tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47730978525823280392012-02-16T10:38:49.833-05:00Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.comBlogger831100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-65420981883823344902012-01-22T18:24:00.003-05:002012-01-22T18:57:43.274-05:00

So I am on a new drug that's supposed to help me manage my Fibromyalgia pain. For quite a long time I was terrified of getting pharmaceutical help for my condition, but after a resounding success with a sleep drug I started last year I thought what the hell, let's give this a shot too. The drug, which I don't really want to call out by name--let's just say it's popular for FMS--is sort of helping

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-61673629078549306262011-12-31T10:19:00.004-05:002011-12-31T10:39:19.279-05:00

For perhaps the first time in my life I am sad to see a year end. 2011 was incredibly kind to me and my husband. In 2010 we spent most of our time apart. For much of it I drove him back and forth to work every day (a 45 minute commute one way) so I could get to my ESL appointments. In 2011 he got a contract working for a giant multinational tech company and now we both work at home. We spend most

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-72004315451534941582011-12-20T19:55:00.003-05:002011-12-20T20:08:45.664-05:00

2011 was kind of awesome. Despite my neuroses and crippling attention deficit disorder I managed to get some good work in. Let's take a look.I finished Redlisted!!!!!!!!11 After going through a months-long period where I couldn't stand to even look at the manuscript, around September I suddenly got the inspiration and the urge to write the last draft, which I actually like and can show to people

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-36803547856054750602011-12-20T19:36:00.002-05:002011-12-20T19:54:19.558-05:00

2012 is coming. I better get some stuff done before the world ends. (John Hodgman says it will and I find his books to be totally credible. In fact they are pretty much my most trusted sources of information, ever.)Last year I went insane with monthly checklists (you can easily find them in the archives) and all kinds of related self-flagellation. This resulted in a hardcore burnout period,

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-56779798896038488442011-12-18T22:12:00.004-05:002011-12-18T22:34:36.884-05:00

So I have been avoiding querying specific agents because they ask for a writer bio. As someone with no publication credits (yet! I am in the process of trying to find a home for a short story I am actually quite proud of) and no qualifications, I have no idea what the hell to say about myself. I hope it doesn't sound jaded to say that I feel like turdpolishing is necessary. I am just another

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-42828664320072064752011-12-17T08:09:00.002-05:002011-12-17T08:11:21.076-05:00

Sometimes I still find time to dance. This is improv, and was shot by my awesome videographer dad. The song is "Cabaret Macabre" by Raquy and the Cavemen. I hope you enjoy!

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-33699296644616463512011-12-16T16:28:00.003-05:002011-12-16T16:29:56.997-05:00

This morning I received a response from an agent that was not a rejection. So now there is an agent out there with my whole manuscript. Please make sacrifices to the gods/patron saints of long shots on my behalf.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-65436108607279911232011-12-10T10:59:00.004-05:002011-12-10T11:30:02.768-05:00

A patron asked me this at the show last night.I couldn't tell how she meant the question. Discomfort in her eyes. Perhaps she was trying to square what she'd seen in my performance with her own personal paradigm of sexuality. Perhaps she was trying to submit a gentle complaint, to police my behavior in a subtle way. Perhaps she was merely curious about what I do at home."I dance for everyone," I

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-32126167603255499702011-12-08T16:54:00.004-05:002011-12-08T17:00:40.964-05:00

After getting some secret feedback, I have taken another stab at the query. Some cheese has been removed. I am trying to strike a tone between cheese and dramz. Not sure if this succeeds any better than the last attempt.Writing this thing is in many ways harder than writing the damn novel was. I just deleted this sentence: "I am not cut out to write copy." SHUT UP SARA. Ugh. I will endeavor to

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-33223690197470968452011-12-08T08:41:00.005-05:002011-12-08T09:23:38.088-05:00

Well, yesterday I got my first rejection for Redlisted. I am crying zero tears. That's the way things go, and I'm sure it's just the first of many on the road to success (or wherever it is that I'm going).The rejection letter brought to my attention the fact that the query letter I was using sucked. Thus, I started from scratch and wrote an entirely different one. It is posted below for your

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-30111235154484009942011-11-28T18:27:00.006-05:002011-11-30T08:40:12.597-05:00

