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Sorry for the delay. Been sad lately. Winter through to spring has been tempered with an insoluble loneliness. Maybe I am affected by the seasons, although my travels push me through many varying seasons as it is. Maybe it’s the constant change. My hands are cracked, my skin cannot handle it. I was never a lotion guy until recently.

Last year at this time, I was in my new home in The Woo and stuck around a lot, working on my house daily. It’s paid off and now I live in a space that feels very much like mine. But now I am only seeing it a week or two a month. My cat has to get used to me all over again. My roommate has to deal with my coming and going. The good and bad parts of the coming months are one in the same: I will be gigging and traveling a lot – which means I will be gone a lot.

I am amazed out how guilty I feel for not posting the last couple of weeks.

A thousand apologies to those who read my posts regularly. A thousand thank yous to those who asked me why I haven’t been posting entries. A thousand more apologies to myself, the writer, for not giving myself enough time or credit to my skill in getting my life off my chest through this online process of expression. I set out to post everyday and then life happened to me fast and keeping up on a daily basis was much more difficult than I anticipated. I think I am back though.

Thank you to Bon Iver, Felice Brothers, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Jim James and Calexico for holding me close in this loneliness. For hugging my ears and letting me listen. Thank you to my iPod and headphones for insulating me from all things noisy and outside of my body.

SATURDAY, APRIL 17
Karen Finneyfrock came through Worcester for Kitchen Session #13. It was a jam-packed night of delicious words and grub. She blew everyone away, as most of us expected and had a chance to perform works that don’t usually fit the mold of poetry slam features or public open mic sets. I also had the lovely opportunity to host Robbie Q, who had driven to New England for a short series of shows. He finally got to see my house and spent the evening carousing (minus the drinking) with the local spoken word herd. He debuted his “Lindsay Lohan’s Tampon” poem. It’s a piece he wrote in his car while driving (dangerous!) in the voice of her feminine hygiene product. A satire on the recent and rash trend of persona poetry. Karen and Robb are a good blend of friends to have in my house. Kitchen Sessions has become one of my favorite reasons to have a home. I love hosting, specially in my kitchen. If you show up to KS#14, and I know you well enough, I will mock you. Be prepared. It’s my chance to roast an entire scene.

SUNDAY, APRIL 18
Spent a bulk of the day discussing some very serious topics with Robb and Karen. Mostly about race and the importance of diversity, especially in our poetry/spoken word scene. It made me realize that I have a lot to say and even more voices to hear. I am listening, poets. I want to be a part of working things out.

Due to this very long discussion, Robb left much later than he wanted to. We kept trying to convince him to stay another day, but it didn’t work and he punked out like a tiny slut. Yep. Slut.

Karen and I made our way with Bill MacMillan to Poet’s Asylum for Karen’s feature, which was also very good. She sold bunches of books over the weekend and we had good times. We retired to MacMillan’s basement to a game of Ostrakon, which was a birthday present from my friend Tristissima. If you have never played this game – and looooove philosphizin’ – seek it out!

Then Karen, Melinda and I headed home for sleeping. I actually stayed up and caught up on my Hulu shows…

MONDAY, APRIL 19
I spent most of the day hanging at Tony’s and Missy’s place on the first floor, washing laundry and booking flights. I always seem to have to leave Worcester the day after The Dirty Gerund Poetry Show at Ralph’s Diner. I generally do not attend poetry events the night before a long trip. Suffice it to say, I stayed home, packed, and Melinda drove me in the morning to Boston Logan. I do not like leaving Worcester when I’ve only been home a few days. It makes me very sad and tends to dress my mood for the first few days of whatever trip I embark on.

TUESDAY, APRIL 20
FLIGHT ITINERARY: Boston —> Chicago —> Denver —> Spokane. One very long day.

