Burnt Foot is Yummy!
I read a story in the paper this morning with the headline, “Gal-Pal Gumbo,” which naturally caught my eye. Some guy, who apparently got a little national media attention (even though I’ve never heard of him, and I watch A LOT of TV) for refusing to leave New Orleans during Katrina murdered his girlfriend and then killed himself. Back during Katrina he and his girlfriend refused to leave New Orleans, not unlike many others but because this particular couple was white they got all kinds of media attention. A few days ago he killed her, cut her up, cooked her head, arms and legs (the dismembered body parts were found in the oven and the head in a pot on the stove, badly burnt) and then yesterday he jumped off the roof of a popular hotel in the Big Easy. I know, crazy, right? I’ve burnt many a meal before but I’ve never been so upset that I’ve contemplated suicide because of it. CHECK OUT THE ARTICLE
Last night on the subway a young man got on with a guitar and portable speakers to play a little traveling music and possibly make a little dough, it’s people like him that I hate most in urban cities. Whether he’s good or bad is irrelevant to me, I find it annoying to have somebody playing music (usually poorly) while I’m just trying to get home. Apparently these performers represent the higher ups in the begging world, however I’d rather give my quarter to the smelly drunk, at least he’s upfront and honest with no forced gimmick. The dilemma I struggle with when encountered in a situation like this is how to tune the performer out. My Midwestern manors tell me that it would be rude to pull out my iPod right in front of him, or visibly turn the volume up. So instead of drowning out the music with a perfect selection of my own (performed by truly talented musicians), I’m forced to suffer through yet another version of a Grateful Dead standard or an independently produced rap record. Life in the big city aint always easy!
But my big news from last night was Round 2 of performing in front of an audience. Just like last week I sucked, big time, but the excitement of actually doing it drove me through it. I have absolutely no problem failing in front of people, or making a fool of myself, I can recover from that embarrassment. The real test is to become comfortable in front of a crowd, not tense up once it’s my turn and somehow feel at least half-natural up on stage (the nervousness will never go away, but how I handle it can be altered). I cannot tell you how wonderful it felt to be up there, facing a fear, doing what I want to do. The confidence it builds is astonishing, such a rush. I will certainly be back next week and also plan to work up the gumption to do stand up (it will happen). I’m so happy, so happy!
On that note, I’ve got a hankering for burnt foot, Gumbo style, anybody interested?
