The State of All Things: January 2023 (Patreon)

Well....hello my dear patrons.

I love you.

I'm here with an Althing and a little hello-from-the-house and a poem video for you. Here's the basic rundown of the contents of this month's Althing...

• THE BASIC LIFE-N-TIMES UPDATE
• WHAT ELSE HAPPENED / WENT OUT THIS MONTH
• WHAT'S COMIN' DOWN THE PIKE
• UPCOMING EVENTS - including the CAMPERSAND 2023 RETREAT!
• DISPATCHES FROM TEAM AFP
• HOW THE PATREON ITSELF IS DOING
• OTHER ARTISTS TO SUPPORT & FOLLOW
• ART BEGETTING ART

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THE BASIC LIFE-N-TIMES UPDATE...and a note to the newcomers:

To all of you: thank you all for checking in late last night.....oh man....it was nice to read and share poems together in the wee hours. 

To the new patrons here (and there are quite a few of you because of the ticket sales): WELCOME!!! This is a nice place on The Internet. Once a month, me and the team put together these epic posts with news about all things patreon, Dresden Dolls, projects, touring, the team...all the things. 

We call it the MONTHLY ALTHING, and long ago I asked the patrons for permission to charge for it monthly, so we had our basic monthly nut covered in case I didn't put out a project. This is one of those months where I'm really offline, art-wise, and I don't have an offering ready to put out. Not even a poem and a drawing, which should tell you how much I've slowed down. 

But that's because shit is about to heat up hardcore, and this is why I'm glad to have sort of hacked the system. Patreon can either charge "monthly" or "per thing". But there are months when I don't have any art to share. Then there are months when I have too much art to share. It ebbs and flows, and guess what? I still have to pay my rent and staff and life expenses, even if I'm not actively putting out a song, or a video, or a podcast. THAT'S WHY THIS PATREON EXISTS: to give me and the team a stable income, salary, and cushion while we try to find the balance between art, life, business and parenthood. 

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I have been in a state of really deep motherhood and slow hibernation and recovery this past month.

I took Ash (my only son, who is seven now) back to New Zealand for about three weeks. Here are some photos....

For those who missed the story, we wound up living in New Zealand - 10 months in Hawke's Bay, over a year on Waiheke Island - from March 2020, when Covid ate the world, to June 2022, when it finally felt safe and stable enough to come back to the states. 

I do not feel particularly safe and stable in the states. Was I expecting to? Not really, I suppose. The ground shifted while I was gone, it was already shifting.

Meanwhile, Auckland was so pummeled with rain the other day that 2,000 people had to stay overnight at the airport. 

My coincidence-karma with New Zealand is just un fucking canny. I don't know what it is about me and that place. In 2011, I was about to board a flight  to Christchurch (literally, my bags had been checked and I was waiting to get on the plane) when a devastating Earthquake hit the city, killing around 200 people and destroying the venue that I was meant to be soundchecking and playing in a few hours later. If that Earthquake had come a few hours later, me and hundreds of audience members would have been crushed. 

And in 2020, I was supposed to be in New Zealand for eight days. Four shows. That was it. I wound up staying two years and two months. If my little end-of-tour run in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington had been a few days earlier, I'd have missed it. If the tour had been a few days later, I wouldn't have flown over. 

And now this. I'm almost ashamed to say it aloud, but I half-joked to at least a half dozen people last Wednesday, my last full day in New Zealand, that some natural disaster was bound to strike the country before my flight at 3pm the next day. Around the time I got on the plane, the drizzle started. The next day, the airport was shut.

I don't believe in anything but....what happens.

So: I believe that this all happened. And I believe that I keep getting stuck in New Zealand for "a reason", and that "reason" is that I keep getting stuck in New Zealand. The end. I'll take it. I'll believe it.

And this time, New Zealand spit me out and sent me back to New York a few hours before the airport shuttered. Good. It meant I got Ash to school on time on Monday. Whatever happens does indeed happen for a reason.

Meanwhile; I've had two deaths (one sibling, one parent) happen this past week within circle of friends, and in addition to that, two cancers that will be leading to deaths sometime in the very near future.

Whatever happens does indeed happen for a reason. And that reason is? That it's happening. I think the meaning can be found in the moment. In the withstanding. In the surviving. In the grace we can bring to these moments and let go. I am getting better and better at letting go.

