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<title>The Cardinal&#x27;s Nest RSS Feed</title><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/index.html</link><description>Tales of a rebel bird building an empire one branch at a time</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><dc:rights>&#xa9; Marcia Whitehead</dc:rights><dc:date>2012-05-09T08:17:30-04:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 08:55:05 -0400</lastBuildDate><item><title>Blogging about &#x22;not&#x22; blogging</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>None</category><dc:date>2012-05-09T08:17:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/7f6f173dc4650f9c2e5d07f88690ebaf-33.html#unique-entry-id-33</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/7f6f173dc4650f9c2e5d07f88690ebaf-33.html#unique-entry-id-33</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi Gang!   Thanks so much for keeping up with the Cardinal&rsquo;s Nest.   The blogging has been slow because everything else seems to be going at warp speed: Family, Travel, Friends&rsquo; gigs, Taxes, MY GIGS, and repeat.   I assure you, there are blogs just waiting to happen which, will be posted shamelessly, and repeatedly, on FB and Twitter in about a week or so....     ; D


For readers in TORONTO, try to check out these 3 performances that have caught my eye while not blogging; I&rsquo;m in one, and going to the other two. 


Enjoy!


1.  CanStage presents NOOR OVER AFGHAN, Thursday (tomorrow!!) 


May 10th 2012 @ 7:30 ~ see info


Librettist: Anusree Roy


Composer: Christiann Venter


2.   Essential Opera presents Handel&rsquo;s ALCINA


Friday, May 25th, 2012 @ 7:30pm @ Trinity St.   Paul&rsquo;s Ctr.  


see info 


3.   Against the Grain Theatre presents Britten&rsquo;s TURN OF THE SCREW


May 24, 25, 26, 27 @ 7:30pm @Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse   


see info
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>SPRING CLEANING</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>humor</category><category>taxes</category><category>goals </category><dc:date>2012-03-17T19:32:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/18d92be415292be8931e4f4f17be1554-32.html#unique-entry-id-32</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/18d92be415292be8931e4f4f17be1554-32.html#unique-entry-id-32</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Spring has sprung (early) at the Cardinal&rsquo;s Nest.   It&rsquo;s a time for tidying up the garden (which is essentially all I really know how to do out there)... taxes....reading the HUNGER GAMES ....discovering that nothing in my wardrobe resembles spring (an annual event)...taxes...and more welcomed distractions from the HUNGER GAMES book series....procrastination is also a given. 


Spring cleaning of my $ accounts is on this week&rsquo;s TO DO list as well.   Maybe I&rsquo;m wrong, but prepping my taxes seems to signal the best time of year to review my:


...I always find that when the actual results (or lack thereof) of my financial choices are staring me in the face - I&rsquo;m far more motivated to initiate simple financial changes that might make a huge impact over the next year. 


A conversation with my money buddy, SKINNY JEANS, reminded me that,


 Dealing head on with finances is never about the finances, 


it&rsquo;s about the emotions attached to whatever financial situation in which you may find yourself. 


(a common theme, I know)


One of my most talented, and successful friends struggles with reviewing her past financial choices....not the numbers themselves, but the why and how she got herself into the negative in the first place. 


SKINNY JEANS&rsquo; advice was: 


&ldquo;Be brave and just do it; make a plan and move on.&rdquo; 


Anyone who is willing to be honest about their choices is ready to make new, and possibly better ones in the future.   It&rsquo;s also nothing to be ashamed of, just another fact of life that needs addressing: like raking the leaves or turning the clocks forward.   Once the spring $ cleaning is done, the patio (and probably a sparkling beverage) awaits.


To all of my fellow Cardinals, be brave during this season of financial reflection (a.k.a. taxes).   Learn from last years choices and (for goodness sake!!)   make a plan:


to pay off the debt


to start saving just a wee bit more than before


to think before you buy


...(As always, my writing is for entertainment purposes only.   Please consult a financial professional when making real choices about your money)


TO COMMENT or LIKE


click on &ldquo;comments&rdquo; below
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Practice makes you perfect...or crazy...whatev..</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>stocks</category><category>investing</category><category>humor</category><dc:date>2012-02-23T08:14:26-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/4433e9ced923fb479374c6eaf5f3ddc5-31.html#unique-entry-id-31</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/4433e9ced923fb479374c6eaf5f3ddc5-31.html#unique-entry-id-31</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Today&rsquo;s entry will be of absolutely no help if you are an artsy type wanting to learn anything about buying and selling stocks. 

...As you know from my last entry, I had a date with STEVE to set up my: 


...It all seemed so easy with my sophomoric tutor, but once I got home (alone with the web page) it all seemed to mesh into one big mess of acronyms and arrows.   I thought, maybe if I shake my computer really hard, like an etch-a-sketch, everything will gracefully slide into place.   Alas, no amount of shaking, or confused looks at the screen would prompt an answer about what I was actually doing. 


Desperate times call for desperate measures so, I clicked on the instructional video section of the site.   I would be a genius after watching a few of these, I&rsquo;m certain.....


...The insincere, unsupported, edgy voice over for the &ldquo;practice segments&rdquo; is clearly an actress who has been told to smile every time she says something negative, and to describe the tabs and charts like they were a prize to be won on The Price is Right.   After a few of the videos I have a flashback of a dark room with a microphone and a bored director... *gasp!

...Second: the site is actually pretty easy to follow if you know what you want.   Since there are only 5 million different kinds of stocks, I decide that this should be easy to narrow down....truth be told, there are ways to narrow the field, but, where to START? 

...As we move along, I keep finding that the sub titles under the major tabs don&rsquo;t always seem to be under logical headings (where is the &ldquo;eggs in one basket&rdquo; tab, Steve?)   and the vocabulary isn&rsquo;t always consistent with the actual tabs on the site. 


ie: they say research in the video but, it&rsquo;s found under reports...sometimes. 


Little things like that mean you can go in circles looking for something you didn&rsquo;t know you needed. 

...Third: The site kindly gives you options on how you would like to view the progress of stocks in your portfolio. ...  There are usually 4 different options and at least one of them will make sense to the reader in the end.   My favourite graphics (of course) have more colour and very clear symbols, as opposed to the long lists with comparative percentages of past performance, and projections for the future.   For me, if it goes up and seems to recover nicely from a dip (admittedly, in a lovely shade of PINK) then I can see immediately if a stock is for me or not.


This brings me to my last observation for the day: Figuring out how, and why something is for you or not seems to be more important than the success of the actual choices.   During my time surfing around the practice site, I read a few blogs and one of the MAIN things that seemed to pop up (before ANYTHING ELSE) was: 


...O&rsquo;Neil writes: &ldquo;The tricky part is getting rid of the EMOTION attached to making decisions....we try to defend our original decision to buy, and justify holding the stock even though we&rsquo;re in the negative?&rdquo; 

...I don&rsquo;t need a practice investment site for that, I need a LOBOTOMY!!! ...  Even with my PRETEND money, I&rsquo;m betting that I will become very possessive and, just like he says, defensive about my original decisions (like why did I start with the Handel when, clearly they wanted to hear the Mozart...tsk! 

...Next blog: (I&rsquo;m projecting) will be the discovery that I am a STOCK FOX! ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>My date with STEVE</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>money lingo</category><category>lessons to be learned</category><category>humor</category><dc:date>2012-02-01T08:18:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/e2ab99023cb0cbd6818b886e4e2274c0-30.html#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/e2ab99023cb0cbd6818b886e4e2274c0-30.html#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Knee high rubber boots, lip gloss, paper, and pencil: I was ready for my date with destiny!


Steve (the man of the hour) was a 20 something guy, fresh out of business school, who had somehow finagled a table for two where we wouldn&rsquo;t be disturbed.   Suddenly aware that there was a very real possibility that I had babysat Steve at some point in my youth almost made me turn around and leave but, I knew that this could very well be the start of a very passionate relationship with.....


...In a blog written back in May 2010 I spoke about my frustration with the financial industry and the fact there didn&rsquo;t seem to be a way for creative folk (ie: people  like ME who can only seem to speak in metaphors... with hand gestures.. and possibly a song) to connect with the seemingly unintelligible world of INVESTING. 

...I&rsquo;m sure you (insert me projecting my instincts onto everyone who reads this) would resort to hand gestures as well! 

...#1 on my list of requests was to have STEVE introduce me to my bank&rsquo;s 


...Here I would have an imaginary $100,000 to play with, and could familiarize myself with how the stock market works - minus the risk. 

...Steve told me that the secret to the stock market - really - was to have a crystal ball at the ready (!!!!!)   If you don&rsquo;t have one of those, well, practicing to see how the market really works is probably your next best bet. 


...I wanted answers, REAL ANSWERS, or COLOURFUL DEFINITIONS to the thousands of acronyms that litter each page or graph.   With every answer from Steve I would counter with a statement that sounded like, 


&ldquo;So....this one is like putting all of your eggs in one basket and, this one is like buying one egg at a time from individual chickens on different farms? 

...After my 25 minute tutorial - turned into 1hr 15min - I discovered that the STOCK MARKET could be summed up as a very expensive popularity contest.   If the market (the people) don&rsquo;t like what they see in the press about the CEO of a company, POOF!   The people sell their stocks (insert: we don&rsquo;t want to play with you anymore) and the company can financially disappear. 

...Wheat) then wheat&rsquo;s friends (farming related products) will all have to act accordingly and meet the demand.   If you&rsquo;re savvy and can see the circle of friends that support Mr.  Wheat (check his FaceBook wall) you can make smart choices and &ldquo;friend&rdquo; them all into your investment page before the the cost is too dear.


...My answer was that since it would seem that money - quite literally - makes the world go around, isn&rsquo;t it in my best interest to figure out what that ACTUALLY means?   When you visit a foreign country don&rsquo;t you, at the very least, want to know how to say, 


...I want the language of money to be right up there with my knowledge of English and French-ish.   Since I already have a good grasp of how to fill up my shoe closet in both of Canada&rsquo;s official languages, (not to mention being able sing about Magic Flutes in German, or a locket with my lover&rsquo;s face on it in Italian) I&rsquo;m thinking that the *money speak* could prove to be equally practical. 


Over the next few months I will PRACTICE with my PRETEND $100,000, let you know how I do, and see if the site can really convert an &ldquo;oh so right brained artist&rdquo; into a money making GENIUS!!!!!


