1. nine gorgeous women all putting muppet braids into my hair at once, with skarlett at the helm.  Under three hours, baby. THAT is a miracle.  It was like the Inappropriate Vagabonds descended upon my head this time.
2. new necklace from inaurolillium, containing the shed of a snake I once knew.  speaking of braids.
3. green tea ice cream.  yep.
4. pomegranate chip ice cream.  gonna go have some of that so I can keep packing.
5. not getting struck by lightning at last night's gig.  See number 6.
6. valeri0n and u2rgoddess's wedding ceremony.  cutest ritual drama EVER.
7. being accepted by so many people so often and so openly
8. wolf whistles.  :D
9. playing with stealthcello all the time
10. Alec's smile on Saturday night and the warmth radiating from him
11. connecting briefly, and at long last, with jormundgan
12. rebelprivateer's smile this weekend.
13. deviantART:  the new crack.
14. fox ninjas!  there are no foxes here.
15. front-row scorpios are here to ROCK!
16. little crushes.
17. omnisti's email last night:  you are the keeper of my heart and soul.
18.  Errands DONE.
19. compliments on the hair of doom today, from strangers brave enough to say something nice.
20. katez_chan's drawing of sooj as cheshire cat.
21. hammerdancer's thoughtfulness.
22. saladofdoom's powers of people feeding.
23.  Zeus, Gator, Arial, Wills, Onyx, Callan, Fae, Selkie, Seelie, Sylph, Ginger, Sissy, PJ, Bubba, Squeak, Leggy, Rumble, and all of the other amazing cats in this house which I will not see for a while after tomorrow morning.
24.  Having so many gig offers for Denver that I have to turn one down.
25. Northwest rain.
26. Amtrak's generous luggage policy.
27. Just about everything I ordered online showed up today, at the last possible minute. 
28. re: 27:  new Elfquest mousepad and a shirt with Cutter on it, comin' out of the trees.
29. SidheHaven.
30. I get to come back.

We are all over about least half of the Faerieworlds galleries.

Solace On Fire

Fire show

Tricky Pixie

Gaia Consort and others (including the most beautiful picture of siouxiequeue  I've yet seen!)

I also see gorgeous shots of solcita, elocinnuala, sidhefire, and
tanuki_green

Officially, this Saturday at Sidhehaven is now a Tricky Pixie Concert!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Saturday August 16, 2008 — 8pm
TRICKY PIXIE!
Faerieworlds Decompression Concert & Frolic
SidheHaven Retreat Center
Rainier, WA
$6-$15 sliding-scale donation
RSVP to phoenix @ sidhefire . com for directions
Doors open at 3pm, food at 6:30pm, music at 8pm. Dancing space and limited camping space provided.

I know that many folks who don't get to attend the canceled Renaissance & fantasy faire this month were hoping Alec could join us for this concert. It turns out that he can!

I'll go ahead and classify this as a YES list.  It is.
1.  Straight-up donations link on FaerieTaleMinstrel is here.  Look on the spine of the book, there.
vixyish is doing awesome things for the cause in her journal.  Vixy art and goodies!!  You can't go wrong.  :D
All Tricky Pixie Live album sales for this month go toward saving Fae Hollow.  This goes for sales at shows as well as online sales.  Purchase at the above link.

2.  Fun interview for Q-SaltLake with upstart_crow today.  :D

3.  This one's big, so brace yourself.
I got an Amy Brown original in the mail this afternoon.  Yup.  I didn't ask her for it, either.  Sneaky lady!!  I'm kinda freaked out about it, in a good way.  Talk about treasure.  I have serious pirate booty now--honestly gotten though.  Commissioned fair and square...
If I haven't come out and said this before, Amy kicks ass and I am proud to know her.
Way back in 2005, I think, satyrblade encouraged me to send Amy the Wendy Trilogy and ask her if she'd be willing to do a piece based on the three songs that I could use as an album cover.  She did.  Most of you have seen it by now:  Pirate Girls, depicting Red-handed Jill and Green-eyed Sue, Amy-style.  I never asked her for the original.  Now it's here, I can hold it, I can frame it, I can hoard it like dragon gold.  Holy shit wow.
If you haven't seen it yet, go.