(also known as old news to people who follow my Facebook feed.)Redlisted is done. Finished. Complete at 80,000 words, it's finalized and I will work on it no more. I have sent it out to two agents so far. I plan to send it out to one agent a week until I run out of agents to bother or someone indicates interest.Some rather optimistic (or kind) friends of mine are all like OF COURSE it will be

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-68989199462185110142011-11-05T10:55:00.003-04:002011-11-05T11:21:38.152-04:00

I have always been an anxious person prone to rumination and insomnia. I started getting panic attacks when I was in high school. Some time in college I went to a psychiatrist (once) about the problem (yes only once) and she told me I had Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I proceeded to do nothing about it. (I am 27 now and I have done nothing about it.)Some people are anxious about social situations

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-11549158226314111302011-10-27T10:26:00.005-04:002011-10-27T11:06:30.829-04:00

So what follows may seem like another woe-is-Sara kind of post, but rest assured, that's not what I'm feeling. I just want to take stock of things by writing them out. And I feel fine. I'm happier recently than I've been in a long time.I think it's time for me to re-evaluate my ambitions.I've been trying for three-ish years to 'make it' as a bellydance teacher. By 'making it' I mean making enough

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-23798283257329183712011-09-25T09:11:00.009-04:002011-09-25T10:21:56.587-04:00

This post is inspired by an old post at Coilhouse, one of my favorite blogs.Rogue.I started using a computer when I was three. Back in the 80s this was the exception, not the rule. My parents had a PC Jr, one of the first computers with a monitor that could display any kind of color. My dad taught me how to use MS DOS to access the games on the PC Jr. My favorite of these games was called

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-88526995101327790382011-09-20T15:23:00.004-04:002011-09-20T15:41:53.493-04:00

So I'm going to try blogging again. Let's not talk about the hiatus and my related feelings of shame. No one wants to hear about it, least of all me.Instead let's talk about my current projects.The old obsession rears its (ugly? fabulous? combo of the two?) head. After a months-long hiatus, I am working on the fifth draft (sane, normal, balanced decision) of my vampire novel, which henceforth

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-26438310849196426332011-05-27T21:55:00.004-04:002011-05-27T22:08:59.665-04:00

July 9 at Twisted Dance Studio in Gboro! I will be teaching two awesome workshops and giving a FREE lecture about the history of bellydance! REGISTER HERE: 3">http://www.twisteddance.com/blog/sara-beaman-workshops/Both workshops are open to all dancers, regardless of skill level or stylistic persuasion. I try to include something for everyone! (Hopefully more than one thing!)10am-12pm: Dancing

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-29831071426374897942011-05-27T14:58:00.002-04:002011-05-27T15:13:51.582-04:00

because I haven't posted in quite some time. I've been feeling kind of drained lately, both mentally and physically, and I haven't had much happen that I was excited to write about. A few weeks ago I thought I had happened across a prescription combination that was going to be the magic bullet for my fibromyalgia symptoms. I was really ready to believe that I might be able to achieve a new

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-69659461662636535592011-04-13T11:58:00.004-04:002011-04-13T12:34:51.690-04:00

I have a confession to make. I am a serial procrastinator, and I have the attention span of a puppy at a public park. I have low energy, I can't remember what happened five minutes ago, and I can't seem to get organized no matter how hard I try. I'm basically a cautionary tale, so it might seem that I'm the last person in the world that should be writing about productivity. HOWEVER. Despite my

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-82683921310023128152011-04-11T21:12:00.003-04:002011-04-11T21:40:12.387-04:00

This moment's thought: Oh shit. That's right. I have a blog.So I haven't blogged in over a month. That's shameful. Here's a hasty attempt to assert my enduring devotion to the interwebs and to all of my amazing, charismatic, erudite readers, all of whom have excellent taste and should totally keep reading.Here's what's up. I'll keep it to soundbytes.Fibromyalgia. I am probably having some sort of

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-17304928013348181302011-03-08T11:27:00.002-05:002011-03-08T12:12:29.082-05:00

This is Part 3 of a 4(?) part series on teaching bellydance. Part 1 (why to teach, and what to expect when you start teaching) and Part 2 (resources for new teachers) are available at the links.Part 3: Cultivating UniquenessSo you've started teaching, or you're considering it. How are you going to distinguish yourself from the other teachers in your area and create a niche for yourself? In other

