This week we challenge the usual work routine by embracing personal creative projects. It's not always about working for a client or showcasing your work on social media, sometimes, it's just about creating for the sake of it. We share our experiences and the sense of accomplishment that comes with pushing creative boundaries, along with the side-splitting stories that add a touch of humor to it all. Tune in as we make a strong case for projects that fuel your creativity, without the pressure of marketing or social media. Join us for this jam-packed episode as we navigate through these stories and more. Thanks for tuning in!
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Retouch Up! Use the coupon code GYST10 for a special discount!
This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.
This week we challenge the usual work routine by embracing personal creative projects. It's not always about working for a client or showcasing your work on social media, sometimes, it's just about creating for the sake of it. We share our experiences and the sense of accomplishment that comes with pushing creative boundaries, along with the side-splitting stories that add a touch of humor to it all. Tune in as we make a strong case for projects that fuel your creativity, without the pressure of marketing or social media. Join us for this jam-packed episode as we navigate through these stories and more. Thanks for tuning in!
This week's episode is sponsored by our friends at Retouch Up! Use the coupon code GYST10 for a special discount!
This episode was written and performed by Mary Fisk-Taylor and Kira Derryberry, produced by Kira Derryberry and edited by Joel North.
This week's episode is brought to you by our friends at retouchup. Retouchup works smarter, not harder. Welcome to Get Your Shoe Together. The photographer's podcast where we discuss studio business life and keeping it all in line.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I am Kira Dairberry And I'm Mary Fishtailer.
Kira Derryberry:I, my window is busted out, mary, it's sure is.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:At your studio Man That yeah, kira just sent me a picture of what's going on and it's it's not cute, it's not cute It looks like I got robbed, but I assure you that I haven't I.
Kira Derryberry:we have a double-pane door glass and I think like a rock hit it or something. It doesn't look like anyone purposely broke it. It's an old. it's an old door needed to be replaced anyway, but it's definitely getting replaced now. So, but yeah, we had a huge storm this morning, as I was telling you about, and the the wind just blew out all the glass everywhere, So it really looks like an explosion.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, it does, It does, And it's the door you don't use, which is good, So don't. This isn't her main door in door studio. This is a door that's kind of blocked off because it would be into where your studio area is. So it's not used, but it just it looks. It looks like a smashing grab happened at the Dairberry photography studio.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, it doesn't look. It doesn't look great. I would be suspected. Maybe you know what? Maybe the robbers will be like oh somebody already hit that place, let's not.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah Well, there you go. It's one way to fool them.
Kira Derryberry:But it's a bummer, you know, it's just like one more thing you got to fix. But we've, man, we've had some storms. This morning I was certain that some trees were going to fall down. This morning. Everything got rescheduled for me. I had shoots this morning and I went and did it this afternoon and my contact person at the office's name was Kira. I know What I know. So I walked in and she's like hi, I'm Kira. And I'm like hi, i'm Kira. And then we go and she shows me the conference room where I was going to be shooting and she goes can I you know? if you need anything at all, just to shout my name. And I was like just call my own name. Okay, that's funny, wow.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I don't meet a lot of Kira's. I mean, they're out there. No, they're out there for sure, for sure, they're out there. But wow, that's, that's great. You know so I am not a crafty person.
Kira Derryberry:Remember last year at the beach, remember.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:So I'm not a crafty person. My sister, my daughter super crafters. They're amazing. Not a crafty person, but I have decided. So there's a thing when you go to a day do they give you, like dreaming tree cross stitches.
Kira Derryberry:Like what do they give you?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:They do not Dream catchers. No, I'm just kidding.
Kira Derryberry:Oh, that would have been better.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:So it's not just David. So you have some. My daughter made you some of those little beaded bracelets.
Kira Derryberry:I know that this big with the Taylor.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Swift, gang and DMB. They do usually this those rubber bracelets. You know the ones that are just like. You know the rubber ones and everybody puts different fun sayings and you trade them. You just it's like trading pins at Disney I've heard about, i've never done this but like if your kid goes as baseball and has a baseball tournament, they trade pins And so it's this kind of thing. So you do these bracelets. Well, i didn't want to do the plastic ones because meh. So I and I was inspired by Alex's cute little bracelets and I have now made 50 bracelets.
Kira Derryberry:She wasn't expecting 50.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Like if you could have seen her physical reaction to be saying that.
