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clowndaydreams · 3 years

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I would ask of ye, clowndaydreams-to bequeath upon me the clown secret moirail techniques! how would our hiveswap clowns put on the pale moves? do they like being the one to be calmed or the calmer, or are they good either way? I'm eager to see ghb, slamzy n hotdogs moves- I bet all of them have a mean pap n swaddle technique.

This. This inspired me and I have too many notes that are all decently half-baked and tweaked as I go along. I implore any of you to confer with me on this but I have a good starting point.

I think there are 3 distinct ‘pale languages’ (like love languages) that most palemates go by. Most good moirails have an idea as to what to do for all 3 categories but every relationship is different and everyone has preference and etc. Usually there are 2 main ways a pale quad will deal with an mental breaks. (I mean this in more of a Partner A does either x or y while Partner B does y or z way). So let’s go down the list. For easy understanding, A is the calmer while B is the one needing to be calmed/calm-ee. Read more for scrolling sanity.

1.Physical Touch

Best exemplified by the shoosh-pap. This technique is regarded as the most publicly acceptable way of calming a pale partner while in public as it is not *too* intimate. It is regarded as akin to a peck on the lips in public by human comparison. Intimate but not too intimate if you will. The desired affect will still happen based on the receiver. However, as with most things, there do exist other ways of calming your diamond down. Things as subtle as a hand squeeze or reassuring shoulder grab can be enough when accompanied by a shoosh(or grunt/chitter/growl/etc.) When in private, this can escalate to things like feels piles, cuddling sessions, and openly clinging to the other as they go about what they must in the hive. The touch is the most important part, as that reminds B that A is there as well as the feelings just the thought of them(A) can bring them(B). Clowns that prefer this method are Marvus, Gamzee and GHB.

Marvus tends to do affectionate hugs/dogpiles to prevent a moirail from physically doing anything. He guides them away under the guise of ‘needing them for something’. Once they are away from prying eyes, he grabs them and grounds them with assuring noises and rubs. They’re usually pretty gentle unless he really needs to restrain them.

Gamzee does default to the shoosh-pap, shy about showing full affection and really only knowing that form since that was the only one he’s seen in public. He eventually learns other ways, but that method is a comfortable zone for him. He is partial to dogpiles in private and just reveling in his moirails touch once fully comfortable in the relationship.

GHB is more of a shoulder-clapping kind of troll. It’s his way of showing support for whatever they decide to do next. He trusts their judgement unless they have proven incapable at that specific moment. He may also rub his thumb on their shoulder blade for added effectiveness.

2.Distraction

This one is more abstract in terms of what normally goes on in it but I will give a bunch of examples. The touch-averse trolls tend to favor this language because there isn’t much to do other than guiding their diamond’s attention away from the issue. This can range from small gifts and sensory toys to popping their headphones on them with some white noise and guiding them through some small task(like breathing or something). After certain intervals A will ask B if they need to continue or change the item/method. This is also a more acceptable form of pale affection in public, but worse than a shoosh-pap. Clowns that prefer this method are Rapsta and Kurloz.

Rapsta has sensory toys out the wazoo on a normal day. He likes occupying his hands while focusing on things like appointment scheduling, song writing and generally chilling. His favorite is a fidget cube that he will hand his diamond if they get too overwhelmed.

Kurloz tends to use his chuckles to literally force them to think about something more relaxing. Sometimes he will even project breathing exercises into their noggin with the command of ‘BREATHE’.

While he may not prefer it, I love the mental image of Marvus using this method with squirt flowers, chewable sensory toys and pies. It would be hilarious.

3.Isolation

This is a somewhat more concrete method. It is simply setting up your pale partner up to be comfortable and letting them stew for a few hours. This can be setting up their favorite game and leaving a snack stash, prepping a picnic for them to go on with their lusus when you know they are stressed, or swaddling them and staying semi-nearby for when they want cuddles/transition into something else. This is the second/third most variable method, but a popular one for the independent yet stubborn moirail who is ‘totally fine’ but you know will break as soon as something mildly inconveniences them. Clowns that prefer this are Chahut and Hotdog. Hotdog has perfected the shoosh n’ swaddle as he calls it. He kinda turns you into a blanket burrito. He has you lay down on a blanket, puts a small pillow under your head, 2 body pillows on either side of you and wraps you up to chill for a while. It’s just tight enough that it would take a bit of effort to escape but you can still semi-freely move around in it to do whatever he set up for you.