...practice investment site: Check out your internet banking page for something similar to RBC&rsquo;s practice site & free investment consultations.  


...Please see a licensed financial professional when making real decisions about YOUR money.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>It starts with an N and ends with an O</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>lessons to be learned</category><category>humor</category><category>OPPORTUNITIES</category><dc:date>2012-01-03T18:54:59-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/c086de49214ef4ba75fd459d0ac50c0f-29.html#unique-entry-id-29</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/c086de49214ef4ba75fd459d0ac50c0f-29.html#unique-entry-id-29</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[**Last week&rsquo;s blog was about saying YES to ALL OPPORTUNITIES & TAKING CHANCES.   As I am my own Devil&rsquo;s Advocate, today will be about the OTHER word all artists need to say every now and again....

...A few years ago, I did a dream audition where the conductor offered me gig right on the spot. 


...I said to myself, shook his hand, and prepared to get out of the room before I did something stupid and lost the gig. 

...I&rsquo;d like you to take a look at this and tell me 


...You don&rsquo;t have to tell me today. 


Call me in a month after you&rsquo;ve sung through it a few times.&rdquo;


...As a singer (any age, any level): When do you know WHEN to say NO? 


We all want to build up the resum&eacute;, meet the right people, and perform amazing rep....but,


...Saying YES to something you&rsquo;re NOT ready for or,


...Saying NO and possibly losing out on a &ldquo;big break&rdquo; 


...And, fortunately, if you don&rsquo;t learn from the first disaster, most likely (ding!) 

...&ldquo;Sure, I can do the two soprano songs for the last 4 shows...it&rsquo;s not that high...&rdquo; 


For those of you who know me, a soprano I will never be, but as a 20 something mezzo looking for a break, I thought I might lose the gig all together if I wasn&rsquo;t agreeable.   Trust me, by the time the gig was over (insert tears after every show) I think everyone would have been happier if I had said NO. 


See, there are a few things we FORGET when THE WRONG GIG comes along:


...YOU, and you ALONE are solely responsible for that &ldquo;YES&rdquo;  so, you&rsquo;d better mean it.


...We all want to be LIKED (a blog topic unto itself). ...  We all want to EXPAND our horizons to create our BEST VERSION OF THE SELF.   Being honest, and trusting your instincts however, can be just as important (in the world of professional music) as bulking up the resum&eacute;.   Be confident that the best version of your talent RIGHT NOW is the most reliable gauge to help you answer truthfully when you KNOW that NO is the only answer.


...After a month of agonizing, realizing that there was NO WAY I was built to sing the suggested #VERDIwaytoobigformetosingnow rep, I finally made the call. 

...&ldquo;Yeah, I don&rsquo;t blame you for saying no. 

...Saying YES (too scared to say no) to the wrong gig in my 20&rsquo;s (thankfully) made a big impression on the NO that needed to happen a few years later. 

...Thanks for reading, and for all of the re-posts on twitter, and FB feeds. #flatteredblogger
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>PROJECT YES&#x21;</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>project YES</category><category>OPPORTUNITIES</category><category>lessons to be learned</category><dc:date>2011-12-10T10:25:48-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/c40e529169eb423a14e0ffaceab7e085-27.html#unique-entry-id-27</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/c40e529169eb423a14e0ffaceab7e085-27.html#unique-entry-id-27</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A few weeks ago, held up in a hotel room (too wired after a show to sleep, but too tired to do anything constructive) I tucked into one of those terrible (secretly awesome) shows where; the 20 something starlets all wear designer clothes, and the guys drink their father&rsquo;s Scotch.   Clearly, I was risking the loss of many brain cells & IQ points (while getting sucked into their drama) until one of the arrogant, &ldquo;pretty boys&rdquo; said something that actually made sense, 


&ldquo;Just say yes, to everything, and see what happens.&rdquo;


...All right, pretty boy....(in a fictional show)...you&rsquo;re on!


Now, it has only been a few weeks since I&rsquo;ve tried to employ this mindset of saying yes to everything but, so far I have been pretty successful. 


	▪	One really good gig popped into my inbox the very next day (no brainer), YES all around. 


	▪	The following day was a super small but, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m going to do it anyway&rdquo; gig which, at the very least, has since clarified exactly what I DO NOT want to have in my life (nothing like a little fuel for the fire).


	▪	And the third was saying yes to an invite to a party, a networking party, called W.H.O.W.


W.H.O.W. or WOMEN HELPING OTHER WOMEN is a Toronto based group (for now) that has caught on like wildfire. 

...I have a desire to live my life like a hero, take it up a notch, affect some positive action and inspire others. 

......gives you some idea as to the amount of positive energy that goes into these gatherings. 

...you arrive at her home with a small appetizer and your drink of choice


you put your name on a $20 dollar bill (optional) and put it into the pot (to be drawn at the end of the evening for one of participants..maybe you!! 


After everyone has arrived (and has had some food and drink) each woman has 2 minutes to present:


...what they NEED to fulfill the project that they are working on and!


what they HAVE to OFFER to others in the room for their help, their connections, their time.


...Everyone left with some kind of help, or connection, to get their project off the ground (musicians, writers, designers, financiers) simply because somebody had a skill set that someone else needed. ...  I highly recommend it to anyone who has a project (in any field) that just needs a new perspective, or a helpful connection to generate success, WITHOUT COST.


...As I continue on my JUST SAY YES (a.k.a. being consciously open to opportunity) JOURNEY, I encourage you to say YES to one thing that you might have brushed off in the past (just one!!!) ...  You never know, you might end up with a positive outcome that you weren&rsquo;t expecting.  * Even if it&rsquo;s a bust, at the very least, it might get a laugh. : ))


Thanks for reading and good luck with your PROJECT YES!


...For inquiring minds: At the end of the W.H.O.W. gathering, as promised, 


a hand went into the pot of $20 dollar bills and drew a name....


...For more information on the amazing women of W.H.O.W click here http://www.meetup.com/WHOW-Toronto/
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The CYBER you: DESIGN+PR+BRANDING</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>social networking</category><category>Elizabeth Bowman</category><category>branding your image</category><dc:date>2011-10-29T15:17:52-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/035399ab7339470d050d23ea06005629-25.html#unique-entry-id-25</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/035399ab7339470d050d23ea06005629-25.html#unique-entry-id-25</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The advancements of the internet age have taken the term, &ldquo;working the room&rdquo; to a whole new level.   The practice room is monitored by your updates on-line, and your performance can be edited until &ldquo;just right.&rdquo;   A game changer for artists of all genres, its sudden portability allows you to work the room  or, let&rsquo;s face it, be a stalker  from a party, a bus stop, or at home in your &lsquo;jammies.   As long as you have access to WI-FI you can be CYBER SEEN with the cool kids. 

......is accessible to everyone on the planet, and can speak for you instead of... well.... 

......can have a big impact on your popularity as an artist....  I didn&rsquo;t say anything about actual gigs, but, you&rsquo;ll be popular for sure. 

...&ldquo;It&rsquo;s not about APTITUDE, it&rsquo;s the way you&rsquo;re VIEWED, 


...Trained as a singer, Bowman later discovered that she had an even greater passion (and TALENT) for helping young artists with their presence in the media, and their communication with the audience at large.   Bowman is a no nonsense, design savvy professional with a very consistent set of principals when helping her boutique roster of talent. 

...Remembering that (in this age of social networking) all of your SITES need to have a CONSISTENT MESSAGE, LOOK, and overall ATTITUDE so that the product (that would be YOU) is sending a high quality BRAND out to CAREER followers at all times.   That includes paying attention to the little things like: repeating the photos (and photography style) presented on all of your links, updates, contact info, even your colour scheme.   The more professional and consistent the look, the more recognizable and memorable your product will be. 


Keeping a consistent theme when posting verbal updates is also key: 


...Making sure that your passions and genuine interests allow the audience to see the real person behind the art.   If there is no personal connection, your followers will quickly become disinterested.&rdquo;  


One of Bowman&rsquo;s artists has a passion for cycling.   Connecting her talent (a great photo and a solid interview) with readers of a cycling magazine will highlight  the artist&rsquo;s other passions while being introduced to a new audience.   It may not be music, but it IS authentic and, no doubt, these readers will see that there is more to this young talent than meets the eye. 

...Familiarizing yourself with the FREE MEDIA TOOLS available to you and, more importantly, knowing where you are most comfortable presenting yourself, can go a long way. 


If you are not internet/computer savvy, know when to ask someone for their expertise.   Social Networking is the medium through which your &ldquo;on-line personality&rdquo; will be viewed by the masses... best to present it at the highest level possible. 


As we wrapped up our conversation (and I tried to remember if my last twitter post was &ldquo;brand appropriate&rdquo; ) I scrambled to get her last parting words on paper.   If you remember anything from this conversation I hope it is this: 


...For more info on Elizabeth Bowman&rsquo;s 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What do you mean&#x2c; I&#x27;m the grown up?</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>Aging Parents </category><dc:date>2012-04-05T08:40:08-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/da7e588de7003325e9aa079974da15f5-24.html#unique-entry-id-24</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/da7e588de7003325e9aa079974da15f5-24.html#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If you see this as my status update it usually means that I am facing a GROWN UP SITUATION that I&rsquo;d rather PRETEND is not happening.   Over the past 12 months it has usually meant that I was making lifestyle decisions on behalf of a loved one, leading to my final conclusion that:


...Growing up is not as fancy as I once thought it would be.


Turns out, my grown up universe of music, costumes, and fun gigs on the horizon is currently being combined with real life decisions not previously indicated in my score.


...There are no rules on how to do things RIGHT; 


...Well, I can only speak for myself, but I&rsquo;m very grateful that I followed my gut instinct and prepared ahead.   I could not have predicted what would be on the other end of my preparations, but, I guess that&rsquo;s the point.


...As YOU are saving, and making sure that YOUR MONEY is GROWING, please have an undeniably uncomfortable conversation about:


...My conversation with one of my parents went a little something like this:


...Loved One: I don&rsquo;t know. (that is code for YES)


...Loved One: Noooooo, I don&rsquo;t THINK soooooo..... (that is code for NO)


ME: Power of Attorney, Health Proxy, Health Directive....do you have any of these so that I can legally make decisions if you are no longer able?

