Cut & Mix with Vanessa Hundley: Comedian Ian Bagg on Hockey, Podcasting, and Comedy in a Pandemic
Vanessa Hundley aka DJ Audioprism snags off-the-road Canadian comedian Ian Bagg for a chat on his personal experience discovering his passion for comedy. Follow his adventures from Canada to Australia to Canada and onwards into the sometimes lucky, sometimes challenging, but almost always hilarious and unconventional life of a comedian who performs on a global scale. Plus, hear about his new album, his Web show, and what he expects for his comedy career in the immediate future!
Visit www.ianbagg.com as your jumping off point for everything “Around the Bagg”!
**Follow me (DJ Audioprism) on social media @djaudioprism, or visit www.audioprisment.com for an in-depth and ever-changing collection of my various endeavors, including articles on entertainment and life in the NSAEN magazine at www.nsaen.com.
Photo/Video Credits:
Pixabay -Rudy and Peter Skitterians – dark brick wall-2906556_1280
Pixabay-Emslichter-isolated old red truck-2448337_1280
Pixabay – Frances Proctor – maple leaf-984998_1280
Pixabay- Agnieszka Pukas-kangaroo-4753045_1280
Pixabay – Gordon Johnson- cartoon moose-2756781_1280
Pixabay-Csaba Nagy-gold-nugget-2269846_1280
Pixabay-Nicolas Boulard -explosion video-2322922
Pixabay-Loren Elkin -dynamite box-915058_1280
Pixabay- Peter H-truck tires-2920533_1280
pexels-Markus Spiske-80s phone-4389246
Pixabay-Dimitar Tzankov – Sea at Beach – 4006
Pixabay-Attila Oláh -New York City video – 24267
Pixabay-_Freakwave_-coronavirus and crowd-4810201_1280
Back in the 80s, the Oakland Raiders were a very good football team and I remember watching them on TV and seeing a giant banner at the 50 yard line which said, “Commitment to excellence.” That was their team motto and they certainly played great football with that commitment. This attitude was part of who they were from the owner of the team right down to each player.
When it comes to our success journey, it is important for us to have a commitment to excellence as well. Unfortunately, most people are taught to be mediocre. When you take a look at success and failure, you will see that success is at the top and failure is at the bottom. Mediocrity is right smack in the middle, it’s as close to the bottom as it is to the top. There is much more to life than being average; you did not wake up this morning just to be average.
Successful people commit to certain decisions that help shape them to become top performers. They make the decision to make every moment count, and they understand that every day is another opportunity for growth and achieving goals.
So what is it going to take to achieve excellence? The first step is to make that commitment and find out what it is you really want to achieve. Write it down on a piece of paper and be specific about it. This will help you develop the passion to do what it takes to achieve excellence. You have to decide to be passionate about what you do, passion is the fuel that ignites your desire to work hard. When you have it, you will get more successful results. The more success you achieve, the more you will increase your passion.
Achieving excellence also requires being consistent. Make the commitment each day to take all necessary steps to help you achieve your goals. Once you make the commitment to work hard and smart, that will help you climb the ladder of success. Work hard no matter what, even if you don’t see the benefits right away. Your consistency will pay off.
There is no secret formula to becoming excellent—it’s going to take a positive mental attitude. Keep in mind though, attitude alone is not enough. It’s also going to take an incredible amount of effort. There may be days when you feel like giving up, but that’s when it’s time to really kick it into gear. You must have the mindset of a person that never gives up, persistence is the key. Throughout each day, make this claim, “I will persist until I succeed.”
Be excellent in everything you do and believe you have the ability to become excellent. Break out a piece of paper or your daily journal and write this out… I am making a COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE today!
In part I of our Black Fashion Designers You Need to Know series, we met some amazing fashion designers from Berny Martin at Catou to Akosua Afriyie-Kumi with AAKS and from Carlie Cushnie to Fe Noel, these fashion designers are bringing the heat to runways and print. Now, it’s time to continue our list of the black fashion designers you should know.
Laquan Smith
Laquan Smith started his brand in 2013 when he was just 21 years old. He learned patternmaking and sewing from his grandmother and developed a passion for design. Laquan Smith loves glamour and he creates garments with an amazing attention to detail from his studio in Long Island, New York.
