Hellslam

69 Senators have bid farewell to the rule of law in America. I think one of our decent President's suspicions have turned out to be prophecies:

I just re-installed the blog after a rather catastrophic error. I lost a few posts, but not many. Not a huge deal.
1and1recently upgraded our server software, but there are clearly some issues. I have been dealing with random 500 Internal Server Errors, email problems, and of course, the stellar 1and1 support system. I must say, though, that since we began dealing with the Server support team, as opposed to the regular support channels, we have received a much better response.

National Poetry Slam 2006–Austin,TX
Since 2002, I have not considered my yearly expeditions to the National Poetry Slam particularly fun. They are challenging, entertaining, sometimes painful, and always educational, but not generally happy-go-lucky weeks. That's not a complaint, I chose my track and I'm privileged to travel it. Colleen tells me I should take a holiday that does not include protests once in a while, though. Well, in Austin this year, I did.
All apologies to my intrepid crew of first time Protest Committee members final_girl, Lynne Procope, and Jason Carney (not shown). Deb Marsh and I got them all warmed up with terrible tales of past protests only to leave them wanting at the end of the week. I believe I said the word "unbelievable" 7 to 12 times per night as the protests kept not coming in. I am still in shock about the whole thing. The first year I chaired the committee was in 2004, in St. Louis. Perhaps I am slightly pessismistic as a result.

• - Austin Texas is clearly the hottest place on Earth.
• + Stubbs BBQ is clearly the best BBQ on Earth though I didn't get any of Whoopiecat's, so I could be wrong.
• + red_five and pinata are awesome, and also very cool.
• + Sonya, Krissi and Tracy are even more awesome than the above.
• + The MCs and Bout Managers - Good crews mean less problems.

.

• - IT IS VERY HOT IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.
• + Colleen is very cool, she helps at NPS and she also married me, which is nice.
• + Poetry that I like was often read, and also won some stuff.
• + Buddy Wakefield smiles a lot.
• -- Lazy SlamMasters, "Wait, working wasn't part of the deal! WTF?!"
• - 3x5/4x4/hi->low, I don't care just pick one, get on with the show, so I can get back to work.
• - Missed playing TW:PGA2005 with scottwoods
• + Only saw 3 poets cry, which is down almost 500% from last year. (Happy tears not included in poll)
• ++ Was not called a racist or threatened, also down from last year.
• - I missed all of Whoopiecat's food.
• +/- Bomb Hoaxes = Dance All Night.
• +/- Nerd Slam so great, so short.
• - Tod Caviness got smoked in trivia, so I didn't see him perform.
• ++ Oh hay, look at all the first timers at orientation.
• + Talking rules in panel with Taylor. Strange aside: before we started the panel two young women come in and ask Taylor and if this is the Panel on the Grey Area, because they wanted to meet one of the presenters. I started to turn away since they clearly wanted to meet Taylor, who is famous and stuff. He introduces himself, and one of the women asks,"Are you from Ann Arbor ?" At which point he introduces me. Turns out one of them is going to U of M this fall, and wants to come to our Slam. It made me chuckle for a second, I think he did, too.
• Another Aside TOP 5 MCs OF NPS 2006 - COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE EDITION Deb Marsh, aurorabell, Nick Fox, red_five, and Sonya Renee. red_five during the Indie Finals was pulling under a minute turnarounds, during a bomb threat, having probably slept 3 hours in 4 days, and still managed to push clothing, poet merch, and sell finals tickets.scottwoods - NO ROBOT - NO TOP 5 SIR! Back to the list...
• - Dudes doing poems about pussies (Perhaps there's not enough material in their own pants to fill 3 minutes. OHH SHIT YEAH - I SAID THAT)
• + 1.5 million badass bats.
• ++ Sleeping at NPS, at night.
• - 501 Studios, I just didn't like the venue, please don't use it again.
• + La Mamitas Avenue Cafe- Best Breakfast I have had since ABQ. Go There Next Year
• +/- It's a shame I only get to hear Dawn Saylor laugh twice a year.