Chahut isn’t the type to force her diamond to talk about anything, but will set up little things that they have to do on their own so they have to cool off. Like commission them to make something for her, setting them on a walk with DuckMom because she’s ‘busy’, making lunch before leaving on ‘errands’. Stuff like that usually works like a charm. So there you have it. All of their pale techniques. If you would like to know what x clown would do with a moirail that responds to x method/language, please don’t be scared to ask. :o)

#marvus #chahut #gamzee #GHB #kurloz #rapsta slamzy #hotdog clown #marvus xoloto #chahut maenad #gamzee makara #grand high blood #kurloz makara #clore #pale romance #moiraillegiance #let me know what you guys think #I've been lightly obsessing over the ideas since this ask was sent in

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fiamac · 3 years

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AO3 Tag Game

Tagged by the illustrious, incomparable @stillbeatingheart

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

An even 50

2. What’s your total Ao3 word count?

230,499 — woo! go me!

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Uh... seven. Inception, Teen Wolf, Supernatural. The Old Guard, The Princess Bride (does this count if it’s a fusion?), The Cassandra Palmer series, and the Darkest Powers series (not on AO3)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

All are from my Psycho Heroes series, unsurprisingly:

It’s Just A Twitch, And It’s Part of His Style

You So Impolitely Walked Into My Dreams

The Fall Makes You Break

The Wise Man Knows

Disarm You With a Smile

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Probably either You Can Close Your Eyes (But That’s Not Gonna Take Away the View) or My Heroes All Became Psychotics. Both deal with the same breakup but from different POVs.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

They all end happy—eventually, sort of—but I’d say As You Wish, my Teen Wolf/Princess Bride fusion fic since that one’s, like, an actual storybook happily-ever-after ending. The happy couple rides off into the sunset and sails away to a paradise of their own making. What could be better?

7. Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I love crossovers! I’ve only finished two, but I have so many crossover WIPs. So. Many. The craziest one is a self-indulgent crack fic tentatively titled Moody, Dark, and Handsome, which has Magnus Bane from Shadowhunters making a drunken magic oopsie and transporting characters from That Awkward Magic, Teen Wolf, Inception, Check Please!, and Supernatural into his world. There’s just so many beautiful, dark-haired grumpy-gusses out there, after all, and it’s hard for a warlock’s inebriated mind to pinpoint the exact one he’s looking for.

8. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

You bet your patootie, I do. Mostly I write plotty smut, or smut’n’feels, because I have a hard time with keeping plot out of my fics. So far, all my smut is in the Inception fandom. Two of my best smutty works are Lust in Translation and The Tightest Fit, if you realllllly wanna know what I write.

9. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I always intend to respond to all comments and actually respond to maybe 80–90% of them. Me not responding is usually due to Life Woes or having literally no idea what to say back. (It’s not you, it’s me.) I enjoy responding to comments because I like it when other writers respond to mine, I desperately want to talk about my fics, it makes me feel connected to the fandom, and it helps keep my readers engaged with my stories—which is handy when you put out an ongoing saga that’s been taking years and years to write.

10. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Happy to say, I haven’t. Sometimes I get “concrit” and shit (pro tip, folks: unsolicited criticism is never constructive). And one memorable instance, a reader was completely hating on the events within my story but, like... as if I were a sympathetic ear? Despite the fact that I obviously wrote the very thing they were upset about...? It was very weird.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge, though I check periodically. ::narrow-eyed stare::

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Some people have asked permission, but nothing yet. On that note, I give blanket permission for any transformative works of my transformative works. Or even my original works. Go nuts.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

::nervous foot shuffle:: Uh... there was this plan? But, uh, no, not yet. @iamanonniemouse look away!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Playing favorites!? I could never! Or, fine okay. It’s probably Sterek. With most ships, I love one of the characters more than the other(s). But I adore Stiles and Derek equally, second only to how much I love them together.

15. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t ever think you will?

My first-ever fic, Awakened, for the Darkest Powers YA series (the Dereks, again! I have such a type). It lives on ffnet, and I’m very proud of the some of the writing in it and have the rest of the story mapped out for the most part. But it’s just never gonna happen.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Consistency, maybe? I like to think I’m good at avoiding plot holes, loose threads, and OOC-ness. Oh, and I’ve been surprisingly successful at combining crack-worthy humor, violent angst, tasty smut, and schmoopy feels all in the same fic. That’s definitely a superpower.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Big chunks of exposition acting like giant speed bumps, slowing things down. And I definitely struggle to keep stories contained within manageable, achievable goals. Everything turns into a a series of multichaptered WIPs up the wazoo.

19. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

The Darkest Powers, a YA book series by Kelley Armstrong

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

It’s either Cock Handling or As You Wish. Both of these were ridiculously fun to create and gave me that “yes, I am a writer” rush.

I’m going to tag @vex-verlain, @little-specificity, and @slashmania but and anyone else who wants to play. No pressure, of course!

#tag game #my writing

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pgoeltz · 4 years

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NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK

VOCALS & TENOR SAX & FLUTE & STYLE ICON

Napoleon Murphy Brock, front man for Frank Zappa in the early seventies, was first discovered by Frank on a day off in Hawaii. Frank and his band stopped into a club where Brock was leading his band through a set of originals and contemporary funk, rock and blues hits. Zappa was immediately struck by Brock’s voice and sax playing, but was particularly taken by his commanding stage presence.

Brock soon hit the stage and studio with Zappa, first appearing on the breakthrough album, Apostrophe (‘). By 1974, Napoleon had learned and memorized the Zappa Song Book (including new material written specifically for Napoleon) and recordings from the 1973 concerts were soon released on what many consider to be Frank’s penultimate live album – Roxy and Elsewhere. To this day, the all-star “Roxy Band” is commonly considered one of the greatest bands that Frank ever assembled.

The release of One Size Fits All followed which, like Roxy, became hugely influential on not only Zappa fans, but fans of progressive rock, fusion, and bluesy jazz-rock in general. In 1975 Zappa released the iconic Bongo Fury, a live album which documented the collaborative tour that year with the last Mothers lineup (including old friend and co-conspirator, Captain Beefheart).

After the 1975 and 1976 Zappa tours, Brock went on to tour and record with fellow Zappa alum George Duke in his

hugely popular George Duke Band. He went on to make several albums with Duke including Master Of The Game,

Follow The Rainbow, Dukey Treats, and Don’t Let Go (which spawned Duke’s huge hit “Dukey Stick”).

At the end of the 1970’s, Frank again called on Napoleon to provide vocals on the recording of Sheik Yerbouti – which went on to become Zappa’s biggest selling album worldwide. The fact that Frank called on Napoleon to lay down vocal tracks (including the lead vocal on “Wild Love”) speaks volumes about Frank’s continued respect and trust in Napoleon’s vocal prowess.

Since 2001, Brock has worked with several Zappa tribute bands around the world including Project/Object, the longest continually touring alumni-based Zappa tribute band in the world. In 2007, Napoleon received a Grammy Award for his work with Dweezil Zappa on the live album release from the inaugural tour of Zappa Plays Zappa. He continues to perform, record and lecture around the world.

THE STINKFOOT ORCHESTRA

In the early months of 2019, South Bay musician Nick Chargin (keyboards and vocals) got a wild hair up his ass. Best known for his work with the successful Bay Area cover band, the Houserockers, Nick had the idea of assembling an ensemble to give a tip of the hat to one of his greatest musical influences – Frank Zappa. The goal he set was to perform a handful of shows in the Winter of 2020 in celebration of what would have been Frank’s 80th birthday.

But it couldn’t be just any band… There had to be horns. There had to be a mallet player. There had to be backup singers. This had to be more than a band that was capable of playing “all the right notes” – it had to be a band that was capable of performing Frank’s music with accuracy and integrity.

The first two people he contacted were Victor Manning (a guitarist with whom Nick had played music with for well over 20 years) and Jon Hassan (a Baritone/Tenor Sax player and fellow member of the Houserockers) – who were both rabid fans of Frank’s music. With their buy-in, Nick quickly filled out the rhythm section with friends and fellow Zappaphiles Michael Palladino (drums) and Josh Baker (bass). It took some time to fill the mallet player slot, but after scaring away multiple Bay Area orchestral percussionists, they found a musician willing to take on the enormous challenge of covering Ruth Underwood’s impossible lines in Dillon Vado (tuned percussion). The 6-piece horn section came together by enlisting Mark “Dbone” DeSimone (Trombone), Kevin Kono (Trumpet, Flugel Horn), Jo Major (Tenor/Soprano Sax and Flute), Mike McWilliams (Trumpet), and Paul Degen (Tenor/Alto/Bari Sax and Flute). The ensemble was eventually rounded out with 3 dedicated vocalists – Suzi Baker, Amy Barnes , and Mike Boston,.

