Sing Day
I want to let you in on a secret -- Sometimes I take a mental health day. I'm self-employed so I don't have to call out but I like to send myself an email. Dear Boss, I am taking a…
Perform: What Makes You Happy
I'm talking, downright joyful. What do you love? It is those things that fire you up. The things that truly energize you that bring you closest to understanding the sensory possibilities in your body. Today the offering is simple. Think…
Perform: Reps
Nothing will prepare you for excellence in a task more than just doing it. Focused practice with some stakes, such as practicing a speech or song in front of friends is great for this. But at some point, you just…
Perform: Contact High
No matter how relaxed you are in terms of pandemic safety, it is hard to avoid noticing the differences in social contact. Wearing masks, physical distancing, and touch avoidance is the norm and many of us are feeling it. I…
Perform: Bad Actors
One of the challenges around communication right now is that nuanced discourse is on a sabbatical. Instead, we are surrounded by people who confuse their opinions with facts. Flanked by people more interested in winning the argument than with building…
Perform: Authenticity and The Voice (repost, sort of)
Adapted from a post from February 9, 2008 This week in the studio has been a fun-filled authenticity fest. Actually, most weeks are that way but this week prompted me to tease out what makes a voice authentic and why…
Perform: Your Attention Please
We've spent this week talking about communicating through masks. By now, I hope you are coming around to the fact that the mask itself is really not a big issue. Today, we will engage with how you get your listeners…
Variance: Present Presentation
One of my favorite podcasters, Akilah S. Richards recently used the phrase that she wanted to be present (adj), rather than present (v). I haven't been able to shake it because it resolves an issue for me. What is it…
Voices of Protest – 5 Tips For Preventing Voice Misuse During Civic Action (Updated)
The weekend is upon us which means that many people are heading back out to protest. Here is an update to my post in April 2017 with a few tactics for maintaining voice health while you are out there. Be…
Variance: On Things Left Unsaid
I've missed writing the blog this week. Still, I needed to take a few days to let other voices fill the Ether. We are not okay. The world roils with the pandemic, hunger, violence, and climate change. The United States…