Kira Derryberry:Yes, i'll, i'll save you one.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I'll save you one.
Kira Derryberry:I can't wait.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I'm very excited. So, um, jackson, i have dead income, a grateful dad or dead in co this week, and so I've made some debt and company ones and I'm making some for the gorge for day 50. So so fun, yeah. So, as your windows are being broken, I'm just crafting over here just crafting away. And I don't think you call actually running a piece of string through beads crafting, but I'm calling it crafting baby Lucy's doing it too, you know, like she's got her own her own kit.
Kira Derryberry:It's very popular right now.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:It is The beating It is I used to make. Did you ever make those friendship bracelets?
Kira Derryberry:I know that.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I'm older, but I think it comes back around every 10 years or so. You probably didn't make the braided barrettes that we did during the preppy era, but yeah, that was very preppy. You would braid them and they'd match your outfits.
Kira Derryberry:Oh man.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:But yeah, the friendship bracelets, those were really popular.
Kira Derryberry:We went through a phase of friendship bracelets, probably around like fifths and sixth grade, and we were learning. I was never very good at learning all the different knots to get the flat, the flat one, you know, the wider one. So I was always just like braiding it. And then and then I didn't have the right thread for it, you know the actual thicker thread for it. So I had, like I found some like sewing machine thread, so I made these like very microscopic braided bracelets.
Kira Derryberry:And I took it over to my friend Ashley Meredith. They lived around the corner for me. I took it over to them to give it to them And they had a baby, like an older lady that used to babysit them, be their nanny. And she opened the door and she I'm sure she wasn't that old because I was like 10. She seemed like 105 years old, but she answered the door and I remember her. She was my age, probably 54. I don't know, she just seemed so old. Yeah, 54.
Kira Derryberry:She answered the door and she goes Oh, what do you want? Like she's not nice. And I was like, well, i made, i made them some friendship bracelets and I handed it to these like thin threads, you know, to her, and she puts it in her hand, she goes it's just garbage. No, she goes this is just garbage, these are just threads. And I said no, no, no, they're braided. And she was like, well, they're busy. And she shut the door.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Wow, Oh, childhood Man, And we wonder why we need therapy as we get older.
Kira Derryberry:Constantly people pleasing No, no, no, no.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Wait door slams That slam, but I mean in her defense, they were practically made with hair, i mean yeah.
Kira Derryberry:I mean they were, they were made with the thinnest, thinnest threading, And she was right. She was right to question. I like it.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Oh well, fun, fun, fun, fun times.
Kira Derryberry:That's a fun memory So all right.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Well, let's take a quick little pause for little words from our sponsor. Be right back.
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Kira Derryberry:Yes, you know I was sitting around today avoiding responsibility because so many people are off work today at Student Team It is, it is And celebrating, and. But I had a few things to do and I thought, you know, i have. Let me just have it. It's raining, i'm just gonna, i'm just gonna relax. Today, kevin and I played video games And then I knew the second that I sat down to work today that all the things that I forgot that I'm supposed to be doing rushed, rushed back like this kind of like a running stream of consciousness list that somehow, sitting on the couch had erased, like fun, like you know, like on the couch there was no sense of urgency of. The couch was a safe place away from the list, but now the list has found me. Oh.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I hate it when it does that.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, and the deadlines approach.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I am with you 100%, man. I, you know. Yeah, i kind of thought I had a much I don't know. I thought, oh, I've got, i've got a day, man, i've got an easy day. No, no, mary did not, mary did not. Mary has been busy Like it feels like every minute of the day, like it's just been crazy to me, like I was like, oh, it's just, i have this little meeting four hours And then, oh, i had the, i had two coaching calls and then podcasting And I'm like, well, the day's gone, it's 430.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Also, i texted my husband earlier and I said I think we need to order some stuff for the grocery store And he said, well, i only need American cheese. He loves his American cheese slices. This is how the man rolls. He has like five things. He orders Diapepsy creamer for his coffee. American cheese is one of them, for sure. And I'm like, well, awesome Guys, all I need is there's a specific salsa. I like It's the super chunky salsa. It's like that. You know, it's pretty much tomatoes and onions and cilantro on a chip. I was like I need salsa and ice cream.
Kira Derryberry:So your list is different than mine, i think it is Wow. Just a wow.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Can you imagine the poor Instagram person Like what are they smoking over it? You know these things are mine, so I have not placed an order because I already feel judged by my own husband, by my own husband by the way, You know, I you know.
