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Just to clarify: yes, I was talking about SaschaPoles. 🙂

I grew up south of the Finger Lakes but never went to a winery… :-X

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Syracuse, New York?

I used to live within a couple hours of Syracuse, but I'm on the other side of the country now.

Send a message to Sascha – she's from Upstate NY but I'm not sure where she landed. 😉

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(This is Foxy Rei – I've changed usernames)

Tarah – I have no idea what versions these instructions work for, just that this won't work with the new version (that comes with Windows 7). I posted these instructions over a year and a half ago. I don't even use Windows for an operating system anymore and haven't for a long time so I can't even check on it for you… But I was running Windows XP at the time I posted this, which might very well have been in the range of versions 2.1-2.5; 2.6 is the version included in Vista and according to Wikipedia, is the same thing as 2.1 – so these may work just fine. I'd say just poke around and see if the features are in the same places that I describe them to be. :-/ 

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The job market is tough right now, degree or no degree – I'm on the job hunt, myself. However, I will say that college can work against you because when you're desperate and applying at lower-wage jobs, they often won't hire you because you're "overqualified" (speaking from experience). And student loan payments can cost you a pretty good chunk of your income afterward (also speaking from experience). But a degree is still a good thing to have and ultimately will serve you well.

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I unfortunately won't be going this year… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif we've had some "misfortune" and won't be able to afford it. I'm bummed, but I'll be shooting for next year! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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I'm sure that any of you would be able to find and download an older version of WMM with no problems, as Velvetvixen eluded to. There are entire websites dedicated to providing previous versions of software programs. However, I would check to make sure that your system doesn't try to upgrade it behind your back; check your package lists from Automatic Updates before you install them. It may leave it alone – who knows. *shrug*

If anyone knows of simple, user-friendly video editing software for Linux, let me know. I've tried a couple programs (Kdenlive and Cinelerra) and have a couple more on my list to try out, but none of them are nearly as straightforward as WMM. It's one of the few Windows program that I miss, even if it made my computer crash when I was using it…

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WD40 is what I used to use, but the problem is that it dries out so you have to frequently take the pole down and reapply it. I never had problems with my pole getting stuck (I have an original X-Pole with the threaded joints) but I guess I've been fortunate.

Vaseline is your best bet – it's cheap, it doesn't dry out, and it doesn't have that yucky color that most greases have. It is also okay-ed by X-Pole (I'm not sure what kind of pole we're talking about), and I started using it after I made sure that it was safe to put on my pole. 

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Pink33 – get the non-tack if you want to still be able to do spins. The gloves may bunch up a bit when you do spin with them, just to warn you. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Make sure they're on nice and tight.

MG has the fingerless gloves and they also just came out with a full-fingered version. I'd start with the fingerless. 

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I would think that a bank especially would want the latest version of IE… That's scary that they don't keep up to date on those kinds of things. Do they have Automatic Updates disabled, too? Because that would normally include browser updates. And I assume that downloading Firefox or Chrome is also out of the question, as well. 

Other than bringing the subject up to your employer (as gently as possible), the only other thing I can think of is hope the mobile site is up and running soon (assuming you have a smartphone). https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif

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Sascha, if you use Windows, which you apparently do, you can Google for Windows Movie Maker, download and install it. It's possible that Microsoft decided to not include it with its standard software package anymore (which would surprise me, they're usually trying to shove programs down your throat whether you want them or not ). 

You may have already done this (I'm not sure where you usually go to access the program) but I would double check your Program Files folder to make sure that it's truly not there first. My Computer > Local Disk C: > Program Files > Movie Maker (I'm pretty sure that's the file path… that's from memory because I don't use Windows anymore). If you don't see it then you should be able to find it online. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif 

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I had one of these (a DynaFlex, I believe) and I loved it, but I dropped it and something got all out of whack. It would clunk when I used it and wouldn't spin smoothly so I couldn't get it going at a good speed. Then the end of the string snapped off inside it so I just junked it. It was the basic model one that I got for $20 at a sporting goods store.

Moral of the story: don't drop yours. Lol https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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Tiggertail is right: Veena, understandably, doesn't recommend that you learn the dismount first. But the dismount is how some people – myself included – got the shoulder mount. You have to be extremely careful: be close to the floor so you don't fall and hurt yourself as badly, be sure of your shoulder placement, be very familiar with your grip, and go slow (think of it like you're doing a forward roll off the pole). It's easy to become disoriented when hanging upside down like that. If you get up there and are uncomfortable or unsure in any way, don't do it. It's not for everyone – try it Veena's way first because even if you aren't able to actually do the mount, it will still build your strength and help you become familiar with the positioning and grip and such. 