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-44331055423411084812011-03-02T22:32:00.003-05:002011-03-02T22:37:48.762-05:00

I am starting to feel better about the book again. (Let's see how long that lasts.) I'm plugging away at the edits of the even chapters and I think I'm starting to see improvement. Meanwhile, I am busy working on my "short story" which is quickly ballooning in scope and asking to become a novella, a novel, even a series of novels. The more I think about the premise and setting the more I want to

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-90073240369177067262011-02-28T13:49:00.005-05:002011-02-28T14:19:33.497-05:00

Hey, guess what? That's what! It's walk of shame time.Here were my goals for February.-Choreograph a solo for the Bozenka show. ALL OF IT.Well, I tried. I got a minute and a half of a new choreo done, then decided I totally hated it. And now I will be doing improv. Abort/Retry/Fail.-Write an epilogue for my book.I did this. And I actually liked it.-Write a plot summary. No, really. Actually write

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-27633659726380501682011-02-24T10:38:00.008-05:002011-02-24T12:19:54.934-05:00

Resources for New and Aspiring TeachersIf you want to teach, but you're unsure about how to lead a safe warm-up, how to help students avoid injury, how to explain safe alignment, and other such concerns, these resources can help.If you are a teacher, and you know of a helpful book, website or DVD I haven't included in this list, please let me know in the comments!Anatomy of Movement by Blandine

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-76017487957332864292011-02-23T17:05:00.008-05:002011-02-23T18:45:39.867-05:00

I've been getting my thoughts together for some private lessons on teaching. I thought I'd post about it, since I'm trying to organize my mind over it anyway and the easiest way for me to do that is to write.I've been teaching since 2004, which is not that long. I'm not the final authority on anything. Everything in this article is just my opinion, nothing more. That being said, let's start at

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-52693154143089319392011-02-15T12:40:00.001-05:002011-02-15T12:42:33.884-05:00

Early Spring Session 2011This will be a six-week session of classes with no breaks. Classes start on February 26 and run until April 2.Both classes will take place at World in Motion Dance, Movement and Music Center. Find out more about the studio, class policies, and registration at http://www.worldinmotiondance.com !These classes are likely to sell out, so be sure to register as soon as

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-30969894208404920022011-02-13T10:42:00.013-05:002011-02-17T13:13:45.347-05:00

An attempt at a sort of column.Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I love cast-offs. My ideal shopping experience involves digging through heaps of crap to find hidden gems. I'd rather have a $30 shopping spree at Goodwill than a $200 spree at the mall, even though Goodwill smells funny and there are no benches in most of the dressing rooms. The reasons for this are many and varied.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-14609620940431775112011-02-13T10:14:00.003-05:002011-02-13T10:42:00.122-05:00

I just realized I haven't posted in over a week, so here's to rectifying that.The book has me in a funk. I have always oscillated through periods of liking it and hating it, and right now I am in a hater phase. I am attempting to edit half of the chapters to make the voices of my two narrators more distinct. This means bringing these newly-reworked chapters back to a much less polished phase of

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-35281139747379394142011-02-02T15:34:00.002-05:002011-02-02T15:49:16.830-05:00

I'm hoping to make this a regular blog installment-- hopefully I'll figure out a better name than the above. But yeah, my friends are up to some pretty cool stuff. Check it.The fabulous Lisa Zahiya started a new blog, A Year of Practice, which chronicles her own resolution to practice every day in 2011 and encourages others to do the same. Practice what? Well, in her case she means bellydance,

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-34937592634688590652011-01-31T14:45:00.007-05:002011-01-31T21:49:33.428-05:00

It's that time of the month-- the time when I look at what I wanted to accomplish and either laugh at the naivete of my goals or berate myself for failing. Just kidding! I do usually get most of what I want to do done. Sort of. Sometimes.Let's see how I did in January.-Don't get sick againI only got a little sick. I'm feeling okay for the most part. Silver Star!!-Continue practicing as daily as

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-86324261423930378812011-01-27T12:05:00.011-05:002011-01-27T13:38:34.527-05:00

The real SKB.My FLOW class will be working on stage presence and persona this weekend. As I've been preparing our curriculum, I've been thinking about my own dance persona and my goals as a performer.I've realized that I don't really have a dance persona. I have a real life persona. The way I behave in my performances, especially recently, is a better representation of who I really am as a person