...If * the time ever came, decisions could be made based upon written requests, and not emotional guess work by me, or the province.


...Probably the hardest subject to broach due to the myriad of conflicting information regarding the inheritance of parental debt.   An hour with their financial lenders could make life easier by simply having confirmation about what goes where, and who will be responsible for what. 


...Clearing debt with a financial trustee may be something to investigate if needed; lessening the chance of finances becoming a burden down the road.   As well, a saving plan for future move(s) and related expenses means that loved ones are the focus, not the bills.


...WHERE and HOW do they want to LIVE if it ever gets to the point that they need more daily assistance than first predicted,(p.s. you can&rsquo;t predict this) and how will THEY / YOU pay for it? 


A potentially awkward conversation to be sure but, if push comes to shove, and the decisions need to be made within 24 hours (under the strain and emotional stress that poor health, and family situations may foster) I say feeling awkward is a pretty good option. 


...On one hand, it&rsquo;s easier because there&rsquo;s no question about what will happen with finances, health, and living situation.   On the other hand: I am the decision maker, signature signer, and faxer of all things official...now where did I put the rule book?  


If you have siblings (and/or aunts and uncles etc.), having a group discussion with your parents about:


...Having something to shove into their pie hole, ie: pie, can&rsquo;t hurt. 


Admittedly, a big topic for a gal who likes to sing, wear pretty gowns, and yammer on about blogging but, I write about what I know.   Right now, along with scores and coachings, flights and house sitters, this is the sub-text for the role I play in real life, about 20 years sooner than predicted.]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>GROWING A GREEN THUMB</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>RRSPs </category><category>TFSAs </category><category>money lingo</category><dc:date>2011-09-28T07:12:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/3f035526c98b54e5ce95cf6f7a2a45c9-23.html#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/3f035526c98b54e5ce95cf6f7a2a45c9-23.html#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[...ok, I don&rsquo;t always know exactly what I&rsquo;m doing but, things seem to be growing in my backyard because of ME. ...  I am re-planting one year&rsquo;s harvest of one thing, to help make it stronger, and more bountiful the next year.   I am ripping out what I don&rsquo;t like (sans apology) and replacing it with what makes me happy. ...  Did I forget to mention that plants don&rsquo;t grow when you want them to; they grow only when the conditions are right.   They all have their own personalities, you just have to choose which ones you can handle, and care for in any given season.


...I started off believing in one financial path only to discover that there was more than one way to create abundance.   Some products that I was hell bent on not considering, I am now thinking might be something to add to the pot. 


...(solely to stir up a conversation and get people thinking about their saving options)


...When I first attempted to grow my money, RRSPs were basically the only suggestion made to me . 


...It was presented as the best/only tool for a young, self employed artist to start saving for retirement.   The thing that I don&rsquo;t think I completely understood (maybe you would have already known this at age 25) was that: 


...I didn&rsquo;t get that it was a tool for banks to play the market (on my behalf) and if the market crashed so would I. ...  To the people who only planted an RRSP crop over 30 years, and were about to retire in 2009, the fall of the 2008 market was the equivalent to a hail storm five minutes before starting up the tractor (and a big wake up call for me as I narrowly missed a huge loss myself).


...They were a great tool to use for a first time property investment.   It was my best/only option at the time and it enabled me to get ahead on establishing an actual net worth.


...If I was the same 25 year old singer today, wanting to start saving for retirement (and/or mile stone investments like a home/family/continued education) I would probably use the TFSA instead.   The Tax Free Savings Account (which has only been in existence since 2009) is a place where money can be: 


...	◆	Unlike the RRSP, if you take it out, you DON&rsquo;T have to pay it back


...	◆	CHOOSE to have it INVESTED like RRSPs (no tax on the interest) & will fluctuate with the market


	◆	or KEEP it as a SECURE account ie: STOCK MARKET CRASH FREE (sacrifice investment growth for security)


	◆	There was even an article that they might be raising the contribution limit to $10,000.00 by 2014


...A good tutorial is necessary to avoid a penalty but, if it can increase your savings, without having to pay it back when used, it is definitely something to investigate.   It was suggested to me in the first place by a money savvy artist who said, 


&ldquo;When I retire, I don&rsquo;t want all of my savings to be taxed when I start to live on it as income. 

...There are many more options to consider (it&rsquo;s no secret that I am a big fan of property). 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The LAYAWAY plan</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>humor</category><category>spending habits</category><category>lessons to be learned</category><dc:date>2011-09-10T08:26:11-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/b9d53d1f718b84d5d96b5e5ecd139db5-22.html#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/b9d53d1f718b84d5d96b5e5ecd139db5-22.html#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;I&rsquo;m here to see my shoes.&rdquo; said the woman at the counter.   Working in a shoe store during my undergrad, it was not uncommon to be asked if a customer could visit their shoes....like, LITERALLY, pay them a visit.   The shoes in question were a tall pair of BEEEEEEAUTIFUL, italian leather boots ($450).   The woman was slowly, but surely, paying for them on her layaway plan*.   Every once in a while she&rsquo;d come by just to see the shoes, to be reminded of what she was saving up for.


LAYAWAY PLANS: I have to say, they have a certain charm.   People keeping their eye on the prize, but waiting until they can actually afford it before finalizing the big purchase.   The weekly deposits were usually cash and for some reason (despite the impracticality of crazy soft Italian leather during a Prairie Winter) these customers were hell bent on owning the product the old fashioned way...which was kind of refreshing.


Can you imagine if we did that with EVERYTHING? 


Actually WAITED until we were in a financial position to 


...Can you imagine if the apple** store had a layaway plan?!   ie: people actually WAITING to be able to afford something before they added to their arsenal?   I&rsquo;d pay money to see the visitor lineups for that. 

...Because, admittedly, our world is evolving so quickly, that by the time you paid something off, it would have already become obsolete, not to mention that we don&rsquo;t do that, anymore: 


...But there are some things you just can&rsquo;t wait for. 


(This is the Cardinal&rsquo;s Nest letting singers off the hook for spending money like water while they invest in their career.)   It&rsquo;s FALL, and it&rsquo;s time for auditions.   It&rsquo;s time for gigs to get under way. 

...Tis&rsquo; the season for singers to start flexing their financial muscles, and to make sure there&rsquo;s something waiting for them on the other end of that high C.


...Did you SAVE for upcoming expenses to cover the onslaught of auditions


...or will you DIP INTO DEBT and plan the payback in January?


...Y.A.P. auditions don&rsquo;t have layaway plans, and gig opportunities wait for no soprano visiting her accompanist with $10 instalments. 

...	◆	What do you project you will spend this singing season? 


...*layaway plan: I don&rsquo;t know if stores still have a layaway plans like the 80&rsquo;s and 90&rsquo;s...and if you&rsquo;re too young to remember that term, don&rsquo;t tell me. : )))


...The entire mall will be empty and there&rsquo;s apple, packed to the rafters with people pushing their way in to be a part of that community, visiting their future
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Canaries&#x2c; GODZ&#x2c; and cookies at the break</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>lessons to be learned</category><dc:date>2011-08-30T07:24:58-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/5ed0baa4aba655ce855cb3ce610b2922-21.html#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/5ed0baa4aba655ce855cb3ce610b2922-21.html#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, it looks like we have a few more GODZ* making themselves known on the Toronto music scene. 


A recent ARTICLE discussing the poor treatment of local vocalists indicates (sadly) that the GODZ still seem to be looming large on the arts scene, and the Canaries* are down for the count.   The ARTICLE speaks for itself and I encourage you to read it and ask yourself,


&ldquo;What would I have done?&rdquo; 


3 Cheers to the 3 brave singers/Canaries who walked out.   I guess cookies at the break was not enough consolation for lost pay, schedule changes, conflicts with unions, disrespectful treatment, and alleged (that magical word) breach of contract by the producers who&rsquo;s parting words were...


&ldquo;For our purposes this is how we interpret the contract. 


If you don&rsquo;t like it, well, you don&rsquo;t have to be here.&rdquo;


(nice)


Imagine if all 80 singers had stood up for themselves walked out? 


A tough decision for sure: 


When to stand up for your principals, 


and when to make sure that you can make rent. 


(What would Beethoven have thought of his music being performed for something other than JOY?)


If you take the time to read the article above, let me know your thoughts.   I know what I would have done in that situation, do you? 


Thanks for reading and for all of your input!


p.s.   Let me know about AWESOME GODZ (music producers) that YOU have worked with that have gone above and beyond the call of duty to ensure a successful, and fair outcome. 


I&rsquo;d rather be highlighting the good. : )


to leave a


COMMENT ON THE BLOG


or to 


LIKE/SHARE on FB


click on....
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>BLUEPRINTS</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>books</category><category>financial instincts</category><dc:date>2011-08-28T08:16:27-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/b17c00fdcb8d2a86884a6b2b5cec75a9-20.html#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/b17c00fdcb8d2a86884a6b2b5cec75a9-20.html#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[A few years ago (2004) I was given a money book that sat on my shelf for a year, collecting dust.   Call it resistance, call it ignorance, I didn&rsquo;t see why I should read a book about money when I didn&rsquo;t HAVE any. 


When I HAVE money, that&rsquo;s when I&rsquo;ll need some help managing it.  


Fortunately, my curiosity (and dislike of dusting) finally got the best of me and I cracked open SECRETS OF THE MILLIONAIRE MIND by T.Harv Eker .... the catalyst of my journey to become a money savvy kind of gal.


Now the title, I will grant you, is VERY cheesy; like you should be lighting incense and visualizing a $1000 dollar bill floating toward you.   Since reading it, however, I have changed my attitude toward judging a book by its cover.


In SECRETS OF THE MILLIONAIRE MIND you won&rsquo;t  find any charts, advice on stocks and bonds, or RRSPs vs. ...  What you will find is a clever analysis of how people&rsquo;s success is largely determined by their ATTITUDES and CONDITIONING,  and how, 


...In the first half, Eker talks largely about your FINANCIAL BLUEPRINT: that magical, seemingly set in stone legend of how you are supposed to relate to success, and wealth. 

