottery glazing and I know a little about each (like the involvement of heat and acids in protein fibre dyeing, and oxygenation level and temperature in kilns) but not enough to really get the processes. I want to know how the components interact, not necessarily just why. Why does wool from different breeds of sheep (let alone different species of fibre animal) make the same dyes come out drastically differently? Chemically, physically, how? What components of the water chemistry makes my results different from someone on a different water supply? Why are glazes sludge coloured before firing and colourful and shiny after? How is their final state determined? Why, when I dyed wool red, did it look black for the first hour in the pot, then purple, then a brilliant red (in perfectly clear water) only the morning after, when it had cooled? Why and how does bleach lighten things? And why/how does it make some things change colour rather than lighten? How does oxidation cause drastic colour change (eg. copper pink/green)? How does heat bring out colour - I assume it's putting energy into some sort of reaction, but what, and why does the material attain a new colour as a result? What change happened?
Et cetera.
I did well in the semester of physics that was all about light, though it was a looong time ago now, and in college I did well in my chemistry, so I assume I'm up to understanding the science that drives these things. I also assume that I could do chains of Google and library searches to try to find books and papers about this stuff, but I also also know that I have enough science-nerdy friends that there's a nonzero chance someone will be able to recommend something to read, or somewhere best to start looking. Suggestions?
....this is what happens when nerds take up crafts. I want to know ALL THE THINGS.
a thinking thing
Jan. 30th, 2012 03:35 pmfrom Ande, who says: "found via a cooking blog by a Swedish blogger living in Italy. Written by Karin Boyes and translated by David McDuff. "
SMALL THINGS
If you cannot manage one step more,
cannot lift your head,
if you are sinking wearily under hopeless greyness -
then be thankful for the kind, small things,
consoling, childish.
You have an apple in your pocket,
a book of stories there at home -
small, small things, despised
at the time, that radiated living
but gentle footholds during the dead hours.
SMALL THINGS
If you cannot manage one step more,
cannot lift your head,
if you are sinking wearily under hopeless greyness -
then be thankful for the kind, small things,
consoling, childish.
You have an apple in your pocket,
a book of stories there at home -
small, small things, despised
at the time, that radiated living
but gentle footholds during the dead hours.
Doctor Who Companion Yarns: Jack
Jan. 9th, 2012 01:13 pmCaptain Jack Harkness.
Materials -
Dark TARDIS/greatcoat blue merino top
BFL/silk in a blend of aquamarine, navy, ocean green, slate grey
Metallic dove grey thread
Genuine seed pearls
Becomes:
345 yards, 5.55oz, in a light sport weight.
Being mailed out today. Goodbye, Jack! I'll miss you!
(The pearls were not quite as numerous as I'd hoped, so they are sparser than I'd imagined, but they still work, I think.)
For more on yarns proposed for the project, and to sponsor your own, see this post!
Materials -
Dark TARDIS/greatcoat blue merino top
BFL/silk in a blend of aquamarine, navy, ocean green, slate grey
Metallic dove grey thread
Genuine seed pearls
Becomes:
345 yards, 5.55oz, in a light sport weight.
Being mailed out today. Goodbye, Jack! I'll miss you!
(The pearls were not quite as numerous as I'd hoped, so they are sparser than I'd imagined, but they still work, I think.)
For more on yarns proposed for the project, and to sponsor your own, see this post!
Around Again
Jan. 1st, 2012 10:33 amHappy New Year, everyone.
Happy 2012, anyway - I celebrate a couple of other 'new year' milestones throughout the calendar year, and this one never feels quite as real. We didn't do much for it; I facepainted yesterday morning (as a volunteer in our local First Night, which I do every year) and then we stayed home, watched some silly TV shows, painted some minis, went to bed early.
I do have some goals ('resolutions', fine) for this calendar year, though, or that I'm embarking into this winter. I've got a lot of exciting things going on - potentially teaching some with the VSA; taking dance composition classes, starting to make my own work; just before Christmas, I entered a contract with a local art gallery/coffeeshop to carry my handspun yarns & handknit/woven/etc pieces; I might be working from home on the local yarn store's online affairs; and I'm still working with the Everyone Can Dance project's choreographer, both to tour the project with the company (if your community wants to make a community dance project, call us!) and in making new work - we showed a brand new duet in December, made and danced by Tiffany and myself, and we got to go on the radio to talk about it and dance and things, which was neat. So I'm working on stitching together something resembling a career in the things that matter to me: art, education, dance. I have the SSI to back me up financially and provide me healthcare, so I can do little bits of things here and there to try to contribute something more to the household, and be personally fulfilled. One of my goals is to not let these threads drop. I will pursue them.
Another goal is to work on/with my body. I want to get into better shape. I want to be stronger. In the last six years I've gained about thirty pounds, some of which I'm sure is muscle but not all. Aesthetically, I have little problem with this. I like the way I look, at least most of the time, which is the most anyone can really ask for. Structurally, it's harder for my body, so I want to work on the strength I need to move me around - gain muscle, lose fat, or whatever. (I know weight loss talk is bothersome to some people; for all that I feel like that's not my goal - my goal is strength and health - I still probably won't post much about this, and I promise not to talk numbers. I don't like the numbers either, and they're not much meaningful in reality.) I have some options available. I have a new PT who actually has experience treating EDS patients; she works at a gym, and is going to help supervise me into regular exercise, swimming mostly, maybe some other things. Right now we're doing some isometrics, working on my weaker regions within my own body's capacity/resistance. So I'll swim. And I'll be dancing more - taking classes once a week. (I've applied for a scholarship for them, but if I don't get it, I can also pay by installment and spread out the cost.) I also want to ride again; even once or twice a month would be enough. I have a lead on affordable lessons, and maybe even affordable lessons in which I could work bareback, which is the most wonderful thing ever for my body. Since I'm hopefully making a wee bit of money, I should be able to afford it. Dance, swimming, and riding are wonderful full-body forms of exercise that *my* body *loves*. If I can make these things regular parts of my life again, I think I will be well on my way to a happier and stronger body. Hunter and I have both been trying to eat healthy things - lots of colours and food groups, working from scratch, that sort of thing - and we're doing pretty well. We cook together, and we're a good team.
Of course another goal is to keep growing and strengthening our relationship, but we're pretty awesome at that. :) I think this year we're going to try to make some more/new friends, too... but that is something of a sad topic, let's skip it.
This might be the year to legally change my name.
Body is not very happy this morning. I think it was the facepainting, since it's mostly my dominant arm. We spent nine days in Maryland over Christmas, visiting with Hunter's family, which was great except the mattress I slept on was an aging coil spring type and it subluxated my everyplace. So it might just be residual issue from that. We did have a great time though - lots of relaxing with his parents, whom I think are pretty great, and reading comic books and mystery novels and eating more chocolate than might be deemed sensible. ;) It was a very pleasant Christmas. We took one day and went into DC to the National Zoo and I got to see their young giant Pacific octopus Pandora! She's super cute.
That's all for now. Hope you all had happy and safe New Year's Eves.
Happy 2012, anyway - I celebrate a couple of other 'new year' milestones throughout the calendar year, and this one never feels quite as real. We didn't do much for it; I facepainted yesterday morning (as a volunteer in our local First Night, which I do every year) and then we stayed home, watched some silly TV shows, painted some minis, went to bed early.
I do have some goals ('resolutions', fine) for this calendar year, though, or that I'm embarking into this winter. I've got a lot of exciting things going on - potentially teaching some with the VSA; taking dance composition classes, starting to make my own work; just before Christmas, I entered a contract with a local art gallery/coffeeshop to carry my handspun yarns & handknit/woven/etc pieces; I might be working from home on the local yarn store's online affairs; and I'm still working with the Everyone Can Dance project's choreographer, both to tour the project with the company (if your community wants to make a community dance project, call us!) and in making new work - we showed a brand new duet in December, made and danced by Tiffany and myself, and we got to go on the radio to talk about it and dance and things, which was neat. So I'm working on stitching together something resembling a career in the things that matter to me: art, education, dance. I have the SSI to back me up financially and provide me healthcare, so I can do little bits of things here and there to try to contribute something more to the household, and be personally fulfilled. One of my goals is to not let these threads drop. I will pursue them.
