Am I really Asking too Much?

Well, it only took until July this time for me to post again. And I'll be completely honest with this lot. I'm totally procrastinating on other projects to be here right now. But at least I am procrastinating with purpose.

Is it really procrastinating if I am doing other projects in the meanwhile? 

I feel like that's a topic for another post. Perhaps a post on Patreon? What? Did you not know? I finally took the dive and dared to ask patrons to pay me for my nonsense. Let's see how that goes. 

So far what I have learned about Patreon is that it will be another Social Media mouth to feed. It may also be the thing that gets me to get hopping on more videos and virtual classes. And, it might even help pay the bills. Basically it's just one more Czep hustle with the hopes that I and my skills are worth a damn to anyone. 

It has led me to really start asking what the value of my skill sets are. I have oodles of people constantly telling me that I am a great dancer, instructor, writer, etc. But when I really look at how many of them are willing to support any of that the list gets a whole lot shorter. 

Here's a little story: (With names omitted)

I have a student who is pretty consistent about coming to the classes that are donation or trade. This student offers the bare minimum of time and energy to classes and learning choreography. They talk a big game about helping and giving back, but on most occasions they are absent for the heavy lifting. This is fine. There's always a couple of students who don't understand the value of the education they are receiving or how fortunate they are to have an instructor willing to take trades of food or other trinkets to pay for the time and energy offered. 

Nope. That's all the price of building a community. 

The issue arises when the same students who are eager to take without balancing the cosmic checkbook suddenly start asking to be paid themselves. Umm... do we need to renegotiate our terms here, because seems to me there is a pretty heavy tilt to this scale.

Sometimes I feel like posting the prices of everything I do if I were a hard ass about things. Because yeah, that hour of dance instruction, that's $20-$40 depending who you ask. The tarot readings, $45 a pop easy. How about the promotion and advertising my coattails are offering? 

This got way more ranty than I planned, but hey, I'm allowed one every now and again. 

I guess the whole point though is; if you love your friends, pay them what they are worth. If you are just around for free access that's not a friendship. And if you are using people, at least don't turn around and say they can't turn the table on you. 

All the love to those who do offer me payment in cookies, eggs, project help, rides, trinkets, coffee, lunches, hand-me-downs, and at the very least the sharing and promoting of what I do. You are the reason I keep going and feel like it is worth it to trade for services instead of being a hardline with the cash only and paid in advance. To you I apologize for the ones who take advantage, because in the end they are hurting both you and me.

If you do decide that you want to offer a little something, here's the link to that Patreon thing: 

Czep Needs to Eat

2023 The Year of the ...

It only took a few days into the new year for me to finally add “blog more frequently” to the list of things I really should do in 2023. Well, four days and a pile of laundry I don’t want to fold. Yeah. I am currently staring down a heap of laundry at the foot of the bed. Laundry that came out of its second cycle. Laundry that includes table cloths from my “epic” Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes. 

Here’s where I’ll note; I am far from reconnecting to my Catholic roots. Yet, I love fish, friends, and an excuse to use my fine china. On the other side of that “who am I” coin sits my formal event. It is as close as I get to a Solstice celebration without making my definitively book religion friends think I’m a total weirdo. 

Where on Earth was I going with this? 

New Year! 

But 2022 is hanging on like a, well we won’t go there. We’ll stick with that it is still clinging. I want to move on to bigger and better things in 2023. I am in a lot of ways, but there are some lingering blehs. 

So, as I struggle to find just the right means to move forward and make big waves! In comes the need to dust off the old blog. Give me a little credit though. This time it’s only been a few months instead of a few years. 

I convinced myself to finally get back into my YouTube videos by dedicating every one of these tarot break down videos to Mary. She swears she is going to make a deck of tarot cards as well this year with the rest of the tarot class. She is considerably more behind on the meanings and symbols of the cards though. So, I am making videos to help her out. It really does help to be “talking” to someone about this, instead of into the void. 

So, yeah, videos, laundry, more writing, and oh so many other things. 

While I don’t really want to drop to my knees in front of every person I know and *beg* for people to read my serial stories, watch my videos, talk about my classes, buy my books, and pay me what I’m worth; I’m starting to feel like that’s the best option I’ve got. 

It’s not that bad. Not really. But I have been foolishly watching the wins of other creators and wondering where I need to sell my soul to get close to the abundance pouring over them. Comparing yourself to others; don’t do that. And most of the time I don’t. But when I do I feel like it's only fair to confess it. I’m still figuring it all out too. And maybe that’s where I was going with this. 

“Happy” New Year just isn’t cutting it right now. I’m good with; “Contented” New Year. Even “It Was Worth the Effort” New Year. And that’s the other thing. Every year for the whole of this millennium has had a word, a name if you will. This one, well, it hasn’t told me yet. So, how does it expect me to know what to do with it, if it doesn’t even have a name? 

