This week is one of those weeks where I remember silly things, such as “you don’t have to have only one thing to write about to submit a blogpost.”

Here I am, an Artist. I have a day job as a therapist where I get to unite the scientific with the the spiritual, mystical, and the artistry of authentic living, and I get to do it in one of the most exciting eras: the Digital Age.  I run into these strange moments of utter paralysis, where I am twitching whilst my fingers hang over the keyboard. “Too many things to write about! Where do I start?” my mind screams. I start here. If you have any idea to march upon that is in the least bit artistic, you will encounter at least one person close to you that doesn’t like it and will let you know you  or your idea – or both – “suckz ballz”. I’ll hazard a guess that this indicator is as good as any to let you know you might be onto something.

On the short end of things, I’ll cut to the chase. In the span of four weeks, I managed to:

* get engaged to be married

* travel to Maui and ride in a support van for triathletes

* attend my first swimming lesson.  Ever.

* commit to training for my first sprint triathlon [woot!]

* fill my work calendar to 90% capacity

* come up with two more eBook ideas

* be selected to receive a pair of Google Glass in the #ProjectGlass contest

* be filmed in a TV commercial for pay [check is in the mail]

* entertain a performance-oriented collaboration with a fellow artist

* complete a reverse-order, mostly indoor triathlon without cracking my head open during the swim [I did bump into a swimmer sharing a lane]

Other than eating, sleeping, and working, the “everything else” list is all the stuff I wish to attend to more, but after the other three things are taken care  of adequately. But if you noticed, my “everything else” list is quite long! I should be absolutely and unequivocally BONKERS right now. Stark raving mad. Looney Tunes and ready to eat my kittehs for breakfast out of sleep deprivation and over-exhaustion. Read on to find out how I’m managing to have a life, do art, and make my world a better place!

Seth Godin Says, “Take A Risk”

I’ve been reading Seth Godin’s, “The Icarus Deception“. Only one-third of the way in, I agree with the main crux of his theme: if you want to do something of significance, let it be artistic. And if artistic, assume that it will require you to risk in order to avoid offering what has already be regurgitated, reformulated, packaged, and processed by the industrial cogs of the world.

February and March have been all about taking risks. I’ve been practicing my dance with movements I don’t include in my “normal” shows. Normal shows are the ones I get hired to replicate movements normative to the dances and the music that goes with them. The “everything else” dance is the stuff that intrigues me, where I am practicing movement I don’t find codified in Youtube videos and fitness-oriented reiterations of dance. It’s the stuff I see and point at in an On The Boards performance such as Young Jean Lee’s, “Untitled Feminist Show” [though I'll readily admit, it wasn't really "badass" enough for my taste].  It may never see a stage. It might end up in another “Catnip Dreams” reiteration. Who knows? It is the work that no one can pay me enough to perform, and where I answer to no one about what it will be. Maybe it will only have an audience of just a small handful of appreciative people.

If anything, Godin’s book has encouraged me to explore the “everything else” of what I do, beyond the answers of what I choose to do because I have office rent to pay, a roof to keep over my head, and a mouth to feed (plus two kittehs who have a love affair with expensive wet food). Only, I’ve been noticing how often the “everything else” is attracting the attention of very interested, niche-oriented people and fans who want an intelligent experience with art, not just a pre-fabricated performance for entertaining the masses. And while the job and the regular gigs cover all my living expenses with extra money at the end of the month, surprise surprise! — “everything else” has attracted other streams of income, networking and community, support and exploration for additional artistic pursuits.

In other words, my tax accountant said I done did good in 2012, and she wants me to start up an additional IRA for the anticipated wealth that will come my way in 2013 and 2014.

Whoa. Whoa, indeed.

Write A Little Or A lot. Just Write.

Part of the reason I slowed down in blogging here on the HFH blog is because I’ve been busy writing my own books and creating art than I have been in documenting and archiving it. The pace by which I am creating new things has spun way out of control. I’ve created a new mantra, inspired by all the recent activity on Writerly and other writing forums:

                                                                                                                  I do not live to work.

I love writing, and now writing is a central part of the “work” I see myself actually  living from. But I don’t blog for a living. The blogs I write on serve  as a communication vehicle and community building tool, gathering people like yourself to consider how to live artistically or how to take better care of themselves as the world changes dramatically in this tech age. I don’t live to work all the time, and now that writing is also a part of my working time, I have to actually plan times to not be writing, to not have my head in a screen, to not say, “Give me five more minutes to write.” This is a challenge. Believe me. While I can go through periods of time where I won’t write for a few days, a few hours will happen when I just about glue my wrists to the laptop, and the fingers are flying. I pause, look up, and the sun is shining outside. In the next pause, the sun has fled the scene, and I and the kittehs are sitting in the darkness, our food bowls empty and tummies growling.

Guy Kawasaki has been promoting his new book, APE  (short for Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur) on the wonderful world of book publishing online, and he’s so enthusiastic about how this will change the world, he’s been sometimes giving away online copies of his book for free. I got my copy by registering on the Seattle-based startup Writer.ly  co-founded by Writer.ly CEO Kelsye Nelson and COO Abigail Carter. Kelsye is also on the Author Publishers Facebook Page I participate in with Patrick Snow, my coach who offers book publishing coaching services. [Now, if only I can get him to use the app that allows authors to attach an online signature from the author to a reader's digital copy. Guy, do you have that app?]

My T-shirt design:  #notagoogleglasshole

I’ve been writing up a little storm, and then I started this list in my iPhone reminder app that says I have five other eBook writing ideas to pursue, covering topics from weight loss, triathlons, etiquette, affirmations, and “before-after” comparisons with a project I’m hoping to launch. Oh, and somewhere in there is a T-shirt  I was making on Zazzle to prevent me from getting my nose punched. [see picture]

No matter what artistic project I’ve been involved with, there is always some aspect of printed or text communication associated with that project. You still must write. If you want to be an Artist, you can’t get away with not being able to write. If you can’t write, your art has a tendency to suffer a bit if you can’t communicate in some way, shape, or form that you have art to share with the world. When I meet a decent artist with some real talent who has not been able to launch his or her art to the community, there is often a failure to communicate.

Even the words, “Buy my art please. $20, ” is a significant upgrade from no communication at all.

I’ll “Show and Tell” You What I See

As I mentioned above, I won a pitch to get a pair of Google Glass as a part of the Google Explorers project. Eight thousand early adopters have been selected to purchase Glass before it is offered to consumers, and in one of the most talked-about company launches for wearable tech, I’ve got just a few of my projects lined up.

Beyond using Glass for the obvious point-0f-view (POV) camera set on glasses that integrate well with the human body, I’ve seeing Glass used as a new kind of communications tool. No, it isn’t a cell phone, though it could possibly make calls. No, it isn’t a camera, though it can take pictures. No, it isn’t a voice activated iDevice, though it can likely tap your device the way you use your “computer in your pocket” devices already. I like to think of it as a piece of wearable communications hardware that integrates the best of what we have available in hardware and software, a walking “show and tell” communication device rather than just “tell” in a one-way conversation.

My project involves risk. There are Privacy concerns. This could be game changer. It could also be an utter failure.

My quasi-research project involves the possibility of failure, shame, and/or ridicule. Or worse — it’ll just never see the light of day. [My pitch is going some people I've been in contact with via another Google Glass Explorer, Jeris JC Miller, who has been instrumental in getting me into the application phase of the program].

My project involves being an artist and a business person and a curious-minded person outside the academic machinery and the corporate cogs.

My Google Glass project is on my “everything else” list of life, love, art, and helping others. It will, as the other items on the list, have to compete for my attention. There are so many things I want to do, and not enough of me to spread around. And the minute I say that, whether silently or just under my breath, I realize once again that I will never run out of artistic pursuits and projects to fill my world with. I will never run out until my body says it’s time to go.

Since that time isn’t today, stay tuned for some fantastic nourishment for your artistic life!

