( LJ Cut for the safety and sanity for readers who prefer more substantial posts. )
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Do you like what we are doing with the VAS Littlecrow from an artistic  and philosophical standpoint? Do you appreciate our efforts to get our act together faster?  If so, my freelance staff and I really appreciate your help.  You can help us in the following ways:

1. Visit the VL and Catnose Comics websites.  Buy our stuff. Check out our event venues.  Support our awesome sponsors and advertisers.  All eyeballs and dollars are appreciated.
2. Consider purchasing items on the VL Wish List, or donating to our awesome non-corporate and totally for-profit arts venture. 
3. Read my goals and objectives.  Be inspired to create your own.  Apply them to your own life, and let me know how you are making your existence rock!  Thanks to Miss Chette, Sam and Misty O. for letting me know about their goals and how they are working on achieving them.  That really is inspirational to me.

Yes, I know this appeal is shameless.  What do you expect from someone who shows off and draws boobies for a living.  Not quite, but you get the drift.  On to the goals.
Artistic/Business Goals:

* I've been keeping up the momentum with my content creation for all of my active sites. P,S!, Upir's Mark and Rasputin Catamite are well-stocked and on-schedule. It looks like I might be slightly behind on the Rasputin Barxotka re-opening, but the first episode will be up just before the end of the month. My goal is to have the site ready for membership marketing by fall. I will start work on making Soup Wars and the Butterfly Armagedon melodrama fully public JuneMay. Best part: I am doing all of this during my free-time, instead of being bored or watching TV shows I hate.

* Make a minimum of $200,000 a year before taxes without screwing people over or having to take a second job. (I am happy with my job at VAS Littlecrow. Alas, our household income, while getting much better, is still not sufficient to eliminate all debt by the end of the year. I want to be able to finish the interior of our home, pay all our debt and meet my goals as a non-starving artist.) Objectives:

- We are on track to pay off all debt by 12/10. Essential items for the household will be fully funded by the end of 4/10. We are already paying thrice our minimum payment, in spite of a goof by Sprint and car repairs. Any income Loki or I earn as employees from that point will be used towards killing our household debt! This is incredibly gratifying. VAS Littlecrow debt reduction is also on track, but there are some more expenses that need to be taken care of before I can move out of minimum payment mode. The predatory interest rate at Advanta is not helping. Regardless of slimy banking institutions, our hard work is really paying off.
- Have a minimum of $3000 in Certificates of Deposit, in addition to a regular emergency savings fund of $3000, for both ourselves and the business. We already have met the $3000 goal (which should support our basic expenses for 3 months, and the Internet is paid for 2010.) Now for the hard part, the $3000 in long-term saving (which may be stored in a savings account instead because of the crappy interest rates.) 6/11.
- I need to finding a business that will print my digital art, and financially viable ideas to create events out of the destruction of my sketches that are artistically satisfying.
- Get into one of the art crawls as a performer. Since exhibiting work is not a priority, I perhaps should consider guerrila street performance. I need to show my art somehow, and confining it to a gallery may not be the answer.  But with that said, I made some gallery exhibit submissions.
- I will meet with the consultant at Springboard for the Arts tomorrow. I feel unprepared, but I will do my best. I have also arranged to take more arts-marketing related courses.
- Analyze and apply everything I learned from reading the Manual and studying top 40 charts to manufacture a #1 hit. The ultimate goal is to resurrect the Purpie and give the public an incentive to see the show. Thanks to Lady Gaga proving that the shit I want to do is marketable and that there is someone with a creepily similar sense of aesthetics to mine is actually succeeding, I finally have an incentive to quit whining about how unmarketable my work is. 12/12
- I need to re-learn how to play the guitar and learn how to use a sequencer, so I can actually compose music for my lyrics. I already managed to tune my guitar, so that's a bit of progress. 12/11
- Secure sufficient funds and acquire the knowledge necessary to build a mini-recording studio to start producing a music demo -- my way. Perhaps supplementing my income with music while I am working on developing the whole cabaret performance thing. After doing some additional research, I found an incredibly affordable solution to this problem and have revised my goal date accordingly. 5/10
- I am still working to be ready for my full-scale musical show by Fringe festival 2011, with all the merchandise. I now have a good idea of how much is going to cost for me to pay for everything, so the next step is either sponsorship or getting a grant written proposal written. Failing that, I will use any post-debt elimination money. 10/10
- I will have a scaled down show produced for Patrick's Cabaret Transgender Cabaret by March 2010. Buy the tickets gang, it will be fun. It has begun.
- Educate myself on image licensing and start attracting clients. My next step will finding some courses or books on the subject. 8/10
- My six-day-a-week exercise routine is going great. I am tracking my food intake again at Sparkpeople. Although I've had some days where I was lax on my tracking, My body is coming back and my self-image is a lot better. Ongoing
- I am working on finding new paid venues that are open to my act or exotic dancer routine to supplement and eventually replace the Chicago Club when it closes down in 2011.  Springboard for the arts suggested  I get an agent and a press kit.  I need to get some other things first, but it's doable.
- Expand advertising to more VL sites and Increase unique daily visitors to each of my ad supported websites to 1,400 per day to achieve average daily ad revenues of $13.70 by 12/10.
- Create a physical press kit, as well as targetted promotional materials.  Ordered biz cards for Catnose Comics. by 5/10.
- Prepare a professional video explaining what VL is all about. 7/10
- Grow hair to mid-back length and consider sticking to persona when in public to advertise VL. Ongoing
- Restarted ballet training by taking courses at the MN Dance School.
-  Start distance training for hula hooping. 2/20.