Another goal is to work on/with my body. I want to get into better shape. I want to be stronger. In the last six years I've gained about thirty pounds, some of which I'm sure is muscle but not all. Aesthetically, I have little problem with this. I like the way I look, at least most of the time, which is the most anyone can really ask for. Structurally, it's harder for my body, so I want to work on the strength I need to move me around - gain muscle, lose fat, or whatever. (I know weight loss talk is bothersome to some people; for all that I feel like that's not my goal - my goal is strength and health - I still probably won't post much about this, and I promise not to talk numbers. I don't like the numbers either, and they're not much meaningful in reality.) I have some options available. I have a new PT who actually has experience treating EDS patients; she works at a gym, and is going to help supervise me into regular exercise, swimming mostly, maybe some other things. Right now we're doing some isometrics, working on my weaker regions within my own body's capacity/resistance. So I'll swim. And I'll be dancing more - taking classes once a week. (I've applied for a scholarship for them, but if I don't get it, I can also pay by installment and spread out the cost.) I also want to ride again; even once or twice a month would be enough. I have a lead on affordable lessons, and maybe even affordable lessons in which I could work bareback, which is the most wonderful thing ever for my body. Since I'm hopefully making a wee bit of money, I should be able to afford it. Dance, swimming, and riding are wonderful full-body forms of exercise that *my* body *loves*. If I can make these things regular parts of my life again, I think I will be well on my way to a happier and stronger body. Hunter and I have both been trying to eat healthy things - lots of colours and food groups, working from scratch, that sort of thing - and we're doing pretty well. We cook together, and we're a good team.
Of course another goal is to keep growing and strengthening our relationship, but we're pretty awesome at that. :) I think this year we're going to try to make some more/new friends, too... but that is something of a sad topic, let's skip it.
This might be the year to legally change my name.
Body is not very happy this morning. I think it was the facepainting, since it's mostly my dominant arm. We spent nine days in Maryland over Christmas, visiting with Hunter's family, which was great except the mattress I slept on was an aging coil spring type and it subluxated my everyplace. So it might just be residual issue from that. We did have a great time though - lots of relaxing with his parents, whom I think are pretty great, and reading comic books and mystery novels and eating more chocolate than might be deemed sensible. ;) It was a very pleasant Christmas. We took one day and went into DC to the National Zoo and I got to see their young giant Pacific octopus Pandora! She's super cute.
That's all for now. Hope you all had happy and safe New Year's Eves.
Doctor Who Companion Yarns
Dec. 2nd, 2011 01:30 pmI've dreamt up a number of handspun art yarns inspired by the companions to the Doctor in the modern series. (I'd love to do the Doctors, too, but they're complicated and I haven't solidified their designs yet. I'm also open to the idea of making yarns for characters from the older series; if there's someone in particular you're looking for, let's chat.) They are, if I do say so myself, a fantastic range of yarns. But I can't make them on my own - there are a lot of them, and they call for a lot of diverse materials. I am looking for sponsors! If you choose to sponsor the creation of a yarn, it will be yours to keep (or gift, etc as you wish).
How this works: The design notes below represent a sort of blueprint of how I imagine the yarn inspired by each companion character. They aren't exact, and may be subject to slight changes, especially if particular materials have sold out before the yarn gets sponsored. Once a yarn been sponsored, I will: buy the materials that are still available, source similar replacements for those that are not; assemble them into spinning batts, where necessary; spin the yarn. I'll photograph my work at each stage of this process, and you can receive photo updates if you like. I can then send the yarn directly to you the sponsor, or we can talk about having me knit/crochet/etc something for you from it if you prefer. If it's a hat-sized quantity of yarn, or wristwarmer-sized, which is the bare minimum I'll be aiming for in my purchasing (I expect larger yardages, really, but I can guarantee that minimum), I'll happily knit or crochet you either of those in a simple pattern for no additional charge. Sponsorship prices represent materials only. The reward for me is getting to spin these beauties.
The easiest way to check out examples of my spinning & fiber crafting is on ravelry (my yarns, my projects). You'll need a user account to browse there. You can also see some items on my flickr and on my etsy, where I list other yarns & knitted objects. If you have more questions, just contact me.
I also have an example of a finished yarn in this series, from blueprint to completion. It's Rose, and yes, she's already been claimed and shipped to her new home. See the full photo series here.
This was her blueprint: Rose
Pink (because, I mean, what else) base, like this, maybe blend into a semisolid, like this.
Spice up with soft-soft texture, like this angora
Ply against silk, like this
Scatter champagne-coloured seedbeads throughout, and a handful of indonesian silk coccoons in their natural gold
Result: mostly smooth, tonal pink, soft, with a little shimmer and a little bling. Medium-heavy weight, but bulkier due to spin-ins, probably two wool/angora plies and a silk/bead ply. she'd be stunning.
Cost to sponsor: $60
And this was the result: ~240yds aran/bulky,
( Now on to the rest! )
How this works: The design notes below represent a sort of blueprint of how I imagine the yarn inspired by each companion character. They aren't exact, and may be subject to slight changes, especially if particular materials have sold out before the yarn gets sponsored. Once a yarn been sponsored, I will: buy the materials that are still available, source similar replacements for those that are not; assemble them into spinning batts, where necessary; spin the yarn. I'll photograph my work at each stage of this process, and you can receive photo updates if you like. I can then send the yarn directly to you the sponsor, or we can talk about having me knit/crochet/etc something for you from it if you prefer. If it's a hat-sized quantity of yarn, or wristwarmer-sized, which is the bare minimum I'll be aiming for in my purchasing (I expect larger yardages, really, but I can guarantee that minimum), I'll happily knit or crochet you either of those in a simple pattern for no additional charge. Sponsorship prices represent materials only. The reward for me is getting to spin these beauties.
The easiest way to check out examples of my spinning & fiber crafting is on ravelry (my yarns, my projects). You'll need a user account to browse there. You can also see some items on my flickr and on my etsy, where I list other yarns & knitted objects. If you have more questions, just contact me.
I also have an example of a finished yarn in this series, from blueprint to completion. It's Rose, and yes, she's already been claimed and shipped to her new home. See the full photo series here.
This was her blueprint: Rose
Pink (because, I mean, what else) base, like this, maybe blend into a semisolid, like this.
Spice up with soft-soft texture, like this angora
Ply against silk, like this
Scatter champagne-coloured seedbeads throughout, and a handful of indonesian silk coccoons in their natural gold
Result: mostly smooth, tonal pink, soft, with a little shimmer and a little bling. Medium-heavy weight, but bulkier due to spin-ins, probably two wool/angora plies and a silk/bead ply. she'd be stunning.
Cost to sponsor: $60
And this was the result: ~240yds aran/bulky,
( Now on to the rest! )
an easy tasty versatile food
Nov. 28th, 2011 07:38 pmtomato-onion-feta bake
chop up an onion (a big one). put it in an oven-safe pot, saute with salt, pepper, herbs (oregano, thyme, parsley, for starts), and 5-6 cloves of garlic. 4-5min ish.
chop up three tomatoes. add to pot. turn down heat, simmer and stir occasionally for 20min. oh, and pre-heat your oven to 400deg now.
add 2-3C of shrimp/meat/tofu/whatever. stir that in. top the whole thing with feta (about a cup).
stick it in the oven. 20min, or until the feta is melty and your protein is cooked.
serve on couscous, rice, pasta, whatever strikes yer fancy. i also recommend a nice white wine.
SO TASTY.
chop up an onion (a big one). put it in an oven-safe pot, saute with salt, pepper, herbs (oregano, thyme, parsley, for starts), and 5-6 cloves of garlic. 4-5min ish.
chop up three tomatoes. add to pot. turn down heat, simmer and stir occasionally for 20min. oh, and pre-heat your oven to 400deg now.
add 2-3C of shrimp/meat/tofu/whatever. stir that in. top the whole thing with feta (about a cup).
stick it in the oven. 20min, or until the feta is melty and your protein is cooked.
serve on couscous, rice, pasta, whatever strikes yer fancy. i also recommend a nice white wine.
SO TASTY.
Companion Yarns
Nov. 14th, 2011 09:56 amVery excited today as I am embarking on a new spinning project! After hatching the idea some time ago and conspiring back and forth with co-mastermind Bran, I've decided to go for it.
The plan is to spin a set of yarns thematically inspired by (modern) Doctor Who characters, starting with the companions - on the docket are Rose, Martha, Donna, Jack, Amy, Rory, and River, so far. I would like to do the Doctors, of course, but they're Rather Complicated, so I'm still thinking about what their yarns might be. The companions listed already have blueprints drawn up.
