"Mighty" Mike McGee's Electronic Place of Himself.

Typings of a well-traveled, talky, funny, hobo-poet.

Gabrielle Bouliane Volunteer Award

Since the National Poetry Slam is fast approaching, I wanted to bring up the Gabrielle Bouliane Volunteer Award. In addition to what I wrote about it initially, I feel that the prize should include:

    a trophy made by a different poet each year
    no more than $50 from me or by donation (the specific amount is explained further down)
    letters, postcards and love notes from the spoken word community

Upon figuring out a voting system, we’d tally the nominations/votes, then announce a winner. We’d give a a few weeks for people to send in notes and for the creation of the trophy. Then we’d send it all, with a $50 bill to the recipient.

Do we do this for the National Poetry Slam AND the Women of the World AND the Individual World Poetry Slam?

Should I do this at all!? It really is out of love.

Read on and tell me your thoughts on how to make this most efficient.

I truly appreciate any and all concerns, opinions and ideas from the poetry slam community.

Here is the excerpt from my original post on February 11 at MikeMcGee.net:

THE GABRIELLE BOULIANE NATIONAL POETRY SLAM VOLUNTEER AWARD
I don’t have the specifics completely lined up, but every year after the National Poetry Slam, from here on out, I will award one volunteer $50 for their selfless work at that year’s event.

There will be a voting process whether I attend or not, as it will be handled via the internet. People will be nominated and voted on. Essays will have to be written as to why said volunteer deserves the award. The $50 is just to be tradition, as it certainly does not cover any expense laid out by said recipient, but it is to say thank you for all of their help and to put a name to the year’s example of selflessness in poetry slam.

I will create a page on my site for this award and ask a poet each year to design a simple award/plaque/statuette, in Gabrielle’s spirit, to also be awarded along with the monetary prize.

Any and all advice on this concept is certainly welcome.

I chose the National Poetry Slam because of its size and Gabrielle’s affiliation with it.

Your thoughts are a must.

And this one from February 12:

This is a reposted section from my entry yesterday. I need as many ideas on this as possible. I called Rachel McKibbens and she has agreed to be the first to design a physical trophy/prize for this year’s recipient.

Read below, and please post any ideas you can come up with that might make this concept more badass.

I was a bit worried that I might be jumping the gun on naming an award after Gabrielle, but this is for me and her, a private award that has little connection with any organization. Bill MacMillan had lent $50 to Gabs this summer, and so she passed it on to me when I needed it, and I think if I continually pass it on to people, it’s what she would have wanted. It’s only $50, but it’s the principle of who and why they’re receiving it.

Does it need “National Poetry Slam” in the title? I’m pretty convinced it should be for volunteers, but what are your thoughts? Is it wise to wait a week or so after NPS to handle the nominations and voting? I think this will give nominators and voters time to consider their submission. What forum, format and protocol should I use for voting?

I really want to see what the community has to say about this. I will put together a page on my site once all of the details are collected and kinks are worked out. It’s all pretty simple, “Hey, everybody. Who deserves $50 and an award for helping out this year?” Then everyone can vote.

I need the voting to be public, but not anonymous. 1 person, 1 vote. Should I set up a group on Facebook? Should I allow anyone to submit by LiveJournal, Mike McGee Town, and the PoetrySlam.com Forums? I just checked and I am still a member of the forums. Rachel recommended I use the forums. I feel like one place to nominate people, one place to vote makes sense. I don’t want to do it by email, because I want it all to be very public, but I want people to have to be signed in to nominate and to vote. Lay out your structure!

———
Word to the nerd.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 19 July, 2010 at 11:43 AM, filed under Uncategorized and tagged , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

The Gabrielle Bouliane Volunteer Award [11]

Happy birthday to Cynthia French! We’re gonna celebrate at my house tonight! Birthday party! If you’re nearby, message me.

FROM LAST NIGHT’S ENTRY

THE GABRIELLE BOULIANE NATIONAL POETRY SLAM VOLUNTEER AWARD
I don’t have the specifics completely lined up, but every year after the National Poetry Slam, from here on out, I will award one volunteer $50 for their selfless work at that year’s event.

There will be a voting process whether I attend or not, as it will be handled via the internet. People will be nominated and voted on. Essays will have to be written as to why said volunteer deserves the award. The $50 is just to be tradition, as it certainly does not cover any expense laid out by said recipient, but it is to say thank you for all of their help and to put a name to the year’s example of selflessness in poetry slam.

I will create a page on my site for this award and ask a poet each year to design a simple award/plaque/statuette, in Gabrielle’s spirit, to also be awarded along with the monetary prize.

Any and all advice on this concept is certainly welcome.

I chose the National Poetry Slam because of its size and Gabrielle’s affiliation with it.

Your thoughts are a must.