Kira Derryberry:So what? Get your ice cream and your salsa.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, What's your life? I mean it is my life. Yeah it's now or never. There you go So anyway, let's talk about it, yes.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:So, yes, this is something. I know we've talked about this before, but this was a conversation we actually had during our association call this morning And it's something that a lot of our members have talked about and I wanted to mention it here. So it's the need. Is there a need? I guess we'll start with, but then is there a need and how to create a personal project and stick to it, meaning just that creative project? that is not. I don't have to market it and worry about marketing it. I don't even need to put it on social media, i don't need to price it. I just doing something creative, creatively because it's imported, or is it not imported? And that was actually a conversation that was had. So I know your thoughts on this, but, yeah, i have a lot of thoughts on that.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, yeah, well, you know, i mean, i guess the question is what drives you as a photographer Let's not use the word artist but just as a photographer? So I mean, i feel like we have two different camps here. We have a hundred percent, yeah, we have you who is like a hundred percent, you know, success, profit driven right A hundred percent, and me who's? you know, i don't want to say I don't have that as a goal, cause obviously I do Cause I get upset about stuff You're very easy to.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I think you can put them in buckets Like you're good.
Kira Derryberry:I can, i can compartmentalize, but yeah, but but for me, yeah, being able to be an artist is very important to me And I I I've complained about this for months now. I don't, i don't really feel like one right now, cause I feel like I'm just making money, which is what the goal is, right. But so for someone like me, i think that a personal project that doesn't have to answer to anyone, that's the, that's the thing. The thing that makes me icky about it And it's icky is the wrong word but just the reason I don't do it, a failure to launch is because I'm always trying to figure out how does that make me money? I want to do a personal project, but how can it make me money? Because I I'm just like being torn between these two halves of my brain. You know, i know I need to make it make money, because I have very limited time to be working on anything that doesn't make me money. So, but then it makes me not want to do it, i know, you know.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:No, i get it And I think that I, i think I'm chump, i think I'm coming around Like I don't know that I'm going to do it, i'm going to be very honest, but I do feel like I spent a lot of time going. But how could I? but how could we flip that and make money with it? And sometimes that just isn't necessary. It's just like. You know as much as I, as much as I spend talking about charitable marketing right, and I'm a big fan of charitable marketing. I love to connect with the charity and make it a marketing opportunity.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:But sometimes I just want to give and I don't want to be recognized for it. I don't, you know what I mean. I don't know if I, if somebody needs, or if there's a I just just giving is giving. So I think it's the same thing, kind of with a, with a creative or a personal project, like sometimes you just need it And I don't know if I need it. But I feel like I'm getting there, like I've never felt, because this was actually my idea, which is the craziest part of all And I think people are like wait a minute, mary Fitzdaler is talking about doing something that's not, that doesn't involve anything, not a trophy, not money, not anything just doing. But I guess I'm trying to understand why do we need to do it? Does that make sense, like what is the what? what purpose does it serve? And coming from a place of full ignorance, i've never really done it.
Kira Derryberry:Oh huh. Well, that's a great question, because I have done it. I've made lots of art projects with no end in sight. You know what I mean, and I guess for me there is a sense of accomplishment that comes with it. There's a sense of stretching myself and challenging myself to see if I could do something. Most of the time, if I'm doing a creative project for myself, when I did them, it was to try something out, to see if I could do something, to push myself creatively, to try a new tool, to try a new lighting, to try a new concept, and that was what drove me. Can I do it? Yes, i can do it. What a relief. You know what I mean. And not only can I do it, but I can do it with some skill, so that it is art. I have always enjoyed creating pieces like that for me because it made me happy. I did a lot of it during the pandemic with my collage work with no real point at the end, but it's still something I want to pursue.
Kira Derryberry:But I loved that.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:By the way, i loved that. I really loved. You know, i did. I really really enjoyed that work you were doing. I forgot about that I forgot about that, see Gosh, and that was so cool. And this was mixed media. No, it wasn't, it was all done digitally, right?
Kira Derryberry:It was all done digitally. But what I would love to do, i want to actually do it as a physical.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:That's what I want. I want one of those. I would buy one of those.