...&ldquo;observing your thoughts and actions so that you can live by true choice in the present moment 


...The most important realization for me was that my blueprint (financial, career, relationships) was not SET IN STONE   (!!!)    I could renovate and rebuild at any time; check the blueprint to see where the support walls were and knock out every thing else that wasn&rsquo;t helpful. 


The second half of the book is divided up into 17, easy to read WEALTH FILES.   Little observations of how successful people always see past a challenge and focus only on a positive outcome, and how unsuccessful people focus solely on the obstacles in their path and eventual failure.   Since re-reading the book in 2011 I found myself underlining new ideas that hadn&rsquo;t resonated with me back in 2005, but certainly do today. 


...If everything we do is truly a choice, why do we (ok, me) feel like we have to choose either/or? ...  If your attitude is either/or in one arena, it&rsquo;s likely to be your habit in other areas of your life too. 


...Happiness and Success ARE a possible combination, so why not (at the very least) make that the goal regardless of the actual outcome?   Changing your attitude doesn&rsquo;t cost a cent.... and if it&rsquo;s for the better, it might bring in the bounty.   I know that the circle of friends around me (circa 2011) supports excellence and forward thinking; amazing examples of artistic entrepreneurs proving that both can happen, if you let it. 


Who do you associate with, and do they focus on 


...Harv Eker is quick to point out that his wealth files are not there to make life easy or work free. ...  His point (and why I recommend this book to artists) is: the more aware you are of what you DO and (more importantly) what you DON&rsquo;T DO (because of fear or past conditioning) may help you actually work SMARTER and get a whole lot FARTHER. 


...for more info visit www.harveker.com - Secrets of the Millionaire Mind


*note: I do not advocate, or suggest that you attend any seminars $$$ as hi-lighted near the end of the book. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>CANARIES vs. the GODZ</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>lessons to be learned</category><dc:date>2011-08-08T07:21:38-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/23fe1dea8965eb2bd93f336bcac25c60-19.html#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/23fe1dea8965eb2bd93f336bcac25c60-19.html#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We were a small ensemble of professionals, and volunteers making a recording for an organization (let&rsquo;s call them the GODZ) with whom we had all worked with before... and trusted.   Once the last take was loaded onto the computer we headed out for a drinks to celebrate a job well done.   Little did we know that we might need a few more drinks to get us through the following 2 months. 


...We were given a speech about how sad they were to lose out on his great talent.   It would be a loss for the GODZ....and we were about to be royally...


...&ldquo;Um, we were supposed to be paid for that recording by the end of this month. 


.......only to be terminated with the final paycheque (minus all union penalties - again, they weren&rsquo;t aware of any &ldquo;YOOON-YON&rdquo;).   The union in question vanished into the background (once they realized that this was a no win situation) and the GODZ announced the loss of our great talent....


Now, if we hadn&rsquo;t acted like a Canaries in a coal mine; sensitive to the poisoning of the air around us, ready to bring attention to the danger, we might have made it out unharmed (if a little out of pocket for that summer). 


...So, my 2 fellow Canaries and I would expire once everyone else was safely accounted for....


...In my heart of hearts, I believe that 99.99% of music producers are honest and enthusiastic, ensuring a fantastic, artistic experience.   If they can&rsquo;t pay much, they are upfront and do their best to support your talent even after the job is done. 

...In the last few weeks, however, I encountered a few more Canaries who sensed danger, sent out warning calls, (a.k.a. tried to do the right thing) only to lose out on an opportunity to be a working performer. 


SCENARIO ONE: suggesting the singer alter their name so that the producers wouldn&rsquo;t have to deal with all of the fussy, union paper work. 

...SCENARIO TWO: counting on a singer&rsquo;s &ldquo;the show must go on&rdquo; attitude and giving the performers 2 minutes to decide whether they sign off  last second recording wavers, therefore, giving up their right to residuals.   As well, a suggestion of staging without the theatre union&rsquo;s knowledge (officially scrapped when the union came calling the next day).   One Canary said that they wouldn&rsquo;t have minded signing off certain financial privileges if they had only been told in advance instead of at the 11th hour.   Respect is just as valuable a currency as cash...too bad the GODZ didn&rsquo;t seem to know that.


SCENARIO THREE: a retired singer still sees posters (WITH HIS FACE ON IT) of a famous recording from which he has yet to see a DIME.


...Being a Canary in the coal mine SUCKS; you lose something in the end, no matter what.   Usually, the thing you gain is a little self respect - and that&rsquo;s a hard pill to swallow in the heat of the moment.   So why do the shady music GODZ get away with treating performers poorly? ...  More often than not, we support their illusion of power instead of STAND UP FOR OURSELVES.  

...After (thankfully) only a few rounds of dealing with music GODZ, I only regret the times I didn&rsquo;t  ACT on my gut feeling; if only to avoid the bad energy that comes from working with shady folks. 


It&rsquo;s just not worth it in the end to give more value to the GODZ than to your SELF.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Solo Flight</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>financial instincts</category><category>lessons to be learned</category><dc:date>2011-07-21T08:59:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/solo_flight.html#unique-entry-id-18</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/solo_flight.html#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I know, I&rsquo;m not the first singer to head to the big city after watching a Barbara Streisand movie but, for today&rsquo;s purposes, let&rsquo;s pretend that I&rsquo;m the first you&rsquo;ve heard of (it&rsquo;ll keep things fresher that way). 


Barbara&rsquo;s line &ldquo;I'm - the greatest star - I am by far &hellip;. but no one knoooooows it&rdquo; sealed the deal for me.   I was off to Toronto within 6 months of seeing Funny Girl with hopes of hitting the BIG time by the end of the year...what? ...  When I arrived, the &ldquo;BIG TIME&rdquo; looked a lot more like a full time job at the Gap (than the MET Opera stage) but I was doing it - on my own.   The cord had been cut; my finances were now all my responsibility, and the only currency coming from home was love and encouragement. 


Somehow, after a bumpy start; a lost apartment, and two amazing Toronto relatives with a guest bedroom for 6 months, I found my footing and have been Cardinal Inc. ever since. 


Now, if my parents could have sent me rent, or grocery money, I&rsquo;m sure they would have. 

...I don&rsquo;t think I would have found out how resilient I really am, or how fear can often be the corner stone for success. 

...&ldquo;If I don&rsquo;t figure out how to do this on my own, who will?&rdquo; 

...One of my money buddies recently told me about her writer friend who, after living in the U.K. on her parent&rsquo;s dime (apartment, food, clothing...) was now &ndash; officially - CUT OFF.   In her thirty years, she hadn&rsquo;t been given the opportunity to struggle, or figure out how to survive on her talent alone.   Once the familial financial plan was gone, so was her art.   She couldn&rsquo;t see how she could possibly survive as a writer and gave it up completely for something more stable, and lucrative.   Might she still be a writer today if she had been given the benefit of the doubt that she was capable of building her own artistic empire? 

...We each have our own personal cutting edge, and once we slip back from it into some kind of complacency where experimentation and struggle are no longer necessary, we may as well hang it up. 

...In truth, I don&rsquo;t think the word struggle should be so commonplace in an artists&rsquo; vocabulary.   At some point, the well earned rewards should come but, there&rsquo;s a balance to consider. 

...if they can keep their eye on the PRIZE instead of their WALLET?


Being an artist in the 21st Century definitely has it&rsquo;s challenges and to be completely fair, I&rsquo;m fairly certain I would have JUMPED at an opportunity to live worry free under some version of the familial financial plan, NO QUESTION.   I would have been first in line at the condo show room, then off to IKEA, &ldquo;I&rsquo;ll take one of everything.&rdquo; 


I don&rsquo;t think, however, that I would have felt the need to start saving in my 20&rsquo;s (or would have seen how valuable that choice was by my early 30&rsquo;s) if I had been too comfortable living under someone else&rsquo;s wing.   There was always some form of motivation staring me in the face to push me to create a bigger, and better version of my life.   Believe me, if eating cereal for dinner with 4 roommates, and working 40hrs of retail per week isn&rsquo;t enough motivation for you to reach for higher goals, I don&rsquo;t what is.


...If you have stocks in the familial financial plan


...*note to all of my familial supporters: thanks for always knowing what would make me stronger (insert picture of me flexing my success muscles). 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Generosity Journey</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>generosity </category><dc:date>2011-07-15T07:11:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/a9ac4e8733fc2f70a482560ba6a4aa8a-17.html#unique-entry-id-17</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/a9ac4e8733fc2f70a482560ba6a4aa8a-17.html#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Despite the fact that we had a very small wedding, I&rsquo;m not gonna&rsquo; lie: this bird is tired.   I wanted, however, to take the time to share some of the shenanigans of my Generosity Journey before the Cardinal&rsquo;s Nest got back to the business of being an artist. 

...Singing and (let&rsquo;s face it) EATING TOO MUCH for 4 days at a friend&rsquo;s wedding 


...1 quick reminder that the cake in my hands (made with love by an adorable 86 year old) 


...1 quick U-turn to go back and get my actual purse...phone....passport.....


1 trip through security, carrying the afore mentioned wedding cake (almost eaten by security guards)


2nd plane ride (back home) in which I required 2 seats for my very full tummy


...1 subway ride to the hair salon (very emotional by Museum station...

...1 walk to City Hall (emotions in check) with handsome fianc&eacute; in his new suit....cha!


...1 six year old to steal the show and entertain guests for hours


...3 cake cutting (and tasting) opportunities (Lemon Meringue Cupcakes - Chocolate Stout Cake Topper - Venitarta [see: above] - all cakes were gifts too!)


