It's been a wild month, and it's ironic that right before Halloween was my 13th episode.  It's interesting when your body just doesn't want to listen to your nagging commands. Ultimately, the flesh wins out, and you are powerless to stop against its demand for your submission.  That's how it has felt the last few weeks. Like my body was pinning me down, demanding that I stop everything, or I'd be locked in a choke hold. Well, I guess I didn't listen well enough.  The result was several weeks of cessation.  I stopped running, driving, cooking--every day normal things were not doable. So of course, Tizzy Wire suffered.  With all that change, it gave me a lot of time to reflect on the next phase for Tizzy Wire, and what I want this all to be. Some of that is still in flux in my mind, but I realized that the weekly schedule was killing me, and that I wasn't really putting my best into it. And being a stubborn person, I was unwilling to face that fact until my head was being pressed into the sand. So the outcome is this: Tizzy Wire is on hold, as far as major updates in 2018. The holidays are going to eat my life for the next month or so, and overdoing it at this stage is not an option for me anymore.  However, TW is not over. I said a few weeks back that December was going to be a time for me to recoup and build out something more interesting for the new year, and I meant it.  So let's take this as an evolutionary phase before the sun rises on the horizon of a new year. There is more to come. 

The tizzywire's Podcast

Tizzy Wire Podcast – Ep 14 – Back From The Dead

I feel like the real moments of truth happen at points where we are most vulnerable. I think it's because those are the times where we really have to push ourselves to explore new territory and are more open to the elements. In the past few days, I've spent some time looking back at the major influences in my life that have impacted my music. The question that I've been left with is 'when will I have a major moment like that again?' I think the answer to that lies somewhere in a true moment of vulnerability. And in order to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we need to have tremendous courage. 

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 13 - Influences and Vulnerability

It's another quiet week at Tizzy Wire, mostly because my voice has been out of commission. Trying to get that back online so I can move the discussion forward. We managed to save the interview with our next guest--so all we need to do is finish the conversation! Mostly updates this week on music progress, movies, and future guests for the show.  More coming soon!

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 12 - Tizzy Updates and Next Steps

In my life, no matter what phase I might be going through, the things that inspire me usually stay the same. And by things, I mean the methods. In other words, I may grow in and out of styles or subjects, but how I find structure and grounding stays the same. For me it's solitude, and unobserved 'musing.' It's hard for me to stay focused when there are outside distractions, but particularly when I want to find that kind of inspiration. Whether it's social media, school, work, friends, family, it doesn't matter--there is always a need for me to take a moment and remind myself where my perspective lies. I've grown to truly appreciate those moments more as I've gotten older. If we aren't cultivating our perspectives, outside of external agendas, we can miss an imperative opportunity to bring our individuality forward. In art, and in anything, I think these moments are as essential as breathing. Update: As a correction to the audio recording, our screening in the New Jersey Film Festival will take place on Sunday, September 8th.  

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 11 - Solitude and Inspiration

As I'm racing in between work, getting kids to bed, and eating that ceremonial bowl of ramen at 9PM, I have started to notice that adding a project on top of the standard regular life is a lot of work. Probably more work than I anticipated. And oddly enough, I haven't really minded. I've loved every episode of this podcast, and it's been thrilling meeting and talking to people about the project, both on and off the show. As I approached the last couple of weeks though, I realized that it was time to take a break. Just for a night--something that I haven't really allowed myself since I got started. It's funny how often I would allow breaks in my day before, and they were always validated, but this one was hard for me. I didn't want to stop, but I truly had to. And it was glorious. Sitting down and vegging on sweet potato chips and watching a classic 1930's film was just what the doctor ordered. My next day was fully refreshed with new ideas ready to go. I had never really considered taking time off as a necessity, as this podcast seems like such a 'bonus' to my life. How can I validate time off from fun? But it is work, however much fun it can be. And even fun things can take it out of you. That day off has given me time to think about the vision of this Tizzy Wire quest. Lots of ideas in the works. You just wait! 

