Sunday Reflections: Beer Slushies, Leveling Up Content, and the Two Week Countdown Until the VCCC!
On Sundays I reflect.
Liquid Courage in the New Age
I didn’t drink alcohol this week. It’s been almost a year since my last drink, and almost two years since I decided to quit. This has been the most drastic change I’ve ever made in my life. The other day I found myself fantasizing about beers from Indiana and Wisconsin, and considered asking some people coming to my show next month to bring a six pack of Spotted Cow and Upland Wheat. Back when I drank beer, it tasted like beer. Now all I see people drinking are slushy beers and spiked seltzer water. Call me old fashioned, but I’m not sure I get it. I used to love beer on daily basis but I’m not sure I would even know how to order one in a brewery any more. Are IPAs still even a thing?
Health Update
I’ve been making a lot of progress with my acupuncturist and chiropractor. The pain that was inhibiting me from sleeping at night and functioning during the day is gone. The underlying pain I’ve dealt with for years is still present, but every week feels like an improvement. I need to add strength training to my yoga routine so I can start to reverse decades of bad habits including my posture. My friend and acupuncturist Alicia is going to help me with that when she has time. I’m so grateful for the people in my life. I know I couldn’t handle this all by myself.
Content Game: Level Up
In the beginning of the week a model came up to Vail from Colorado Springs to shoot with me after a few weeks of scheduling challenges. Unfortunately the time she had free was not a time Reda or my other photographer friends were available so I borrowed a friends camera and shot her myself. I’ve had some training in photography in my life, but I’m definitely not a pro. We made do and had a great time, and I can’t wait to share that content with you once it’s edited. Shoutout to Skinny for the camera loan I owe you big time!
So it’s been a week of videos for me which is new. It started Tuesday morning with a live interview on Good Morning Vail to discuss my upcoming event, the Vail Cup Collectors Club. As I made my morning smoothie to feature in a collaboration I made with Seth @firekist for my show I knocked the cup on the marble counter and the top shattered. Fortunately I have just enough prep to make another one, and I grabbed a mug from my personal collection to use in my on air interview. I was nervous, but it came and went quick and the feedback has been tremendous. Click here to watch the segment!
A few weeks ago Shawn Waggoner of Talking Out Your Glass Podcast came to the studio to produce a video about me for her new channel. Shawn interviewed me years ago during the very early days of my project, which catapulted her exploration of the pipe scene. Since then she’s become the primary news source in our industry, covering and representing artists in a professional capacity and providing a platform for us to share our stories. Friday that video went live, and Shawn will be back for the Vail Cup Collectors Club to create another piece covering the event. I’m so honored to be able to work with Shawn and introduce her to more industry folks to cover. Click here to see the video!
Mid week, a local named Theo (@theorhodius) came over to shoot video content of some of our fumed mugs with coffee pouring in to show the color spectrum hidden in some of our cups. We’ll share these videos next week to debut our brand new fumed mugs from Jason Gordon, two of five of which have already sold. There are still three left and we’ll be getting another order in the future for sure! Theo was great to work with too and we’ll definitely be creating content together regularly to add video to all of our photo content.
It’s starting to feel like a media agency over here in Bat Country more than a glass studio. I have spent more time than usual blowing glass lately, but with the show two weeks away I need to step it up. It’s hard to fit that in between all of the other things going on, on top of getting ready for my show. I have to remind myself blowing glass is part of getting ready for my show and prioritize that in the next two weeks. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.
Shred Life
We got a serious snow storm, so Thursday I caught first chair with my friend Owen who drove up from Denver. It was easily one of the best days of the season. During this most stressful time of my life, it’s important that I take some time to simply enjoy myself and turn everything else off. Snowboarding allows me that time for me, and the snow this year is the best I’ve experienced in my few years up here. I can’t wait to ride with everyone coming out for the show!
Two Week Countdown!
So for the next two weeks we’ll be working around the clock, and when I say we, I mean J. Cost, Rob, our entire lineup and myself. Half our lineup will be in Vegas for Glass Vegas before coming to Colorado, and cups are already in the mail from Salt and some others for our show.
I’ve never had a bigger checklist in my life. I’ll certainly forget something. Probably something important, but we’re all in this together and so many people are helping fill in the gaps for me that I wouldn’t be able to pull this off without. I’m overwhelmed by the support for my vision, and I’m looking forward to the best show I’ve ever produced.
I’ve produced so many failed shows in my life I couldn’t begin to list them. Last year was a turning point for the Vail Cup Collectors Club in only its second year, and this year will top last year without a doubt. I’m so excited to spend the weekend with some of my favorite artists, collectors and friends. I’m honored to be able to host this event beyond my capacity to express.
We’ll be live streaming parts of the show on Facebook and Instagram throughout the weekend so tune in if you can’t attend! Feel free to message us to get on our list of people to reach out to with available inventory once the show wraps up and we’ll make sure to send you pics as soon after the weekend as we can!
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