When I find the grace, I find the art.

The art is coming out full force, and not only because my heart is overflowing with relief to be moving into new eras of my life, but because I have a vehicle (The Dresden Dolls) and a container (we are making a new album) and a deadline (we set recording dates for the end of the year). Nothing like a deadline, man. Nothing like it.

My heart is on fire with song. It's the only way out.

The time in New Zealand was a powerful reset for my heart, and a confronting trip as well...not every day was pleasant, and, again, forces out of my control took me by surprise and blindsided me. 

It felt like the universe was holding me upside-down by my ankles and all the ideas and themes shook out of my heart-pockets and clattered on the land around me.

Trauma, especially inter-generational trauma. What happens when people are traumatized and made to feel afraid as children. And what happens when that trauma isn't addressed. And then handed down.

Water, and how it heals, gives, takes. Ko te wai te ora ngā mea katoa, they say in Te Reo. Water is the life-giver of all things. How it feels to be near to the water, far from the water. In the water. In the cold water. In the rushing water. Steady as she goes, along the water. As she goes. As she goes...where?

Rape, and the acceptable abuse of women and children in this world. And how it happens, and why it happens, and how this culture deals (and doesn't). How emotionally horrifying patterns are so hard to break, even when a world knows that it is sick to death.

The climate crisis. How it's happening. Right now. Look at Auckland. Look at California. Look at...everything. Look.

Music. I can't stop learning. I can't stop being in awe of just how powerful music is - old music, new music, comfort music, dance music, maudlin music, joyful music. The original mother tongue.

The gateway out of hell.

There have been many nights lately when music was the only exit door, the only life-raft for my addled, anxious brain. As a music-maker, I find myself thinking, sometimes, as a life-raft assembler. For others. For myself. Music that saves. Music that saves can sound like anything. A Dresden Dolls song. A Phoebe Bridgers song. The TV theme from "Succession". The Blue Danube. The crickets. The wind chimes. 

I think about all of this as I get 

ready 

to 

write.

This patreon - you, us - is going to be part of my writing process. 

Not only is the money from this very Althing going to pay for writing and rehearsal space for me and the band, but I'm going to be sharing my drafts and work with you, I'm going to be coming to you for inspiration, I'm going to take you all along with me on this ride of creation. I can't do this one alone. I really can't. This album is like a sunken ship at the bottom of my heart, filled with glittering treasure. I need a whole community to hoist it up with me. Or at least be like those dudes from Titanic and do the deep dive with me, to scope and see what's down there, and come back to the surface with the good. There I go with my Titanic references again, but fuck it's still one of my favorite films.

It is a strange time to be welcoming in new patrons, but as I've learned, there are those who dip in and out (and that's fine!) and there are those who stick around for the long haul even when things get weird and wild (and that's great) and this whole "I AM A FULLY CROWDFUNDED ARTIST" technique has absolutely no rule book. None. I wish, sometimes, that it did. And people ask me, sometimes, to write that book.

I can't. 

I'm too busy making it up - in realtime - as I go along. The best I can tell people is what what I've always told people: just be fucking authentic, take what you need, make your art, don't be beholden to forces you don't respect, try to explain what you're doing to the people who are helping you...and the rest will kind of be a mess but always come out in the wash. And indeed, it always does.

So...these next few months are going to be a deep, deep, deep dive into writing a bunch of songs, cleaning up my inner and outer house, and getting ready to do a little solo and Dresden Dolls touring.

I'll be writing a lot about writing, about music, about mining the heart and coming out with gold that isn't hazardous to your own health.

If I learned anything from the last big project I did at one time, which would have been "The Art of Asking", since "There Will Be No Intermission" was really written piecemeal over the course of 5-6 years...I've learned that I'm a visual creator, whether I am writing a book or an album. I need space to SEE what I am doing. So I expect that sometime in the next month or two, I will have transformed some space or another in Upstate New York into something resembling THIS:

On that note, if you're anywhere near Woodstock, NY, and happen to know of a rentable space (from about now through August-ish, or later) with lots of blank walls, let me know (seriously, I'm looking) in the comments. I am finding it very hard to work/write in the house, what with the kid and the literal and emotional baggage screaming at me from every wall. All I need is a clean space with many blank walls and heat and a corner into which I can move a piano. I'm reading everything, as usual. I'm talking with local realtors about finding the right little writing hidey-hole, but you never know. One of you might have an empty gallery space in the middle of the woods you're not using. :)

I love love love all of you. 