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-20138146323653997702011-01-23T15:10:00.005-05:002011-01-23T15:55:55.080-05:00

to help me accomplish my dream. You. Yes-- you. Any and all of you-- however many of you are willing to help.I supplicate myself before you and beg for your aid.As you may or may not have heard, I have written a novel. I don't mean I have a half-finished idea for a novel, either-- in fact, it's about as done as I can make it on my own. I've put my heart and soul and countless hours of work into

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-42466549574316344632011-01-19T17:41:00.008-05:002011-01-19T18:52:56.704-05:00

Such that there is any.I read through draft three and made line edits on paper; now I am busy typing them into the document. My biggest problem right now is that I love the end of the book and I'm still not sure that the beginning isn't crap. It's not that I don't like it, but I'm not in love with it-- and if I'm not in love with it I'm not sure I can expect anyone else to even tolerate it. By

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-24351105016945289532011-01-18T09:59:00.006-05:002011-01-18T13:41:57.943-05:00

Feedback! It's not a four-letter word, but it is a compound word made of two four-letter words. Many people find it terrifying; others are junkies for it; yet others ignore it whenever possible. However you feel about feedback, you can't avoid it forever. It's not something that happens only to artists-- if you do anything, anything at all, ever, among other people, you are at risk for feedback.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-64196324763769609202011-01-13T22:24:00.003-05:002011-01-13T22:49:01.443-05:00

Technically speaking, this is the homework for my Stagecraft for Soloists class (Saturdays from 2:30 to 3:45PM at World in Motion! And there's still space to join us, FYI!), but ya'll other people can play along with us at home. Join us in the comments if'n you like.The goal for this assignment is to practice thoughtful, non-judgmental critique and to start thinking about some of the issues we

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-83651093052682087502011-01-11T08:26:00.004-05:002011-01-11T10:15:17.991-05:00

At this time of year, tons of new classes and new sessions of existing classes are starting back up. Lots of new and returning students are coming into the classroom. The season inspired me to share what I've learned about being a bellydance student. No-- not being a bellydancer, but being a student of bellydance. These are the things I wish I could tell all of my students before every class, but

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-63970485563998490032011-01-06T09:39:00.010-05:002011-01-07T09:49:37.723-05:00

I was just looking through my old morning pages journal for 2009 to find material for my upcoming FLOW class when I came along this entry, dated August 19- four days after my twenty-fifth birthday. It's pretty amusing. Here it is, unedited.I'm super jazzed because I just drank a ton of coffee. I guess this week I'm supposed to explore my childhood experiences with creativity. (This was an

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-13329361832013018732011-01-05T14:10:00.003-05:002011-01-05T14:29:30.895-05:00

Let's see how I did with my December goals! This goal check in will be in report card format.-Promote my January classes at World in Motion. NO, FOR REAL THIS TIME.S for Somewhat. I did some stuff to promote my classes. I probably could/still can do more. Thankfully, the enrollment isn't as slow as last session's was, so maybe I am seeing the fruits of my anemic labor.-Update and simplify my

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-62537248968739484732011-01-01T19:55:00.017-05:002011-01-08T08:34:13.652-05:00

I had wanted my own dog for a long time, pretty much since I moved out of my parents' house, but I wanted to wait until I knew I could be a good dog parent before getting one. Last year I figured it was about time. My parents offered to pay the adoption fee at a shelter as a Christmas present. So, excited and nervous, I went out to find a shelter dog. I decided I'd go to the Durham Animal

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-58997055218053019992011-01-01T18:59:00.005-05:002011-01-01T19:53:42.046-05:00

I've been thinking a lot lately (not unusual) about the dire and sweeping problems humanity faces (also not unusual) and wondering how tiny individuals like myself fit in to times like these (all right, so, full disclosure, this is really something I've done all the time for a while. It's not a new thing at all). Within the larger questions I have about life lie many smaller ones, stacked like

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-48044536772827458362011-01-01T16:53:00.005-05:002011-01-01T17:15:32.479-05:00

I found a tiny white dog, my sweet Lola Bee.I developed a new kind of hip scarf design made of recycled materials, and I sold a few of them too.I choreographed three new solos.I made a new costume for myself without breaking my ban on buying new craft supplies.I wrote a novel about vampires.I played too many roleplaying games.I met a giant octopus.I went to England and California.I started this

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-75237804453929746652010-12-29T12:48:00.001-05:002010-12-29T12:50:05.457-05:00

It's probably time to get started on your new year's resolution, which is to shake it. And if that's not your resolution, it should be.GO!flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&playlistID=41166008&style=metal&p=0" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="window" />

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-61201724021925013302010-12-28T19:25:00.004-05:002010-12-29T12:51:22.871-05:00

Please visit my 100% non-outdated website, now available at SaraBeaman.com!

