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highlights from yesterday
Sep. 21st, 2008 11:27 amI went to SparkCon yesterday and generally had a blast. It was a frenetic day, but well worth it in the end.
1. Attended several panels with speakers such as G.D. Gearino (What the Deaf-Mute Heard, formerly of the N&O), Frank Stasio (The State of Things/NPR <- Radio Rockstar), Will Rokas (Academy Award Nomination for Monster's Ball), etc...
2. Went over to Tir na Nog with the organizer of the Quail Ridge Open Mic and one of his buddies where we continued the panel discussion on the changing/falling literacy of the general populace and discussed writing in different forms. It was awesome AND I had Strongbow cider which I have not been able to find since leaving France. I can report that it is still very tasty.
3. Dashed over to Quail Ridge for the Open Mic, only put in $1 for the reading raffle, but then I only had enough time to listen to half of it before dashing back for the PoetrySlam. However, I was there long enough to hear one of my fellow Taffies tell a really funny story. The TAF group is more focused on the practical underpinnings of freelancing so we do not really get to share our actual writing very often.
4. Back to the PoetrySlam... the bare stage had been transformed by the use of bright lights and loud music to a downright happening. There had been a change in the schedule so I had to wait for the breakdancers to finish(yeah, I don't know what this world is coming to either). Eventually the slam got started and the introductory poem from the MC let me know that I was completely outclassed. My poetry is more of the quiet, reflective sort than a performance art. However in the grad poetry class, I had this weird crazy stuff start to come out. It was completely unlike anything that I had written before - more personal, more angry - closer to slam poetry. So I did not feel completely like I didn't belong.
Also, I pure love reading my poetry on stage and this was the biggest darn audience that I have EVER seen for poetry. Let me set the scene:
o elevated stage
o spotlights so bright that I could not see the audience <- big plus
o over two hundred people waiting to hear my poetry
I read, I rocked, I sat down again. I did not get to the final round, nor did I expect to, but I got a really good response from the crowd.
5. Several other Taffies read from their works. They were also not quite slam poets, but put on a respectable show. One of my fellow Taffies did a humor piece which was good enough to propel him into the final round. However, the winner of the final round was a poet named Trin-A-Thoughtz. Write the name down. She was incredible - pure slam, pure emotion, but with a lot of craft behind it.
6. Then it was time for the AfterHours Erotica reading. I really questioned whether I should go to this, but there were more Taffies reading - again I really questioned whether I should go to this ;). It was in a teeny tiny venue with many people packed in. The content varied from kind of hot to ohmigod hot. Highlights included a hilarious poem about bestiality and a candy bar themed poem from the aforementioned Trin-A. I am not going to talk about the story by my fellow Taffy, but let's just say that his Penthouse credits are not pure happenstance. I even read a limerick to add my little contribution. I have posted it here before, but it was years ago:
If after drinking fine whisky,
you're thinking of activities risky,
it's best to remember
to cover your member.
Condoms were made for the frisky.
It may not have been as 'smokin' as most of the other pieces, but there were the requisite howls from the audience and high-fives from my fellow Taffies. I hung out for a little bit longer, but decided that it would be best for me to get home by midnight. I said my goodbyes and went out into the night air for the ride home.
1. Attended several panels with speakers such as G.D. Gearino (What the Deaf-Mute Heard, formerly of the N&O), Frank Stasio (The State of Things/NPR <- Radio Rockstar), Will Rokas (Academy Award Nomination for Monster's Ball), etc...
2. Went over to Tir na Nog with the organizer of the Quail Ridge Open Mic and one of his buddies where we continued the panel discussion on the changing/falling literacy of the general populace and discussed writing in different forms. It was awesome AND I had Strongbow cider which I have not been able to find since leaving France. I can report that it is still very tasty.
3. Dashed over to Quail Ridge for the Open Mic, only put in $1 for the reading raffle, but then I only had enough time to listen to half of it before dashing back for the PoetrySlam. However, I was there long enough to hear one of my fellow Taffies tell a really funny story. The TAF group is more focused on the practical underpinnings of freelancing so we do not really get to share our actual writing very often.
4. Back to the PoetrySlam... the bare stage had been transformed by the use of bright lights and loud music to a downright happening. There had been a change in the schedule so I had to wait for the breakdancers to finish(yeah, I don't know what this world is coming to either). Eventually the slam got started and the introductory poem from the MC let me know that I was completely outclassed. My poetry is more of the quiet, reflective sort than a performance art. However in the grad poetry class, I had this weird crazy stuff start to come out. It was completely unlike anything that I had written before - more personal, more angry - closer to slam poetry. So I did not feel completely like I didn't belong.
Also, I pure love reading my poetry on stage and this was the biggest darn audience that I have EVER seen for poetry. Let me set the scene:
o elevated stage
o spotlights so bright that I could not see the audience <- big plus
o over two hundred people waiting to hear my poetry
I read, I rocked, I sat down again. I did not get to the final round, nor did I expect to, but I got a really good response from the crowd.
5. Several other Taffies read from their works. They were also not quite slam poets, but put on a respectable show. One of my fellow Taffies did a humor piece which was good enough to propel him into the final round. However, the winner of the final round was a poet named Trin-A-Thoughtz. Write the name down. She was incredible - pure slam, pure emotion, but with a lot of craft behind it.
6. Then it was time for the AfterHours Erotica reading. I really questioned whether I should go to this, but there were more Taffies reading - again I really questioned whether I should go to this ;). It was in a teeny tiny venue with many people packed in. The content varied from kind of hot to ohmigod hot. Highlights included a hilarious poem about bestiality and a candy bar themed poem from the aforementioned Trin-A. I am not going to talk about the story by my fellow Taffy, but let's just say that his Penthouse credits are not pure happenstance. I even read a limerick to add my little contribution. I have posted it here before, but it was years ago:
If after drinking fine whisky,
you're thinking of activities risky,
it's best to remember
to cover your member.
Condoms were made for the frisky.
It may not have been as 'smokin' as most of the other pieces, but there were the requisite howls from the audience and high-fives from my fellow Taffies. I hung out for a little bit longer, but decided that it would be best for me to get home by midnight. I said my goodbyes and went out into the night air for the ride home.