A couple months into rhythm section rehearsals, the group was hit with an enormous loss when their guitarist, Victor Manning, passed away unexpectedly. After a month of grieving and waffling on whether to scrap the project altogether, Nick came to the conclusion that Victor “would have kicked my ass” if he did not see this project to fruition. After a significant search, the band found the perfect replacement in Tomek Sikora (guitar) and they began the daunting task of learning some very difficult music. But it could still come up a notch…

Nick and other members of the band had worked with Zappa alumni Ike Willis 15 years previously, and Nick thought the one thing that would give this band a real sense of authenticity would be to front it with one of Frank’s dynamic male vocalists. So, with the help of his friend André Cholmondeley (leader of the legendary East Coast Zappa tribute band, Project Object), Nick was able to enlist the legendary Napoleon Murphy Brock – a San Jose native who served as the iconic voice of Frank’s music throughout the early 1970‘s.

When asked what songs people can expect the band to cover, Nick responds “Well, given the fact that we have Napoleon on board, we are naturally incorporating a large amount of material from his era with Frank. Roxy and Elsewhere (Zappa’s 1974 live double album) is one of my favorite albums of all time, so there are a number of songs we pulled from that. Apostrophe, One Size Fits All, Bongo Fury…folks can expect a sizable amount of material from those albums. At the same time, Frank’s catalog is so immense and diverse that we can’t properly present a snapshot of his work without delving into everything from his earliest days with the Mothers through the 1980‘s. We have an amazing 6-piece horn section, so we are able to do justice to stuff from albums such as The Grand Wazoo and Waka Jawaka. We have 5 great singers, so we are also tackling some more vocal-intensive stuff from You Are What You Is and Joe’s Garage…really, there is something for fans of all periods of Frank’s music. I don’t want to give away too much more – we want to keep a certain element of surprise to the performances, ya know?”

Given the amount of work required to perform much of Zappa’s material, one might question what motivates this group of musicians to dedicate themselves to such a huge undertaking. Nick’s response is simple… “Frank’s music has had such a huge influence over my musical development. It actually makes me a little nuts when I think of the fact that his virtuosity never really received proper accolades here in the States. This music is historically important – and I feel it is the responsibility of those who ‘get it’ to help keep it alive and, hopefully, introduce more people to it. On any given night, I realize that we may serve as someone’s first exposure to Frank Zappa – and I don’t take that responsibility lightly.”

“It has been a tremendous amount of work, but I cannot even begin to list the ways in which it has been fulfilling for me as a musician”, Nick continues. “Yes, getting the lines under our fingers has been a challenge, but that merely scratches the surface of what it has taken to bring this project to the stage. Most of the horn charts were transcribed by ear from various (Zappa) ensembles by Dbone, Hassan and me – but I had never created a horn chart in my life – quite a way to cut one’s teeth…” he says. “Never mind the logistics involved with getting such a large group of working musicians together and dealing with all managerial aspects of the band. Yeah – it’s been a full-time job for me for the past year, but well worth the effort. I can’t wait for people to hear what we have put together. Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but I think people are going to be blown away by this project.”

NICK CHARGIN

KEYBOARDS & VOCALS & VISIONS & POODLE GROOMING

Nick began studying piano at age 5, later picking up guitar at age 15. A California native, Nick moved to San Jose in 1984 to study music production, keyboard synthesis and performance at SJSU under Dan Wyman and Alan Strange. He has been playing professionally since age 17 with the majority of his time spent writing, playing and recording original music with such Bay Area bands as Swing Party, BlissNinnies, Elephino and Corduroy Jim. Over the years, Nick has shared the stage with such acts as the String Cheese Incident, Leftover Salmon, Zero, the Kantner Balin Cassidy Band, Steve Kimmock, KVHW, JGB, the Radiators, Merle Saunders, Eddie Money, Starship, Firehose, Wang Chung and Jonathan Richman. For the past 15 years, Nick has been a vital part of the critically acclaimed South Bay band, the Houserockers, has backed the legendary Zigaboo Modeliste and at one point assembled a short-lived band playing Zappa music backing Ike Willis.

NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK

VOCALS & TENOR SAX & FLUTE & STYLE ICON

After the 1975 and 1976 Zappa tours, Brock went on to tour and record with fellow Zappa alum George Duke in his

hugely popular George Duke Band. He went on to make several albums with Duke including Master Of The Game,

Follow The Rainbow, Dukey Treats, and Don’t Let Go (which spawned Duke’s huge hit “Dukey Stick”).

DILLON VADO

TUNED PERCUSSION & IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBILITIES

Dillon Vado is a professional drummer and vibraphonist in the San Francisco Bay Area, and a graduate of the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley. He grew up in San Jose, where he played many small club gigs on drums and marched snare drum for the Santa Clara Vanguard. He has recorded at Fantasy Studios, and played with many musicians at The Freight and Salvage, Yoshi’s, and the SF Jazz Center. He has also performed overseas at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy. Dillon has performed with Art Lande, Hafez Modirzadeh, Royal Hartigan, Marcus Shelby, Erik Jekabson, Jeff Denson, Alan Hall, Jovino Santos Neto, Marcos Silva and Kate McGarry. In 2014, Dillon won 1st place in the Jazz Search West competition on vibraphone. Dillon was also acknowledged as the Most Promising Young Jazz Artist of 2017 from the Buddy Montgomery Jazz Legacy Awards. He regularly performs on vibraphone with Alan Hall’s Ratatet, on drums with The Jeff Denson Quartet, and Erik Jekabson’s Electric Squeezebox Orchestra and leads several of his own projects, including Never Weather, The Table Trio, and Beyond Words: Jazz and Poetry.

JOSH BAKER

BASS & RANDOM SCREAMS

Josh started his love of music with the Piano at age 8 and was hooked. The bass came into focus at age 12. Josh’s early years on bass was in the Abraham Lincoln High School Jazz band for 4 years where he had the privilege of playing many in High School Jazz band competitions and even playing in Hawaii for the Aloha Bowl. Josh also received the Louis Armstrong High School Jazz Award for recognition in his Senior year. After High School, Josh spent his summer at the Berklee College summer music program in Santa Fe New Mexico. Josh studied 2 years with bass player Keith Jones( Santana, Flora Purim,and Andy Narrell)

Josh has played with local bands Sporadic Greetings, George Heagerty & Never the Same, Soup, Grampa’s Chili, the Sliders, Black Sunday RoadShow and Levi Jack

MICHAEL PALLADINO

DRUMS & SPANKINGS

Michael has been drumming professionally in the greater Bay Area for over 25 years. He studied various rhythmic styles ranging from jazz to West African and afro-Cuban under the tutelage of San Jose State professors Dan Sabanovich and Royal Hartigan. His band credits include Soup, Sporadic Greetings, Mescalito, Corduroy Jim, Grampa’s Chili and Tricycle Side Project, for which he had the opportunity to perform with Ike Willis from Frank Zappa’s esteemed list of previous band members. He has performed at hundreds of venues up and down the entire West Coast bringing his unique style and energy to every performance he gives.

JON HASSAN

SAXOPHONES & MEGAPHONES & STANK

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JO MAJOR

SAXOPHONES & FLUTE & PUNCTUALITY

Jo Major began playing professionally in his teens and has played with a variety of groups, including the Jimmy Dorsey band and the University of Illinois Jazz Ensemble. In the local area, he has been featured with A Touch of Brass, the KA Wonton Little Latin Jazz Big Band, Bug Horn Rex and the Chabot Jazz Ensemble.In settings ranging from salsa to swing, he has been featured with Ernie Watts, Bobby Shew, Eric Marienthal, Wayne Bergeron, Francisco Torres, and Geoffrey Keezer.Jo has studied with Ben Torres, Kristen Strom, Charlie McCarthy, Bob Reynolds, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown and Chris Cheek. He is a member of Bob Reynolds Studio.

MIKE MCWILLIAMS

TRUMPETS & CRUMPETS

Mike McWilliams started playing the trumpet back in 1974. In 1986, he began performing with cover bands and performing all over the SF Bay Area. He currently is a member of the Houserockers horn section, and teaches private lessons as well as public middle schools with the School Spirit band program.

Mike believes that there is no substitute for real horns, and his influences include Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, Maynard Ferguson, and Doc Severnsen. Mike heard his first Zappa cassette tape in 1977 while on tour with the Santa Clara Vanguard and, many years later is enjoying playing this amazing music.

