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So, at the last poetry slam, "Night of the Living Poet," there was a full house and a full list of poets (we even
had to turn one or two away because the performer list was full). Isn't that how it's supposed to be every time? Jeez. Anyway, I beat out 9 great poets for a tied 2nd place (I tied with Thomas), and 1st place went to Daniel. Have I mentioned that I hate the new 'Final round-clean slate' rule? Moving on. 1st round- New poem: Monochrome
2nd round- Personified Denial (to which, someone cried out "yes!" as soon as I said the first line. That was AWESOME! LOL)
Finals- New poem: Gravedigger (Of which...there is a video of me performing "Grave Digger" at the October "Night of the Living Poet" poetry slam HERE, and on the new Slamarillo website.)
It was truly a GREAT night!
Next order of business, I was featured in author Jennifer Archer's Blog. I sent her an email after I went to Brave New Voices poetry slam festival in DC (blog about it here) telling her all about it. She asked if she could blog about it--she seemed intrigued with the concept, so of course I consented. It is a nice blog and I and so thankful for her kindness. She really did her research on the festival! Check it out HERE!
On a few personal notes, I got to attend a pagan wedding with a traditional hand fasting (where the phrase "tying the knot" comes from. It is a tying of cords around the hands of the bride and groom to signify their wedding). It was by far the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I'm so glad I got to help out. I'll post pictures if I get some. She had the prettiest dress I have ever seen in my life. It was so utterly BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations Brea and Greg!
Educationally, I graduated High School in May 2008. [Wow, has it really been that long since I blogged? God, I'm so lame. :) ] But yes. I have served my time and I am FINISHED! I graduated with a good GPA (not that I cared, I just wanted out of there!) and a scholarship of $2000 to any Texas school! I plan to use it for fun classes at the city's 2 year school since it is less expensive (and honestly, a better school on so many levels than the local University). I couldn't be happier about it!
I am currently looking for a job... unsuccessfully I might add. This not having a driver's license thing really isn't jiving with me. BUT, to pass the time and help out humanity, I have become an Arts Intern at the YMCA. My job is to design educational, arts curriculum for the three age groups (pre-k, k-2, 3-5)--one or two activities for every week of the year. Only slightly a huge job! But I like it. I just don't like waking myself up to catch two buses. haha.
Update (11-11-08)
Hurray! The job search is over! ...now I'm just searching for better jobs! lol I work at a toy store and an ice cream place. The ice cream job is fabulous because I basically get paid to sit there and read! Isn't that awesome? The toy store job.... well, I haven't even started it and I already want to quit. It makes me all Bleh inside. WAH! lol. Oh well... at least have an AMAZING mall discount now to a lot of stores! teehee
I went to my first Harvestfest at the local Unitarian Universalist church. (I <3 UU!) I bought some amazing stuff (paper-painted earrings and a handmade maroon skarf/shawl) but the coolest thing I did was undoubtedly the Akashic Record reading. For those who don't know, your Akashic Record is literally a record kept by Record Keepers (think spirit guides/guardian angels that record your existence instead of guide you) that is in your energy field/Aura. It is a record of your entire existence from the spark or your inception at the beginning of time; all thoughts, actions, events, intentions, etc. are recorded and can be 'opened' and 'read' by certain people. I went to a psychic named Yvonne Baca and she opened my Akashic Records and began.
Apparently I have three record keepers; they are very strong; I am one of the oldest spirits she had ever seen (I won't say the number, but I've had more lives than I ever thought possible), most of my lives I died in infancy; a lot of my lives were nomadic (I KNEW IT!); I have a hawk for a spirit animal; I have clairaudient tendencies; most of my lives I've had some form of psychic abilities; my last life was in a non-traditional, nature-based convent in France and it was happy.
She gave me many details and a lot more info, but you get the general gist of it! It was truly a great experience.
Back to the writing side of things.
I got to help the poets Future and One Truth do a poetry workshop for kids at the YMCA when they were in town featuring. It was so much fun and great to be able to help out some young ones.And, the grand finale...
