ariyanakylstram

Back in tech.  Been about 6 weeks.  So far, so good.

Life otherwise is having it's ups and downs, but it's nothing that won't sort itself out over time.  There's good, there's bad, there's a whole lot of just getting-stuff-done that's happening in between.

Planning to be The Ghost again at Dickens this year.  Yes.  Besides that?  TBD.  I have a new job after all.  See above.

Uberlist is officially mostly-on-hold for the rest of the year.  That which is done is done, the rest is going to be hard to get done betwixt now and EOY 2012.

I resigned my high-stress tech job a few weeks back. No, I really won't discuss it.

Quick FAQ:
Dead? No
Pregnant? No
Getting Married? No
Retiring/Won the lottery? Still going to have to work for a living
Running away to join the Circus? Well, now that you mention it...

I'm pretty sure I'll be back in the tech industry soon enough, and I'm already talking to people, but I'm being rather particular about what comes next (as any right-thinking human ought to be...) and so in the meantime I'm keeping myself busy with a couple of things:

1) Doing some volunteer work - for tech companies, for non-tech companies, and causes I care about.
2) Taking the circus on the road, literally - I'm booking touring gigs, especially in the Western US.

Late in 2011 I got a Sign from Fate (tm) that went something like this:
"So, why AREN'T you going pro?"
and I fussed and muttered about money and health insurance and other things and generally didn't answer the question very well. Said Sign from Fate(tm) poked and prodded some more, and left me with a lot of food for thought.

Thinking is something I did a lot after that, through the tail end of 2011 and into the New Year. I promised myself I would take some vacation time away from tech this year to try doing some pro performance work. I figured this would take the shape of some 3-day weekends away from the office...but then I had to make a decision, and now I'm taking a little break from the daily grind.

So I'm booking gigs. Do you know someone who needs an aerialist? a burlesque dancer? an actress? ballroom dancer? choreographer? coach? possibly even a costume built?

You've probably got me for the summer, at most. After that I'm back into the grind.

For the 2012 Circus Center "Swing into Spring" Showcase, I did a vintage-styled fan dance to a rendition of the old jazz favorite "Star Dust".

I built a Cirque-inspired phoenix costume to complement my pre-existing scarlet and yellow ochre feather fans.

The unitard was hand-painted with Dye-Na-Flow from Dharma Trading using a variety of techniques that included watercolor techniques, dry brushing, and straight paint application.  It was heat set using an iron.

The ballet slippers were similarly handpainted.  They have flames licking up from the toes

The wrist guards are red coque feather trim, trimmed with a scrap red loop trim I had in my stash and a single strand of gold sequins.

The collar is made of the same red coque trim, with ss30 siam swarovski crystals on the neckpiece.

The red feather coque wig was purchased.

I added ss20 light siam rhinestones to each scarlet ostrich feather shaft, from the base to the tip, space to add sparkle but not overwhelm.

Oh heck, just look

To all of my overlapping circles, I wish you the merriest, warmest, cheeriest, and sanest possible holiday season, from San Francisco, where they make giant pine cones that match my hair and coat.


...and a Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who has wished me well (whether or not you made sure I heard your well-wishes) - I'm older now, I don't feel much different, and it's pretty great being where I'm at.

I finally sampled Radius on Friday night, Saturday night found me hanging upside down at the DNA, and Sunday afternoon there were friends and a potluck and a nice enough day that we left the house open and let the wind run through. I made my birthday cake, and people sang to me. I got wine and cards and the prettiest necklace ever from my sweet eqe that reminds me of a set of intertwined silks - very appropriate, I say.

For those interested in why I made my birthday cake, or what was in it, read on: ( Read more...Collapse )

What does one wear whilst performing aerial tissu to mashed up German music for a mashup party?

Maybe something like this.

Of course, that's not all of it, just part of it. The rest would be telling.

(and yes, that is a rhinestone eye. of *course*.)

