Our PATREON is LIVE

Our #patreon is live!

CLICK HERE: https://t.co/HzNuk0D5cf

Complete with the very first chapter of our brand new story: #amongmen

FRONT PAGE:

My name is Andrew Slac.

I made this patreon for the purpose of first releasing a serialized story to folks who routinely show their support, leading to the support of the endeavors of other artists, as well as a few plans on the grander scale.

Each month I'll bring you a chapter in a tale of fiction that you will have first access to if you choose to pony up the buck and support. But the buck doesn't stop there! That dollar (or more, if you're feeling really supportive) will also get you exclusive access to other patreon only content and activities including streams, vlogs, blogs and more. 

THE STORYAmong Men
genre: fantasy

First chapter teaser: The tiny nation of Bellsara, too small and weak to fight on her own, is surrounded by warring enemies and only survives by supplying two things to whomever is willing to pay: food from her crops, and soldiers of her sons and daughters. Our story begins during yet another siege of yet another territory deemed an enemy by purchase. This is where we meet our hero, a child like any other of Bellsara, a farmer turned soldier, conscripted to fight enemies that are not their own. And while their beginnings may be humble, their destiny is one of glory and great change...

...And that's pretty much all I can say without spoilers.

Also, exclusive content comes with the exclusive right to be a part of the conversation with each post. I will answer as many questions as I can, and I may even apply your suggestions and sprinkle a bit of your awesome into the story. Not the plot, of course, but if you have ideas you'd like to see, they may just end up in the story itself. Don't want your ideas in the story? Don't post 'em! Good. I'm glad we had this talk.

Generally, being an artist is an isolating life, but I don't want to live that way. I love people and believe in the brilliance that everyone has the potential to show. This patreon allows me to not only share something unique, but also creates a community based on support, communication and the exchange of art and ideas. Which is kind of my life-long dream.

If things go well, and I mean really well, this patreon will help lead to much grander projects, as well as create opportunities for others to show their work, and share with the world a part of themselves that may otherwise go unseen. I am a man with massive dreams and the drive and passion to get them done, and to support those who support me.

Alone we are amazing and together we are mighty.

If you do choose to pledge, I thank you. In return I pledge to create great works to the best of my ability, and to grow a community based on communication, support, opportunities and entertainment. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit this patreon. 

Whether you are a supporter or just someone passing by:
Have the best day you've ever had!

Andrew

My New Project REVEALED!

I've been teasing a new thing or thang I am putting into the sphere. Here it is.

This Monday, May 15th, 2017, I will be launching my patreon.

Each month I will release a chapter - of considerable length - for a brand new story that will only be available through patreon, and only if you are a supporter of this campaign.

The purpose of the patreon is to not only build a community for my work, but to raise funds and create a dedicated support for the works of other artists, even so far as eventually creating a convention that celebrates all of our stories.

This is both exciting and pants-shittingly terrifying for me.

Links will drop Monday.  I hope you'll join me in this new journey.

Here is the front page for the project:

My name is Andrew Slac.

I made this patreon for the purpose of first releasing a serialized story to folks who routinely show their support, leading to the support of the endeavors of other artists, as well as a few plans on the grander scale.

Each month I'll bring you a chapter in a tale of fiction that you will have first access to if you choose to pony up the buck and support. But the buck doesn't stop there! That dollar (or more, if you're feeling really supportive) will also get you exclusive access to other patreon only content and activities including streams, vlogs, blogs and more. 

THE STORYAmong Men
genre: fantasy

First chapter teaser: The tiny nation of Bellsara, too small and weak to fight on her own, is surrounded by warring enemies and only survives by supplying two things to whomever is willing to pay: food from her crops, and soldiers of her sons and daughters. Our story begins during yet another siege of yet another territory deemed an enemy by purchase. This is where we meet our hero, a child like any other of Bellsara, a farmer turned soldier, conscripted to fight enemies that are not their own. And while their beginnings may be humble, their destiny is one of glory and great change...

...And that's pretty much all I can say without spoilers.

Also, exclusive content comes with the exclusive right to be a part of the conversation with each post. I will answer as many questions as I can, and I may even apply your suggestions and sprinkle a bit of your awesome into the story. Not the plot, of course, but if you have ideas you'd like to see, they may just end up in the story itself. Don't want your ideas in the story? Don't post 'em! Good. I'm glad we had this talk.

