Fresh Starts

I attended my very first story slam tonight. It was quite fabulous I must say. This story slam is sponsored by themoth.org and apparently is big in New York. Here in L.A. they do one once per month. It is kind of like a directed open mike, with each person (max 10 per night) given five minutes to tell a story based on a pre-determined theme. This months theme was Fresh Starts. There was not a bad story amongst the ten. Some were hilarious (the Texas kid telling about wanting to "push over" a meter maid trying to boot his car), some sappy (mom telling the story of not having an abortion, while her 6 month old kid in the sling continually tries to grab the mike), some soul searching (a conversation with God about why He picks on their family), some improbable (a lost journal in Spain returned to its owner in L.A. three years later) and nearly all had a New York connection. Rarely do I travel in circles of artists and writers. But aside from the two kids from Texas, the other eight all confessed to living in New York and moving to L.A. to get their fresh start. As one storyteller stated, "Shit happens there, and then you move here to write about it". Every one laughed a knowing laugh. One storyteller confesses to living in Pasadena. Every one laughed the knowing laugh. One tells of living in North-North-North Hollywood. Every one laughed the knowing laugh. There is definately an "in" and an "out" crowd, and I just liked being in the room with the "in" crowd, feeling the angst of the semi-employed writer looking for a big break. Or any break at all. Not a bad story told tonight. Next months theme is Names. Maybe I will prepare something.
5-stars