Send me cute

I have soooooo much to do to prepare for performances this weekend... I am stressing a bit. Videos like the one above help calm me when I am like this. If you have any.. send em my way. I'm sort of in that mindless entertainment mood (as long as it features fur balls) Yet again, I am reminded of an episode of Southpark featuring , "Animals close up with a wide angled lense!!!" LMAO




I discovered this band awhile ago. Ok Go. Super creative, check em out!

Turn me to stone

This weekend I had a gig at the Halloween and party expo at the George R. Brown Convention Center. That place is massive. I had only been there a few times for Nutcracker markets and Comic-cons (very good people watching at those by the way). Who doesn't love to see overweight white guys in their late 30's donning the attire of their favorite sexy female anime character?

The Halloween Expo was very different from my past visits to the GRB. For one I was working, and the event was a playground that, for the most part, I could only stare at while frozen in place. That's because I was contracted to be a living statue for the 3 day event. It's an interesting way to study people... (being a statue). Either they do not realize you are real and you hear the strange things they say when they believe no one is listening, or people knowingly treat you as if you actually are an object; commenting on your looks and attire as they would a mannequin. Now for a little racial profiling... black people are universally hilarious. They lost it when they noticed that I was "real," hopping and hollering about. You can imagine my difficulty in keeping a straight face here. Hispanics were more spiritual and took individual pictures of each family member next to me, I presume because I was an angel. I have to say... I kind of get some enjoyment out of almost making people pee their pants... Weird?



In having to stand still for so long (three 45 min sets each day), I pondered about what it must be like to be a statue, or soul trapped in one. I imagined being positioned in some lovely plaza in Europe, trapped inside a statue with my gaze forever fixed in one direction and my body frozen forever. Because of the muscle fatigue, I also considered the possibility of feeling the strain for an eternity, yet appearing zen and stoic. Strange things pass through my mind when I'm idle... Being a statue was actually extremely entertaining. I enjoyed the sociological aspect and the challenge to see if I could just be still and shut up. I can!

During one frozen set, I heard a chick's voice saying "Oh hi! Hello there!!! Hi!, fine then...!" to which I could not move or avert my eyes from their fixed position. After she passed, I could see it was Bridget, the playboy bunny from the Girls Next Door. She happened to be at the event because she is launching a costume line. I'll admit, especially after seeing her in person, that woman is HOT. Of course I would be frozen when she is trying to talk to me.... lol

Build me a box

I need one to retreat into sometimes... you know have a personal moment.
It helps too, that people want to stuff me in one anyhow. For an upcoming event... I actually got asked whether I would come down (from the fabric) in between each act or if I had a box I could crawl into!!! Seriously??? ---Quick crawl in there honey! We don't need you right now! We will call you out again soon!

People just don't seem to understand what they request sometimes... a week out from an event people want 5 wardrobe changes and different color schemes and other nonsense. They think you will just have what they are asking or it's no problem for you to go and just blow major cash on more costuming. It's truly amazing how little understanding people have of performance art... On a semi related note:Check out this band of rag-tag prostitutes... MY GOD I've seen better moves on an infant crapping his pants....



Seeing this monstrosity I feel slightly guilty to complain about my gigs at all!!! I am blessed to have classy and appreciative clients (although very demanding) every time I perform. I'll see if I can just negotiate a water bottle and some peanuts up there in my box. ;)


This guy knows what to do with a box!!
Hilarious ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDCk4q_4YCM

I'm back!

For those that actually read this blog...

I'm so sorry I have neglected this for so long. As the last blog adeptly described , I have been off going balls to the wall 24/7. You will all be pleased to know that I am kicking ass and taking names (or just making good grades and doing well at life in general).

Let's see.. to catch us up to speed here..

There's been a lot going on! ::takes a sip of Harp Lager::
Sorry, I'm a bit ADD now. It's hard for me to sit still anymore. At the moment I'm just watching my brother shoot zombies. He's protecting me from all the scary Nazi zombies that... (It's Call of Duty-Black Ops)

OK KIRSTEN FOCUS!