Generally, being an artist is an isolating life, but I don't want to live that way. I love people and believe in the brilliance that everyone has the potential to show. This patreon allows me to not only share something unique, but also creates a community based on support, communication and the exchange of art and ideas. Which is kind of my life-long dream.

If things go well, and I mean really well, this patreon will help lead to much grander projects, as well as create opportunities for others to show their work, and share with the world a part of themselves that may otherwise go unseen. I am a man with massive dreams and the drive and passion to get them done, and to support those who support me.

Alone we are amazing and together we are mighty.

If you do choose to pledge, I thank you. In return I pledge to create great works to the best of my ability, and to grow a community based on communication, support, opportunities and entertainment. 

Thank you for taking the time to visit this patreon. 

Whether you are a supporter or just someone passing by:
Have the best day you've ever had!

Andrew

BE NICE. Make the World Better!

If you're me and you live in the US, then popular opinion is that the world fucking sucks. And maybe you're not wrong, but you're sure as fuck not right.

There is plenty of shit going on and wrong, both of the horse and dog variety. Our government? It's at least 50 to 60% dumpster fucked bully. Cool. Okay. I concede that to you! Our leadership is in the toilet and getting a solid flush to the shit cavern below with little to no escape for a solid few years in the least! Today I learned a term: affluenza. Look it up. Click the word. Again, totally giving you that one. The rich get richer, get off and get over. Cool. Life is hard, yeah, I get it. So go do something about it! Fuck!

If things are so terrible, then fight them! Facebook is great, but it's not the only place to express your opinions. Do it in person! March! Or talk! Better yet, WAY better yet, go create as many positive changes in your tiny part of the universe with like minded people.

Certain things are hard, obviously - medicine and education. I would hope that you know that I know that we're getting proper fucked with health care, but that's nothing new. Still sad, but not a shocker that the people of the US are getting hard borked by our government over something that could only benefit our god damned government. It's ridiculous that having healthy, productive, educated citizens is even an issue! There's plenty of other countries that show us how to do this like fucking champions and we are totally capable of following suit. But aside from that - and yes, education and medical coverage are so very fucking important - we can control most of our universe.

Here's how: be nice. It is that simple. It is. No one has ever been fucked over by being nice to someone, only by someone else being fucking terrible. But just because you cough, does that mean you're going to stop breathing? Be nice! The world is full of issues and problems, so be fucking nice!

This is why I hate social media. It can be such an amazing tool for good and positive change, but usually I log on to my facebook or twitter and I'm immediately met with some complaint of how shitty someones day is (not so much my insta because I really only follow people who post pictures of abs, food or video games...moving on). And you totally have the right to do that! You totally have the right to vent and rant about your issues just like I'm doing now. But after you've ranted and vented, get out and go do something nice! Go be productive and experience something positive. Be fucking nice! Want to make the world a better place? Be nice! Help people! It'll make you feel better and will most likely net you a positive return.

Want to look at it in a more self serving way? There's nothing wrong with that! We're only around for roughly a century, so looking out for you and yours is totally cool. Being good to others, helping others, totally serves you! You could get a new friend, a new business contact or even some sort of material reward, just for being a decent human! It takes next to nothing to do this.

See someone walking down the street with a cool hat? Tell them "Cool hat!" Or like a joke someone told in the grocery line? Laugh with them! Those are the easy things that anyone can do.

It takes no energy to be nice, relatively speaking. You ever have a fight with a loved one? Or even just look too much at our sensationalized media? Did you find yourself being exhausted after? I bet you did! It drains us to be negative, to be angry, to be sad! Doing something good, doing things that make you happy, it feeds you! It gives you a proper endorphin rush and you're ready for more afterward. It only serves you to be nice.

Be nice. Fuck. Do it! Just be nice! Listen to people and celebrate them and celebrate yourself. Holy shit celebrate yourself! Depression is the most common mental ailment, but can be dealt with if only we see the beauty in ourselves and others. Starting with yourself is key.

Be nice to yourself. You may not know it - which sucks - but you're probably pretty fucking cool. You're probably good at something. You're probably beautiful to someone. Everybody is somebodys everything, to quote Chance. Nobody is nothing. I don't give a shit what your background is, you are probably hauling some kind of interesting something. Be proud of that. Your story is amazing because you exist. And if you feel like shit, like you don't matter, like you're worthless, I'll listen and I'll help you feel like a part of the universe.