For the third year in a row, I’ve shared my thoughts about the best and the worst of Macworld iWorld. I admit in the two previous years, writing a “worst of” review wasn’t too hard. Expos tend to have a few things in common that run the gamut of silly or tasteless, such as booth babes and “Crapple” (Apple device accessories or software that are ugly, don’t work or work poorly, or seem rather pointless). This year, it took me a bit longer to compose my thoughts about the worst of Macworld because there was actually very little of it. And for that, the organizers of Macworld should be commended. You’re awesome! So, here’s to Macworld 2013, and here’s my rundown of the worst of it.

1. Why are you here? Both Man-Geek and I experienced a simultaneous “why are you here?” moment with a booth selling massage chairs and massage devices. I understand aches and pains that come from long-term, repetitive computer use. Why this Chinese company bought vending space on the Macworld floor — and was allowed to be there — is beyond me. We gave it a test try and sat down in front of the rep of the booth.

Man-Geek: why are you here at Macworld?

Vendor: Everyone has pain.

Man-Geek: I am not in pain.

Vendor: This is not for you.

We failed to see how a Chinese massage chair or devices met the specific needs of Apple consumers. #FAIL.

2. Starfish. Going into the weekend, we had no idea what a stir the Starfish booth was going to make, and if you’re a fan of wearable tech, you’ve probably already read the scathing reviews about the failed Starfish booth that boasted a smart watch claiming to mirror your iDevice. Lex Friedman’s review pretty much says it all, so I’m not going to bother to throw more words at a botched Macworld product launch.

The only things at the booth we ever saw were two cheap looking “demo” watches with nothing inside of them, and one very empty looking booth we were told to return to on the third day. Man-Geek’s hands were itching to try it out; the handbills looked slick for what it was supposed to do.

We went back twice. Nothing. #FAIL. If you’re going to launch something at Macworld, you should have something that is ready to go or has at least been beta tested for months, such as the File Transformer I mentioned in the previous post.

3. Brevity . It’s kind of hard for me to fault Macworld for being too short, but this year’s format was not only shorter, there were overall less offerings of sessions that wrapped up early on the only weekend day.

While the conference kicked in one day earlier than last year with the iPhonography track, it occurred mid-week when it’s less likely for fans to be able to take off work and attend. Man-Geek and I hung out Sunday in Chinatown and by the water. We were clued in Saturday night when we saw a mass exodus of attendees leave the Intercontinental Hotel for the airport; some appeared to be vendors.

4. I didn’t see that.  If you didn’t attend Macworld knowing there was a full-on education track on Saturday, it wasn’t apparent in either prominent signage or on the app. In fact, the Macworld app user would not pull up those sessions as options unless you inadvertently clicked on a more hidden option on the app.

I understand if you’re not attending the IT track, an app that displays IT sessions that sound interesting to the iFan passholders might find it frustrating to sort through the remaining sessions that are available to your Pass level. But not even knowing there was a whole other group of sessions because they do not appear on the app easily is a UI issue for the app that I hope will be addressed by next year [and I'm really hoping that track grows exponentially].

While I knew there was an educator’s track (it was advertised), I was disappointed that it did not receive more attention. It’s my personal belief that both the educator’s track and the iPhonography/iFilm track will be Macworld’s most popular and fastest-growing tracks. The UI of the Macworld App gets a C minus in my book; just barely adequate to get the job done.

5. Crapple. I’m always a little embarrassed when I come across Crapple. For how much consumers spend on these iDevices, they deserve higher quality accessories, not things that will break, are poorly designed, or fail. I bought an iLid iPhone4 cover, which sports a nifty credit card holder and money clip inside a well-hinged door. The representative did not have any black iLid iPhone4S cases left, and he sold me a white one for $15 (reduced because it was his last one). I asked him directly, “Will the white case oxidize because it is cheap plastic?” His booth partner stepped in and showed me hers; she said it was one year old and looked good as new.

One week later, mine had already showed signs of oxidizing around the edges, and a little stain is already forming. The white iLid case, BTW, is no longer available for either the iPhone4 or the iPhone5. The reps simply failed to tell the truth about the product, and they didn’t mention that the company isn’t carrying it anymore [the black one has received good reviews, and that is what I wanted if was available at Macworld. I feel like I was sold a lemon].

Hmm. Um, #FAIL.

There was one booth near the front of the expo area that sold a vegan food product that worked great as a grilled fake cheese called Daiya. It gave the air a nice smell of cooking grease, and they were very busy handing out grilled fake cheese samples from morning to evening. Unfortunately, they failed to prominently display that their food has coconut oil in it, which at moderate amounts, I have an allergic reaction. I found that out after I popped a piece in my mouth after reading their abbreviated list of ingredients. One of their execs was there, and he apologized. I never got around to asking why Daiya was at Macworld, but I like cheese-y foods, so there was a certain amount of forgiveness extended.

Closing Thoughts

While vending space may continue to shrink because the development of products slows in relation to Apple’s new product delivery, it will be up to the organizers of Macworld to help shape next year’s directions to entertain, educate, inspire, and entice new Apple users to become a part of a more active user fanbase and community. If we’re going to gather, give us a reason: I can only guess that the reason to gather is to CONNECT [hmm, iConnection... iConnect2U...something].

Apple already has a Developer’s conference. Macworld iWorld has the potential to be a more powerful consumer-driven conference in the few years it has been in recovery from Apple’s withdrawal, but it is missing something. It’s not missing the after-parties. It’s not missing a great location or adequate support in terms of places to stay and eating and drinking establishments nearby. It’s not missing places to hang out and talk. What’s missing? Something… and it’s so hard to put into words.

I know I’m right about this missing “thing” as I have watched the number of attendees shrink, and a few prominent vendors withdraw their participation. Even the Music Stage, a prominent area featuring all-day demonstrations of music creation, editing, and performance for the Apple user, was meagerly attended. I watched the Drum Circle people scramble to figure out which day was actually the last “large crowd” day to put on a performance. Last year it was Sunday; this year, it really was Saturday, or arguably Friday evening.

Oh, that’s it, isn’t it? It was as if the conference had no climax, no evening keynote inviting everyone to attend in one place to say, “Thank you for coming!” Yes, Apple fans are still convinced that they will keep using their Apple ecosystems to the fullest; that’s why they came. Yet they just attended a conference that was meant to give them that feeling of geeky cool and belonging, and it somehow fell a little flat towards the end because there was no rally point, no “group picture” moment, and few souvenirs (unless you bought something, like a t-shirt). There was no swag bag, just the usual free copy of Macworld.

True, we missed Ashton Kutcher’s Thursday morning keynote address. But frankly Kutcher is not Macworld. Maybe what I’m trying to get at is that Apple fans will continue to be fans of Apple, and we will continue to use our iDevices to make and shape extraordinary things: art, books, music, apps, lifestyles. But there was a lack of sparkle and excitement in this year’s rendering, and I’ll be curious to see what Macworld does next year to bring the magic back, hopefully sans Chinese massage chairs.

[the disco roller skate girls can stay. they were cool.]

P.S. The lack of pictures for this post is intentional. I don’t write these “worst of” posts to shame anyone specifically — ok, maybe that Chinese massage chair vendor! But I’ve kind of learned by observation that while a picture says one thousand words, it is also true that not rewarding someone by withholding pictures makes sure you’re not giving free advertising to someone or something you’re trying to change.

But if you feel deprived, write me at info @ hips for hire, request a picture, and I will personally send you a digital picture that I haven’t shared publicly, something from Macworld for your own edification. :)

Editor’s note:

On Feb. 21, 2013, I got around to writing the folks at iLid to complain about the oxidation problem with their white iLid iPhone4 case, and I sent them a picture of it one week after purchase. I didn’t bother to send the 2-weeks in photo — it is completely discolored. They have credited me $15 towards a black case, which I’ll be buying soon. The case itself is pretty cool, but the white plastic needs to go bye-bye.

