drive-by posting

I just got back from WordStorm, the poetry gathering that I discovered last - June, was it? - just in time for their season to end. I knew the new season would be starting right about now, so I went online and saw that the first meeting was scheduled for 6:30 this evening, readings to start at 7:00. I rushed in from work, took a shower and put on my Respectable Member of the Literary Community clothes (including pinchy shoes). I headed downtown to Acme Foods, in whose basement the meetings are (were) held. I couldn't get a parking space right near the restaurant, so I parked a couple of blocks away and walked down. I marched confidently through the restaurant and down the stairs. It was disturbingly quiet down there, probably because the place was empty.

I went back upstairs and accosted the sushi chef, who conferred with the maitre d', who checked the book and confirmed that WordStorm was not scheduled to be using the basement this evening. Nor, I discovered, was it listed for next week.

Disappointed, I walked back to the car, prepared to just go home and mope. Then it occurred to me that the library was still open. I drove there, instead, and used their internet service to check the WordStorm site.

You know that old adage, "When all else fails, read the instructions"? Uh-huh. I looked at the WordStorm page. Sure enough, the meeting was tonight. At 6:30. Racing through my life, as usual, I had left the site at that point, probably to go tweet something. This time, I read a little farther down the page, to where the BIG LETTERS announced the NEW VENUE, which was only a couple of blocks away. The new venue is the theatre where I went to see Agnes of God, and where I attended a storytelling event not long ago. So - I drove there, arrived just in time for the readings to start, and had a lovely evening. I did miss the green tea with toasted rice that I ordered at Acme, but I suppose I'll get used to that loss.

Seven people read their work during the open mic session; then there were readings by several invited guests.

Next month, I will, I will, I will get up and read a poem. Why is this so hard?