Liya Kebede
Liya Kebede, designer behind lemlem, is a supermodel turned fashion icon. After taking a trip to Ethiopia, Kebede became inspired by the traditional weavers she met there. Her brand is committed to highlighting Ethiopian artisanship using handwoven natural cotton from Ethiopia.
Martine Rose
Martine Rose is a menswear designer who lives in London. Martine launched her label in 2007. She takes inspiration from her Jamaican-British heritage and her love of music. Her designs include jeans with unique patterns, t-shirts with fun graphics, and men’s shirts with unique fabrics.
Matthew Harris
Matthew Harris of Mateo New York is the son of a seamstress. While he studied hospitality management, he discovered that his real love is jewelry design. He founded Mateo New York in 2009, and while it began as a men’s jewelry company, he’s since released a women’s collection.
Rebecca Henry
Rebecca Henry founded The Dolls House in 2012 as a made-to-order fashion company. Her clothing is created to be feminine but edgy, and she puts a lot of detail in the draping of her creations. Flowing velvet tops, boxy sequin skirts, dramatic dresses are all part of her signature.
Reuben Reuel
Reuben Reuel’s DEMESTIK is a fashion brand that is committed to sustainability and ethically created garments. As a designer, it’s important to Reuel to create a blend of past present and future in each garment he creates. He embraces color and pattern in his designs for a beautiful aesthetic.
Romeo Hunte
Fashion has inspired Romeo Hunte from his youth. Instead of going into sports, for which he had scholarship offers, he decided to pursue his dream of becoming a fashion designer and launched his brand in 2014. He created Beyoncé’s “break the internet” dress and has been a notable brand icon since.
Sindiso Khumalo
Sindiso Khumalo is based in cape town. She designs textiles and is passionate about sustainability in fashion and working with the International Trade Centre Ethical Fashion Initiative. She works to develop handmade watercolor and collaged textiles with an emphasis on African storytelling.
Te’Arrow Hoggard
Te’Arrow Hoggard works full time to create a fashion line for women regardless of size. She’s committed to promoting body positivity and creating sensual fashion that works well for all figures. She uses a lot of sheer lace in her designs and plays with a mix of form-fitting and beautifully draped fabrics.
Telfar Clemens
Telfar Clemens’s fashion line, TELFAR, is a unisex clothing line. Telfar was created in 2005 in New York City and is an international brand. The slogan for TELFAR is “It’s not for you – it’s for everyone.” Brand highlights include jewelry, hats, belts, and fun sportswear that works for everyone.
Thebe Magugu
Thebe Magugu is a South African designer focusing on women’s ready to wear clothing and accessories. They have an exceptional and clean aesthetic with motifs from Africa’s history and culture. Their clothing blends the modern with the traditional and has looks for work and for fun.
Thulare Mongareng
Thulare Mongareng, the designer behind Oketsa, uses bright colors and sharp impressions to create a brand that stands out. The brand’s roots are in South Africa, but Thulare Mongareng is an Indiana resident. The brand mission is to create a style that resonates globally using indigenous cultural iconography.
Tia Adeola
Tia Adeola, owner of fashion line Slashed by Tia, uses her background in art history and interest in the Renaissance period as well as her worldly upbringing to create a brand that appeals to a diverse range of women. She created her brand in 2017, two years before graduating from The New School.
Undra Celeste
Undra Celeste’s brand tailors “modern workwear for the modern woman.” Her clothing is fun, colorful, yet appropriate for the office – or home office. Undra Celeste New York is a wonderful mix of classic “basics” that are anything but basic and statement pieces that are restrained enough for everyday wear.
Victor Glemaud
Victor Glemaud was born in Haiti. His brand focuses on creating statement knitwear and leisurewear that is both comfortable and stylish. He launched in 2006 and has since been a finalist in the 2017 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Ashley Graham, Dominique Jackson and Selena Gomez have all been seen in his designs.
Viviane Valerius
Viviane Valerius is a Haitian-born designer. She creates flowing wedding dresses and eveningwear. She designs for women of all sizes and combines elegance with an easy-to-wear feeling, even when it comes to her couture pieces. Her work has an ethereal feel to it and is stunning on the runway and coming down the aisle.
Wales Bonner
Wales Bonner founded her brand in 2014. She began her brand as a menswear brand, but then expanded it to womenswear. Much of her line is unisex – it could be worn and rocked by either men or women. Her clothing is sporty and fun, and she plays a lot with patterns and proportions.
