National Poetry Slam...day one and sun
Well day one is cool since there is no slamming. Danny Solis and company really made nats a great one to remember before you even left. Free food and drink almost everywhere you went. Every business you go into greeting you with a 'Oh you're here for the slam? Where ya from? First time here? Got any questions feel free to ask' was great.
I stayed away from ground zero (nickname for the host hotel). I did this and do this for a few reasons.
1- my hotel was nicer (well the hotel was but the service couldn't TOUCH the Hotel Blue-their people ROCKED with friendliness)
2- my hotel was cheaper.
3-my hotel had more amenities i like and was closer to the mountains and a 45 second walk away from Old Town (historic part of ABQ)
4- to have a spot to rest.
this last one is big. with almost a thousand people running around screaming and reeking of slam, everyone being one big happy family and lounging around, chilling out, and talking about poetry and slam around the clock, you need, correction, I need a place to go and get away.
People will look for you, talk to you, hang out at your room, sleep, fart,shit and piss there, get high there, order pizza there,invite their buddies there,crash a night or two there, on and on and on...and then leave. Now your space doesn't feel like...your space.
Don't get me wrong, I socialize and love to hang out with cats and generally have a blast.
But when I want my downtime, I want my downtime. If you knock on my door it will be because you were invited. Now in the host hotel those would be unrealistic expectations and you'd be an ass for wanting it that way. But if you stay elsewhere? No problem. and so much happens at the ground zero hotel that you arthere alot anyway, so anyone you wanted to reach out to and anyone who really wanted to get hold to you can do so. Ready to party or shoot the shit? ground zero. Ready to sleep, sit on your balcony, swim, sit in the jacuzzi and watch the sunset while writing haiku? Go back to your spot.
If I make a team next year maybe I will pitch my tent at the host spot. But this year I needed to be able to get away.
Not to mention I saved money dammit.
So day one I looked around town, hit the pool and Old Town, made some calls to people I wanted to know where I was at, and chatted with the other people from Columbus.
I was tired since my flight was bumped and I ended up making THREE connections to get there. Then while in Houston, Texas I sat in a plane on the runway for almost three hours due to a sudden storm. ouch.
Sidenote- no offense to my friends out that way but i have always hated texas. i don't know why. but it has always been a deep down in my bones-my tombstone must be somewhere waiting for me in texas-type hate. this is always backed up anytime i have been in texas or traveled thru it. something always happens in the 'bad' department. If i make it to go to austin, i am hoping that will break the spell.
maybe it was all those years of watching DALLAS with my Nana.
sidenote 2- Much love to the LouderArts New York team who was on that same hellish wait period portion of my flight. Seeing them and all their genuine smiles and jokes made that part of the trip better. (See texas, for some reason me and new york get along just dandy. be more like New York...minus the pee-pee smell) ;) Just kidding. Kind of.
I had forgotten just how beautiful the west is. Alot of people don't know this but before my ten years in Columbus, Tucson, Arizona was home. In my soul and heart, it still is. It is alot like ABQ. A lovely valley with a decent arts scene.
ABQ has a better art scene but Tucson has more blacks (which ain't saying much folks belive me).
It does something to you in your heart, mind and soul to know that:
- the sunrise will be one of the best you've ever seen
-the sunset will be one of the best you've ever seen
-the mountains will be there
-you can see a storm coming in
-even in monsoon season(heavy rains) the weather will be nice and more than likely dry up by the time you come out of the movie or store
-art and peace are a part of the way of life
-you will see no damn snow or blizzards but will still need a coat sometimes
-if you miss any of these once in a lifetime type moments, don't worry. It will repeat all over again in the morning.
Nuff said on day one.
I'll drop pics once they get developed.
I stayed away from ground zero (nickname for the host hotel). I did this and do this for a few reasons.
1- my hotel was nicer (well the hotel was but the service couldn't TOUCH the Hotel Blue-their people ROCKED with friendliness)
2- my hotel was cheaper.
3-my hotel had more amenities i like and was closer to the mountains and a 45 second walk away from Old Town (historic part of ABQ)
4- to have a spot to rest.
this last one is big. with almost a thousand people running around screaming and reeking of slam, everyone being one big happy family and lounging around, chilling out, and talking about poetry and slam around the clock, you need, correction, I need a place to go and get away.
People will look for you, talk to you, hang out at your room, sleep, fart,shit and piss there, get high there, order pizza there,invite their buddies there,crash a night or two there, on and on and on...and then leave. Now your space doesn't feel like...your space.
Don't get me wrong, I socialize and love to hang out with cats and generally have a blast.
But when I want my downtime, I want my downtime. If you knock on my door it will be because you were invited. Now in the host hotel those would be unrealistic expectations and you'd be an ass for wanting it that way. But if you stay elsewhere? No problem. and so much happens at the ground zero hotel that you arthere alot anyway, so anyone you wanted to reach out to and anyone who really wanted to get hold to you can do so. Ready to party or shoot the shit? ground zero. Ready to sleep, sit on your balcony, swim, sit in the jacuzzi and watch the sunset while writing haiku? Go back to your spot.
If I make a team next year maybe I will pitch my tent at the host spot. But this year I needed to be able to get away.
Not to mention I saved money dammit.
So day one I looked around town, hit the pool and Old Town, made some calls to people I wanted to know where I was at, and chatted with the other people from Columbus.
I was tired since my flight was bumped and I ended up making THREE connections to get there. Then while in Houston, Texas I sat in a plane on the runway for almost three hours due to a sudden storm. ouch.
Sidenote- no offense to my friends out that way but i have always hated texas. i don't know why. but it has always been a deep down in my bones-my tombstone must be somewhere waiting for me in texas-type hate. this is always backed up anytime i have been in texas or traveled thru it. something always happens in the 'bad' department. If i make it to go to austin, i am hoping that will break the spell.
maybe it was all those years of watching DALLAS with my Nana.
sidenote 2- Much love to the LouderArts New York team who was on that same hellish wait period portion of my flight. Seeing them and all their genuine smiles and jokes made that part of the trip better. (See texas, for some reason me and new york get along just dandy. be more like New York...minus the pee-pee smell) ;) Just kidding. Kind of.
I had forgotten just how beautiful the west is. Alot of people don't know this but before my ten years in Columbus, Tucson, Arizona was home. In my soul and heart, it still is. It is alot like ABQ. A lovely valley with a decent arts scene.
ABQ has a better art scene but Tucson has more blacks (which ain't saying much folks belive me).
It does something to you in your heart, mind and soul to know that:
- the sunrise will be one of the best you've ever seen
-the sunset will be one of the best you've ever seen
-the mountains will be there
-you can see a storm coming in
-even in monsoon season(heavy rains) the weather will be nice and more than likely dry up by the time you come out of the movie or store
-art and peace are a part of the way of life
-you will see no damn snow or blizzards but will still need a coat sometimes
-if you miss any of these once in a lifetime type moments, don't worry. It will repeat all over again in the morning.
Nuff said on day one.
I'll drop pics once they get developed.
posted by edmabrey at 11:32 AM
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