And a happy June to everyone!
Summer approaches and so does our 24-Hour Summer Slumberfest 2009, the
second annual event I started with David Perez. It was born out of my half-assed December 2007 attempt to read poetry for 24 hours straight. I made it about 18-hours with a huge nap in the middle. Luckily, it lead us to a new idea.
Ten months later, David and I decided to replicate the event, but knew we had to open the mic to anyone that wanted to perform.
24-Hour Summer Slumberfest 2008 was a hit last September. MACLA, also the home of the San Jose Poetry Slam, was the perfect venue for such an endeavor. We had nearly 200 people stop by, and had a parliament of 30+ people most of the time. To take a nap at 3:30am, and to wake up an hour later to see that the crowd laying around you has grown is a sight to behold. It was indescribable fun to have such confirmation for the Slumberfest.
San Jose’s just the right setting for an event of this kind. The people want it–nay–need it and MACLA’s more than happy to pursue just about anything to promote art in all of its forms. It has been a purveyor of art for sometime now, and is the true home of spoken word in Silicon Valley. There is none higher.
Last year David mentioned his interest in bringing more international performers to the Slumberfest, and being a low-cost event, we certainly could not fly people out to attend. It’s quite literally a slumber party with a stage, a few mics, a pile of blankets, sleeping bags, pillows, food (all sorts!) and a couch or two.
But dammit! We live in Silicon Valley! We’re poets and artists who are also tech nerds. There must be something we can do to bring the world to MACLA.
SOLUTION: Skype + projector + wall + camera = INTERNATIONAL SLUMBERFEST!
If you think, “Man, this sounds like fun, but I can’t fly to San Jose, California (although you really should), but I do have a Skype account and I do have a webcam and I do have internet access and I do have poetry or music that is or isn’t mine and I do like the idea of reading it aloud…” Then you’re all set to be a part of the show! Join us from your very own country, province, state, cafe, school, bar
kitchen or bedroom.
We are signing people up for Skyping or those interested in just showing up to perform. Anyone outside of the United States will get priority with time slots. If you’re interested, look up the event listing on Facebook http://tinyurl.com/kpuwej, or comment here with the the general time slot you’re interested in.
Slumberfest 2009 runs from June 5 to June 6 – 6pm Friday to 6pm Saturday.
Slots may be less than 15 minutes, but not more than 15 minutes, depending on demand. The later the better. It will be easier to get a slot at 6am then at 11pm. Pay close attention to the difference in time between your time zone and Pacific Time.
http://www.timeanddate.com/
Examples:
“I am Joe Davis. I am a poet. I live in San Jose. I will attend in person. I would like to sign up between 6pm and 7:30pm. My email address is XGHKIG at HJJIY dot COM.” “Hey, Slumberers! I am Suzy. I live in the UK. I am a musician. I would like to play my songs over Skype sometime between 3am and 5am Pacific Time. You can reach me at SUZY at SUZY dot COM.”David and I will be working everything out for the rest of this week, and you will get a response with your time slot and explicit Skype instructions by Thursday, June 4 or the morning of June 5.
There will be lots of laying about, aside from David and I hosting and filling in empty slots on the mic. It is recommended that if you bring food or beverage, please bring enough to share.
NO BOOZE OR DRUGS. This is a clean event. We’d love for you to get high on life instead.
MACLA
510 South First Street, Between William and Reed in Dowtown San Jose
Free street parking after 6pm.
Meters in the daytime.
Suggested donation: 5 to 7 bucks.
Original time slotted was 7pm to 7pm, but scheduling forced us an hour ahead. It is 6pm to 6pm.
Various prizes and games for those who volunteer and stay the whole 24-hours.
Get plenty of rest beforehand and be sure to bring plenty of water if you intend to stay up.
We will attempt to webcast the event throughout, but due to issues in the past, we can make no promises. Check back to this blog throughout
the week for more info.
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Word to the nerd.
This entry was written by , posted on 2 June, 2009 at 6:00 AM, filed under Podcast, Writing and tagged 2009, 24-hour, 24-Hour Open Mic, all night, barefoot coffee roasters, Bay Area, downtown, event, festival, live bands, live music, live performance, live poetry, macla, marathon, mike mcgee, Music, open mic, pillows, poet, poetry, san josé poetry slam, San-Jose-California, sleep over, sleeping bags, sleepover, slumber fest, slumber party, slumberfest, snacks, spoken, spoken word, summer, sweetness. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
The title of this post is a relative misnomer considering my lack of true post high school education. I “attended” West Valley Junior College and “studied” photography and screenwriting for a semester each, along with some theater and such. I have no clue what I was left with in terms of units. In two solid years of community college, I only recall actually sticking with and passing my screenwriting class.
