I will be performing at the Phoenix Improv Festival: Underground Stage this Friday, April 17. The show is $5 at 10:30 and it's at Space 55 (636 E. Pierce St). I will also be teaching an Organic improv class on Saturday, but that's already sold out. I'm very excited to be teaching a style I am so passionate about and truly feel needs more focus and exploration from the improv world.
In poetry news, we had our first meeting and I deflected the idea that I would coach again. Michael Dimitri has been organizing the teaching efforts and a lot of the growth in our scene, and I pushed the discussion over to using him. Apparently, I'll still be used for performance coaching, but he's the man who'll organize and (hopefully) call the shots at bouts this summer at NPS. I'll have my hands full with EC work and SlamMaster stuff, so it'll be nice to have one less thing to worry about. Michael is great and a logical choice, and it didn't take any convincing for the rest of the group to say, "Duh! Of course he should coach!"
I'm very excited about the enthusiasm on our team. Should be a great year!
-Jesster
1. Cody Winger - 2009 Slam Season Champion, 2009 Team Member, IWPS Rep
2. Jesse Parent - 2009 Team Member
3. DeAnn - 2009 Team Member
4. Michael Dimitri - 2009 Team Member
5. Josh McGillis - 2009 Team Member
6. Flora Bernard
7. Karo
8. Dave
It was a high scoring slam, which can be frustrating because it made the results a game of inches. I came in 0.3 behind Cody, DeAnn came in 0.1 behind me, and Josh edged out Flora by 0.2. Overall, I am very excited about the structure of the team. The only thing that could throw a wrench in it is if NPS 2009 becomes a 21+ event. If that were the case... I'm not sure what would happen. The team has already started to bond and look towards collaborations and group pieces. It would really be a reset psychologically (Ugh - I just realized... what if iWPS is 21+?!? That would blow!) But, while the policy of NPS is to announce that it is officially 21+, they usually leave it up to the Host City as to whether or not it is 18+ and that is what tends to happen. So let's hope for the best.
In other news, I am officially a member of the executive council for Poetry Slam, Inc. It may be cheesy, but I felt compelled by Michelle Obama's mantra of being "called to serve" and I feel that I can make a difference. Mostly, I am just observing and trying to learn what I can and can't do. There's not a lot of secrecy... what you see in public on the boards is what you get. Everyone is very repectful and professional and I only feel overwhemed by my work schedule.
There are a lot of cool things happening locally in our scene. Our team finals were crazy crowded with the public and we raised a few hundred dollars in donations towards getting to NPS. We had some great articles right before the event that focused on Michael Dimitri and myself that helped promote the event. Spring always seems like a great time where we get a lot of love from the public, so I am definitely feeling it.
Now, if I could only find time to get back to writing...
-Jesster
The short version of the slam debacle is: there was a facebook entry promoting NPS as party central where you can plan on cheating. Also, Hustler is a sponsor for the erotic reading. Well, this kicked off a lively bit of outrage, with declarations of boycott and so forth, which sparked hurt feelings and frustration from the organizer who posted the announcement, to the point that he threw his hands up and made to walk away. This sort of blew me away, because if you're a professional organizer, how in the world are you that affected by criticism? However, poets are more dramatic than theatre people (go figure). The outrage and LONG diatribes back and forth were simultaneously hilarious and irritating.
I emailed and called the organizer after his post where he declared he "was out" and reminded him that the folks on a message board do not speak for all of us, and that he was doing a great job with what he had but should be open to critique and suggestions. We had a pleasant back and forth, and I'm sure it helped him feel better and calm down. Half an hour later, he announced that he was back. While it may not have been the reason he came back, I felt good about actually talking to the person who had made the offending post.
All of this really brings into focus my bid to get elected to the Executive Council for Poetry Slam, Inc. I still feel like a tourist in this community of artists and activists. I'm not sure if I have the emotional capital to spend on organizing and carrying the flag for this group. Everything just becomes instantly emotional and that just seems... tiring. Scott Woods has been very supportive of me and urging me to run, but if I am going to serve this community and their interests, I really need to make sure I can do it faithfully and with the energy they all deserve from me, and not compromise my sanity.
In other news, I was promoted at work, so I am back to being a manager, again. It's something I have resisted going back to for many of the reasons I am having issues with running for the EC. I am a good organizer and manager, but it takes a lot out of me. Plus, I have to deal with meetings and egos and the soft skills of management. It's not as much fun as just beeing a contributer.
I can't wait to just go watch some good poetry.
-Jesster
Now, for a couple of weeks before, my check oil light was coming on. I noticed that I was overdue for an oil change, but didn't actually check the oil. I just figured I would get an oil change that week and it probably wasn't bad. Even with the louder ticking in the engine, I kept putting off teh maintenance. A lot had to do with how insanely busy I was getting at work with my new promotion to management. A lot was just life. But it was the wrong thing to do.
As I got up to around 90, the ticking became knocking and a check engine light. I took my foot off the gas and shifted to neutral, but it was too lat. *POP* A puff of white smoke told me things were bad. I got into the breakdown lane, but the engine was not on. I turned off teh key and lifted the hood to find a small fire under the alternator I blew out like a birthday candle. My wish: a new engine.