Be nice. When you listen to someone, you validate them, you make them feel real, a part of the world, a part of the universe, and there is almost nothing more valuable or empowering than that. Be nice. I'm begging you, be nice.

Alone we are amazing! But together we are mighty, we are unstoppable, we are truly powerful!

Be nice. Get off or get on your social media and make someones day or go physically make something. Your community needs a well dug? Go help them dig it. Your friends needs help moving? Shit, as much as that sucks, help if you have the time. You'll get stories out of it and they'll probably support you when you need it.

Be nice. The world is random, be nice!

Have the best day you've ever had.

I love you and there's nothing you can do about it!

Andrew

LATE NIGHT ADVICE FOR WCS DANCERS

It's late. I'm drunk. I'm tired. I'm pleasantly salty from a day of work, training and more work. And best of all, I'm stoked to give advice to those who probably don't want it. Also, please note that this is totally directed at West Coast Swing dancers. Specifically those of you who are obsessed with competition (#errrbody), and even more so those who pride yourselves and pride your...pride? Really? Guh... On coming in first. Not doing well or feeling good or having a dope ass time, but coming first and basing your value on how skilled you twirl. There's more to life than trying to beat the other guy!

Okay. OH! And this should seriously be taken with a grain of salt, though it does contain actual advice. Seriously. I wrote this at 2:25 AM on a Thursday after three glasses of wine (a normal persons six shots) and not much time away from the computer all day. In summary: contains advice and a potentially toxic amount of sodium if you take it too seriously. Seriously. Take this post as a letter written to a younger, much more dickish ME. Not you. Me. Okay. Ass mostly covered.


Want to win stuff and be a pro AND have a great dance life as a west coast swing practitioner? I'll break it down to the most basic stuff using the three T's: Timing, Technique and Teamwork, and a few hidden letters as they occur to me.

TIMING (it should also be noted that when I fully capitalize something in this post that it should be read full on screaming like 50% of Eddie Redmain (spelling?) in Jupiter Ascending. One more time: TIMING!! (Also, exclamation points denote volume)

- Stay on time. Like...like on beat. No, for real, I can't believe this is even a thing, even an issue in this art form. It's dance! Dancing to the music is kind of important! Okay, modern dance gets a pass because due to the existential nature of the form and the reliance on expression vs rhythm and its inherent use of physical spectacle...It gets a pass! But not this! No way! At the very least stay on beat! That's like...the bare minimum!

- REAL ADVICE: Relax and grab a metronome and count it out. Learn the simple cadence without a song and the pomp of pop music or the lyrics that we feel the need to interpret. Just work the beat. Seriously, this helps so much to just get used to a beat, especially if you're not a natural with musicality. I have plenty of friends who are more thinkers than they are feelers. This is for ya'll and it will help you. It'll help if you're a feeler too! Break it down to the basics, which don't get more basic than a single even tick like the Telltale Heart. Also listen to shit tons of music! Get familiar! Especially whatever is being shoved into conventions, venues and competitions. How did Kyle hit that? He knew the damned song!

TECHNIQUE

- Practice like a motherfucker. When your teacher tells you (if you've been learning from another human in some fashion) to clean up your basics...do it. It's super boring to run a triple step over and over and over for a while, but there is actually this sweet spot after it gets so boring you think you might shave your eyelids off with an old flip flop you've let sit in the sun and harden before forming it into a razor sharp shiv. Do that. The practice thing, not the...shiv...thing.

- REAL ADVICE!: Treat learning dance like learning a language. You start off stuttering but eventually your steps become fluent Japanese. This should and SHOULD be applied to damn near everything you do! Take your time and enjoy the journey and don't expect to be a master in twenty minutes. It takes time and patience to be good, never mind world class. WORLD CLASS! To be among the best in the world takes time! You want to be the next Jordan? Practice! He's got like...five moves and knows exactly where to put them because he's so comfortable with them that he can shove em anywhere in a song and make them look like a slice of fried gold! No one thinks about breathing or rarely thinks about conventions used in a casual conversation. Treat dance like learning a language and you'll be mostly fine. Also: learn a solo dance! Learn how to actually move your body! Sweet lord on a biscuit learn a solo dance! If you're wondering: THEY'RE ALL GOOD!!! Pick one! Refine your personal movement and your leading/following techs to their most simple and clean self.

