i wonder if any of my wrestling fan friends remember Red Bastien...and if so, what can you tell me about what you remember? If it's good enough, I can probably get you an autograph. :)

Thanks!

Articulture, one of my favorite art nonprofits in the Twin Cities - the organization I created Art Slam for (now in it's 4th year!) is having their annual "When Pigs Fly" fundraiser.

Here's how it works. They get artists around the cities to decorate piggy banks. Then they put them up for auction. The rest of us bid on the piggies and Articulture gets money to buy glue and ribbon and clay and paints and stuff for their programming.



I already bid on one piggy bank. You should too.

Oh, and if you're out of town and want a piggy bank - if they can't ship it for you, I can pick it up and ship it for you. Who knows, maybe I'll throw in another special treat just from me to you.

http://piggyauction.blogspot.com/

I just took advantage of Southwest's sale on airfare and bought a ticket to Austin, Texas for January 20-23. I'll be featuring at the slam in Austin on Wed., January 20 and visiting with Gabrielle and chilling and whatever the rest of the time. So if you want to hang out, you have 2.5 months to let me know.

Or, if you were thinking of planning a trip to Austin too, maybe you should come at the same time!

During iWPS, at least a dozen people told me how happy they are that I'm planning NPS again, and I just want to get it out there that I am NOT a part of the NPS2010 committee. There are many reasons for this, and if you want to know more, you can call or email me.

I have a number of concerns about the upcoming NPS - many of which I voiced to the PSI President before the decision was made. I never heard anything back about my concerns.

I wish those that are involved in the planning the best. I know how much work it is.

My plan is to attempt to fit in competing for the Minneapolis team into my schedule and if I can't, I plan to volunteer for PSI as an emcee/bout manager. My involvement pretty much ends there.

Car insurance companies are just as much a pain in the ass as the health care folks.

So they are trying to tell us we have to wait "a couple of days" to get the car fixed until it can get appraised.

Yeah, that's not really going to fly in this situation.

I work a double tomorrow.

So iWPS was awesome this last week in Berkeley, CA. The organizers did a fantastic job and Bakesale Betty is crazy yummy. Congrats to all the poets that got up on stages. Thank you for all the conversations and hugs. It was just the time I needed away from life.

On the way back, things could have been a little better. As I write this, I should be serving my first shift - THE first shift of the new restaurant on the first pre-opening service day, but alas, I am in a hotel room at the Stay Bridge Hotel in Lincoln, Nebraska drinking some Flat Tire Amber and waiting for pizza to arrive. Earlier this morning - like hella early - after making it through hours of blizzards and ice storms, we ran over a dead deer on the highway, successfully ripping said deer to shreds along with the radiator and undercarriage of Jen's Mini Cooper. So we're waiting for parts to be shipped over from Omaha and the car will be repaired for a continued journey tomorrow.

My bosses are great. Ryan at the new place gave me a hard time, but was understanding. Jay, the GM at my full time job gave me tomorrow off and said if I needed Wednesday, let him know.

I'm really lucky. Lucky that we have friends in Nebraska willing to drive 5 hours to collect us if need be. Lucky that no one got hurt. Lucky that we have car insurance (if only health insurance was this easy). Lucky that we had phones to contact people we needed to contact in this situation. Lucky that we had clothes warm enough to let us not die, employee discounts and available hotel rooms, a caretaker named Frances who is going to keep taking care of my cats til I get home, and a protective universe that let us get off the highway and near a restaurant before killing the car completely. We're seeing the humor in the situation and who knows, maybe we will write that group piece about it.

So, if things stay on this path, I'll be home sometime next week. But the plan is to pick the car up tomorrow evening and drive home in time for my 6am Wednesday shift. I get to work both jobs that day. I'm not complaining, I feel lucky to be so employed.

Bryant Lake Bowl

Women Stand Up Comedy Cabaret

10pm.

I love trains.

To travel from MN to CA via train for iwps would take 36 hours each way
and cost $250 each way.


You can fly for $250 total.


I don't mind the TIME. That's kind of the point of traveling by train. But the cash. I mean, come on. If it were $100 each way, I'd probably do it.

I really hope that Obama's plan for more train services, and faster trains, gets started soon. It shouldn't be so hard or expensive to travel around our country.

I could fly to Europe for $500.

Because she said it all right, I'm reposting Marty's post:

Most of you know this already, but:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gabriellebouliane

Newer slam family folks may primarily know Gabrielle as the host of the Erotica Showcase, and/or as the redhead with the constant video camera. She's also old school slammer, all heart and guts, one of the most generous and tenacious poet-organizer-humans you will meet from Seattle to Buffalo to Austin and back again.