Since it was Saturday evening, there weren't any after hour shops open, so I called my insurance agency looking for a place that was at least open on Sunday. Got it towed to Firestone by a driver who was just in town to help out his brother and was leaving for Florida that Monday (today) to go back to his life. In the morning, Firestone confirmed my worse fears, and escalated them with an estimated labor cost (they couldn't do the work).
So I am calling around, today, looking for shops that are capable of repairing my beloved car in a fiscally reasonable manner. The only real estimate I have is certainly less than the value of the car by more than half, but still a big chunk of change. Even though I have a lot of breathing room in the bank, it's a hard pill to swallow.
My dad, the mechanic, said this to me after I said I threw a rod: "Couldn't afford an oil change, so you got an engine change, huh?" I guess that sums it up.
After hearing that, I thought of the woman who injected her son with water instead of insulin, because she couldn't afford the $90 prescription and was hoping it would act as a placebo. Now she has a $12,000 emergency room bill. I did something stupid because I let simple maintenance not be a priority. I wonder how many people are suffering because they can't even afford simple maintenance. I had no excuse, and I should be taking better care of myself and my family because I can, right now. What if the engine blew up? What if the car had caught fire (or... caught more fire)? Just really stupid, if you think of it.
At least I can learn from this. Like my dad said, later: "You won't do that twice"
-Jesster
I was doing some housekeeping on our MySpace page and compiling points from the information I have (from the slams, not the readings) and realized that our team selection slam is advertised as being this March on our MySpace page.
This isn't a big deal, because the top 8 point earners go into the slam, and the top 7 are WAY ahead of the pack in slam points, but I just lost track of when this would be. For some reason, I kept thinking it was April, which would have sucked for Slammasters and the Phoenix Improv Festival.
One surprise in compiling our slam points is that I am in first place... by one point. I thought Brian Frandsen was, but he's in second. I am pleasantly surprised, but we still have to compile points from the readings.
I really need to get Sock Puppet in slammable format. And that means edit edit edit edit. Ugh! The version I think is around 2:50 has coaxed over 3:10 before, so I may have to cut even deeper. That was the nice thing about doing Sock Puppet in the feature in boise, I got to do the full piece without worrying about time or losing coherence. I'm happy about that. I am less happy that I didn't have Dandelions down pat.
Work work work... gotta go to work work work.
-Jesster
That's too bad. This is such an historic moment and you got these two guys who don't look like they know when one person is supposed to talk or how much to say.
Won't see that featured on a highlight reel.
-Jesster
My feature was really well received. I was giggling on the inside while I was doing Sock Puppet, because the room was so primed for laughter from the slam that when the piece switched to the more disturbing part, there were a lot of nervous "I thought this was a funny poem" laughter moments in the crowd. By the end, I had achieved the effect I was after but I was supremely amused at how long that went on. I sold a few chapbooks, got a few drinks bought for me, and hung out playing Super Nintendo Mario Brothers while we all kept doing bits from Ken Arkind's "Life... is like MARIO BROTHERS". Delicious!
I just wish I had remembered to leave some thank you chapbooks for Cheryl. Ugh. Next time I see her I will. She was so gracious the whole time and I loved all the great conversations. What a neat person.
And she can rock a red dress... hard!
-Jesster
Blue. S. Simple.
-Jesster
You know... my name looks surprisingly dull in print. Now I understand why poets have pseudonyms.
I will now be going by the poet name "Face Breaker!" With the exclamation point.
Signed,
Face Breaker!
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shaesinister sent an email off last Friday saying that he has decided to move to California. With mstegosaurus shipping off to Massachusetts, that has officially broken our little triumverate up. I have to say, I am going to miss them both terribly. They have both been very good friends and supporters to me and I think we are all going to be diminished by their loss.This year, I wasn't felling the poetry vibe as much. I was taking that as a sign to go back to touring improv festivals and teaching, again. Now, I don't feel right about up and leaving the local poetry scene with so many folks leaving as well. After all, Jim is back in NYC, David hasn't been around since the 2007 team,
moxi has been absent doing band stuff, Repo is in Asia, Garet checked out a while ago, Grey is focused on school, and God knows what Frandsen is doing. Cody, Michael, and Josh are still very active, so it's not like everyone has pulled the ripcord, but I'd feel like a dick to leave in such turmoil, especially with the venue move still being so recent.So, I nutted up and pulled hosting duty last Saturday, even though I had spent all Friday night performing in improv shows and left my wife for a second night in a row. I do have to say, it was fun. I got help from Z with setting up the PA, sorted through my chapbooks (because of Shae's sage advice to not just read your own shit while emceeing) and read some stuff by Derrick Brown,
javabill , and truthbealiar , and had a solid open mic reading. There were at least 6 or 7 new folks, plus a return by Hampshire poet AJ, and some spotty representation by the veterans/regulars of the scene. And, I do a hell of a job as an emcee. It's something I am good at and have cultivated in my years as a performer, and I do enjoy it I'd just rather be a performer. I encouraged the audience to let a poet know if they liked what they said. That's the best feeling in the world and I loved watching the small exchanges taking place of people complementing each other. Just lovely.So, while we are missing our giants of the scene, the show continues to go on. I wish it could be different, with all the ghosts of performers past showing up and making the place rock, but the hum of last week's performance still put a smile on my face.
