Domain name drama

Hey everyone!  First of all, lots of new poetry & some discussion over at my writing blog, check it out!

What else have I been up to lately?

- Performed my first solo with the Southern Gospel Choir in the release concert for our second album, High On A Mountain! (available now at Koorong bookstores & from the Conservatorium of Music! Makes a great Christmas present!)
- Performed with the Southern Gospel Choir at the ABC Giving Tree Concert.
- Modelled in the Fringe Festival Fashion Show.
- Met up with the previous Conservatorium student rep to get some tips & info on how to survive my first semester as Con Rep!
- Trying to get a band together.
- Lots of writing at Chado.
- Saw the Dalai Lama at the DEC.
- Had a very successful 3rd Clothes Swap – 50 people came through and 10 garbage bags of clothes were donated to charity.
- Got a bunch of my photos printed & framed to be sold!
- Working at Sheepskin & Opal World.

Got my uni results – achieved a Distinction in voice and a High Distinction in gospel choir.

My main endeavour over the last week has been trying to get my proper website started.  It’s been alternately really exciting and fun, or incredibly frustrating & difficult.  The latter part relates mostly to trying to secure a domain name.

“Pizazz” is a moniker which I have been using for a long time, and I intend to register it as a business name.  Unfortunately it’s not easy to get as a domain name:
pizazz.com is for sale, but for over $2500 US
pizazz.com.au has nothing on it, but is owned by a company who don’t want to sell
pizazz.me is the same story
pizazz.org is for sale, but for $5000
pizazz.org.au I can’t have because I’m not a non-profit organisation
pizazz.id.au  I can’t have (even though .id.au is specifically intended for individuals’ sites!) because apparently the domain name has to reflect your actual name.

I went through the unnecessary stress of registering pizazz.org.au and then pizazz.id.au (and paying for them) and being rejected both times.  It’s been very frustrating and disheartening, not being able to get ANY sort of pizazz.ANYTHING.

I’ve considered pizazz-art, but I keep getting the feedback that in that context “pizazz” reads too much like “pizza”.  I’m currently looking into redirecting services like .co.nr – however they state in their rules that they do not link to sites that contain “Adult Content” – they are yet to reply to my enquiry as to whether that includes artistic nude photography.

If anyone has any other suggestions as to my domain name, I’d welcome them!

More updates soon.  In the meantime there’s always my Twitter!

Bec

Update

So it’s been quite a while since I posted last.  I’ve been pretty busy over Christmas and since, and it just hasn’t appealed to me to write blog posts here for a while.  I apologise for that.  I’ve got a few ideas in my head for a proper website, and a blog just sort of pales in comparison to the things I have in mind, so I haven’t really felt inspired to work on this blog.

So, as for an update… things have been going pretty well.  Happy new year, by the way!  Last year was a great learning experience for me, very hectic and stressful, but I think this year will be better.  Now that I’ve got a good idea of how things work at the Conservatorium, I think I will be able to handle my workload a lot better.  My results turned out pretty well in second semester – a Distinction in voice, Distinction in gospel choir, and Credit in core studies.

This coming semester I’ll be taking voice, gospel choir, advanced core studies, foundation theory, and history of jazz.  Should be a little more busy but a little more manageable.

I’ve also been applying for jobs – did a trial day at Sheepskin & Opal World, which seemed to go pretty well, but I’m not sure if I’ll be available for all the hours they want me to work.  Gonna have to wait and see when I get my timetable.  I also applied at a lot of bookshops, music shops, restaurants, and other stores.  If you hear of anything in casual or part-time work available, let me know!

On the singing front, I’ve done some recording work, had another performance with the SGC, and have my first paid live gig coming up… reeeeeead all about it over at my music blog!

I’ve also been doing a bit of modelling here and there for friends, images to come.

So, everything is moving along at a steady pace.  I’ve been writing again a bit too, but nothing worth putting up yet.

Keep your eyes peeled for more of me, and maybe a new website, sometime in the near-ish future!

Bec

So, July is here.