Dancing and Singing on our host&rsquo;s beautiful garden patio 


...1 breakfast with friends (enter 6 year old and crazy adults splashing in the pool)


1 walk along the beach with out of town guests


...7 1/2 hr drive out east - should have taken 5


...4 days of EATING (again!!!), brushing up on my French, swimming, opening gifts, and 


...7 1/2 hr drive back home - should have taken 5


...3rd plane ride (even further west- tix provided by friends...yes, really) 


...1 ride back to the airport


...1 flight attendant suggesting I pack more clothes, or a &ldquo;pashmeeeeeena&rdquo; for the flight,


	(to someone who woke up at 4:30 am) if I wanted to be warm in their 


	ICE BOX version of a plane, and I quote: &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t share germs (blankets) anymore.&rdquo;


...If you were wondering why I wasn&rsquo;t writing, refer to the above.   It was an amazing time to reaffirm that: Generous people exist in our lives. ...  If you don&rsquo;t believe me, check out the list of amazingly talented folks who donated their time, effort, and love to project &ldquo;LE NOZZE.&rdquo; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>cupcakes</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>lessons to be learned</category><category>humor</category><dc:date>2011-06-16T07:23:57-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/b8b0b34abcb6992f9fb8f45ddbd4b43c-16.html#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/b8b0b34abcb6992f9fb8f45ddbd4b43c-16.html#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;I think that we should wait to put the cupcakes on the table.&rdquo;  


...My two hostesses looked at me like I was crazy, defiantly popped a mini cupcake into their mouths, and promptly put the offending mini desserts on the table with the wine & cheese. 

...I was standing in the way of how much goodness would be 


...It would be putting it mildly to state that I&rsquo;m big on discovering the root causes of why we do, or don&rsquo;t do certain things; even the small things that seemingly have little meaning.   The relationship that people have with success and abundance (those who have, and those who have not) in my opinion, shows up most in the our daily sequence of actions and intentions that bring us to our current position in society. 


My recent search for a savvy, young investor&rsquo;s book (insert FAIL) led me to literature that had nothing to do with money, but certainly shed some light on a slightly different currency:  society&rsquo;s perspective on giving and receiving, and why we let things in or push them away.    The light bulb moment for me was when best selling author, Geneen Roth talked about two different personality types: 


...	◆	merge with chaos...&rdquo;and have decided that it&rsquo;s best to be blurry, and numb, and join the party&rdquo; *


	◆	&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t need to be concerned about the future because I won&rsquo;t be aware of it&rdquo; *


...What does this (or cupcakes for that matter) have to do with a self employed musician who may have taken the time to read this far? 


Well, Geneen Roth was referring to other aspects of people&rsquo;s lives (mainly health and nutrition) but for me, her definitions only served to enhance a much broader picture. 


...You are who you are; how you treat one aspect of your life (career, money, dessert) may also determine the type of success you will allow (yes, I said allow) to be present in your life at any given time.   I don&rsquo;t know about you but, I think this kind of awareness is key for anyone whose product is: themselves.


....3 guesses which one I am: trying to figure out how the self employed, creative types gain control and become aware of how actions today affect one&rsquo;s future..... ...  Check things off: have things go in the order that they should.   The only time I will go to the &ldquo;dark side&rdquo; (willingly) and become a permitter of unlimited proportions is when I have an audience. 

...The life of the party, they do not control (well, not like I do, anyway). ...  They will even be daring and put the cupcakes out on the table WAY before the the first course has been served. (shocking, I know!)


There are plusses and minuses to both personality types as well as degrees of intensity.   I realize that the way it&rsquo;s presented here is pretty black and white.   Many people fit into the grey areas on any given day, or may swing from one extreme to another. ...  Both personalities can get you in trouble, or create a wind fall of success.... it&rsquo;s all up to the intention behind the actions, and how many actions you will allow yourself to take.  


...Sometimes, asking the person who is playing the part the very same question can be beneficial too.


...That&rsquo;s all I&rsquo;m trying to get at here today. ...  Enjoy the bounty, and always remember to share a little goodness when you can. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Update</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><dc:subject>&#x5b; blog &#x5d;</dc:subject><dc:date>2011-06-04T08:20:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/48a8c033ba551606cf820bf41ad2216f-15.html#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/48a8c033ba551606cf820bf41ad2216f-15.html#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[To my awesome readers, thanks for checking in.   I&rsquo;m posting this short update to keep the flow and to fill you in on two fun facts that have put the blog on a short pause. 


First: I entered a blog competition.   Currently, there are 4 blogs ready and waiting but, I can&rsquo;t post them until the contest is over.   Fingers crossed the Cardinal&rsquo;s Nest gets to extend its branches.    EEEP! 


Second: (well, not really secondary in any way) I&rsquo;m getting hitched!   Yup, this bird is going to be a bride!   The problem?   Every time I sit down to write, something about the wedding creeps in and I get royally distracted or off topic.   The I DOs are in a few weeks so, I&rsquo;ll get back to being my practical self when I don&rsquo;t have a great big party staring me in the face.   Cake anyone?


Happy Summer!  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Being M.S.L. in the 21st C &#x7c; Money is my Second Language</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>money lingo</category><dc:date>2011-05-24T12:27:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/adbf32653a269a755cb2f9f0b52c6b37-14.html#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/adbf32653a269a755cb2f9f0b52c6b37-14.html#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Have you ever hung out in the financial section of a book store? ...  I highly recommend it if you&rsquo;re fond of feeling out of place, or clueless.  


On my most recent trip to the land of Financial Reads, one of the young locals saw my wrinkled brow and asked if he could help. 

...*sigh* I must have looked really clueless because apparently he didn&rsquo;t think I could read english (but I digress).   I thanked him (not entirely without sarcasm) and told him I could take it from here. 


...My mission that day was to start a new chapter in my &ldquo;tales of a rebel bird building an empire one branch at a time&rdquo; best seller.   I would become an expert on stocks, bonds, and investing for the small investor, and this would be the day that I found THE book that would lead me to my goal. 


Unfortunately, it didn&rsquo;t take very long to realize, that even though I had clearly established my proficiency at reading the store&rsquo;s signage, that was about as far as it went.   I flipped through book after book, page after page, without picking up a single clue as to where to start. 

...&ldquo;I admit, my first three tries at writing about being a successful investor didn&rsquo;t really hit the mark...&rdquo; 


...So even the money dude hasn&rsquo;t figured it out. 

...I won&rsquo;t speak for all artists but I need a story 


...It&rsquo;s kind of like sight singing: Some people are very scholastic and/or mathematical.   Some have perfect pitch: they just know what a D is.   Well, I&rsquo;m right smack dab in the middle (thank you very much): If you asked me to sing a D, I&rsquo;d probably be close.   If you asked me to sing the first note of Carmen&rsquo;s &lsquo;Habanera,&rsquo; I&rsquo;d be dead on. ...  I&rsquo;m one of those singers who needs a story, or a metaphor to cling to so that my muscular, and emotional memory can kick in.   It&rsquo;s the same thing with numbers; there had better be a really good plot to explaining DIVIDENDS and ETFs or I&rsquo;m outta&rsquo; here.


Well, today I think I may have found a great starting point for my journey through Financial Literacy 101.   Canadian blogger, Laura Thomas is dedicated to making financial literacy (not to be confused with financial advice) fun and tangible.   Her story telling abilities keep you interested, and you come out on the other end of the blog educated, and entertained. 

...If you&rsquo;re like me and want the money from every note you sing to go further than your rent and groceries, I think this writer might be a good starting point. ...  Adding the language of Money to French, German and Italian seems a logical step to developing better self employed artists. 

...*note: As always, a reminder that I am not a licensed financial advisor and my recommendations are simply to entertain and generate creative thought.   Please see a trusted financial advisor when making real life decisions about your money. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>How high will you go? The debt ceiling. </title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>debt</category><dc:date>2011-05-16T08:14:36-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/7527c3e6056f3fbb046f2980a0774152-13.html#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/7527c3e6056f3fbb046f2980a0774152-13.html#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My entrepreneur (I&rsquo;m convinced he&rsquo;ll be a millionaire someday) friend continued, 


&ldquo;When I was a kid, we only worried about debt when it exceeded $100,000.00. 


I was taught that everything up to that number was considered 


...Now, it&rsquo;s no secret at this point that I have a fascination with money (insert: obsessive iss-&uuml;) so, it tends to come up with friends, (especially those who know how to really pull in the dough).   I&rsquo;m fascinated when I hear that a calculated money maker has been raised with the nonchalant belief that there is actually a reasonable dollar amount of debt to have - like it&rsquo;s something that you&rsquo;re supposed to pursue.


Ironically when people say they have debt, it sounds possessive: I have debt, therefore I HAVE SOMETHING.   Even if that SOMETHING isn&rsquo;t good, it&rsquo;s still aaaallllllll yours.   It&rsquo;s kind of like staying in a bad relationship: at least you don&rsquo;t have to say that you&rsquo;re single.    But when we&rsquo;re talking about debt, is it really better to HAVE and to HOLD for ever after? 


I&rsquo;m currently following a blogger who has payed off $11,000.00 of her $34,000.00 of debt, while managing to SAVE $18,000.00 all within 6 months!   If we break that down into round numbers, she has been putting away (or paying off) around $4800.00 a month. ...  This blogger&rsquo;s honesty and persistence makes for a great role model.


	◆	Are her saving margins a realistic goal for you? 


	◆	Does her story inspire you to create your own debt/saving plan? 


As we approach summer (traditionally, a quieter season for lucrative gigs) 


how will YOU create a plan to continue to SAVE, or PAY OFF debt?


If we look back at my soon to be millionaire friend, who grew up with a huge debt ceiling of $100,000.00, we might find one of the keys to eliminating debt.   He no longer focusses on what he was taught: that debt was ok, or manageable.   Nor does he (like our blogger girl) accept the limitations of a ceiling.  The sky is the limit for both of our entrepreneurs not because they make MORE money, but because they seem to have changed their attitude towards it altogether.   Will it be the same for you? 


Recognize how high you really project the limits of your debt ceiling. 


...It just might be the start of eliminating it all together. 


...Happy Summer Saving and Thank you for Reading!


p.s. if you&rsquo;re debt free, please let us know your keys to debt free success.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Basic Instinct</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>financial instincts</category><dc:date>2011-05-01T08:05:07-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/cad3a776159cf90ee2a8ae630ba6b82f-12.html#unique-entry-id-12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/cad3a776159cf90ee2a8ae630ba6b82f-12.html#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[(Applause) He took me out to dinner a few times....no, wait, let me re-phrase that: he took me, and all of his buddies who would call him on his cell phone, out to dinner.   It became pretty tiring getting all dolled up only to wait &rsquo;til he finished a phone conversation with a friend.   After about 3 weeks of witnessing his love affair with his phone, I finally told him (when he tried to give me a kiss goodnight) that he should see if his cell phone could do that, my battery had run out. 


Now, he wasn&rsquo;t a total disaster, he had a few good points, and could even be described as SAVVY. 