I'm digging out.

It's never-ending.

But I feel like I'm digging out, and that's better than feeling like I'm in the hole.

Thanks for supporting me. Thank you for being my patrons.

You are all making everything possible.

xx

AFP

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WHAT HAPPENED THIS MONTH, ART-&-WORK WISE:

On my way to old En Zed, I stopped by California, where The Dresden Dolls played an EPIC New Year's Eve extravaganza in the Glass House in Pomona, CA. Tickets sold out in a matter of hours, and it was a night to remember....

(all photos below by Michelle Shiers)

The exquisite Veronica Swift joined us to guest on the song "Delilah"...

In the balcony....

One of my favorite moments was leading the crowd in a VERY LOUD FUCKING PRIMAL SCREAM to let out all of the rage, sadness, anger, pain, of the last 3 years...

And then, confetti........

Joined by Jherek Bischoff, Veronica Swift, and Brian's pal Adam Silvestri from the band Radiator King for U2's "New Years Day".....

Veronica Swift adding some much-needed trumpet to the Beastie Boys...AND ME BUTCHERING THE DRUMS.....

And here's a backstage shot of our whole crew - taken by Bijan Hosseini.

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ANOTHER BENEFIT FOR ARTWORKS THEATER....

When I got to New Zealand, I helped organize ONE teeny-tiny little benefit show on Waiheke, bringing back the Waiheke Cabaret from July 2022, to raise funds for the Artworks Theatre on the island.

Here I am backstage with some of the other performers - From left to right: Cosntance Maraj, Moi, Aurelia Torkington, Frankie, and Coby Zutt.

(all photos below by Katherina, aka @travellingtealady)

With some friends after the show....

Uke-ing....

We raised thousands of dollars for the little theater, who were really badly hit by Covid, and it helped all of our hearts.

I always like to remind you:

I'm able to do so many not-for-profit shows nowadays because of the patreon. Because of you and your monies.

If I didn't have a salary to fall back on, I just could not afford to do so much stuff like this. 

So thank you. You patrons helped this little theater in New Zealand stay afloat, by giving me a salary, so I could go spend my time doing work for free for people who needed it.

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PROJECTS COMIN' DOWN THE PIKE

The Great New Zealand Thing Roundup - I mentioned this back in December, and Alex and I have been going back through the archive, trying to put together a sort of Greatest Hits of Patreon from the last couple of years.

Especially since there are a whole bunch of new patrons here now (hi!!!!), it seems even more pressing to get it together to give you a little taster of what you can expect here.

There's a huge backlog of videos that need to go out. I pray that they will.

I threatened to release some Poetry Thing Posts, and I might do that this month, I think it'll help me get into gear for songwriting.

I may try to do some Advice Column-ing over on the Substack.

And I'm hoping to post at LEAST one or two demos of upcoming Dresden Dolls material in the next few months.

There's a lot to look forward to.

I am, indeed, making up all this shit as I go along.

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UPCOMING EVENTS....!!

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HOLD ON....CAMPERSAND 2023 IS ALMOST READY!

Our hopefully-annual patron-only retreat (July 2-7 in Upstate New York) is about to be officially ANNOUNCED!!!! AND, HOORAY, we managed to put together a scholarship fund for 15 people. 

We will announce everything - and links, and info about donating to/receiving scholarships - ASAP.

WATCH FOR POSTS in the next few days.

When it goes on sale (on Feb 6th!) I expect it'll sell out very fast. 

Only 100 people can attend. Git Ready.

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THE NEXT LIVESTREAM!!!

For the Webcast-tier patrons ($10+):

The next live webcast/chat/Q&A will be sometime the week of Feb 13th, probably during the day while Ash is in school and I have a nice leisuerly 2-3 hour stretch to talk and hang. I'll send you a post!!! Watch your boxes for it.

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I'M GOING ON TOUR. 

YEP. PLAYING PIANO. SOLO. 