I came to Spokane, Washington for a community college poetry gig set for the morning of Wednesday, April 21. I had contacted local poet-organizer, Zack Graham, over the weekend to:
1) let him know I was coming through
2) see what else was going on in town
3) see if I could procure a couch to crash on for any extra days I’d be in town

He responded in kind:
1) Sweet!
2) Tuesday night (the night I flew in) Salt Lines was booked to play the Empyrean (Canceled before I landed.)
Wednesday night Patricia Smith was to play the Fox Theater with a jazz quintet as part of Spokane’s pretty sweet Get Lit! Festival.
Thursday night a new infrequent poetry slam was booked to run at the a small bar called the Lion’s Lair. $200 prize for first place.
3) Yes! Stay with us.

I got in on Tuesday night after a very long day of travel from Boston Logan. The school had booked me at the Double Tree, which was lovely and very close to all things going on in Spokane. I stayed in and watched an uplifting documentary called Burma VJ. Truly amazing. I always end up watching the best television in hotel rooms.

I immediately felt good to be in town. Probably due mostly to not being on a layover or in the air anymore.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21
I woke after some pretty restless sleep and got ready for the day. My ride from Spokane Community College picked me up and we ventured to the school. I met with some of the staff and students and was under the impression that I’d be hosting a student poetry slam in the main eating area of the student center. They had a small stage set up and a mic on a mic stand. The sound was the exact same Bose equipment used at the Poet’s Asylum in Worcester. Neat.

The students who were to slam never materialized, so I began an hour-long set of poetry to a small crowd at around 11:13am. Probably my earliest school gig ever. They had told me that most classes get out just before 11:30 to break for lunch. Sure enough, around 11:28am, the place filled to standing room only and I ended up having a really great time with those who came to listen. Since most of those who came in late arrived without lunches, I assumed they specifically came to hear spoken word. It was great. After the set, I got a ride to Rocket Bakery near Zack’s and Michelle Riddle’s apartment. I sat and wrote a very sad poem and waited for Zack and Kurt Olsen to meet me after they got out of work.

We dropped my bags off at his place a couple blocks away and hung out for a while. Their friend Teri Koski met us there and we chatted until it was time to head to the Fox Theater. Zack had won a school slam and the prize was opening for Patricia Smith.

The Fox Theater is stunning. I am always proud of poets who get to perform in beautiful, quality venues. I feel it raises the status of spoken word and poetry by housing it such venerable places. David Sedaris will be performing at the Fox around May 8th, methinks, and it makes me envious of the residents of Spokane.

Patricia’s set was mesmerizing. I was surprised by one poet in attendance who told me, after watching Patricia’s set, that they did not enjoy any of her persona work. I thought that odd, but I asked if they have ever enjoyed anyone’s persona poems and they agreed that they never really had.

The night ended with me wrestling an awesome Thai burrito into my face at Neato Burrito, retiring to Zack’s couch and falling asleep to The Matrix due to exhaustion and not disdain for the film.

THURSDAY, APRIL 22
Spent a good chunk of the day working on my computer and hanging out between Rocket Bakery and the Empyrean. Met up with Michelle at Missing Piece Tattoo Shop where she got a sweet owl tattoo. Met up with Zack and Mark Anderson (sweet kid) and watched them dominate the last two rounds of the Paper Trial Poetry Slam at the Lion’s Lair. Zack won and he returned $40 of the $200 prize to the organizer, Jessica Sandoval. We went back to Empyrean where Kurt Olson was gearing up to play with his band, Mon Cheri. Turns out he’s not only a badass local poet, and the Spokane rep for the Individual World Poetry Slam, but he’s an accomplished stand-up bass player as well. Mon Cheri consists of two vocalists, Patrick and Caroline, Kurt on bass and their drummer Brandon. Patrick is also on guitar duty while busting out some of the sweetest harmonies with Caroline. They were a true gem of a band whose covers were as dynamic as their own original songs. I became a huge insta-fan and bought their EP and full-length album on the spot. Turns out I also met Patrick at IWPS in Berkeley, fall of 2009, and took his picture in my massive IWPS series.

I told them they needed to hit the road and it turns out they’re on tour next week, sliding down the west coast for a bunch of shows. If you like great live tunes, go check out Mon Cheri. You can check out dates, tracks and footage at their Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/moncheriband

You won’t regret it. Their chemistry is phenomenal. Their musical skill is fantastic. Their stage presence is lovable. Tell ‘em I sent you!

