It's not even August and the Heat Is On. Time to huddle under the ceiling fan and watch all three seasons of "Merlin".

Or go out and perform poetry at cafes, libraries, colleges, high schools, clubs and people's backyards. We are not proud. Or tired.

Fabulous show at the $5 or Less Bookstore on Friday 7/20. We're off to Java Kai on  Saturday 7/28. The fun never stops ...

The $5 or Less Bookstore is the ultimate in the Cool Read: http://www.fivedollarbookstore.com/Home.html

Java Kai has the best acai bowl! I had no idea what acai was until I had my first bowl of acai and granola about 2 months ago: http://javakaicoffee.com/ I thought it was ice-cream. What a great way to start -- or end -- the day.

The Bay Area and Beyond

Our audiences for our Bay Area mini-tour were absolutely amazing. Standing ovation at UC Santa Cruz -- thanks to Crystal!

Now, back to reality as we prepare new material for upcoming shows in the Fall. This is the time I love: we all get together and rock language back and forth until something happens.

The clouds lose all that ponderous sense of decorum at night
they reveal their adolescent selves
and fling the basketball moon
and it falls and falls
while the clouds play catch and release

they fly low
they interfere with drivers
they wisp past
muscle off the freeway
cutting off everyone
trying to read fogged signs

they lie laughing
in the fields in Calabasas
they create orange halos
mocking the lights around Gelson's

they swift to the traffic lights
turn their backs on Woodland Hills
head over the hills into Topanga
where friends are waiting
to drift down the canyon
pushing each other into the ravine
changing the shape of the road
breathing out onto Highway 1
to hang at the beach
and sleep in all morning

After Nordhoff...

We've had two great shows so far -- the AUG and Nordhoff High School. And both couldn't have been more different! We also conducted a workshop at the TO Library: also an amazing experience.

So, the AUG couldn't have been a more enthusiastic audience. But we found that we were so buzzed that we fell apart at the end when we should have been the most cohesive. By contrast, the Nordhoff HS gig was more low-key. We ran a workshop first and then did the show. Seems like we've found what works!

It was so cool to work with the kids on poems, have the poems read aloud to wild applause and see the looks on their faces.

Going from that into the show was a smooth transition. While we all agreed that we needed to "bring" more to our individual performances, we liked how we felt connected to the audience.

We also had a good rehearsal with lots of strong, supportive feedback. Now to hike up our big-girl performance pants (you, too, Albert) and head to the Simi Valley Brighton's on Saturday night, followed by a performance workshop on Sunday at the AUG.

Pics to follow!

The first show

I don't know exactly what happened last night -- and I was there. The Babes, every single one of them, brought truth, laughter, memory, a love of words and a love of the audience and combined all of those into an exciting and beautiful evening.

It wasn't only performance, it was the most stunning display of selflessness. Each Babe insured that the others might shine.

I feel so grateful to be part of this. And now? We begin!

Babes in the news!

Catch us at the Ventura County Star -- first show Tuesday April 3rd!

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/mar/29/razor-babes-present-an-evening-of-interactive-3/

Today was our last indoor rehearsal. Tomorrow, we'll be outdoors at the Simi Valley Mall at 6pm, doing a full dress rehearsal.

A blessing from Joelle ...

And here are our new Babe shoes!

And a different kind of blessing from Beth.

Can't believe the show is finally happening!

It's rehearsal time

We arrived in Ventura at sunset. Actually, I did. Everyone else remembered to turn their clocks back. I was an hour late.

To get to grips with the material, there is nothing else to do but ... get to grips with the material.

Joelle and Albert ready to rehearse.

What we didn't realize or, rather, what I didn't realize, was that the SXXX exhibition was still on.

There are some exhibits that never strike a chord. And there are others that, once they strike, well, they keep on striking.

Actually, Albert's really soft-spoken so when he lets loose, it does grab the attention.

And Joelle has the last word!

Thanks to the lovely Phil Taggart for allowing us into the Artists' Union Gallery for rehearsals!

The Second Shoot

We met at Brandeis-Bardin campus for this one. We needed a few more shots for the Journeys theme.

After a few attempts, we abandoned the idea of vertical journeys.

Yep. None of these made it into the chapbook either.