September 10th - Story Club

I went to Story Club last night with Johanna.  It was the second month in a row that we'd gone, and the second month in a row that we both read stories during the open mic portion of the show.  I read about getting tattooed and Johanna read about how her family raised her like she was a boy.  Her stories are always hilarious, it's so fun to watch her.

I was really nervous at last month's reading because it was the first time I'd read anything to an audience since college, so I purposely picked a really short piece - 300 words, and went first so I wouldn't have to spend a lot of time anticipating my turn.  I read something a little longer last night - about 900 words.  I think I love Story Club; it's in the back room of a place called Uncommon Ground that features local musicians and performers, and serves locally grown and raised food.  The back room has seating for about 30 or so people, and has a really cozy feel to it.  Last winter when we were both unemployed, Angelica and I spent a lot of time there.  We'd bring our laptops to work on our writing, order fun coffee drinks that were served in bowls, and dominate the overstuffed chairs next to a fireplace in the center room.  It felt like we'd escaped Chicago for a moment and gone somewhere else, somewhere with mountains. 

What am I saying, I know I love Story Club.  I think I'm going to become a regular.