Go Meet Some Boys!

Last night went to the Mercury Cafe with Chelsea and Serina. I told Serina before hand she had to read a piece, so she wrote something at Cork and Coffee where we were writing and hanging out before the Slam. When she walked up to sign her name on the list I followed her. Call it an act of support or a foolish decision (a fine line amidst bravery) but I wanted to do it too. We were in between acts and I felt really proud of us both for getting up there. It was my first time on Open Mic, even though Ive seen several performances in my day, I never had enough guts to read a random piece unplanned like that. I think what provoked me was knowing that Andrea Gibson got their start at that Cafe, and well I'm a little in love with them, so I thought here I go. When my name was called the MC made a comment about my hair being cute and it made me feel less nervous, though as I went up to the microphone, too high for me to speak into and too difficult under the pressure of the lights and my trembling nerves to fix, I got a rush of Oh shit what am I doing. I stared at my phone screen and read the most incomplete vulnerable poem I could find. Maybe because it was on love, maybe because it scared me to say those words out loud, or maybe just because it was short. But I read it. My hands shook the whole time and I rushed in the middle but I got through it. Afterwards I hoped I wouldn't be beaten up for being overtly queer. I hoped that the guy with the addiction and the other guy who read about guns, the hip hop white boy who used profanities, didn't want to beat me up.

In the end as I left the stage I was applauded and told that I would definitely be back. It made me feel good, check that off the list. Then a woman named Emily Rose performed some Erotic poems which were really impressive actually. She was a bold curvy woman that spoke loud and with an immensity of force that you were guaranteed not to get on her bad side. After which the Slam started. It began with 6 people and then went to three people, and then two finalists. Serina was the judge (though I helped in the end) I really wanted this young man named Will Knudsen to win, and he did. His pieces were amazing, dark, gritty and real. I hugged him after and thanked him for having such heart. It always impresses me when people are that vulnerable. Originally from here, he just returned after a stint in Portland. It was a nice homecoming for him into the Slam Poetry world. Afterwards I felt so inspired to write more, and possibly do more open mics. Watch out world, I indeed am a bit of a ham.

The following night Serina and I set up the dark room in the basement. Another first for me, as I have never developed photographs before. It took a long time to put it together. We had to take all the equipment downstairs and then block out the windows with garbage bags to make sure it was completely dark. The old house she lives in which is so cute, used to house something like 80 cats, and specifically in the basement so there is a really strong cat pee smell that wont go away despite how much they've cleaned it. That in combination with photo fumes for three hours definitely made me a little loopy after awhile.

But the photo process was so cool. Taking the photo paper and doing test strips, choosing the seconds of exposure, putting the film strip in the enlarger and actually creating a print, developing it, setting it and washing it in the bath! I totally see why people become fanatics and why its such an art.

The following day we set out to go camping. Bought supplies at Whole Foods and REI, and began our journey to Aspen (we flipped a coin to decide where) Three hours there and a stop at a country store where a self proclaimed Grandma, a smiling woman with bright blue eyes and silvery blond hair told us to "Go meet some boys!"

We didn't meet any boys (sorry Grandma) but we did get to see the most amazing display of Autumn in the form of beautiful Aspen trees and the snowy mountain peaks of Maroon Bells. The landscapes of Colorado on that drive and there at the National Park were so epically breathtakingly beautiful, upon every turn I was taking pictures and videos, my mouth open wide in amazement and my heart just full of appreciation. The night there was in a word Freezing! And if it wasn't for Chelsea's 20 degree mummy bag we would have died. But the stars in the middle of the night were also incredible and totally worth the near death frigidity of that night. We even saw a guy training for hockey! lol. And a truck that said : Hows your Aspen? Oh those funny Coloradeans.

Nothing compares to those mountains and trees though! Colorado you are so gorgeous I adore you!!!  I think I may need to live here someday.