Always Promote Your Business

A very important lesson I learned from Mr. Wonderful (my former partner), always promote your business. If you are out and about, make conversation with random people. Mention your business, hand out your business card. You never know what connection might be made by simply sayinhg something. I don't mean to throw the card around. If you happen to strike up a conversation and you find the opportunity to promote your busines, DO IT! 

I LOVE these business cards I designed through Vistaprint. I wanted simple, elegant, and include one of my cartoon drawings. Blocked out my phone number, I only want local work, if possible for now. 

Next assignment - doing the nails, gurrl. I have never been much of a high-maintenance manicured gal when it comes to nails. I want to be able to use long fingernails in the comedy act so I can click my nails together. Rather than pay $35-$40 for a professional manicure, I went to Dollar Tree and spent less than $6 on products. We will see how that goes ...

My social media focus has been to post on Instagram @Tamaschen. I have been experimenting with story posts, a "cooking" tutorial, and my first bikini shopping trip. That video got a little IG medal notation of over 1,000 views. Zippety doo dah! That was my first video combining two into one. 

I tried to edit a long sunset viewing video and ended up deleting it accidentally. Not just from iMovie, but from my iPhone. I don't think it was meant to be. 

I have taken another step with preparing the live comedy act. Adult Improv Classes are offered in my city so in a couple of weeks, I begin that training. 

Still waiting on the ordered makeup to arrive so I can photo shoot the head shots for a new avatar. Lots to do, lots going on. 

Costuming, Makeup, and Back to the Art Studio

On Tami the Terror costume and makeup (my newly-forming comedic act).

Happy gladness that I kept all of the wigs, costumes, and tiaras from thrifting. The red wig in the blurred image is the one I will be using in the act. Waiting on a makeup order to re-work the Instagram avatar. 

Haven't worn face makeup in ages so that will be fun. Especially the eyeliner, I am sure I can gork that up so I look like I've had a rough night on the town. 

I've written about 10 minutes of stand up material. I study the other comedians on Instagram for timing and jokes. I don't want to retell another comic's material, so I take pieces of their bit and change it for my older crowd. 

Art update:

Big selling point for my current home, there is the art studio for the complex two doors down from my apartment. Not only that, all of the materials, and even the cleanup are provided. Twice a month, an instructor is brought in and the group can work as a collective. 

Even though small canvases are provided, I have three blank ones left from my dabbling in painting days. I just unpacked my art books and supplies from the move. Still have a full-sized wooden easel in storage. 

My homework for the next art session is to choose an abstract image from my 1957 Dictionary of Abstract Painting. The publication was printed in France, how much more artsy could you get? There are more than enough images to choose from. I really didn't know if I would ever paint again. I may even go back to college for my art degree. The college is even closer and I could attend in person.😀I just missed the fall semester, so I will see what is offered in the spring. 

Preparing the Act

How do I plan to turn Tami the Terror into a comedy act? Start by writing material. Some of the stories I have and will turn into Instagram posts. 

For a stand-up routine, I estimate 10 hours of written material for 10 minutes. Meaning the ideas and jokes are distilled down. I prepared presentations more than once when I was a state worker. Hours are spent in the drafting and writing. 

I have ordered business cards printed with my hand-drawn logo. There is going to be a talent show at my retirement community where I will debut my first routine. In the meantime, I can videotape myself so I can get the timing right. 

This isn't something I just thought up overnight. Because of the explosion of influencers and every day people sharing anything and everything, it is the wild, wild West on the internet. 

There are comedians I would like to emulate like Becky Robinson aka Entitled Housewife, Christy Lynn, and Leslie Jones. The latter more bawdy than the other two, with an in-your face type of style. 

Do you have a dream of a new career? Time to get up off the sidelines and go!

The Third Act - Tami the Terror is born

I want to try my hand at online comedy. Instagram is one of my favorite platforms to spend time scrolling. There, I can follow other comedians like Leanne Morgan. My IG handle is now simply "Tami." I was able to rename from my original account.

