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:

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 gabrielle bouliane, gabrielle bouliane volunteer award, national poetry slam, volunteer. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

(Mobile) This Weekend, A Good One For Spoken Word [13]

LOCAL EMMY AWARD FOR SPOKEN WORD
Congrats to Bluz of Charlotte, North Carolina for his Emmy win. I know a poet with an Emmy! That’s rad. Not sure of all the details, but I hear it was for a local promo.

FRIDAY NIGHT
Some wonderful people came by my house on Friday to celebrate Cynthia French’s birthday. Great conversations and some Bananagrams in the living room. I baked a cake, Melinda baked cupcakes. We had to use Tony Brown’s oven since ours won’t stay below 550 degrees no matter what we set it to. Anybody have any ideas?

Tony came upstairs as we were getting underway to tell us that he just watched Shane Koyczan perform at the Olympics.

GABRIELLE
Discovered the city of Buffalo, New York declared February 14 “Gabrielle Bouliane Day.” That is just so cool. Maybe next year a bunch of us should book a show there and truly celebrate her special day. The Bunny Up Show!
———
Word to the nerd.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 14 February, 2010 at 3:51 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged birthday, bluz, cynthia french, gabrielle bouliane, party, shane koyczan. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

(Mobile) This Weekend, A Good One For Spoken Word [13]

LOCAL EMMY AWARD FOR SPOKEN WORD
Congrats to Bluz of Charlotte, North Carolina for his Emmy win. I know a poet with an Emmy! That’s rad. Not sure of all the details, but I hear it was for a local promo.

FRIDAY NIGHT
Some wonderful people came by my house on Friday to celebrate Cynthia French’s birthday. Great conversations and some Bananagrams in the living room. I baked a cake, Melinda baked cupcakes. We had to use Tony Brown’s oven since ours won’t stay below 550 degrees no matter what we set it to. Anybody have any ideas?

Tony came upstairs as we were getting underway to tell us that he just watched Shane Koyczan perform at the Olympics.

GABRIELLE
Discovered the city of Buffalo, New York declared February 14 “Gabrielle Bouliane Day.” That is just so cool. Maybe next year a bunch of us should book a show there and truly celebrate her special day. The Bunny Up Show!
———
Word to the nerd.

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

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on at 3:51 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged birthday, blackberry mobile post, bluz, cynthia french, gabrielle bouliane, party, personal updates, shane koyczan. 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 award, gabrielle bouliane, gabrielle bouliane volunteer award, loans, volunteer, volunteerism. 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 award, gabrielle bouliane, gabrielle bouliane volunteer award, Ideas & Projects, loans, national poetry slam, personal updates, spoken word, volunteer, volunteerism. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.

Rest In Peace [24/365]

Copied directly from my Mac’s Dictionary:

empyrean |emˈpirēən; ˌempəˈrēən| (also empyreal |-əl|)
adjective
belonging to or deriving from heaven.

noun ( the empyrean)
heaven, in particular the highest part of heaven.
• poetic/literary the visible heavens; the sky.
ORIGIN late Middle English (as an adjective): via medieval Latin from Greek empurios, from en- ‘in’ + pur ‘fire.’ The noun dates from the mid 17th cent.

Copied directly from my life yesterday:

I woke up at the Pullman, Washington Holiday Inn at 3:55am yesterday. I was surprised it was so early, having nodded off around midnight. Couldn’t sleep. Ate the continental breakfast. Walked around the hotel. Something heavy and ominous loomed over me all morning. I tried writing and working on my schedule. I tinkered around the internet. I watched two VH1 specials. I tried tracking down a Bank of America to deposit the college-gig check I got the night before. With this, I planned to buy a ticket to Austin to visit Gabrielle next week.

I checked out of the hotel while waiting for the shuttle to take me to the bus depot, I got a text message from Tony Brown that read:

“sounds like time for a real big bunny up…“

I realized that I had still had a few things to say to Gabrielle, the slamily, and anyone willing to read. In the depot, I began a longish journal entry explaining Gabrielle’s situation. To a lot of people who didn’t know her, it must’ve been pretty clear that a friend of the community was ill, but I just wanted to talk about her. I figured, if she’s dying today, I wanted everybody who came across my blog to think about her a.m.a.p. I continued writing onto the 2:20 afternoon bus to Spokane, which is only 75 minutes away. I saw Cynthia French’s LiveJournal post regarding the influx of calls to Gabrielle’s crew in Austin yesterday morning. People just looking for info on Gab’s condition. Only the people at hospice knew that she wasn’t going to make it through the night. I think that feeling alone got out to the right people and it spread almost wordless throughout the community.