For the first time since 2019, I'm going to be touring the US. Just three shows.

And since we're about to go full-tilt into hardcore Dresden Dolls land, these are likely to be the ONLY solo shows I play this year.

It's only a short run...

4/15 Tacoma, WA - Temple Theatre - TIX 

4/28 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Bardavon 1869 Opera House - TIX 

4/29 - Boston, MA - The Wilbur - TIX 

Tickets went on public sale January 27th, and all three shows are nearly sold out.

If you want tickets, please please please go get them right now.

The art is by Niki McQueen - isn’t it everything.

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AND SPEAKING OF TOURING...

(photo by Julia Drummond)

THE DRESDEN DOLLS WILL BE COMING BACK VERY SOON.

We're just about to announce a VERY SMALL run of shows across the US this May and June.

I don't know HOW MANY TIMES I have to tell you this, but..... you'll want to sign up to the Dresden Dolls mailing list to get first crack at those tickets, and they will FLY FAST. Like....in minutes. Please. Get on zee list.

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DISPATCHES FROM TEAM AFP

From Jordan:

Dear Patrons,

Welcome to 2023… I think we’re all, in some way, very happy to turn the page on 2022 and have a fresh start for the year. Wasn’t 2022 a doozy? Anyone get any curve balls? I certainly did. Very happy to ring the new year in and settle in to 2023.

For many years I have been working on New Years. For many years, it was producing the New Years show in the Amphitheatre at the Woodford Folk Festival in QLD, Australia… Juggling 60-70 performers and 20 different stage set up during a 4 hr period… Or touring with bands through festivals…. 

This year was very (very) different for me. I rang the new year in on the couch with my beloved… I think… I might have even been asleep. It was singularly the most un- rock’n’roll event in my life and I loved it. 

Judge if thou wilt.

I just came back from a wonderful trip to Waiheke Island, NZ where I got to hang out with Amanda & Michael, plot and plan the return of The Dolls, touch on future steps for The Patreon, discuss all the live work this year, eat some AMAZING food and go for a night swim. On top of this, I got to spend some time with the beautiful community of people Amanda has surrounded herself with on Waiheke. Very good people. Excellent parents. Great kids. We had a ball.

Since returning, I have my work cut out for me structuring the next year(s) alongside the team, but it is exactly this kind if work I enjoy. I’m looking forward to seeing how you all react as it rolls out.

Reading: East of Eden by John Steinbeck. A novel full of the most resonating and resoundingly true passages to underline ever written.

Listening to: A selection of Pablo Recordings, Oscar Peterson collaborations, produced by Norman Granz. And, because I have been in NZ, Dr. Boondigga and the Big W, by Fat Freddy’s Drop.

Photo: Amanda, me and Michael mid-feast at Mudbrick on Waiheke Island, where I had one of the best steaks ever and the best gin cocktail I ever tasted.

Love,

Jordan

{Jordan...I love you so, so much. One of the highlights of New Zealand was getting to spend some time with you, figuring out the cloudy future. Words cannot express how glad I am to have you on my team, in my corner, and in my life. GOOD MANAGER. xx AFP}

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From Michael:

Hello Patrons,

Once again, apologies for the lapse in my monthly updates.

Hello from my desk in Brooklyn where my jetlagged brain is trying to make sense of what time it is, where I am, and how I got here.  I only arrived back home less than 24 hours ago from a trip that kicked off way back on Dec 28th, so please excuse my brevity!

While this month had a lot of work that needed to be done, a lot of it wound up falling by the wayside as the business side of things slowed way down and we took time to be with our families during and after the holidays.  While we as a team accomplished what was essential, it felt like a huge inhale was needed before everything that 2023 has in store kicks into high gear, and trust me, there’s going to be a LOT to do in the very near future.

Slowing down is not something that comes naturally to me.  With the exception of a 3 week stretch back in June of 2006 (I remember the dates because it was during the World Cup), I’ve had a job pretty much non-stop since I was 15 years old.  Part of that is due to the brainwashing of capitalism, but we won’t digress into that right now. . . but mostly I think it’s just because I’m wired to always be in some sort of “GO” mindset.  

