She So Funny

Hey people!  Hope life is at least okay-ish for you.

The end of June had some needed good times for me.  On June 25^th, students from my creative writing classes (from the fall session, the winter session, and the spring session) who chose to, gave a beautiful reading of their stories, slices of memoir, poetry, and a song.  They were wonderful, I was thrilled, the audience enjoyed, and my supervisor seemed very pleased.  It was so nice to meet the special people in some students’ lives.  I met the brother of one, daughters of others, wives of others, a son of another, a girlfriend of another – it felt so warm and good.  We had good food and beverages and great energy.  A success.  Plus, I was able to take home some food.

To top it off, my darling friend Judy, attended, enjoyed it, and then took me out for drinks after the reading. ❤❤❤  I had a great night.

The next evening, Friday, June 26^th, I was part of a reading at the Bronx Council on the Arts.  It featured the authors published in the Bronx Memoir Project, vol. 10.  My buddy Bob came with me. ❤❤❤ That was thrilling for me.  He drove (which beats two trains or two buses).  They also had good food.  Bob knew what story I would read, but he had never heard me deliver it.  He enjoyed it a lot and told me so.  The executive director told me that I was “great.”  I had to hug him.  I am so happy to be connected with the Bronx Council on the Arts.  They have made an important difference in my life.  Plus, I was able to take home some food.

Now for upcoming stuff:

·       Sunday, July 12^th at 8:30 Randy Epley’s COMEDY SHOW at 13-02 44^th Avenue, Queens, New York

·       Monday, July 20^th at 7pm CHAPBOOK LAUNCH at One and One  (downstairs at the Nexus Lounge) at First Avenue and First Street, NYC.  Happy Hour all Monday day and night!  My poetry chapbook, “No One Called Him Topless” will be available for purchase.  Diana Gitesha-Hernandez’ beautiful jazz CD, Imbued, will also be available for purchase.

·        Friday, September 18^th 8pm Almost Fall Comedy Show at TheArtist, 249 City Island Avenue, Bronx, New York.  $15 and NO minimum!

So if you like to plan in advance, mark your calendars now.  I’d be glad to see you.

Poetry and comedy make life's challenges more digestible.  Come digest with me.

Constant, unconditional love to CGG-M ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic

July 10, 2026 

Hey, everyone.  I appreciate that you are checking in.

Great poetry reading on 5/27/2026 at Evie Ivy’s series at the Green Pavilion.  My co-feature was an author with many books out there -- Ron Kolm.  I appreciate him as a human, a friend, and as a writer.

 

My experience at the Green Pavilion is always one I’m glad to have had.  If I lived closer, I’d be there a lot more often.

My forthcoming chapbook from Klytemnestra Press, No One Called Him Topless, will be celebrated on the evening of July 20^th, 7pm at One and One,  I’ll send out announcements, but pencil it in on your calendars.

Now get out your FLAIR pens to mark your calendars – JUNE 19, 2026, 8pm, the Almost Summer Comedy Show  at The Artist, 249 City Island Avenue, City Island, Bronx, New York.  Only $15, no minimum, though light fare and delicious desserts will be tempting and available for purchase (but NOT required).  You may even BYOB.  Glasses, corkscrew, ice, etc. will be offered.  A lovely family-run place.

The wonderful line-up for Juneteenth:

Rob Sajous, Leighann Lord, and Shelly Colman

Hope so much to see you and hear your laughter.

Much love to CGG-M  ❤💗❤

Mindy Matijasevic

June 2026

Hello loyal readers.

Well Mother’s Day was not easy – loving and missing my mother and my son. It’s rarely been an easy holiday for me due to many reasons I won’t go into here.  The candle for my mother is still burning.

Moving along … in the past week, I learned a poem of mine, On Virginity, would be published in “Remembering Hal Sirowitz.”  Also, a slice of memoir was accepted to be included in “Bronx Memoir Project – vol. X” and that slice is called, Big Butt; He Cannot Lie.

Good things happen along with difficult things – the ups and downs, the yin and yang of life.

I’ve needed to return to selling things.  In the cold and cool weather, I set up my table in my lobby.  That limits my customers to neighbors.  When it is warm again and I set up outside, I have the possibility of many more customers but also many more shady characters to deal with.  In the lobby today, I only made $4, but it is 4 more than zero.  Anything helps financially and helps getting things out of my overloaded apartment.

My creative writing class is going very well.  I judge it by how good students feel, what they say, the work they do, and how good I feel at the end of a class.  Similar to when I taught folks who wanted to complete their basic education, I find the students are so relieved when they realize the teacher is a regular person.  That’s my claim to fame – not coming from teacher-land.  Simply being the person I am.  From there, we do great work. 