...(*aside: I know that the term PROPERTY popped up in the last blog but, 


...He had saved enough (I think with a little help from family) to put a down payment on a 4 (maybe it was 6) suite house near the University. ...  I was a bit gob smacked at how casual he was about it all.   I had only lived on my own for about 4 years (subletting) and here he was, only a few years older than me, investing in a MAJOR WAY.   He shrugged his shoulders, like it was nothing, and said, &ldquo;I&rsquo;m an average looking guy, with an average build, average height, and brown eyes gigging in Canada. 

...I didn&rsquo;t lose too much sleep over DUDE but, years later, I&rsquo;m working on how to change my train of thought to be as casual, and confident about investing as the guy who made out with his cell phone. 

...I used to think: &ldquo;No, we have to do this success &lsquo;thing&rsquo; with the art, only the art. ...  I now know that that isn&rsquo;t always what successful artists have done to solidify their financial grounding. ...  Let&rsquo;s start with one of THE most successful names in entertainment:


...	◆	Yes, ladies and gentlemen, BARBARA STREISAND is in the building: Not only is she a singer/actress extraordinaire, she&rsquo;s a property mogul and stock trader. ...  I&rsquo;d be curious to see what percentage of her earnings comes from music in comparison to the percentage of her clever buying, and selling profits. ...  she&rsquo;s been smart with that money and gave it an opportunity to grow. 


	◆	Closer to home: A Canadian Actor I spoke to doesn&rsquo;t enjoy doing the tv commercial auditions etc. but, he knows that if he lands one, he can afford to say yes to a creative, independent film (even if it only pays pennies).   The thing he doesn&rsquo;t necessarily love funds the thing that he was made to do. 

...	◆	On the flip side (and there&rsquo;s always a flip side) there are those performers who have had serious cash flow for a good number of years but later discovered that choices, or maybe poor instincts, have put some of them on a financial tight rope at a time when the gigs start slowing down.   Why didn&rsquo;t these performers feel motivated to save, or invest when the going was good? 


...&ldquo;When you gig all the time and make lots of money you feel invincible, like the money will never stop.   If someone had told me to save more and spend less when I was younger, I don&rsquo;t know if I would have listened.&rdquo; 


...Yes, my fascination with this topic is a little more than a hobby (insert nervous laughter).   I am CAUTIOUS with money but, fortunately, the flip side to my caution has led me to become a PASSIONATE STUDENT OF FINANCES.   I&rsquo;m hoping to tag SUCCESSFUL RISK TAKER at the end of my name at a later date. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>&#x22;Being wealthy is not about being rich; it&#x27;s about having options.&#x22; Chris Rock&#xa;</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>goals</category><dc:date>2011-04-22T20:27:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/08e5a35b4e7f0ccf56cdbb67443d119c-11.html#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/08e5a35b4e7f0ccf56cdbb67443d119c-11.html#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[HGTV and TLC are my favourites and, if we&rsquo;re being honest, I could watch real estate show marathons until the cows come home. ...  Our savvy host usually has the young buyers take her to the neighbourhood where they would like to start their house hunting. ...  Their budget is usually around $350,000 - $500,000  (quite often in Toronto) and their neighbourhood of choice is usually a new, high end property on the water, or an old, established area with quaint boutiques and a 5000sq. ft. 

...Knowing what I now know about property values, these Virgins are in for a big surprise.   When she asks how much they think the property is worth, not only do they usually miss the mark, quite often they would need more than 3 times the mortgage to even think of making a bid.   Reality sets in and they see that their preparations were not realistic.   Off they go to where they can afford, not where they want to be.


The flip side P.V. is the couple who begs the bank for a larger mortgage (ie: pay beyond their means) because (and I&rsquo;m not exaggerating) they are worried that their friends won&rsquo;t  think they are successful enough based on location and price. ...  The pressure to keep up meant that they would over extend themselves and, most likely, argue over money forever after AAAAAAAAMEN. 


...The question: Do we like the ones that are available to us?   We make choices every day that will determine: what neighbourhood we will live in, who we will live with and, how comfortable we will be when we get there. 


...I think that we all have a little of the Property Virgin (a.k.a. ...  We know that we like all the bells and whistles (and I&rsquo;m not just talking about houses) but, we aren&rsquo;t necessarily aware of how many Messiah&rsquo;s we will need to sing  to really attain them all. 


In one of my very first blogs I babbled on about one of my favourite money gurus whose book, SMART WOMEN FINISH RICH (David Bach) was instrumental in crossing off a few MAJOR items on my must accomplish list.   I won&rsquo;t lie, I&rsquo;m on a bit of a plateau (must be a prairie thing).   I&rsquo;m not even sure what to put on the new and improved list because I really am doing all that I can to create the most with what I&rsquo;ve got. (inhale...exhale) How can I write down more? 

...	◆	Do you know what you want but have no idea how to get it? 


	◆	Will you over extend yourself to make sure that at the very least, you will look like you&rsquo;ve got it together? 


	◆	Or, will you do your homework and figure out the route that will get you there the fastest with the fewest bumps and bruises along the way?


...Sorry. (so Canadian) You thought I might just stick to the &ldquo;what to pack&rdquo; and &ldquo;singing in your hometown&rdquo; blogs. ...  When I started The Cardinals Nest the goal was to create some kind of forum to get people talking about (and later solving) the financial nuances of an artistic career. 


Like Chris Rock says, It&rsquo;s not just about the money; it&rsquo;s about the OPTIONS that we create by paying attention to how our everyday actions (new shoes or savings account) will increase (or decrease) what is available to us when we retire. ...  Increasing the options that we as artists create for ourselves (yup, it&rsquo;s up to you and every beautiful, well sung paycheque) is how we will grow the industry to make those options common place.


Since its TAX TIME, I&rsquo;m pretty sure that you can see quite clearly (by your year end totals) if you are opting to invest more in your coffee fund than your savings, if your debt exceeds your income, or if you&rsquo;re heading toward a great end goal.   Whatever bell or whistle you want to have in your future, take a minute today to see where your hard earned $$$ work n the practice room is really taking you. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The SWITCH</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>student</category><category>professional</category><dc:date>2011-04-21T11:44:44-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/ce57d8238424184e41e1b7435d8fd3a0-10.html#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/ce57d8238424184e41e1b7435d8fd3a0-10.html#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Last summer (a.k.a. the season of thumb twiddling) a pianist friend asked why I wasn&rsquo;t singing in any of the summer festivals that SOandSO* was singing in.   SOandSO was probably 12 years my junior and, the summer festivals that he was referring to were - ACTUALLY - summer programs.   SOandSO would give up her apartment for 4 months, receive a scholarship for one program, pay through the nose to do another, and break even in the third. ...  As a student, it&rsquo;s something that you do, love, and come to expect.


He later asked, &ldquo;When do you singers ever start to make any money if you&rsquo;re always paying to perform?&rdquo; 

...The beginning of a stage career is not unlike being the maid of honour or best man at a wedding; you get all the glory of having your name at the top of the program but, by the time you buy the dress, matching shoes, pay for the stripper and gifts, you&rsquo;re out of pocket and still looking for love.


...When do we stand up to be the artist who stops paying to be on stage 


...I&rsquo;d like to blame my old fallbacks; the business, school, my mother, or the economy but, I think it goes deeper than that. 

...If we finally trust in our training, we can assume, and maintain a new role in the industry as:


...I&rsquo;m talking about when you stop playing the role of underdog, flip the switch to being quietly confident that you belong, and allow yourself to be offered something more practical than accolades. ...  You will always be a student of life and I encourage people expand their knowledge, collaborate for fun, or for great causes.   I love the intensive learning of summer programs or independent projects but, in the grand scheme, we can&rsquo;t stay that way forever (can we)?   The switch (I think) has to happen sooner, or later because singing for your supper - LITERALLY- won&rsquo;t sustain you for very long:


...I meet a lot of artists who, after much training and professional experience, still continue to think and present themselves as the student and not a valuable contributor to the art form with an educated perspective. ...  If artists continue to play small, or lower their status, when will they have the opportunity to earn a REAL living as a result of all that hard work and patience?


...There are most certainly a lot of energetic performers, right out of the blocks that are undeniably in command of their destiny and will accept nothing less than their own terms (even before they&rsquo;re ready). 

...Unfortunately, articles about artists who say they love to create and if they are paid for it, well, it&rsquo;s a bonus don&rsquo;t help create value for their future prot&eacute;g&eacute;es, or the industry. ...  If the MET said, &ldquo;we&rsquo;re going to pay you (after coaching $$$ a role for a year) with magic beans as a BONUS&rdquo; you&rsquo;d be ok with that? 

...Yes, we do it for the love of it and, hopefully, choose to give generously to the next generation.   BUT after paying through the nose to train with the very best, there needs to be a point when we take charge, recognize that we are ready to make the switch, and that: 


payment for art should not be an optional bonus, it is, after all, a business. 


...I would love it if comments could also be left on on the blog (just below) for other readers to peruse. 


...*SOandSO was still at an age when going away and paying for a stage is an awesome way to make connections, work more roles into the voice, and onto the resum&eacute;. 

...**Student: yes, the learning never stops, and hopefully we will always be open to new ideas until the day we die.   My hope today is that younger artists will see that playing the role of student (past their due date) is something else entirely, and that staying put is just as scary moving forward so, maybe consider the latter....
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>You&#x27;re telling me</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>blog roll</category><category>the very first blog</category><dc:date>2011-04-09T11:54:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/642ae136656e69b55e322e7673c2a70b-8.html#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/642ae136656e69b55e322e7673c2a70b-8.html#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Tech week is over and now, it&rsquo;s opening night.   (Whoot!   Whoot!)   It has been a busy month for me, and for the blog.   The number of hits recently sky rocketed from 6 friends (that I would force to read my musings) to a gazillion readers!!!   Well, close to a gazillion.....    I really appreciate the interest, the re-blogs, and the followings on twitter.   So today, I want to know:


What are your favourite blogs? 


My blog roll is pretty short right now, and I know that you young&rsquo;n hip artists (pronounced arTEEEESts)  have probably found writers who would fit in nicely at The Cardinal&rsquo;s Nest.   They may be inspiring, humorous singers, or excellent financial bloggers who can tell a good story, and might get you to start thinking about your future.   (If you&rsquo;re a singer, then YOU ARE your own pension planner....sorry to bring that up again....my bad....)