Kira Derryberry:Well, I think so, But then again I can't make something with the. It's the same thing like when I used to do creative projects. I can't shoot it for competition, For you know what I mean When I would do something that was different and was a creative project. Everybody's like oh yeah, so what are you shooting for competition? It will not work if I have this goal of putting it and having it scored.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Right Later percent.
Kira Derryberry:It won't work. Too much pressure, i'll get to my head about it. No, so there were times where I didn't. You know, i put images in that were not client work. There were personal projects, but they were not designed to get me that merit, right? You know what I mean. And so I say that you got excited when you're like, oh yeah, that's the kind of art that I would buy, and I go, oh yeah, i think so too. But then I was like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Kira Derryberry:I cannot put that out there, because the first step is to like can I do it? I have a vision in my head for what it needs to look like. It will take practice, it will take being able to work on it continuously for a length of time, and that's the part that scares me too. Yeah, because I don't have a continuous amount. My days are broken up into little, small increments of working on a dozen things that you know on any given day. So the thought of like, locking myself in a room with some paint in a printer you know what I mean Like, because that's what it'll take. It'll take a big printer, you know a big, high end printer, so that I can print the pieces I need and paint on them.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Oh, wow Yeah.
Kira Derryberry:And so it's a big. it's a big thing, but I want to do it so bad I just I basically will have to retire to be able to do it.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Or or no, I don't know about the printer piece, might have to work it, but I do think, oh, okay, see, no see. I immediately went to a place of, oh, create something it doesn't need to be, because I'm thinking, oh my God, i would love to do that. Like we're getting ready to hold our brush oil workshop, which I'm so excited about, but I don't brush oil paint, Don't even know that I really want to. I mean, not really even super interested. You know what I mean Like. But like what you're talking about, i would do that in a heartbeat. I would sign up because that's something I feel like I could do. I feel like I could create, put stuff together And I, mine, would have a lot of letters that like words involved And I love that, like I love Ashley Longshore, like, yeah, like that type of stuff.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I love, love, love. But I mean like I would sign up and go to a retreat or go do something, not a retreat, like it's just five amazing friends that we just did that. I would sign up and do that in a heartbeat. But that's not even what you're talking about. You're talking about a personal project. See, i don't know why I can't wrap my head around this piece And I know this sounds silly because so many of you all out there are so incredibly creative and your artists and things. And I really struggle, guys. I really struggle to put myself in that creative space And the older I get, the harder it is. It's so much harder. I spend so much time worrying about hitting my monthly goals and moving and marketing and this and that, and now digital marketing, and now you know I just I want to do better And I don't know I was just like is there some processes or is there something you could do to put yourself in that better creative space? I used to be.
Kira Derryberry:I don't, i don't, well one. I think let's give ourselves some grace.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:We have to have the answers on that.
Kira Derryberry:You know what I mean, Because our lives are not set up in a way that is open to this yet Right? So first we have to figure out is it something that we can do?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Correct.
Kira Derryberry:And is it something? if we can do it? Where does it fit in? Right, because I love you are so like end in mind person. I am right, and we're taught this like seven habits. Right, like this is part of why we both have great businesses. It's part of why we've been, you know, we've done okay at leadership. You know what I mean, but it's but it's, you know. It's because when we talk about big concepts, i mean this is like a. This is a big rock, right, this is a. This is a piece that doesn't fit into our lives currently. Correct. So the problem I have that is the reason I never launch. It is because I don't want to have the end in mind on this, like okay, and you cannot pull yourself off of the end in mind part. Correct. Like where is this going to go? How is it going to look? Where can we do it?
Kira Derryberry:And how will we make money at it, And which is okay, because that's that's yeah who?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:we are right.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, but to me, the idea of waking up on a morning, having a cup of coffee, going into a studio space with a can you know, a big easel or a canvas and a print like a black and white print on it and then spending the day like painting on it at my own pace, with no interruptions, with like music going, sounds flipping amazing. That sounds like. That sounds like so much fun to me. But the I don't know. I don't have a space to do that unless I cleaned out our back room, which is possibility to. I don't have the printer because it's going to take lots and lots of prints and I'm not going to pay.
Kira Derryberry:I'm not going to print that at a lab and have it come back and then Because you don't know what you want until you get into it, i got to get into it, i got to play with it right, and I want to do it at a large scale. So these I have a large printer? Yeah, it's got to have a large printer. I've literally almost bought a can of printer like half a dozen times thinking for this one idea, because it doesn't make sense for me to print stuff here for my, you know for no, i agree.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, not any commercial.