It is really nice to be teaching again.  The subject matter is different from what I used to teach, so I have to work to come up with plans.  It varies depending on what each group of students hopes to get from the class.  I try to address most of what they want.  Sometimes, I write alongside of the students, and sometimes I also share what I’ve written.  We truly have a good time.  One student in the fall cycle said, “This was like a writing party!”  That felt great.

Now, for the funny – on Wednesday, May 20, from 6-9pm, Diana Gitesha-Hernandez is having her jazz show, Diva Dive, at Tio Pepe’s.  I am going to do 2 short comedy sets on their breaks.  They are at 168 West 4^th Street.  No cover.  No minimum.  Good food, good music, good comedy. 

Hope you’ll want to be part of the fun.

Mindy Matijasevic

So much love to CGG-M ❤ 💕 ❤

May 14, 2026

    The EAT DRINK LAUGH SHOW on May 2^nd was wonderful.  I enjoyed my set and most of the others. 

    After the show, one of the other comics shared with me that he has sometimes thought his wife didn’t have a sense of humor.  But, he said that the last time we were on the same show and his wife attended, he saw her laughing a lot at my set, and he was glad.  I immediately liked him for being a loving husband.  I told him, “A lot of comedy doesn’t really reach women.”

    “But you do,” he said.

    I told him that when we are both on the show again and she attends, please introduce me, and that I’d love to meet her.  He liked that idea.  I was glad he shared that story with me.  It stays in my heart.

    I have often felt that my voice in comedy has allowed women to feel recognized.  It’s not just the funny; it’s the point of view.

    I still miss Lisa Harmon very much.  She used to share the stage at Pangea with me. 

    https://tiopepenyc.com/

    Mark your calendars for June 19^th – Juneteenth—for comedy at The Artist, 249 City Island Avenue on City Island in the Bronx.  The show is at 8pm, $15 cover, NO minimum!  You may even BYOB.

    https://www.facebook.com/StarvingArtistCityIsland/

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leighann_Lord 

    Lots of laughter.

    Hope to see ya.

Mindy

Much love to CGG-M  ❤💙❤

5/5/2026

    Hello again.  Isn’t it amazing, here in NYC, to go from summer to winter in three days!?  Life isn’t boring even when we don’t factor in people.

    I happened to come across a song that was banned in the 1950s.  Compared to what is deemed acceptable now, I find it remarkable.

His Balls Got Stuck In His Zipper

    Last week was action-packed for me.  There was one event I had hoped to attend that I didn’t.  That was disappointing, but there were reasons.  I achieved most of what I needed to do.

    Today I got an email that a poem of mine is getting published.  My poem is  called “On Virginity.”  It is inspired by the style of poet Hal Sirowitz.

    This Tuesday, 4/21, my part-time job resumes.  I’m teaching creative writing in ten-week sessions to retirees of a labor union.  I began last September which was the fall cycle.  Then in January, we began the winter cycle.  Now will be the spring cycle.  Each cycle brings new students and some who are taking the class again.  Then that’s it for the teaching year.  If registration shows interest, it will go on next fall.

    The students and I are in the same age range, and most of us want to have written our stories before leaving this Earth.  It’s a warm togetherness, a safe environment to be vulnerable, and a great part-time job.  And well paid in terms of the hourly rate.

    And now for the funny – I’ll be at Pangea (2^nd Avenue near 12^th Street, NYC) on Saturday, May 2^nd, 9pm show.  Ten dollars in advance; $15 at the door.  Advance tickets here:  May 2nd EAT DRINK LAUGH SHOW

    Pangea has a $20 food/drink minimum in addition.

    Paul Hallasy’s EAT DRINK LAUGH show is always a good time.  Makes a great date – you get to learn a lot about a person by what makes him/her laugh.  Pay attention.

    Mark your calendars for comedy at The Artist, 249 City Island Avenue, on June 19^th.  The Almost Summer Comedy Show guarantees laughter.

Much love to CGG-M  ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic

April 20, 2026

    Hey everyone.  I attended a wonderful reading by Steve Zeitlin at Barnes and Noble’s Thursday night on 17^th Street, NYC.  His new book "How Do You Wear the Universe?" is a collection of life-affirming poetry and essays by Steve Zeitlin that explores human        experience, creativity, and cultural heritage.

    Today, I better get my butt downstairs and set up my table with items to sell.  I need cash.  Then on Saturday, I am trying out for a game show.  I hope I do what I have to do to get chosen.  Goddess knows, I need it.