After their show, we all went to a sweet diner and ate good bad-for-you food and laughed it up. Then we hit a club and everybody danced it up. I watched all the pretty young people shake tail feathers and booties to loud sweet dance mixes.

Then we went back to Zack’s where I packed and left for a midnight train to Everett, Washington.

THE RIDDLE SISTERS
Chrissy and Michelle are owner/operators of Empyrean Café in Spokane. Amazing ladies and purveyors of good times. They are a glue in the community, good hearted people who are a part of downtown Spokane just because there is no way they wouldn’t be. Most poets who come here know them and adore them. The Empyrean is the shit. It’s the venue I performed at the night I heard of Gabrielle Bouliane’s death. Suffice it to say, Spokane was an unexpectedly very soft landing.

FRIDAY, APRIL 23
Happy birthday to my ex-girlfriend from 1995, Libby, who is now married and I’m just blanking on her new last name. Happy birthday to my friend and Bryce Wainwright-Dumont’s wife, Hannah.

My oldest friend Arthur Flowers picked me up at the Everett Amtrak Station in the morning. A seven-hour ride made to feel like a one-hour ride thanks to good sleep.

We ran errands and I relaxed the rest of the day. We went to a casino and played a few slots and roulette, then went back to his place.

SATURDAY, APRIL 24
The Jack McCarthy Invitational Poetry Slam in Marysville, Washington is in it’s 5th year. I haven’t slammed seriously in years, but it’s good to dust off a few poems and pretend their under time.

THE LINEUP

Me
Joaquin Zihautenejo
Jodie Knowles
Cheryl Maddalena
Karen Finneyfrock
Tara Hardy
Greg Bee
Matt Gano
RC Weslowski
Anis “Andy” Mojgani
Danny Sherrard
Jessica Lohafer
Robert Lashly

I still advanced to the second round in my head-to-head with Andy Mojgani, because we BOTH got time penalties. Touring kills slam readiness!

In the end, Joaquin beat out Greg Bee for the grand prize of $222. We all made a bit of money though. Jack’s invitational is one of the best and most complicated slams I’ve ever been in. It was fantastic.

Most of the night Anis and I just laughed and laughed and laughed. What a great time.

Held in a Unitarian Church, it’s the most welcoming audience any poet could ask for. Hosted each year by Bellingham’s Bob Huston, who just simply rules as an emcee. One of the funnest and funniest dudes I know. A highly recommended event.

SUNDAY, APRIL 25
Went with Jodie to support her in the Seattle Poetry Slam Final. It was held at an actual Town Hall. Pretty cool space for poetry slam. One of the neat things about the Seattle poets is that they all dressed up in their best threads for the finals. I liked seeing that. Real classy peeps pulling out their A-game.

In the end, the 2010 Seattle Slam Team is:
Tara Hardy
Rachel “Rocky” Bernstein
Karen Finneyfrock
Maya Hersh

All four ladies were fantastic.

MONDAY, APRIL 26
My friend Art and I drove from Everett to Tacoma and we met up with my aunt Rose and my grandmother. We ate sandwiches and caught up with my father’s side of my family. My cousins Fawn and Larry came by with their kids and we had a good afternoon of chatting and catching up.

TUESDAY, APRIL 27
Tonight: I head down to Seattle with Art and Jodie Knowles. I will feature at the poetry slam (http://www.seattlepoetryslam.org) this evening at Re-bar, one of the first venues I performed at during the 2001 National Poetry Slam. http://www.rebarseattle.com

In the morning, I’ll get on a train to Vancouver, B.C. Haven’t been back up there since December. It’s about time.

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON
What the fuck is it about that city that gets me out of my funk? It must be the poets, eager to be a part of the national spoken word scene. It must be the people who are trying to put eastern Washington on the map. They’re doing a great job, along with the crew of Poetry Night in Bellingham and the Seattle Poetry Slam. Washington is a pretty sweet state and spoken word is very much alive out here. It makes me feel quite at home.
———
Word to the nerd.

Originally published at Mike McGee Town. You can comment here or there.

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This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 27 April, 2010 at 12:56 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged washington. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.