Well, I’ve been away from the blog a few days because of company. One of my best friends (and Godmother to one of my kids) came in from out of town on Thursday and will be in the area until This coming Thursday. In college (& in the couple years after I graduated), Gabrielle had been my “poetry buddy” — one of the few people I could count on to go out to readings with me and one of the few people with whom I have been able to actually discuss poetry easily, comfortably & thoroughly — from style & tone to content, etc.
Fittingly, she and I went out to the Wine Up for one of their Thursday Touch One Productions nights. I hadn’t been to any of their events before, but I’d met most of the Charlotte Slam team (National champs!) at one point or another. It’s kinda funny — my style is so far from “spitting,” but I really want to be able to pull off one piece like that someday. Just a little personal accomplishment kind of thing. I can’t even think in that style though. I’ll give everyone a good laugh if/when I ever make it onto a slam stage. But that’s ok.
As far as laughs go, I was ready for them to fly Saturday night: we went out for me to “sing” karaoke to a particular song. Unfortunately, though, the place was a good bit too out of date and too country to have the song. Or any of my back-ups. I was so disappointed. But we’d already paid our cover, so we committed to singing a song together. We had a tough time picking one out, but when we finally did, I had fun at least. I mean, make no mistake, I was off pitch & neither of us could hit the full range of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” — at least not when yelling it into a mic to be heard over a bar full of people not really paying any attention anyhow.So, the differences between Thursday & Saturday nights are:
| Location: | Wine Up | Backstage |
| Event: | Slam Poetry | Bad Karaoke |
| Flavor: | Urban | Suburban-Country |
| Highlight of the Evening: | a tie between Maze’s classic “Organic Funk” & Shableek’s not so subtly sexual sax playing |
a tie between the frighteningly weird news headlines on the bar’s tv & our not-so-sexy rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” |
For the record, I look forward to going back to the Wine Up, though not likely by myself, but I don’t see going back to Backstage. I do intend to sing the song I wanted to, eventually. Even if it means parking myself on a busy street corner. Or not, but maybe.
Making a fool of oneself every now and then is good for humility, and thus for the heart, I think.
hah! that’s good stuff ~*~ if you ever make a youtube video for your song i want a front row seat to the show…it’s so refreshing to grow past that fear and discomfort.
girl you are certainly brave, I could never do the singing in front of others thing (well except matt who just laughs at me)! Sounds like both adventures were lots of fun & you enjoyed your time with your friend 🙂
BTW…the song you sang always reminds me of the movie Old School…the wedding singer scene, it is my fave of the whole movie 🙂
When I finally get to sing the song, I’ll do what I can to make my humiliation as public as possible. (read as: yes, I’ll youtube it.)
🙂