Macworld|iWorld 2013 Sessions 

I’ve attended Macworld|iWorld 2013 for the third year in a row, and each year brings new learning, new   applications, IT implications, and new accessories to the Apple ecosphere. As opposed to two years ago when I  focused primarily on music creation through companies like IKMultimedia, this year I’ve honed in primarily on two areas of personal interest: book publication alternatives and iPhonography. For those of you who are looking into publishing your work to a larger audience than the microblog or creating stunning photography without lugging around a ton of expensive, heavy equipment, Macworld’s seminars hosted a number of important and entertaining seminars for the Apple consumer that were not only worth attending, but served as inspirational points of intersection. Macworld is far more than the expo floor and the tech toys. It is also the seminars led by experts in the field who help make the tools understandable to the average consumer.

iBooks and ePublication

While I like playing around with the tech toys like Bowblade and the cool applications that make life simpler, Macworld exists for much more. When it comes down to it, I’m going to return to my little slice of the “iWorld” in Seattle, and the questions I will be seeking answers for are, “Is there any way to make X easier?” and “How can I make Y better?” One of the areas of the Apple ecosphere that needed to go through a big change quickly was iBooks. This change happened when the iPad was launched, and the expectation of Apple fans was to be able to read books on their iPads in a way that was more dynamic than a static scrolled PDF and devoid of formatting errors. During one of the Macworld Live sessions today, one panelist let it be known that early on the process of the creation of iBooks,  files were being sent to India to be quickly converted into .mobi format (see below)! What a revelation!

With Amazon.com’s Kindle Direct Services being the most popular online eBook publisher in the world, I have to take a moment and answer one very important question: why write your book on Pages for Apple or publish to iBooks at all? Kindle books are readily available through a free reader app on the iPad, and you would think that writers would want to use the easiest applications to get their books supported in the ePub format for Kindle, like a one-step “press publish” process.

Well, it turns out that if you want to make beautiful text and image books through Apple iBooks, iBooks is an easy way to publish eBooks — especially interactive, multimedia books —  and get a nicely finished product in the hands of people accessing your book on an iPad. It is still a little bit more complicated if you want to publish across other eBook formats. Dot mobi (.mobi) is an Amazon Kindle proprietary format. You can’t just open a .mobi file and edit seamlessly; it’s a bit of a more trial and error process, according to Macworld expert Serenity Caldwell.

The big tip of the day on ePublishing, whether with a Mac or with a PC, is to consider the process of ePublishing before you finish your book files for traditional book publishing; even better yet, you should be thinking about this as you’re creating your traditional hard copy book, rather than waiting until the end of the writing process. A writer needs to think about how the book will look for the customer no matter what device s/he is viewing it on (tablet, smartphone, laptop). Caldwell showed a few disaster examples of blank pages, blocks, and dashes — the remains of poorly converted data after the publisher attempted to upload a file for publication.

The good news is that for iBooks (an Apple proprietary format), the format is great for “animations and fancy things” (I lifted this quote from Caldwell’s public notes). If you have a book that contains a lot of detailed photographs, sketched images, or video, you’re going to love the iBooks Author publication route. Part of the reason is that ePub (Amazon, Sony, Nook)  does not have support for a few things that iBooks does. To be clear,  iBooks is great if you have a Mac; it does not work on other formats.

For those of you creating for multiple formats, you’ll have to edit each file for each format, carefully proofreading and making sure you don’t have empty pages, blocks of black in your images, or dashes and blocks along the side of the page. If you have ever seen this in someone else’s file that you purchased, you were, along with the author, a victim of the learning curve in ePublishing [insert slap of hand to the forehead].

Compared to just five years ago, 2013 is a fantastic time to get into eBook publishing. iBooks just made it a little easier.

iPhonography: A Editing and Post-Production World in Your Back Pocket

I got my first iPhone in 2010, when improvements to the camera were significant enough to catch my eye. On a limited budget, I didn’t want to have to choose between a phone and a camera for quality Point and Shoot. Very early on, I saw the possibilities for photography and post-production on the phone itself, and as soon as I could, I ditched my Android phone and purchased an iPhone 4. Later I upgraded to the 4S, and I’ve never looked back.

Why is iPhonography  so enchanting? The act of capturing the beauty within the mundane does not usually inspire people to haul twenty pounds of  equipment around, or to fish out your lenses and an SLR camera. If the subject is ordinary, the ability to pull something out of your pocket and be ready to shoot quickly and painlessly has made iPhonography one of the fastest growing aspects of Apple consumer use. With increased resolution in the 4S model, people with very little photography skills could learn how to frame shots and apply post-production work to create new works of art. Additionally, apps and hardware for iPhone are generally soft on the wallet.

In the sample above, I shot a simple photo on the iPhone4S with natural light coming through the windows of the Moscone Center. Cropping the photo in iPhoto for iOS, I then applied one filter to help extend the contrast and convert the photo to a vintage or grainy black and white photo. By sitting in a couple of different seminars on iPhonography (including Dan Marcolina’s iPhone Obsessed seminar), I saw demonstrations of filters and drawing apps applied to simple photos like my own, giving me inspiration of how I can continue to manipulate and alter photos into new pieces of art. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be taking the same photo and running it through several different processes, documenting my favorite end results. Who knows? I might produce something I really like!

Since shooting without editing is still one of the most important aspects of photography, it’s still important to talk about lenses. While SLR camera lenses can go for  a thousand or more,  it just blows my mind that there are lenses for the iPhone that are so much more affordable — and they are lightweight and portable. One is the Olioclip, with  fisheye, wide-angle and macro lenses that slip right over the camera of the iPhone corner. The drawback of all these lens systems is that they are dependent on the width of the phone, so each time you upgrade to a new phone, you’ll need to buy a new set of lenses to fit. My recommendation is that you find a buyer for you phone who likes photography, and sell the entire thing as a package deal.

There is a newer seven-lens package  with a price tag under $100. My mistake was to not write down the name of the company that makes this seven lens package, but I’m pretty sure I can get that information from Google once it becomes a bit more popular. Almost all the iPhonography oriented seminars had some time to discuss favorite apps and lenses, but the bare minimum seems to be the three types of lenses mentioned above. On Marcolina’s iPhone, I noticed a full-sized macro lens with a special custom piece pimped out to hold it against the iPhone camera lens at just the right spot. That’s the exception, not the rule.

About one bajillion apps were introduced by  author and photographer Dan Marcolina in his very fervent presentation, and he quickly answered my question about why he titled his book, “Iphone Obsessed” . His presentation was  filled with every photo app under the sun that he could squeeze in under forty-five minutes. Audience members who are new to this part of the Apple ecosphere will leave feeling exhausted. Better to buy a copy of his book and check out the website of Mobile Masters (now available through iTunes since Jan. 28, 2013).  While the presentation was frenetic, the obvious take-away is that he knows his stuff when it comes to every possible thing you can do with iPhone photo manipulation. My mistake was to not write down the name of the company that makes this seven lens package, but I’m pretty sure I can get that information from Google.

The addition of a iPhonography track (one full day before the conference began)  was a smart move for the conference, but it also makes me wonder if that could have been a single track concurrent with the conference; that is, running simultaneously, rather than running mid-week before weekend visitors could access the track. The cost was also prohibitive for casual users.

Additionally, Macworld hosted the  IPFF for the third year in a row, including a contest for films shot solely with the iPhone. The festival showing was 90 minutes, although I did not stay for the entire festival. This year’s winner was a South Korean filmmaker Vio Kim, a music video using a mini-helicopter, with the iPhone clipped in. Some of the shots were taken over the ocean.  Check out this link if the video does not work. http://www.iphoneff.com/?p=5806

[iPHONE Music Video] GOODNIGHT SHINING from haewon Kim on Vimeo.

The iPhoneFF director mentioned that audio is the most significant challenge of using the iPhone for film, especially when international collaboration and multiple users are involved. Sound quality is a challenge regardless of what recording device is being used, but I think this challenge is going to inspire more people to pay attention to audio quality in the future. That, or we’re going to see far more offerings of film with dubbing, music, and text rather than sound shot on location. It was no coincidence that there were significantly more booths at Macworld this year focused on sound quality, either through the end-user listening experience (Polk), or the recording experience (Blue microphones).

