December 20, 2008 - I have so much to say-to share-where to begin? (Not to mention I need to remember to only space once after sentences as @markdavidson taught me. Old habits die hard!)

Okay, I am a FAN-in capital letters-of Amanda Palmer’s and The Dresden Dolls (of which she is also a part of). I wasn’t a FAN until after I saw them live, then I was. Since then I haven’t missed a live show in Northern California.

On August 6, 2008 Amanda Palmer played at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco. Amanda started a new segment she called, “Ask Amanda” and fans were encouraged to write questions on slips of paper, and she would take a break in the show to answer a few questions. I asked Amanda, “Will you join Twitter.com?” Amanda said, she didn’t know what Twitter was, but that she would probably look at it. Nothing happened for awhile, then one day she was there! November 28th! And she was planning a party on the internet! She’s done two “Party On the Internet” events, the last one was from author/blogger Neil Gaiman’s home! On December 11, Amanda held a twitter trivia contest for her fans. Amanda asked Amanda Palmer/Dresden Dolls trivia questions, and those with the fastest fingers and right answer won prizes! She hasn’t quite got the hang of micro-blogging, but I love what she is doing!

I feel like a proud mother! I, the Social Media Butterfly, an advocate for Social Media, feel like I’ve given birth to a Social Media Sensation! Amanda has embraced Social Media and taken it in brand new directions - just like she always does! I can’t wait to see what she does next!

This brings me to last night. Friday night/Saturday morning/afternoon I spent in the hospital emergency ward in excruciating pain with a kidney stone. Saturday night I went to see Amanda Palmer play. Why? Because she’s worth it, because I’m that big of a fan. That’s why.

Last night Amanda Palmer played at Harlow’s in Sacramento, California. I attended the show with my 19 year old daughter, Alexandra. Amanda has enlisted The Danger Ensemble, a performing group from Australia to perform with her, they act out and enhance her songs, it’s almost like a magical musical play! The show opened with Builders and Butchers, a band from Portland, Oregon. Builders and Butchers includes 5 guys and many instruments. The ended their set by giving out little instruments to the audience to play along with their last song. Alexandra loved them and I purchased their CD for her. Next was Zoe Keating. Zoe is the most amazing cellist. Zoe’s music is extremely complex and unique. She plays a few bars, then with a tap of her toe she loops that music. Once again she plays a few bars, taps her toe, and loops it again on top of the first! Then she plays over and under them both creating a room full of beautiful magical cello melodies. Zoe played solo, then later returned and played with Amanda on many of her songs, she also is a featured performer on Amanda’s new CD, “Who Killed Amanda Palmer”. Another performer who added much to the show was a violin player, who I believe was part of The Danger Ensemble as well.

At last we came to the main event-what we all had been waiting for-Amanda Palmer. A member of the Danger Ensemble speaks to us and tells us that he’s sorry but Amanda Palmer is dead and won’t be performing tonight, instead we will be having a wake for her. Amanda walks through the crowd covered in lace to the stage and is lifted up to the stage by the Danger Ensemble members. The crowd erupts and Amanda plays, sings, emotes, drinks red wine, talks, charms her way through the night. No one wants it to end and we chant until an encore is performed.

No one is like Amanda Palmer. No one. Amanda loves her fans, and they love her. She gives herself to us. She blogs-amazing blogs-full of humor and insights into her life and sometimes just life in general! She jots off notes to fans letting us know about new tour dates or videos posted. She signs them - AFP - which stands for Amanda F#$king Palmer. During her show Amanda talks candidly, during last night’s Ask Amanda segment when asked if she perfers pads or tampons, she shared she uses a sponge first, then non-applicator tampons to finish. We also learned that her current favorite CD is Teagan and Sara. After the show Amanda takes the time to meet and greet her fans, to sign anything you want, plus take pics with fans. Who does this?! Amanda F&%king Palmer that’s who.

Yes, we stayed after, and I was thrilled to meet Zoe Keating! And, yes, as always, to talk with Amanda Palmer!

If you get the chance to see Amanda Palmer, The Dresden Dolls, or Zoe Keating - take that chance!

To see more pictures and a few amazing videos, please see my flickr photostream here.

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I am a karaoke virgin no more!

Wednesday night, October 29, 2008, I went to my first TechKaraokeSF! I heard Tara Hunt talking about it last month at Social Media Club and I thought it sounded fun, so I had to check it out! TechKaraokeSF is an open event-your only qualification-is that you’re in the tech industry-which covers a lot of fields!

TechKaraokeSF is organized by John Yamasaki, Chief Location Wrangler, Tara Hunt, Chief Crooner Wrangler, and Sandra Arriaga, Chief Enthusiasm Wranger. John was a wonderful host, he came and introduced himself to me and added me on twitter instantly. He also checked in with me through the night and encouraged me to sing.

TechKaraokeSF is a place where those in the tech industry can come and let their hair down and mingle with others for a night, instead of sitting in their home or cubicle staring at the computer screen! Alchohol consumption is a must, as well as your duty to rock the mic! Be a rockstar or popstar for the night, it’s your choice!

I’ve noticed that a lot of people in tech seem to have moved to the San Francisco area from other parts of the country or world. It can take awhile to make new friends. This event gives them the chance to get out and meet others in their field in a fun environment.

