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Please join me in giving the warmest welcome to the one and only Ess Hödlmoser! 

Ess Hödlmoser is an award-winning Canadian circus artist, writer, actor, and stunt performer. Ess has shared high-flying aerial straps and breath-taking contortion acts around the world through companies like Circus Flic Flac, Cirque du Soleil, the Moulin Rouge, and more; and performed twice at the prestigious Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris.

You'll find Ess online in most places under the handle @strangewonderfulcreature, from Instagram, to Patreon, to Tiktok. 

I HIGHLY recommend following and supporting Ess on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/strangewonderfulcreature
www.strangewonderfulcreature.com

What you'll hear:

• Being on contract with Circus Flic Flac, and performing upwards of 52 shows in 24 days 3:45
• On the experience of returning as a laureate to view the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris one year after performing there for the last time 6:30
• Sports psychology and how Ess approaches using it in high-pressure situations 16:00
• The New Toughness Training for Sports: Mental Emotional Physical Conditioning from 1 World's Premier Sports Psychologis By Jim Loehr  18:00
• What it's like trying to carry on when you're NOT trying to achieve a lifetime goal 22:00
• WE ARE WORMS! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5mcpZ5nTLg  23:00
• How Monte Carlo and Cirque du Demain compare 25:40
• How BARBETTE evolved since 2021, and how Ess decided to pivot the act from contortion to straps 30:00
• Ess' experience of working in film and being a part of the industry in this post-panini world  38:30
• Working with Circus Flic Flac, and the reality of the Christmas contract 43:00
• IF YOU LISTEN TO NOTHING ELSE LISTEN TO THIS  38:00
• How he approaches maintaining some semblance of privacy for himself online, being such a visible person 56:30
• How you approach work differently when the volume is so much higher than a one-off (or even once a day)  58:30
• It's a vibes based economy!! 1:15:00
• How the metric for success changes with volume and experience (it's not a fixed point anymore) 1:05:30
• Inappropriate jokes to end because we do what we want.

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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Send us Fan Mail

Bringing back one of the primary reasons I wanted to start this podcast, occasionally telling the stories.

What you'll hear:

• Happy April's Fools, I guess.  But DEFINITELY happy spring here in Charleston! 1:30
• If you haven't yet met Bern, here she is 3:00
• LOCAL EVENT!  If you're local, please join me for Practical Empathy:  tools for empaths and HSP folks, April 15th from 6:30-8pm
• "We do not rush."  Read the whole Patreon post here 5:00
• If this isn't linked, Amber didn't give me permission 
• The story!  Running from the cops in Italy.  8:00

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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Find me on Instagram
Support this podcast on Patreon

Send us Fan Mail

What you'll hear:

• Somewhat bougie but not really, my Breville milk frother.  If you want one get this one, it's worth every penny:  https://www.breville.com/en-us/product/bmf600 you can probably get it cheaper elsewhere but I don't want to put an amazon link on my show notes 2:00
• Jessie Natusch Dance Works, my new dance company's director/choreographer!  3:50
• The difference between a collaboration between friends going well and not...for me 6:45
• Why I think you should still try the experiment of working with your friends even though it could end poorly 12:45
• How I learned to stop and pause before saying yes immediately, from the fab Anastasia Sauvage 13:30
• What it means when it goes badly while working with a friend (spoiler:  nothing, you can deal with it)  17:15
• For those local to Charleston SC, do join me for Practical Empathy, my workshop in tools for empaths and HSP folks!  It's April 15, one time only.  

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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Send us Fan Mail

An episode by request from Martha who asked a two pronged question about a residency opportunity:

1- when you hire a dramaturg/outside eye and are now sort of in charge of other people, how do you approach that? and 

2- How to structure open creative time during a residency?