I used to try the SM and it was extremely crappy – kicking and flailing and… it just wasn't pretty. Just for the heck of it, I tried the dismount and it just clicked. I could feel ab muscles engaging that I wasn't aware of before. And now that I knew what I was shooting for, I was able to jump right up and do an awesome SM. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif  But once again, that was only because I had been working on the mount previously and had the muscle memory and strength to pull it off. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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Just wanted to chime in and say that I've been using the RSS feed (via Google Reader) at Webmaster's suggestion and it's nice – especially since the read/unread notifications in the forums are gone. I was one of those people that would skim through all the forums and either read them or "mark forum as read". I like knowing that I'm not missing out on any discussions that I feel I could contribute to. 

It's pretty simple if you're new to RSS feeds. You just add a subscription by putting in the Studio Veena url and all the new forum posts and videos will show up in the feed. If you want to go to the thread itself, just right-click on the link and open it in a new tab (tabbed browsing is a wonderful thing… ). I'm still playing around with it but it's been very helpful with getting used to the new interface. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

 

Thanks again, Webmaster!

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Athena – Amen to the sexual isn't a sin part. 🙂

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I'm not a fan of some of the extremes on the sexy side of pole dancing (I've blogged on this topic several times on PoleSpection), but I do agree that people need to keep their negative opinions to themselves. While Karol, Alethea, of Leigh Ann's styles aren't for me and some of the moves are a little too *ahem* for my taste, it doesn't mean I think they're sluts. I watch their videos and still enjoy their talent, confidence, and their overall performance. It's a respect thing. I still love and respect all the ladies of the pole world, from the die-hard pole "athlete" wearing sneakers while they pole, to the exotic dancers that wear seven inch clear heels. It's not my place to think any less of them just because I don't agree with how they dance – and if I don't agree, I keep my mouth shut (learned that the hard way). 😉

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Webmaster – is this the final version or will there be some things changed? There are some things that I would like to comment on but I don't want to pass judgment unless I know this is the final or not. 🙂

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New interface! Sweet! This was a pleasant surprise when I logged in this morning! 🙂 I had a sneaky suspicion this was coming (that logo had to be changed to the new one eventually, right?). :tongue: It looks great. 

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I’m going to try to go – I had a blast last year! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif But this time I won’t be only three hours away… I’ll be coming from the other side of the country! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_eek.gif So I’ll definitely be booking airline tickets ahead of time, hehe. And we’re going to have to start another roommate thread! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif

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Thank you, Webmaster! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

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Thanks, Chem! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif That’s a lot of good info. I’ve been drinking that Emergen-C which has Vit. C in it and I also bought those Halls Defense drops (that have Vit. C and I think zinc, too?) along with a bag of regular cough drops and have been alternating them. I might have to run to the drugstore again today so I’ll see if I can stock up on more Vit. C stuff (my daughter’s sick now, too, so I need to find something for her… she was up crying several times last night because she’s so congested… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_sad.gif). And that Sudafed I got was from the pharmacy – most of the cold meds were; the store shelves were bare because most of it had to come from the pharmacy!

I’m feeling much better today but still not 100%. I’ll keep doing what you ladies suggested and kick this thing’s butt. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_rambo.gif https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif Thanks again!

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Thanks for your responses, everyone! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif I’m taking the Sudafed tablets, and I’ll have to check the label for the ingredients… And I think we have some Emergen-C in the cupboards, actually, so I’ll take some of that before I go to bed. I’ll look into that echinacea tea, I’ve never heard of it before. And we have a humidifier but I have no clue where it is… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_confused.gif Maybe I’d better go find it, hehe.

Thanks again, everyone! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

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I see where polebunny and Audball are coming from and I still disagree – but to each their own.

And none of that would apply to Flexx10’s idea of having a forum for the studio owners, which I think is still a good idea in and of itself. I was just piggybacking it. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

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Hey charley, thanks for the reply! 3 other quick questions, 1) do the gloves run true to size? I tried on a friends non tack size small that fit ok (the left glove seemed smaller that the right?!?) 2) have you had issues with holes or seems ripping? (my friends gloves already had 2 holes near the fingers after only a months use!) 3) does anyone know if/when they are making new gloves? Thought I recalled reading something about a new product?

1) There are 2 different manufacturers for the gloves and one company makes them slightly smaller than the other. Try a pair of smalls and if they don’t fit, feel free to email Joel at MG (there’s a contact form on the website) and let him know. He can help you and swap out for ones that will fit.