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-25722626740373526512010-12-28T12:59:00.002-05:002010-12-28T13:02:11.326-05:00

My goal as a teacher is to help you access your body's own style of dance and open the doors to your creative intuition. I teach Fusion Bellydance to this end, to allow students to develop their own approach to bellydance. I want to help you dance in a way that isn't just safe for your body, but makes you feel beautiful inside and out. My classes are centered around your experience; I am always

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-75570982023165157102010-12-20T10:51:00.001-05:002010-12-20T10:52:32.955-05:00

This is what we're playing in the lobby here at the SKB corporate headquarters.flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&playlistID=40915876&style=metal&p=0" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="window" />

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-34441215556869344412010-12-19T22:43:00.002-05:002010-12-19T22:55:54.552-05:00

Image from A Journey Round My Skull.The third draft of my novel is done! I finished the final chapter earlier today while listening to Mastodon's album Crack the Skye on repeat. Very motivational, let me tell you.The new version is 92,585 words long-- over 20k words less than the first draft! I do plan to write an epilogue, but I that will take more than 5,000 words, so I should be able to get

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-32256790129512463042010-12-16T12:15:00.006-05:002010-12-16T12:54:10.268-05:00

Image from A Journey Round My Skull.I am typically the kind of person who sets goals (e.g. tasks I can complete through hard work and perseverance) rather than dreams (which I tend to view as asking the universe for favors). I don't consider myself a pessimist, nor an optimist. I prefer to avoid thinking about what the world will churn out in the future, instead focusing on the small list of

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-72972802497464109612010-12-13T12:03:00.001-05:002010-12-13T12:05:24.499-05:00

flashvars="hostname=cowbell.grooveshark.com&playlistID=40905671&style=metal&p=0" allowScriptAccess="always" wmode="window" />Gloomy music for the season.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-12230218134574210532010-12-13T10:33:00.003-05:002010-12-13T10:36:58.108-05:00

I had to share this picture of myself from a performance at the Pinhook. I'm not used to seeing performance photos of myself wearing so little makeup, but I kind of like it!The photographer is Paul Cory.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-24388590964992999362010-12-01T11:24:00.004-05:002010-12-01T11:45:14.429-05:00

Let's see how I did with my November goals!-Finish third drafts for 1/3 of the remaining chapters of the novel. I actually managed to do this, despite it being tons of work!!-Keep practicing new solo choreographies and work on solo improv.I made a half-assed effort vis a vis the choreography, but, still, that's better than nothing. I also did some solo improv I didn't hate for the first time in

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-5759724393393521442010-11-28T09:19:00.003-05:002010-11-28T10:31:26.453-05:00

I am knee deep in my third revision of my first novel. I just finished editing the fourth chapter of the book for the second time and I'm about to start on the fifth. There are fifteen chapters in total, but the last few chapters are much shorter than the first, so I'm about one fourth to one third done with the third draft. I figure I am going to need to do a fourth draft and perhaps also a

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-5935074360045575962010-11-15T20:56:00.002-05:002010-11-15T21:13:44.579-05:00

Since resigning myself to the fact that I will probably never make a living bellydancing, I have grown considerably more comfortable with myself as a dancer. I enjoy creating choreographies more, and I enjoy teaching more. I've always enjoyed performing, but now I feel less anxious about it. Why?Why does everything seem so much easier now?I know a lot of this is because I no longer feel like I

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-19594674224411145982010-11-12T15:13:00.003-05:002010-11-13T11:35:44.996-05:00

If you're an artist, everyone in this world has something to teach you, even people who are less skilled than you in a particular discipline-- even people with no training whatsoever. Once I realized this for myself, I've been able to learn so much about my two main creative areas of interest-- dance performance and writing stories-- through simply observing my reaction to the work of other

