Leaping Lizards - and Years and Storytellers Today is February 29th - Leap Day! It only comes around every four years.
Did you know that Leap Year was created by Julius Caesar? He reformed the calendar that was being used at the time that was regulated by the movement of the moon. Caesar replaced this calendar with the Egyptian calendar, which was regulated by the sun. He set the length of the year to 365.25 days by adding a leap day at the end of February every fourth year.
In the British Isles, it is a tradition that women may propose marriage only on leap years.
If a marriage proposal is refused by the man; compensation ranges from a kiss to a silk gown, in order to soften the blow.
Women looking to take advantage of their opportunity to propose marriage were expected to wear a scarlet petticoat as fair warning!
If you want to explore stories, crafts and more about LEAP YEAR, visit Catch the Storybug, the blog of friend and colleague Karen Langford Chace.
True Stories, Honest Lies - House Concert in Tucson Wonderful news for those of us living in the Southwest desert! Nationally Acclaimed Storyteller, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter Laura Packer will be in Tucson mid-March to do a workshop for an international listening conference, and while she is in town, she has agreed to present a house concert on Sunday, March 13th. The storytelling event, “True Stories, Honest Lies,” will take place in a beautiful downtown Tucson garden. It will be a delightful hour-long storytelling concert: “True Stories, Honest Lies” – a story sampling of some of her favorites: from personal to traditional, original fiction to improv and beyond.
When: Sunday, March 13, 2016 –
Doors open at 4:00 pm, the show will start at 4:30 pm
Laura Packer knows that the best way to the truth is through a good story. Whether folktale or true, epic or flash, her stories captivate and amuse audiences in venues as varied as schools and theaters, assisted living facilities and arts festivals, private events and on the streets. Laura has told, taught, ranted, raved, consulted and considered storytelling around the world. When she isn’t telling, she runs venues, coaches, writes, and helps people and organizations find their stories, hone their vision and use their voices to make the world a better place.
She is the sole proprietor of thinkstory llc, one of the foremost organizational storytelling groups in the United States. She has helped for- and non-profit organizations around the world identify, focus, capitalize upon and celebrate their stories. Previous clients include NASA, iRobot Corporation, Dreamfar, Unbound and others.
Laura is the winner of the 2010 National Storytelling Network Oracle Award, and the 2012 League for the Advancement of New England Storytelling Brother Blue Award, as well as semi-finalist in three Boston Story Slam series and the Best Slammers in the Nation. She holds a degree in Folklore and Mythology from Boston University.
AZ Live Storytelling A Stylish Life
Wednesday - March 2nd - Phoenix Art Museum
Join azcentral.com, The Arizona Republic and Alliance Bank of Arizona as we take over Cummings Great Hall with the Valley's most stylish citizens. This night is in partnership with the Arizona Costume Institute Nouveau Chapter. We will hear stories from fashionistas, models and retailers as we celebrate fashion, beauty and self-expression.
Co-emcee:
Celine Rille, co-founder of ACI Nouveau
Opening Remarks:
Arizona Costume Institute President Judy Steers and ACI Nouveau Director Lindsey Enyart
Featured tellers:
Marshall Shore, the Hip Historian
Tiara Vian, KJZZ producer and natural hair vlogger
Sally Borg, Ironman triathlete
Jared Yazzie, Navajo designer of OxDx clothing
Ann Spitznogle Cothron, past board member of the Arizona Costume Institute
Mark Hunter Voss, photographer and former assistant to publicist Eleanor Lambert
Helen Nosova, former curatorial assistant for Fashion Design at the Phoenix Art Museum
Tucson Tellers of Tales - Guild Meeting Saturday, March 5th - 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Our Featured Storyteller is Karla Campillo-Soto who will tell one of the stories she plans to share when she performs at the Library of Congress in April.
A short business meeting to elect officers for 2016 will follow. The meeting will conclude with members sharing their favorite “March, Clap, Sing!” Stories for Primary Grades.
The Unscrewed Theater
3244 E Speedway
Tucson, AZ
The Unscrewed Theater is a great place for TOT to meet. It is located across the street from The Loft Theater in a strip mall next to Walgreens. There is plenty of parking in the back of the building, and the entrance to the theater is next to the parking lot.
World Folktale Throwdown at Estrella Mountain World Folktale Throwdown - Coming to Estrella Mountain on March 7th - 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
This fast-paced event will cover folktales from A - Z. Featuring 26 tellers, each having just 3 minutes to present their tale. The audience will vote for their favorites.
Singer, songwriter, Storyteller Nancy Elliott presents The Heart of It All, a fun and evocative program overflowing with stories, songs and poems about everyday lives {not guaranteed to be entirely true!} arranged in a format designed to inspire and encourage you to tell your story.
Through the spoken or written word, music or the arts, storytelling brings us closer together with better understanding and sparks the imagination. Storytelling waters the seeds of personal growth and healing, and it's pretty darn entertaining, too!
Everyone has a story, and every story matters. Yes, even your story! Your story can change a heart, even save a life. I've seen it happen..
Central Arizona College
Superstition Mountain Campus
F115 Community Classroom
805 S. Idaho Road, Apache Junction, Arizona 85119
Phone 480.677.7700
Journeys Storytelling Workshops...and Concert There are currently two more Journeys Workshops scheduled.
