Last post for March

Hey, I'm almost halfway to my total of posts for last year. I've recently made a commitment to myself to write a lot more, so hopefully more information gets posted here in coming months, regardless if anyone reads this.

The Slam was a blast

So I did not make the finals for the Toronto Poetry Slam season. I care very little as I had a blast just being there. It was great to just be heard by such a massive crowd (people were turned away at the door from the Drake Underground). I was also hugely impressed with the feature poet, New Jersey's Jamal St. John. He was a master at using puns and his wit in general. He entertainingly addresses very serious issues with great intelligence.

I am excited about Rochdale Rhymes and Readings this week with That Brown Bastard, White Noise Machine and the Awfulest of National Poetry Month competition. The worst poem wins.

On another note, I've been following NCAA basketball over the last while. It's dawned on me, I cannot stand teams from the Big Ten. They play a brand of basketball that is so boringly defensive as they aim to hold the total score within 100. Normally I like Tom Izzo and Michigan State, but Big Ten b-ball of the last couple of years is uninteresting. I wouldn't mind North Carolina if Dean Smith or Bill Guthridge were still coaching, but I cannot stand the way Roy Williams will dangerously run up the score in tournament games. I am cheering for Villanova, and the way they've played, they cannot be counted out. They're as good as anyone in the tournament at this moment.

Toronto Poetry Slam

So tomorrow night is the semi-final of the Toronto Poetry Slam season. I am proud to say I am in the semi-finals. The top 12 poets in the Toronto Poetry slam season go to the semis. I have to be honest and say I finished 13th, but slid in because another poet dropped out. I am excited and honoured nonetheless to be competing. The top eight make the finals and the top five make the Toronto Poetry Slam team for 2009. They compete at "the nationals" in West Palm Beach, Florida for the American championship (or North American championship). They would also compete at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Victoria, BC. In reality, there are some really great poets at the top and my whole goal is to just do my thing and let whatever happen, even if it means I do not move on. I am excited about tomorrow, regardless of the result.

Getting over some disappointment

So I got some bad news the other day. I learned a public relations graduate program I had applied for next year has rejected me. Originally this program was choice number three or four, but after going to their program session, was wholly impressed. The program jumped to number one, yet I received a rejection letter late last week and just opened it on Saturday.

My mind unfortunately did not think of things such as the fact I was vying to be one of 40 out of a crowd of 240 to get in. It did not think about how this was not the last program I applied to. I just had a feeling of unreasonable rejection, failure and no self-worth. It, combined with my job I'm over-qualified for left me in a stew for a couple of days. It has also left me nervous to whether other rejection letters are to follow, and whether my plan to get back into school will be railroaded.

I know I try not to post personal feelings here. And I can be positive and focus on the points I failed to focus on Saturday. But I'd forgotten after all these years how stressful school can be and I haven't even started again! Perhaps if all works out and I get back into school, this experience will throw my head into the mindset it needs to be in. That's as positive as I can be right now.

Exciting Announcement about Rochdale Rhymes and Readings

Rochdale Rhymes and Readings will return on April 2 at the Regal Beagle, 8 pm., 335 Bloor St. West. Features will be two fine spoken word artists in Rahul Gupta, aka, That Brown Bastard and Mike Smith, aka White Noise Machine. There is the usual pass the hat admission, but the open mic has a twist. We will have the second annual Awfulest of National Poetry Month contest. The worst poem will win a prize. So many poets have told me they can win this one. Come try to prove them wrong.

March 1

March 1st is one of my favourite days of the year. March is the month where spring begins, though up here in Canada we don't see a true spring until April and sometimes May. But the beginning of March tells you spring is coming. Though many in Canada love Winter for its activities such as skiing/snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, snowmobiling, etc., the cold, the darkness, as well as the slush and ice can get to us. To me, March is welcome symbol to those who might be in a bad situation, as many are in these times, that you've almost made it. There's a little way to go, but you've almost made it out of the dark cold. May this fact bring inspiration to those down so they may see a positive light on the way. Daylight savings begins this weekend (though almost a month earlier than it used to begin).