Whatever you’re interested in regarding publication, photography, or film, Macworld covered the consumer experience end to end. It took several attempts at looking at all the offerings on the expo floor as well as the seminars to get a sense of the massive amount of content available to turn average users into savvy producers. Even the New York Times, who had one of the quietest booths in 2012′s Macworld Expo, came up with a clever piece of framed art to help market one of the nation’s most popular newspapers:

1. Take a photo of yourself with an iPhone or iPad  2. Select a section of the NYTimes that you like (I chose Psychology) 3. Use an application similar to WordFoto that traces the dark areas of the photo with words from that section of the paper  4. Print

I have to hand it to them: the NYTimes finally understood their consumer and produced a free item that combined the fans love of iPhone photography and wedded it into a new piece of art you can hang in your home or office.

Specifically for my mental health care practice, I have some ideas of how I’ll be using photography in my iWorld. What about you? Are there ways that publication and phone photography can enhance your life and artistic offerings in 2013?

By Imei Hsu, Performance Artist

For the third year in a row, I’m attending Macworld|iWorld 2013 in San Francisco, CA, checking out the latest gadgets, apps, and clever uses of Apple products that can enhance your artistic lifestyle. With three days of expo floor showroom hours with vendors from around the world, and iFan Pass level access to breakout workshops and main stage experts in the field, Macworld is a treat for creative types like myself. This post is contains only a small portion of the hundreds of hours of instruction and demonstrations of the best (and the worst!) of Macworld|iWorld 2013, and represents my personal “take” on the expo for those of you who cannot attend. Take a look at my “Day 1″. I’ll have more in a following post on Day 2 and 3 of the Best and Worst of edition.

Best of Macworld 2013

While some of these products do not have a readily identifiable connection to art and art production, anyone working with technology on a daily basis through the use of smartphones like the iPhone and iDevices (iPad, Macbook Air, iPad Mini) can see how these developments can enhance supportive work, such as file sharing and storage, and mobility.

Bear Extender – BearExtender.com is a small long-range wireless adapter that sits right on your device. It picks up Wi-Fi signals from 2-4 times the distance of Apple Airport cards, and for the price point of $49.97, is a very affordable option for the average consumer. Engadget, Macworld, and TUAW have already given the thumbs up on this little dynamo originally designed for students on college campuses. Small and lightweight, this could be your new companion when you’re mobile and needing to create and produce on the fly with a strong signal. $49.95USD.

myFC PowerTrekk – the world’s first portable fuel cell charger made for consumer use that runs on ordinary water. While I’ve seen these in being used in Africa using water and soda bottles, this is a commercially available powerpack that can charge your iPhone or iPad. It’s small, lightweight, and of course, it does not require a power source. It is a hybrid of a fuel cell system (which you have to replace) and an internal battery. For the artist on the go (i.e. you like mountain climbing and you bring your iPhone for taking photography, or you like travel), this is a really light weight and splash proof option. There are undoubtedly obvious options for emergency situations as well when there is a loss of power, as in a natural disaster. $229USD, $4USD for the fuel cell pucks.

iHangy Music Necklace – made of either silicone for the necklace alone, or durable fabric for the necklace plus built -in earbuds, this clever necklace secures your iPhone safely with a connector piece so you can wear your iPhone around your neck and listen to your tunes or take a phone call. The earbuds are similar to the ones that come with the iPhone, and better yet, they don’t get tangled with the necklace. I like the concept for the fact that it gives you another hands-free option without additional cords, and you don’t have to carry the iPhone in a murse/purse  that can be misplaced or stolen at a social event. For artists, keeping your hands free while you are doing something else while having your iPhone within reach is a nice plus. $20USD silicon necklace only/$30USD for fabric necklace w/earbuds.

Considering that this is going to sit next to your skin, make sure you are not allergic to silicone before purchase.

Bowblade – interactive gaming device. Did you like “The Hunger Games”? This safe-for-home-use bow has the feel of real bow (although it is much easier to pull than on a real bow), with several games and options to allow you to lean and move the sight as you search for targets on your iPhone. It is completely physical with the tilt mode, allowing you to have much more than the finger-thumb gaming experience.

With everything in the news about kids being shot in schools, here is a physical toy that still employs physical movement and hand-eye coordination without the fear of injuring anyone. The product itself has some heft to it, so it is not for small children because of the weight, but if you can pull back five pounds of pressure in your bow arm, you can easily manage a Bowblade.

Will this make you more artistic? [Well, no. But I still thought it was pretty damn cool.]

This one might just have to be on my Christmas wish list. After playing “Hunger Games”, I’ll eat some bacon! This item has been reviewed by big-time Apple fans… and so far, they really love it. $185 USD

Transporter – portable non-Cloud Server. Now, this might actually be my favorite thing I’ve seen so far at Macworld, and it doesn’t have anything to do with art directly, but it may have some ramifications for all who consider file sharing and storing. iCloud is not the option for everyone, and it is definitely not an option for those of us who have to consider privacy and security for our work. The Transporter is a fully-funded Kickstarter project that puts a mini server in your hands, only it doesn’t require an IT professional to maintain it. This is a portable data solution that makes your file YOURS, and yours alone. You know exactly where your stuff is, and no one else owns it. Photography people, art people, listen up. If you have ever worried that your stuff can be hacked and stolen, you might want to consider this option, freeing you up to concentrate on your art without worries of having things in the Cloud up for grabs. $199 without a drive, $299 and $399 for 1 terrabyte and 2 terrabyte drives.

The people behind Transporter were very keen on talking to me about this product because I work as a mental health counselor, and privacy in regards to HIPAA and client care are big business for the sole practitioner. We cannot afford to use the government-sponsored IT programs of hospitals, but we need affordable options. This one may be the one for me, especially because the iCloud just isn’t an option (nor would DropBox or Evernote, as there is really nothing secure about these options for the medical world).

Stay tuned for my next installment of Macworld highlights!

Whether you are relocating for the first time to Seattle, or you are moving into the more urban parts of Seattle from a suburb of the Seattle metro area, I am about to give you a Seattle single girl’s guide* of fifteen things you need know before you move to Seattle.

Although I was born and raised primarily in Seattle, I have travelled and lived in its suburbs, in other countries, and in other states. I have a pretty good idea of the considerations the typical person needs to know to make the adjustments to become a happy urban Seattle dweller. It is no secret that I am partial to creature comforts that women like. If you are a man reading this, but there’s a special woman in your life, this short list can be still be helpful.

Be a chic Seattle urban dweller!

Fifteen Things You Need To Know Before You Move To Seattle

Parking is expensive in Seattle. Consider living near a bus line or light rail, and purchase covered parking to store a car during the week. You will save more money by taking public transit after purchasing a bus pass than parking your car downtown. [Yes, this is still true even after the price increase of a transit fare. I can now commute from one end of Seattle to Redmond on the same fare as going down the street from the originating bus stop].

When you use GPS and online maps, make sure you enter the correct directions, such as NE, S, SW, N, W. One time, the police came to my home and insisted there was a domestic violence call they received for my address. When I asked them to repeat the address, it was for the exact same number and street name, but not the correct neighborhood because of the directional designations. [BTW, I just inadvertently conducted a test on both Google maps and Apple Maps turn-for-turn GPS, and for a little while, both were entirely wrong in getting me to a destination. Argh. Never drive on a low tank of gas].

There is no really good Chinese food in Seattle. Plan on using your passport and going to Vancouver, BC to get your Chinese food fixe. Still, brush up on using chopsticks, because sushi rules this city even more than pho cafes. [And there are plenty of "bad" sushi places, so do a little research before you head out. One of my current favs is Japonessa Sushi Cocina on 1st and Union].

Purchase three mini umbrellas to prepare for the weather. Place one in your car, your messenger bag, and your office from Fall to Spring (October through July. Really). The rainy season ends typically after the first week of July. Don’t freak out. From mid-July until the first weeks of October, you will likely experience the most beautiful weather without major humidity or the skin-searing factor. Everyone and their grandmother will eat outside in little sidewalk cafes, walk their dogs on the Waterfront, and purchase one bajillion pairs of sunglasses that were lost the previous season.

