Touring Post Covid - Part 2 I Forgot How Hard Touring Is On The Body!

 

As the world opens, and we all start moving cautiously back towards our touring lives, I would like to offer some thoughts:

1. I have lost my touring callouses!

Over the last almost two years, my commute has been very simple. I've gotten my power cord, my mac, and headed upstairs to what has become my studio.

I plug in my laptop, go into the closet and change into a performance shirt, and take my place in front of a camera. Check to see if I need to touch up my nail polish, and make sure I have any material I need for whatever meeting or presentation I have to attend.

Then, I sign off, put my t-shirt or whatever back on, go downstairs and make a cup of tea. Very simple.

I am no longer as prepared as I once was to leave my house 24 hours ahead of time to be somewhere.

What used to be a pretty easy day trip - eight hours - seems like an extremely long drive!

2 - I have forgotten how to pack efficiently.

I have a go bag. It lives in my closet. When I have to go on tour, I grab it, a few outfits and I'm out the door. 

Apparently, over the last almost two years, I have had occasion to go into my go bag, and get things. Mouthwash, toothpaste, melatonin here and there, and all sorts of random things. I've also changed most of my electronics, and I don't have backup cords for most of them.

When I set off to Toledo, I got there and discovered I was woefully underprepared to be anywhere! I need to rethink my travel bag, but my motivation to do so is very low. For starters, I only have a couple more out-of-town shows coming up over the next couple of months. Second, who knows how many I will have over the spring, and there is no telling if we will be in full swing next summer.

So, procrastination has set in.

3 - To mask or not to mask???

I am pretty far from most of my audiences, so I don't mask. When I taught, I was masked in the classroom. I don't know how effective I am as a storyteller with a mask on my face. So much of what I do is expressions. 

So far, I've performed without the mas, and sign books and teach with one on. I also bump elbows...but since I've always done that in flu season, that's not all that different.

4 - The idea of touring is both tiring and exciting.

I forgot that when I tour, I am not bothered by dishes, sweeping, and all of the things that require upkeep! I'm also gluten-free. I have forgotten how hard it can be to find food in some communities. Sigh.

5. Oh, and I seem to have forgotten that I am prone to insomnia when I disrupt my sleep cycle, do a lot of driving, or have shows late in the evening!

Note to self! Remember you need to have your routine aromatherapy in your go-bag so you can use them to trigger your sleep cycle...

6. I'm kinda loving all of these virtual and pre-recorded shows!!!!

7. I miss live audiences!!!

8. All of this is so exhausting and STRESSFUL! 💀💀💀💀💀

In other words, it might take some people a little bit of practice to get back into touring, and that's okay.

Some people may be loving it! That's great.

Some people might decide it isn't worth it anymore. That fine.

As we move into the next stage of whatever this is, be kind to yourself. Go at your own pace. Nobody's journey is yours.

Enjoy the ride. 

Happy telling!

The Touring Performer - January 2021 Edition

I can spend every evening like this!

 Last January, I wrote a post about how I was preparing to put thousands upon thousands of miles on my car. I was giving tips about surviving the incoming touring season which typically lasts from February to May.

In fact, over the last decade, I've written similar posts. These are as much to remind me about how to survive my schedule as it is to share with others how I manage it.

Not this year.

This year's workflow is very different.

1. I don't even know most shows are happening - The David changes the passwords on the pre-recorded shows on Sunday. Everyone who has a show booked that week gets the new password for the link, and they have access for seven days, He turns the links "on" and "off" as needed.

2. I have to edit particular intros or outros. - The David sends me images or video clips for specific venues. I edit them into the pre-existing packaged show, upload the altered show into Vimeo and The David sends the link to the particular venue.

"I think she's frozen!"

3. I have a new show or shows coming on-line, so I have to record, edit, and upload new material - I head upstairs to the studio, record the necessary material, come downstairs to the kitchen table, load the footage into my computer, edit it, compose the set, put a copy on my external drive, upload the content into Vimeo, and interact with it like step 1 or step 2.

4. I have a festival coming up where they want pre-recorded sets - I follow step three, organize the information, and send the sets to a dropbox. 

5. I have live/virtual shows - The night before the show, I go upstairs to my studio, check to make sure the background I've got on the frame is the background I want to use, make sure I have my video camera charged because I record me performing for the computer and then I edit the recorded live zoom show and upload it into Vimeo. The school then has access to the recording of me live/virtual telling to them for seven days.

I have a hate/love relationship with Live/Virtual

There are so many things that can go wrong with this set-up!

1. The internet on one end or the other gives up because of Gremlins.

2. The internet slows down because of Gremlins

3. The connection is bad because of Gremlins.

4. People randomly unmute themselves because of people.

5. The sound goes wonky because of Gremlins.

6. The people in their little boxes forget that you can see them and they do something.....because of people.

7. The children in their little boxes totally know they can see you so they do something....because of children.

8. You are totally distracted by the people in the boxes and you lose your concentration.

9. You are totally distracted by yourself looking back at you and you lose your concentration.

10. Your neighbor decides to cut down the tree in his backyard in the middle of your set because of neighbors.

11. Some random dog decides now is the time to express his displeasure at the clouds because of nature.

We are not a quiet bunch!

12. Your son and husband start having a great, loving, loud, silly conversation in the kitchen and you have to leave the set, and remind them you are performing live. They are covered with chagrin because they didn't know they were that loud...family.

13. Pets. Let's just leave it at that.

The Bottom Line?

It is just as exhausting.

I'd rather not have to do it.

I am enjoying it. 

Live Zoom is Exhausting!

Yes, I do see the appeal of live telling. The kids can see each other and me and they can interact. There are some things that make it tricky, like when they decide to unmute themselves when they are supposed to be joining me or doing call and response. I love to hear the voices, but they come in at all different speeds and at different times depending on what's happening on their computer.

It makes a cacophony of sounds that I must stop and wait for because kids who either didn't or couldn't unmute also hear it at different times. The pauses are odd and the rhythm of the story gets wonky. Still, it is kind of fun to watch the kids grooving out to storytelling.

They are at home, so nobody is making them sit still. Some kids go full Charleston Boogie. Some kids don't respond at all other than to stare at me unmoving. 

I've watched twins fight over the best viewing spot to see the screen while I'm telling. I watched one little girl act out each and every story enthusiastically a second after the narration.

People who are really into stories are the most fascinating, distracting, amazing things to watch. I'm enjoying a show while I'm presenting a show!

There are some wonderful things about this brave new touring world.

This is the easiest touring schedule I've ever had.

I fill up my car about once a month instead of two times a day.

As for the grueling commute...There are about a dozen stairs I have to climb. Think about my FiftyThree-year-old knees!

Yeah, I don't feel sorry for me either.

I have never toured so extensively and to so many countries and still managed to sleep in my own bed every single night! 

I actually like The David. I'm glad we get to spend time together!

I am enjoying this as much as I can while I can!

Happy Commuting.