Are you kidding me???
My desktop on my computer looks like my desk in my office. In fact they are competing for attention.
“Why don’t you file things Lana?” says my higher self.
“I like to see my stuff. It reminds me,” say I.
Yeah right…it reminds me that I should file something!!!!
So, I begin.
Paper by paper, document by document, I file.
I disappeared AGAIN into the great valley of opportunity! “Now Lana,” say all the savvy tech promo geeks. “People expect regular entries. Instagrams and blogs need to have specific times, days, rhythms!!!” I guess I went into syncopation or maybe 12/2 time or maybe 7/20 because I was tap dancing as fast as I could! I can see my daughter groaning at the feeble attempt at a musical reference. Like I know what I am talking about?
There were so many overlapping projects in May and June that I said, “Think like a submarine, Lana. Submerge!” Which I did!!!! My Instagram posts vaporized. Thank you. The blog became a ….”oh yeah, I should do that but…” Thank you. And my Facebook entries were minimal. What can I say?
The actual DOING was superb!
The Calgary Changemaker School (https://www.calgarychangemakerschool.com) year ended with the kids making huge earth spirits and amazing mazes that challenged us all to a relay extraordinaire!
Of course Mr. Pieter just had to race with me showing our great sportsmanlike conduct to the kids. But for me it was an opportunity to do a slow motion battle to the finish. Too funny, Mr. Pieter!! The kids loved it. Oh the agony one day later when my joints said, “When was the last time you moved that way?” hahahaha
We played so hard that this picture summarizes the last day very well.
When your student literally curls up to sleep you know it has been an engaging day! Hahahaha!
At the same time (so goes my life) LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!!!
WP Puppeteers (https://wppuppet.com) hired me to do voice over work for a film! What? Me? Manipulate the other puppet with master puppeteer Wendy Passmore? Wow!!! Videographer Gil Ngai (https://www.dayone-media.com) caught it all on his camera!
To be in a full body green suit was humbling. Okay, hilarious and of course I have still shots to prove it. My favourite was being the battering ram for a catapult.
Lordy! The magic that occurred was exceptional. I can’t wait to see the final cut. Wendy, you are a gem and Gil, you have the patience of Job! More projects to come, I hope. What a dream team!
I see so much space now! I see so many areas that I want to explore and develop....Oh man, do I ever see space!
The cSPACE incubator project (https://cspacekingedward.com) found me sunk into creation in a beautiful and profound way with Misha Maseka as my filmmaker. A new work has come from it and the small film short that is a promo for my artist vision is just about done. It is about an 8 minute documentary. This time I wasn’t in a green suit, whew! Misha had an incredible intuitive sense that drew out the real me. Next stop? Oh how I would love my stories to be animated or reconfigured with my voice loping over images interpreted by someone else’s eyes. This is just a taste....
Did somebody say EDITS?
Oh yes, mama! Book four is coming! The slowest birth on record! This now six year project is in the editors hands, finally!!! It’s fantastic to have a trusted comrade who knows my work so well that she demands more of me. Yes! How else do I grow? Ideas are treasured but how they are executed needs a firm hand. It’s my goal to reach people not send them off going “meh”. The book will be stories for grown ups. They are metaphors for us bigger kids. Thank you Brian Hades of Edge Publications (http://www.edgewebsite.com) and absolutespress (https://www.facebook.com/absolutexpress) for believing in my work and master editor Sally Truss. One of the key pieces was written during the cSPACE incubator time. What did I say about overlapping?
My new year has begun. It always seems to start in September. Outdoor residencies with The Calgary Changemaker School (“Jim where’s my rain gear?”) and The Calgary Montessori School (“Jim, where’s my gumbo boots?”) make the fall full of joy. A book launch looms in the spring/summer of 2022 (“Do or do not, there is no try.” Thanks Yoda)! Whether virtual or actual….it shall come to pass.
But there’s other things I have promised myself….
I want to walk more, watch Netflix less and read from books rather than a screen.
I want to join up with friends outside and watch their dog chase my dog who chases their dog who chases my dog as we munch on something homemade and delicious.
I want to laugh more and dare to do something new.
Belly dancing is still NOT an option. Hahahaha!