A week or so ago, I contacted the Riddle sisters, these two lovely, delightful do-it-yourself venue owners in Spokane about booking a show in their awesome café/venue. It’s a pretty popular joint. The Electric Whale Revival played their spot in November 2007 and it was easily one of my top three favorite shows of the whole tour, along with Gabrielle’s Buffalo gig. They got back to me and were stoked to have me open for a trio of bands on Friday.

The bus pulled into the Spokane depot as I hit ‘publish’ on my blog. Transmitting in a bus garage, I wasn’t sure if it had gone through. Michelle Riddle met me inside and a wave of sheer exhaustion hit me. I had intended to sleep on the bus, but my post became a priority. I felt like I was racing time, racing Gabrielle. I was sure to not refer to Gabs in the past tense. I wanted it to be something for a living friend, even if she couldn’t read it, or ever see it. I knew she probably hadn’t been conscious the whole day, but I surely didn’t anticipate the outcome of yesterday afternoon. At Michelle’s house, I was greeted by her equally awesome roommates, Zack and Anna, who made me feel super-welcome. I planned to nap before the show and laid out on a couch, immediately comfortable. Feeling tired and a bit low, I had planned a heavier, serious set, for what I thought might be a poet-heavy audience. As my eyelids became heavy my phone rang. It was Rachel McKibbens. I could tell in her voice that it wasn’t good news. I asked her if Gabrielle was okay and she said, “she passed 30 minutes ago.” My stomach sunk and I was just absolutely done with the day. McKibbens and I talked for a bit and I was so very glad I heard the news from her. I didn’t want to turn on my computer, but I needed to know that my post went through. I figured if it hadn’t, then I had missed out on putting it into the world while Gabrielle was here with us; maybe I should delete the draft. If it had posted, even if for a moment before Gabrielle died, then at least the people who read it were thinking about G before she passed. McKibbens confirmed that my post had gone through. I still figured I had been too late.

McKibbens had a short list of people she wanted to call, so that they wouldn’t hear about it online. I called Tony Brown. Mike Henry called me after calling Bill MacMillan, who then called me too. It was a much needed daisy-chain of calls in a short spell. Word seemed to get out pretty quickly over the phone. I kept trying to read updates on LiveJournal, but the house seems to be in a mobile signal void, and wouldn’t connect to the internet. Then text messages started rolling in. I eventually ignored my phone enough to doze off. Michelle woke me an hour later and brought to her venue, Empyrean Café.

We got there about 7pm, I went on at 7:25, performing in front of an audience that was surely there to hear live music, but as the place filled, the more they listened. Enough people in the room were familiar enough with spoken word to make me feel more at home. The Empyrean is also Spokane’s poetry slam venue (2nd Thursdays), but tonight was band night. I dedicated my set to Gabrielle, and went into full on funny-poem-mode. I knew the only way to keep them listening was to be humorous and I knew that the only way I wasn’t going to break down crying in front of a group of strangers was to mention Muppet-fisting and creamy desserts. It went very well and I made enough converts to spoken word to sell several books. It was good and it felt like Gabs would’ve approved. Even the bands that went on after me seemed pretty stoked and impressed by the work. I got a dozen or so, ‘I didn’t think poetry could be like that.’

Chatting with Avont, a wonderful off-the-clock bartender, originally from Chicago, he mentioned that he had originally found a video of me online and researched more of my work a few years ago. When he sat down with some friends to see the line-up for the night, not knowing I’d be opening, he thought my voice was familiar, but immediately recognized it when I launched into “Soul Food.” He was pleased. I was pleased.

Gabrielle kept coming to mind and since the Riddles were busily running the café, I didn’t want to bother them. They fed and caffeinated me for free and the bands playing were all fantastic, but I was returning to exhaustion. I had planned to bus down to Portland in the morning, so I didn’t think it wise to get drunk, so I avoided beer. I really wanted to drink a shot or a pint for Gabrielle, but there was nobody around Spokane who knew her so I figured I’d wait until I was among other Bunnies to have a drink on her account. Anna offered to drop me off at the house. On the way out, a young man named Tyler — with what looked like crucifix tattoos on his temples — chased me out of the Empyrean and handed me a folded up napkin. He said to read it later and to call him if it registered. I thanked him and put it in my pocket.

