Failure Loves Company

The other evening, I was talking to Bernard “The Klute” Schober, one of the finest political satirists active in the national poetry slam scene today, and he mentioned that I shouldn’t let anything tie me down in Orlando at this stage in my life if given the opportunity to leave and that got me thinking: where would I go if I wanted to leave and what would I do?

I’ve hemmed and hawed about getting my MFA and I see the merits of having one (advanced degree, more craft tools, a title unassociated with dabblings in BDSM) and the downsides (debt, long-term career choices, debt).  If I were to get one, it would be in a low res program so I can continue working (because I like my job for the most part and it gives me a nice middle class lifestyle) unless a full res program wants to move me and take care of me to attend their program, which will probably not happen because I suck at SAT style standardized testing.

I have considered moving, also.  I would need things like a job and a place to live in said city before I go because I roll pragmatically.  These are the cities I would move to in order of preference.

1. Atlanta

2. Austin

3. Seattle

You’re thinking “Why Atlanta over the other two cities” or “where the fuck is New York City on this list”.  The truth is I like the South, the politeness, the heat. Atlanta has a lot of awesome writers in it and I really like the slam scene out there so for me, it’s a best of both worlds situation.  Austin I like the slam scene but don’t know the lit scene out there.  I’m not sure how Seattle would handle me but I enjoy the city when I was there in 2001 for the National Poetry Slam.

I also love my local scene.  Next January marks the 10th anniversary of the Broken Speech Poetry Slam and I’m proud of that accomplishment and the impact the slam has had on the local literary scene.  It really has helped the literary talent here grow to levels I don’t think would have happened had it not been for the existence of the slam.  What I’m worried about is leaving and not having anyone stepping in to keep it going.  Then again, I have an heir apparent or two in mind who I know would do great at keeping the machine going.  Being in Orlando hasn’t held me back by any means, mind you but when living anywhere or doing something for a while, you tend to yearn for change, for something new.  I will always defend the culture Orlando has no matter what I decide because our city has culture.  We just need more people who give a shit longer than five seconds.

When will I make this decision?  Not this year.  I need to get my head straight before I embark on any major life altering adventures.  How will you find out?  I don’t have the budget or the popularity to do it on television so it’ll be through here, with not a lot of fanfare.

I have three poems up at the Camroc Press Review which you should check out here.

Finally – who can tell me how I can have t-shirts made cheaply but not slave labor cheap?  I have some ideas for t-shirts for Dodging Traffic and The Serial Rapist Sitting Behind You Is A Robot.