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-6425947708163996332010-10-28T10:20:00.004-04:002010-10-28T10:28:55.015-04:00

Well, I didn't even post any goals for October. Perhaps I somehow knew that I would get next to nothing done? All right-- to be fair, I've been working on responsible, "real life", adult kinds of things, like trying to find a job and getting my passport renewed (which was a three week long saga of intrigue and horror). Note: I did manage to choreograph a new solo and rewrite chapter one of my

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-9646502830375334022010-10-26T12:06:00.004-04:002010-10-26T13:00:49.308-04:00

It is not a secret that many of the things that I love with a love from my deepest heart are kind of cheesy. Slightly hokey. Perhaps not to be taken totally seriously. Let me enumerate with some examples, some of my very very favorite things in the world:-Dragons.-Also, dungeons.-The combination thereof.-Bellydance. (I understand that many of you may not find it cheesy, but I think it's hard to

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-87967719156757030502010-10-16T12:41:00.003-04:002010-10-16T13:03:20.259-04:00

At long last, my Saturday classes (CORE and FLOW) are starting up again, and this time they have a new and much more fabulous home: World in Motion Dance, Movement and Music Center in Morrisville! YAY!World in Motion is a new studio dedicated entirely to world dance-- I think it's probably the first world dance studio to open in the Triangle! It's co-owned by Sashi and Emily of Blue Moon (also

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-4288269060180792652010-10-06T14:52:00.003-04:002010-10-06T15:11:47.294-04:00

Life got real, you guys.My husband's car needs an engine replacement. We don't have the money to fix it, nor do we have the money to buy a new car. Since we both need a car to get to work, I've been driving him to work and picking him up every day. This wouldn't be so bad, but he works 45 minutes from where we live, in the opposite direction from my work. As a result, I've put myself on a No

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-19544047318080634282010-09-20T10:50:00.016-04:002010-09-20T16:03:35.734-04:00

One does not simply become weird overnight. I have cultivated my taste for the bizarre for my entire life, developing my peculiar and particular sensibilities through the consumption of a wide array of counter-cultural artifacts. This entry is the second in a series cataloging my most beloved of those books, films, television shows, and other forms of media.Spoilers are happening in this article.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-26429467788738847142010-09-18T19:02:00.003-04:002010-09-18T19:04:52.110-04:00

I just finished the second draft of the novel. YAY! YAY! YAY! OMG YAY!...Okay, well, sort of. I've decided that it needs some kind of epilogue, or maybe even a Chapter Sixteen, because right now the end is extremely abrupt and not terribly gratifying.And of course I still have a ton of editing left to do, even once I'm finished with that.But still. Yay Yay Yay!

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-67903994894896678852010-09-18T11:03:00.001-04:002010-09-18T11:04:24.629-04:00

It is a new blog design, sort of. I drew the header.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-77603807232939271142010-09-17T21:12:00.004-04:002010-09-18T09:34:21.054-04:00

Well, September's already more than half over. (what?!) Let's check in and see how much progress I haven't made towards my September goals!!Finish the second draft of the novel. Okay, so if you don't count a short part of Chapter 11 that I haven't been able to finish for various reasons, I only have chapters 13, 14 and 15 left to edit! I even have Chapter 13 pulled up in Chrome right now, because

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-79687772014689714312010-09-15T11:30:00.011-04:002010-09-15T18:35:40.129-04:00

I'm always fascinated to read about how other people do creative work. Everyone seems to have their own unique process; oftentimes, a person's work style is highly evident in their creative output, or it reflects their personality, or both.My work style is almost more an expression of my personality than the things I produce are. It's simple and difficult, just like me.My creative process can be

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-58079768395619678802010-09-12T19:30:00.003-04:002010-09-12T19:38:22.201-04:00

This is the second video I shot last weekend. I have to say, watching these multicamera videos of myself is strangely compelling. I feel official or something.The first half of the dance is choreography, the second is improv.I hope you enjoy!