KEVIN KONO

TRUMPET & FLUGLEHORN & MASTIC ADHESIVES

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PAUL DEGEN

SAXOPHONES & FLUTE & HYDROHYPNOTHERAPY

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TOMEK SIKORA

GUITARS & ALL THINGS POLISH

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MIKE BOSTON

VOCALS & GUTTURAL UTTERANCES

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MARK ‘D-BONE’ DE SIMONE

TROMBONISMS & EVER-CHANGING FACIAL HAIRS

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AMY BARNES

VOCALS & ASTRAL PROJECTION

Amy Barnes began studying piano and flute at the age of 8. After a fateful move to Santa Cruz at the age of 16, she joined forces with the Musical Group World Entertainment War for 5 very entertaining years. Increasingly fascinated with the human voice, she embarked on an obsessive vocal discovery mission; earning a B.A in Voice Performance from UOP Conservatory followed by an M.A. In Voice Performance from UC Santa Cruz. She has prepared works in more than a dozen languages, and has enjoyed teaching singing as much as the singing itself. Amy has travelled thru many different musical galaxies over the years, and is currently very much enjoying her visit to the Zappa Constellation…

SUZI BAKER

VOCALS & KALE DISTRIBUTION

Suzanne Baker began her singing career touring with Plum Tuckered, a children’s musical performing group under the direction of Lynn Shurtleff, musical director and composer from Santa Clara University. While growing up, she enjoyed singing in many school and church choirs, but she honed her skills at Abraham Lincoln High School for the Performing Arts in the sixteen member Swing Choir, under the voice instruction of Connie Lukien, musical director of the San Jose Civic Light Opera. She went on to be lead singer of the innovative band, Sporadic greetings from 1990-1992 and sang back-up vocals in various other bands over the years. She is very fond of her time directing her own elementary school choirs and currently assisting with her classroom musicals.

Victor Manning

Guitars

#frank zappa

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our-beginnings · 7 years

Text

Cat Noone, founder and CEO of Iris

Tell us a bit about who you are and what you do now.

Hello! My name is Cat Noone and I’m a designer with a love for building products that make a big difference in people’s lives. In 2015, I founded Iris: the modern day emergency alert that keeps your loved one informed during the critical moments when you need them most. I love s’mores, my family, reading and a ridiculously good TV series.

What's your favourite thing about your work?

I love knowing that what I do can make a difference in people’s lives. Information, communication, and technology are at our fingertips; knowing and believing that makes me confident that there is nothing we can’t bring to life. That alone is something to love, I think.

You hoped to be a vet when you were a kid. When did design enter the picture?

I think, rather than one particular moment, it happened slowly over time and then all at once. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a household with a computer and in a really supportive family that viewed my art as if it were fresh from Picasso’s hands—every grandma gawks over a stick figure with no neck, right? That appreciation for art and beautiful design carried over into high school, to the point where I only brought my sketch-book to class and used that to jot down my notes, while continuing to sketch everything from still life to concept cars on the other side.

One experience I remember is being tasked with redesigning a soda can in class. It was the moment I discovered that I can take what I’m putting on paper and digitise it, and I loved the endless possibilities that came with that. It was history from there.

And what did your journey look like after that?

From there it was a roller-coaster of events. I went to school as a bio major for a few years and never thought to actually take up design or attend design school, even though I’d dabbled in design since high school.

I didn’t think of it as a career, because I didn’t think design would allow me to support myself and live comfortably. I grew up in the kind of middle-class family who doesn’t jump off the cliff without making sure the parachute works. I also didn’t equate risk with reward. In this industry, reward doesn’t even seem to exist without (calculated) risk.

Eventually, I understood that not only was there more to design in terms of how passionate I would become, but also in terms of how much money I could make. That said, by the time I got into it full-speed, the money wasn’t even something I cared about.

I grew up in the kind of middle-class family who doesn’t jump off the cliff without making sure the parachute works.

I freelanced in college but I couldn’t shake the mindset from before— that I couldn’t support myself by working in design— and ended up in education. I needed a backup plan, and that was it. I worked for the New York City Board of Education and, while I loved working with kids, I knew that if I stayed I’d be miserable, because it wasn’t what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

When did you finally realise that design could sustain you?

Around 2010, maybe 2011. Dribbble was really big, my activity on there was growing, and I had really started tapping into the Twitter design and tech community. I was at my computer and thought, “I can’t go back to work and keep doing this.” I was waking up at 5 in the morning to go to work, and for what? I wasn’t happy. There’s only so many days you can do that while knowing good and well there is another viable option.