Kira Derryberry:I can't justify it Like.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I know I also use it.
Kira Derryberry:No, because we don't frame here.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Is there a space that you can rent like an art space, a creativity space that has all those things that you could just rent for the day and you go in and put your music on and you go, maybe? I mean I'm not.
Kira Derryberry:I bet there are places like oh sure, My dad probably has places Yeah. Like a lot of stuff, but also there's a art park here in town, right, That I could look into. But I don't, you know, i would also be a little vulnerable with this and I don't think I'd want to do it in front of people. I understand I could see that.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I would need there, by the way, i mean I wouldn't need there because it has to be very I mean, and that's how you would do it. Other people it might be different, it might be, you know, a photography project or whatever. I just I think that I, i think, and I'm not. I am not upset with myself, i am not down on myself, so I, you know, i'm not, but I think I've become so incredibly goal oriented and starting with the end in mind driven that I don't know if I'm enjoying the journey anymore.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:And I and sometimes the journey is just get up. So this is what I tried to do yesterday. This is how I ended up making 50 bracelets. So I did. I had nothing on my schedule yesterday Nothing. And, guys, when you like nothing, i can't tell you a time where I was not Had a session, had a consultation call, was on a flight, was going to a concert, was with a family event, doing a retreat. I mean I had nothing. And it was Father's Day and my son is in here and Alex and Darrell were going to see Ridiculously stupid movies that I would never in a million years go see. It was like I tried trying to tell Jackson. I got the name so confused. I was like they the impossible flash in the beasts and he's like that.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Those aren't movies, it was anyway it was the flash and it was something else, like transformers, but I was confusing them. You know, it's like the transforming flashes and he's like that's. That's not a movie. And Darrell and Alex, they had their own dad and daughter time. It was fantastic and I was home for by myself because they did two movies. They did it too. It was a big day in this house, hmm, um, so I was me and I sat here and I was paralyzed by Just didn't even know what to do. I I don't think I watched a movie and did not. I Was an also reading a book or on my computer.
Kira Derryberry:You watch. I just want to be clear you didn't, you didn't also. Okay, you watched a movie and I and you didn't play on your phone.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I didn't read a book and I didn't get on my computer I can't tell you the last time I want and like, said, what'd you watch? Um, it was a really bad. It was called. Oh, no, it was cute, it was. Um, it was a movie with. It was on Netflix. It was the guy from Third row. No, my golly John, let's go no close. The. What was that? should big bang? you know the guy from Big Bang? Yeah, the Sheldon. Sheldon, it was him, and And about him and his partner and it was a. It was a really cute.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:It was a sad movie, unfortunately. I didn't mean to watch a sad movie, but I really like him and I watched the whole thing. I don't remember the name of it, but I watched it. I can tell you exactly what, how Sully Field was in it. It's like I remember all the pieces. I watched two movies and then I watched another, pretty Marge. I was with Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon. You know I love Reese Witherspoon. Oh, i saw that one. Yeah, my place or your brother's or something like that. Yeah, i watched now the second movie. I was. I was bracelet.
Kira Derryberry:I love a rom-com.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I was. I do love a rom-com. I was doing bracelets during this that's.
Kira Derryberry:That's the kind of thing I mean. I could. I, as long as you're not playing on your front like I could. I could do a craft and watch a movie.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, I could you know I mean but you know, I normally watch TV and I'm reading.
Kira Derryberry:I don't know how you do that. I can't. My problem is, it's like when I try to read, i just have to reread the same sentence, because my brain just goes. It's almost like a meditation, oh, and so like I don't, i don't even take in what I'm reading. I'm just like I start thinking about something, but my eyes are reading and then I go wait, what did I just read?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Okay, I do know what you're talking about. I've definitely read like that. I mean, i've definitely done that before. I like, if I'm and sometimes it's because I'm rereading I'm, you know, rereading. Like you know, i just have some new business books in that I'm super excited about. So I was so, tim to just you to pick one. Stop it. That was so you know. But I didn't. I made myself just sit there and just stare at a movie and I really enjoyed it. But I did. I was like I would every once in a while think, wait a minute, i can't just sit here and just watch a movie. What do I think?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Who do I think I am, you know, queen of Sheba I don't even that's a real thing but so Then the personal project conversation, and I thought you know it is important and, and and it's not something, it's something I'm so out of touch with that I wouldn't even know where to start. At least You know where you would start I.
Kira Derryberry:Feel, you know, it's scary about it is I feel like I would buy this printer because I don't see a way to do it without having a printer, because I can't do it small, yeah, you know. So I'd buy this printer because it would kill me to like, try this on like an expensive print that I paid for from the lab, right, yeah, on the right kind of paper to be able to hold it, and I they would have to be some experimenting on the paper type.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah they have to be all that Um, But I would buy the printer and then I would do one and I would go. You know what this is.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, i don't even like it, i don't even enjoy it. I don't even say you would have to almost find a space that had everything that you could rent and To make sure. and then you know, like if you print the space more than once or twice, you're like, okay, maybe I'm on to something here, like I think that's almost how you would have to do it.
Kira Derryberry:I Just want to clean out this back room in the other side of the studio. Yeah put the printer in there.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I Don't think we should buy a printer for something that we're not doing, though I do have to.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, see, there's, there's. There's the rough, i know so that would be yours.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I don't even know what mine would be, but I, i, i love, i love yours, i love yours a lot. I think that's fantastic. I don't know what mine would be and you know, maybe it's not. I mean, does a personal product? here's another question Does a personal project Does it? I mean it certainly, guys, doesn't have to even involve a camera, it doesn't have to even involve Oh, no, no, no, no, so what?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:are other kinds of you know, i don't know. I feel like I've just become I don't know. I feel like I've become almost fear is a big word, but it's like I'm almost afraid to even try or do anything, start anything different, because I just feel I don't know, i'm like everything's fine, why don't I want to?
Kira Derryberry:I don't know, muck it up by trying something new. You know you should do, you should learn how to play a ukulele And I'm not joking, it is so fun, okay, and you can, and you can, they're not expensive And you can watch YouTube videos and you can learn how to play all the Dave Matthews songs on a ukulele. And that sounds like a great personal project to me. I love, i love an instrument I have never played an instrument in my life, but I don't.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I'm not against it Like I'm not against any of it Like I. So I feel like I'm trying really hard to be more open about these things and not, yeah, there was a time in my life where it was just really cool to just hate things. I would never sing, I'll never do these things, But you know that's a great idea, And Dave plays a ukulele, by the way, he has this tiny little guitar that he'll play certain songs on.
Kira Derryberry:Ukuleles are so fun And you don't have to be incredibly skilled. You can learn like three notes on a ukulele and you'll play so many songs. Okay, you know what I mean. How does it work? There's all these fingernails.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Can you have fingernails?
Kira Derryberry:Well, your fingernails aren't, aren't they long at all?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, no, you'd be fine. Okay, i might do that, guys. So I can't wait to see her. You, i well, because you know me and you're the same way. You can't just go in, we're going to go all in.
Kira Derryberry:It's like I can't just be beating bracelets.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I now have an entire. It's a. She's got a shackle box of every beat, every letter, every everything you can ever want. I mean, it's insane. It's going to get your shoot together bag, though. Take that much. Okay, i'm going to look into this option for my life. I'm going to look into it.
Kira Derryberry:I mean, i'm not.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I love that idea though.
Kira Derryberry:It's I. I bought one during the pandemic and I used to, but I used to play guitar.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, you do, And I.
Kira Derryberry:I found. I found the chords to be fairly different enough from guitar and small. There's not as many strings on it too, So that's less intimidating, right Like there's, I think there's like four on it, but I found it. I really had to learn notes. It doesn't play like a guitar does in my mind you know what I mean, So it was kind of like learning new for me.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I never played the guitar, so it won't be any confusion.
Kira Derryberry:Well, and you don't have, and you don't have to have the kind of handstrings like you do for guitar too, because it's so small and the strings are light. So and there and there's so many like beginner YouTube or or TikTok channels where it's like you know learn to play the ukulele.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:You know I've never thought of this in a million years, but I love this idea.
Kira Derryberry:I wish you guys could talk to us. I want to go what do y'all think?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I think it's a terrible idea. I'm here. No, i like it. I mean, my kids are going to make fun of me for sure. You know what I? if they do, you send them to me, i am I am.