Until it coughs one up I’ll plug along. I’ll write my silly stories. I’ll make my weird little videos. I’ll dance my fool heart out. Because when I stop waiting for the world to see me, stop comparing myself to everyone around me, that’s when I see why I really do all that I do… because I love it, and I can’t imagine a life without it. It makes this whole mad journey worth it.

Huh. Maybe that’s all it is this year. 

The Journey.

Consistency is a Stretch Goal

Clearly consistency is a stretch goal that I will endeavor to focus on for the Fall. I would love to have at least two blog posts each month, but we'll start with one since, I have been all over the place. 

There was a time, not so long ago, that I ran multiple blogs, wrote for steady columns in a variety of magazines, and produced articles on the daily. Things have changes a lot since then though, and if I'm honest, I don't want the article lifestyle again. 

August though is the start of a more consistent existence, on all fronts, including writing. Fall is shaping up to be a return to my I Can Do It All phase again. This is my favorite lifestyle. And I don't think I'm made of magic or that I'm the only one who can do all the things all the time. It's all about scheduling, focus, and yeah, consistency. 

So, I'll start with the outward facing madness. Starting as of, well, yesterday, classes are on, school is in session, and events are looming. So what does a week in the life of Czep look like? 

• Mondays -
  Writing Workshop
• Tuesdays - Marching Band
• Wednesdays - Bellydance
• Thursdays - Marching Band, Meetings with Bob 
• Fridays - Sword Fitness
• Sundays - Tarot, Swords, Dance, Wine Making

Tossed into the mix are at least twenty hours at the library, and the upkeep on six serial Vellas. These are of course only the income building gigs. I'm also making time for ukulele, harmonica, or drum practice, workouts, language lessons, reading (even if its audiobooks) and hopefully some sketching or art again. 

The art stuff will likely have to wait until after my current craft and construction projects are complete. I have Color Guard uniforms to trim and detail this week, a ramp to construct at the school, and a Labyrinth Ball costume to finish this month. 

I promise I do sleep. I get a pretty decent eight hours even (when my body behaves). And I do eat decent meals. I also keep my house from caving in around us, and the cats are fed and happy. 

The trick is small, consistent, doses every day. Most of my classes are not more than one or two hours long. I take on my writing tasks in deeply focused one hour gulps and walk away to do chores or stretching in between. I practice music, and art in fifteen minute snacks at least once a day. The biggest tool in the mental kit though is that I only expect small improvements. I will not write a whole novel or serial in one day. I will not learn an entire choreography in an hour. I will however be better than I was yesterday. I am better than I was a month ago. 

When people tell me they can't do something, or that I'm just good at everything, I feel like shaking them. The reality is, I'm not good at everything. I'm consistently better at the things I give my energy to. And anyone can be.

I'm also self aware enough to know when there is work to be done. Like, being more consistent, and knowing that taking a day off is not the same as quitting. What are you looking to be more consistent with this month? Maybe we can hold one another accountable and make a game of it!

Ride That Wave into Summer

Ever feel like you're at the head of a wave that may wreck you, but can't help but feed off that wild energy? Yeah. 

    Here. 

            We. 

                    Go.

I am full on swept in. I'm not just feeding the beast that is Kindle Vella, I'm bare back riding that bad boy. I'll be honest. It might throw me. Enough with the metaphor. I have *six*, yes, *six* Vellas running amuck. The last one breaks out in August! Seriously, go check them out. I'll be here. Okay! See! Not lying. Oof! 

To be fair, I feel like I've been waiting for something like this. Every Vella I'm working on is fed from a damned dusty WIP that was too weird to pitch, or that my publisher dragged ass on for so long that I gave up.  

I'm not a great writer. I'm sure as hell not everyone's cup of tea. But, I'm having a hell of a good time. And, I'm getting paid to write my own stuff! No more ghostwriting, or articles, or dull blogs about things I don't give a fluff about. Writers out there! If you're waiting to be noticed, don't! Join this madness before someone out there catches wise to it's greatness and snuffs it out. 

I'm not sure if I mentioned, I really dig this Vella thing. Yeah. A pinch. I try so hard to encourage my writing students; if you want to write, you have to read. Read the good, the bad, and the totally out there. With the community of Vella, it's built into the success. If you want to really make something of yourself in this you have to;

1. Write - Like every single day, write. (This is not an issue for me. I get grumpy when I can't write for more than a day or so. And my imaginary friends miss me).

2. Read - The communities are very much built on this reciprocity of readers. Let's be real, no one else really knows what is going on because *serial stories are so new and unique*. (They are not, but I digress).

3. Build Consistency - We have all gotten to that muddy middle of a story, right? And then we walk away. Unless! We have a dedicated readership that is desperately waiting for that next episode! 