And with May and June passed my end-of-semester exams. It’s funny how university is so geared for semesters. In college and high school it was all about the end of the year – the classes were structured to last the whole year, there were mid-year exams and “progression reports” or something like that, but they really didn’t matter all that much, and the end of year exams and everything were what was important. But a couple months into uni I realised that no one had even SPOKEN about 2nd semester. We had mid-semester exams (technical exams – scales, exercises and jazz standards) and then our main “performance” exams (in which we perform whatever pieces we like) at the end of semester. Then it starts all over again in semester 2.

So how have I been going? Well, let’s see what’s been happening in my diary since April 26th, which was when I last updated here.   Lots and lots of things, mostly music-related.  So head over to my music blog to read about my tech exam, performance exam, results, Southern Gospel Choir gigs, and the Festival of Voices.

I did a quick photoshoot with some nice evening light and the remnants of red dye in my hair with my friend and photographer/graphic designer Paul George, of Digital Graffiti. Photos to come!

I also saw Tania Bosak, a local musician, at the Theatre Royal. It was a SPECTACULAR show, and she is an AMAZING performer with many talents, not least of which are singing, playing the drums, and humour. I answered a silly quiz and won a bottle of wine, which was nice. My teachers Kelly Ottaway and Alistair Dobson were in her band, as was my friend and past accompanist Randal Muir and a host of other talents. If you ever get the chance to see or work with Tania Bosak, DON’T pass it up. She is completely fabulous.

And this week I have frantically been trying to get some stuff done before I throw myself back into school. Oh, I also found out my results for semester 1! I got 74 for gospel choir (Distinction), 62 for Foundation Audio (Credit), 63 for Foundation Core Studies (Credit), and 78 for my performance exam (Distinction – 2 away from High Distinction). Very happy with all that. Looking forward to doing better next semester!

Now I really should get some sleep. Only 2 days of holiday left, don’t want to waste them sleeping in!

Heh heh.

Bec

A rare post…

Greetings! It’s been quite a while since I posted last… things have been busy! What has been happening? Well, apart from school and all that sort of thing, I have moved house… twice… in the past month. That has been rather stressful but now I am happily settled into my new flat.

So, life at the conservatorium has been also rather stressful and VERY busy, but fun! More on that, the Amplified festival, Southern Roots Festival, and Southern Gospel Choir news at… can you guess? … my music blog!

A few pieces of not-so-great news. I’m no longer working at the Mercure Hotel, so am once again looking for a casual/part-time job with flexible hours. Ideally something like waitressing or retail in an interesting store. And I declined Andrew Bonime’s offer to collaborate my lyrics with his music. It was a very interesting opportunity but required me agreeing to hand some rights over to a publisher, and I’m not quite ready for that yet. But thankyou, Andrew, for the offer! I really appreciated it.

The final thing I have to report is that the Fringe Festival Fashion Show went really well and was a lot of fun. I modelled for two designers, Elissa Knezevic and Jo Bootsma, and I wore a suit and a beautiful dress. I modelled for this show two years ago, and this year was even more fun, interesting, and full of amazing outfits. Some really nice photos came of it, and I’ll upload them here soon. I was also asked, as a result, by a couple of photographers to model for them, which should be a lot of fun. I love modelling. I got a lot of compliments saying I was a natural… and that I am talented at posing. I’m not sure whether that’s a good thing or not, haha! But it was fun. As a result, Brady Denehey of Stygian Studios asked me to model for him, which of course I agreed to! Also a friend of mine who lives in Sydney has asked me to come up some time in the holidays to do a photoshoot, and I intend to get together with a few other photographers and models I know in Sydney while I’m there.

So, back to it now, assignments to do, birthday presents to buy, parties to attend, a housemate and a job to find. Maybe I’ll come back for an update here in another 2 months! Haha. Please forgive the lack of up-to-date information/photos/etcetera on this site. When I get a housemate I’ll be able to afford internet at home, for the first time in a year! So everything should get tidied up then.

Adieu!

Photography at last!

Yes, I finally have some of my photography uploaded to a site I like, which I can link to from here!  The images themselves are a little lower quality than I’d like them to be, and of smaller resolution, as I do not have internet access at home and thus uploaded them by first saving them from another site, editing, and re-uploading.  But nonetheless they look quite good and I do like this new website I’ve found.  It’s called RedBubble, and it is designed much better than any other image hosting site I’ve used.  I intend to also upload the drawings & designs I’ve been doing a lot of lately, when I get the chance to scan them.  You can view some of my photography if you just follow this link!