So on November 6th, I had a performance at the Hobby Center on stage with Planet Funk. I choreographed a piece for the show, which was broken up into 4 segments throughout the performance. It was an (AHHH ZOMBIE!!) awesome experience and I've met many new friends from performing with Planet Funk. I have another performance with Planet Funk coming up in December (Finals time) so I'm not sure if I can fully commit, but I'm giving it a try.

Here's a short video from the show

Ready ... Set..

Go.



At any given moment.. I am probably aerial training, hoop training, in class, in the lab, bugging Travis to make me food, picking fluff out of Tsunami's ass or getting a half productive night's sleep. I am loving my use of time these days. Yet, I have noticed, that those who possess multi talented greatness never sleep. I am fortunate enough to have more than a few superhuman-like friends. They have each inspired and gave me the swift kick in the pants I needed. So here I am. I have changed my whole life. I remain insanely busy much of the time. But the thing is, I sleep. I get about 7-8 hours of sleep (that is lying in bed at least) each night.



The truly productive people I know don't.

I want to maintain a tight grip on my 7 hours in bed at least, but maybe I'll try six.. maybe wean my self off.... Ok. This sounds absurd.

On another note, I had a great weekend. A local radio station, KTRU (Rice Radio) is going off the air soon. It's been a student run since 1967. Sadly it's been sold to KUHF, a local classical and NPR station. My buddy Michael, who runs The Vanguard asked me to sing with his band live on Friday. I'm pretty sure I sounded like a more goatlike version on Stevie Nicks... but hey... to be fair I heard the tune only twice before performing it live. I had lyrics scrawled on a sheet of paper and tried to remain in time with the much slower tempo than the original tune. How's that for excuses?! Either way I had fun. Rice University has a very unique environment. KRTU is no exception. Sometimes they play completely intolerable screeching and buzzing sounds that amount to nothing but a cacophony, other times it's genres like Indian, indie or local artists. You never know what you might hear.



The Miller had the Chinese acrobats this weekend. They sucked.
No! Seriously people they were mesmerizing. I can't on even the smallest level feel cool after watching that. I'll never be able to bounce a soccer ball while laying on my back on a column and toss it to another girl a second later catching it with my feet still bouncing. I'll never be able to hula hoop, standing on a rola bola (picture above) while balancing a stick on top of another stick and a ball. Again... to be fair , I wasn't taken from my family at the delicate age of 4 to train for this stuff. I'll do something awesome anyhow you watch Chinese!!! You may be about to rule the world, own American ports and debt... but we still have the nukes so suck it.

Have a great week everyone!

Game Changer

Announcement!



I got into graduate school!!!!!!!! I will start on Monday! I am so incredibly excited I can barely think. For awhile now I have been spinning wheels, neglecting half of my intellect and ability. NO MORE.

I am going 100% balls to the wall into my academic and aerial passions. No more time wasted. No more potential wasted. No more working just to pay the bills.

This calls for a celebration.

My batteries are totally recharged.

To the one who believed in me; I have never in all my life received such random kindness. I won't forget it. I'll make you proud.

Here is more random bunny hoppyness to illustrate how I feel:

String me up

As an acromaniac- (my own word stemming from acrophobia, an extreme fear of heights AND a new word I am substituting for aerialist because it is more accurate), I am always looking for new places to hang from.

I have always had hangups (ha! no pun intended I swear) about calling my self an "ist" anything... vocalist, artist, biologist.. whatever. It just feels pretentious.

So this ACROMANIAC wants to be rigged from skyscrapers, ancient ruins, construction equipment, trees, bridges ... I could go on all day. A buddy of mine sent me some images this morning that inspired. Those acromaniacs up there look fantastic don't they? Dressed for the occasion and all. Read more about this aerial dance here.









Let's forget completely about logistics for a moment and dream. Imagine hanging here...


or here.



or here.






And for a hair-raising blast from the past...