The even-more-exciting part of this plan is that I'm not keeping all the squee for myself. I'd like you to get involved - if you can sponsor the creation of a yarn, it or something made from it will be yours, to keep. I just want to spin them! But more on that later.
The real reason I'm here is to tease your socks off with the spinning palette for Rose's yarn; I'll be spinning her first and posting photos of process & progress, so you can see how a spinning blueprint turns into a yarn and then a finished object (which then, yes, will be available).
Her blueprint was:
Pink (because, I mean, what else) base, like this, maybe blend into a semisolid, like this.
Spice up with soft-soft texture, like this angora
Ply against silk, like this
Scatter champagne-coloured seedbeads throughout, and a handful of indonesian silk coccoons in their natural gold
Result: mostly smooth, tonal pink, soft, with a little shimmer and a little bling. Medium-heavy weight, but bulkier due to spin-ins, probably two wool/angora plies and a silk/bead ply. she'd be stunning.
Her palette is:
Let's have a close-up of those silk cocoons, they're just so gorgeous:
'scuse me now, I have spinning to do.
The plan is to spin a set of yarns thematically inspired by (modern) Doctor Who characters, starting with the companions - on the docket are Rose, Martha, Donna, Jack, Amy, Rory, and River, so far. I would like to do the Doctors, of course, but they're Rather Complicated, so I'm still thinking about what their yarns might be. The companions listed already have blueprints drawn up.
The even-more-exciting part of this plan is that I'm not keeping all the squee for myself. I'd like you to get involved - if you can sponsor the creation of a yarn, it or something made from it will be yours, to keep. I just want to spin them! But more on that later.
The real reason I'm here is to tease your socks off with the spinning palette for Rose's yarn; I'll be spinning her first and posting photos of process & progress, so you can see how a spinning blueprint turns into a yarn and then a finished object (which then, yes, will be available).
Her blueprint was:
Pink (because, I mean, what else) base, like this, maybe blend into a semisolid, like this.
Spice up with soft-soft texture, like this angora
Ply against silk, like this
Scatter champagne-coloured seedbeads throughout, and a handful of indonesian silk coccoons in their natural gold
Result: mostly smooth, tonal pink, soft, with a little shimmer and a little bling. Medium-heavy weight, but bulkier due to spin-ins, probably two wool/angora plies and a silk/bead ply. she'd be stunning.
Her palette is:
Let's have a close-up of those silk cocoons, they're just so gorgeous:
'scuse me now, I have spinning to do.
Unpacking Questions
Oct. 24th, 2011 07:53 pmWhile buying a few necessities at the grocery store today, I was engaging in friendly small talk with the cashier and my partner, till things suddenly took a turn for the distinctly awkward. The cashier, gesturing to my crutches, says to me - and I quote: "What did you do to yourself to get stuck with those awful things?"
I get questions like this a lot - though I hadn't had one in a while, and I don't usually get all the elements expressed here in a single utterance. Most folks just pick one or two sentiments. (My friend Chris calls these sort of exchanges "bowl of petunias" moments, for the bowl of petunias in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books, which when summoned by the improbability drive into orbit around Magrathea, about to crash into the planet, has only time to think: "oh no, not again.") There's so much in the question that needs to be addressed before I can give anything resembling an answer. But the checkout line at the grocery store, when one really just wants to buy a few things and get the heck home to make dinner, is not conducive to long talks deconstructing ableism. And the question hits so many buttons that I have to find the right words to navigate my anger, frustration, and exhaustion while being polite and reasonable enough, to the perfect stranger who initiated it all, that I have the hope of accomplishing anything at all by saying something. Angry, tired retorts don't help change anything, and just make me feel bad for my rudeness afterwards, but not saying anything to address the offense(s) contained in the question makes me feel I've betrayed myself and my people.
In this case, wanting to get home, wanting to not have to explain again to a stranger how wrong they just were, surprised and out of practice, I simply said "Nothing; this is how it is." She was shocked, and came back with "I hope I haven't offended you," another hard one to respond to: because she had, but there was no opportunity to explain why, and without being able to give her context to a "yes", she herself could feel rude and/or hurt - and while I'm not responsible, entirely, for how she feels, I don't believe in an eye for an eye, and I know she's only speaking from within the framework she has been immersed in. I also don't want her to decide dis/ability is completely taboo; I'd rather she think about the assumptions she made and the effect they can have. So, I said to her, "Well, I get it a lot," which is true, even if lately I've been luckier (or more of a recluse…). I'm hoping that - if she thinks about the interaction at all after - this helps hint her towards the larger picture of bias and assumption about dis/ability in the world she lives in, and how they play out in the lives of dis/abled people… in things as simple as small talk at a cash register.
It has so many common elements to questions I've heard a million times now - even in the scant handful of years I've been 'out' or visible as dis/abled. I'm going to try to draw each one out and address where it comes from and why it doesn't work. Where I can, I'll suggest alternatives. Maybe you've wondered the same things, about me or about someone else, or maybe you've had these questions asked of you, to your frustration/confusion/sighs. I hope this helps. I don't get the chance to explain this all to everyone who asks - I have a life, too, and places to go, and other demands on my time/energy - but conceptually, I want to think about it, I want others to think about it, I want to tell it, I want people to know.
(I'm going to do some generalising, based on my experience, studies, and conversations with others, but take it with the caveat that individual experience of course may vary. I'll try to speak for myself, from my experience, primarily.)
( Unpacking )
(this post being crossposted to facebook too)
I get questions like this a lot - though I hadn't had one in a while, and I don't usually get all the elements expressed here in a single utterance. Most folks just pick one or two sentiments. (My friend Chris calls these sort of exchanges "bowl of petunias" moments, for the bowl of petunias in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy books, which when summoned by the improbability drive into orbit around Magrathea, about to crash into the planet, has only time to think: "oh no, not again.") There's so much in the question that needs to be addressed before I can give anything resembling an answer. But the checkout line at the grocery store, when one really just wants to buy a few things and get the heck home to make dinner, is not conducive to long talks deconstructing ableism. And the question hits so many buttons that I have to find the right words to navigate my anger, frustration, and exhaustion while being polite and reasonable enough, to the perfect stranger who initiated it all, that I have the hope of accomplishing anything at all by saying something. Angry, tired retorts don't help change anything, and just make me feel bad for my rudeness afterwards, but not saying anything to address the offense(s) contained in the question makes me feel I've betrayed myself and my people.
In this case, wanting to get home, wanting to not have to explain again to a stranger how wrong they just were, surprised and out of practice, I simply said "Nothing; this is how it is." She was shocked, and came back with "I hope I haven't offended you," another hard one to respond to: because she had, but there was no opportunity to explain why, and without being able to give her context to a "yes", she herself could feel rude and/or hurt - and while I'm not responsible, entirely, for how she feels, I don't believe in an eye for an eye, and I know she's only speaking from within the framework she has been immersed in. I also don't want her to decide dis/ability is completely taboo; I'd rather she think about the assumptions she made and the effect they can have. So, I said to her, "Well, I get it a lot," which is true, even if lately I've been luckier (or more of a recluse…). I'm hoping that - if she thinks about the interaction at all after - this helps hint her towards the larger picture of bias and assumption about dis/ability in the world she lives in, and how they play out in the lives of dis/abled people… in things as simple as small talk at a cash register.
It has so many common elements to questions I've heard a million times now - even in the scant handful of years I've been 'out' or visible as dis/abled. I'm going to try to draw each one out and address where it comes from and why it doesn't work. Where I can, I'll suggest alternatives. Maybe you've wondered the same things, about me or about someone else, or maybe you've had these questions asked of you, to your frustration/confusion/sighs. I hope this helps. I don't get the chance to explain this all to everyone who asks - I have a life, too, and places to go, and other demands on my time/energy - but conceptually, I want to think about it, I want others to think about it, I want to tell it, I want people to know.
(I'm going to do some generalising, based on my experience, studies, and conversations with others, but take it with the caveat that individual experience of course may vary. I'll try to speak for myself, from my experience, primarily.)
( Unpacking )
(this post being crossposted to facebook too)
The past week or so has been really exciting for me in terms of my possible futures. I'm feeling optimistic again, which is really exciting. I'd had some nebulous goals and ideas, especially following the AXIS Intensive which reaffirmed my desire to make dance a vital component, but I was feeling adrift, lost, stressed. Suddenly things are - well, not necessarily happening, but allowing potential for happening. I'm almost nervous to talk about them, like I could jinx them somehow.
One of the things I knew coming out of AXIS was that I had to leave GIMP. This may sound backwards to you all - I want to do more dance so I need to quit the company I dance with? But AXIS was a very different experience than GIMP is. It's formulated on an entirely different structure, with different values and methods. I worked as hard or harder than I have for GIMP, for 6-8 hours a day for a week, and didn't hurt myself or break down and cry or anything. I had so much fun. I was full of joy in movement, the way I remember dance being. I get the performance high with GIMP but the process doesn't work for me. It's a traditional professional nondisabled company model, with all that entails, that now includes some disabled dancers. This isn't a step towards equality; rather, it encourages and reinforces hierarchical (with the crips on the bottom) and ableist dynamics. Disability - and all that entails, emotionally and politically and even some ways physically - is expected to be set aside in favour of dance, rather than being built into the understanding of dance. HL and I don't work well together, really, either; she's a very confrontational, shout-it-out, speak-before-thinking type and I'm just not. So while I love the piece and I think it performs an important function, and I've loved performing in it and bringing it to new audiences and showing them myself as a dancer, and while I've learned a huge amount about myself and dance and, sheesh, everything, I can't do it. I spend too much time injured and crying and it's not fair for me or for the company.
So I've left.
Well, I'm not gone yet. I gave my notice, basically. We have a gig in Pittsburgh in October and I'll be performing there. After that, I'm done. I was super scared to resign. I talked to one of the other cast members for advice though and she was supportive. So this past week, I did it. I was afraid to answer my phone or check my email afterwards, for fear there'd be Confrontation And Drama, but actually, it went as well as I could have hoped. HL responded with a kind and thoughtful email thanking me for my contributions and my honesty and agreeing that my decision makes sense. Additionally, it looks like Pitts might be our last performance regardless of what decision I'd made (which actually makes me glad I made it myself, first, for my own self-care purposes, building my own strength). The cast are scattering over the continent and it's getting harder and harder to pull a cast together when needed, and we're being booked less. So, after three years or so since its launch, it looks like GIMP may retire. RIP.
But what now, for dance?
Well, again as of just this week ish, I have some answers maybe. Possibilities, at least.
Last winter/spring I danced with Tiffany Rhynard's BIG APE; I must have posted about that at least a little. Maybe not? (I'd wanted to be able to show you all some video but the plan just didn't work out. Sad face.) It was a great project called Everyone Can Dance. What she did was she took a core company of eight dancers and recruited another thirty+ community members in an area - she did shows in Burlington, Montpelier, and Middlebury. I was a Burlington recruit. The community members ranged from about 8-65 in age, all different levels of dance experience, different abilities and body types, different racial/ethnic and class backgrounds, different levels of fluency in English, even. Hugely diverse. Then, in about eight rehearsals (!!), we made a show. There were some pre-set sections for company members, some frameworks lightly pre-choreographed for community, and then all-new pieces we made collaboratively. The show in the end was about an hour long and it was great. I really mean that. And then she did Montpelier, and then Middlebury. For Middlebury I was invited back to participate a second time, which I did very happily, and it was an even better show. (I did my first-ever choreography for it!)
I also got to see Tiffany's process evolve from show to show, which was great. She really learned and grew. This is one thing I like about working with her - she learns and changes and adapts; she listens to feedback and incorporates it. The other thing I love is she's relaxed and all about fun. The incredibly short period in which we took nearly 40 people to make a full evening performance could have been a stress madhouse. It never was. It was full of laughing and smiling. It was, more often than not, chaos - or it appeared to be. And it worked. Out of all the individual agencies and chaotic whole we grew something; the show emerged organically, different each time, from each group's process. And we were proud of it and we loved it and we did a damn good job. And we smiled. Did I mention that? We had the time of our lives.
Tiffany's looking to take this show on the road, literally. She wants to compact the process and take a (smaller) core touring to other communities to build pieces with them. And, she wants not only to do a show in these communities, but use the process to help set up resources to connect people with dance, and make available dance resources accessible to everyone. She emailed me asking if I'd like to be a part of this new core group. Would I ever!!!
We got together last weekend to see a local dance show (interesting modern works, I cannot even begin to describe; Claire Byrne and Heidi Henderson) and have coffee and chat. We talked for like two hours and it was great. We talked about the ECD project and how to make it succeed in different communities, what its strengths are and how to use it as a community tool (it basically already is one, so this is just an extension of its existing functions).
We also talked about dance more generally... lots of great things happened in this conversation but the upshot is that Tiffany is interested in continuing to make work with me, maybe a solo?, and we're going to get some dates together for this fall and start exploring that. Hopefully I'll be able to go down to Middlebury to take dance classes there (they're free, at the college, which is where Tiffany works) and combine that with studio time with her. It'd also give me a chance to pursue some of my own dance goals: I want to choreograph. I want to make work. I talked to Tiffany a bit about what I'm interested in right now, which is mainly duets, relationships. (The crutches have impacted me a lot in that realm; they're me, but not me, so we have a relationship, they and I, in some ways being a duet ourselves; with other people, they impact interaction, change the ways I can touch and connect; and other people relate to them and me in different ways, too. I got to explore this a little with AXIS, and I want more.) I'd like to make one with the young woman I choreographed with for the ECD: Midd performance last spring, who's a dance student there still. And that might happen.
There are a bunch of large obstacles to pursuing dance independently (Big APE aside). AXIS illuminated for me how much I want/need to do so, what it does for my soul, but then I had to come to terms with how hard it is. I need access to classes - ok, I can do some of that locally, but they're expensive; I can travel a short distance and get them cheaper, but there's transport issues and costs. Ideally I would learn from and have access to other dis/abled dancers and companies, and that's not going to happen (much) locally. The trip I made to do the AXIS thing was incredibly expensive, and the workshop cost was actually covered for me by scholarship. Other companies are even further away; there are great companies internationally, here and there. There just isn't a lot. How to reach it? Okay, let's stay local: even locally, I need studio space to work in. I need people to work with. And eventually I need some sort of venue (and then to be able to promote, etc...) if I want to perform. If I want to teach/educate with dance, there's curriculum development, and then there's finding people to work with/on, and just... a lot of research and development. Or should I work towards auditioning for AXIS or a similar company? Could I sustain that kind of involvement, and would leaving VT be an acceptable price?
At least some of these problems have potential solutions now.
A little over a week ago, I finally got the decision from my Social Security hearing. It's "partially favourable". What this means is that my SSI application was approved, as the government has decided that I really am disabled; my SSD was not, because (frustratingly) I don't have medical evidence (due to poor providers, largely) to prove disability as of my "date last insured", ie. the last date I was able to work any decent amount. Why I have to prove I was too disabled to work as of the last time I was working, well... that's the US for you?
Anyway. I went to see the benefits counselor at VR about what this all means. (Note: I don't have my cold hard awards statement from SS yet, I have an appointment to go talk in person with them next week in which that should happen, so there's a chance this can all still go pearshaped but hopefully the judge's decision does what it should and things happen.) It's actually way better news than my legal rep had implied. SSI will cover my needs. I cannot stress what a relief this is. It means I can fuel the car and pay my bills and buy food and, with the backpayments from two years' appeals, maybe even have a savings account for the first time since I was a teenager. It also comes with guaranteed Medicaid, which in VT is actually pretty good, and which is structured in such a way that I am basically always guaranteed healthcare - even if I am able to work at some point, there are provisions to help me retain Medicaid since I am legally classified as disabled now. And, since all the work I do lately is self-employment, there are some great incentives in the SSI program to encourage that without cutting me off and jeopardising my stability. I'll have a small rent increase, but this will be accounted for in my payments. (Though not entirely as result of the SSI process,) my student loans, another nightmare, can be deferred practically indefinitely or someday forgiven entirely. I might be financially stable, guys. I might be able to self-support. H has been helping me out but it puts a huge emotional strain on me/us to be dependent, and it means he can't really save for the future either. This is... it's massive. I might have cried a little.
(oh, $deity, please don't let it find some way to go wrong even now. I have the court decision. Let that work the way the benefits counselor promises me it should.)
(and this means, everyone, that if you didn't already, you'll now know someone who's being given a new chance at a stable and meaningful life courtesy one of the stigmatised and scorned "entitlement programs" that are so under fire lately...)