Yemisi Sanni
Yemisi Sanni is the designer behind Stylenspire. She’s from the Yorùbá tribe of Lagos, Nigeria and one of ten children. She strongly identified with fashion as a child and as a teen could reproduce a garment after studying a photograph. Her brand is all about bright bold colors and having fun with form.
Even the most positive and successful people sometimes can feel unmotivated, we’re all human. There are times when we might get into a funk that even thinking about making positive changes may seem difficult.
When it comes to success, I have found that building momentum is a very important part. When we have that “mojo” everything seems to just fall into place. This applies to every phase of our lives. For example, exercising is part of my daily routine. I may miss a day every once in a while but if I miss several days, I can easily fall into a trap of not exercising at all. When that happens, I have lost my momentum. When you lose your momentum, it’s quite hard to get started again.
I frequently see that in the business world. Even with RMS, a representative may have had great success and then decided to take some time off. There is nothing wrong with that. That’s one of the great blessings that we have in our industry. However, getting back into the daily discipline of working again is a little bit more difficult because of the momentum and the confidence that has been lost.
So how do we get it back? What are some ways that we can get out of a slump? I have thought about this and it all comes down to getting back to the basics.
Step One
The first step is to remember why you are doing what you are doing. It all boils down to having a goal. Break out a sheet of paper and start writing out your goals and what you would like to accomplish in the immediate future and long-term. By doing this, you are remembering your purpose and your reason. You now have something to shoot for.
I also recommend telling some people about your goals, this is going to bring more accountability. You can enlist encouraging family members or friends and commit to giving progress updates to all of them each week.
Step Two
Step two is to get that inspiration back. What inspires you? I think it’s important to look for others who have achieved in life what you want to achieve. Find a mentor that’s going to motivate you and help you achieve your goals. It’s a lot more difficult to accomplish something alone. Get yourself a good support network that will encourage you to go to a higher level. Another thing I recommend is to start watching and listening to positive videos and read biographies about people with inspiring stories. Make a commitment to take the steps which are necessary for inspiration.
Step Three
The third step is to truly get excited about your goals and your future. It all starts with inspiration but you have to get that excitement and build on it. Start visualizing what it would be like to be successful and all the benefits that come along with it, get fired up about your goal. By doing this, you will find yourself having more energy and you will become much more focused.
Think about your goal every single day. If you do that, you are increasing your chances of it coming to fruition. If your goal is to have a new vehicle or a new home, take a picture of that and post it somewhere you can see daily. You will find that your excitement will build and you will make daily commitments to achieve that goal.
Step Four
Step four is to keep your focus positive, I believe it’s important to monitor your thoughts. Get rid of negative self-talk and start giving yourself uplifting pep talks. As soon as negative thoughts come in, zap them out and start replacing them with positive ones. Focus on the benefits and the blessings, not on the difficulties.
Step Five
The final step is to stick with it no matter what. You will have challenges along the way and the road to success is always under construction—the goal is to get that momentum back. When you’ve lost it it’s easy to give up, but you’re better than that. You can and you will improve each and every day but no matter what happens, DO NOT QUIT.
Slumps are just a little bump in the road—remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. Going after your goals is part of your journey. Get back on track, get excited about life, and go for it. You can do this!
Cut & Mix: Aaron Heimes of e360tv – Live Streaming and Growing a Presence Outside of Social Media
Vanessa Hundley aka DJ Audioprism talks streaming and more with e360tv’s founder Aaron Heimes, a brand development project manager using his skills to grow a streaming television platform that embraces independent and unique voices and visions. He shares some of his processes and experiences to establishing the e360tv niche in a highly competitive field, and is opening up new avenues for creators to share their films, television shows, and live streams, plus stream from live events on location.
Watch to see how e360tv could be the platform to help raise your voice or product to a new level of public awareness! Visit www.e360tv.com to view current live streams, check out their frequently updated selection of shows, or find out how to become part of the network.
**Follow me (DJ Audioprism) on social media @djaudioprism, or visit www.audioprisment.com for an in-depth and ever-changing collection of my various endeavors, including articles on entertainment and life in the NSAEN magazine at www.nsaen.com.