Seriously, this is the best thing for new writers, old writers, good writers, writers who are trying to improve. Because yes, you get feedback. You can try ideas out. You can go back and fix errors. 

Now, if I could just get the same sort of returns or reciprocity on my YouTube channel. How on earth do people get so many followers on that thing? 

On the other side of the madness classes are going just as well as the writing. Well, all but the Writing classes. Yeah, we are *still* listed as a kids class so we are still only getting the barest number of students. They are amazing, no doubt, but it would be nice if Writing classes saw the same numbers as Bellydance and Sword Fitness. 

Well, I feel like I filled most of this update with preachin' the good word of Vella, but it is a sincere pulpit I stand behind. Other than that, rehearsals and panel planning has begun for CoKoCon 2022, the wine is still flowing, and there are still great things in the cards as we ride the wave into the second half of 2022.

See you soon! Oh! And here's another totally crazy thing I did this past week:

 

And We're Back!

 I might have missed a month with the updates, but that just means I have way more to talk about this time! And do I ever! 

I'm starting with the epicness that is publishing on Vella. Let me preach the good word for just a minute here. I'm a working writer again! Writing novels is great, and getting them noticed is awesome, but writing serials is a wholly different experience. It's the joy of novel writing, with the returns of article and essay work. So here I am feeling like a B-list celebrity (*okay, I'll be real here, my pirate shenanigans, stunt work, and fly by night performances were more D-list than anything more, but you catch my meaning. And I regress.) who is making a comeback with a streaming TV series. So, yeah! If you haven't been sucked into Vella yet, check it out! There's a ton of great stuff on there, and you can always check out my growing list too. 

It's not just writing that's booming right now either! Podcasts are bumping with Rachelle of Ra Intuition, and Mary on Casing the Cover. 

Speaking of astrology; Ra and I are working some behind the scenes magic to create a new course using a mix of modalities. It deeply appeals to my polymath brain. If you really want in on the ground floor of that action, start poking around at the podcast, and watching for more videos on my YouTube channel. 

In librarylandia all is going extra awesome too! You are lookin' at the new, improved, upgraded library Jenn! Yeah, I bit the bullet and jumped up from Page to Circ. It's fewer hours, which means more time for writing! And reading! And book club! And classes! 

Holy monkeys, the classes! 

Writing Workshop is holding steady with our diehard little band. Oh, yeah, one of them is also published on Vella *nudge nudge. Bellydance is overflowing! We are on a waitlist again! And Sword Fitness is taking the high ground! Okay, we are moving to the second floor fitness room instead of the mirrorless, low ceiling classroom on the first floor. And we are moving to Fridays! 

So, yeah, a ton of crazy stuff happening. The wine is still flowing. Art is still happening. Magic is everywhere. 

And the biggest news; Resurrection is live! It's one more for the land of Vella, but it's the sequel so many people were begging for. Bob and I are plotting offer at least one chapter per week, and the first one dropped on Easter morning. (Because of course we did).

So, until next time, I'll be writing, dancing, crafting, swinging swords, strumming the uke, and flipping cards. Let creativity move you! 

And the Beat Goes on!

Ever feel like the flood gates have not just opened up, but were torn off their hinges? Yeah. February. 2022 I may not have been quite ready for you. But here we go! 

Turns out I am getting back to my roots in 2022. Like way back. The universe has seen fit to activate my former flag twirling, band geek to lead the next generation. Do I know what I'm doing? Nope. Have I lead a wild band of high school color guard? Nope. Did I say yes anyway? If you have met me, you know that's a giant yep! I mean why not? I get to reconnect with some old skills. I get to work with some awesome humans, and kids too. And high school drama has to be good for plot ideas, right? 

So, yes, I will be leading high school color guard while still teaching bellydance, sword fitness, writing, tarot reading, and all the things I do. It's gonna be a blast! 

Oh, and song writing! 

In 2021 I taught myself how to play the ukulele. Yes, we will use that term loosely. I dusted off my harmonica, and toyed with a bunch of other unique instruments. All in the name of the February Album Writing Challenge. A sort of NaNoWriMo for the musically inclined. A note, while I enjoy words, wit, and a bit of poetry now and again, I am not what one might call a song writer, nor a musician. That said, see the paragraphs above for my sentiment on giving new things a go. Flexing that polymath muscle, indeed.

My foray into the world of songwriting lead me to discover there is an entire community of songwriters in my locale. I will be adding the Arizona Songwriters Gathering to my annual adventures for sure. The best advice was familiar advice. Songwriters, as with story writers, have a similar outlook on their craft. You don't have to be the best, you just have to do the thing! If you are willing to work for it and keep trying the world will open to you. 