Count on walking. A lot. If you like wearing boots, consider one with low heels, or a pair of Uggs in the winter. While stilettos are still hot in NYC and LA, it won’t make it up or down one of Seattle’s many brick-and-mortar streets. Someone in an REI jacket will likely laugh at you if you trip. [I was just gifted with a fine pair of durable Keane snow and rain boots. While I sacrifice a bit of fashion chic, I can stomp away through snow, ice, and rain puddles and keep my feet dry on the way to the office, where a nice pair of dress shoes await].

Find out where all the the green spots are within walking distance of your concrete jungle. Looking at green makes people feel more relaxed. If you have the room for it, purchase flowering plants and greenery for your home. [My neighbor just installed a mini greenhouse in his home. It is cooler than cool. If I had own, there would be catnip in it for the kittehs.]

Live near a grocery store and a farmer’s market, if at all possible. If you don’t, you’ll either spend ginormous amounts of money on parking, or you’ll pollute the environment to get your organic greens. [You might want to scope out where the nearest Whole Foods, PCC Market, and Trader Joe's are to get your fruits and veggies during the winter months when some farmer's markets are closed].

If you go to the Eastside, you will run into people who do not know where the major neighborhoods of Ballard, Fremont, Queen Anne, Maple Leaf, or Wallingford are in relationship to each other or downtown Seattle. You might as well tell them these are in France. Some people will never get to know Seattle like you do. [This is still true. If you plan a party and invite co-workers, be aware that some of them will not attend simply because you live across one of Seattle's bridges, even if the distance is less than 30 minutes by car].

There can be traffic at all times of the day, for no reason, or for a sporting event in SODO. The two bridges linking Seattle to the Eastside can become floating parking lots. Carry a copy of the Mariner’s and Seahawks season games, and plan accordingly. Do your best not to whine publicly about the fan mania, because people defend these sports teams like they love their dogs.[Go Seahawks! Woot!]

There are more registered dogs per Seattle household than there are children. For some reason, there doesn’t seem to be enough pet services to express the glands of those dogs when you need one. Book ahead.[We're also the home of the ICanHasCheezburger lol cats people, and the Oatmeal, with a book on cats that will leave you crying with laughter. So start liking cats, ok?]

I have spent more time standing on my feet on a bus ride than in any other city in America. On only a couple of occasions have men offered me their seat. More likely, they will look up from their mobile phone after checking in on Foursquare for “Metro bus”, and then ignore you. [I recently wore a spandex unitard under my clothing for New Year's Eve. Turned out this was a very good choice, as some random hand kept trying to make its way up my skirt while riding home on a crowded bus. The hand got nothing but synthetic fiber.]

For all the talk about Seattle being one of the best city’s for online dating, it’s still a small city. Attend a few Social Media events or mixers, and eventually you’ll see all the same people. Break free by joining other groups with eclectic interests outside your normal crowd. [I have since discovered OK Cupid to be a single girl's friend in this city. It is greatly responsible for why I am not single at the time of this update].

If you’re prone to the blues because of the rainy weather, plan your winter getaway early. Purchase a light box, or try short sessions at a tanning salon that has higher UVB settings. Talk to your doctor about Vitamin D deficiency. [Phillips has designed a blue light box that contains no UV, and some people are finding that it gives them a nice little "bling" at the beginning of the day].

Seattle has plenty of arts and entertainment to choose from, with small and large theaters, film festivals, concerts, and dancing. If you’re under 40, check out tickets with the Bravo Club of the Seattle Opera. Go online for websites advertising day and evening events, such as Seattle Night Out.[In 2011, online streaming station Jet City Stream moved into the Old Rainier Brewery. They focus on new and local music, posting information on tickets to local shows. If you enjoy the rock music scene, this is a must. Plus you'll probably meet some very cool people along the way to the concert].

Seattle is a city close to water and mountains. Not an outdoorsy type? I suggest you join a club to become one. There are stores with gently used gear so you can try your hand at it without breaking the bank. Always wanted to try snowboarding? Local ski and boarding resorts have winter deals to fit your budget, including lift ticket and rentals. If you buy your own equipment, you can also purchase wall mounts to show off your equipment like works of art in your home. [Always wanted to try running, biking, or swimming? Seattle boasts all three through triathlete clubs for amateurs to professionals at all distances. I'm about to run my first half marathon in Feb 2013, thanks great trails, running partners, and really supportive people on Social Media who are doing the same].

Got your own suggestions? Send in your comments, and tell us about your Seattle relocation experience.

[BTW, if anyone is interested in a student edition of the above, i.e. you're moving to Seattle to attend one of our universities, community colleges, or advanced degree programs, please email me offline about creating a post just for you. Edited Jan 11, 2013]

*I wrote this post when I was single. That is no longer true. I have grown by one cat (Loomi) and one Man-Geek.

BREAK IT DOWN

Beats Antique dancers in hot pants and horse heads canter about the stage with drill team flags at Seattle’s Paramount Theater on NYE.Break It Down

8:00 AM  Pancake breakfast with the Man-Geek (and NYE day strategy time)

10:30 AM – 12:00 noon Costume strategy time. I worked up a devilish unitard get-up with a slinky dress that made the best of the best of what it means to have a backless outfit. But sorry folks. If you didn’t see it and take a picture, there is none for you. Some moments are meant to be taken in with the brain and archived off the server, you dig?

12:30 PM Lunch at Thai Ginger, aka “what part of no peanuts do you not understand? [Man-Geek caught the peanuts in the dipping sauce and sent it back to the kitchen before I could finish checking-in on Facebook].

1:45 PM Life of Pi in 3D. This is only my second attempt at watching 3D film. Some of you might remember I experienced nausea and dizziness during the film Avatar in 3D. While the unnatural eye movements 3D movies demand do not cause nausea in everyone, I have figured out how to diminish this unhappy side effect: blink faster than the normal rate, and watch the edges of the film screen to provide a frame and ground for eye movements. No nausea, just images of animals swimming in the raging ocean.

4:00 PM Standing in the window dressing area of Williams-Sonoma, pretending to be happy cooks while people passed by and laughed. Naturally, I was using all Le Creuset cookware.

5:00PM Frans Chocolate on 1st Avenue. Because you know you are going to want some choco bon bon noms after dinner, with a little caffeine to get you through the night.

5:15 PM Japonessa Sushi Cocina for din-din, omikase style. The colors on the plate are artful, the sashimi was fresh and satisfying, and the sparkling sake made for a wonderful photo on my iPhone (check out the unexpected reflections in the glass).

8:15 PM The Paramount Theater. Who doesn’t like being greeted at the door by circus people on stilts and Circus Contraption playing happy music that makes you feel like you’re in a French movie?

8:30 PM Lynx takes the stage. She gave us the unexpected pleasure of particularly DJ-perfect beat boxing that left the small but growing crowd scream for more. The link is from an SF duet performance several years ago she gave that will astound you. Check it.

9:15 PM Y La Bamba takes the stage. Again, I had the feeling I was in a movie, with world tunes that between the houses of some backcountry South, South America, and CoCo Rosie. Loved it.

[To the people who keep smoking pot in indoor public venues: you suck. After helping you decriminalize marijuana smoking, I wish to help create legislation that fines you TRIPLE for smoking that same pot in an indoor space with people who are allergic to your smoke, you selfish little pigs].

10:15 Beats Antique takes the stage. Zoe Jakes comes out in costume #1, channeling one of India’s 300 million Hindu gods. I realize that this is one of those times I must make an artistic decision to turn the phone camera off and just enjoy the show. We’re pressed up against some completely wasted revelers, one of whom is large enough to break my toe if he were to stumble backwards. As soon as one of the triad looks like she’s going to yak, a few of us eagerly take their place, and we’re one deep in from the stage.

Beats Antique has been a band and performance group I’ve followed since the early days when Zoe Jakes, choreographer, bellydancer, and music director was still performing with Miles Copland’s Bellydance Superstars. Her intense gaze matches her equally intense focus on every movement she makes, allowing her to complete multiple fast turns while removing and placing a mask on her face, to moving in sync with two other dancers with sharp isolations and flirtatious glances at the audience. The band consistently composes and performs electro-acoustic sounds borrowed from the far ends of the earth, giving a little something to everyone.