4.  Got my new mixer and my new (tiny, adorable, green) EQ pedal today, as well.  This means more channels for more instruments at this coming weekend's shows.  Can haz electric guitar.

5.  W. Lyon Martin has finished the cover art and is hard at work on the interior of the Rabbit's Song children's book! (text by me and uglygrandmother!)  It's gorgeous and fun, and you can pre-order it now if you want.

6.  shivana's Fire Cherry has been gracefully, flawlessly popped.  Singed arm hair, but no burns!  Welcome to the Iron Titty Club, bebe!  May Brighid and Freya and Pele dance joyfully with you each time you light up the night.

7.  Cerulia girls poi night and dinner FTW.  Pie.  Brownies.  EnchilalalalalAAAAAdas.  Salad.of.DOOM.

8.  Just exactly four years ago, I came to Colorado for the first time, with no map, and met my soultwin and heartmate when I wasn't looking.  I found him shining and smiling between fire and falling stars, and he knew me on sight for who I was.  We laughed, played, and marveled at the wonder of each other, and we still do.  For that, I thank him.  For that and so much more.  Queen of spades and jack of all trades we are, firebirds and jesters, gypsies and tale spinners and wise fools, on this wild and wonderful road, today and all days!  May it ever be so.  
I love you, omnisti.  Happy anniversary, my genius love! 

 What.  The.  Hell!

What IS it with people losing their jobs and opening fire back home lately??

This is not ok.

The article does not mention who survives the late Mr. Gwatney.  When I spoke to my mother earlier this afternoon, she was aware of the shooting and told me that Mr. Gwatney was still alive.


*head in hands*

omnisti is home in Black Rock City.  Before the City exists.   He emailed me from Gerlach, NV this morning, which is the last thing resembling civilization that you pass through (and where the pre- and post-event crews eat and sleep before the Commissary gets rolling on site AND after it goes down again), before you hit the alternate plane of harsh, primal, indifferent, and stunningly gorgeous wasteland which allows us to conjure Burning Man forth from the dust each year.

The perimeter fence went up three days ago, and the 'king posts' which mark and support Center Camp were raised by Sunday night.

Other than that, it's the sky and the desert.


One week, a little more, and I'll be there.

"Burning Man, where you can act as spontaneously as you want to for a week at the end of August, is anything but spontaneous before and after the Burn. It’s choreographed chaos that results in a city in the middle of the desert."
(John Curley)

Keep track of the city as it goes up here, if you like.  DPW is working hard and drinking hard, as always--this time with documentation, thanks to blogger John Curley.


And now, for the maddest hat that ever lived--pictures as promised.
   

 



Want your own?

Memphis surely mourns.
I am partly glad, partly not glad not to be there.

In happier news, my knees are sore from tango, poi spinning, and hooping in a green and purple ball gown (songs on the playlist included mine and cadhla's).  When the bride asks you to tango, you don't refuse.  :D

This afternoon's show was fabulous, and I got to sing with vixyish and play with tfabris and stealthcello.  Again, we threw a party and everybody came.  I couldn't be happier.  Thanks to runnerwolf and ladydrakaina for handling the merch and to saladofdoom for climbing ladders, running video cameras, and generally being awesome.

Janice has done it again, and Betsy and I have more new hats.  Pictures tomorrow.

Fuckers.

Priscilla was attacked when she got back to Spain.

This is not ok.

I am officially pissed.

But I'm really grateful that our faerie community is so strong that the above link is already posted, working, and doing Priscilla and Hector some good (you do get goodies from the fest and the Frouds for donating certain amounts, which is the sweetest thing I've ever seen).  I did not slow down long enough to meet her this year, but she is my sister in creativity, regardless.  Help if you can.