So during this down time there were times where it was really difficult to not immediately follow up with an email or a text, work on a spreadsheet, check in with a phone call, etc, etc, etc.  More than once I had to remind myself that not only did I deserve to have time to rest, recuperate, and recharge, but that I actually really needed to take that time in order to be as capable and as sharp as this year will require.  (Of course I’m saying that after having worked a full day immediately following almost 9,000 miles of travel. . . but Show Announce Days are all hands on deck.)

So most of my January was spent outdoors, trying to breathe in the air and soak up the sun and just be present.  Moving forward I will do my best to remember to take those moments when I can, even if it’s just a few minutes a day.

I’ll leave you with a picture to accompany Jordan’s of him, Amanda, and me at Mudbrick.  This was also taken mid-meal at the amazing Mudbrick Vineyard.

 I look at this picture and I notice the amazing colors of the sunset, the lush green of the forest around us, and far off in the distance, the skyline of Auckland.  

I think it’s a beautiful representation of taking the time to notice the beauty and quiet of the moment, while keeping the bustle of the city and the busy times ahead within sight. . . but far on the horizon.

If you’re interested in seeing more travel pictures and occasionally hearing other rambl-y thoughts of mine, I’ve recently come off my hiatus of Social Media and I’m once again posting on Instagram, so if you’d like to take a peek into my recent travels, feel free.

And thank you again for making all of this amazing ride possible.  This amazing community continues to make all of this possible and you have my unending gratitude.

As always, many hugs and whisky.

Michael

{Michael, O my brother in slowing-down-ness. I treasure you and the fact that we are both growing and slowing together. You are an incredible man, and dad, and team member....and our lives are so intertwined at this point that I don't know which end is up. Thank you for being the kind of staff member who not only appreciates my desire to slow down, but actually walks the path me. Love. AFP}

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From Alex:

Hi friends!

2023 has been off to a slow and gentle start over here... settling back into the grind, gearing up to announce Amanda's latest shows, getting all the plans and preparations in place... it's looking like it'll be an exciting Dolls-filled year, and I personally cannot WAIT.

There are some other bits and pieces moving behind the scenes over here for me personally at Merch Queen HQ, and hopefully I'll be able to share a little more news about that soon, but for now here's a sneak peek at merch for another artist that I just got delivered... 

Until next month, take care of yourselves and each other, and I'll catch you soon!

Love from me and my new super-fuzzy duvet that I just bought and never want to leave

xoxo

Alex

{QUEEN ALEX!!! Next time, we all gotta get together in New Zealand. I can't wait to do lots of fun merch-y things this year and see a lot more of you on the road...and I want some Lemon Boobs. You have my address. Small, women's cut. Thank you for everything you've been doing to help out behind the scenes while I took a breath over there. You're golden. Lemon Golden. Lots of love, AFP}

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HOW THE PATREON ITSELF IS DOING:

As of this writing there are about 10,200 patrons pledging about $33,000 for the first Thing each month.

A VERY IMPORTANT NOTE FOR NEWCOMERS: you are welcome to (and encouraged to) CAP YOUR PLEDGE! PLEASE.

We will very likely be changing up the Patreon system to a more intuitive once-per-month charge very soon, but for now, your pledge on Patreon supports me per Thing that I release - sometimes it's just 1, usually it's 2 or 3, sometimes it's been 4 or 5.

We know this can create financial insecurity and uncertainty - so Patreon allows you to cap your pledge. This is, essentially, setting a MAXIMUM amount that you want to pay per month. YOU CAN BUDGET. Say for example, you're happy to pay $3 per Thing, but you don't want to pay more than $10 a month. In that's the case, you can "cap" your pledge at $10, and whether I release 4 Things or 40 Things, you won't be charged more than $10. But MOST IMPORTANTLY, you will still have access to ALL the things, even if you cap your pledge!!! It doesn't effect access.

You can read all about capping your pledge here.

I go over this stuff in every Althing, but if you're new to all this: Patreon charges you monthly & retroactively, meaning that you get billed on the 1st of the month for all the Things released the month prior.

Because people have their pledges capped (SEE ABOVE), the first "Thing" raises the most money by far, and anything released thereafter raises less and less. I LIKE THIS! THIS IS GOOD! It means I never feel guilty about releasing TOO MUCH!! So really. Please, cap your pledge if you are on a budget.