How Beats Antique moved from India goddess opening number through tribal bellydance trio into cantering horse head drill team flag dancing  and even an Animal Farm-like production, no less an encore involving a giant air squid fighting dancers who were minutes ago Mayan worshippers whilst alien robots raised their arms in victory is just a journey that you really can’t experience from in front of a screen. I felt like I was in a high school play, watching people walk cardboard trees onto stage, hold screens to project shadows, and skitter on stage with a variety of props, costumes, and other things that close up reveal all the things you don’t see in a KeyArena show — bras, undie lines, Go-Go girls vulgarly shaking bottoms like dogs, circus performers hopping out to the audience and pouring champagne into the throats of the lucky in the first two rows [I was two people away from getting a sip of bubbly from Zoe, dammit!].

While I’m waiting for reviews to show up online about the show, I’ll say that Beats Antique did not disappoint. Every show I’ve seen of theirs is different, and while the energy of the musicians was perhaps a bit subdued for NYE (they have had a grueling tour around the world), they still delivered a massive show that left the stage full of confetti, a air-squid, balloons, cables and bellydance costume pieces, feathers, an audience crying out for more. When the stilt walkers and animal-head performers took the stage, I felt like I was at Burning Man. Welcome home, they say.

12:30 AM Spilling out into the streets with the rest of the New Year’s Day revelers. Apparently, they all congregate at the 3rd and Pike bus stop, waiting to go to Tukwila. This was my least artful moment of the entire evening. Being too short to comfortable grab the overhead bar on this standing-room only bus back to the Old Rainier Brewery in SODO (where my comfy bed and two even more comfortable kittehs await me), I spent half the trip feeling like it might actually be normal to stand at a 45 degree angle.

[To the person who's hand kept trying to creep up my dress: I was wearing a f*cking unitard. Ha ha! You get nothin' but spandex].

2:00 AM In bed and wearing the musician’s earplugs to ensure a good night of sound sleep.

8:30 AM Pancakes and chocolate for breakfast. Oh yes. And happy kittehs, who cuddle like the little masters of the universe that they are.

11:30 AM Make a resolution to take down the LED Christmas tree hanging from the fire extinguisher water pipes before Jan. 9 [when wicked bellydance stuff begins]

PUTTING IT BACK UP

So we break it down, and then we put it back up again. More art! More art! MORE ART!

What I have in store:

1. More instructional time, both learning and teaching.

2. More costuming: innovative and non-traditional dance costuming with one-of-a-kind construction

3. More short choreographed pieces with bellydance, bollywood, and butoh/modern.

4. More video. Like the one here, performed live at the Beasts show at Tin Can Studio Dec. 1, 2012.

5. More photography, including a hosted photo walk with Jacob Lucas through the Old Rainier Brewery (more on this soon).

6. A return to playing and creating music (I’ve had to take a break until I finish writing my book).

Oh yes, there will be a whole hot mess of art in 2013. It’s what I do. It’s what I love. Keep following me here and on Hips for Hire on FB,  even though my posts are fewer than I would like (writing the book, I am). You’ll hear about more stuff, including my new launching page, The Veil Whisperer. <— you can click here for a teeny tiny peek at this project.

Well…

Don’t passively watch the news: it’s geared to share more about what isn’t working than what is.

Don’t simply copy and imitate: you might nab a few goodies here and there, but you’ll have to sort through a lot of repetition and the same old tired ideas.

Don’t just rack your brain and pray for a ‘spark of genius’: most creatives will tell you  those ideas that come during the shower are fewer than you think.

Imei as her cat Loomi for Beasts, a performance arts show at Tin Can Studio, Dec. 1, 2012.

So how DO you stay inspired?

1. DO put in your time. Actually sitting at that computer, practicing drills for dance, going over lines for a play, and messing around with the tools of your trade put your hands and all your senses in touch – literally! – with what it is you’re focusing on. Don’t just think about your idea. Take out pen and paper. Draw. Talk out loud. Put in your time.

2. DO attend shows, lectures, films, and community gatherings around the things you are most interested in. Dohee Lee, a San Francisco based artist, can often be seen attending art galleries showing art she isn’t performing in or with.

3. DO get together with like-minded people, talk about making art, and better yet — actually do your art together! I’ve gathered my own little dance collective to bounce off new ideas, innovate and finesse old ones, and challenge myself to learn dance through the eyes of those I admire in a safe and collaborative format.

4. DO ask others for help. We all get bored, lose our way, lose our momentum, lose…. something. Loss is a part of the process. Having stuff break, fall apart, and come back together is also a part of the process. I was reading how Donald Byrd’s (of Spectrum Dance) style of choreography often burns out or turns off dancers initially, pushing them to their utmost emotional, psychological, and physical limits. After you cease being angry for something that didn’t “work”, you can often come back to it and try it again, yet with perspective, and often with more help from those who understand the losses and gains that come with challenge.

I haven’t posted new material to my blog for over a month because I’ve simply been too busy to tell my readers what I’ve been up to. It’s a horrible, rotten excuse for not blogging, but it’s the truth — I’ve been so busy DOING art, I haven’t had as much time to WRITE about it. But here’s what I’ve been up to:

November 2012 — bellydancing, forming a new dance group, trying to organize a fun event (delayed to early 2013), training for a 1/2 marathon, writing my book.

December 2012 – bellydancing, creating a film and dance interactive experience for the BEASTS show for Tin Can Studio (Dec 1), preparing for a fashion show, “Flutter” (Dec. 13), bellydancing gig (new choreo), meeting with new dance group, teaching bellydance, photography and film for my office and new Associates, training for 1/2 marathon, writing my book, and attending Patrick Snow’s Book Publishing Institute (final day, presentations!).

This just in — I’ll “bellydance bomb” [that's like photobombing, but with bellydance!] your gay wedding at the King County Courthouse between Dec. 6  -Dec. 22, 2012]. By invitation only [just contact me offline at info@hipsforhire dot com], in celebration of marriage equality in Washington State].

In between all that, I try to find the time to attend one art-related show or movie per week and practice dance. With as many “ins” to art as I can find, there are multiple streams of inspiration to pull from.

As has become my tradition with the website, my first blog of 2013 will contain an overview of everything I attended art-wise in 2012, including the FAILs and the WINs, as we lead up to Macworld|iWorld2013 Jan 31, 2013, covering the best and worst that the world of Apple has to offer as it relates to making creative things. It’s going to be a fabulous year of art, don’t you think?

If you’ve been actively creating in your art form (dance, music, visual arts, theater, other performance arts), chances are you’ve been asked this question. Without hard numbers for benchmarks, it’s hard to know how to judge when it’s time to step up your game, and when to stop thinking of what you do in the art world as this “thing” that doesn’t really mean much to you.

Paint by numbers kittens are cute, but they won’t help you move from being a Hobbyist to a Contender. Learn how to make the transition.

A few years ago, I listened to a well-respected blogger advise a room of people at BlogWorld that the most important way to know you’re good at something is that you express PASSION for what you do, and you are simply BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. That might work with selling a product, but with art, everyone can express passion, and so many people can be really, really good at what they do. Now what? I began thinking that there was a difference among these bloggers. Some of them were blogging “just for fun”. Others were blogging for their livelihood, to sell a product, or to promote a cause. Although I was completely new to blogging back then, I realized I was a “nOOb”; that is,  a person who appears to know much more about a subject than s/he actually knows, mostly because people assumed with my knowledge base on my subject that I must be a Contender (that is, a person taken seriously when it comes to my art). I made a note that I had better catch up on the actual knowledge base of blogging, Social Media, and community building in order to move away from a nOOb status, and plant myself firmly in the land of Contenders.

How do you know when you’re no longer a Hobbyist? Whether it be painting, modern dance, or music performance, , can you measure success by the number of fans you have on Twitter, or the amount of dollars collected for a show? How do you move from being a Hobbyist to a Contender in the world of art?

What’s the Difference?

Sometimes the difference between Hobbyist and Contender involves superficial things that are hard to put your finger on. It’s the difference between the confidence of the smile and handshake, or the willingness to accept a compliment for a job well done instead of deflecting one. Maybe it’s the comfort a Contender has with what s/he has made, so much so that she’ll stand right next to her art on the wall without fidgeting, even when person after person walks by. Other times, it’s just the fact that you keep seeing this person show up to every small, medium, and large event that has to do with that art form.