Secondly, for those of you who have only started to read thecardinalsnest.ca, the blog actually began at another site (.tumblr.com)  and contains about 30 other entries* that might give you a better idea of why I started this in the first place.   If you&rsquo;re so inclined, my very first blog entry is my favourite, and apropos on opening night when I&rsquo;m in my happy place. 


Thank you for reading! 


Coming up next: The financial ins and outs of your Summer Program.... yup; back to money $$$ talk.


PLEASE CLICK on the PINK COMMENTS (below) TO SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS and BLOG LINKS.


*30 other entries: The early ARCHIVES (for now) will stay at www.thecardinalsnest.tumblr.com.   The transferring process is a tedious nightmare.   Aaaaand...  SCENE.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>More than meets the eye</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>summer programs</category><dc:date>2011-04-14T12:00:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/1f691f94cd824d72bb1c2f7e80e84b0f-7.html#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/1f691f94cd824d72bb1c2f7e80e84b0f-7.html#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Banff, Ravinia, Tanglewood, Music Academy of the West, Merola, Britten Pears and Aspen were &ldquo;THE&rdquo; summer programs when I was a wee pup. 

...Today, Canadian singers have QUITE the selection of excellent, home grown programs that offer amazing faculty and facilities to be the game changer for their careers. 

...There are grants, and sometimes help from the family but, for the most part, it&rsquo;s up to you. ...  Today, however, I would like to take a moment to think about what it&rsquo;s like to be the PRODUCER of one of these festivals. 


KIM MATTICE WANAT, founder of NUOVA in Edmonton, set the template for successful, Canadian, Summer Opera intensive programs. 13 seasons strong, the challenges never diminish.   The summer program is a bridge to bigger things in a singer&rsquo;s career, but on paper, it can be tough for funding sources to fit this square peg into a round hole; not to mention the challenges that the private sponsors face when they decide who they will invest in. ...  The commitment to the students, and the art form, keep NUOVA motivated to pursue the amazingly generous donors who give their time, and money, for your musical education. 

...	◆	No federal funding: they do not fit the criteria because it is only 6 weeks long.


...	◆	Expenses: Faculty (flights, fee, accommodations) music rights, orchestra fees, finding billets for 50-60 participants, $20,000.00 in scholarships and bursaries, marketing, 2 School Tour commissions, sets, stage managers, and designers to name a few.


...CHERYL HICKMAN of OPERA ON THE AVALON was very open about the challenges she faces as a relatively new program in Arts friendly NewFoundLand. ...  If you are heading out to this program and wondering where your money is going, the list is LONG. 


...This program (which focusses on 3 weeks of intensive, collaborative teaching through contemporary and traditional repertoire) is funded solely by the tuition of 12-18 participants. ...  The full time U of M staff do it for the love of their art: that&rsquo;s code for $0.00 in additional salary - with no complaints.   Their years of experience and education, combined with the experts on faculty, aim to make the student feel like they are working within a community of support and guidance (not just one thought process or opinion from one teacher).   Secondly, they hope to give students the tools to discover their best process, and how to apply it to any role study for the bigger programs, and stages.   They certainly fill an important niche for the young singer who is still figuring out where they might fit in the industry.  


...The&nbsp;faculty&nbsp;donate in countless ways - many donate a portion or all of their fees, some donate scholarships, free concerts, behind-the-scenes organizational work. 

...The challenging things about the process are: every grant &nbsp;has specific interests and mandates, so you cannot simply "cut and paste" rhetoric from one to the next; the results take a long time in coming, so one waits in hope for months (SOUND FAMILIAR?) 

...It's hard to ask people for money, it's hard to build a budget on hope, it's hard to feel competitive with our friends in the art community.&rdquo; 


...The Artistic Director is an unpaid position of 50-70 hours per week, and VISI's Chairwoman of the Board, our founding Executive Director, also contributes an enormous amount of administrative time. ...  To run a program with enough coordinated organization, community engagement, promotional profile, and legal protocols involves a tremendous amount of background work about which the participant attending is rarely aware. ...  When you've got 100 students and 40 faculty coming and going, 25 concerts that need production management, multiple venues, programming, advertising materials, etc, etc., there are a ton of logistic that need months of advance work.&rdquo;


&ldquo;VISI exists only because of an artistic passion and sense of community that has ignited everyone who is involved.   There is a tremendous amount of generosity fuelling this program....we all feel that it is worth doing, worth holding the torch for poetry, and human sharing of heartfelt experience.&rdquo;


...As you head off to your summer program, let&rsquo;s celebrate the fact that some Canadian Artist decided that you needed a place to sing, and they would do everything in their power to make that happen. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Playing in the back yard</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>lessons to be learned</category><dc:date>2011-04-03T17:51:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/8418beba711f3443231b2de7310dd067-6.html#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/8418beba711f3443231b2de7310dd067-6.html#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Going back to a gig in your home town can be a complicated thing.   It&rsquo;s not like going to a new city where you explore and become anonymous.   At home there is always the potential to bump into your past at every turn. ...  On this particular outing, not only is it in my home town but, the cast is almost entirely from this very same city (including the director).   With a group that has come from a similar launching pad, raised on the prairies (yes, our opening greeting USUALLY has something to do with the weather) it&rsquo;s interesting to see the different paths that everyone has taken. 


I have spoken about our financial blue prints in previous blogs, but what about our inspirational blueprints? 


How much of where you came from influenced where you are at right now? 


How can we all come from the same place and still have such amazingly different, complicated, and yet perfectly constructed paths? 


Some of the cast are just at the very start of their careers; wide eyed and bubbly, fresh voices with top notes to burn.   I love being reminded of the world of possibility that my first contracts inspired at the same age. 

...One leading lady juggles the stage, a University position, two children, a husband, and her own production company. 

...you can always find a way to make it work.


One of our home grown talents has built a major career for himself in Europe, and continues to make vocal study a priority even after great success; another lesson for the books:


...The director on this particular show was my very first opera director (waaaaay back in the day when the earth cooled).  * On that first gig, (when I was frustrated with myself and -ultimately - slowing things down) he reminded me that if I didn&rsquo;t get it on the 32nd try (I was putting up a tent while singing an aria) we&rsquo;d do something else, until then &ldquo;just take a sec&rsquo; and try it one more time.&rdquo; 15 years later, same - thing: &ldquo;Let&rsquo;s just wait til&rsquo; we get to the theatre; we&rsquo;ll work it out then.&rdquo;


only with (a lot of) patience will you have a chance at perfection.


Last, but certainly not least, the comedian of the group (who inspired this blog) reminded me about not getting caught up in the void of negativity.   It&rsquo;s an easy place to go to when you are twiddling your thumbs in between gigs, or are surrounded by its veil of influence from colleagues who are no longer inspired by this crazy journey.   He conducts himself with humour, humility, and professionalism.....except when playing a game at a dinner party - he&rsquo;s in it to WIN!    Watching his amazing performance in the first run through (honestly, this guy is so funny and engaging; I look like kid at a Dora the Explorer concert just waaaaaaiting to see what he&rsquo;ll do next ) I was happily reminded that:


there is always room for more joy. there is always room for more play.


The moral to the story, I suppose, is that there is no one destination, no singular definition of success, no limit to the  things you can learn in your own back yard.


...Please click on comments (just below) to voice your thoughts on the blog page and share your experiences with other readers. 


...I&rsquo;ll do my best to expand the ideas so that they are relevant to a wider audience. 


*when the earth cooled: we&rsquo;re not actually that old. : )  I just love that particular saying and have been waiting to use it for a while. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>&#x22;The strongest person in any room is the person who&#x27;s telling the truth.&#x22;                Brad Hampton</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>characters &#x26; roles</category><dc:date>2011-03-27T16:04:05-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/34c6b8f4421b55290f1a199f17ba7574-5.html#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/34c6b8f4421b55290f1a199f17ba7574-5.html#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[On my very first crack at the role of CARMEN, my acting buddy &ldquo;SKINNY JEANS&rdquo; asked, 


&ldquo;So, what do you get for free?&rdquo; 


...He was referring to the qualities we have that are just there; we don&rsquo;t work at it, it just happens.   Skinny Jeans and I talked about it for a while and decided that I got funny and likeable (with a dash of high status) in my free bag of tricks.


...&ldquo;Oh that Carmen, she&rsquo;s just so gosh darned likeable and funny! 


...I had already looked at a lot of clips of singers playing the role to see how I could connect to some common thread. ...  The elements that these singers got for free stood out just as much as mine, but they all seemed to make it work .... well .... except for a few who fought against their free gifts .... needless to say, theirs didn&rsquo;t end well. 


When all was said and done, I was really happy with the end result.   I didn&rsquo;t resist or suppress what I naturally brought to the table.   The elements that I thought were going to hold me back ended up enhancing the many sides of a very complex character. 


WHAT DO YOU GET FOR FREE?


...	◆	If you are naturally engaging, and then try too hard to charm them in the audition, do you cancel out your greatest asset? 

...	◆	What do you do when your voice doesn&rsquo;t seem to equate with what you want to be, or your idea of success?   I&rsquo;ve seen singers miss out on potentially fantastic ($$$) careers because they were hell bent on being the romantic lead, when their true colours may have established them as brilliant (and steadily working) character players. 

...	◆	The category of &ldquo;you don&rsquo;t LOOK like what you SOUND like&rdquo; is also a tough one.   If you look &ldquo;cute, petite, and bubbly&rdquo; but, you sound like Azucena, it may take a little more convincing at the table that you can actually pull that off in a production.   Sometimes our free qualities just need to find their polar opposite in the subtext which, by the way, is much more accessible than putting on a facade.   Take it from one who knows; it&rsquo;s a very long haul when you aren&rsquo;t honest about who you really ARE, and how much you&rsquo;re willing to GIVE. 


	◆	Lastly (and maybe it&rsquo;s just me) the arias that we have to present don&rsquo;t always equate to the roles we will actually sing; what we get for free goes out the window.   My fellow comprimario players will understand that: 3rd lady, Goro, Dancairo, and 4th tree from the left do not have arias so, we have to come as close as we can....though it doesn&rsquo;t always work. 


