"Technical Difficulties" with Online Orders. . .and Some Help

For a long time I have had a Paypal account.

Until the possibility of this Family Famine: Hunger for Love DVD, I had little use for the account.

Then, I raked my brain for my password and explored the Paypal website.

It was time to create a "Buy Now" button to place on my two blogs: Family Famine: Hunger for Love and Voice--A Storyteller's Lifestyle.

Eventually, a code was given that I was to copy and paste into the layout of each of my blogs.

I announced the ability to pre-order the DVD on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Professional Storyteller social network site.

Luckily, I received a message from Tim Ereneta. He had attempted to order a copy but something was wrong with the "Buy Now" button.

I called someone from Paypal, got it figured out, copied a new code, and pasted them in their spots.

Thank you, Tim, for the heads up!

Now everything is in working order.

Talking about "order", have you ordered your copy yet?

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Official Venue: I have Covey Center for the Arts!

I learned that the Covey Center for the Arts signed their half of the venue contract.

Now it is official: I have the place for my premiere on February 9, 2009 at 8:00pm!

I will wait to send out invites through Facebook, Twitter, Professional Storyteller, and other online avenues until the information on the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production is on the Covey Center for the Arts website. By November 26th the page will be up, if not earlier. When I receive notification, then I will also submit the event to online calendars including NowPlayingUtah.com.

Each event that takes place there has their own page to post a few pictures, description, and list any websites connected to it. Of most use is link so people could order tickets online.

Perhaps I should not have stalled to work on the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" logo. I wanted to have the venue in place first as the location's information would be needed for posters, fliers, and postcards. The logo itself did not need those details. Still, there is a certain security to waiting when things are more in stone.

I could always have the logo uploaded on the Covey Center for the Arts website as I get it. In the meantime, I will submit the picture of me looking back over my shoulder. This is the same picture used for my Facebook support group.

I expect to have pictures of my accompanist and possible someone to sing duet with me for a song or two. This will be more clear as the structures of the stories progress.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

"Economy of Language": From Character's View

The previous post was also on "Economy of Language". Now for another view.

On September 10, 2008 I finally created an account with Twitter, a social online tool. This could be an exercise for storytellers to test their skills in being concise. You are limited to 140 characters (notice characters and NOT words) per post.

How would each story in my repertoire look if it was condensed to 140 characters? This may be a little longer than the one-liner found inside the cover of books above the ISBN number.

Telling the story aloud and condensing within a five-minute, three-minute, or one-minute frame seems easy compared to only having 140 characters to write that same piece.

President Thomas S. Monson, 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shared how in the 1960s during the Vietnam war, Jay Hess became captured in Hanoi after his plane was shot down. Brother Hess had not seen his family for over two years and was uncertain when he'd see his family again.

He had only 25 words to send a message and this is what he chose to write--
"These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college, press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year."

What would you write to your family?

Now, what if you only had two characters?

This question is easy for me: 88.

My parents are both ham radio operators and "88" was something they could tell each other over the airwaves as "88" meant "hugs and kisses". Another way to express "I love you". These characters look a lot like the "xo" that many people place on birthday cards to wish the same thing. It's easy to see why "88" came to equal "xo".

Here's a clip hosted by Walter Cronkite on ham radio:


Can you sense a story? Perhaps one of my personal reflection moments within "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" could share the importance of the characters "88" to me.

That is love within the "Economy of Language".

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Twitter, Facebook, & Ping.fm--Tantalizing Tools

I am officially on Twitter and Ping.fm. With Facebook, I am fairly new as my brother introduced and guided me with it the beginning of January 2008.

What I have seen for all of these sites excites me to the possibilities.

Several professional storytellers pioneered these sites long before I joined them, yet I am still considered part of the first wave to embrace it. With any technology there are the select few pioneers in the beginning, then the device turns mainstream and finally there are the resisters to change (often of the older generations though not always).

Not every tool must be embraced, as a certain level of caution is good if not healthy. Being unaware of tools, however, whether by choice or through ignorance, does little to forward an art or a performing artist in this matter.

My recent joining of Twitter and Ping.fm was influenced for the need to gain support for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" narrative production. Despite this fact, I have often said to fellow storytellers and performing artists that by promoting an event or project you are automatically promoting yourself. Even with 100% altruistic intentions, this naturally happens.

Here is an under two-and-a-half-minute YouTube video "Twitter in Plain English" posted by Lee LeFever--



As for networking online, here is Scott Bradley sharing "My Top 15 Networking Principles"--



For Ping.fm as well as some basic advice on how not to get overwhelmed by Internet tools, enjoy this video "Who pops your popcorn? 03 Ping.fm" presented by Shahar and Nashlah Boyayan--



I will share how I specifically use Twitter, Facebook, and Ping.fm in another post.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com