She So Funny

People, the chapbook launch went very well on Sunday, July 26, 2026.  I thank Diana Gitesha-Hernandez for providing the venue and her voice (singing and speaking), her spirit, generosity, and encouragement, etc.

The backroom in Tio Pepe has a skylight and is quite inviting.  Diana really stirs up the enthusiasm.  Esther K. Smith, publisher of Klytemnestra Press, had many items to offer for purchase aside from my chapbook, No One Called Him Topless.  She was one of the featured readers along with Ron Kolm, Mindy Levokove, and Diana Gitesha-Hernandez.

Two women, who were in my creative writing class, attended the reading.  Some of my poems are not very teacher-like.  So I always feel a bit self-conscious in that situation, but that’s okay.  I grow a thicker skin.  And that is needed for my comedy path.  The women had no problem with my themes and language.  They enjoyed it very much.

Speaking of comedy, my next show at The Artist on City Island in the Bronx -- the “Almost Fall Comedy Show” – will be on Friday, September 18^th at 8pm.  Only $15 and no minimum!  You may even BYOB.  The terrific and very varied line-up:

Mindy Matijasevic  

Jose Angel Diaz                 

Paul Hallasy           

I am as excited to be an audience member as I am to be the producer.  I like my taste, and I feel good with my choices.  To top it off, those who run The Artist, Elliot and Monica Glick, are so welcoming and wonderful.  It is a performance space, not a comedy club. They do have a menu of light fare (vegetarian inclusive) and delicious desserts, tempting but not required.

If you like to plan ahead, mark your calendar for 9/18/2026 @ 8pm for hilarity!  I’d love to see you and hear you laughing. 

On another note, I have yet to step on a scale, but my jeans are sliding down.  I hope this means I lost a few pounds and not that I stretched out my jeans. 

With appreciation of you taking the time to read this,

Mindy

Major love to CGG-M  ❤ ❤ ❤

Mindy Matijasevic

August  11, 2026

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 

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

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

    Hi people.  Puh-leeze mark your calendars for a very funny show on September 12^th at 8pm on City Island – a lovely place to spend the day and then come to THE ARTIST for comedy and dessert!  The show features Mike Hernandez Vacas, TJ Meyers, Linda San Lucas, and me of course.  Tickets may be bought in advance or at the venue.  (Link to come in the near future.) 

    I was supposed to be a reader at the Poetry Festival on Governor’s Island on July 13^th.  I felt honored that Diana Gitesha Hernandez asked me to read at her portion of the festival to represent her reading series, Artemis.  Unfortunately, I was not feeling well from the night before, and though I remained hopeful, I was not feeling better by the next day.  Diana was very understanding.  I was grateful for that.  It was my loss. 

    I continue to sell items from my buddy’s mother.  One day, my best buddy hung out with me during that time.  He helped me so much to get things downstairs and back upstairs.  Four tops and a necklace sold in a half hour.  That allowed me to get a slice of pizza and a bottle of Cabernet.  Even when I only make a little bit of cash, it helps me get through the day.

    Now for the disgusting events.  While the pizza shop boss was bringing my slice out of the oven, he kept looking at something on the other side of the store.  Then he left my slice, grabbed a broom, went out from behind the counter, and was banging something that was under a table.  I couldn’t bear it and closed my eyes.  He returned and bagged my slice.  I wish I wasn’t there for that moment.

    When I got home, I went to the bathroom, and there was a water bug in there.  DAMN!  Though I managed to wash my hands and leave the bathroom, the thing is still alive somewhere.  I’m not okay. 

    Tuesday I went with my buddy to his mom’s apartment again to get through more stuff.  My apartment looks like a hoarder’s place since I’ve been bringing stuff from her house.  It already had too much stuff, and now it is beyond that.  I hope I make more money from all that inventory because I sure need every dollar.

    I was hired to teach a creative writing class for retirees of a labor union.  It will begin in September.  I haven’t been in a teaching position in a few years, and I’m excited about it.  I expect it to be an enjoyable experience, and the money will definitely help my situation.  My best bud told me he'd love to have me as a creative writing teacher.  That melted me.

    Did you mark your calendars for lots of laughter on September 12^th?

Tremendous love to CGG-M ❤ 💕 💜 
Mindy Matijasevic
July 2025

Glad to say I’ve had several affection sessions recently with my feline girlfriend, Mustache.  When it’s been a few days without a visit, I miss her.  I miss pure, four-legged, furry love.  So when we see each other, it’s intense.  She’s talking up a storm (in cat talk), and I tell her, “I know.  I missed you too.  I come here and wonder where’s Mustache?”  The worker who doesn’t like me probably feels nauseous when he hears us.  LOL  The owner and son of the owner appreciate my loving relationship with Mustache, so the negative guy can go … be with himself. 

When I performed in Paul Hallasy’s fundraiser for Kamala comedy show at Pangea last month, I was so fortunate that more people, who I invited, attended than I expected, and one of them, Cicely Brooks, shared a bit of video she took.  Here it is:

        Between several poetry pals and the Bronx Council on the Arts, my evenings have been enriched with zoom workshops and classes (memoir and poetry).  And it is thanks to friends that I have a mic and camera which allows me to participate.  It is so uplifting to my spirit. 

Upcoming events:

        Saturday, Oct. 26^th at 7pm – Dance of the Word – produced by Evie Ivy.  There will be poetry, music, belly dancing, wine, light fare.  353 Studios, Studio 1, 353 W. 48thSt., 2nd fl. A train to 42nd St., 44th St. exit, or E to 50th St. Join us for a fun evening. $15 at the door. Refreshments, wine and cheese, etc. I'll be sharing poetry.

        Sunday, Oct. 27^th at 1pm – Artemis – produced by Diana Gitesha Hernandez. Reading series at One + One, Nexus Lounge, 76 1^st Street (off 1^st Avenue), NYC.  I’ll be one of the features sharing poetry.  $5 donation and 1 drink minimum.

    Saturday, Nov. 2^nd at 9pm – Eat Drink Laugh – another fundraiser for Kamala’s campaign comedy show!  Produced by Paul Hallasy.  Ticket sales for this show go to Act Blue.  Pangea, 178 2nd Avenue, NYC. 

Much love to CGG-M ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic

October 2024