* In 2010 I will make an effort to attend or participate in the several conventions/activities related to my field as an artist.  Here's where I'll be at:
- Springcon (Guest Artist)
- Zinefest (Reserved a table.)
- Convergence (Thom made a reservation.)
- Fallcon (Will be there.)
- Lutefisk Sushi D (Will be there.)

Family Goals

* I will be going to Puerto Rico next week, so I consider this goal accomplished!
* To keep better track of food storage. I have been negligent in this respect. I plan to correct this issue, starting tomorrow with a new record keeping system. Loki is cooperating, but my schedule is not.

Nik,

That's so sweet, it's a post-break up comment to you from before my discovering your chronological discrepancies about the girl.  Those were good days.  I liked you so much back then.

Thank you for the free publicity!  Glad you're enjoying yours.   I also appreciate the happy memory about you.  It's good to know that you had some redeeming qualities.  Oh yeah, and I totally believe that you "happened" to find my LJ tags via Google all innocent-like, like the last incident when you had a shit fit about the "Get Lost" storyline.  I'm sure MyGuests is totally lying about your dropping into my journal, on purpose.

Your name shows up on the tags because:

1- These are old entries.
2- You are coming into my journal fishing for information about yourself, like always.  So, I decided to that since you're gonna stalk me anyway, I might as well make it more convenient for you. After all, you did complain about me hiding entries when I made them private the last time.

Make you a deal.  Don't show up on MyGuests for at least three months in a row, and I'll take out all the tags.  Fair?  Oh and thank you for the material.


Love,
Vas

P.S. Still not taking the bait.


---

Received today:

Nik (seventyeleventy) replied to a comment you left in a LiveJournal post
(http://seventyeleventy.livejournal.com/379464.html). The comment they
replied to was:

> Grasshopper, 

> Loki and I did the long distance thing for years, and we worked out just
> fine -- actually, better than fine. Well, you saw what he and I have, and
> though it is abnormal, it KICKS the butt of many other conventional
> relationships. Feed and water your long-distance relationship will
> communication, and it will do fine. :D

> I hope that your trip to Boston will be most excellent. As long as you
> keep making cool drawings for my stories, and you are happy, I am happy.
> Everyone else's opinions of who you are and what your should do, are none
> of your business unless you make them so, so stay true to yourself.

> Always your evil, bossy, annoying and grey-haired sensei who will forever
> remain your buddy-in-art, Vas

Their reply was:

  Ironic to read this message. And ironic that all the name dropping you
  HAVEN'T been doing shows up in tags when I google-search my name.

  heh. Forever. Riiiiiight.

Yes.  I'd love to be a dragon, blowing magical bubbles while grooving to happy and repetitive music.

I'd be more concerned if the Earth stopped rotating around the sun.

Considering I have two cat tattoos, VAS Littlecrow's business trademark is a cat, and my cartoon alter ego is called "Catnose," I'm pretty damned sure the answer is obvious on both counts.

For an example of why I am cat-like, read my last major entry.  Aside from the hard-work portion of my life, I'm pretty kitty.

 No regrets.

I got a free ride through college, and the professors in my fields of interests were damned interesting as people, so I don't regret getting my degree.  However, had I paid for my own education, I probably would've thought that my degree was a complete waste of money.  Anything that wasn't Art, Scandinavian Studies, French (only when the hot professor from France was teaching as opposed to the incompetent American professor with the horrible accent,) Spanish, Sociology, or me working at the photo lab proved to be a waste of my time.  If I knew then, what I know now, I would've spent more time at the library to follow my scholarly pursuits and skipped college all together.  I would've focused solely on my business the second I finished high school.  Had I done that, I feel that I would be much further in reaching all of my life goals.

Professionally, I honestly got more out of the Pure Talent School of Dance in three grueling days, than I did in my four and a half years of college.  In my experience, life is a much better educational system than academia.

 
I think Superbowl Sunday has turned into an excuse to watch commercials.

Taxes

My annual meeting with my accountant was surprisingly painless this year.  I'd like to thank to VL Operations Manager, Misty O'Brien for making 2009 the smoothest tax season yet. The custom tracking system rocked the VL World!  I may not be getting a tax refund this year, but at least I'm not suffering from stress headaches or late filing fines.  If only my taxes didn't fund Tim Pawlenty's theater of stupid, or Barack Obama's well-intentioned but ultimately misguided Weimar Republic-like utopia experiment.