Why have I called myself Tami the Terror? Because I am terrorizing my new neighborhood. In a good way. Sure, I should know better than to go to happy hours and engage in drunken shopping. Nobody is driving around here. Just walking, maybe a little unsteady. Even slurring my words. WHO CARES? No one is minding the store.  

The seems to be an open brand name right now. Maybe I will re-name later. 

There are so many funny stories of when the kids were growing up. So much easier to present material online than having to go to a club for open mike. I have watched from the sidelines for too long. My first two Instagram posts were about a past relationship but moving forward now on to other material.

Strap in and come along for the ride!

Grandfluencer on the Move

It has taken me 8 months to find an independent living retirement community. I have been retired over two years. The property I have moved to has active adult residences. Pretty much all inclusive except for utilities, and a few incidentals. 

Over those months, I have been working hard at bringing a family residence back to its former glory. The front and back yards were cleared of weeds. A traditional border garden was planted in the front and a vegetable garden in the back yard. All bedrooms got new flooring, and were freshly painted. 

NOW is the time to concentrate on me. Big bonus - there is a pool. You know where you will find me. 

Going through a second purge in the shed and finally found her - my original Barbie. She is wearing a dress my mom made. 

Another toy discovered from my childhood Uneeda's Tiny Teens Fashion Doll from 1967. 

Vintage AVON Pretty Peach cologne. Apparently, it was a favorite of mine with very little cologne left. 

Ending the post with a small beginning. Starting over again with furniture and all the living essentials. The lamp is from my mom's estate and the shelving from thrift. 

Nifty Thrifty

My sourcing focus for selling on eBay has changed to decks of cards. These next two listed were recent finds found after digging through the kids toys bins full of Old Maid and flashcards. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188783114580

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188783168791

That rustic barn fabric used in the background? One of my last retail fabric splurges - 5 yards of it available if I need to photograph larger items. 

I have also been replacing our stoneware dinner and dessert plates. When my daughter got married, I kept at least 6 patterns of fine China from that event. Those plates cannot be placed in a microwave, but stoneware can. 

At thrift, I also check for CDs that are unique or unusual. This Mingo Fishtrap, From the Private Bag, caught my eye. Not only was the CD in great condition, it appears each the band members signed the CD insert. If I didn't list it for so much, I would keep it. Such a fun listen. 20 other Christmas CDs were also listed. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/188783260057

Glad I had the foresight to hold back from sending all of my former eBay product to thrift. Here is the tub o' needlekits, 30 of them are those formerly listed for sale and those I had kept for myself. My days of hand-crafting are severely limited. The neddlekits are queued up next for an eBay listing session. 

I have upgraded to picnicing and camping on the back deck. Fleas found their way into my indoor tent, so the tent technique ultimately failed. As long as it isn't 100 degree days, it is OK sleep outside. One advantage to a cot is the ability to move it around. 

Before you know it, fall will be here. Next month, I start preparing my Countdown to Christmas posts. In November, we will begin decorating the front yard for Christmas. 

Final Fantasy Flash #12

Yet another cool beans background in this Final Fantasy realm. Greercourt upgraded legwear to Ascetic's Tights, with a mucho magic defense of 50. 

Healed a sick unicorn, guess he likes me, I get to ride all over the place now. Because I am a conjurer, that mount is special to our class of character and each one has a different soundtrack. This guy also trails stars and makes the clippy cloppy hoof sounds along the way. A delightful discovery. I've also seen during game play a unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail.  

There is an inventory tab that needs to be checked from time to time to activitate the different items earned during game play. 

What fascinates me is that other players can see you move through the game and you can see them. I still can't get over that. I wonder what other players are thinking when they pause and turn to look at your character. Or if they are even looking that way. IDK

There are nearly 500 minions one can choose from to follow you around in the game. This floating airship is one of them. My son has a Welsh Corgi minion. 

Dungeons continue to be most fun, when I stumble on them. I haven't linked up with any other real players so I enter the dungeon with NPCs (non-player characters). At first, I couldn't figure out why the NPCs were following me around.😛They sure are helpful when you have to battle the cave critters.

Now at level 36, hoping to be at level 50 by the end of this month if not sooner. What else is there to do during 100 degree summer heat waves?👹