I rebelled. I despised formal education. It felt like hoops I to jump through, and fat people don’t jump through hopps. I figured, “fuck school…I have a café to sit in front of while I shuffle through menial wage jobs and socialize.”
I learned everything I do now in my “Slacker Years” – 1996 through 2000 was the era responsible for making my lifelong friends, while putting me on track to become a talking poet and see some of the world.
Since high school, I had always followed the notion that anything above a diploma was just hoop-jumping-proof that one could do a lot of work, while staying within the lines. College just seemed like an excuse to force kids to grow up, then collate them into society in a speedy, reasonable fashion.
I certainly wasn’t ready to grow up yet, and I know I will not learn shit if I’m not ready for it. I must be prepared and now I believe I just might be.
Inspired by the hundreds of universities and colleges I’ve performed at in the last five years, I’ve found myself longing to begin a regimented course of learning that could lead me to teaching. Until recently, the idea that I could teach was foreign and far-off. Now, I realize that what I do in front of audiences is not much different from what a proffesor would do in front of a class or lab. I think I couls put a very McGee-tyoe-twist on education, as long as it is a subject I adore and have the mental capacity to really explore with a classroom and beyond.
I love anthropology, sociology, history, English and art. I explore the first three the most. People have recommended that I look into teaching English and so far, the idea is not very appealing. I cannot imagine putting all of my focus on teaching others how to write when I have so much vested in my own works. I would despise myself and my students if I had to focus on guiding them into the writing I want to achieve. Call it sellfish; I call it honest. I have the passion it takes to teach, now I need the credentials. These qualities should help me guide any room of people toward comprehensible learning and a quality of life I appreciate.
A lot of this came out of a heavy autumn depression and then the 2008 election compounded my views. I began to feel that no matter how much I tour (100,000 miles a year), I had no end zone…no finish line. I was touring to tour and meet people. To spread “the” word. As much as I love touring and seeing people and places, I began to question why I wasn’t settling down. Turns out when you set out on a journey with no real direction, you remain direction-less.
Around 2002, I decided I might run for mayor of San José, but I buffered it to the year 2018.I figured by then I’d be wiser and more mature. More focused and organized. Lame. This past election was a key factor in reminding me that I get too irritated with politicians to become one. It occurred to me that I could be a lot more effective locally if I were to teach, question authority, and become member of the checks and balances local politicos need to stay focused. I could always join a city council or local committee. I’d rather stand, teach and learn in front of a classroom of students than beg in front of boardroom of suits.
Admittedly, when it comes to my own education, I feel a little n00b-ish. I am starting all over. Friends who’ve acquired various degrees have pointed me in certain directions, but the path is mine and only I can be content with my choices. I harbor no resentment for getting this late-blooming spark at 32 years old. I am quite confident that if I want a Ph.D, I will get a Ph.D. Luckily, while I may feel a little lost when it comes to my oncoming education, I have a few thousand acquaintances who have opinions and advice I will gladly consider.
Right now, I feel like a degree in sociology makes sense. I thoroughly enjoy debating humanity’s relationships, existence and connections. I feel I can bring a lot to the focus of where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. It makes sense that I’ve become a sissy poet over the last ten years. Thanks a lot, Trenchard! Well done, Litvak! You warned me, Aahz, but I never listened. You were right, BB.
I am so glad I do what I do for a living. It’s a good life. Ups and downs…side to side.
In conclusion, I am feeling UC Berkeley and I want to shoot for a bit of English and a lot of Sociology. Berkeley keeps me in the Bay Area/California, they have satellite programs in Silicon Valley and are one of the top schools in my fields interest.
I finally feel like that mature guy I wished I would be back in 1995, the one who said school was lame and didn’t need it. I do not regret the time I missed in school because I was still learning, I just regret the attitude. I know where I want to be and where I want to go. I will always be a poet, I will always perform poetry, and I will tour every chance I get, but I think I just figured out how to settle down and focus.
I’m down for anyones thoughts on all of this. Anyone else thinking of going back to school or in their first year? Tell me your experience.
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Word to the nerd.
“Slow down, ’08, you just got here!”
This entry was written by , posted on 29 November, 2008 at 1:58 PM, filed under Personal Updates, Writing and tagged college, degree, education, politics, returning to school, sociology, teaching, touring, uc berkeley. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.
You’re a writer. You’re supposed to be writing. What the hell are you doing? Do you think you’re going to get anything done just sitting there?
The summer is just beginning, so use it. If you’re still just sitting there by July, I’m going to have something to say about it.
Challenge: Three new writings by July!
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Word to the nerd.
This entry was written by , posted on 14 June, 2008 at 5:28 PM, filed under Writing. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.