So, on top of continuing my Kindle Vella stories, working on a sequel to Cloud to Cloud, teaching classes, and diving into my usual madness, I have a pretty substantial number of songs on SoundCloud. Full disclosure I was *politely* asked to leave choir in high school. But I've been offered quite a few great suggestions, comments, and compliments. I may even be so fortunate to have the local doo-wop group, Lilac Crazy sing one of the songs! So that's a big deal in my world.

See how I wrapped this snake back on it's tail?

The world is turned on again, and it looks like the dial is cranking up to eleven. I won't say I'm ready, but I will say I'm willing to try. Here we go! Forward March! And, keep that beat! 

This was Unexpected or Omicron Visits the House of Rainbows and Awesome

Well I dove into 2022 with a bit too much force, and ran right into Omicron. At least I was ahead of

schedule on most of my Vella serials, videos, and class preparations. I had intended my first Full Moon

post of the new year to be all about how excited I am about all the potential projects. Instead it’s looking

more like a day by day run at my adventures in Covid. So here we go. I will preface that I got my

second vaccine dose, Pfizer, back in April and I dragged my feet and never got my booster. 

I was only out of commission physically for a day or so, but it felt like a week, and now I’m *enjoying* a quarantine vacation. I should be ready to teach my classes once they start though.

So, Day One I had that meh feeling that could be allergies, could be something more. *Shrug* No worries, the air quality in Phoenix right now is trash. 

Day Two, yeah, this is for sure something not quite right. Feeling a bit more congested than allergy, but I double up on masks and do my normal day. Still not thinking Covid, nope, not even a little.

Day Three, The Frontal Assault! Enemy forces have breached the fortress! This is not a drill! Day three was a day spent sleeping and wondering why my sinuses hated me. No fever though. No chills. No body aches. No sore throat. No Covid. Right? I don’t have to go anywhere anyway. I can miss a day of being super productivity. Naps and a bad movie. Yep. 

Relief, sort of, Day Four. Still feeling bleh. But this is the tail for sure. *Cough* *Cough* Who said that? Okay. I’ll go do the test thing. See what this is all about and call in tomorrow anyway, just for the long weekend of writing and catching up on that lost day, whatever that was about. 

Day Four, Part Two: Showers make everything better, so I’m dressed and good to go on the hunt for a home test kit. I hear they are hard to come by so I start at the furthest I am willing to go on my venture radius. Then, the frustrated Czep only has to do a short drive back to base. What luck! First place I go to has stacks of test kits! I snag one and head back to base. 

Act Three, yeah, it’s still Day Four. I set up my little pop up med lab. This is sort of fun. Yay science! Stick the mega q-tip up the nose. Both nostrils? What? Boo, science. But, okay. Prod. Twist. Sneeze. Pokey thing in the vial. Pokey thing out of the vial. Test strip in the vial. *Wait* Much wait. Play a short game. Test strip out of the vial! *Stare* Two lines. Two lines means--checks info sheet--positive. 

I have Covid? 

Messages to the world at large. >> So. Turns out I have Covid.<<

Day Five, for those still keeping track. I’m fine. Maybe a small cough if I talk too much. Which I do, because I record another Zoom edition of Casing the Cover with Mary that evening. I still get through the recording with only one rough spot. I’m otherwise totally good. It’s just another day in my little cat paradise. Words were written. Calls were made. Audio was edited. Foods were tasted and smelled.

Day Six, Are We There Yet? I can’t go out to play. So I’ll stay inside and edit all the day. I take another test. Why not. I have like six now. Repeat day four act three. Oh? What’s this? That is a much less pink, pink line. And, yep, still doing fine. 

Seven, Day Seven. Still with me? I’m up at 0700. Cats are fed. 0830, Czep is ready for action! Audio edits, done! Sent! Tarot videos, five you say? Done! Scheduled, locked and loaded! Updates and emails complete. House tidied. Wait. It’s only 1300? I guess I should nap. You know. Don’t over do it. Right? We are still supposed to be healing. *Side eye*. 

So, here I sit. I’ll be taking the test again tomorrow to see what happens. I’ll be masked up and toeing myself back into the world on Tuesday evening for Writing Workshop. Then it’s Bellydance, and Sword Fitness, on Wednesday and Thursday. I’ll probably not go out much of the weekend though, and I’ll warn the world of my presence for a good while after. 

My current outlook is; Yay modern medicine. Also, Omicron is weak sauce against the Czep. If you think you just have the sniffles, check! And if you have even an inkling, mask up or stay home. 

I’m still great friends with myself. She does fun stuff. I’m off to update my Vella stories, play some ukulele, learn new languages, make art, and organize the chaos of my little corner of the world.

The new episode of Tarot and Astrology with Ra Intuition is out. The next Casing the Cover will be out soon. As always, check out the site for all the random going on in and out of the House

of Rainbows and Awesome. The doors will probably be open again before you finish reading this. 

Stay safe out there! And let someone know if you need a hand.