Well, I'm out. There is a ton more that I am forgetting right now. I'm sorry. I leave you with a few more pics. Be good.

Which one of you likes tattoos ?

NPS Decompression nearly complete. I'll do my +/- list later.What happened to lowhumcrush?

If you are an experienced and energetic showperson, PSi wants your help.If you lost your NPS qualifier but still want to experience the awesome show that is NPS, be an MC !If you have been thinking, "How do I get involved in the organization ?" Be a Bout Manager !If you have Bout Managed for PSI before and are looking to step up to MC, now is your chance!Requirements: PSi membership, A lot of MC experience, a good attitude, the ability to show up in Austin on time, working knowledge of NPS rules a plus. Prior IWPS or NPS experience is valued but not a requirement.There are a limited number of spots for MCs and bout managers at NPS so get your name in early. You will receive a volunteer pass to the event, just like the poets, and possibly more stage time than the poets themselves !There will be an meeting for MCs and Bout Managers on Wednesday. Attendance at the meeting is mandatory, if you can't make the meeting, you can't MC. You will also be required to attend 1 of the 2 NPS Orientation meetings.When: August 9-12Where: Austin, TXIf you are still interested, reply to this entry or email me at:edaniel at hellslam dot comInfo I will need:Your Name (Legal and Stage Name please)Your Phone NumberYour Email Address (If you reply to this thread)If you would rather not MC, let me know.Please feel free to pass this on to other boards, blogs,etc.Thanks,Erik Daniel

Keep Port:80 OpenI called my Congressman yesterday, you should, too. Also - tell him or her to stop that bullshit tax law and the whole NSA thing and the war and ...you get the idea.

Turbulence has kept me away. To be honest, I'm still not sure I want to come back. It has been pleasant to hide in my basement and not converse for the last 2 months. I still have a sour taste in my mouth from some drama that followed iWPS, so I haven't been to the slam since then, and my closest friend's father just passed away yesterday. Meh, this is turning into a cliche of an LJ entry.In happier news, I reconnected with 2 of my sisters after losing track of them for several years. They are well and have new nephews for me.Also, I have been honing my nerd skills via a MMO, and am slowing getting back into teaching classes and training. I hope all of you are well.

breathev. breathed, breath·ing, breathesv. intr.

1. To inhale and exhale air, especially when naturally and freely.
2. To be alive; live: A nicer person has never breathed.
3. To pause to rest or regain breath: Give me a moment to breathe.
4. To move or blow gently, as air.
5. To allow air to pass through: a natural fabric that breathes.
6. To be exhaled or emanated, as a fragrance.
7. To be manifested or suggested, as an idea or feeling: A sense of calm breathed from the landscape.
8. To reach fullness of flavor and aroma through exposure to air. Used chiefly of wine.
9. To require air in the combustion process. Used of an internal-combustion engine.