Kira Derryberry:I'll give them a swift. A swift smack, a swift kick in the moody.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, no, i like it. Okay, that is, that's a see, so that's great. So maybe the maybe, the point of this is if this, if you guys are feeling any blocks or you're not you know what I mean Or you're not just make a, you know, reach out to you or hopefully you have that accountability group out there but reach out and say, okay, let's think of ways that we can do this, because I think I like that idea a lot And I'd like it a lot more, as I think I like it a lot more than you probably even thought I would. I think did you think.
Kira Derryberry:Did you think I was going to say that's the stupidest idea? or laugh at you Kind of? I thought you'd be like okay.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Talk about doing things like when you were in fifth grade or eighth grade.
Kira Derryberry:Oh, this is a dumb idea.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Okay, i know, okay, i like it. And because music is live, music is becoming such a bigger part of my life, because my kids are, you know, i have to find something to do and music is my golf, you know. And meaning I don't, you know, i don't play tennis anymore and I don't do those things, so but I was, i have played with the idea of learning pickleball.
Kira Derryberry:Actually I'm not opposed to that too. Like everyone's playing it. Kevin asked me the other day if I wanted to learn how to play pickleball. I'm not opposed to it. I think you would love it.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Honestly because our volume studio. They do a big fundraiser. There's one of our dear friends has started. It's called Laser's Ladybugs and it's for mental health, specifically in children. They've been holding these pickleball tournaments and they raise money for mental health in children. I love John, him and his wife Renee who started it. They're starting a facility. They really want us to play. I'm like and I loved tennis when I played tennis And I think I'm maybe up to my tennis days are over, but I might like pickleball, i don't know.
Kira Derryberry:I don't know. I honestly, it's been explained to me like nine times. I never tell them. I'm like, yeah, say less, Like I'll just go, I don't I still don't know what you're saying, but just put me out there, put me in coach and just tell me what to do when I'm out there.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I don't want.
Kira Derryberry:I can't conceptualize pickleball, for some reason.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Like.
Kira Derryberry:I've never seen it played. Okay, i people just love it and they're like you should come. And then they tell me what you do And I'm just like, literally I could go on a tennis court and you can throw pickles at me And I'll be like okay, do I toss it back? Is that? is that what?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:we're doing Yeah Cause I'm in. Yeah, it actually does. It surprisingly does not involve any pickles. Well news to me No, i think you and Kevin would love pickleball. That's really a really great thing, and it's.
Kira Derryberry:It's an activity screen.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I don't think the ball is even green. I don't know why they call it pickleball. Maybe I thought it was more like it's a small little space and, like you know, you say put me in a pickle put me in a pickle.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:You know, you know, like, say put me, i, I don't know Wonder why they call it pickleball. We're gonna have to do some research on that. I'm going to some weird places, i know I'm like huh, this is a very interesting conversation. We're having it all but pickleball. But anyway, i might, but I, the music thing, i, i think I might, i think I might try it. I might try it.
Kira Derryberry:I've already. I've already found you. Look, i'm already, i've already Googled Eucalylate, Eucalylate's for you. Yes, i'm, i'm texting you a link right now. There's some pretty ones. Oh, i love it They. They come in like basically a range of of prices and quality. You know what I?
Mary Fisk-Taylor:mean I should start kind of low, i don't need a.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, these are probably not super cheap. I have no idea, but this is a brand called Luna guitars, okay, and they do have them at the music store, i believe, next door to my studio. Oh, nice, but anyway, they're adorable.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah, i got some pretty ones. Okay, i'm going to definitely be checking that out. What was the name of the company? you said Luna, luna guitars. Okay, luna guitars. Oh, you're going to text me, so I'll look at that. I did Well, i like it. Well, personal projects And anyway, i do think it's important And I think that I think I've discounted them And I think I'm going to stop doing that. I think it's.
Kira Derryberry:Well, I think that's really nice of you to say. sometimes I say stuff and I'm I brace my stuff, for her to be like okay, Kira, but you need to make money. Okay, I know.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I know And I still feel that way. You know I feel that way, But I think that I feel that way is why I never do it. But do you think that sometimes, if you really, if you get a great personal project and it's inspiring you, that it makes you, it feels you how do I put this? But because you're getting fulfillment from that, that it makes you more productive in these other areas, Does that make sense? Like if you are kind of just feeling in a rut, meaning just day you're not doing anything that's fulfilling you creatively? Do you feel like it takes away from your ability to be a great business owner, marketer, producer, you know precision photographer or whatever, Because you're feeling kind of you're going through the motions but you're losing that spark?