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-6178125208191120022010-09-10T15:02:00.008-04:002010-09-10T15:23:24.121-04:00

I made two illustrations this week. They have nothing to do with one another, but together they're a pretty awesome study in contrast.The first may or may not have something to do with my book. The second is going to be a gift for a friend. I hope you like them!(pen on watercolor paper)(marker and watercolor pencil on watercolor paper)They share the same arm angle. It's a coincidence.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-32559487705739718232010-09-10T10:08:00.008-04:002010-09-10T11:59:56.950-04:00

I have had Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) for over a decade. I was diagnosed with the condition when I was thirteen. I'd love to be able to write an inspiring little story about how I've overcome my symptoms through hard work and determination. Unfortunately, at the risk of sounding morose, the truth of the matter is that the syndrome has altered much of the course of my life and continues to

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-30836102926147204232010-09-09T09:47:00.004-04:002010-09-09T09:57:01.425-04:00

This is the first of two videos I recorded last weekend during Hannan Sultan's performance DVD shoot. Hannan graciously let me use the stage while she was taking a break between performances. This was my first time being filmed by a professional company. I think the final video turned out really well!

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-91250724626215437712010-09-02T22:30:00.003-04:002010-09-02T22:51:49.075-04:00

I just noticed that one of my videos, embedded below, has somehow amassed over 100,000 views on YouTube since I posted it in 2006.I'm posting this not because I want to brag, but because I'm amazed and humbled and more than a little confused. I performed this dance live in front of perhaps eighty people, ninety at most. I was unsure if anyone would like it-- I was worried it'd be too "over the

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-12321233436426687212010-09-02T21:45:00.004-04:002010-09-02T22:20:43.050-04:00

It's September already. I'm so glad to be nearing the end of summer here in North Carolina and entering the season of the spooky. Autumn is my favorite! I need to start getting my Halloween costumes together... Just as in August, I'm going to list my goals for September. I will try my best to actually stick to them this time. Only time will tell if I'll be successful!Finish the second draft of

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-59494149716617585422010-08-21T12:33:00.003-04:002010-08-21T13:43:34.344-04:00

I am trying to figure out how to distill the themes in my book down to a one-sentence pitch. This is the result.I.Amnesiac girlIs taken on a road tripBy new undead friends.II.Her resemblance toa strange man's blood relativeleft her bleeding out.III.She doesn't complainabout her predicament;her tongue has been tied.IV.Having ingestedthe blood of a vampire,she glimpses the past.V.Her dreams

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-40863816083989945892010-08-20T09:58:00.004-04:002010-08-20T10:20:53.846-04:00

Well, believe it or not, August will soon be over. It's time to check in with my goals for the month and see how I'm doing so far!Goal One: Edit five chaptersI have edited SEVEN chapters! That's about half of the book. Gold star!! Get the word count down by at least 5k.I think I was insane when I made this my goal. I have only managed to cut out a little over 4k words. Still, that's almost enough

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-34677587489883964602010-08-13T10:36:00.004-04:002010-08-13T10:49:23.864-04:00

The second draft of Chapter 4 is done. Yay! Now I get to work on Chapter 5, which, in my opinion, was one of the best chapters to begin with-- it has two of my favorite scenes in the book. I am excited about getting to work through it again.So far I have managed to cut 3033 words from the manuscript and I don't miss any of them. I've only been cutting things I'm 100% convinced are extraneous; I

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-4914691761446666482010-08-11T16:05:00.019-04:002010-08-21T13:46:30.266-04:00

I saw this quotation today in a Facebook post by Otep Shamaya:"If it doesn't come bursting out of you in spite of everything, don't do it -- If you're doing it for money or fame, don't do it. If you're doing it because you want women in your bed, don't do it -- If it's hard work just thinking about doing it, don't do it -- If you have to wait for it to roar out of you, then wait patiently. If it

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-988630024386679892010-08-08T21:30:00.004-04:002010-08-08T21:40:04.714-04:00

I just finished the second draft of Chapter Three. Yay! So far, in my opinion, it is the most improved of the chapters-- it went from being one of my least favorite chapters to one of my most. Go Chapter Three!I also submitted a micro-short story (1000 words) to a publication yesterday-- well, it's sort of a publication. It's actually a podcast-- a horror fiction podcast, to be specific. This

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-88079927888438933452010-08-07T14:13:00.010-04:002010-08-07T15:30:50.704-04:00

Above: The author in Indian dragI guess I'm a tribal fusion bellydancer or something, so I will write about that now.I have been grappling with my label and genre for years. The depth of my identity crisis is abyssal. I have enough creative angst for seventeen dancers. I cannot seem to find any nomenclature for what it is that I do that doesn't feel grating. Most of this is because I spend too

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-36802446854805720072010-08-07T12:58:00.001-04:002010-08-07T12:59:57.393-04:00

As you can see, I've changed the title of the blog. The new name came to me in a flash as I was washing dishes. I'm happy with it. I think it describes what I have been doing for my entire life.

