Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! Today’s tip was suggested by Scratch. After doing this for 3+ years (the first Friday Tip was 2 September 2011), occasionally I could use some inspiration. If you have a suggestion for a Friday Tip, just let me know.
Without further ado, here’s your Tip!
Create a list of goals. How will you know what you’ve achieved if you don’t know what you’re aiming for?
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!
When an Adoring Fan gives you flowers, there are a number of simple things you can do to ensure that they last.
Enjoy your flowers!
Dear Constant Reader,
I’m sorry for my lack of missives this week. I just wasn’t feeling like sitting at my writing desk. Fortunately I have this custom of Friday Tips and I wouldn’t want to deprive you. Soon I hope to get back to my reporting on The Expo — there’s only a little more to go.
And here is your tip!
Get a good pair of fabric scissors and use them to cut fabric only.
Your fabric scissors should be sacrosanct. Don’t use them to cut paper, sequins, buckram, plastic, metallic threads, &c. Anything but fabric will dull the blades. And do get them professionally sharpened from time to time.
I tie ribbons to the handles of my junky scissors so that in the clutter of my sharp-things drawer, I can easily find the ones to use on the forbidden materials.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday!
Here’s your tip:
Help others when you can.
My gentle readers, Whisper de Corvo, who won Most Beautiful at the 2014 Expo, and her family have suffered devastating losses recently. Dr. Jen of Atomic Cosmetics wants to help them out. In her own words (with real names redacted):
Sometimes bad things happen to really good people. Sparkle tribe, something bad has happened to one of our own. Our beloved Whisper de Corvo and her partner need our help-they have experienced a loss in the family, followed by losing their housing (A giant F**K YOU to Capitol Hill Housing Authority). Their situation breaks my heart, and I simply can’t sit by and do nothing. That said, I am asking all of you to please come to Atomic on Saturday, April 4. We will be donating every single dollar we make that day to Whisper and family. If you can’t get to the store, please shop online at colorsthatgoboom.com. We will be donating every dollar made online as well. You guys, PLEASE help however you can. I know no one has a lot of money, but this is our sparkle family, and they need us. When I was down and out, the community came out in force to help me. Now it’s time to help them.
and
Glitter folk, I want to put this out there: if you saw my earlier post about Whisper, you know we’re donating every dime we make on Saturday to them. Well, I don’t want to stop there. If we can hit $3,000 in sales that day, I will personally donate another $1000 to them. Please share Saturday’s event with everyone you can. Let’s make this happen!
You’ll not only be helping out some lovely people who have had a heart-breaking tragedy, you’ll be treating yourself to some great cosmetics and skin care products too. As Scratch said “It’s good for your skin and good for your soul.”
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! Here’s your tip!
Test your hairstyle in rehearsal.
Repeatedly pushing your hair out of your eyes is not a good thing. It makes you look nervous, sloppy, and unprepared. Deliberately moving your hair away from your face, like after a head roll or hair tease, is sexy. Either way, make sure you hair stays or goes where you want it to by rehearsing your act with your hair done the way you plan to have it on stage. And wigs count as hairstyles.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday! Here’s your tip.
Cut false eyelashes to fit your eyelid.
Lashes are one-size-fits-all, but, of course, that all lids are not the same size or shape. Don’t be afraid to give the lashes a little snip to make them flattering and comfortable.
Dear Constant Reader,
Happy Friday everyone! Today’s tip comes from Samuel Beckett (the playwright, not the time traveler).
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Dear Constant Reader,
Last week I groused about audience members taking authorized photos during shows. Now I’m going to turn it around with a tip for performers.
Always credit your photographer.
It’s just the right thing to do. Just a small line on a poster, a link on your website, a tag on your Facebook, where ever you’re using the photo. Just something so your admiring fans know who took your great photo. And do make sure you have the rights to use it before you do.
Dear Constant Reader,
Never fear, my multi-part Expo report is coming. I’m just waiting for the photos to start coming back from our official photographers.
Here’s your Friday tip!
Live entertainment should be enjoyed live. No pictures please!
This is a special tip for audience members. Stop taking photos and video at shows. Just stop it. You’re annoying the performers and producers, getting crappy pictures, and missing the actual show.
Many shows arrange for their own photographers and/or videographers. Their job is to get the best shots that showcase the performers in the most flattering way. They are professionals with professional equipment who are often allowed special access to get those good shots. The producers, venues, and performers can then control what goes out into the wide world. Wouldn’t you rather see a clean, crisp, attractive shot of your favorite performer than your dim, blurry cellphone picture?
The Boston Babydolls are happy to pose for pictures after the show and we’ve started letting the audience take pictures of our final lineup at curtain call. But not during the show. As Scratch often says, we don’t come to your job and take pictures of you making fries, please don’t take pictures of us while we’re working.
We promise, we’ll make good photos and videos available to our fans, but they’re going to be ones we are happy with and have control over where they’re posted. We have actively gone after folks who post unauthorized video and the results weren’t pretty.
Assume that no photos are allowed at any burlesque show, even if the MC doesn’t specifically make an announcement forbidding it. I forgot to make that announcement when I was hosting on Sunday at The Expo and Security had to tell a lot of people to put their damn phones away. Even on nights when the announcement was made, some audience members ignored it. There were even signs posted at the Reg Desk/Box Office reminding people of the no photo/video rule. It’s just rude to think you’re so special that the rules don’t apply.
Besides, don’t you want to enjoy the show while it’s happening?
Next week, a related tip for performers.
Dear Constant Reader,
The Great Burlesque Exposition of 2015 is here! I hope I see you this weekend.
Here’s your tip:
Volunteering is sexy.
Events like The Expo run on volunteer labor and you can be part of what makes the event great. Just donate a few hours of your time and you can make a big difference. As they say, many hands make light work. You can put your skills to use, learn new ones, see behind the scenes, meet new people, and generally get that sense of satisfaction from having done a good thing. Sometimes you get a reward, like a t-shirt or a free ticket, but the real reward is a successful event, thanks to you!
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 