First it was musicians getting messed with for bringing their instruments onto airplanes.  Then I found out how many folk singers in Mexico have been murdered by paid thugs recently, for doing what they do best.  Now someone I've shared a stage with lost a ton of gear two days ago, upon returning home, along with all the money she made on this trip to Faerieworlds, her CAR KEYS and HOUSE KEYS, and her freaking passport.

Enough.

Efuckingnuff.

This October 17th, at Summerland Grove's Festival of Souls near Memphis TN, Fire & Strings will offer a special memorial fire dance performance, in honor and in memory of Mallorie Gareis.

Last weekend, Fire & Strings, together with Tricky Pixie and members of Gaia Consort, along with many other fabulous musical and brute squad volunteers, performed at Faerieworlds for the first time ever.  The offering we brought was a new fire show, based on the stories of Catherynne M. Valente.  While we did not get to perform the show in full due to time constraints, it was a success.

I am pleased to announce that we are bringing the full fire show play version of Firebird's Child back with us to the Midsouth, to perform it for the home team.

uglygrandmother, none other than Mama Dragon herself, will be performing with us, as the Storyteller. 

The fire show will commence after the Candlelight Labyrinth walk.  Please join us as we honor the memory of a warrior, teacher, and friend with song and the flame.

Just back from a walk around the Redmond Watershed with stealthcello and katez_chan.  There was much spinning of poi, laughter, song, and beauty to be had.  I even lit out into a short run at the end.  And I rarely ever run.  It felt good.

When we got home, my new (18 LED rechargeable) hula hoop had arrived thru FedEx.  Already charged up, too.

omnisti is safe in San Francisco at the Burning Man office, he gets to be at the department meeting tonight, he has a place to stay, and he has our tickets.  There is salad of doom and quiche of death for dinner.
Today wins.

Ladies and gents, I finally have a camera which understands spiderwebs!!  Color me excited.




Also, completely unrelated, as of just about a month ago....Elfquest movie.  Maybe for real this time, unlike previous attempts.

Rehearsal now.

'Gator poses with stealthcello's acoustic, Godiva.


I R Swamp Monstur!
He loves water, specifically, he loves sticking his paws in it.


Who you callin' trouble?  This is the face of innocence!


Zeus.  "OM NOM NOM!" or "I caught you a _____, but I eated it."
Alternate captions welcome and encouraged.

I have no Faerieworlds pictures, for there was no camera of mine this weekend.

Now, however, now I have my new camera.

Which means I can flood you all with Maine Coon pictures!


Arial



It's therapy, really.  omnisti left a couple of hours ago, so I'm a bit off balance.  These little guys are upstairs, just waiting to kill me with cute.  Life is good.  I discovered last night that the lens cap is an endless source of fascination, as were the zippers on my pants pockets.

I glanced at shadesong's Blogathon auctions this morning.
My CD is up to over $50. 
Whoa.

:D

It's a very lazy way [for me] to do something good, but I am very happy!


FIRE SHOW VOLUNTEERS:  I have the script for the show posted in an entry filtered just for you!  Please go and read the script as soon as possible and leave me a comment to let me know you've read it!  Questions, squee, and input are most welcome.

Darling Amber, who's joining us at Faerieworlds from St. Louis by plane, will arrive at the Eugene airport on Thursday evening at 11pm.  She is camping with us Vagabonds, and she's put out a request for a ride to the campsite from Eugene.  I told her I would ask the Tribe if anyone's willing.  Please leave a comment here if you might be able to do sistergrrl this favor.

She's prepared to save cab fare if necessary, but better to be ferried to Faerie by those who love you.  Yes?  Thanks.

Ok. 

We're on at 5pm on Friday on the main stage and 1pm on Sunday on the main stage.  It's all confirmed now and I've fixed all my websites.

The village stage set is no more, which means we get to relax on Saturday to a certain extent.  I am thinking a couple of short  guerilla booth concerts are in order, possibly. 