Right then and there, I decided that I was going to quit. I lined freelance clients up the wazoo to ensure that I wouldn’t be on the street or back at grandma’s house— at least not immediately. I took the plunge and from there, the rest was history.

I was naive to say the least, but I had a plan and I made sure to execute on it, and learned my best lessons. I’ve been fortunate enough to get my feet wet in a variety of areas that really taught me the ins-and-outs of being a designer—from corporate design to agency and freelancing. I had a couple “lovely” (read: nightmare) clients, lost out on quite a bit of money, created a few not-so-gorgeous websites, burned out once, learned my lesson there as well and never did it again.

Then, I decided to really jump off that aforementioned cliff without a parachute. I founded my first startup, Liberio: a simple eBook creation and publishing platform for self-publishers.

All of those events had their own individual “aha!” moment for me that pushed me toward the next. I’ve learned a ton of lessons from each of them:

Much like a game of chess, take time to understand the different scenarios before jumping the gun.

Take 50% from the very beginning with freelance clients.

Bootstrapping is ferociously difficult and extremely gratifying. Do it for as long as time allows, so long as it doesn’t compromise the product or team.

God is in the details

Experimentation and exploration are necessary for any form of innovation.

As a small team, you’re either fundraising or building. Understand when one should be prioritized over the other.

Create a brand and product people can trust and fall in love with.

Any second thoughts along the way?

Never. I’ve loved every minute of it.

Have you become more comfortable with taking risks? After all, you’ve founded several startups now.

I did spend a lot of time wondering, “what if I’m not good enough?” “What if they fire me?” That imposter syndrome reappears here and there, but with time and experience it’s certainly occurring less.

When I started Liberio, the fear that came with it was something I hadn’t worked out personally yet; where I come from, failure is not necessarily something you strive for. Now I know that while I don’t strive to fail, I do know how to bounce back, and the praise is in the comeback. In the lesson. With Liberio, I felt super-inclined to write about failure because I felt like that was the only way to save myself from it and—if we’re being honest—save face to a good extent. I could then hide away somewhere while I figured out how to bounce back and really work through each lesson learned.

Now I know that while I don’t strive to fail, I do know how to bounce back, and the praise is in the comeback. In the lesson.

Switching gears a little bit: do you ever feel pressure to be a mentor or role model for other women in tech?

I think pressure would be the wrong word, mainly because I don’t see it as a burden and I don’t question who I am as an individual and my core beliefs any longer—in work and personal areas. I like to think I carry myself, live my life and conduct my business in a way that is quite decent and isn’t dependent on any particular situation.

However, I’m still growing as an individual and if I screw up, it’s because I’m human. We all do, and that’s important for others to see, as well. All in all, I absolutely love the idea of being or knowing I am a mentor for other women in tech. It’s a major honour.

Would you encourage those new to our industry to find mentors? You’ve had a few yourself.

Yes! I am where I am because of the people who I’ve shadowed and paid attention to throughout my life. This especially applies to those folks outside the industry. For example, I have a friend who is not on the internet. From her, I learn the value of detachment and tranquility.

So yes, find mentors, find advisors, but find them across the board— both inside and outside of design and tech. Speak to doctors, to social workers— you’ll learn so many different lessons. But remember, too, that all advice needs to be filtered and applied so that it works for you; the ability to manipulate and tweak that advice into what works for you is an important skill.

find mentors, find advisors, but find them across the board— both inside and outside of design and tech

What are your general thoughts are on diversity initiatives’ direction and progress?

In the past, anything that has been changed or fought for with change in mind, has started with conversation— to the point where having conversations, to some, might feel like beating a dead horse. But it needs to be continually talked about and continually present in everyone’s face, to the point where you’re unable to run from it.

For a single white man, the sky's the limit. For the underrepresented, the limit is the sky all too often. The goal is to make it so that one day, the former is true for everyone. There’s still a long way to go, but the good thing is that the roles and positions and opportunities are starting to become available. Companies understand the role they play in changing the status quo. Not to mention, the companies benefit immensely with a diverse team. I’m part of a large group of underrepresented people — women — but not the most underrepresented and I can’t imagine what that is like. So as long as whatever group you’re part of and we all work together, I hope we’ll get there eventually and I’m always willing to help wherever I can.

For the underrepresented, the limit is the sky all too often.