This is a reposted section from my entry yesterday. I need as many ideas on this as possible. I called Rachel McKibbens and she has agreed to be the first to design a physical trophy/prize for this year’s recipient.

Read below, and please post any ideas you can come up with that might make this concept more badass.

I was a bit worried that I might be jumping the gun on naming an award after Gabrielle, but this is for me and her, a private award that has little connection with any organization. Bill MacMillan had lent $50 to Gabs this summer, and so she passed it on to me when I needed it, and I think if I continually pass it on to people, it’s what she would have wanted. It’s only $50, but it’s the principle of who and why they’re receiving it.

Does it need “National Poetry Slam” in the title? I’m pretty convinced it should be for volunteers, but what are your thoughts? Is it wise to wait a week or so after NPS to handle the nominations and voting? I think this will give nominators and voters time to consider their submission. What forum, format and protocol should I use for voting?

I really want to see what the community has to say about this. I will put together a page on my site once all of the details are collected and kinks are worked out. It’s all pretty simple, “Hey, everybody. Who deserves $50 and an award for helping out this year?” Then everyone can vote.

I need the voting to be public, but not anonymous. 1 person, 1 vote. Should I set up a group on Facebook? Should I allow anyone to submit by LiveJournal, Mike McGee Town, and the PoetrySlam.com Forums? I just checked and I am still a member of the forums. Rachel recommended I use the forums. I feel like one place to nominate people, one place to vote makes sense. I don’t want to do it by email, because I want it all to be very public, but I want people to have to be signed in to nominate and to vote. Lay out your structure!

Help!
———
Word to the nerd.
Bunny up.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 12 February, 2010 at 9:03 AM, filed under Uncategorized and tagged , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

The Gabrielle Bouliane Volunteer Award [11]

Happy birthday to Cynthia French! We’re gonna celebrate at my house tonight! Birthday party! If you’re nearby, message me.

FROM LAST NIGHT’S ENTRY

THE GABRIELLE BOULIANE NATIONAL POETRY SLAM VOLUNTEER AWARD
I don’t have the specifics completely lined up, but every year after the National Poetry Slam, from here on out, I will award one volunteer $50 for their selfless work at that year’s event.

There will be a voting process whether I attend or not, as it will be handled via the internet. People will be nominated and voted on. Essays will have to be written as to why said volunteer deserves the award. The $50 is just to be tradition, as it certainly does not cover any expense laid out by said recipient, but it is to say thank you for all of their help and to put a name to the year’s example of selflessness in poetry slam.

I will create a page on my site for this award and ask a poet each year to design a simple award/plaque/statuette, in Gabrielle’s spirit, to also be awarded along with the monetary prize.

Any and all advice on this concept is certainly welcome.

I chose the National Poetry Slam because of its size and Gabrielle’s affiliation with it.

Your thoughts are a must.

This is a reposted section from my entry yesterday. I need as many ideas on this as possible. I called Rachel McKibbens and she has agreed to be the first to design a physical trophy/prize for this year’s recipient.

Read below, and please post any ideas you can come up with that might make this concept more badass.

I was a bit worried that I might be jumping the gun on naming an award after Gabrielle, but this is for me and her, a private award that has little connection with any organization. Bill MacMillan had lent $50 to Gabs this summer, and so she passed it on to me when I needed it, and I think if I continually pass it on to people, it’s what she would have wanted. It’s only $50, but it’s the principle of who and why they’re receiving it.

Does it need “National Poetry Slam” in the title? I’m pretty convinced it should be for volunteers, but what are your thoughts? Is it wise to wait a week or so after NPS to handle the nominations and voting? I think this will give nominators and voters time to consider their submission. What forum, format and protocol should I use for voting?

I really want to see what the community has to say about this. I will put together a page on my site once all of the details are collected and kinks are worked out. It’s all pretty simple, “Hey, everybody. Who deserves $50 and an award for helping out this year?” Then everyone can vote.

I need the voting to be public, but not anonymous. 1 person, 1 vote. Should I set up a group on Facebook? Should I allow anyone to submit by LiveJournal, Mike McGee Town, and the PoetrySlam.com Forums? I just checked and I am still a member of the forums. Rachel recommended I use the forums. I feel like one place to nominate people, one place to vote makes sense. I don’t want to do it by email, because I want it all to be very public, but I want people to have to be signed in to nominate and to vote. Lay out your structure!

Help!
———
Word to the nerd.
Bunny up.

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

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on at 9:03 AM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Repaying My Friends & The Gabrielle Bouliane Award [10]

MICRO-LOANS & REPAYMENT
I just spent two hours on PayPal repaying $1820 to the awesome friends who came through for me on January 8, 2010. You can read more about my loan situation here.

Loans ranged from $10 to $500. A third of the total came from Canada, just another confirmation of my home away from home.