Probably, the most exiting this I have done in a LONG time... I got to open for the Junkyard Ghost Revival! This is a spoken-word poetry tour featuring Derrick Brown, Anis Mojgani, Buddy Wakefield, and a rotating cast of fourth poets including: Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz, Andrea Gibson, Robbie Q, and Sonya Renee.
We were lucky enough to get Sonya Renee, poet of so many amazing poems! (not to mention she's just plain Pretty!) haha
After running to door... taking admission money, checking IDs, passing out flyers...I stepped up on the stage of The Nat (which has been shared by the likes of Duke Ellington, Jerry Lee Lewis, Dixie Chicks, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and more). I was so nervous. SO NERVOUS. It was a PACKED audience, not to mention I was going to be performing for four world class poets. I approached the mic with the little confidence that Ethan had given me by telling me I'd do fine and he was excited to hear my poem. I totally made people promise to still love me if I choked! hahaha. I did "Monochrome" (hopefully there will be a video soon). I got a fabulous applause and I didn't even mess up once! LOL I was psyched!
I got off stage, returned to my seat (only to meet up with a good friend and former roommate who had made it JUST in time to see my poem). Then three of the Slamarillo team went up and did their Kick-Ass Darfur piece, then Ethan did "Framework" (wow, I love that poem so much), and lastly Miss Lindsay London did a poem.
It was an amazing, life-changing show, and I can't wait to see if they come again next year!!!
They all signed my Hoodie! It's amazing. Also, I got to sit a reserved Poets' Table. I felt like such a VIP, lol. And afterward, we had a crazy fun dance party!
Raul, Jenna, Daniel opening on the awesome NAT stage
Sonya Renee spitting poetry amongst the crowd
Buddy Wakefield being poetic awesome.
Anis Mojgani in his smexy red beanie
Awww, the poets are so sleepy.
L to R: Anis, Buddy, Sonya, me. (Sans Derrick; he was busy making hotel reservations. haha)
I <3 this picture.
Sariya.
This month, I have written two new poems!
Please read and comment! I hope you enjoy!
PS-
I got in test scores galore:
SATs:
Mathematics: 600
Reading: 610
Writing: 660
Essay: 12/12
Yep. A perfect score on the essay! Can you believe it ? I am still in a little bit of shock, but it's true! And an 1870 isn't too shabby either!
As for TAKS scores (the State standardized testing of Texas that are needed to be passed in order to graduate high school), I got commended performance in Social Studies, Science, English, and Math.
Hope you liked!
xoxo
Sariya
All of these shows were sick! Amazing. The guests were all so talented.
Thanks to all who attended and a special thanks to the Features! Slamarillo would not be the same without you guys Your performances and poetry inspire the poets to keep doin' what we do!
xoxo
(September slam, featuring me and three others in an ART SHOW.)
"Solomon Sparrow Electric Whale Revival:" Anis Mojgani, Buddy Wakefield, Dan Leamen, Derrick Brown, Mike McGee, All 5 poets will be performing! Go to the first link for more info! Be there! 
[Me with poet Future at the slam]
Wow! What a talented group!
Me with Keynote Speaker, author Barry Eisler. (Yes... I know the wall decor above my head looks like a crown... You hush.)
- Mood:accomplished
The literary magazines are in! Yes, the Magazine for which I was co-editor have finally come in.
There are a few problems with it, I admit. 1) Mine and another girl's name were switched on credits for our photos, 2)on the Masthead, only two of the members had their titles by their names. 2) My Poem 'reflections' --which I specially configured and added pictured for the magazine--was not in it. 3) They Misspelled two of my friends' names. 4) The biggest issue with the magazine I will say is the fact that the URL of teh interview I did was wrong. great.... That was the biggest thing in the issue and it was wrong. Ha. Nice.
It's all okay, though. I accept that a first issue is bound to have its problems. I was rather mad at first, but now I just see the minority and inevitability of it all. The next one will be better, then the one after that....
Here are scans of some of the magazine:
I shall update later! I hope you reserved a copy because, after scanning through it, I can see it is a pretty good one!
Sariya.