Zack was home so we talked a while. He was preparing for a trip to Seattle to compete in a breakdance tournament. He’s also a poet who slams locally and was Spokane’s Indie rep in Berkeley last year. Sweet kid. Truly.

I went online and saw that my journal entry posted roughly 8 minutes before Gabs passed away. 8. I’d like to think that with so many Bunny Ups and heartfelt love transferring across the internet, and good, good people watching over her, that she passed on in peace. So much energy directed at her loving soul.

Gabs, now that you’re gone, I don’t know what to think of the spiritual world. I am not a religious man. I don’t know that I have a god. But if there is one, or a heaven, or an afterlife, you probably know all about it now. I miss you. I miss your smile and I wish I could hold you real good. I wish I could squeeze you again. I want to share a pitcher with you and laugh. I can’t. Okay. Suit yourself. I am selfish. I am not looking forward to the days I can’t take the sadness. I am not looking forward to the inevitable bunny tattoos the poets will invariably get put on them in their attempt to memorialize you. I thought about it, then I read your letter again and I know more of what to do with my life. I promise you that I will keep laughing and making laughter happen all around me. If your energy is around, please make it known through all that laughter. Thank you so very much for loving me and what I do. Thank you for convincing me that I’m doing it right. I love you so much. I always will. And if you can get internet wherever you are, Mongo put together this track for you. I know that if you of all people can get internet, then you do have internet. Go listen to it here. While I was thinking about you last night, in a building named after Heaven, a boy handed me a note on a napkin. I read it today. Here’s what it said:

”your way with words, Poetry & just the gift to speak over people, is more than an outlet man. Its a gift. A gift from God. I don’t know how you feel about him but he loves you. He sees the burden on your shoulders. And he wants to take it away. Your writings meant for more than a way to let out insecuritie & hurt. You are meant to change lives. Thousands. Bring your problems before God & he will give you the words to speak over people who have hurts just like yours, bringing them out Depression, insecuritie, & just helping them feel loved. You have a huge calling man. Your in my prayers.

Much love!

(Phone number)
hit me up if this spoke to you, I feel God wanted you to hear this

Was that you last night, Gabrielle? I’m keeping the napkin because I feel I should at least thank the kid once more. But I definitely felt something in that last night. Did you visit all the poets on your way home? Did you rise? Did you fly? What’s it like? The one thing that left with you yesterday was all of my worry for you. It’s gone probably because you are. But you aren’t though. So many of us are holding on to you. When I am stuck or need advice, I am always gonna ask myself WWGD: What Would Gabrielle Do? I decided not to go to Portland today. I wanted to nap on the couch I was on when I heard you died. I can’t believe you’re dead. I can’t. Not when you were just in Worcester playing games with us in MacMillan’s basement. Good times. I promise you I will have many more good times. SO many. I will not be afraid to have fun or be fun. I promise you I will find real love. I will seek it out and hang onto it and honor it. I miss you. I have missed you since you told us you were sick. I was scared to see you so ill. I was afraid of seeing you thin and ill. So very worried about it. I didn’t want proof that you were dying, but I’m glad you told us. It made yesterday a bit easier. You really know how to make people comfortable, don’t you. Maybe sacrificing your own comfort a little too often. I am working on that too. The post I tried to put out to the world before you left went up at 3:55pm, exactly 12 hours after I woke up. Isn’t that weird? Exactly 12 hours of ominous looming. I felt is was you. I love you, Gabrielle. Should I get a bunny tattooed next to my ladybug? I know I am (nash) rambling right now, but its just what comes out. I am finally crying, not hard, just right. I wish you were here, mama. They’re probably gonna name a poetry slam award after you. You knew that, didn’t you? I think it’s a good idea. I’d love to win a GABY! Who wouldn’t? I don’t even know what it is yet, but I know where I’d put it in my house. Maybe it should be a volunteer or a WoW award. What Would You Do, G? Thank you so much for all you were. Let’s talk like this often. I’m still gonna need you.

Goodbye, my friend. I love you.

This entry was written by Mike McGee, posted on 30 January, 2010 at 6:04 PM, filed under Personal Updates and tagged gabrielle bouliane. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink.