Oh, The Glamourous Life!

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! We have a show tomorrow! We’ll be at AS220 in Providence, RI with our Valentine’s Day show, Bad Girls Need Love Too. There are only 20 seats, so if you aren’t lucky enough to snag a ticket, you can watch it on any of AS220’s platforms.

Here’s your tip, courtesy of Scratch:

Before putting away anything battery-powered — your wireless microphone, your light-up costume, your vibrator — take the batteries out.
Put the batteries in a ziptop bag and store them in the same place. This will make everything last longer.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! And it is a happy Friday as our dinner show tomorrow is sold out! Here’s your tip!

Take time for self-care, especially when you are incredibly busy.

Carve out a few minutes to relax — have a cup of tea, snuggle the cat, read a chapter of your book, listen to a couple of soothing songs, &c. And don’t do anything else for that time. It’s all about you.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! If you’re on the East Coast I hope you’re ready for the big snow storm! I’ve got some costume pieces to rhinestone, acts to rehearse, baking to do, hot chocolate bombs, and of course, Albert A. Cat to snuggle.

Here’s your tip, suggested by Mr. Scratch:

If one item in a pair needs repair, do it on both pieces.

So, if the heel is going on one of your dance shoes, even if the other one seems okay, replace it anyway. You’re eventually going to need to fix it as well, maybe just a little later. Save time by doing both at once. You’ll also be secure in knowing the other one isn’t going to suddenly fail.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! For this week’s tip, I’m drawing on something Betty taught us during Wednesday’s rehearsal.

Have a go-to move or combination you can draw upon if you get lost in the music or forget your choreography.

Confidently go forward with that bit of dance which you know so well while you figure out where you are and then jump back on track again. The audience will never know anything was amiss.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 15 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! It’s snowing like crazy here in Boston! I hope you’re snug and warm where ever you are today. Here’s your tip!

There are no mistakes, only happy accidents. — Bob Ross

Sometimes something we think is a bug turns out to be a feature.

For example, the other day Betty was rehearsing a new number. She mentioned she had forgotten her gloves and would pantomime removing them. However, she got so wrapped up in her dance that she completely forgot about the gloves until she realized had extra music at the end. So, she threw in the glove remove at the end.

It looked really good and Scratch told her to keep it in. She reworked the number to have the gloves come off last and it’s a stronger act now.

Don’t discount mistakes — they may be opportunities for creativity and improvement!

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

At last we have reached the end of the year! Today I have more of a wish than a tip for you.

May 2022 be a better year for us all.

Happy New Year to each and everyone of you. Thank you for continuing to be here!

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 14 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.

Dear Constant Reader,

It’s Friday again! Here’s your tip!

Masks are here for a while longer. Make or buy some that coordinate with your costumes and post-show outfits.

Depending on your local regulations and the requirements of the venue, you may need to wear a mask when you’re not actively performing or even when you are. You might as well make it into an opportunity for as glamorous a look as you can.

If you’ve got leftover fabric from making your own costumes, it’s easy enough to make a mask and glue on some decorations. If you don’t sew, there are a number of places you can get rhinestoned masks.

I have a tutorial for making origami-style masks for all tiers on my Patreon. I find this is the most comfortable style for long-term wear; it fastens around the back of your head rather than over your ears Although, if you’re a clever seamstress, you’ll figure how to make it with ear loops, if you prefer them.

Just for fun, here’s a cute picture of me visiting the Showstoppers costume exhibit in NYC, wearing a skirt and mask combo that I made.

These writings and other creative projects are supported by my 13 Patrons. Thank you so much! To become a Patron, go to my Patreon page. Or you can just tip me if you liked this.