After bringing the appropriate documents, my accountant reminded me that the MN Sales Tax deadline was upon me.  I loathe paying Minnesota use tax (a.k.a. the buying stuff online tax.) I loathe it with all my fiber. I can understand paying a state sales tax, but paying a de facto nationwide sales tax to the state is pretty offensive.  This is why I always procrastinate paying it until the very last minute.  Consumption seems to be a fair way to determine how much money ought to be doled out to the government, and a sales tax can be a great means to that end.  However, when there's no Federal state tax and I chose to purchase something out of state, it really baffles me as to how Minnesota can justify demanding a cut of that.   If we can't have a Federal sales tax, why can't we just have a flat tax instead? 

The flat tax is when you pay a percentage of income to state and Federal, and that's it. The current convoluted tax system has income, sales, use, and et cetera taxes.  There is also a seemingly arbitrary system of exemptions that seem to favor those who reproduce, the insanely rich or the ridiculously poor. The middle class and small business pays for the bulk of this mess.  This system is so confusing, that people are actually are happy to get a tax refund after giving the government an interest-free loan.

Some people argue that this type of tax unfairly excludes people who live off inheritance or interest income.  While this objection is entirely based on fact, it isn't necessarily justified.  People who live on inheritance shouldn't have to pay taxes if these taxes have already been paid.  Investment interest earnings are income and therefore should be covered by a flat tax.  When it comes to the flat tax, it's not the trust fund babies who are the problem. The government-sponsored mercantilism (corporation) system that people confuse with direct capitalism is much larger issue that the government is unable or unwilling to address. It's too easy to cheat on taxes and obfuscate profit when a business is public  and an unaccountable entity, as opposed to the property of an individual who is subject to legal sanctions.

Another criticism is that the flat tax hits those in a lower income bracket harder than those who are wealthy.  This argument is debatable.  If a flat tax is automatically deducted from one's income, it should be less of a problem for the taxpayer.  Furthermore, an automatic flat tax would spare people from having to file taxes every year, and without deductions, it actually forces those in higher income brackets to pay their "fair share."

Just a reminder: Catnose Comics now has its own Twitter account. Check it out: twitter.com/catnosecomics.

Yes I did.  Everything was incompatible.  I divorced him.

My sleep and eating schedule has been on a rollercoaster as of late.  That's one of the unfortunate side-effects of being in demand.  I've gained eight pounds in less than two weeks. Needless to say, I have been feeling a bit run down.  I was on the verge of tears because I realized that I'm getting to the point of being overworked.  I considered calling Storm about rescheduling my engagement next week.  I  dissuaded myself from this plan of action, fearing the stigma of being viewed as a flake.

During a much needed nap, Storm called me.  "Do you need to work next week, or are you okay with rescheduling?" My ears perked up.  My favorite dance booking coordinator informed me that there was a new dancer and that she would be willing to reschedule me for a less hectic week.  All without any prompting!  I thanked her profusely, explaining to her my health situation and my coincidental desire to call her about a week off.

I am so grateful to have such awesome people in my life.  As soon as I know my new dance schedule, I will share it on my calendar and on the VL main site.

My husband is going to be thrilled!

For some reason I've been thinking about people that I've collaborated with, and found some interestering observations:
 

• The person who was the most like a kindred spirit, who happened to be the most reliable artist in my crew, no longer acknowledges the existance of VAS Littlecrow, or even me as a person.  Not even on the resume.  The worst part about it is that it wasn't over a fight, drama or disagreement.  It was a passive and quiet dissasociation over the one thing that makes this person most happy.  Unfortunately, my demon drawing, faith questioning, body exposing ways are not compatible with a lot faiths.  So, I let this individual go without so much as a whimper.
• I have the best personal assistant ever.  That person does everything I ask and is really super warm in bed.
• The person who I thought was my kindred spirit, ended up being my worst enemy; hated by my left and right-hand people for being a toxic influence on me and nearly destroying the VL venture.  I wish that person would disappear from my life for good.
• The person who I most wanted to leave me alone, did.  It was gratifying to see this individual run from my presence, upon sighting me.
• I really worry about the health of some of my former and present staff.
• It's fun to see my former freelancers pop in to say, "hi" every once in a while.  Surprises of that sort bring me glee.
• It really cool that my favorite vendors and freelancers are some of my closest friends.  I value their loyalty and I hope that they know that I am just as loyal to them.
• I felt indifferently about some of my freelancers because the relationship has been strictly professional.  Regardless, I like still them as people, and it has been fun to see their life journeys on Facebook.
• I often worry about one of my most reliable artists, who just so happened to have an incredibly turbulent life outside of the VL.  That person is always on my mind.  Seeing this gem's latest online portfolio made me incredibly proud.  This artist's tenacity in the face of insane odds is absolutely inspiring.
• It's nice to know that so many of my former and current freelancers have a massive love for good food.
• If you have worked for VAS Littlecrow, you have probably seen me topless or naked either in person or picture.  I am not sure whether to be proud of that.

Oh well, these are just thoughts I needed to share.