Here are all the people who loaned me money:

Jeremy Alexander
Jessica Nappa-Siegel
Karrie Waarala
Cheryl Maddalena
Bob Nelson
Gabrielle Bouliane*
Ravenna Kibbutz
Jessica Standifird
Joshua Sampey
Kimberleigh Irene Marie Smithbower Roseblade
Craig Steward
Anis Mojgani
Wayne Mercier
Thomas Budday
Peter Hunter
Mindy Netifee
Ginger Wetzbarger
Kevin Whitley (Sparks)
Samantha Libby
Laura Swearingen-Steadwell (Yes! Yes!)
Yvonne Naimey
Moira Reilly
Jill Binder
Kate Stewart
Annelyse Gelman

This list doesn’t even come close to the response I got from people offering to send me checks by mail, but I reached my goal via PayPal so quickly, that I could not take anything else.

RC Weslowski sent me a “birthday check (cheque in Canada)” of $250. He’s coming to New England for some shows in May! Yay! You cannot miss this kind, lovely man…

I am still so humbled and grateful for all the help.

This community is beautiful.

*I was floored when Gabrielle Bouliane sent me $50. She was adamant about me not worrying about it. So I didn’t. I had hoped to pay her back before she died, but that did not happen. She probably needed xoxos from me before she needed $50. So this is what I am gonna do:

THE GABRIELLE BOULIANE NATIONAL POETRY SLAM VOLUNTEER AWARD
I don’t have the specifics completely lined up, but every year after the National Poetry Slam, from here on out, I will award one volunteer $50 for their selfless work at that year’s event.

There will be a voting process whether I attend or not, as it will be handled via the internet. People will be nominated and voted on. Essays will have to be written as to why said volunteer deserves the award. The $50 is just to be tradition, as it certainly does not cover any expense laid out by said recipient, but it is to say thank you for all of their help and to put a name to the year’s example of selflessness in poetry slam.

I will create a page on my site for this award and ask a poet each year to design a simple award/plaque/statuette, in Gabrielle’s spirit, to also be awarded along with the monetary prize.

Any and all advice on this concept is certainly welcome.

I chose the National Poetry Slam because of its size and Gabrielle’s affiliation with it.

Your thoughts are a must.
———
Word to the nerd.
Bunny up.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 11 February, 2010 at 2:58 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Repaying My Friends & The Gabrielle Bouliane Award [10]

MICRO-LOANS & REPAYMENT
I just spent two hours on PayPal repaying $1820 to the awesome friends who came through for me on January 8, 2010. You can read more about my loan situation here.

Loans ranged from $10 to $500. A third of the total came from Canada, just another confirmation of my home away from home.

Here are all the people who loaned me money:

Jeremy Alexander
Jessica Nappa-Siegel
Karrie Waarala
Cheryl Maddalena
Bob Nelson
Gabrielle Bouliane*
Ravenna Kibbutz
Jessica Standifird
Joshua Sampey
Kimberleigh Irene Marie Smithbower Roseblade
Craig Steward
Anis Mojgani
Wayne Mercier
Thomas Budday
Peter Hunter
Mindy Netifee
Ginger Wetzbarger
Kevin Whitley (Sparks)
Samantha Libby
Laura Swearingen-Steadwell (Yes! Yes!)
Yvonne Naimey
Moira Reilly
Jill Binder
Kate Stewart
Annelyse Gelman

This list doesn’t even come close to the response I got from people offering to send me checks by mail, but I reached my goal via PayPal so quickly, that I could not take anything else.

RC Weslowski sent me a “birthday check (cheque in Canada)” of $250. He’s coming to New England for some shows in May! Yay! You cannot miss this kind, lovely man…

I am still so humbled and grateful for all the help.

This community is beautiful.

*I was floored when Gabrielle Bouliane sent me $50. She was adamant about me not worrying about it. So I didn’t. I had hoped to pay her back before she died, but that did not happen. She probably needed xoxos from me before she needed $50. So this is what I am gonna do:

THE GABRIELLE BOULIANE NATIONAL POETRY SLAM VOLUNTEER AWARD
I don’t have the specifics completely lined up, but every year after the National Poetry Slam, from here on out, I will award one volunteer $50 for their selfless work at that year’s event.

There will be a voting process whether I attend or not, as it will be handled via the internet. People will be nominated and voted on. Essays will have to be written as to why said volunteer deserves the award. The $50 is just to be tradition, as it certainly does not cover any expense laid out by said recipient, but it is to say thank you for all of their help and to put a name to the year’s example of selflessness in poetry slam.

I will create a page on my site for this award and ask a poet each year to design a simple award/plaque/statuette, in Gabrielle’s spirit, to also be awarded along with the monetary prize.

Any and all advice on this concept is certainly welcome.

I chose the National Poetry Slam because of its size and Gabrielle’s affiliation with it.

Your thoughts are a must.
———
Word to the nerd.
Bunny up.

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

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on at 2:58 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.