    I still have to deal with my taxes.  My best friend’s birthday is the 16^th, an anthology deadline is the 17^th, a reading in memory of Hal Sirowitz is on the 18^th, and then my part time job starts up again on the 21^st.  So for me these days, this is quite busy.  The Bronx Council on the Arts is having a mixer on the 23^rd.  I want to get there.  I hope my best buddy can attend also, but either way, I want to be there.

    As far as comedy goes, I will be at Pangea (2nd Avenue near 12th Street)  in the EAT, DRINK, LAUGH show produced by the hilarious Paul Hallasy on Saturday, May 2^nd at 9pm.  Tickets are $15 at the door.  There is also a $20 minimum at the place.  I hear the food is really good.  I have one complimentary ticket left (the minimum still applies).  Let me know quickly if you want the complimentary ticket.  You can let me know in the comments or at mindyinthebronx@gmail.com.

    Then on Juneteenth I will be having my Almost Summer Comedy Show at The Artist on City Island.  Mark your calendars.  I will announce the line-up soon.

    Now, for your amusement, I will share that after so many years of NOT, I finally took my clothes off for a man.  It was for my dermatologist. 

Much love to CGG-M  ❤ 💗 ❤

Mindy Matijasevic

April 10, 2026

Last Wednesday, 3/18/2026, I was invited to do a comedy set in the Diva Dive jazz show at Tio Pepe’s on West 4^th Street.  I had a very nice time.  Diana Gitesha-Hernandez is someone I know from the NYC poetry circle.  However, she is a woman of many talents – a singer and a percussionist, etc.

People who attend a jazz show seem to be very open to comedy.  I was well received and enjoyed delivering.  The place is really nice.  I’d never been there before.  But I will plan to be there again.

Tio Pepe's

Then on Friday, 3/20, I had my Almost Spring Comedy Show at The Artist on City Island.  The line-up was great.  I was very pleasantly surprised by some folks who attended – my poetry pal Fred Simpson came and brought his wife, son, daughter, and son-in-law.  I felt very grateful.  My closest friends attended as did some newer friends.  I appreciate everyone – the audience and the comics and most importantly, Elliot and Monica Glick, who run the place.  Our Almost Summer Comedy Show will be in June.  Once the date is set, I’ll announce it.

The Bronx Museum of the Arts holds events for the community, and I attended two of them recently.  Loved my experiences.  One was an art-making experience led by MutShat Mahone-Lonesome.  I ventured into something I’d never done before – assemblage.  It is 3-dimensional work.

 https://bronxmuseum.org/

I loved the experience.  It felt like I felt as a child doing arts and crafts with my darling mother.  The time flew by.  When I left, I said to my mother (in Heaven), “We had a good time.”  It was only after I said it that I realized I was talking to my mother.  It felt so natural.

Thanks for your interest and support.  It means a lot.

So much love to my darling CGG-M ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic

March 24, 2026

People, it’s been a while.  The main thing I want you to know is on Friday, March 20^th at 8pm, my Almost Spring Comedy Show will be happening at The Artist, 249 City Island Avenue, City Island in the Bronx.  $15 cover and NO minimum!  You may even BYOB.  There is a menu of light fare and delicious desserts to tempt you if desired but not required.  Desserts by Jenny's Sweets.

The line-up (Joe Fulton, Shelly Colman, Paul Hallasy, and me) guarantees laughter.  You will surely have a good time. 

I had a wonderful Valentine’s Day for the first time in a while. ❤❤  I was part of Evie Ivy’s Dance of the Word show.  I loved listening to the other performers and seeing the beautiful belly dancing.  

I was on the bill as a poet.  It was supposed to be all about love.  I really had to go through much of my writings to find poems for this reading.  Much of my poems are more about betrayal, hurt, struggles, and that sort of thing.  But I managed to find some stuff to share that had to do with love though not necessarily romantic love.  One was:

Feeling Love from the Universe

Tonight’s slice of moon

smiled to me.

I smiled back.

©Mindy Matijasevic

June 2021

There are other things to share – after a night of drinking wine at home, I awoke the next day discovering that I had had a water bug, and that I had killed it.  I thanked God/dess for protecting me from the trauma of even knowing I had a water bug in my apartment.  Apparently I killed it without knowing I did.  I always wear sandals or sneakers in my apartment, never barefoot.  I had much to be thankful for.  However, I could not deal with the corpse.  My best buddy/non-biological brother came over the next day to dispose of the corpse.  Even more to be thankful for.

My first poetry chapbook, No One Called Him Topless, is a reality.  More on that next time.  Much thanks to Esther K. Smith, Klytemnestra Press.

There’s always more – good and not so good.  But my main point here is:  get to the comedy show on 3/20, 8pm for much laughter! We need it!

So much love to CGG-M ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic

March 12, 2026