TEAMWORK

- Fuck. I mean...fuck. This drives me crazy. Pay. The fuck. Attention. Seriously, if you take the advice from the tech section and add a few more drops of patience with the ability to engorge (yup...engorge) your partners moves/movement/swag, then you'll at least get into a final. I have, on a good day, five to ten things I do in a dance. I just take a page from the Bruce Lee Guide to Not Sucking and make sure I'm really good at those five to ten things. After that I just pay attention to what my partner is doing and augment what they do to make it even cooler!

REAL ADVICE!!: Relax. It's the best thing for teamwork. Chill out and have fun and wait for your partner, leaders and followers. Don't jump the gun. Wait until the last possible second and then react if you can't come up with a flashy new something. WAIT! Don't just gurk out something because you felt you had to and Mom wasn't home so now was the time! I highly recommend practicing with them peepers you've got. Get really good at recognizing rando stuff that your partners may do visually and then do your best to embellish what they do, copy what they do or just do jack shit. Seriously. Just setting the framework or going with the flow has won me plenty o comps and, more MUCH MORE importantly, it helps me have a better time. Your ideas are probably great, but you AND your partners ideas are fucking awesome! Treat it like a spirited conversation about something you two are super passionate about. No one likes the dick bag who dominates the conversation with only obscure Watchman references. Ugh. Neat. You're both named Bernard. Totally worth the near 3 hour adaptation.

ALSO EYE CONTACT. It's scary, yeah, or at least it can be, but it's truly intimate to look into another persons eyes and seek that kind of nonverbal communication and agreement. It's also the most respectful and one of the most powerful techniques for teamwork (BOOM, threw both in there) that you can implement right off the bat. Eye contact: act like you're in it together!

CREATIVITY

- Some people are thinkers and some are feelers. If you can come up with a move-set that blows minds or sets up victory in some fashion or another, sweet. I can't. I'm the other guy. I'm the guy who feels and reacts and goes with the flow. Embrace who you are! I'm not too good planning out my next forty moves and I don't really want to, even in songs I'm biblically intimate with. But I can come up with rando shit with my partners I'd never be able to do otherwise just by looking them in the eye and taking my sweet as time and keeping my basics basic. After that the magic happens. Also I know how to dance three styles professionally solo, and a few others WITH a partner. Which leads me to my next piece of advice...

REAL ADVICE: Learn and never stop learning, especially from douche-bags who beat you in comps because they had a dope set of moves you'd never thought of. Everyone is valuable and everyone has great ideas and you should totally learn from them and get over 9000 yourself! Don't stop learning because you're frustrated that so and so whipped your ass last month at Boogie. Learn from them!

COMMUNITY

Okay...I need to slow it down for this one. Take a second and open up your favorite spotify playlist (I suggest mine). I want you calm for this one. Okay. You good, Fam? Great.

REAL ADVICEHOLYSHITLISTEN!!! Dont. Be. A. Selfish. DICK!!!
- On the real though, there's no sense in being in it for yourself, especially in the arts and especially in dance and especially in partner dance. We are literally in this together! For this advice I'm using the immortal words of the late and brilliant Michelle E. McNamara: It's all random. Be nice.

BE NICE. You will go through life and meet people who positively or negatively embed themselves in your existence. You will deal with things both great and terrible, as well as profound and positive. Meet them all with the positive attitude (as best as you fucking can) that, at the very least, you can be a nice person. It has served no one ever in the long run to be a shit head. If you are out for yours and yours alone, you'll eventually piss someone off and create rifts and bad times where you could have either been a positive force and potential benefactor or beneficiary. It takes no effort, no energy to be nice. None. It can only serve you to be a decent human being. The world is filled with chaos. Be nice. Even avoiding that one dick who chose to be mean is being nice! There's no need to talk shit and bring people down or take your sweet time to ream that inconsequential asshole a new consequential asshole! Be nice! Being nice includes peaceful communication. Have a problem with someone? Peacefully explain yourself. I highly recommend this vs the alternative of just leaving it be, especially in communities as small as WCS ones. Yes! I just said you can avoid people, but if its an issue that's easy and more importantly WORTH talking about, do it. Most problems are solved in a matter of minutes if you explain yourself (#alsonice). It's all random. Be nice. The world is so fucking random. Be nice!

And now I sleep! For the wine has become heavy, as have my eyelids. Again, take this shit with a grain of salt if you're sensitive and don't know my personality. There's good stuff here too. Be nice. Learn. Care about each other. Be nice. Be nice.

Sweet dreams.

Have the best day you've ever had.

Andrew