You’re a new mom. What has it been like to strike that new balance?

It’s funny; a lot of people ask “How do you do it?” and some seem genuinely curious, while others seem like they don’t believe it’s possible. Why shouldn’t it be possible? For me, it’s not even a question. Having my daughter taught me how to maximise productivity within the hours that I know I have. So while I have less time, I’m significantly more productive, because I know I won’t be able to do it later. I’ve never got more work done and felt more healthy physically than I do now.

Those are the people you want to work with, the people who understand the meaning of true value and respect for another human being.

I don’t understand the hesitation in this industry when it comes to hiring women with children; I know that my husband certainly values and prioritises the same way that I do. For me, if anyone, male or female, knows how to prioritise and balance having children and full-time work, to me, they’re a hell of a team member. Those are the people you want to work with, the people who understand the meaning of true value and respect for another human being.

When your people succeed in their personal life because your company sets up a support system to make it easier for them, your company succeeds. Every time.

If you could do everything all over again, do you think your journey would be the same?

Definitely. I’m really happy that I took the course I did. I have a pretty diverse skill set; having worked in special ed and studied psychology in school, I feel like it gives me the empathy and patience needed when building a product that will has direct impact on someone. The patience part definitely teetered off a bit, but I’m getting there again.

Is there anything about the internet from your childhood/early years that makes you feel nostalgic?

Probably a few things off the top of my head: Using the internet to replace the encyclopaedia for the first time, the Oregon Trail game (my first digital entrepreneurship), Winamp, Adobe Dreamweaver for website building (cringes), that damn ‘You’ve got mail’ sound, and creating 8-bit characters in MS Paint.

I remember once thinking that I wish there was a way to digitally enable the creation of thin and thick paint strokes (pressure sensitivity). If I wasn’t such a little one at the time with thoughts as fleeting as the wind, I’d probably be kicking myself in the ass for that now. Then again, I wouldn’t have even known where to start.

Where do you see yourself five years from now? Ten?

If you would have asked me this 5 years ago, my answer would be so far off from where I currently am. I’d be lying if I said I knew this is where I would be. In 5 years from now though? Hopefully with my family, enjoying life, building a company that makes a difference in the lives of many people. I have a little one now, so that makes life a bit more predictable.

Who am I kidding? It’s the most unpredictable and wonderful journey I’ve ever been on...

This one’s been in the works for a long time now; thanks so much to Cat for her dedication and patience! I look forward to a drink together one day!

You can find Cat on Twitter and her personal site, and read more about Iris on the company’s page also.

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pgoeltz · 4 years

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THE STINKFOOT ORCHESTRA

NICK CHARGIN

KEYBOARDS & VOCALS & VISIONS & POODLE GROOMING

NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK

VOCALS & TENOR SAX & FLUTE & STYLE ICON

After the 1975 and 1976 Zappa tours, Brock went on to tour and record with fellow Zappa alum George Duke in his

hugely popular George Duke Band. He went on to make several albums with Duke including Master Of The Game,

Follow The Rainbow, Dukey Treats, and Don’t Let Go (which spawned Duke’s huge hit “Dukey Stick”).

DILLON VADO

TUNED PERCUSSION & IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBILITIES

JOSH BAKER

BASS & RANDOM SCREAMS

Josh has played with local bands Sporadic Greetings, George Heagerty & Never the Same, Soup, Grampa’s Chili, the Sliders, Black Sunday RoadShow and Levi Jack

MICHAEL PALLADINO

DRUMS & SPANKINGS

JON HASSAN

SAXOPHONES & MEGAPHONES & STANK

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JO MAJOR

SAXOPHONES & FLUTE & PUNCTUALITY

MIKE MCWILLIAMS

TRUMPETS & CRUMPETS

KEVIN KONO

TRUMPET & FLUGLEHORN & MASTIC ADHESIVES

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PAUL DEGEN

SAXOPHONES & FLUTE & HYDROHYPNOTHERAPY

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TOMEK SIKORA

GUITARS & ALL THINGS POLISH

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MIKE BOSTON

VOCALS & GUTTURAL UTTERANCES

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MARK ‘D-BONE’ DE SIMONE

TROMBONISMS & EVER-CHANGING FACIAL HAIRS

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AMY BARNES

VOCALS & ASTRAL PROJECTION

SUZI BAKER

VOCALS & KALE DISTRIBUTION

Victor Manning

Guitars

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