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 10 - Taking Time

So remember when I said in the first episode that we would be talking about the movies that we make in this house? Well this is it! Welcome to our first (non-Dungeons & Dragons) episode with Charles Davis--the vision behind Chunkle Freaky's Movies. Yes, that is the correct name for his company, and it perfectly fits the tone of all the things he creates. In this episode, we take a deep dive into the brain that is Charles Davis: Where he gets his muse, how he pumps out so much material, and how he started making films with no experience and no film degree. We also get into the dirty details of the ups and downs of the film festival scene. If you've got an itch to create films, or just want to know what it's like to start from the ground up as a filmmaker, then be sure to tune in to our discussion. Also, check out his latest film, 'Portal Man,' at the Newark Film Festival (New Jersey) this September. You can find out more via his website at: chunklefreaky.com Or try social media at: Facebook/Twitter/Instagram 

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 9 - Interview: Chunkle Freaky's Movies

  Back in the day, my husband and I made podcast series called Sci-Fi Radio Theater. Taking radio drama to the next step, one of the actors in that podcast has created her own radio drama--and the first episode is fantastic! A World Where is a dystopian vision of Ani Ryder & HK Goldstein, and as of the end of September, all 8 episodes will be live. I say it over and over during the interview, but I just love the name 'A World Where.' The name fits well with the setting of episode one, and it's important to note that Ani does all of the writing, sound effects, and music in each piece.  In the discussion, we cover everything, from Ani & HK's production process, the difficulties in producing a podcast on a limited budget, and the anxiety they feel about the world at large today.  There maybe some spoilers inside here, so if you hate having stories revealed, go listen to episode one now! You can find out more about the project at aworldwhere.com, or on social media at worldwherepod (Twitter/Instagram/iTunes).

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 8 - Interview: Re-Imagining Radio Drama

Over the last few years, I've noticed a growing term that the internet generation likes to use to encapsulate the mundane work that is involved in being a responsible adult--in this case, it's 'Adulting.' This can include the process of paying bills, daily commuting, day/night jobs, and taking care of the household. The fact that this term has surfaced now, of all times in our society, is pretty representative of how much the 'moundane' has taken up most of our time. Wherever I go, I hear people say how being in school or being young was the best time of their life. Like a good song from the Boss, the Glory Days seem all the rage. I think adults become nostalgic because when we were young, we had more freedom to explore who we are, and we had fewer distractions (i.e. aduliting) getting in the way of that discovery. We can involve ourselves in art, music, photography, theater, and dance, and it's all at our fingertips when we are in school. And everyone around us is doing it too. It flows together seamlessly, so self-discovery is a natural byproduct of that environment. The most significant advantage of youth is available time, and when we are young, we have no concept of how this advantage will evaporate. As we get older, and we take on the day-to-day aspects of 'adulting,'  we find the independence we sought is a hell of a lot more work than we expected. Prioritizing our artistic creativity seems like something so frivolous, and unnecessary as we are trying to pay off all that school debt. For many of us, it's an easy slide into the day-to-day mode. Life becomes utterly and completely consumed by 'adulting.' With that, comes an inevitable loss of human meaning. I find this all rather frustrating, having gone through this internal struggle myself. Sometimes it feels like waking up from the Matrix, and I see the manufactured world of identities around me, and I am completely out of place. What makes art unique to all other types of work is that you are literally creating an imprint of who you are on a page, or in a photo, or in a beautifully crafted piece of wood. That is not something to be looked down upon, and it is not a waste of time, even if there is no monetary gain from it. But I would argue that there is some amount of monetary gain to be had from it, as there are any number of scientific studies out there showing the correlation between fostering creativity and art, and seeing an influx of innovation in the workplace. There are is a lot of literature out there on how you can become more creative, or take your art to the next level. In creating this podcast, I hope to get the real scoop from all of you, not just the 'expert's advice. There is something to be said about a community of artists that support other artists, and in this digital age, I think this has provided us with more opportunities to add art back into our lives. We somehow find the time to escape into other things, like TV, video games, and Facebook (and none of those things are bad in and of themselves). But are we truly so fulfilled in our lives that we can validate 3-6 hours of Facebook or TV binging.   Given how much nostalgia has infiltrated all of adult culture these days, my guess is 'probably not.' 