The benefits counselor also told me some things my original VR counselor never did, about VR's support programs for self-employment (even in the arts!) or financial support for medical or other equipment that supports employment. There's a chair in my future and I've been fretting over how I'll afford that, but it might be okay, with Medicaid and VR. But more excitingly, VR will support arts careers for disabled folk. I might be able to get funding, travel, or equipment assistance to study and work doing dance. I have to email my old counselor to find out, but I'm cautiously hopeful. I don't know that I could get them to send me, say, to New Zealand or Israel or the UK, where some of the fab companies are, but local classes, permaybehaps? Ideally I'd build into my plan not just performance but using dance as an educational/community tool - eg. developing workshops that use movement/dance to help participants experience their own bodily diversities and engage with each others'.
Between that and developments with Tiffany... I'll be keeping dance in my future, yes please. I have some more detailed potential plans for myself, but I think I'll keep those quiet just now as they are nascent and tender. More if they can develop.
Also this past week I've had some really pleasant and exciting reconnections with lovely people and that's been just a delight.
Oh, and I'm interviewing for a very part-time position (1 maybe 2 days a week tops) at my favourite local yarn store.
So it's been a great, exciting week, all in all. Mind-blowingly. I feel like for once I might be getting my feet under me.
Here's to the futures.
One of the things I knew coming out of AXIS was that I had to leave GIMP. This may sound backwards to you all - I want to do more dance so I need to quit the company I dance with? But AXIS was a very different experience than GIMP is. It's formulated on an entirely different structure, with different values and methods. I worked as hard or harder than I have for GIMP, for 6-8 hours a day for a week, and didn't hurt myself or break down and cry or anything. I had so much fun. I was full of joy in movement, the way I remember dance being. I get the performance high with GIMP but the process doesn't work for me. It's a traditional professional nondisabled company model, with all that entails, that now includes some disabled dancers. This isn't a step towards equality; rather, it encourages and reinforces hierarchical (with the crips on the bottom) and ableist dynamics. Disability - and all that entails, emotionally and politically and even some ways physically - is expected to be set aside in favour of dance, rather than being built into the understanding of dance. HL and I don't work well together, really, either; she's a very confrontational, shout-it-out, speak-before-thinking type and I'm just not. So while I love the piece and I think it performs an important function, and I've loved performing in it and bringing it to new audiences and showing them myself as a dancer, and while I've learned a huge amount about myself and dance and, sheesh, everything, I can't do it. I spend too much time injured and crying and it's not fair for me or for the company.
So I've left.
Well, I'm not gone yet. I gave my notice, basically. We have a gig in Pittsburgh in October and I'll be performing there. After that, I'm done. I was super scared to resign. I talked to one of the other cast members for advice though and she was supportive. So this past week, I did it. I was afraid to answer my phone or check my email afterwards, for fear there'd be Confrontation And Drama, but actually, it went as well as I could have hoped. HL responded with a kind and thoughtful email thanking me for my contributions and my honesty and agreeing that my decision makes sense. Additionally, it looks like Pitts might be our last performance regardless of what decision I'd made (which actually makes me glad I made it myself, first, for my own self-care purposes, building my own strength). The cast are scattering over the continent and it's getting harder and harder to pull a cast together when needed, and we're being booked less. So, after three years or so since its launch, it looks like GIMP may retire. RIP.
But what now, for dance?
Well, again as of just this week ish, I have some answers maybe. Possibilities, at least.
Last winter/spring I danced with Tiffany Rhynard's BIG APE; I must have posted about that at least a little. Maybe not? (I'd wanted to be able to show you all some video but the plan just didn't work out. Sad face.) It was a great project called Everyone Can Dance. What she did was she took a core company of eight dancers and recruited another thirty+ community members in an area - she did shows in Burlington, Montpelier, and Middlebury. I was a Burlington recruit. The community members ranged from about 8-65 in age, all different levels of dance experience, different abilities and body types, different racial/ethnic and class backgrounds, different levels of fluency in English, even. Hugely diverse. Then, in about eight rehearsals (!!), we made a show. There were some pre-set sections for company members, some frameworks lightly pre-choreographed for community, and then all-new pieces we made collaboratively. The show in the end was about an hour long and it was great. I really mean that. And then she did Montpelier, and then Middlebury. For Middlebury I was invited back to participate a second time, which I did very happily, and it was an even better show. (I did my first-ever choreography for it!)
I also got to see Tiffany's process evolve from show to show, which was great. She really learned and grew. This is one thing I like about working with her - she learns and changes and adapts; she listens to feedback and incorporates it. The other thing I love is she's relaxed and all about fun. The incredibly short period in which we took nearly 40 people to make a full evening performance could have been a stress madhouse. It never was. It was full of laughing and smiling. It was, more often than not, chaos - or it appeared to be. And it worked. Out of all the individual agencies and chaotic whole we grew something; the show emerged organically, different each time, from each group's process. And we were proud of it and we loved it and we did a damn good job. And we smiled. Did I mention that? We had the time of our lives.
Tiffany's looking to take this show on the road, literally. She wants to compact the process and take a (smaller) core touring to other communities to build pieces with them. And, she wants not only to do a show in these communities, but use the process to help set up resources to connect people with dance, and make available dance resources accessible to everyone. She emailed me asking if I'd like to be a part of this new core group. Would I ever!!!
We got together last weekend to see a local dance show (interesting modern works, I cannot even begin to describe; Claire Byrne and Heidi Henderson) and have coffee and chat. We talked for like two hours and it was great. We talked about the ECD project and how to make it succeed in different communities, what its strengths are and how to use it as a community tool (it basically already is one, so this is just an extension of its existing functions).
We also talked about dance more generally... lots of great things happened in this conversation but the upshot is that Tiffany is interested in continuing to make work with me, maybe a solo?, and we're going to get some dates together for this fall and start exploring that. Hopefully I'll be able to go down to Middlebury to take dance classes there (they're free, at the college, which is where Tiffany works) and combine that with studio time with her. It'd also give me a chance to pursue some of my own dance goals: I want to choreograph. I want to make work. I talked to Tiffany a bit about what I'm interested in right now, which is mainly duets, relationships. (The crutches have impacted me a lot in that realm; they're me, but not me, so we have a relationship, they and I, in some ways being a duet ourselves; with other people, they impact interaction, change the ways I can touch and connect; and other people relate to them and me in different ways, too. I got to explore this a little with AXIS, and I want more.) I'd like to make one with the young woman I choreographed with for the ECD: Midd performance last spring, who's a dance student there still. And that might happen.
There are a bunch of large obstacles to pursuing dance independently (Big APE aside). AXIS illuminated for me how much I want/need to do so, what it does for my soul, but then I had to come to terms with how hard it is. I need access to classes - ok, I can do some of that locally, but they're expensive; I can travel a short distance and get them cheaper, but there's transport issues and costs. Ideally I would learn from and have access to other dis/abled dancers and companies, and that's not going to happen (much) locally. The trip I made to do the AXIS thing was incredibly expensive, and the workshop cost was actually covered for me by scholarship. Other companies are even further away; there are great companies internationally, here and there. There just isn't a lot. How to reach it? Okay, let's stay local: even locally, I need studio space to work in. I need people to work with. And eventually I need some sort of venue (and then to be able to promote, etc...) if I want to perform. If I want to teach/educate with dance, there's curriculum development, and then there's finding people to work with/on, and just... a lot of research and development. Or should I work towards auditioning for AXIS or a similar company? Could I sustain that kind of involvement, and would leaving VT be an acceptable price?
At least some of these problems have potential solutions now.
A little over a week ago, I finally got the decision from my Social Security hearing. It's "partially favourable". What this means is that my SSI application was approved, as the government has decided that I really am disabled; my SSD was not, because (frustratingly) I don't have medical evidence (due to poor providers, largely) to prove disability as of my "date last insured", ie. the last date I was able to work any decent amount. Why I have to prove I was too disabled to work as of the last time I was working, well... that's the US for you?