Kira Derryberry:so to speak.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Does that?
Kira Derryberry:make sense. Yeah, So if you're kind of feeding that beast, you can get through the other stuff a little more happily.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:you know, maybe Yeah, i'm asking, i don't know. I mean, it seems to make sense, right. Happy, you know. happy people, you know, work more productively, they sleep better, they, you know, right, i mean, that's you know, is that true?
Kira Derryberry:But there's also another, there's another. Here's another idea. I could be setting myself up in the next few years where I could hire people to do the work that I do all the time.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah.
Kira Derryberry:And then I could do what I wanted, correct And be the principal person, and that concept has been told to me multiple times by you and many of our other friends.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yeah.
Kira Derryberry:And it's real hard. It's a real hard concept to grasp because I'll have, like like photographer friends who be like no, you need to set yourself up so you can take time off, and like, when you leave the business, like people are still working And and then I'll run it by like a friend who's not in the business. You know like I'll just be like no people want to work with you, like they. You know, like they.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:And I know that's true, they do, but don't you see where we go? I agree, i 100% agree. However, if you, if you take your name out of it and you create a business that would run without you in it, you're in it. You know what I mean? Yeah, boy, i mean isn't?
Kira Derryberry:that all of our dream.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I mean, i am, i did not do that, but, boy, i really thought about it, and that's certainly what we did with our volume business. Do they love it now that they know Andy or I or my mom and they show up? Yes, but if we didn't, we still are making money, it's just a different.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:It's hard And because I think that sometimes, as creators, we get offended by the motion, the notion like, oh, if I don't, it's like people that say, if I don't edit it myself or retouch it myself, it's not my work. Well, no, it actually is Like you created it, you posed it, you lit it, you know, unless your work is painting or what have you. But I mean, yes, people love Curandairy Berry, but people are also going to be able to love a headshot by you know. You know, rookie, if he came in which he's, he's not, he's not currently open for that.
Kira Derryberry:He doesn't have posable thumbs.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:So it's gonna be the first problem. Well, the good news, guys, is we're going to take a month off. We're getting ready to take the month of July off from pot, just from podcasting. But we're going to see when we come back in August if we have ukulele lead, if we have created our personal projects and where we are with them. We're going to see if rookie thumb situation changes, which it's highly doubtful at this age.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, i'm going to.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I'm going to jump ahead and say now, It has been a long day because I find here I you know Curandairy Berry is 98% funny. But I am getting a lot of laughs Today it's 100, like real laughs, like it's 100% funny today, i think, because everything's been so heavy today that it's just nice to talk about things that are just kind of nonsensical, like it's like that's important.
Kira Derryberry:No, it's not.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:It's not, but it's like it's not. I'm not making any. I don't know making any decisions here. We're just talking about something that could be great.
Kira Derryberry:Could be great, Yeah, But you know the whole failure to launch thing. So we have to do some sort of true.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yours is so so attainable, so attainable. Yes, i'm going to do it, so you're going to look at them right now, as we speak.
Kira Derryberry:Yeah, keep scrolling down that page, or some keep it. I'm looking, i'm looking. Mine is a little harder to do.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Yours is a little different. It's a little different, but I'm going to find you a place, a space that you can go and just be in for two days.
Kira Derryberry:And just do it. Just do it. It's got to have air conditioning Fair.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Oh my God, I was looking at this Starry Night one on another site. That's exactly what I'm going to buy, oh good.
Kira Derryberry:How cute.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:OK, me OK.
Kira Derryberry:I thought you were going to like the one with the ocean wave on it. I do like the one with the ocean wave on it too.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:I don't, i don't disagree, but I love Starry, starry Night, if you guys want to look at these.
Kira Derryberry:it's at looniguitarscom slash ukulele.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Hey guys, we can all ukulele together.
Kira Derryberry:Hey, do you ukulele? This is we're changing the whole podcast. It's just a ukulele podcast. Get your ukulele together.
Mary Fisk-Taylor:Your ukulele together. Ok, well, until that great podcast comes along which everybody's going to want to listen to. How do they find that?
Kira Derryberry:You guys can follow us on Instagram and get your shoot together. You can follow us on Facebook and get your shoot together. You can email us at girlitgetyourshootegethercom and subscribe to us Everywhere our podcasts are played. We will see you guys next time. Thanks y'all.