I know it when I see “it” – this Transition – on someone else. When they’ve crossed over in their bodies, if not in their heads, from treating themselves as a Hobbyist to living life as a Contender, a new picture begins to form:

- a part of their home gets converted to a dedicated workspace for their art.
- there are bits and pieces of their art with them at all times (car, bag, studio, office, home, etc)
- they start dressing differently, as if there is a uniform associated with their art
- their social lives fill with people who like or do the same kind of art
- their free time becomes saturated with more events that intersect with their art
- business and their art begin to merge (i.e. business trip may be combined with art interests if it works out that way)
- in some cases, their bodies change to accommodate the lifestyle (in positive and negative health states)
- they begin to display expertise or access to resources that are a step ahead of others, because they are willing to do the work

Moving from Hobbyist to Contender involves small and big changes.

For my dancer pals, I’ve seen this transition happen many times. While they might first start dancing in front of their bathroom mirror, eventually their living room gets a makeover, or an office gets turned into a mini dance studio with paint job and a mirror. Men who started taking salsa lessons once a week find themselves out every night they have to spare, dancing with new and old dance partners, trying out new moves, and asking others about comfortable dance shoes. People who started out with a simple PAS (point and shoot) camera one year end up investing $15K in a new camera, lighting equipment, a website, and other photography gizmos, while saying shyly, “I’m just getting started.” Next thing you know, they have a gorgeous website with their photos on it, replete with copyright stamps and watermarks to prevent others from stealing their work.

No matter what you’re art form, learn the tools of the trade, and try out the best equipment you can afford to improve your game.

In the recent months, I’ve been working my way from Hobbyist to Contender in a completely different forum: running. Running was something I gave up six years go because of nagging injuries that wouldn’t go away. After a respite and physical therapies such as yoga stretches and Shiatsu massage, I’m back to running every other day, hoping to build up the ability to complete my first half-marathon with people still running behind me [translation: I'm not the slowest for my age group, gender, or slowest overall] . When I first started running in May 2012, I mostly ran alone, rarely if ever greeted by fellow runners decked out in cool gear and tech fabric shirts. I borrowed a baseball cap with a broken bill from the Man-Geek to shade my eyes. I wore plain cotton sport socks. Runner after runner passed by. Nothing. Not even acknowledgement. There were ladies with their bright colored water bottles on a hand strap. Men sported cool watches that measure heart rate, caloric burn, distance, and speed. I didn’t have any of that, except a new pair of sneakers, and socks that kept annoyingly slipping under my heel. I felt alone.

This little voice nagged inside my head to figure out how to run and look cool. I have no clue where that came from, as I feel perfectly comfortable as a geeky person without a sense of socially acceptable fashion. In other words, I wear the fuck whatever I want without a lot of consciousness of whether it’s the “right” thing to wear, as my pal SuperBetch on Twitter has kindly pointed out. Frankly, when I run, I imagine myself looking like a frightened chicken, arms flailing, mouth open, sweat pouring down my face and dripping onto a nasty cotton T-shirt that sticks to my underarms and belly in a most unflattering way. If you think this sounds silly — this attention to how you look while you run — think about the dance hall, and how much primping goes on there. You have to wear the right shoes. Your skirt has to flow or your pants need to have a certain crease or  give. You need to know what looks like a “I’m here to dance” shirt, and what makes you look like “I’m about to head back into the office” apparel. You see, when it comes to dance,  I know what I’m supposed to wear to look and act and move and think and eat and smile and sleep like a dancer.  But when it comes to something new like running, it took me awhile to realize that my Nike shorts from six years ago – the kind with the built -in comfort panty and the drawstring on top had been replaced by Three’s A Company white piping trimmed shorts from the 70′s. My Saucony’s in dark, nature-inspired colors like black, brown, and tan had been overrun with shocking neon colors of orange, green, yellow, and cobalt blue, and narcissistic names.

Part of the transition from a Hobbyist to Contender mindset is that you envision  yourself as that Professional, and that Professional has no problem equipping him or herself with the tools of the trade. While I’ve heard some trash talk from experienced belly dancers towards younger dancers who buy expensive costumes beyond their skill level, I understand how these costumes make us feel: Marvelous. Beautiful. Resplendent. Radiant. Joyous. In the world of running, a professional video of your running to analyze your form and correct problems before injuries occur is available to all, not just the pros. New runners can improve faster with the same tools the Contenders and Professionals use. Why shouldn’t I try them?

Decked Out

And so I did. One Sunday, after completing my first 5K and 10K races, I set out on an easy run wearing the following:

- one pair compression calf sleeves

- tech shirt (that does not stick to my belly in an unflattering way)

- water belt (with pocket to hold your phone and keys)

- Garmin watch (beeps every mile, displays pace and distance)

Something weird happened. Other runners smiled at me as we passed each other on the same trail I had run at least a dozen times before. I thought something was wrong, like I was showing camel toe  my female bits and pieces. I kept looking to see if they were smiling at someone behind me. Nope, they were smiling at me! And they were smiling because I had become one of them. A runner! Me, a runner! [I'm still trying to wrap my head around this.]

You know, I still had to do the work. I still sweat on my face and run like a chicken down hills. But this lesson got me thinking:  it’s the minute I treat what I do as something not only fun to do, but with a certain response-ability to it to treat it with a high degree of seriousness mixed in with my enjoyment. It’s work, and it’s play; it’s what I love AND I find myself talking for hours about my Craft with others, teaching people on my own hours, and sharing what I do with others.

Can you identify the Contenders all around you? What might be the missing element as you transition from Hobbyist to Contender?  Share your stories of your crossover, or what you think might help you make that transition.

The summer has rolled into Fall, and I realized I haven’t posted anything new for the Hips For Hire community since July. Bad me. I haven’t forgotten you, my fellow artists! I love you and appreciate how each of you has committed to being an artist, living life artistically and beautifully, and learning to grow yourself  personally and professionally. I’ve been busy doing something I think every artist should spend a few minutes of each day doing while s/he is prospecting opportunities: leverage your community, and don’t just work on self-promotion. While that might seem like a conflict of interest, let me explain to you how leveraging your community helps everyone around you.

Who’s the big cheese in Seattle? And what does this have to do with art? It’s how you leverage for your community beyond your own self-promotion.

Beyond Self-Promotion

We’re all quite accustomed to it now. Adding a “friend” to your Facebook network as a fellow performance artist or visual artist often means taking the risk of being inundated by event invitations and advertisements about performances they wish you to attend. Aside from that, NOTHING. They don’t stop by and say they appreciate you, they think you and the stuff you produce is cool, and they tag you to photos of their album art or flyer to keep you “in the loop.” Some group organizers do not leave an easy way to unsubscribe from their events after they have added you. Requests to have yourself removed from the event lists are ignored.

As artists, it’s always going to be important to send invitations to our events. We perform! We’d rather perform to a full room than an empty room. Many of us are dependent or semi-dependent on the money we make from gigs to make a living. The event invitation by email and Social Media platforms will remain a necessary part of the process until we create a different kind of technology that transmits our ideas and activities more efficiently. What I am advocating is for artists to move beyond self-promotion, and actually take a little time each day to build community with their fans and fellow artists.

“I Don’t Have Time For That”

Over the past year,  numerous people have asked me how to use Social Media to promote their businesses. I’ve given tons of my time – often not for pay – to help others, or I’ve bartered for an exchange of services, because it’s often a lot of work to explain to newcomers to the business side of using SoMe how to use the tools and how to build community. One thing I’ve noted is that when we get down to brass tacks – “How exactly did you get that many followers?”  or “Why is that everyone knows you are super nice and helpful?”- the response from some people is this, “I don’t have time for that”.