What other news do I have?  Since December 19th…. well, on the 4th of January the Southern Gospel Choir had a huge performance down at Sing Salamanca, which was part of the Arts Festival.  More over at my music blog!

Since then I have been editing photography, doing a lot of writing and reading, and trying to find a new place to live, which is never easy.  I was called today by someone from the Conservatorium informing me of a summer school they’re running at Elizabeth College next week, involving students from all three years in their degrees, and with the opportunity to complete a whole unit towards your degree in a week!  Sounds like something I’ll definitely be doing.  From what I gathered, it will be contemporary ensemble work.  I wouldn’t mind so much if it was hillbilly punk, really.  A unit in a week!

Other than that, just chilling out and looking forward to regular SGC rehearsals starting up, and becoming more and more nervous about starting at the Con.

More soon

Bec

Theory is not as boring as I expected.

On Sunday I began my lessons in music theory with tutor Ashton Maggs, in preparation for my Conservatorium entry test. Read more at my music blog by clicking here.

Last night I finished a critique for Drama, today being the final due date for them, and got it done, which was incredibly satisfying because now I have no more written work left for school! It is such a wonderful feeling of freedom. I have so little left now before I’m off completely for holidays, and all that I have left is fairly easy and enjoyable.

Updated to do list:
-Theory lessons (plus homework) twice a week until my theory test for the Conservatorium.
-External music performance exam next Monday.
-Singing with Claire in her external performance exam next Tuesday.
-Conservatorium audition, then theory test
-Southern Gospel Choir rehearsals & final concert

And that’s it! I am very much looking forward to a break after such a busy year. However I won’t just be sitting around playing video games the whole time. I’m looking forward to getting a bunch of stories, poetry & philosophy writing done, doing some musical collaborations with a drummer friend of mine, perhaps doing some modelling for some friends of mine who do photography. And most of all, finally getting together with those who have offered to model for me, and attempting some of the ideas for photos I’ve had written down for a while.

Something else I am looking forward to is spending some time with my friend Paul George of Digital Graffiti: http://www.digitalgraffiti.com.au He’s offered to teach me how to properly use Adobe Photoshop and other graphics programs, which would be handy, and could even possibly lead to some kind of employment. We’ll see. He also said that I can borrow his digital SLR camera if I need to, which is good.

So yes, the holidays are shaping up to be productive and fun. I might even see if I can get a waitressing job or somesuch.

One more interesting thing before I go, I found this site and that of my friend Justin Smith linked to from this page:  http://www.tas.gov.au/tasmaniaonline/Nav/Topic.asp?Topic=Personal%20sites
There’s even a small summary that someone has obviously taken the time to write.  I was delighted that someone would do that, and that my blog was deemed interesting or informative enough to be of use in that stockpile.

Looking forward to the warmer weather!

Bec

Catchup post

Head over to my music blog to read about my music exam results and some other things.

Other than that I’ve just been working on those music critiques, also drama critiques… I have two due in on Monday and I’ll hopefully get them both done, if not I’ll at least get one done and that will be okay. I’ve been organising a lot of things for the coming weeks… I’m starting music theory lessons with Ashton Maggs on Sunday, in order to brush up as much as possible before my Conservatorium audition. I’ll probably be doing 2 sessions a week with him and studying a lot in between – I have a lot to catch up on in that area. Luckily I basically have no classes anymore, and no written exams.

Bec

Upcoming busy-ness…

School went back today, and it seems Term 3 is going to be a very hectic one.  I have a large amount of work to do in a very small amount of time.  I have a 20 minute program to prepare for a music exam in 4 weeks, plus program notes (research)… then there’s 2 critiques, a self-critique, a reflective statement… for Drama I have 2 more critiques to do, my folio on The Tempest is expected to be 3/4 done by the end of this week, then of course there is the actual performance of The Tempest, then my monologue exam…

The Southern Gospel Choir are rehearsing for our end of year concert, I’m also rehearsing with the Ogilvie High School Old Scholars Choir, and am considering entering The Young Jazz Players’ Competition… read all about it over at my music blog!

I am stressing a bit about all this work, but as long as I just knuckle down and do it, and not put things off, I should be fine.  In theory.  Well, I’d better get to it I suppose.