In December, I Thanged TWO Things:

Another Christmas, which earned about $36,795 from 10,051 patrons

The December Althing, which earned about $15,252 from 5,508 patrons

(we say "about" because patreon may be still trying to process some pledges that have yet to go through...we never know, you know.)

Them's the numbers.

And remember: these numbers are gross. Not net. Meaning: it's the money raised before fees were deducted by patreon and is not the total deposited to me. patreon takes a 5% fee (which they use to build and sustain the platform, which is GOOD) and then there's a payment processing fee, which varies on a ton of factors and is usually between 5-9% of the total collected.

These numbers also do not reflect the money I SPENT MAKING THE ART, paying my staff, paying the office rent, paying for crowdcast, getting myself around, getting the team around and fed and slept, all the collaborators, and my actual staff payroll, etc.

I don't share that level of nitty-detail-stuff with you because I assume it would bore you to fucking tears. but you can trust me: paying for a full-time staff, office, manager, accountant, and massive team of art-collaborators ain't cheap. sometimes we barely break even.

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OTHER ARTISTS TO SUPPORT & FOLLOW

My friend (and Ash's former nanny) Justine has just joined the crowdfunding site Ko-Fi...which is an interesting platform in itself that I've been perusing. 

It's sorta like patreon but with a bend towards smaller, recurring donations to just keep a person goin' with what they're goin' with, as opposed to a site where content is at the center. With Ko-Fi you can choose whether you just support a one-time donation for the price of a cup of coffee (get it?) or you can become a regular donor. 

https://ko-fi.com/justinenathaliemarzack

There are also links to easily commission or purchase from their shop...go have a looksie.

It's a great site, and Justine's an amazing-all-round artist, so I really encourage you to go poke around and drop a little donation. Tell them I sent you.

Here's a little Drawing of The Dresden Dolls that Justine did - it's gonna be a tattoo...

Here's my little screenshot having donated:

xxxx

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THE VULVA GALLERY.

I've been meaning to plug these folks for a while. I take HUGE joy in this project.

The Vulva Gallery is an Instagram page celebrating VULVAS, of any and all kinds. Their mission statement:

The Vulva Gallery is an educational platform centered around illustrated vulva portraits and personal stories, and a wonderful, supportive and positive community – celebrating the vulva in all its diversity all over the world.

I LOVE THIS.

Fun fact: I took a picture of my Vulva like 7 years ago for the site and fucking never sent it. I should do another one.

The artist (Hilde) also has a Patreon, you can support them here:

https://www.patreon.com/thevulvagallery

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Senseless Optimism is a fucking incredible artist from Massachusetts whose feed I've been absolutely loving lately....I discovered her through Sxip Shirey.

Just pure joy.

Go look at some of the clips on her Instagram. 

She plays every instrument herself and puts out these wild little mini-covers.

She's about to head out on a support tour around New England, so if you're around the area, check out her tour dates, but for everyone else - get her in your ears here. 

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The Legendary Pink Dots - MY FAVORITE BAND - are back on tour. might be a nice excuse to go out and meet some local patrons …. and also.... just go.

And if you wanna do them an extra solid, SHARE THE POST ON FACEBOOK. we are the media, people.

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And...... just a quick little update and SUCCESS STORY of crowdfunds past...

You might remember a few weeks ago I posted a crowdfund for my friend Fridoon, an Afghan refugee trying to finish hils filmmaking studies.

Well, I am SO, SO HAPPY to say that the community absolutely SMASHED IT, and rose to the challenge of supporting him - he's managed to raise over €9,000. Almost at his goal of 10k.

He sent the following letter to be shared with all of you...

Hello to Everyone.

I am writing to express my gratitude to everyone for their incredible generosity and support in enabling me to complete my studies.

The US Embassy in Greece offered scholarships to 100 refugees in 2017, but 97 dropped out or departed during the years the program has been running; it goes without saying that most students couldn't support themselves financially while adjusting to life as a refugee.

I am very grateful that I have gotten this far and that, with your help, I will graduate in a year. I am one out of tens of thousands of refugees in Europe who has access to an academic education; of course, this means that I feel more responsible for speaking up for those who are marginalized.

