1. I have stuff for you to buy! It's real purty.  Make an offer! 
2. Please consider donating to Cloud City Circus' Indiegogo campaign!
3.  Then come see me perform at Analog with C3 on Thursday.
4. I'm sick. =(
5. Let's not bring math into this.

Today I have work, acupuncture, a formal dinnerparty, an underground bass EDM party, and a German Sparkle Party to attend.  I don't think I have time to do costume changes, so this all is going to be very interesting.

Tomorrow it's GET ON UP at the Goodfoot!  I hope it's anything close to as awesome as the last back in August!  See you there...

And don't forget to donate!

I've been putting a lot of thought into my upcoming 30th birthday.  It's the thought that I didn't put into all of my birthdays until now - the horror of coming up with amazing plans, getting excited, and putting a lot of effort into an event, and having it not work out.  Hell, knowing me, even just one facet not working out can be enough to throw my inner perfectionist into a tizzy.

...and as much as I like the word "tizzy"...

I'm not good at handling disappointment.  The best way to combat this reality is acceptance, of which I'm capable of understanding intellectually if not emotionally.  

Impermanence (everything changes)
Not-self (it's not about me)
Unsatisfactory-ness (to have expectations for "good" and "bad" is to set yourself up for disappointment)

I have these words tattoo'd in Arabic on my back.  I don't know if its correct and I can't even see it most of the time, but it's there just like I know it's in the back of my head, not fully explored or executed, but it's there.

But it's my 30th birthday, and the gift I'm giving myself is allowing myself to dream.  I'm daydreaming about What Makes Me Happy and the various ways I can put all of those things together (like lists, which this is turning out to be GREAT for).  I spend entirely too much time acknowledging what makes me unhappy, and way too much effort trying to avoid getting my hopes up.  For the last few weeks I've been imagining my friends, my favorite music, the perfect atmosphere, decoration, activities, FOR ME.  Things that make me happy with no regard to how they will productively contribute to the greater part of society...

...although I sure hope that in some way, it will.

And I hope that you'll consider contributing to the greater part of society by supporting the dreams of my fellow Cloud City Circus members and I as we embark upon an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for our big-time shows which require rehearsal, choreography, storylines, lighting, venue, costumes, props, sets, and more! 

I don't have any more performances until next month!  That's right, I only had one gig the entire month of September.  It feels great, considering that every weekend has involved packing up and leaving town and coming home and unpacking, which is just as much work as packing/make-upping/working/unpacking for a gig.  Only with even less chance to recover and definitely no expense reimbursement.  Huzzah, I have a couple of weekends at home!

This means it's time to fix my sewing machine and work on costuming for Convergence!  

Be sure to check my calendar to see where I'll be performing, teaching, or generally goofing off next.  Things are only going to ramp up from here...

Last night was our first Silent Dance Party out at the Vaux Swifts' convergence at the Chapman School, where nightly, around sunset nearly throughout the month of September, thousands of Swifts converge upon the defunct chimney of the Chapman School to roost.  It's beautiful and exciting, and made the perfect place to gather folks to picnic and dance into the night.  We're probably going to do it again tonight, so come on down!  

In the meantime, I'm elated to share this video with you from last Saturday's Pacific Fire Gathering fire gala.  Performing a choreography we'd come up with in a week, for a crowd of 400 fire performers, was beyond intimidating... but I'm so PROUD!

My "Official Summer Fun-tivities" came to a close this last Sunday with Pacific Fire Gathering.  I'm almost 30 years old and I've just discovered the Thing I Should Have Been Doing All My Life.  I can't wait to go to another flow festival!  I'm nowhere near the skill level of most of my companions there, but hell... I'm already calling them companions.  Sweeter, more helpful, determined and disciplined hippie partiers have I never met.  

I'll close with a couple Oregon Fire Conclave photos just released from Burningman!  Was it really only 3 weeks ago?

It's true, I'm addicted to doing cool stuff.  I can't stop!  It's compulsive!

The last two nights, I've spent *not* recovering from summer or Burningman or even last weekend's festival...instead, I've been drilling new fan tricks/patterns taught by my dear friend Aaron Shallock, and choreographing a fire piece for this weekend's Pacific Fire Gathering with Erika Ryn.  Last night we recorded the minute-worth of choreography and I watched it again last night, knowing full well that it wasn't nearly performance-ready, but also giving myself a moment to pat myself on the back in comparison to the first videos I took of myself this year.  I'm so glad we started that 30-day challenge.  

I can't wait to make a video montage of fan practice footage at the end of the year!  ..and it's only three months away!  WOW this year is going quickly!

Speaking of fire, and fans, and time passing, and learning and excitement: birthday!  The fabulous birthday weekend begins in exactly one month!

....just be glad I'm not a Drag Queen!  Those ladies know how to ROCK IT.  Full on rawk. Better hair than I could ever hope for, balance in platforms, moves, and fierce effin' attitude.

I loved performing last night with Cloud City Circus as part of the intermission set for Caravan of Glam!  Performing at drag variety shows proves that there is always, always, more room for glitter.  These b*tches trump bellydance glitter any day.
 
Today I came to work, and got a ---motion.  It's not really a promotion, as my title and pay haven't changed, but I got a new cubicle!  Unfortunately one of my favorite co-workers left for a new job, but the silver lining includes a window seat and access to hours and hours of my officemates' lo-fi and, surprisingly, great taste in music.  We've already begun plans to join our officeplant forces to form a veritable, verdant jungle.  I feel more like a part of the office-friends-team than I have in my three years here, all because I now sit closer to my co-workers.  

Next weekend I'll be swooping in after a week of work to participate in a day of workshops at PACIFIC FIRE GATHERING.  It's about frikkin' time.  Can't wait to share what I've learned on the stage and off!

Also: Come to my birthday!

I'm home! Other home, that is.

Too must to sum up here while I try to catch up on missed work, but suffice it to say, MORE FIRE!