THEM: &ldquo;....you know that we&rsquo;re casting for Mercedes, not Carmen, right? 


ME: Yes, and if Mercedes had an aria, I&rsquo;d sing it, man! 


...Know that that is the one thing that will make you stand out; 


...*aside* yes, I realize that ACTing is about going outside of yourself and creating more than what you get for free.   Skinny Jeans&rsquo; light bulb moment for me, however, meant that I knew what was already included in the package before I paid the price of redundant add ons. (not my best metaphor, but...you get what I&rsquo;m saying...) 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Lady Bathrobe</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>living on the road</category><dc:date>2011-03-26T15:12:28-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/1cb052ec1fdfe581b218a74630095807-4.html#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/1cb052ec1fdfe581b218a74630095807-4.html#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[This woman was the agent of a diva who happened to be debuting a big role in my home city before heading to the MET. 

...We all huddled into the darkest room that the Continuing Education Building had to offer (no windows, lots of BROWN walls & ORANGE carpeting) and waited for a little taste of NEW YORK CITY. 

...I'm certainly not Ren&eacute;e Fleming (she doesn't need advice from me) but, I am a singer who finds herself on the road and, hopefully, I can offer a little more insight into the reality of being a traveling singer than Lady Bathrobe from New York City.


...YOU WILL BUY A NEW ONE upon arrival if you didn't already pack one in your checked luggage.... though, in the past, I've tried traveling with one and it has always disappeared....along with my alarm clock.&nbsp;


...If you don't have a friend in that particular city&nbsp;you&nbsp;will be paying - UP FRONT.&nbsp;


...If you travel by train, well, you can get away with it but, you know as well as I do how much fun it is to travel with a full sized pillow, your carry on, your laptop...etc....etc....strip search....


...If you are heading to a city known for snow and cold and&nbsp;you do not bring large, cumbersome boots and a parka, IT WILL SNOW.   If you go to a city known for snow and cold&nbsp;WITH your big, dumb ass boots and parka....it will be sunny and dry til' the day you leave. : ) I'm from Prairies. 

...I am always amazed (in Canada) how different the prices are from region to region when you do the first big grocery shop.


...The long and the short of it is: even the most frugal shopper will spend more on the road then at home.**&nbsp;(the cleaning staff in the hotels must make out like Bandits when we leave; Olive oil and Peanut butter anyone?&nbsp;


...If you don't have an exercise regime that you can do in your room then, once you find a gym, find the fittest person in the cast and work out with them. ...  My fianc&eacute; has trained many cast members, and I have had more than a few singers join me for a yoga session or two...though there was usually a lot of swearing and "are you serious?" 

...This has never been a problem for me (except in the mountains) but I know a lot of singers who cannot function without a humidifier in their room. 

...The tendency to "pick up a few things" that you will only use for the month (then waste when you leave) is quite common. ...  If this is a topic that you're passionate about, I'd love to hear what you do to curb the carbon footprint on the road.


...When I first went out for a big-ish gig on the road, I didn't have an agent and was still doing things entirely for myself.   Chatting with my leading ladies & men (who had been at it a lot longer than me) I could see that there was more to it than what I was experiencing at the time.


...NYC Agent Lady didn't mention that on top of paying for where you stay, there's the AGENT FEE, PUBLICIST (if applicable) UNION DUES, all of your AT HOME BILLS, EATING OUT, CITY TRANSPORTATION, TRAVEL INSURANCE, possibly CHILD CARE and extra lodgings, and the most fun of all: TAXES


If you are not in your home country, there are some lovely TAX provisions that you need to pay attention to. 

...It can get pretty lonely in your hotel room and if it's not a fun cast, it can be a really long stay. 

...I know I am missing many little things that are more specific to different personality types (another mezzo and I turned Toulouse, France up side down for a single dollop of hummus and pita crackers; we were that homesick for our comfort foods) but, I hope that if you are a singer starting out, today's blog will give you a better look into the more practical side of life on the road.


...*HOTELS- Craig's List and Sublets for Gypsy's are just 2 of the many other options in North America that might be better than a hotel stay, or couch surf at a friend's.   I only know a few people who have taken this route but, it may be a great option for you.


...I'd save more if I were that frugal, but, I choose the fresh food route - ALWAYS - so, $500 broccoli it is. : )


BOOZE - I was *reminded* by a colleague to make sure I mentioned the fact that, since we are such social creatures, there will be a few drinks every now and then....
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Generation UpGrade</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>spending habits</category><dc:date>2011-03-16T09:19:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/99438b3e7d5b16eb670e8ac10741cc76-3.html#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/99438b3e7d5b16eb670e8ac10741cc76-3.html#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[It&rsquo;s yellow, it&rsquo;s at least 50 years old, and.... it works.


My grandmother was a key figure in my adolescence.   I often find myself quoting things that she would say, or mimicking things that she would do.   She was an incredible combination of glamour and practicality.   Her hat, shoes, coat, scarf, and gloves would always match, but were of the highest quality so, she didn&rsquo;t need a lot.   She had her hair DONE, and most importantly, she always had chocolate ice cream in the freezer for me. 


I inherited her blue, blue eyes, her not too wavy, but not so straight hair, her tea service; and I even wear her engagement ring.   One other gem that I covet as much as her tea service, and ring is .... her super duper General Electric HAND MIXER!


...This gadget will out live us all.   I&rsquo;ve used it since I was SEVEN!   It was made in a time when industry hadn&rsquo;t completely figured out that if you make it just good enough, people  will buy the next version in a year or two. 


It was the generation that made things to last.   


I think that we live in a most amazing time where progress and technology seem limitless. ...  I do wonder, however, how it will change the way we will leave a legacy to the coming generations.   Our cars, gadgets, and fads last just long enough.   I swear (I am being totally serious) there is a timer inside my ipod that is getting ready to say, &ldquo;this ain&rsquo;t your grandmother&rsquo;s mixer. 

...Do we appreciate the fact that we seem to be the generation that invests in things that depreciate?


Are we turning into generation UpGrade?


Since we are in heading into tax preparation time, I thought I&rsquo;d send out a challenge to see how much you spent on upgrades this year? 


	◆	Upgrades that were a choice, and upgrades that were forced upon you because your investment (gadget) from last year conked out this year? 


	◆	Could you have gone without an upgrade and have invested in your professional development or future savings? 


	◆	Did your upgrades help generate more income or opportunity? 

...I&rsquo;m curious to hear from you.   I don&rsquo;t need dollar amounts but, it would be interesting to hear how frequently upgrading played a part in your financial overview.


...FOR ARCHIVES please click on www.thecardinalsnest.tumblr.com I will be transferring them over to their new home in the near future.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Cellophane windows</title><dc:creator>marcia@marciawhitehead.com</dc:creator><category>tax refund</category><dc:date>2011-03-13T12:56:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/dab9ee29e22c2e544158f799c814b11f-2.html#unique-entry-id-2</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.thecardinalsnest.ca/files/dab9ee29e22c2e544158f799c814b11f-2.html#unique-entry-id-2</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[To most people, March and April means tax preparation and (if there is a God) a tax return. 

...It would be cashed, and spent in full by the end of day. 

...Once my mother and I (oh, yes, I was an eager participant) had bought out EATON&rsquo;S we would stop at our favourite restaurant for dinner&hellip;maybe an appetizer&hellip;definitely dessert. 

...A month later, after the dress and shoes had lost their sheen, BILL (and sometimes, his DIRTY MISTRESS, DENY) would pop into our lives once again.   It was a cycle that no one in my immediate circle seemed to want to admit, or escape.   By my teens I had figured it out, but the pattern was firmly in place, and it wasn&rsquo;t my money to begin with.   Even my instinctively frugal nature would go out the window when I was being offered a new top from Benetton. 


...Many articles are popping up these days with smart, RESPONSIBLE suggestions; none of which will surprise you:


...There are no matching purses to go with your RRSP contribution, nor is there an upgrade to your iSlide 5. 


...I think that is why the RESPONSIBLE list was avoided when I was growing up and, is still ignored by thousands of Canadian&rsquo;s today (if the recent poll, indicating that the average Canadian household is currently in $100,000.00 of consumer debt, is true).&nbsp;


If going to the bank and parting with your new found wealth is just too much to bare (and simply not your idea of a good time) what if I meet you half way (this won&rsquo;t happen often so, take the cookies when they&rsquo;re passed) and adjust the list so that it looks a little more like something dedicated to your needs and wants?   Your&nbsp;SINGER&rsquo;S version of the RESPONSIBLE list for FREE MONEY could include a little more SINGER BLING.&nbsp;

...AN ACCOMPANIST FUND: Take that  free money and put it into an account that will fund your coaching, and last second audition pianist fees.   In the end, you&rsquo;ll be more polished and will have more potential to get the gig in the first place, which, in turn will earn you more money.


...NEW HEAD SHOTS or WEB UPDATES: Is the technology on your site as updated, or as connected as you would like it to be? 

...TRAVEL FUND: If the auditions aren&rsquo;t near you, it would be a great way to start building a money pot for air, train, and bus travel that doesn&rsquo;t come out of your daily spending.


...A Dental Day with your free money will not only contribute to a great smile but improved overall health.   (Ok, that one is really pushing the BLING factor considering there could be pain involved but, I&rsquo;d do it so, humour me&hellip;)


...DUES FUND: You have to pay them anyway to your agent, and unions; why not take the pain out of writing that cheque?   That money will be there specifically for one purpose, without dipping into your latt&eacute; fund&hellip;.which is a blog unto itself&hellip;


...Money Guru&rsquo;s might not like that I waver and make exceptions for singers (honestly, if you have debt, please say you&rsquo;ll pay some of it off) .... but I am a singer and I know that unexpected funds can really boost the way you get things done on a professional level.   Regardless, we all have priorities that take precedent in our daily lives so it is ultimately YOUR CHOICE.   If you&rsquo;re not going to use the RESPONSIBLE list (a.k.a.   BORING) at least look at the other options that might help fuel your professional development which, in turn, will bring home the bacon...mmmm....bacon. : )


...*As always, a reminder that I am not a licensed financial professional and my blogs are solely for entertainment, and inspiration. ]]></content:encoded></item></channel>
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