Starring: Catherine Walker, Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson,
Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar, Sean McGinley,
and introducing Jessica Reynolds as Audrey Earnshaw
Set against the autumnal palette of harvest season in 1973, THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW explores the disturbed bond between Audrey, an enigmatic young woman, and Agatha, her domineering ‘mother’, who live secretly as occultists on the outskirts of a remote Protestant village. As the community is besieged by a pestilence of unknown origin: children, fields, and livestock begin to die — yet the Earnshaw farm remains strangely unaffected. As mass hysteria sets in the village, the townsfolk commence accusations against Audrey and Agatha of witchcraft.
Capturing a perfect mixture of religious paranoia and folklore horror, Thomas Robert Lee’s THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW is a haunting and unflinching tale of vengeance.
THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW celebrated its world premiere at Fantasia Fest 2020, coming out with raving reviews. The film will be releasing in limited theaters on Friday, October 2, 2020 and will be available on major VOD/Digital platforms beginning Tuesday, October 6, 2020.
“I wanted to tell a story about legacy, and to specifically explore it within the context of a folk horror narrative,” says writer/director Thomas Robert Lee. “The community grows increasingly desperate as their given circumstances grow dire. In reality, the pandemic appears to have amplified hatred and xenophobia, or at least the voices of those spewing hate speech. Obviously there is a world of difference between my screenplay and the very real ramifications of the pandemic, but the similarities, however surface-level they may be, have certainly been on my mind these past months.”
THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW is written and directed by Thomas Robert Lee. Produced by Gianna Isabella and executive produced by Lee, Marie-Claude Poulin, James Mahoney, Bill Marks, Divya Shahani, George Mihalka, Susan Curran, Patrick Ewald, and Shaked Berenson. Cinematography by Nick Thomas. Edited by Ben Lee Allen. Music by Thilo Schaller and Bryan Buss. A Gate 67 Films Production.
THE CURSE OF AUDREY EARNSHAW will be available on VOD/Digital
Tuesday, October 6, 2020:
Indemand | Comcast | Spectrum | Charter | Dish | Sling TV | Vubiquity
iTunes | Google Play | Vudu | Xbox | YouTube | Amazon
Fandango Now | DirecTV | Breaker | Alamo On Demand
National Quesadilla Day on September 25 is another great day to invite family or friends and share in the cooking experience. Easy to make quesadillas, you can customize them to each individual. While it is not a sandwich or a taco, the quesadilla satisfies snack cravings, or it can be a complete meal.
Usually made with a corn tortilla and filled with cheese, heat quesadillas until the cheese melts. You might choose other fillings such as cooked sausage, chicken, beef or pork. Toppings can include fresh tomatoes, salsa, herbs, sour cream, guacamole, or chilies. Always finish off with a squeeze of lime. Serve it with an ice-cold beer or a margarita, and the meal is complete.
Families love quesadillas too! V&V Supremo recently found one in three people are making quesadillas at least once a week. In the last 20 years quesadillas have crossed over from authentic Mexican restaurant menus to more typical chain restaurants. Even higher-end gourmet eateries include them on their menus. They are simple, filling, and delicious.
Gather up your favorite ingredients for a quesadilla night and be ready to party. Let each person grill their own and add their favorite toppings.
A favorite of locals for over 30 years, Northstar Bar and Grill in Vegas is a great place to dine. One of the best neighborhood places around with a sports bar, TVs, a friendly dog patio, pool, darts, and beer pong. Great food no matter what you order. Calzones, linguine, salads, steak and eggs, burgers, breakfast, everything is done to a T!! And the prices are incredible.
So let me say the service is absolutely the best!!! Nicole is an awesome host/bartender. The food…one word–BURGERS. Raul is the cook and can he serve up the best burger?! The food NEVER disappoints and the staff here is always happy, smiling, and fun to be with. Drinks are perfect. Everyone I know would give them a 5 star review.
Always an amazing place!! The waffles are fluffy, their steaks are juicy, chicken and veggie bowls are yummy, and fries are the crispest.Steaks are only $9.99—carved and cooked to perfection! James, the owner has been a restaurant owner for years; he loves a friendly crowd and welcomes everyone.
Open 24-7, easy to get to, and plenty of machines to play. Take a look at the menu, you’ll be shocked. There is always some activity going on at Northstar. 702-675-9524. Located at 5150 Camino Del Norte, Las Vegas, NV.
