So anyway, we're at CyberPunk Apacalypse right now, a space for writers w/ a punkish/self-publishing bent. They've been super kind and have let us crash for two nights, which is needed, b/c that's how long it takes to watch Jurassic Park after readings, sweet tastes, and park frisbee.
We're watching it now. Jeff Goldblum is still not wearing a shirt.
A few days in review? Yes, of course! Read a few random lines!
- Grand Rapids, Reading #2: Read with Sara, Briana, and Marlee @ Bloom Collective, booked with help from Zach who is putting together Grand Rapid's Zine Fest (has a cool poster done by John Porcellino). Anyhow, we caught nasty traffic and got there late.
- Zipped through reading and scored copies of Marlee's zine's on all sorts of topics, though realistic looks at self-care come to mind.
- It was the 4th of July and fireworks blew up on half the side streets, busting 20ft up, scorching trees and scaring us real good. People are nuts.
- First we played frisbee downtown and got scolded by parking lot guards, so we watched jumbo fireworks instead. Then, as in movies and real life disasters, there was a pop-boom in the gathering of people ahead. Hundreds of people scattered screaming. Happily, it was not a shooting, but a dumbdumb lighting ladyfinger fireworks in the crowd, police buzzed around looking stressed.
- Later we hung out w/ my Chgo/S.Holland friend Doug at his friends' place. We told ghost stories that scared the living shit out of me, and when it was time to go, all slept in the same room, though we didn't have to.
- In the morning we played on the giant tire swing and found some neat graffiti.
- Hamtamck, Reading #3: Our first time reading in a record store -- Lo & Behold Records -- with this guy who writes the zine Stupor, a collection of stories gathered from local bars. Closing out the reading was Richie, the store owner.
- On the way in town we drove on 8 mile road. M&Ms!
- For dinner, we had beer and pierogies at the Polish Village Cafe. Matt is Polish and having these for dinner pleased him greatly.
- Initially it seemed like the night was going to be a no-show. We held out until 9:30 and folks from the neighborhood dripped in. An older fellow told us all he would share some of his offensive poems. The eight of us who were there cringed a little waiting for some heinous racial stuff, but his pieces were just this bawdy rhymey guys with lots of butts and genitals mentioned.
- One guy drank wine from a yogurt cup.
- Before the night ended, we bore witness to a religious ceremony involving candles, inverted crosses in the architecture. All of these things scared the living shit out of me.
- Soon, everyone talked baseball and I went to sleep.
More reading reviews to follow.