Anyway. I went to see the benefits counselor at VR about what this all means. (Note: I don't have my cold hard awards statement from SS yet, I have an appointment to go talk in person with them next week in which that should happen, so there's a chance this can all still go pearshaped but hopefully the judge's decision does what it should and things happen.) It's actually way better news than my legal rep had implied. SSI will cover my needs. I cannot stress what a relief this is. It means I can fuel the car and pay my bills and buy food and, with the backpayments from two years' appeals, maybe even have a savings account for the first time since I was a teenager. It also comes with guaranteed Medicaid, which in VT is actually pretty good, and which is structured in such a way that I am basically always guaranteed healthcare - even if I am able to work at some point, there are provisions to help me retain Medicaid since I am legally classified as disabled now. And, since all the work I do lately is self-employment, there are some great incentives in the SSI program to encourage that without cutting me off and jeopardising my stability. I'll have a small rent increase, but this will be accounted for in my payments. (Though not entirely as result of the SSI process,) my student loans, another nightmare, can be deferred practically indefinitely or someday forgiven entirely. I might be financially stable, guys. I might be able to self-support. H has been helping me out but it puts a huge emotional strain on me/us to be dependent, and it means he can't really save for the future either. This is... it's massive. I might have cried a little.
(oh, $deity, please don't let it find some way to go wrong even now. I have the court decision. Let that work the way the benefits counselor promises me it should.)
(and this means, everyone, that if you didn't already, you'll now know someone who's being given a new chance at a stable and meaningful life courtesy one of the stigmatised and scorned "entitlement programs" that are so under fire lately...)
The benefits counselor also told me some things my original VR counselor never did, about VR's support programs for self-employment (even in the arts!) or financial support for medical or other equipment that supports employment. There's a chair in my future and I've been fretting over how I'll afford that, but it might be okay, with Medicaid and VR. But more excitingly, VR will support arts careers for disabled folk. I might be able to get funding, travel, or equipment assistance to study and work doing dance. I have to email my old counselor to find out, but I'm cautiously hopeful. I don't know that I could get them to send me, say, to New Zealand or Israel or the UK, where some of the fab companies are, but local classes, permaybehaps? Ideally I'd build into my plan not just performance but using dance as an educational/community tool - eg. developing workshops that use movement/dance to help participants experience their own bodily diversities and engage with each others'.
Between that and developments with Tiffany... I'll be keeping dance in my future, yes please. I have some more detailed potential plans for myself, but I think I'll keep those quiet just now as they are nascent and tender. More if they can develop.
Also this past week I've had some really pleasant and exciting reconnections with lovely people and that's been just a delight.
Oh, and I'm interviewing for a very part-time position (1 maybe 2 days a week tops) at my favourite local yarn store.
So it's been a great, exciting week, all in all. Mind-blowingly. I feel like for once I might be getting my feet under me.
Here's to the futures.
I realised I didn't post about this.
Despite no little anxiety about going, I did get myself to the AXIS Intensive in California, and it was a phenomenal, wonderful, affirming, life-changing experience. I danced for six to eight hours (not continuously) a day without exhausting myself beyond function or *any* injury. I met 40-ish basically all amazing other dancers and made several new friends. I learned a zillion new techniques, including how to structure/approach dance so that even bodies like mine can do lots of it. And I was safe and happy, in a safe and happy environment, doing things I loved.
That's the story, for the most part. I have personal journal notes on what we actually did and how it worked and why it worked, and what I want to take with me into the future; I also have some ideas about future plans for dance in my life, though I'm not sure how to enact them. I'm never sure if anyone actually reads these things though, so I won't spend the next half-to-hour typing it all up unless you have questions, I guess.
Also I finally got to see Ben again, and that was good too. :)
Despite no little anxiety about going, I did get myself to the AXIS Intensive in California, and it was a phenomenal, wonderful, affirming, life-changing experience. I danced for six to eight hours (not continuously) a day without exhausting myself beyond function or *any* injury. I met 40-ish basically all amazing other dancers and made several new friends. I learned a zillion new techniques, including how to structure/approach dance so that even bodies like mine can do lots of it. And I was safe and happy, in a safe and happy environment, doing things I loved.
That's the story, for the most part. I have personal journal notes on what we actually did and how it worked and why it worked, and what I want to take with me into the future; I also have some ideas about future plans for dance in my life, though I'm not sure how to enact them. I'm never sure if anyone actually reads these things though, so I won't spend the next half-to-hour typing it all up unless you have questions, I guess.
Also I finally got to see Ben again, and that was good too. :)
selling my handmades again -
Jul. 24th, 2011 01:37 pmcheck 'em out. (bonus: things bought in the next few days will help me out during my trip to California for the AXIS integrated dance summer intensive!)
handspun yarn, hand-knit objects, and sewn creations - more to come.
handspun yarn, hand-knit objects, and sewn creations - more to come.
| Etsy gizmometry |
Craftin' stuff roundup
Jun. 29th, 2011 03:03 pmIn between trips, H's moving in, and everything else that's gone on, I've really been enjoying quiet time to myself at home. Doing lots of knitting and spinning. Larger projects are put on hold until we can find the (*#&!@# hardware for H's bedframe and get his mattress out of the living room and into the bedroom - it's really huge and heavy and without the frame set up, the only place we have room for it is... in the middle of the living room.
I realised I haven't posted anything much about my crafting here, and I have a bunch of yarns and objects to show you. Let's do a photo roundup!
( Starting with handspun & things knit from mine )
( Non-handspun knits, including design projects )
And that's the lot! Quite a few things, since last December or whenever it was.
I realise I never wrapped up the Germany trip, and many interesting things did happen, so perhaps I must revisit that, and the whole subject of dance and tour could use updating. But not here/now.
I realised I haven't posted anything much about my crafting here, and I have a bunch of yarns and objects to show you. Let's do a photo roundup!
( Starting with handspun & things knit from mine )
( Non-handspun knits, including design projects )
And that's the lot! Quite a few things, since last December or whenever it was.
I realise I never wrapped up the Germany trip, and many interesting things did happen, so perhaps I must revisit that, and the whole subject of dance and tour could use updating. But not here/now.
My first international tour!
It's a bit of a whirlwind - we flew overnight and got in Thursday morning; had a rehearsal Thursday afternoon, and tech/dress/performance yesterday, Friday. Today we have off, and we fly out again tomorrow morning.
We're at the Crossings Dance Festival in Dusseldorf, hosted by a German mixed-ability company, as part of a disability/mixed-ability focused weekend. Our show kicked things off, which is neat in many ways, but unfortunate in others, since it means we're actually leaving before half the cool stuff happens - there are workshops Sunday and Monday, but none Friday and only one Saturday. Today's workshop is a three-hour Contact Improv thing hosted by the Israeli company who are here; I'm going to try to attend, though I'm pretty sore today. I might trade off dancing/babywatching, since one of my fellow cast has the most adorable 16mo baby ever (she's learning to talk, can say names - I'm "Obi" - and sing the tune to Frere Jacques, and is just damn adorable and sweet and makes me want a baby) and wants to participate but needs someone to watch the kiddo. There's also a Senegalese company performing tonight, whom I'm quite excited to see, as the vast majority of them are on sticks like me (!!). I spoke with some of them last night - to the best of our abilities, since there's quite a language barrier - and I think we are friends now. There's definitely an interest in mixing & sharing ideas.
Our show went fine. Some stupid technical issues (lighting/sound) that shouldn't have happened. Biiiiig stage meant some oddities for dancing, but mostly great for me, since crutches take up lots of room and I can cover a lot of ground. Not my best performance, I'd say, but nothing bad about it. Perfectly okay show.
On the less positive side, I had my first query about "faking" (presented, by this person, versus "needing"). I understand how people can get this idea - and honestly I'm surprised no one's brought it up to me sooner - but it still makes me sad, this idea that if I can move well and beautifully with the crutches, they're obviously unnecessary (and not contributing to those ways I am moving).
Jet-lag-wise I was pretty much a wreck for Thursday (I didn't sleep on the plane) - crying, etc, couldn't rehearse (or move, hardly) because I was so subluxatey, and the pain and exhaustion had me on emotional overload*, and I'd had no way to check in with people back home - but HL was surprisingly gentle with me, has been all this week, and so I took it easy, and slept twelve hours that night, and was fine for Friday. The rest of the company had a bit of a harder time of it, didn't sleep like I did, were jet-lagged yesterday. Travel does wreck me right proper but at least once I crash I reset.
Hadn't travelled internationally in ages, though. Forgot about things like "bring an alarm clock" and that I wouldn't be able to use my phone (and thus should bring, say, a phone card, and a camera) and I didn't bother to get a converter ahead of time and should have. Oh well, live and learn/remember. It's weird being somewhere I don't speak any of the language (unusual for me in previous travels), but at least nearly everyone speaks English, and we can make do.