I will be setting up shop at the Costumer's Bazaar.

Sunday August 28 is often the first day people head to the playa, but if you want one or two amazing and playa-worthy items, a stop by the GBACG Costumer's Bazaar is the way to go. I have a number of pieces that I bought there and took to the Playa with great fanfare.

I'm going through the workshop this weekend and cleaning house. Here are some things I will
be bringing..

1) a full set of Ren Fair nobles, including hat, size 6-8 petite (women's dress sizes)

2) a red and shiny gold metallic kimono and obi set, never worn, would fit up to a 12-14 I think

3) my old "Alice" costume: ice blue rayon-linen dress, white petticoat, white linen apron. Zips up CB. Size 6 petite.

4) my old silver 17th C. silver dress. Hooks up side seams under arms, made for PEERS 3 Musketeer's Ball. Size 6 petite.

5) fringed Victorian piano shawl. cream with embroidered roses. It has hung in my closet for too long without being used.

6) some hats: a steampunk-themed black straw with brown and brass trim, and a black velvet gothy hat, possibly a few more when I have finished cleaning out the closets

7) a teal toreador's jacket from the SF Opera Sale that never turned into anything. Real gold metallic trim, amazing. Men's Small/36-38

Most of these fall under the "make me a reasonable offer" category. All are clean and ready to wear, possibly slightly wrinkly but have been stored clean and hung.

I've just completed about a month of non-stop travel. I'm glad to be home. I have a mild bit of upper respiratory crud - but really, when you've heard the story, I suspect you'll think I'm as lucky as I think I am...

It goes something like this...
Work sends me to Seattle for a 1-day powow - this necessitates getting on a plane on a Monday afternoon, and spending all day Tuesday at the offices, and then returning late Tuesday night.
It was a good day, and totally worth it. I got to see friends Monday night, and have a run around a pretty lake, along with all the work, which filled my head up to the brim with stuff to think about.

I go to work Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday night I go to the usual stretching class, Thursday I sew (after all, CoCo is the next weekend...!) and then pack for...

Friday. I take off to go to the wedding of eqe's brother and his lovely J, in the greater Boston area. We return Sunday night. For the fashionistas, I wore a 40's garden party dress by Peterman, with bolero.

Thus ends the first week.

I go to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Tuesday night I have a fantastic aerials class, Wednesday is again, stretching, and I sew every night, especially Wednesday night. Late on Wednesday night I throw clothes and costumes into many suitcases in preparation for an early Thursday departure.

Thursday morning I drop eqe at his peninsula offices and keep going south. I get to Costume College around 16:00, which was my planned arrival time. I stop for exactly 30 minutes on the entire drive down to eat peanut butter, honey, and dried fruit rollups on wheat tortillas (which are DELICIOUS, I might add), and to put gas in my little blue rollerskate of a car. Then I drive on.

( CoCo happens! I'm so glad I made it this year.Collapse )

I drove home from CoCo, leaving LA around 11:00, and landed at home in time for dinner. I ate, unpacked, and then slept.

Thus ends Week 2.

I went to work for a full day on Monday. We met our housesitter and had dinner, and then I packed Monday night. Tuesday I went to work with a small rolling suitcase and a backpack, and Tuesday at 4pm we got on BART to head to SFO.

Off to Europe for our summer vacation! We got back Monday night around 17:00.

Thus ends Weeks 3 and 4.

I'm happy to be back, astonished at the amount of stuff I have (having just lived quite happily for 2 weeks on the contents of a small suitcase, in a sweetly but sparsely furnished rented apartment), and looking forward to cleaning out stuff for the Costumer's Bazaar. I will definitely be bringing some full costumes that just don't fit ye olde aerialist's physique anymore, so if we're near to a size, you might score some killer deals! (Off-the-rack size 6-8 petite, FWIW)

Now, onward towards my birthday, Dickens, and the close of the year!