What you'll hear:

• life updates from meeee
• Question #1 OH shit, you're a leader!  Now what?!  4:00
• A tiny soapbox on getting your needs met 6:15
• Other aspects of leadership to consider 8:00
• Why it's awesome to work with an outside eye/dramaturg 9:30
• Structuring space!
  • Temporally creating a container 12:00
  • Tiny rituals and the physical container 15:00
• Setting questions to close out each day 16:30

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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What you'll hear:

• If you're local, the first in my 3 part series Practical Empathy starts next week!  All details and tickets here! $50 each
• If you'd like the online version, you can find it here:  https://www.crowdcast.io/c/practical-empathy--use_1 $20 
• The FINAL CYCLE of The Audacity Project is enrolling this week only, until Friday at midnight, est.  All details and available places here:  https://the-audacity-project.teachable.com/p/cycle30  3:50
• Art and AI intersecting, what I've noticed so far 4:50
• Prompting Curiosity (the podcast formerly known as Chat GPT Curious) episode 2 by The Movement Maestro 6:30
• The reason I'm real salty about people using LLMs like Chat GPT 9:00
• Whyyy are people so defensive about their influence being used by a live human, but totally fine with artwork being stolen by a robot?  13:15
• What does it mean if you feel judged by someone making a comment online, not even to you?  14:00
• Robots have their use.  Here's some applications that I find AI help to be appropriate according to MY value system 15:00
• Unsplash images 19:00
• The Hi-Mark:  https://www.artistsu.org/human-intelligence 22:00

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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What you'll hear:

• I partied too hard for my dad's birthday so today I'm not at my best, which is what inspired today's episode 1:00
• Why I think phoning it in is basically giving the finger to the patriarchy 3:00
• This is NOT pro grind culture 5:15
• How this shows up in online business and self promotion 7:00
• The Movement Maestro's Mafia that I mention, you can learn about that here:  https://themovementmaestro.com/mafia-info-page/
• Someone is always suffering.  You do not help them by adding yourself to that list by withholding your effort from your life/showing up.  9:00
• MED - minimum effective dose 10:30
• Sign up here for Woo Corner!  You can also use this link (scroll down the page) to read a few first if you want 14:00

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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Find me on Instagram
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Today's episode is by request from Tali!  She asked:

"how do you approach re-visiting a project or an idea without just seeing all the negatives and the things you'd change in the original?! Coming back into the rehearsal space and seeing the piece 3 months after I made it awoke all manner of discomfort in me. The great thing was I had no time to make changes, just work with what was there and focus on bringing the original intentions through. But if I'd had time ...... I wonder if I'd have destroyed it or if it would have evolved"

Let's talk about it.  What you'll hear:

• This episode came up because of some old writing I found from a dead laptop 2:00
• A brief excerpt from found writing, dated July 9, 2013 5:00
• TLDR:  the answer comes at 10:00
• Given enough time, we could all ruin our own masterpieces.  Amazing quote from Jenny Tufts:  "The work is never done, it's only ever due."  16:50
• ALL ABOARD FOR THE LAST CYCLE EVER OF THE AUDACITY PROJECT!  20:00

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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What you'll hear:

• The waitlist will be enrolling for Cycle 30 of The Audacity Project March 2-6, get yourself on the waitlist with haste!  https://poser.kit.com/cycle30 
• General lifey updates from me 2:00
• I've heard through the grapevine that folx would be liking MOAR witchy shit.  True?  I hope so 5:00
• My personal feels on using witchcraft and calling oneself a witch (spoiler, I don't care what you call yourself, it's human nature to create ritual) 5:45
• Why a growing spell during the waxing moon?  And why I use moon magic even though I don't really follow astrology 7:15
• This is similar to the mirror tray that I use, thanks for this Kim Melohn!  12:00
• Candle colors and their correspondences:  https://www.everywitchway.co.uk/knowledgebase/candle-colour-correspondences/index.phtml   13:25
• Recommendations for ritual (not rules, but do enjoy using my recommendations of boundaries here for structure) 15:15
• How you might want to clean the energy of a space 15:50
• What to do with the mirror tray and accoutrements after you've done the initial spell 20:45
• Good ritual music, thanks to Sister Shannon for this one!  Chantress Seba:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/4oTzhtimVVQIgOofBNFVp4 22:30
• Here's the cheat sheet!

