Open Mic Part II
2/22/2005
Well, I did it again. I went to Gypsy Coffeehouse downtown Tulsa and read some old, dusty poetry. The audience is mostly teenagers, but apparently more mature poets are frequenting the place. Which is good, because a receptive audience is better than a stoned, apathetic one.
I'm realizing how constrained my social skills have become, and I'm blaming it on my overuse of computers for communication. I spend roughly 14 hours every DAY behind a PC, typing, messaging, emailing, reading, getting entertained. It's just not healthy. My eyesight is also suffering, as well as the general color of my skin. It's time to make a change, I think.
Back to my experience at Gypsy. What potential this has for me, to get out there and re-learn how to communicate with my mouth, re-learn how to be ok with being a little nuts in public, making a scene, getting out my complicated threads of emotions and philosophical wanderings. I met a few exciting people tonight, one 30-something folk guitarist interested in a poetry/music combo, an african american 'rapper' poet (can't remember her name; it was arabic I think) who's got some real rhythm and sincerety. I met Betty, the lady who MCs and puts the show together, and I met a few others who struck me as particularly talented and beaming with creativity. One bloke plays guitar and sings, and he's simply brilliant. Another is an 'inspirational speaker' of sorts, about my age or younger, and he's rather subdued off stage. I found it tough to speak any sensible english to most of these people, mainly because I was awash with anxiety from being a total stranger and having no remaining social graces.
Tonight... just jamming out to Joshua Tree (the only U2 album I listen to from start to finish), shaving with my $140 electric shaver, petting the dog with my foot. I'll be going back next week for sure, but in the meantime I've got chores and maintenance to do.
Oh, hats off to Dr. Gene Scott - he died on Monday. One less flaky televangelist to giggle about, but he will be missed. After all, what other evangelist can use bikini-clad supermodels in his fund-raising commercial filler?
This world is one crazy place.
posted by novachild @ Tuesday, February 22, 2005,