Log in to the web site above for the long story, and to send G. your love. Short version: cancer. Rare and advanced. Big fight ahead and even the doctors say at this point, a lot of it comes down to a battle of will, though they'll do what they can with the medicines.

Light a candle, utter a prayer, cast your spells, whatever it is you to do incant, invoke, or otherwise assist. Lists of materials needs/wants are forthcoming. Stay tuned.

***********
Let's build up this G-Force. There's also a space on on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=128532021724&ref=nf
***********

It's the Fourth Season opener of "Women Stand Up! A Comedy Cabaret," and it's a packed, eclectic wild show! Come and get some brainy, gutsy, heartfelt humor, and revel with witty women who speak their minds!

Make your reservations now for this Saturday, September 12th, at 10 pm; doors at 9:30 p.m. at the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater in Minneapolis. http://www.bryantlakebowl.com
Reservations: 612- 825-8949

Featuring:

The witty, divalicious chanteuse Diana Wilde;
Veteran Improviser Jill Bernard performing her award-winning solo improv show "Drum Machine;"
Roller Girl and Slam Poet Extraordinaire Cynthia French;
Rising Star Stand-up Comedian Laura Thorne;
Courtney McClean & The Dirty Curls performing erotic, comedic bluegrass!

All these performers for only $8 with Fringe button or $12-$15 (pay what you can).


"Women Stand Up! A Comedy Cabaret" is a new hit regular series at the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater--a smorgasbord of comedy styles from the Twin Cities' top female comedians.

The mission of the show is to promote women in comedy and, of course, to make folks laugh!

Performers run the gamut in experience and disciplines within the umbrella of comedy, including: stand-up comedians, improvisers, sketch comics, slam poets, singers, storytellers, and a bit of everything in-between.

Each show is unique and features different performers.

Bryant Lake Bowl Theater
810 West Lake Street, Minneapolis

"Women Stand Up! A Comedy Cabaret" Find our Group on Facebook or http://www.myspace.com/womenstandupcomedycabaret"

So Thursday and Friday, I'll be taking loads over to my new place via my van. This will be throughout the day.

Saturday, I'll be renting a truck to take over the big pices - the bed, couch, bookshelves. My sister and her husband are going to be meeting me at my place around 4:30pm. We will be in Minneapolis around 6:30pm to unload.

I'm going to take my sister out for a birthday dinner or drinks or what-not after we're done, and you're all welcome to hang out with us if you'd like (even if you can't help move).

If you want to help at any time, let me know.

So today is my day off from work.

I already went to see Frances to sign the lease for my new apartment. Got to see my storage space and talk about the odds and ends. Met two more residents. The sucky thing is that they're going to be tearing up the main street off the highway the weekend that I'm moving in. There are alternative routes, but suck.

I am trying to organize all the BOA sponsorship stuff. There are some cool things happening, and it's awesome. Just need to make sure that all the ads are accounted for and we have booths reserved for everyone that has them reserved and such. You should totally buy tickets for this event if you haven't already. www.brawlofamerica.com

I'm went to tour a gym. Need to find a space to encourage me to get back into shape. I'm setting goals and working towards them. I feel good. Need to get the bike tuned up. Found a WW meeting near my new digs. Derby practice officially starts the first week of Sept. In three weeks, I expect to be involved in a routine again. I got a week free pass to try out the space.

Tonight is the draft party for MNRG. I'll find out who my 6 new Dagger Doll teammates will be.

My brother is coming to visit during the BOA and is volunteering as an EMT. He needs a derby name. If any of you suggest something that he picks, I'll send you a prize. He's a firefighter living in California, is single, will be turning 33 and has a pet dog. Those are your clues - create!

St. PAul won the National Poetry Slam!

Not only is it the first time a minnesota team has won, it's the first win for the midwest since Detroit won in 2002!

Way to go - Sierra, El Guante, Khary, Michael and Jenn!

St. Paul is ahead by 1.5 points after the 2nd round...there are some time penalties hurting ABQ and NY. Sierra is on stage. Go St. Paul!

reported to me from Khary:

St. Paul (Soap Boxing)
ABQ
San Fran
Nyorican


(this is the first time a MN team has been in finals - pretty freaking awesome!)

i just got news that St. Paul Soap Boxing Slam made it to finals, and San Fran too

sometimes i think i wish too hard.

to not freak out about not yet hearing about the apartment she really really wants.

to not smoke

to not drink too much coffee today

to get her work done

to think of funny things to write about for the comedy show she's in next week

to not think about not funny things like her family

I am feeling the need to hang out and chill outside.

I'm meeting Jenn for cribbage and coffee. Not sure where yet. If you have an idea, let me know and maybe we'll meet you there too. Thinking Caffetto if they have an open table.

Ok, need to change. call me.