Dear Constant Reader,
Have business cards. And always carry them.
I like cards printed on uncoated stock, so one can scrawl a note on the back. A lovely thing about cards is that they require you to have a business card case, and there are many wonderful designs out there. Personally, I keep mine in a German cigarette case.
This year Scratch gave all the Babydolls a year-end bonus of personalized business cards:
Dear Constant Reader,
Another Friday, another tip!
Learn the rules first, then break them.
Dear Constant Reader,
Yesterday I wrote all about cocktails made with sparkling wine. I highly recommend you always keep a bottle in your fridge, chilled and ready to go, because you never know…
However, if you are caught ill-prepared and need to fetch a bottle from the cellar, you can chill it in a very short time with this simple Friday Tip:
Put the bottle in an ice-water bath with a generous handful of salt. It will chill in about 10 minutes.
You can do this right in the bucket. You do have a champagne bucket, don’t you?
Just before serving, gently turn the bottle upside down to chill the wine in the neck.
You wouldn’t want the first glass to be tepid, after all the trouble you’d gone to for a chilled bottle.
Dear Constant Reader,
Use clear mascara to set your brows.
Especially helpful if you use powdered color on them. You can get expensive brow setting gel, but this works just as well.
Dear Constant Reader,
One more tip from BurlyCon. This one comes from Lola Frost and her class, The Anatomy of Chair Dance.
When coming up from an inverted position on a chair, exhale.
Dear Constant Reader,
Continuing with tips I learned at BurlyCon, here’s one I picked up from Coco Lectric in her class “The Cheeky Reveal”.
When your shoulders are square to the audience, your body language says you’re interested in them.
And it gives them a full-on view of your lovely bust.
Dear Constant Reader,
I learned lots at BurlyCon and have all sorts of new tips to share. Like this one, from The Shanghai Pearl:
When hot gluing feathers, use a scrap of ribbon to hold the feathers in place without burning your fingers.
Genius!
Dear Constant Reader,
Today’s tips are all about packing!
Maximize space in your suitcase *and* keep your clothes from rumpling by rolling your garments into tight little sausages.
This doesn’t work so well for, say, a blazer, but it’s fantastic for a pencil skirt or t-shirt.
Stuff your underwear and socks into your shoes.
You’ll save space and your shoes will keep their shape.
Put your toiletries in individual ziptop bags.
Obviously, you should make sure all the containers are capped tightly. Just in case, seal them in an extra layer of protection, so if something does leak, neither your clothes nor your other toiletries will be covered in goo. Snack or sandwich size bags should be fine — you should be bringing travel-sized items anyway.
Dear Constant Reader,
Kindergarten rules: If it’s not yours, don’t touch it.
It’s a good rule for life, but especially true backstage. That prop may be loaded with something messy. This costume is laid out just-so for a fast change. That item may look like something to sit on, but it’s really someone’s set piece, and delicate. Moving or handling anything could be disaster for another performer. So, just keep your hands to yourself and ask first. Respect your fellow performers’ property and hopefully they will have also read this and do the same for you!
Dear Constant Reader,
Give compliments freely. Ask before giving critique.
People might not want to hear your commentary, especially immediately after a performance when adrenaline is high. If it is requested, give your constructive criticism as unemotionally and non-judgmentally as possible. Discussion is good; defensiveness isn’t. Avoid the phrase “You know what you should do is…”
Oh, The Glamourous Life! 