It's summer squash time, and this was made for me last summer in Michigan, in a little cabin on the edge of Lake Superior.

( Read more...Collapse )

I got into 1940's Empire Waisted Trousers (1st choice) and I'm on the waiting list for Hair Ornaments of the 20's, 30's, and 40's (2nd choice). I am also in Project Funway. YAY!

I only really had a top 3, and these were it, so I'm feeling content.

Still open to a single room mate at CoCo if anyone is interested, otherwise I think I'll go stag. I don't get much vacation this year and so while I'm flattered that I've been invited to join in some 4-to-a-room situations (gosh you guys must really like me to want me with you in tight quarters!) I think I need a bit more calm than that, especially with at least one early morning class.

All of that said, I will probably deck my room out with nice booze and welcome visitors. Just sayin'.

One costume in the works isn't enough - I need something to do while my mind simmers on how to best handle the bodice for Aphrodite.

This red chevron-cut velvet was purchased from another GBACGer's stash, and it started calling to me around 2100. So I went down and pulled that cloak pattern I've never used, shortened it to just-past-my-hips-length (27" raw) and have ripped out the outer fabric pieces.

The lining is an acetate in red and black shot that I also had in the stash. It feels REALLY great to be working through the stash!

Next up: stitching the outer layer and cutting the lining!

Pattern:

(no hood, just standing collar)

Swatches:

I've been working on a costume for Aphrodite for an upcoming event, and it wasn't until last night that I realized where my muse was speaking to me from...

( nattering behind the cutCollapse )

http://www.etsy.com/listing/39235712/a-steamy-affair-size-7-38

She's a beauty. Black straw, hand-steamed and shaped.

Tawny-brown silk hat band, raw edge exposed for texture. Cut on the bias (naturally), the hat band will not fray, so you get a delicious edge without having little strings of silk peeling off all over the place.

Vintage tortoise-shell buckle accent on the hat band.

The back of the hat tilts up so everyone can see your lovely hair, and of course, that seductive spot at the nape of your neck where the hair has been swept up, peeking out of the top of your standing collar.

Sometimes, revealing less is more.

RJ captures a classic set of me photos, all of them extremely silly.

If you ever needed proof I was a ham...

http://rmjwell.livejournal.com/tag/bpod

I haven't posted in too long, it's true, but you see, I've just been exceedingly busy.

This all started with the new job, and then there was the side gig which was so terribly exciting but sucked up the end of the year. Some travel for work, that winter conference, more work travel, and a bit of family excitement thrown in just for added spice.

You know what they say, right? Crime really DOES pay.

The 2010 uberlist metrics and wrap up live behind ( This cut tagCollapse )

Every year I participate in The Great Dickens Christmas Fair. I’ve just been sent a delightful little promotional video for the fair – and I even got a cameo! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWuKpbLyQpY

(Yes, this is what I get up to on my weekends at this time of year.)

More information on the Fair can be found at http://www.dickensfair.com

Hello, People Seeking Ari!

TONIGHT! Friday October 29
DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street, SF
All Hallow's Eve
18+

I'll be doing an aerials act over the main dance floor!

NEXT WEEKEND! Saturday November 6
Alameda Elk's Club, 2255 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda
Le Bal de Vampyrs
all ages
PLEASE NOTE: ALL TICKETS must be purchased in Advance. Tickets will not be available at the door.

$25.00 until October 30, 2010
$30.00 from October 31- November 5, 2010
(Ticket sales will stop when the event has sold out, and sell-out is NEAR)

Look for me amongst the cast of the Theatre of the Vampyres.

"Everything is dreamed first," wrote French poet Gilbert Trolliet. French philosopher Gaston Bachelard agreed, adding, "Creative reverie animates the nerves of the future." Your task in the coming weeks, Libra, is to act on those clues: Conjure up pictures in your mind that foreshadow the life you want to be living next year. Proceed on the assumption that you now have extraordinary power to generate self-fulfilling prophecies.