I wanted to go to TechKaraokeSf, but-I was a little nervous-since I had never been and never tried karaoke before.  I did some research and looked at Annie’s Social Club’s song list.  I picked out a couple of songs that I thought I could sing.  When I was in school I was always in choir, then in high school, acapella choir.  I wasn’t the number one soloist, but I could sing. Yes, that was a long time ago. I also am pretty comfortable on stage in front of a crowd-still-this was something different.

It was a little slow getting started, but once it did it was tons of fun!  I thought it would be more of a networking event-but honestly-it was not easy to have much of a conversation with people while the karaoke was going on.  Plus, you want to watch and listen to whoever is on the stage anyway-after all-that’s what karaoke is all about!

I did meet a couple of people-before things got started.  Morgan Brown is Director of Marketing with TURNHERE internet video.  He and I were the first ones on the scene.  Next, Michael Selvidge, PR Dude with VSC consulting arrived.

Daniel Lieberman, President and CEO of bitpusher kept encouraging me to give karaoke a try. He said he’s only been karaoke-ing a couple of months and is hooked on it now!

Our karaoke hostess with the mostest was Eileen.  She was fantastic!  She kept the party moving! Eileen also dances with a burlesque group of cheerleaders (I wish I could remember their name! I love burlesque!) and taught me something I will now use forever-if you lean forward slightly with your shoulders your double chin will disappear in photos! Yes!

I signed up for a song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You”, by Lauren Hill. The thing is, I ended up third on the list, and I wasn’t ready yet.  The crowd was still small, and I hadn’t even finished one glass of wine.  Not that I drink much, but I needed two for this.  I told Eileen I wasn’t ready yet and she was very kind.  She said to let her know whenever I was ready.  I sat, I watched, I listened, I took lots of pictures.  I drank my wine.  Daniel said, “Just go for it-it’s not going to get any easier later”.  So, I did.

I have no idea what I sounded like? But, I got through it just fine. I sang, I danced a little, I saw other people in the audience singing along with me, and when it was over, people clapped! It wasn’t bad at all! I didn’t sign up for another song, but one was enough for starters. The rest of the night I enjoyed watching and listening to everyone else. It was great night, nice to see Karen Hartline, event coordinator with Mashable, Tara Hunt, blogger at Horse, Pig, Cow and author of the upcoming book, The Whuffie Factor, and Nick Starr, and nice to make some new friends. Mitu Khandaker is one of my twitter friends, who is now a real life friend! And Lisa made me dance with her!

Everyone was dressed pretty low key, mainly jeans with a nice top.  Tara Hunt, on the other hand, arrived in her Halloween costume, a bumble bee!  I must admit, she was as cute as a bug!

The crowd was wonderful.  I truly wish I had the chance to meet everyone personally.  Everyone was friendly and fun with a great sense of humor!

I’ll be there next month, join me if you can!

To see more pics from the event, please visit my flickr photostream

So tell me, have you ever tried karaoke? If you did, what song would you sing?

This may be my last post about the Suisun Valley for awhile, they have changed my work assignment.  I no longer work at the charming old-fashioned country school in the valley.  I no longer drive past the grape vines and sunflowers.  I miss them all.

Above are some pics I took during my last week there.  Fall is settling into the Suisun Valley.  The grapes have been harvested.  Soon the grape leaves will turn vibrant fall colors, then flutter to the ground.

The sunflowers are beginning to fade and their heads are bowing under the weight of the ripening seeds.

There is a chill in the air, and a cooler breeze blowing.

I had lunch at Vezer Family Winery in their courtyard one of my last days there and was treated to - not one - but two barn owls perched in the tree above me!  One seemed slightly smaller than the other.  He was gone the next day, or perched somewhere out of my sight.  One of the people at Vezer told me that at one time there were owlets in the nest above.  One night they had a big function in the garden and apparently all the noise and people frightened the owls and the baby owls fell out of the nest and were running around on the ground, unable to fly yet, and ran under the deck.  The next day they caught them and took them to the wildlife center.  Unfortunately, they did not survive.

There are three horses that live in the field bordering the Suisun Valley School.  It always made me smile to see them as I drove in to work.  I mean, how many schools are lucky enough to have a field of horses next to them?

As I drove to the freeway one day after work I passed by Stonedene and slowed down and took a couple of pictures from my car.  Stonedene is an amazing old home built in 1861 by architect Julia Morgan, famous for her work on Hearst Castle!  I would imagine she had to be one of the first women architects in the San Francisco area.  Stonedene is located on Suisun Valley Road across the street from Solano Community College.  It’s built in the Gothic Revival Style.  I didn’t have time to drive up and take pics of the home.  But I love the picture I took of the creepy looking gate and the fabulous stone wall. When I was in high school I was hired by the family that lived there at the time to stay and help babysit their three children, along with their au pair, Mary, when the parents went out of town on antique buying trips for business.

I have always been fascinated by Stonedene, it was a treat getting to stay there as a teenager, and I would dearly love to see the inside again, now that I am a grown up!

If you would enjoy seeing more of my pictures of the Suisun Valley, please visit my flickr photostream at:

http://flickr.com/photos/lauralovesart/sets/72157607257906216/