Liz Warren will be doing a workshop on March 19th: Stories of Adventure (Details & Registration)
Mark Goldman will be doing a workshop on April 16th: Beyond the Bones: Finding Creative Language for Your Story. (Details & Registration)
The sessions are held at the Shadow Rock Whole Life Center.
And several of the participants will be telling stories on April 1st. Come hear tales, some true, some tall, from friends both familiar and new. Storytellers will include folks from the monthly workshops - as well as others in the Valley storytelling community. It'll be a night all about family, friendship, love, and adventure.
Not a bad axiom to follow - for storytellers too! When you have a presentation, it's always a good idea to Be Prepared.
Of Course, one can't anticipate everything that might go wrong, but it's helpful to be ready for the unexpected; a change in plans; or an emergency that may arise. Here are a just few things to consider:
Carry a small Kleenex packet - for you or anyone else that might need it.
Hand wipes or Wet Wipes in a small packet can help if you are not near water or a restroom.
Pe Prepared to HIKE from the entrance to the auditorium, or mobile classroom where you will perform.
Bring some lozenges (or mints) to keep your mouth moist.
Definitely bring your own FULL water bottle (don't count on there being a fountain near by).
Bring a candy bar or snack bar... just in case you have to wait a LONG time to go on.
Arrive early. You never know if they have changed the time (30 minutes or an hour early is better than 5 minutes late).
Bring something to occupy your time (book/notes) if you do have a long wait.
Be prepared to change your program - have more stories or different ones than they originally requested. They may have misunderstood, or you may find yourself with a different audience than you expected.
Also, be ready to change on the fly if your audience needs it in the middle of the performance. Things may go in a different direction than you had planed, and your ability to adjust accordingly (without hesitation) will be crucial to a good outcome.
Did they tell you there was a PA system...and now there is not? If you don't have your own in the trunk, you may need to use your voice in a way you didn't expect. Be ready
Be ready to think creatively to resolve any issues that may arise. Don't get upset, focus on what the options are. What is the problem? What might solve it? If your attitude is one of options and this will work, then the outcome will be OK, and you will come off as a hero!
If you have some other hints or tips to Be Prepared, write them in the COMMENT section below!
It Seemed Logical to Me When I was eight years old, I was a Cub Scout. My mother was the Den Mother (read: more pressure on me to do well). The Cub Scout Motto is Be Prepared. In fact, I had an official membership card with my name, and the motto clearly displayed. So, being the conscientious young person I was, it was clear to me that the way to Be Prepared was to carry that card with me at all times. And as fate would have it, one day I lost it.
The next time there was a Den Meeting, I got all ready and dressed in my blue uniform, complete with cap. My mother checked to make sure I was properly dressed... and prepared. She asked me where the card was, and I said I had lost it. She was angry and asked me why I carried it around when I wasn't going to a meeting? With tears streaming down my face, I replied, "It said I should be prepared... so I carried it to be prepared."
------------------------------------THERE'S A LOT GOING ON EACH MONTH -------------------CHECK EACH WEBSITE OR CALENDAR TO CONFIRM DATES AND TIMES ---------------------------------CALL TO MAKE SURE THE EVENT IS STILL ON
FStorytellers - Female Story Tellers - Tucson
Usually sometime during the first week of the month - but check their website) at 7 pm - TUCSON http://www.fstorytellers.com/index.html
West Side Story Tellers - Storytellers Guild First Saturday of each month - GLENDALE *NO meetings in July & August http://westsidestorytellers.weebly.com
East Valley Tellers of Tales -Storytellers Guild Second Saturday of each month - SCOTTSDALE - *NO meetings in July & August http://www.evtot.com
Storyfind Fourth Saturday of each month (usually - check calendar) - *NO meetings in June & July
SMCC Storytelling Institute
A monthly workshop designed to help storytellers build community and deepen repertoire. See the Calendar
- National Storytelling Network? You should be.
Today is February 29th - Leap Day! It only comes around every four years.
Wonderful news for those of us living in the Southwest desert! Nationally Acclaimed Storyteller, Speaker, and Workshop Presenter Laura Packer will be in Tucson mid-March to do a workshop for an international listening conference, and while she is in town, she has agreed to present a house concert on Sunday, March 13th. The storytelling event, “True Stories, Honest Lies,” will take place in a beautiful downtown Tucson garden. It will be a delightful hour-long storytelling concert: “True Stories, Honest Lies” – a story sampling of some of her favorites: from personal to traditional, original fiction to improv and beyond.
She is the sole proprietor of 
A Stylish Life
Saturday, March 5th - 9:30 am - 11:30 am
World Folktale Throwdown - Coming to Estrella Mountain on
Monday, March 7th - 7:00 PM
There are currently two more Journeys Workshops scheduled.
The Scouts' motto - Be Prepared.
When I was eight years old, I was a Cub Scout. My mother was the Den Mother (read: more pressure on me to do well). The Cub Scout Motto is Be Prepared. In fact, I had an official membership card with my name, and the motto clearly displayed. So, being the conscientious young person I was, it was clear to me that the way to Be Prepared was to carry that card with me at all times. And as fate would have it, one day I lost it.
