Wishcasting Wednesday (or Friday!)

This week’s Wishcasting post asks:

What is your money wish?

Apt timing! My money wish is to be financially free through paying off my parent’s loans and no longer relying on them for money; instead, to earn enough to support my life and passions though meaningful creative works, projects, and strokes of good luck! Basically to be able to support the things I love without worrying about going broke.

March Dreamboard

I didn’t make February’s in time so here’s my dreamboard for March!

I wanted something starry and fantasy-esque for the background. It took me a while to look through wallpaper sites before I found this one. It’s quite pretty!

There are two main things here: performance creativity and financial freedom.

I’m getting more involved in burlesque performance – I performed with my classmates in the RaGTaG Revue, and yesterday I did my first solo (well, a trial run anyway) for our school’s Open Day type thing (to rave reviews from my burlesque teacher – which is a massive compliment!!). I’ve also been volunteering at the Burlesque Ball, which is where the photo (of Vivi Valentine) is from. I really enjoy the experience – it’s creative, crazy, individualised, and everyone supports each other. And it’s FUN! Which is something I need more of in my life right now. Barbara Sher once said that what you love is what you’re gifted in – apparently I’m now gifted in being a burlesque ham. Hmm. we’ll see about that!

To achieve this, I need to gain a measure of financial freedom. Right now I’m mostly supported by my parents, while doing part-time or casual jobs on the side. While this does mean I don’t have to worry about rent or living, it does mean that I am beholden to them to not do anything too outrageous. They’re currently working under the model that they “allow” me to do things – when really I’m trying to wrest my independence away from them. (I’m sure they’ll comment here and protest!) I’ve been applying for jobs, and I’ve just started The Merch Girl , my burlesque+merch girl/ASM/stage help service venture. I’m also looking for grants I could use for professional development. Hopefully this year will be the first year I’m self-sustainable!

There’s also a WishCasting (somewhat belated) attached to this:

What do you wish to change?
I wish to change my source of income to be more financially free.

Wishcasting Wednesday: My Wish For Myself

Jamie at Starshyne holds a Wishcasting Wednesday where we write about what we wish for the week. Usually there’s a theme each week – what we wish for creativity, for the home, etc. This week it’s:

What do you wish for yourself?

Based on my last entry (read it for the backstory), this is pretty straightforward:

I wish for an Australian visa that will allow me to be in Australia to participate as a circus artsworker with Vulcana, develop myself further, gain more opportunities, and make my heart sing!

Speaking of singing hearts – look what my sister shared with me:

Dreamboards: Full Wolf Moon

Jamie at Starshyne Productions is currently holding a monthly dreamboard project, where participants make up dreamboards (also known as vision boards or LOA boards) consisting of symbols, pictures, and words that represent their dream and vision. This month’s Full Moon is the brightest of the year, so apparently it’s especially potent and powerful.

I like vision boards; I find the experience calming and very energetic creatively. I have 3 paper boards that I’ve laminated and placed away, filled with pictures and words about creativity, travel, adventure, learning, and so on. Some aspects have come true in unusual ways – I placed the pictures of the Tarnished performers on there mainly to represent fun and burlesque, and not only am I doing burlesque lessons, I actually got to see Tarnished at the Woodford Folk Festival for free! There you go!

Here’s my first contribution to her monthly quest:

Explanation of the dreamboard elements:

1. My head on a domme’s body, with “V-Day” on the corner – I’m performing in this year’s V-Day Brisbane – part of a worldwide yearly event to raise funds and awareness for women’s rights through performances of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues. My role involves a dominatrix/sex worker whose main aim is to please women. Like most of the other monologues, it can get quite controversial (my mum’s already having conniptions!) but it’s fun, fabulous, and empowering in the sense of celebrating deep pleasure and not letting anyone embarrass you. I’m slowly learning it – I’ve got the gist if not the precise wording – and full rehearsals start tomorrow. Whee! (Also, if you’re in Brisbane, please come!)

2. Bill Clinton behind myself at a conference, with the CGI U logo behind him as well as an airplane in front – I’ve been selected as a delegate for Clinton Global Initiative University 2009, the youth arm of President Clinton’s foundation to encourage people to work together in solving the world’s issues. I need assistance with getting airfare and accommodation in Austin, TX for the conference – it’s from Feb 13 to 15. I’ve asked my university but any other help in terms of sponsorship or other assistance is greatly appreciated!

3. A pair of hands holding a globe, with a web and heart on top – I just made this website and I’d like to build more loving connections with people through my website and my other online haunts. I’ve been online for more than half my life and I’ve found some great people and relationships, and I’d like to continue that further.

4. The “IDEAS4U” car plate – I found that on Flickr from a guy who’s doing a web project about ideas. I love ideas, and I want to share them with people (hence this website!). I’d like to have my ideas travel to reality, whether through me or someone else.

5. The words “inspiration”, “connection”, and “magic” – some elements and concepts that I find important to me now.

6. Purple stars – I like stars! Purple’s becomign a very important colour for me, and apparently it’s deeply connected with psychic and spiritual work, so it’s an apt colour for a dreamboard!

Give a dreamboard a go. It doesn’t have to be pro quality (as you can tell from my amateur Photoshopness). You can do it on the computer, or by hand – cut up a bunch of pictures and words and stick them around on paper however you wish. If you don’t have a set goal in mind, just use whatever seems lovely or draws you in – you may be surprised with the result!