I just got back from James's CD release party for his first CD, "My Quarter in the Machine"... Wow. The performance was fantastic and flawless and (Insert any and every positive adjective here). I had so much fun. Also, I bought a CD. I am telling you, go to this guy's website because it is SO worth the ten dollars for a CD. Go to www.jlmusicweb.com. My favorites songs off the CD are: 'Only a Fool', 'Everlasting Love', 'Just Let It Bring Your Ship Down', and 'Take Me Away'.
Slamarillo competitive poetry slams now has a permanent venue! Hurray, no more venue-hopping every month just to have a poetry slam. This place is nice, great for a slam, and the owner is a nice guy.
Speaking of the slam, I competed... However, I did not make it to the second round. *tear*. I'm okay, just a little ticked. I am the first to admit when I screwed up a poem or had a bad performance, and I'll admit, it was not my finest, but I still think I deserved not to be eliminated. I know slamming, and writing in general, forces one to develop a thick skin, and I have, but it doesn't change the fact that some of the judges could not judge properly. (Not only mine, but many others, either by scoring too generously, and rather bias in my opinion, or scoring to low for a decent poem.) People forget that it is about the CONTENT of the poem, the substance, not just 'did it make me laugh?' I think sometimes the audience and the amature judges want the meaning of the poem handed to them on a platter. This is Spoken-word poetry, not a limmerick contest. Use brain cells.
Hey, if Future himself gave me a SIX [not TOO bad, not great] then I should not have gotten a THREE, yes, I said three, from the kid. Kid, as in little young guy who had
Thanks, that's my rant for the day!
Congratulations to the winners of the April Slam:
1st place: Raul Rodarte
2nd place: Daniel Ramos
3rd place: JL Baker
AND thanks to my friend Jessica for accompanying me. I had a LOT of fun... even if bias judges stole my title.... :) Ok... I am kidding, I am really not as grudging as I sound!
I know that I did not post about the last slam. Here is the quick version:
It was the City Slam, the first ever, I might add, and the poems were top drawer for the hot competition.
The finalists were named the first official Amarillo Poetry Slam Team! Wow! This is great! It's a real step in the right direction.
And HERE is the BEST part! Not only did we have a tie.... but we had TWO! that means two sudden death rounds. We had one slam-off, as usual, but the second time we had a Haiku contest. James won against Raul in a landslide with his humorous haikus and took first place.
The team is as follows:
James, Daniel, Terri, Raul with Ira as Alternate
the places by score for the City Slam were as follows...
1st- James, 2nd- Raul, 3rd- Terri, 4th- Colton, 5th- Daniel, 6th- Ira, 7th- Tano
Congratulations to all of you, winners of the April slam AND the city slam alike!
I suppose that's it for tonight!
Sariya.
Until I can get the NOVELS and POETRY, and other pages on my site up and running, I have temporarily set up such pages on my LJ.
SARIYA'S POETRY (Updated on the 30th with TWO more poems.)
NOVEL SUMMARIES
PHOTOS
SHORT FICTION AND ESSAYS
Enjoy!
I spent a few hours today with authors Ronda Thompson, Jennifer Archer, and Linda Castillo; I was also accompanied by Tina Gray.
The three authors were having a booksigning at a locally-owned bookstore. Tina and I went to keep the ladies company and talk. We stayed for about over an hour before we left. Mostly we discussed--of course--writing. It was a nice afternoon! Please visit the links above to the authors' websites and read about them and their books. I got three books signed today, (a little birthday present from Tina--Thanks):
Dead Reckoning By Linda Castillo,
The Cursed One By Ronda Thompson, and
My Perfectly Imperfect Life By Jennifer Archer
I got in a few pictures! Here is one below!
(L to R: R.Thompson, J. Archer, me, L. Castillo)
And speaking of Jennifer Archer, I conducted an interview with her last December for the literary magazine. It is now published, in its 21-question entirety, at my website.
Please go to www.writtenrealm.com and click on "Jennifer Archer Interview" to read. The website is not fully functional yet, so do not expect some of the other links to work. (Emphasis on YET! It is all a work in wonderful progress.) Thanks much to TIna Gray and her husband for the wonderful job on my site! I appreciate it!
Peace, love, and harmony, everyone!
Sariya. The one and only. : )
My experiences at my first writer’s conference
(poet Harvey Stanbrough, me, and Author Deborah LeBlanc.)