Also, now stealthcello doesn't have to do TWO shows that day and she can focus on Gaia Consort, which will make us all very happy, I'm sure.  :D

sort of.

Faerieworlds has changed our time slot to 5pm on Friday August 1st.
This is GOOD  news.
We don't get to kick the whole thing off anymore, as we would if we were still set to play at 3pm that day, BUT we have a bit more time for everyone to get there and be ready to dance.
We also are now starting just after the Lunasa ritual, which should make things quite special.
Also, Trillian Green will follow us.
Color me speechless...

Please help me get the word out about the change; thank you.

There are also some other cool things up on the tour schedule, which I can now officially crow about.   Scroll down to September to see the news.
 

less than happy news:  Alec's been under the weather over the past week.  Please send him healing goodness as you're able. 

We still have our show on Thursday night in Portland, the first-ever Tricky Pixie show in PDX:
Thursday July 17, 2008 — 9 PM
Tricky Pixie in Portland at last!
Camellia Lounge
510 NW 11th Ave
Portland, OR 97209
$10 suggested donation.  The Lounge is a tea room, smoke-free, with a separate listening room for music. 
The venue is 21+

Still a couple of days left to buy cheaper tickets online for our show in Redmond, WA at Danceworks.  Click the link below:

Sunday July 20, 2008 — 7pm
Tricky Pixie!
Danceworks Studio
16641 Redmond Way # 208
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 869-7595
Purchase tickets online. Doors will open at 6:30pm


I have one more thing to crow about for Faerieworlds, but it deserves its own post, as discussion is sure to follow.

measurethrice , vixyish , tfabris, and stealthcello.

I am drowning in kittens, ice cream, and good rehearsals.
Also, katez_chan keeps making carrot cake and toffee.
halp!

Hi, folks.

You may or may not be aware that the Washington Renaissance and Fantasy Faire needs our help.

Please accept my apologies for posting this if you've already seen it. My main reason for reposting this information today is to give you a head's up. If the Faire does not happen as planned, my tour schedule for the entire month of August will change drastically--and this would kill all of the performances I currently have scheduled in the state of Washington.

Currently, I am scheduled to perform at the Faire on the second and third weekends, at 10am, 1pm, and 3:30pm each Saturday and Sunday.   Alec and I are scheduled on top of each other a lot, but we'll be vending out of the same space and are going to try to hook up at his last show of the day.

I am dreadfully behind on the things I want to post about, and I'm dreadfully tired from being a pirate and drooling at ships for the past four days. 

But thanks are in order, and I shall not let this one thing pass.

From the Captain's desk:

To the many brave lasses and the couple of very VERY brave lads who stood up to sing our Alma Mater this Independence Day, congratulations!

The Jolly Roger gives a nine gun salute to you all, and we doff our ridiculous, feathered caps to you! Yesterday's finale at the Tricky Pixie concert on the Treasure Cove stage was all we dreamed it would be and more, thanks to your raised voices and your courage.

If you were wondering, the answer is no, we did not in fact plan for one blue-eyed incarnation of Capt. Sparrow to emcee our performance yesterday. Nor did we plan for the Lady Washington to sail right past us during the performance of 'Red-handed Jill'....but we're certainly pleased that her bonny crew decided to make their way back into the docks at just that moment!  It's a good life, it is, and full of thrills and beauty.

Well done, renegades. I think it's safe to say that we made a fine impression (at least as fine as any public debut Jacky Faber could claim), and that the festival staff and the audience will remember us!  You have every right to stand and be proud of your lovely selves.  It's not every day a crew such as ours stands tall and sings loud--may it not be the last! 
History has been made!


By the way, I had a nice chat today with Tiger Lee, creator of the Molly Roger.  We traded stories and stickers, and he asked me to email him our story, for possible future consideration in Pirate Magazine.  Says Wendy, "we shall see."
I might get all the trademarking stuff done first, though, before I contact him again.
He is a pirate, after all...

the sooj has landed.
now she will fall gracefully into bed.
see you Thursday and Friday.
*love*