I recently had the chance to interview Mr. George J. Tsunis, the United States ambassador to Greece, for the Migratory Birds newspaper, where I pointed out the importance of his support for refugees and migrants. Additionally, I had the opportunity to speak to an audience at Roots Winter School on "Gender and Communities Periphery," where I addressed Single Refugee Males' difficulties and how they are highly criminalized, politicized, and disregarded for their masculinity.

I will continue on the same path and be a voice, and I humbly thank you once again for enabling me; you are part of this journey.

Merry Christmas and a happy 2023 to everyone!

Sincerely,

Fridoon joinda

Any extra donations towards that final goal will still be put to excellent use in supporting Fridoon, so if you do want to donate, the gofundme page is still up and running here!!!

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PATRON COMMUNITY BULLETIN BOARD!!!

This section of the Althing is for YOU PATRONS - if you have anything you want to shout about and advertise to the community, email alex@amandapalmer.net with some links, some words about what you're doing... anything goes!

Here's what we have this month...

PATCHWORK NIAGARA is a local theatre group involving our patron Rosemarie Lorenti, who had to close down performances due to Covid, and have now set up a Patreon page as they get back to live performances again... YAY THEATRE.

Check out their Patreon page here. 

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Anna McCluskey has just put out a new book in her urban fantasy series, here's the blurb for the first book in the series:

Magic is real – and it’s a bitch.

Between her divorce, her terrible boss, and her dwindling finances, impulsive Mattie’s life is getting more and more complicated by the day. So when she learns that Tillie, her twin sister, is missing, she drops everything and rushes across the country to join her friend Trevor in the search.

As they begin their search, they stumble across a secret room in Tillie’s condo filled with crystal balls and books about magic. Suddenly people all around them are doing spells, manipulating time, and disappearing into thin air, and they soon they realize they’re in over their heads.

A group of powerful mages is hunting Tillie. Can Mattie and Trevor find her first? Or will they become targets too?

If you're looking to fill up your reading list, check them out (and Anna's other books!) here on her website 

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For LONDON-BASED LGBTQ+ PATRONS, one of our patrons is involved with a charity setting up online chat groups for LGBTQ+ people to get together and chat, including a new trans support group.

Check out all the info here. 

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ART BEGETTING ART

This beauty from Stephen Palmer...long lost brother....?

And a gorgeous tattoo piece featuring yours truly, tattooed on Jess Wilson, tattooed by @priscilla.tattoos at @inked_nyc 

Oh, my heart.

That's it for this month, lovelies.

More soon, always.

xxx

AFP

P.S.

Poem Beginning With A Retweet 

by Maggie Smith  

If you drive past horses and don’t say horses 

you’re a psychopath. 

If you see an airplane but don’t point it out. 

A rainbow, a cardinal, a butterfly. If you don’t whisper-shout albino squirrel! Deer! Red fox! 

If you hear a woodpecker and don’t shush everyone around you into silence. 

If you find an unbroken sand dollar in a tide pool. 

If you see a dorsal fin breaking the water. 

If you see the moon and don’t say oh my god look at the moon. 

If you smell smoke and don’t search for fire. 

If you feel yourself receding, receding, and don’t tell anyone until you’re gone.

------THE NEVER-ENDING AS ALWAYS---------

1. if you are a patron and new to my work, don’t forget your patronage allows you access to ALL of my patreon releases to date. HERE is the link to download my latest big solo record, “There Will Be No Intermission”, and HERE is a link to download the PDF of the art/essay book that goes with it.

2. if you’re a patron reading this post via an email notification, please click through to comment on this post. at the very least, if you’ve read it, indicate that by using the heart symbol. that's always nice for me to see, so i know who's reading.

3. see All the Things (over 150 of them) i've made so far on patreon:

http://amandapalmer.net/things

4. JOIN THE SHADOWBOX COMMUNITY FORUM, find your people, and discuss everything: https://forum.theshadowbox.net/

5. new to my music and TOTALLY OVERWHELMED? TAKE A WALK THROUGH AMANDALANDA….we made a basic list of my greatest hits n stuff (at least up until a few years ago, this desperately needs updating) on this lovely page: http://amandalanda.amandapalmer.net/

6. general AFP/patreon-related questions? ask away, someone will answer: patronhelp@amandapalmer.net