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 7 - Artistic Adulting

  As I've moved forward with this podcast, I occasionally have a moment where I think 'I am getting better at this.' Those moments are usually followed by a tremendous failure shortly thereafter. Such an occasion came up this week, as I embarked on my next interview. I took several days to plan this time, and tested the equipement extensively. The discussion was fantastic, and everything seemed to go smoothly--and then, at the very end of the night, my file was corrupted. I couldn't believe it at first, especially after all the precautions I had taken. There was no way that I could have lost an hour and a half of footage. Yet there it was: A garbled mess of mis-moshed audio, echos, and then random silence intermixed with some weird computerized noise. I had never heard such a bad audio recording in my life. And it was mine. In my moment of horror, I realized that this was a good example of how failure feels as you've exposed your passion to the world, and then are unable to deliver on your promise. It's a small example, but relevant nonetheless. There have been times in my life where i've experienced this kind of embarrassment, and have felt it so deeply that it has caused me to run into hiding. I can see how it could cause that kind of reaction, as we often tend to link our work with our self-value. In doing so, it feels like we are keeping ourselves accountable so we always deliver our very best at all times. However, the cost of this is that we crash to the bottom at the first sign of our failings. It's good to strive for the highest of our potential, but to bury ourselves in shame in these instances is how we lose traction on our goals. I started this podcast with the idea that it wouldn't just be a discussion of my successes, but of my growth--and you can't have growth without failure. I'm not looking to pretend that this is easy, or that I have all the answers, because I'm barely getting started. In a way, that is encouraging, because the amount of ground I've covered is evidence of the fact that I truly am 'getting better at this.' More interviews and discussions are coming, as that has always been the dream. I'm not slowing down just because of one lost night. Or two. Or three... 

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 6 - Finding Yourself in Failure

In my conversations with the creative community lately, I've become so inspired by the stories that are shared, especially on the topic of growth and identity. For so many of us, we get used to a certain version of ourselves, and then one day the shoe no longer fits.  This isn't exclusive to art, but it certainly applies to any creative medium, because that's when it no longer feels 'creative' and instead feels more 'comfortable.'  I used to love figure drawing. It was how I used to bond with my grandmother growing up. She was once a costume designer during the Federal Theater project days in New York, and I admired her intensely. So much so, that I wanted her advice on every figure I drew along with the costume I had created for it. She would just look at me over her nose, with a furrowed brow and say 'how would you cut it?' and would walk away. She never explained what that meant, but I kept working at it for years, and she became more willing to share what she knew. I never truly mastered figure drawing, but it was important to me for a long time. These days, I still feel the old habits of starting to draw figures, but I don't feel the same connection that I once did. The shoe just hasn't been fitting. It's hard to find a new way to draw. It's also hard to try to Podcast. Sometimes the emotional attachments that we have to old things hold us back from finding our new selves.  As young people, we are so comfortable trying and discovering new things. I think it has to do with the mix of our brain development, being in environments that foster learning, and having an excessive amount of free time! We may lose those some of those advatages as we grow older, but it doesn't mean that learning and growth stops. Between juggling jobs, homes, relationships, and kids, we get so damn tired! But as the sayings go, just because something isn't easy, doesn't mean it's not worth doing. I can say that even though I never expected to like building a website, or figuring out equipment, I'm discovering a whole new version of myself that I never knew was there.   How about you? Do your shoes fit?  

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 5 - Who Do You Think You Are?

In our first interview at Tizzy Wire, we meet Kevin Montanaro--a multifaceted and expressive artist from Burlington, VT, with a lifetime of craftsmanship under his belt. Whether his work contains casual street scenes or critic monsters, every piece tells a story. Find a full summary of his work on tizzywire.com. Or reach out to him directly at bluesmokestudio.com.

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 4 - Interview 1: Vespas and Vampires in Vermont

Sometimes you need a break from your normal artistic muse in order to deep dive into the deep underbelly of the nerdish culter: Dungeons & Dragons. Yes, if you are looking for a safe space to cultivate your creative muscles, D&D is an increadible outlet Join us as my husband and I reveal the inner workings of how we spend our 'offtime,' and maybe you'll get inspired to find your inner Dungeon Master.

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 3 - Artistic Adventures in Dungeons and Dragons

The expectations on motherhood are hard enough without having to manage your day job. Add to that the fact that you've left your whole artistic and creative identity behind, and sometimes it's hard to recognize your reflection. At least, that's how I've felt over the last few years.  This episode explores what it's like to get some of that back, and how I'm finding ways to insert it back into my life. It's not easy, but highly necessary for your sanity!  If you have any tips to share on how to better manage parenting with building your creative outlet, please let me know! I'd love to share them in a follow up episode. 

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 2 - Balancing Artistic Life as a Parent

Do you have an artistic past that has gathered dust? Are you a musician, painter, film maker, writer, etc who is looking for a refresh? I totally get it!To get things started with this podcast, I thought I'd give you a little background on me and my own quest out of convention and back into inspiration. I also want to hear about your own journey and how you got there. Join me and start kindling your creative spirit that may have been gathering dust!

Tizzy Wire Podcast - Ep 1 - Artist Identity Crisis

Are you trying to reawaken your artistic identity? Feeling that itch to get back to your craft? Join me as I share my artistic journey, as well as many others who are actively tinkering and manifesting their vision!

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The tizzywire's Podcast

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