1. Decide on an intention- something that you'd like to GROW.  Let this be clear.  If it's muddy, make the clarity itself what you'd like to grow.
2. Gather accoutrements:
   1. paper and pen
   2. mirror tray or simply a mirror you can set things on, as an amplifier
   3. glass bowl for water
   4. quartz crystal (any crystal you feel attracted to will work though)
   5. talisman or symbol of what you want to grow.  If you can't think of anything that will work, just draw it on a piece of paper
   6. candle
3. Create the container in space and time
4. Clean the space's energy, light other candles or incense, and play music if you wish.
5. Write your intention clearly on the paper, as though you already have it.  ie:  "I am so happy and grateful that I have _______"
6. light the candle, hold your intention, and enjoy a good old fashioned day dream about already having that which you wish to grow.  Enjoy feeling it in your body.  Pay attention to anything that comes up.
7. Fill the bowl with water.  Place the crystal or stone in the water, and submerge the written intention.  
8. Come back daily to spend a little time at this space, daydreaming about the intention, enjoying the fantasy of having it, and burning the candle.  It doesn't need a huge time committment, quality of time is better than quantity.
9. If the water evaporates just refill it.
10. At the end of the spell (when the moon is full, or whenever you've dictated it would be complete) give the water to a houseplant.  Carry the stone or crystal with you as a daily touchstone reminder.

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
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Find me on Instagram
Support this podcast on Patreon

Send us Fan Mail

What you'll hear:

• The LAST CYCLE EVER of the Audacity Project is enrolling in a couple of weeks.  Do not miss it!  I mean it!  https://poser.kit.com/cycle30 1:00
• All jobs have costumes!  Fight me.  3:45
• If you hate costuming and don't have that particular brain cell, USE YOUR FRIENDS we can't all be experts in everything 9:30
• The staples I recommend for aerial corporate costuming 10:30
  • White/silver/gold (one of these tends to be plenty)
  • Black
  • "Classic Circus" with a red base 13:00
• Accessories! They make a huge difference 14:00
• Fishnets.  The real shit, y'all, no bullshit fishnets.  These fishnets from Capezio are the real deal. 17:00
• Here's how to alter fishnets to look great on your feet and prevent me from being deeply disappointed in you:  https://youtu.be/8uth4Ro1-AA  18:00
• Please don't forget shoes.  And no, I don't mean flip flops.  19:00
• The Hot Pink middle section of The Monstrous Feminine (paywalled for Patrons!  But honestly well worth the price of admission)  https://www.patreon.com/posts/131307336  21:45
• Looking Glass Gems, Black family owned, high quality glass (read:  super sparkley, please don't use plastic) gems for bedazzling:  https://www.lookingglassgems.com/ 
• Ok so Discount Dance Supply isn't taking orders BUT I did find this place:  https://www.dancesupplies.com/collections/adult-leotards

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
Sign up here for monthly blasts and functional woo
Find me on Instagram
Support this podcast on Patreon

Send us Fan Mail

What you'll hear:

• Why we need to find ways to conserve cogntive energy 3:00
• Definitely follow Sharon McMahon in instagram 5:22
• Our brains weren't built for social media, but social media was definitely built for our brains 6:45
• Here is the article from The Preamble I refer to:  https://open.substack.com/pub/sharonmcmahon/p/weve-lost-discernment?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web  7:15
• Hack #1 for preserving my cognitive energy:  I use the witches' almanac to inform how I dress.  It really works for me, these are choices I don't like making.  9:20
• Hack #2 for preserving my cognitive energy:  eat the same meals over and over 12:15
• Hack #3 for preserving my cognitive energy:  using my word of the year to make choices
• The next Charleston Artists Salon is February 15th!  You can share and save this IG post about it:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUQ1XzsEWer/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==  21:00
• If you wanna be on the local email list and be reminded of this and other local happenings, you can do that here 21:30

Don't go back to sleep.

xoRachel
Sign up here for monthly blasts and functional woo
Find me on Instagram
Support this podcast on Patreon