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-829997799857578462010-08-04T15:57:00.008-04:002010-08-04T21:30:21.562-04:00

I started attempting to edit Chapter Three on Monday. I found that some of the scenes really seemed to drag and that they didn't feel real or authentic to me. The exchanges between the characters lacked energy; one of my characters did about twelve data-dump style explanations of various plot points; there was no tension. You'd think I would be upset, coming to the realization that what I had

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-38689338739483241942010-08-04T08:35:00.005-04:002010-08-04T08:44:29.566-04:00

I have just been interviewed for the first time! Olivia Kaplan at Under the Sun Bellydance Bazaar kindly asked me to participate in her monthly interview series, and of course I said yes. I was so enthusiastic about being interviewed that all of my answers are super long and I spent way too much time on many of them. They are my real feelings and opinions, straight from the heart, and thus ever

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-12780414458033278632010-08-02T21:34:00.008-04:002010-08-03T08:10:21.354-04:00

At this rate, I may be able to edit more than 5 chapters in August, but I am not going to kill myself to make that happen. I would rather spend more time with each chapter--although not too much time with each chapter. I have learned that there is absolutely such a thing as too much editing. There seems to be a critical threshold which, once I pass it, I start looking at the words and they no

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-60690630052619880172010-07-31T13:48:00.007-04:002010-07-31T17:26:43.550-04:00

This is basically how things are going in my inner world.(Click to enlarge.)Because I started out with such a vague idea of what I wanted to write, and my characters all developed as they were being written, going back to the first few chapters in the book is a little bizarre. Everyone's voice has changed so much. Stylistic choices that seemed appropriate at the time now sound totally false. I am

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-49987609366928207722010-07-30T13:37:00.001-04:002010-07-30T13:48:58.049-04:00

I've finished my second draft of Chapter One. Yay! This chapter might still be the weakest of all, even after getting a revision, but at least I've started the process of bringing it up to the level of the rest of the book. As the writer, it's very hard to know if the chapter is compelling or if it "works". I have no perspective on the matter. Of course I find it interesting (if I didn't, I'd

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-21387269923487906512010-07-28T13:26:00.000-04:002010-07-29T12:01:18.053-04:00

One does not simply become weird overnight. I have cultivated my taste for the bizarre for my entire life, developing my peculiar and particular sensibilities through the consumption of a wide array of counter-cultural artifacts. This entry is the first in a series cataloging my most beloved of those books, films, television shows, and other forms of media.My parents have played Dungeons and

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-17376667526980451852010-07-27T20:18:00.000-04:002010-07-28T08:37:20.701-04:00

Edit five chapters. (Originally this read "edit all of the chapters", but then I realized that would leave me 2 days per chapter. haha, no.) Right now I am using a technique where I read all of the text aloud to myself to see where things get awkward. It's time-consuming, but it helps. I'm currently about a quarter of the way through the first chapter. (There are fifteen in total.)I'm also

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-20250236039085873622010-07-27T14:35:00.000-04:002010-07-27T14:57:15.292-04:00

(This is not my official book blurb thingy; those are supposed to sound good.) "The Left Hand of Memory" (working title) is a horror novel (mostly) exploring themes of memory, volition, and identity. The book follows two narrators, both of whom have been displaced from their everyday lives and thrown into the machinations of strange people with strange powers. Most of the characters in the book

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773097852582328039.post-15178143647250733442010-07-27T12:10:00.000-04:002010-07-27T12:27:32.117-04:00

I finished the first draft of my first novel yesterday. I started writing in late April. I started the book with only the vaguest idea of what I wanted to accomplish; I had no plan, no plot outline, and general concepts for only two of my characters. Unsure of where this impulse came from or where it would end up leading me, I didn't tell anyone what I had done until the first chapter was

Sarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09372128468282639748noreply@blogger.com2