-Jesster
The options were either 30 inch, 18 inch, or 16 inch. Now, in college, I had a 19.5 inch neck, but I knew that even with working out a lot lately I was not close to that, so I took a gamble on the 18 inch chain.
It's not exactly like a choker, but when I look up, it's tight. I'm a little worried I'm going to look the wrong way and it will pop off.
I need to find a 20 inch chain, I think. Sigh...
Indian Pitchers are First for America's National Pastime
It's a somewhat inspirational article about scouting talent in India among a destitute population for the next great pitcher. However, these sentences struck me as odd:
"Between games, Singh and Patel won't be eating cheeseburgers on the road, as cows are sacred to their Hindu beliefs.
It's on to the world of pro baseball, sidestepping tobacco juice and the smell of new leather gloves."
So... eating a cow is a no-no, but playing with a glove made out of cow is not? Am I missing something? This is like going to a protest for fur coats and seeing all the activists in leather jackets.
-Jesster
I think Julia already got my mom something, which leaves my sister, her kids, and my biological mom. I am also planning a special something for Julia, but need to have people stop booking my lunches for meetings so I can go get it.
Time keeps on slipping into the future.
And, of course, everybody is sending their holiday cards already. We do a newsletter every year, which is labor intensive yet satisfying. As long as we start it... sometime.
-Jesster
So, for her birthday I as going to have it fixed, but the shop I took it to couldn't find the part for less than $110 so I gave up on it and as a last ditch effort, I went looking for the part myself online.
I found it for $50. And I found a laptop disassembly guide for that exact model.
A little while back, my son's Nintendo DS fell off the fridge (where it was in a "time out") and the touch screen was broken. I did some research and found the part needed as well as a detailed repair guide and actually fixed it! Me! The guy afraid of fixing electronics! There's electricity gnomes in there!
Well, I figured that I would be fiscally responsible and try to fix it myself. If I screwed up, well, the laptop wasn't getting much use, anyway, and this would be a learning experience.
The end result: it's fixed. The laptop is now demystified, for me. I can try learning other things.
The moral: you can always learn something new and the only person telling you that something is impossible is often you.
I will post pictures! Right now, I am just very proud of myself.
-Jesster
- Mood:
pleased
But then I found myself spending my Thanksgiving weekend making Kai smile his wide, toothless grin. And making kissy noises so he'd know when I was going to give him smooches.
I miss my kids. I wish work were done, now.
-Jesster
A while back,
scottwoods talked about starting poems wth a strong line. Improv had already gotten me in this habit with its emphasis on strong initiations in scenes. Lately, I'd been experimenting with starting slower, but I thought I'd go back to trying a piece with a heavy first line.Actually, a RIDICULOUS first line.
So, I went back into my college days for something I used to say all the time. But it took me a few weeks to think about where I wanted to go after that, and then a theme kind of found me, again from my family. I'm actually pretty pleased with the end result.
( Pez )
-Jesster
----
( Silence )
Not the best breakfast I've had, but not the worst.
-Jesster
It made me think of a poem by some curly haired girl at the Gay and Lesbian Open Mic at last year's NPS. I had gone there to listen and perhaps read, not because I am gay or lesbian, but because outrage should be universal. She read a poem about people who aren't gay, but vocalize support or "have a lot of gay friends". Most of it was focused on saying that she didn't want those people there in her safe zone, and would magic lasso anyone who came there with her pubes or somesuch, because this was "our place." I felt like such an intruder, so unwelcome. Like I had somehow misstepped and intruded.
Fuck. That. Girl.
You know what, we need to stop making people feel like empathy is something to ridicule. That we can stand by each other, even if we don't know those hardships first hand, and say that "This is wrong". We need MORE empathy, not less, in this world. I liked the video by Keith Olbermann about the Prop 8 decision. We need to recognize injustice and stand against it, no matter if it directly affects us our not. In all matters. Gender, race, class, and so on. So the next time you hear a poem or story or whatever by someone trying to speak up for a section of humanity that they're not a part of, instead of saying, "spare me your blah blah" try thinking the best in that person instead of thinking, "he couldn't possibly understand our plight." (sure, it might be exploitive tripe, but aren't most slam poems? *snap*)
It's going to take a lot of help, and less pride.
Some sign highlights:
I giggled when I saw this one. She was leaving the rally, but I had to snap a pic. I thought it was a cool message. Very billboard/bumper sticker.
This next one, probably could have been more succint. Or at least more clear.
Man... I am not even sure I get this. Am I supposed to be written in The Book of Life... like all these SINS? Or will any of these sins get me thrown into the pit of fire? Because I am doomed, as are most of humanity. Oh sins... multicultural, diverse sins.
It's nice that someone signed their art. Seriously, this sign was massive. You can see everyone pointing... and being blonde.
I think that guy peed.
-Jesster
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