I was in New York for about a week prior to our trip to Germany - it was hot, busy, but reasonably uneventful, once I got there. The train down was replaced for 4-5hrs by bus due to track problems (in part caused by the tornado we had?!), and my housing was totally cobbled together last-minute, but it did work out in the end. And I wasn't as out of shape from my two months off as I had feared; if anything I was stronger, which is a kind of deeply affirming thing, that rest makes me stronger, is not laziness, making me weaker.
Oh, and the weather in New York was like being in an oven (except while I was staying out on Staten Island, which was much more tolerable and comfortable in basically every way, and, hey, ferry!), but the weather here in Dusseldorf is gorgeous, cool, a little rainy but mostly sun. I can hear birds out my window... it's nice.
* I have realised very clearly this week the effect pain has on me emotionally: it axes my filter. I feel everything incredibly strongly and have no recourse, no way to manage or re-route. Anger, fear, loneliness, depression - super powerful. (I'm not sure if good emotions would do the same. They tend to be in a bit of a shortage in serious-pain situations.) I think this is why, also, HL always likes my solo in the show better when I'm scared/hurting/crying - intense emotions, and revealed in a way I prefer not to show, which, hey, instant vulnerability, which is what she wants. Working on manufacturing that without the emotional overload. ;)
It's a bit of a whirlwind - we flew overnight and got in Thursday morning; had a rehearsal Thursday afternoon, and tech/dress/performance yesterday, Friday. Today we have off, and we fly out again tomorrow morning.
We're at the Crossings Dance Festival in Dusseldorf, hosted by a German mixed-ability company, as part of a disability/mixed-ability focused weekend. Our show kicked things off, which is neat in many ways, but unfortunate in others, since it means we're actually leaving before half the cool stuff happens - there are workshops Sunday and Monday, but none Friday and only one Saturday. Today's workshop is a three-hour Contact Improv thing hosted by the Israeli company who are here; I'm going to try to attend, though I'm pretty sore today. I might trade off dancing/babywatching, since one of my fellow cast has the most adorable 16mo baby ever (she's learning to talk, can say names - I'm "Obi" - and sing the tune to Frere Jacques, and is just damn adorable and sweet and makes me want a baby) and wants to participate but needs someone to watch the kiddo. There's also a Senegalese company performing tonight, whom I'm quite excited to see, as the vast majority of them are on sticks like me (!!). I spoke with some of them last night - to the best of our abilities, since there's quite a language barrier - and I think we are friends now. There's definitely an interest in mixing & sharing ideas.
Our show went fine. Some stupid technical issues (lighting/sound) that shouldn't have happened. Biiiiig stage meant some oddities for dancing, but mostly great for me, since crutches take up lots of room and I can cover a lot of ground. Not my best performance, I'd say, but nothing bad about it. Perfectly okay show.
On the less positive side, I had my first query about "faking" (presented, by this person, versus "needing"). I understand how people can get this idea - and honestly I'm surprised no one's brought it up to me sooner - but it still makes me sad, this idea that if I can move well and beautifully with the crutches, they're obviously unnecessary (and not contributing to those ways I am moving).
Jet-lag-wise I was pretty much a wreck for Thursday (I didn't sleep on the plane) - crying, etc, couldn't rehearse (or move, hardly) because I was so subluxatey, and the pain and exhaustion had me on emotional overload*, and I'd had no way to check in with people back home - but HL was surprisingly gentle with me, has been all this week, and so I took it easy, and slept twelve hours that night, and was fine for Friday. The rest of the company had a bit of a harder time of it, didn't sleep like I did, were jet-lagged yesterday. Travel does wreck me right proper but at least once I crash I reset.
Hadn't travelled internationally in ages, though. Forgot about things like "bring an alarm clock" and that I wouldn't be able to use my phone (and thus should bring, say, a phone card, and a camera) and I didn't bother to get a converter ahead of time and should have. Oh well, live and learn/remember. It's weird being somewhere I don't speak any of the language (unusual for me in previous travels), but at least nearly everyone speaks English, and we can make do.
I was in New York for about a week prior to our trip to Germany - it was hot, busy, but reasonably uneventful, once I got there. The train down was replaced for 4-5hrs by bus due to track problems (in part caused by the tornado we had?!), and my housing was totally cobbled together last-minute, but it did work out in the end. And I wasn't as out of shape from my two months off as I had feared; if anything I was stronger, which is a kind of deeply affirming thing, that rest makes me stronger, is not laziness, making me weaker.
Oh, and the weather in New York was like being in an oven (except while I was staying out on Staten Island, which was much more tolerable and comfortable in basically every way, and, hey, ferry!), but the weather here in Dusseldorf is gorgeous, cool, a little rainy but mostly sun. I can hear birds out my window... it's nice.
* I have realised very clearly this week the effect pain has on me emotionally: it axes my filter. I feel everything incredibly strongly and have no recourse, no way to manage or re-route. Anger, fear, loneliness, depression - super powerful. (I'm not sure if good emotions would do the same. They tend to be in a bit of a shortage in serious-pain situations.) I think this is why, also, HL always likes my solo in the show better when I'm scared/hurting/crying - intense emotions, and revealed in a way I prefer not to show, which, hey, instant vulnerability, which is what she wants. Working on manufacturing that without the emotional overload. ;)
Miscellany, as ever these days it seems
May. 26th, 2011 03:01 pmBlogs seem to have fallen somewhat by the wayside with twitter, FB, and texting. I am doing *some* interesting things but nothing big or intellectual enough to scream "MAKE A JOURNAL POST OF ME", so, just gonna keep doing roundups.
- I pierced my conch. Well, ok, I went to Jade Lotus and they pierced it for me. I had my consult for this in like September and then was travelling/etc too much to get it done till April. It's a 10g and I'm very happy with it. Healing process is long; it's been a month and a half and it's still workin' on it.
- I also got my tattoo, finally. That design/etc had been ready for longer - years. Had it done about a month ago (I had April off, can you tell?) and it healed up lovely and fast. It's gorgeous. ( Pictures! they're SFW. )
I need to take another picture now that it's fully healed. Time for artsy nekkid pictures? Mm, maybe. Anyway, it's my own design; I gave it (and some references I liked) to A and he proceeded to freehand it on me. Took about four hours. Pain really considerably less than I expected, very tolerable. The last half-hour (the shading) was dreadful, but that was really it.
- H is moving in with me... now. Should've been done by now but the truck was broken and, well, life. Things are good there. He's great, we're great. ( Another picture! )
- I've been doing lots of spinning and knitting. Ravelry is the best place to keep up with that if it interests you, though I do post some pictures on FB; my rav username is Gizmometer. I finally finished my big long term super seekrit shawl project for Ande in April. ( Yep... picture! )
Inspired by my success there (I spun the yarn and designed the pattern, in addition to knitting it) I have been doing some more designing; I just finished a shawl design based on birds' wings, which hopefully will be first in a series of several anatomically-inspired shawls - dragonfly and moth are also on the list. ( Wings shawl picture )
There have been a bunch of other projects; check out the FB or Rav links if you're interested.
- I haven't been working in April or May - instead, I've been pursuing independent projects and wrapping up loose ends. Knitting is part of this; I've been finishing lots of old/hibernating projects, and working on developing (marketable?) skills for the future, including getting a head start on birthday and holiday knits for this year since I have the time right now. Trying to learn about pattern publication and other outlets that I might be able to access to do occasional crafty things for pay. Knitting isn't the only category with outstanding projects though (just the easiest to take around with me places) and I've been working on the rest as I've been able. Only a few still waiting, and I hope to have those done this month. Knitting & crafting are not great on the hands but in spread-out doses it's okay. Body's been much the same as ever; good days and bad days. Restful days in the sun make me feel something like 'normal', then it goes and rains for a week (seriously) and I can't walk. Y'know. Doing some dancing but not much, GIMP hasn't had gigs so I'm treating myself to vacation to accomplish other things. Had my hearing for Social Security; waiting now to hear what the judge decides (she'll mail it to us).
- Reading tons of books. DEVOURING books. Got recommendations? Thinking about getting some kind of e-reader this summer if the money works out; I travel a lot, read really fast, and can't carry much weight in books.
