My Latest: Actually, An Oldest

From the digital vaults of The Wall Literary Journal, this short story etches time and space, I hope, into the heart and mind, and tacks them down with the face and fingers of the old, uncannily prayerful babushka.

I enjoyed writing this short piece immensely. The fact that an old mentor forwarded it to me today — newly digital in the college archives — was a good sign to post it.

READ:

https://schistory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/wall/id/2068

If you enjoyed this, and are not looking for contract branding, writing, or editing work, but simply want to support an artist, hop over to my Patreon for Shiki’s Strings & Small Things here. Become a Patron!

My Latest: Boston Broadway Theatre “Technicolor Dreamcoat”

You can find my theater review and criticism of the Boston theater scene — in particular, this week’s “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at Theatre Mirror (theatermirror.net).

Or at the link below: http://www.theatermirror.net/?p=835

My Latest: Eating Clean with Amie Valpone

Review of Eating Clean by Amie Valpone

gluten-free, grain-free, anti-inflammatory food with nourishing attitude

I’ve just reviewed health consultant and celiac disease advocate, Amie Valpone’s latest cookbook. I love when work coincides with service. I get to promote Amie’s holistic attitude to healing as well as write about some creative and nourishing recipes, and both serve the community of celiacs and those suffering autoimmune diseases!

 

Check out Eating Clean from The Healthy Apple, and cook it up this Spring!

 

 

My Latest at Freelancers Union: 5 New Food Attitudes to Fuel Your Freelancing

“Think of your brain as an endurance athlete — but a performer of feats of invention rather than physical prowess. It needs fuel. And you probably need practice approaching food with a new attitude.  “

Check out my latest at The Freelancer’s Union!  You can nix the attitudes to nourishment that hold you back with these 5 new food attitudes.

My Latest at Freelancers Union: 5 things successful freelancers do to keep their sanity

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”—Aristotle

The same can be said of sanity.

Check out these tips my latest at The Freelancers Union! You can bee on the ropes — and stay sane with these daily reminders:

The 5 Things Successful Freelancers Do To Keep Their Sanity.

Weird Works: Freelancing, Freelancers Union, BRANDING

 

Some of the best support I ever received in growing a business skips right along with THIS article (Why being weird works)

Be. YOU.

One hears the siren call of branding; the blast to put fangs into your FB posts; SEO and key words.  Don’t deviate!

The truth of the matter is, there’s balance.  Consistency is important.

But do you know what?  Being odd gets you clients; and being you is what you’re hired for — your audacity, your authenticity, your quirks and talents.  Communicate yourself well, with art and diligence and enthusiasm. But don’t  dumb down your highs, or spike your lows.  You don’t need to mainstream; you don’t need to slick.

Be an audacious son of a monkey.

Your words are important; and as important as your words is your voice.  Anyone can write empower; educate;  connect.  Who do those words connect to though?

To put it visually: Anyone can type a branding concept or word.  But what’s your font?  And where do you fling that beauty,  and with what heart or head or intent?

As the excellent freelancer does below, I shall quote Gervais: “People everywhere in the world will recognize and appreciate… innovation…. From my own experiences I’ve learned that quirky, different, fringe projects that may only be cult, often travel a lot better internationally. “

Travel yourself internationally.  Communicate well.  But don’t feel the compulsion to slick your metaphoric-hair down and stick to talking points.

If you’re an artist, a freelancer, a speaker, your audacity, your you is what gets you jobs.

It also gets you happy.

But who cares about that?  Pardon my flippancy.  Happiness also attracts clients.  So love what you do, and be yourself about it.

Freelancing and Rate: Get What You’re Worth, KNOW What You’re Worth

I love Sara Horowitz and the Freelancers Union.  But I especially love this most recent posting on fee rates and freelancing, because the waters of setting your own rate are rocky, and fears of charging too much or too little can paralyze us into waffling.

Here’s the article: How To Get Paid…‘

But if you want the digest, take these bullet points–

• Know your own worth, and don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth
• Research your market
• Have a system
• Know that it’s your job to communicate your value, and to educate your client about just what you provide

Sometimes, we fly by the seats of our trousers, and that works.  But don’t balance your livelihood on a zipline fling with a hook in your belt loop.  Investing time in yourself, your business, and confidence in your value speaks volumes — in fact, it shows your client you’re worth the cash shelled out.

Know what you’re worth, and act like you’re worth it.

But check the article out for some in-depth suggestions for just how to calculate what you need, and how to offer it.

Latest Freelance: Beauty, and the Tyrant of Utility

You can find one of my latest contributions on art, culture, and our low-stepping regard for creativity HERE.

Beauty, you know, may take a lot out of us.  To create can be as draining as giving birth.  But you get a new never-before-seen and never-to-be-seen-again life out of a birth.

You only get bullets out of a factory assembly line.