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.

Marie delivers!

Marie was amazing at helping all of us to relax. But, the hams that we are, it didn't take much.

So here are some of the pics that won't make it into the chapbook.

The Big Shoot 2-12-12

We spent this afternoon shooting photos for our new chapbook out this Spring. This is a fund-raiser effort for our Bay Area trip. The plan: If we put silly photos with our poems, more people will buy the book. We had a whale of a time and our photographer, Marie, was incredible.

So this is what happens when 9 poets and 1 photographer get together: We meet up for lunch, eat some yoghurt, fruit, soup, egg and fries (not in that order). We drink a little tea and water. And then the magic starts to happen...

That Beth, so graceful and supple.

And Christy's got it going on, too.

And this gorgeous purple-haired creature turned up. She must be famous.

Joan and Maggie between takes, hanging out with the cookies.

Anyone know this guy?

Molly was very patient with us and kept Melissa out of trouble.

Meanwhile, Sandra K. wisely sat under her umbrella and stayed cool.

Watch this space for news and pics from the next shoot!

They're back and they're heading north!

Three of the Babes looking Babealicious at the Cobalt: Joan, Joelle and Beth.
Razor Babes are back and howling about the freeway,snow leopards, Irish desserts (Guinness with ice-cream?), Superwoman, Batman, traffica, train journeys, Bollywood: and that's just when we were unpacking.
Join us on this blog as we plot our Bay Area or Bust trip. We're heading up in May to meet a whole shed-load of talented writers and performers in Santa Cruz, Berkeley and -- wait for it -- Good Vibrations!

Something Sharp and Sexy This Way Cometh

Babes and Beaus,

For those of you joining us for the first time, we'd like to first go around and make introductions. For the most part, I am Me, You are You, and These People are all These People. Now we usually open these meetings with prayer. Now don't get uppity, it's just a formality, we are a non-denominational group, so anyone of any faith can lead the prayer. Since I'm the one with the floor this week, I will lead this week's prayer:

"That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange eons even death may die,"

--and, since I would like to end on a positive note--

"Ph'nglui mglw'nath Cthulu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn."

We have called this meeting here today to say unto thee mortals

BEHOLD AND BE IN MORTAL TERROR FOR--

THE RAZOR BABES

Our next Event:
Date: Thursday, December 17^th
Time: 7pm
Place: Ojai Seniors Center

Our sexy madame Sandra has provided our syllabus for the workshop we shall be leading, which reads as follows:

The giving and receiving of gifts:

In twos, writers decide on a word (juicy, delicious, ponderous, unzip) and put it together with something unexpected (juicy desert, delicious shark, ponderous perfume, unzip cloud). Make this phrase precious and give it a color, smell, and location.

Now each duo will present their Gift to two other writers who will write a poem between them (one line each at a time) paying close attention to the attributes they’ve been provided.

Everyone reads their work aloud.

Finally, it is my intention to make this blog a successful tool for Me, You, and These People, and therefore if any other of the Babes or Beaus would like to contribute to this blog, please do not hesitate to notify me at the next Razor Babes event.

Sincerely,

Shae Sveniker