While compliling my report for the EC, these rather more personal moments came to mind. I list them here for my poor memory's benefit as much as your entertainment, the wonderful, terrible and surreal moments of iWPS:2006:
• I went to the park with Terry Creech on Thursday. If you missed it, it's called "The Green" and it is a small stretch of grass that seems like heaven in a sea of asphalt. It's a "literary" park. There are street signs that point to cities that add up to authors names, and word puzzles in the bricks. The entrance off College street has two towering bronze statues depicting giant stacked books, the highest of which are open, flinging pages into the sky. These pages can be found around the park. Clinging to light poles, resting on the grass, blown around corners. These are not pages from Don Quixote, or Crime and Punishment, or any of the giant books in the stacks. The pages hold poems written by middle school students. How fitting a way to begin the week, for me to read these poems.
• I didn't get a chance to enter any of the bouts, busy as I was. I spent most of the bout time in the center common area, sitting at one of the tables in front of the Duke theater. Upstairs in one of the Education Rooms was a choir, practicing. They were difficult to hear. When I first noticed them they were singing Handel's Messiah. During the late bout, I noticed them again, but could not place the song for a moment. It took a few bars for me to realize they were singing an ensemble version of Billy Joel's "Movin' Out". I had no idea there were "Bosom Buddy" fans in Charlotte.
• I got to hang out with Eric Darby for a long time on Friday. It irritates me that I didn't hang out with him more when he lived a few miles from me. Darby, you are bad ass.
• You kind of have to be an asshole sometimes. Poets are outgoing, funny people, who do not often take well to being ordered around. I made a few of them jump in the dressing rooms when I pulled out the instructor voice. Sorry about that.
• I have not always agreed with Jared Paul's methods but we have always seen eye to eye. On Friday, he told me how great a time he had at the bar Thursday night, how there were no "knuckleheads" there. We talked about the lacking merits of these knuckleheads for a moment. Then he said something really kind to me. Thanks for that Jared.
• Cristin, Kim and I decided to hold the final round scores until the end to dramatize it a bit for the audience. A skill Cristin picked up from the Urbana finals. As a result, no one backstage knew about any time penalties. After the last poem, I went to grab the scores from Adriana, and found out about the penalty. After Ramirez assured me the times were right, I went back to where the poets were. They were all congratulating Joaquin. I had watched Joaquin call his wife and family after the first two rounds to tell them he had made it. There are times when you wish you could just give the job to some one else, and that was one. Rather than let him find out while standing on stage, I grabbed him and whispered in his ear about the time. He slumped a little when I told him. That's all I want to say about that.
• One more, then I have to go to bed. Well after the finals, after too few fine pints of Stella at the Fox and Hound, I found myself in the elevator with Dawn Saylor, 2 young men poets, and one young woman poet. I don't know who they were. Now I have to tell you, Dawn kicked ass as an MC. She had a missing bout box the first night, and still started before anyone else. I think her first time MCing was in ABQ, and she handled it like she had been MCing since Seattle. So, it's 3 AM on Sunday, and we are in the elevator of the hotel with these young poets. We are talking about how great it has been until we hit Dawn's floor. She gives me a big hug and (an innocent) kiss goodbye, and runs off. The girl looks at me and says, "She is so cool". The taller kid looks me in the eye and says, "You are so cool," and the last kid looks longingly after Dawn and sighs, "She kissed ME once." I just smile until the 10th floor thinking,"wait until next year", and go to bed.

How sweet is iWPS, and NPS for that matter ? Is that the way these things always go for you ?

IWPS 2006 has come and gone again, and I am only just beginning to recover. Each event I go to has it's own flavor, so it's hard to say one is better than another, but this one was pretty damn good. If I measure how well we did as organizers by the number of protests, then this is the best event I have ever been involved in by far. I may also be a little biased by the beautiful weather we were given, and the right proper food I was served everywhere I went in Charlotte.I will have a more personal post later, but this needed to be done now. I thanked the organizers and volunteers on Saturday night, face-to-face, and you should as well, if you enjoyed the week. Terry, Inkera, Kimberly, Steve Marsh, the EC and a bunch more all deserve more rounds of applause than we had time to give on Finals night.I want to again thank my MCs and Bout Managers for the effort they put in. They are the face of the event for the audience, and play a huge role in making the event happen. This year's crew did their jobs so well, that we did not have a single protest filed.

• Delrica
• John Starino
• Granma Dave
• Kimberly Sims
• Simone Beaubien
• Rock Baby
• Link Schreiber
• Ms Spelt
• Mama Casandra Tanenbaum
• Ed Mabrey
• Kirk Hardesty
• Nave' - Who drove down to MC for 1 night, and had to leave for Oklahoma in the morning

All of them were fantastic, though I would like to specially thank these four veterans, who really shined to me (for being on time), and to the poets and audiences for being entertaining, fair, and keeping the focus where it should be, on the poetry.

• Taylor Mali
• Whoopiecat
• Dawn Saylor
• Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz

As our organization becomes larger, and our processes improve, so do our events. This was evident in Charlotte.To everyone involved: Thanks for a great time.