Before I start with the Acentos recap-

Catch me and Jessica Torres this Friday and Sunday as the Teatro La Tea at the Clemente Soto Velez Center presents the WHATS IN A WORD SHOWCASE this Friday and Sunday ($10 for adults/$5 for kids). Here is a link to the flyer. I spent Monday afternoon giving the kids a performance workshop and I was really surprised (in the best possible way) as to how focused and strong their writing was.

So come down and join us… afterwards I am thinking of hitting a dope mofongo spot that is crazy cheap and damn good.

Monday:: OK, Ima get to the bX in a sec but lets knock it out in order-

Big thanks to Viv for recommending me for this gig. Just saying that I am performing at the Soto Velez Center feels good but working with teenagers just makes it that much better.

All my Mind-Builders training paid off as the workshop was a breeze and the two hours flew by. The organizers were happy, the teachers were happy and the kids performed like mad dog- can’t ask for much more.

Shot over to 13 and was happy to see that last week’s crowd decided to stick around as we had a packed house at 7:30. Typical 13 as the Open Mic ran long, we got to be a family and sang Piper ‘Happy Birthday,’ George McKibbens rocked out in his normal style. No apologies, no excuses… his writing is hard biting and a refreshing change of pace from the ‘what will the crowd like’ mentality.

The Slam was tight and fun as a bunch of people went over the time limit, tried new shit and Celena Glenn decided to win it.

Tuesday:: Mind-Builders has been hectic as I am doing twelve things during the day and then I have to throw them all out the door when PYT (Positive Youth Troupe) starts.

I fucking love this job! Which explains why I am willing to get to Acentos at 7:31. PYT lets out at 7:00 and with all the ‘bye y’all’ and wrapping up of last minute details I don’t get out of the building till 7:10 and then I jump in a cab to the Blue Ox… and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

My confidence as a teacher has steadily improved over the last few months and the payoff was the Kwanzaa celebration last month (were six of the kids rocked out) and the workshop at Soto Velez. It’s not all bubblegum and HBO as some of the kids don’t know where they fit, some try to grab the spotlight all the time and some are getting frustrated with the rest.

I am really trying to hold on to this one group that could be writing some real world changing shit in a few months but I also don’t want to give up on the troublemakers. It’s all still new to me but I’ve been picking up quick and some of the kids love the writing classes and I was able to snatch up a stray dance student to join the writing group so I must be doing something right.

Enough of that on to Acentos… tomorrow!