I Have a Social Life

It’s July 1st.

The days just won’t stop coming. Tomorrow I’m celebrating two milestones.

1) It’s my birthday and I am turning 28.

2) I can celebrate 7 months of abstinence.

Tonight I will probably sit here and reminisce over the whirlwind changes that happened during my 27th year. I would have NEVER EVER in a BILLION YEARS thought that I’d be where I am right now.

I am simply…in love with this city.

It’s that ‘make you wake up smiling’ kind of love. That love that scares you because you can’t stop it. That kind of love that makes you wonder: What’s going to happen? I hope this lasts.

I went to the poetry spot on Friday. What should have taken me 10 minutes on the Dallas Tollway, took me over an half hour because of the buckets of rain that were pouring down. Between my dark tinted windows, the ridiculous rain and me having to look down at my directions every five minutes, the trip to the poetry spot wasn’t a pleasant one.

Ofcourse I got lost trying to find the place. As I drove around and around trying to find parking I looked around and marveled at how beautiful the area was. I later learned that I was in Uptown.

As I walked up to the spot, Raycita called me and I told her the two poems that I had chosen and promised I’d call her when I got home. I hung up with her and walked in nervously.

I expected a dark, dingy bar, but this place was far from it. It was a chocolate specialty shop owned by a young Black woman and its decor was definitely inviting. I met the owner and took a seat at the small bar. I ordered a glass of wine and sipped as I realized..uh oh…I planned to do a “the white man raped our people” type of poem and uh…this place was full of white people.

Everyone was there happily chatting, eating chocolate covered fruits and candy and sipping wine. Hmm… I didn’t know if I should interrupt their bliss but I did want to perform so I decided to wait and see what type of poetry the other artists performed.

Just after 10pm the mic was set up and the host introduced himself to the intimate crowd. He performed a piece that was more like spoken word than poetry, if there’s a difference. It sounded like…

The antithesis of your magnificence was blinded by my indifference
I brushed crumbs from your tasty lips..hindered by my caress, nevertheless I burned. Burned like the ashes of our ancestors and the wounds on our backs as we built humankind
Will we ever reconnect? Will I find my spirit? I can hear it, taste it and breathe it..in and out…in and out…

You know what I’m talking about?

That wasn’t what he said (I just made that up) but it had that type of rhythm to it. I’m sure I could do that type of spoken word but I’ve honestly never tried.

I decided to go ahead with what I had planned and I performed my two pieces. The audience seemed receptive. What impressed me most were the other poets. Each spoke from different places in their lives but each theme that was presented I could identify with. I loved that each of their speaking styles was different. It was all about sharing and blessing and releasing, hope, faith, love, frustrations.

Damn…

I had never experienced anything like that before.

It wasn’t about what I was wearing or if my piece was better than the next poet’s. It was about me feeling you and appreciating your growth and your heart to share that piece of yourself with me. I felt honored to be a part of it. Even though I was nervous coming in, I laughed when I realized that it was kinda the same thing as the improv comedy I used to do in college.

After the set was done everyone went around and congralulated each other. I went up to this one guy and blessed him for speaking my heart when he recited a poem about how his job is not who he is.

Another poet gave me her contact info after telling me how much she loved my performance. She mentioned that some of the other poetry spots in the city are also thriving. I will probably go out with her tonight to check one of them out.

After almost punching this man in the face for coming on too strong, I composed myself. Quick rule of engagement: If I don’t ask you for your number, I don’t want it. I hate when men try to push themselves on me. This dude actually placed a napkin and a pen in front of me and said, “Write your number down.” I gave him the WTF face and said, “I do not give out my number to every random man who asks me.” ~rolls eyes~

After I left I got lost again and finally found my way back to 75 on cloud nine.

The next day I woke up all happily filled with praise. I called my sons and chatted with them a little bit then I hung out on youtube dancing to some of my favorite videos and fantasizing about finally being able to give my gift without restrictions.

My phone chimed and I checked my email. It was an invitation to attend a Celebrity bowl-a-thon from one of the men I met at the event last Thursday. I replied quickly with a yes and hung out a little more before making my way to the event.

I met the man at the door and we walked in. It turns out that this is was a fundraiser that different companies participate in. We registered and he introduced me around to so many people! I met some of the top journalists in the city and I was blowed away as we signed in and I was added to his team’s roster. This dude works in the broadcast news department for a local television station. I was actually playing on the broadcast team.

I sat down and met the rest of the team; reporters, anchors and cameramen from his station. We gobbled up the free food, chatted and exchanged business cards. One of the black female anchors even came up to me and said, “I hear you’re new in town. I don’t hang out much but I’d love to have someone new to kick it with, here’s my card call me sometime.”

I was elated!

I bowled a horrible game… I didn’t even break 100 but I still had fun. I met this one chick who works for a cultural arts center and she said, “We’re always looking for people to help with creative programming. I hear you’re a poet, I hope to see you at the center.”

I was in heaven!

Afterwards we went to this other spot in Addision. It was a club that had a live band and was a mixture of young and older people. There were a lot of couples there and I sat on the side sipping my mixed drink and my thoughts turned to The Prez. Still not over him yet. I wondered if he had been there before or maybe if he was a part of the thick crowd. It’s the kind of spot where you take your date too because they play a lot of slow songs.

Hehhh…I’m not really at a place in my life where I want to be all up in different men’s faces. I kinda want to save all that slow dancing and body pressing for the man God has for me. I don’t know why I’m in this mode but…I am. I did dance with one guy but the closeness of our bodies was a bit too much for me so I left early. I honestly felt like I was cheating on my man, whoever he may be.

As I rode home I got a text from this nice guy I met at the bowling alley. He was supposed to meet us up at the club but I didn’t see him when I was there. We decided to go get something to eat and then we sat outside of my apartment on his truck and talked until about 3:30am. He was nice enough. I think I’ll hang out with him again.

Maybe this IS home.

I have a social life.

Maybe this is what I had been missing out on since I had been so wrapped up in working so hard for the website. I never even thought about going out and meeting people while I was there, I only thought about doing a good job for them and representing myself to the best of my abilities. I don’t regret leaving but I do miss what I did there.

Who knows what will come from all of this networking.

I do believe that a blessing is on the way. Now I can relax and attend this poetry event, bringing in my 28th year in peace and harmony.

Shake Ya Ass For my Birthday!