Specifically:

1. I don’t have time to check a Twitter feed two times a day and correspond with people about food and fashion.

2. I don’t want to spend time talking to people on Facebook, unless they are specifically asking about my gig.

3. I don’t have time post pictures of cute kitties and videos of a man dressed up as an elderly gentleman and farting.

What I’m trying to teach people is that you can still build a community and a following by doing what you love and loving what you do. You just don’t have to make yourself or your art the center of every conversation. It just so happens that I love pictures of cute kitties (mine included!) and I snort in my hand when I share a video of a man dressed up as an elderly gentleman who farts on unsuspecting people. You might love something else, such as:

- handicrafts made from fur your cat naturally shed (DIY, interests and  hobbies, silly fun to brighten someone’s day)

- a sale on Middle Eastern instruments you believe few people know about, yet it doesn’t benefit you directly (resource, expertise)

- a video on a presentation style you really liked (promotion, resource, expertise, discussion)

- a discussion forum on a topic of interest, such as racism in America, WordPress users, photography for the amateur, costuming (community, learning, resource)

I placed a couple of categories behind each phrase to give you an idea of how I think about status updates, Tweets, pictures and videos I share on seven main platforms (Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Posterous, Youtube, Google+). When you move beyond self-promotion, you’ll find people opening up to you, talking about what you share, and interacting with others. Voila! You’re building community and a diverse fan base not only for yourself but for the many things of interest to you and others.

Why does this make business sense? I think it makes sense because your fans and followers are not just there to appreciate you. They have diversified and varied interests, and they want to connect with a person who has a whole “life”. I cannot tell you how many times virtual friends have told me how real and authentic I am IRL (in real life) after finally meeting me. They feel that they know a good part of me from their interactions with me three and four levels deep into a Twitter thread.  You can share resources with others that are both directly and indirectly related to the business you support. A great example is Seattle Wine Gal Barb Evans. Her Facebook page not only has articles about wine that she has written, but ones shared from other wine lovers and writers, magazines, and industry peeps. She also talks about her pets, her travels, and funny incidentals, cultivating a fun community where people feel free to jump in. By bring her unique humor and know-how to her community, it’s no wonder it has grown to over 15K.

My answer to your protest, “But I don’t have time to build community!” may also mean that you don’t have time to do anything but chase gigs and play to sometimes empty rooms. What, really? You don’t have time to thank the people who attended? You don’t have time to notice that they gave up time, dragged their a$$ across town to see your show, arranged babysitting at a high premium, and on top of it, bought your album? You don’t have time to say thank you to those who shared your post on Facebook about your event to all their friends? Hmm. If this is true — that you don’t have time, you don’t leverage your community for the benefit of others.

People can sniff out those of you who have learned to self-promote without giving back to the community. Yet if you have learned it, you can replace what you learned with a new behavior: share something of your humanity with us. Say thanks. Show up, even virtually, for more than a “here’s our next gig”.  Yes, we do want your entertainment: you’re good! You’re skilled! You’ve practiced and put in your time! But we also want a real, warm, live HUMAN BEING. We want to know what it’s like to be YOU, such as when you find out you have a gig in two hours, and you’re on the wrong side of town wondering if your car is gonna make it. Hang onto your butts, guys: we’re in for a fun ride! If we weren’t interested in the story behind your art, robot bands and bot dancers on video would be all the rage [don't give 'em any ideas; this has already been done in Japan].

By sharing more of yourself, you leverage your experience to your entire community, including other artists. You encourage them by leading by example, replete with foibles and lots of humor. I appreciate the musicians in a closed group called Seattle Musicians on Facebook group, who often post letters and conversations for the benefit of others beyond invitations to gigs. They are there to educate, inspire, and cheer others on. I’m more inclined to check out their gigs than those who spray everyone with a bunch of event ads. Most of them look out for each other. A few of them are ad sprayers. Little do they know that a good amount of us have seen their ads so many times, we don’t even look at them anymore. That is how it works. If you offer nothing of yourself except your art, people are less interested.

Birds Of A Feather, Flock Together

I recently read that people who spend a lot of time together in one location may not only be similar by culture but by genetics beyond blood relatives. There is something about forming a community of like-minded and supportive people. During the beginning phase of my book-writing project, “Designing Your Practice”, I spent time paying attention to who in my community is writing for a living, and I’ve slowly reached out by reading their work, following them on Social Media, and showing appreciation for them. I’m not surprised that so far, each has responded and reached out to me. With each person, I’ve had no qualms about sharing what I know (as long as it’s truly mine to share!), connecting them with other people in my network, and generally promoting their work. When an opportunity is offered to me that I cannot take, I kindly share it with my community. I’m not surprised down the road my name  comes up when someone else needs not only a service that I do (bellydance, write, promote events, counsel and coach, etc), but wants to work with a nice person (that’s me ,in spades!).

When you leverage prospects for others, you are improving the overall health of your own flock. Your flock, in turn, will help you. All the while, it simply feels right leverage opportunity for growth and progress for others who want this for themselves. A great example of a person who understands the concept of leveraging for himself and others is my book publishing coach, Patrick Snow. You can look at his affiliate and business opportunities on his website on the left side panel links.

In a way, I’ve just described what mentors do: help others, with little thought about getting paid to help. When you’ve practiced a skill set long enough and successfully enough to become an expert, you can (and probably should!) begin charging others as a coach in the area of expertise. My mentoring skills will always be available for free; my coaching and counseling skills are not, except in pro bono situations.

When you leverage your community, you’ll notice that others dig what you’re doing, and guess what? They start doing the same for you. And then there’s more congratulating, and more cheering, and everyone wins, and it’s just a whole mess of fun.

Just a couple of days ago, I started asking people on my Twitter feed about which restaurant in Seattle has the best Mac and Cheese in town. Fashionista Eddie Kim (@Superbetch on Twitter) responded to my request for participation, Denise Sakaki started adding names, and people started responding. Whatever does this have to do with my art? Well, the people who want to know the answer — restaurants and bloggers and foodies — have become some of my favorite friends, fans, followers, and community participants. They care about their businesses, and so do I. The better they do, the better we all do. Throwing a blogger-based event such as The Big Cheese Seattle can draw attention to these restaurants, draw attention to the bloggers who represent a variety of businesses and services, and provide a fun event for audience members. We make new friends, expand our networks, and connect people with the goods, services, communities, and interests that keep their lives going.

At the end of the event, everyone gets cheese! And, I just happen to really like good Mac n’ Cheese. It’s just not hard to get involved with things you love. While it’s not set in stone yet, we’ll see where this goes. At the very least, I’ve gained new friends, new places to hang out, and they know a little more about what I do.

Got it? Now, go out there and make cool things! [and leverage your community for the good of us all].

Performance Oriented Bellydance Classes
Semi-private lessons with Imei, Dance Artist
July 23 – August 15 (4 classes)
Monday nights starting at 7 pm to 815 pm-ish
Cost: based on ability to pay and number of students (no more than four students total)

Location: Old Rainier Brewery building (Tully’s)

Class registration by permission only. Permission is granted based on the following criteria:
- 18 or older
- you must be interested in performing bellydance in a public setting
- you must be a quick learner
- you must have experience with at least one other dance form
- free from back, knee, and hip injury or serious movement restriction.

First-time inquirers may be asked for an audition or an audition video for pre-approval. The first class entails a short “show and tell” that allows me to see how you naturally move. From there, you will learn authentic Egyptian Cabaret and Tribal Bellydance movements that can be incorporated into any improvisational work. The emphasis of the accelerated format focuses on how to create movement from the ground up without locking students into copying choreography. Later sessions will include Imei’s breathtaking veil work. All sessions are finished with approximately 7-10 minutes of yoga stretches in the Kripalu Yoga style of Hatha Yoga.

This class is

not

gender restricted; however, the class is taught primarily with the female form in mind. It can (and has!) be adjusted to the male physique, and I have sample video footage of male dancers to help those interested in serious bellydance instruction for the male form.

Summer is a busy time for most people. The session, though an introduction to those new to bellydance, is designed for an accelerated pace. Payment for class is negotiated on the first day; it should end up being a nominal fee for the value. The point of the class is to give an elite group the chance to study this beautiful and strong art form without worrying about the cost. The exchange point is that I ask all students to commit to the class for the four sessions without conflict of interest for the time.

If interested, please submit your request for registration now. If I have already spoken to you, you do not need to submit another request.