2) There have been some problems in the past with some splitting but he has added extra stitching in known problem areas. If your gloves are damaged before their time, Joel will send you a new pair. Also, he LOVES feedback – so email him with any problems and he can look into making some changes to avoid problems in the future.

3) New gloves are in the works but I don’t know how much I should be saying about them so I won’t say anything unless Joel gives me the go-ahead https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif You might also be referring to a different product than I am, so… https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_silent.gif

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Haha my pole name has been quite the saga and I’m sure there are several people rolling their eyes when they see that I’m posting to this thread (and I don’t blame them). https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_lol.gif Names carry a lot of significance for me so I take it a lot more seriously than I should (yes, I admit it).

When I first joined this forum, you could change your username. I just did the first four letters of my real name because I didn’t really think about it too much. Then I finally picked a "stage name" (or pole name or whatever) after posting a thread asking for input on what it should be. After all that I came up with Foxy Rei – so yes, if you dig up some older threads with posts by that name, it’s me. Several people thought I looked like a "Foxy" when they looked at my pictures and I’m a fan of Japanese Anime and liked the name Rei ("Ray") so I stuck the two together. So I changed my username to Foxy Rei with my old first-four-letters-of-my-first-name together so people would know I was the same person. Then they changed the site so the usernames had to stay the same, and this was the same day that I had planned to go with just Foxy Rei. But Veena was able to change it for me before the changes were made permanent.

Last year, I took an unintentional pole sabbatical and was off the pole for several months. I went through a hard time emotionally and financially and just never poled. When I finally got back into it, I felt different in a lot of ways. I had started pole dancing for the sexy side of things, hence the "foxy" name, but over time it turned into something different for me. Plus I’m Christian and was struggling with how pole dancing fit in with my faith (I knew they could coexist somehow but couldn’t quite articulate it). I finally got everything to click into place and somehow my old name just didn’t seem to fit. (I also wanted to start a pole dancing blog and kinda wanted a fresh start.) It didn’t feel right.

I went back over my old list that I had narrowed down to in my original search for a pole name and Journey jumped out at me. The word entails change, growth, pursuit, moving forward – which is exactly what I have done in pole dancing and what we do in life. I loved it! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_biggrin.gif

So I made a new username here and started my blog, PoleSpection, using the name Journey. Some people weren’t too happy about the change and a few people still call me Foxy – which is fine, I’ll answer to it https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif it’s still a good name! – but the change is something that I did for me.

There you go. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

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Hi Foxy glad to know you are progressed with your knee hold https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif …I’m posting for any other girls working on this at the moment

Thanks! Yes, I finally recently got this so I thought I should probably post what finally "clicked" although it can be difficult to isolate exactly what I was doing right or wrong. LvpPole has a pretty good rundown so I’ll just post tidbits. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_tongue.gif

I switched back and forth between trying this from standing and trying it from a gemini. Standing is nice because you’re closer to the ground and less likely to hurt yourself if you fall off the pole, but I found that you get a more secure grip with the top knee if you do it from gemini (something that stuck in my head from watching a video of Roxy’s back when I was a newbie…).

Getting that top knee to maintain its grip was a big challenge for me, until I got some tips over USPDF weekend; hooking your feet together is part of what holds that upper leg tight around the pole, turns out – that bottom leg’s foot goes in front of the top one and pulls against it.

Another big thing was for whatever odd reason, I was trying to hook my feet after putting the bottom knee on the pole and that’s very difficult to do. Definitely hook the feet first. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_tongue.gif

Also, I know they say that you should put the outside/bottom hand between your knees while you get the bottom knee into position, but I found that extremely awkward – I thought it was easier to put that hand under the bottom knee. :shrug: Not typical, I know, just another example of how different things work for different people. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif

And finally, pushing the hips forward was the thing that finally just made it all make sense. When I started out, I was struggling so much with the knee grip and trying not to fall off the stupid pole that I never got to that point. But when I finally got that far, I was thinking, "Oh goody! I can go on to the next step now… Okay, push hips forward, and…. OH MY GOSH there it is! https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_e_surprised.gif I did it!" https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_cheers.gif and I wasn’t even afraid to let go, either. It seems to give that top knee just a bit of an extra twist so it actually helps the grip slightly, too.

It’s just one of those things that takes practice and a lot of muscle memory. Oh, and let’s not forget pain tolerance… the bruise is just now finally healed enough on my knee that I can do this again after shooting my last video. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_tongue.gif Be patient… (I posted this thread back in February, and here it is the end of the year!)