- Dance news: a) I got to go to a meet-up for local dis/abled performance artists, yay b) I head back to NYC on the 3rd, and we leave for Germany the following Wednesday! We have a show that Friday night in Dusseldorf, but sadly that is all I know, I don't know the venue or the time or ANYTHING. c) I applied to and got accepted & scholarship'd for the AXIS Summer Intensive program. AXIS is a hybrid-ability company based in California and the Intensive is a week-long workshop thing for dance, composition, improv, and related skills. I am SUPER excited to go and ALSO I get to see Ben YAY. d) The local show I was in this March went well too and I promise I will have video for that to share EVENTUALLY. Waiting on it. I co-choreographed a duet with this fab other young lady :)
- These two months off have been handy too since a number of friends locally have been struggling. My friend S's 8yo son was diagnosed with leukemia in January and has been undergoing chemo. The chemo's gone well but he's been a sick litte'un and lately the side effects of chemo (fevers, seizures, etc...) have been hard. I spend Tuesdays over there helping out. Just recently another friend, L, has had seizures & brain bleeds too, so H and I have been helping support and monitor her and her kids. Guess that nursing education wasn't for nothin' at least.
- I feel like there was supposed to be another thing or three here but y'know, I can't remember now. My fishtank is finally something like healthy again, 97% or so diatom-free, and the plants are recovering. Sometimes I think aquaria are the most ridiculous hobby; huge amounts of work whenever something goes wrong, which it seems to do rather frequently. But so satisfying when it works. Also, fishbabies are adorable. Anyway, that's all for now.
How are you all?
- I pierced my conch. Well, ok, I went to Jade Lotus and they pierced it for me. I had my consult for this in like September and then was travelling/etc too much to get it done till April. It's a 10g and I'm very happy with it. Healing process is long; it's been a month and a half and it's still workin' on it.
- I also got my tattoo, finally. That design/etc had been ready for longer - years. Had it done about a month ago (I had April off, can you tell?) and it healed up lovely and fast. It's gorgeous. ( Pictures! they're SFW. )
I need to take another picture now that it's fully healed. Time for artsy nekkid pictures? Mm, maybe. Anyway, it's my own design; I gave it (and some references I liked) to A and he proceeded to freehand it on me. Took about four hours. Pain really considerably less than I expected, very tolerable. The last half-hour (the shading) was dreadful, but that was really it.
- H is moving in with me... now. Should've been done by now but the truck was broken and, well, life. Things are good there. He's great, we're great. ( Another picture! )
- I've been doing lots of spinning and knitting. Ravelry is the best place to keep up with that if it interests you, though I do post some pictures on FB; my rav username is Gizmometer. I finally finished my big long term super seekrit shawl project for Ande in April. ( Yep... picture! )
Inspired by my success there (I spun the yarn and designed the pattern, in addition to knitting it) I have been doing some more designing; I just finished a shawl design based on birds' wings, which hopefully will be first in a series of several anatomically-inspired shawls - dragonfly and moth are also on the list. ( Wings shawl picture )
There have been a bunch of other projects; check out the FB or Rav links if you're interested.
- I haven't been working in April or May - instead, I've been pursuing independent projects and wrapping up loose ends. Knitting is part of this; I've been finishing lots of old/hibernating projects, and working on developing (marketable?) skills for the future, including getting a head start on birthday and holiday knits for this year since I have the time right now. Trying to learn about pattern publication and other outlets that I might be able to access to do occasional crafty things for pay. Knitting isn't the only category with outstanding projects though (just the easiest to take around with me places) and I've been working on the rest as I've been able. Only a few still waiting, and I hope to have those done this month. Knitting & crafting are not great on the hands but in spread-out doses it's okay. Body's been much the same as ever; good days and bad days. Restful days in the sun make me feel something like 'normal', then it goes and rains for a week (seriously) and I can't walk. Y'know. Doing some dancing but not much, GIMP hasn't had gigs so I'm treating myself to vacation to accomplish other things. Had my hearing for Social Security; waiting now to hear what the judge decides (she'll mail it to us).
- Reading tons of books. DEVOURING books. Got recommendations? Thinking about getting some kind of e-reader this summer if the money works out; I travel a lot, read really fast, and can't carry much weight in books.
- Dance news: a) I got to go to a meet-up for local dis/abled performance artists, yay b) I head back to NYC on the 3rd, and we leave for Germany the following Wednesday! We have a show that Friday night in Dusseldorf, but sadly that is all I know, I don't know the venue or the time or ANYTHING. c) I applied to and got accepted & scholarship'd for the AXIS Summer Intensive program. AXIS is a hybrid-ability company based in California and the Intensive is a week-long workshop thing for dance, composition, improv, and related skills. I am SUPER excited to go and ALSO I get to see Ben YAY. d) The local show I was in this March went well too and I promise I will have video for that to share EVENTUALLY. Waiting on it. I co-choreographed a duet with this fab other young lady :)
- These two months off have been handy too since a number of friends locally have been struggling. My friend S's 8yo son was diagnosed with leukemia in January and has been undergoing chemo. The chemo's gone well but he's been a sick litte'un and lately the side effects of chemo (fevers, seizures, etc...) have been hard. I spend Tuesdays over there helping out. Just recently another friend, L, has had seizures & brain bleeds too, so H and I have been helping support and monitor her and her kids. Guess that nursing education wasn't for nothin' at least.
- I feel like there was supposed to be another thing or three here but y'know, I can't remember now. My fishtank is finally something like healthy again, 97% or so diatom-free, and the plants are recovering. Sometimes I think aquaria are the most ridiculous hobby; huge amounts of work whenever something goes wrong, which it seems to do rather frequently. But so satisfying when it works. Also, fishbabies are adorable. Anyway, that's all for now.
How are you all?
I have collected a whole bunch of jackets over the years. I love jackets, especially kinda quirky ones. I have more than I should probably admit to, or I did. A huge portion of them no longer fit, because with crutches and dancing my shoulders have beefed up. The new strength is awesome but I am so bummed about losing my jackets. I am far more bereft over this than I would like to admit. They've been such a key part of my personal style, and each one was selected with great care. I will miss them. But I cannot wear them, so I am giving/trading them away. Can you help give them a good home?
General info:
- Range of things from coats to blazers to blouses.
- These are all women's items; men's items still mostly fit me, I guess guys are supposed to have bigger shoulders. This means that these items are all fitted/darted/tailored for a female body shape to some extent. I have a fairly curvy figure, and they have all looked good on me.
- Sizes are small/medium, 8-12ish, frequently petite. Ish. More specific sizing info with each listing.
- I probably have pictures of them being worn, somewhere. I can also take pictures modeling something if you really need it. For efficiency's sake, though, all the photos I'm showing here are just laid out flat (which isn't always the most flattering angle for the coat in question, but, oh well).
- Most of these things I acquired in thriftstores, which is where they will all be donated (or consigned, depending) back to if no one claims them. As such, I was able to do most (but not all) of my acquiring on the cheap. So, I'm making this a trade/sale/giveaway post, whatever is appropriate. Barter encouraged. Options as noted in listings. It's all highly negotiable, cause, hey, I can't wear 'em anymore anyway. I appreciate if you can at least cover postage, but if not, that's ok (unless you're buyin' in bulk). "Trade" is wide open, does not have to be clothes-for-clothes, though omg, if you have blazers that'd fit me, let's talk.
On to the items. ( 8 jackets, 2 blouses, and a sweater )
Comment if you're interested in something. First come first serve.
General info:
- Range of things from coats to blazers to blouses.
- These are all women's items; men's items still mostly fit me, I guess guys are supposed to have bigger shoulders. This means that these items are all fitted/darted/tailored for a female body shape to some extent. I have a fairly curvy figure, and they have all looked good on me.
- Sizes are small/medium, 8-12ish, frequently petite. Ish. More specific sizing info with each listing.
- I probably have pictures of them being worn, somewhere. I can also take pictures modeling something if you really need it. For efficiency's sake, though, all the photos I'm showing here are just laid out flat (which isn't always the most flattering angle for the coat in question, but, oh well).
- Most of these things I acquired in thriftstores, which is where they will all be donated (or consigned, depending) back to if no one claims them. As such, I was able to do most (but not all) of my acquiring on the cheap. So, I'm making this a trade/sale/giveaway post, whatever is appropriate. Barter encouraged. Options as noted in listings. It's all highly negotiable, cause, hey, I can't wear 'em anymore anyway. I appreciate if you can at least cover postage, but if not, that's ok (unless you're buyin' in bulk). "Trade" is wide open, does not have to be clothes-for-clothes, though omg, if you have blazers that'd fit me, let's talk.
On to the items. ( 8 jackets, 2 blouses, and a sweater )
Comment if you're interested in something. First come first serve.
