She So Funny

My feel-good moment of the day was an email from Home Planet News letting me know that my slice of memoir “Not S’posed to Win” is accepted for publication.  I’ll share the link when I get it.  I wrote it to read at one of Kathryn Adisman’s events, What Were the Sixties Really Like?  It was well received.  I am unsure how it will come across from the page, but I am glad it will be in print.  Thank you, Frank Murphy, editor of Home Planet News.

If you know someone who is gratefully divorced, consider this as a unique gift.  Contact me in the comments or on Facebook or at mindyinthebronx@gmail.com.

I spent Labor Day afternoon enjoying and participating in this festival: Poetry on a Caribbean Breeze.  Curator Heather Archibald told us everyone was Caribbean for the day.  There was calypso music, workshops, featured readers, open mic, and snacks.  I was all set to join the haiku workshop, but then I saw lots of art supplies on another table for Comic Poetry.  I got seduced by the crayons and colored pencils.  I had no idea what Comic Poetry meant.  It had to do with drawing frames a comic strip would have with words, but it had nothing to do with comedy.  I like new creative experiences.  I do believe a certain part of the brain needs stimulation from time to time in order to get juiced up to create whatever one creates – poetry, music, comedy, dance, visual art, etc.

I also read three poems at the open mic.  They were all serious, but the third one made women crack up.  It was a wonderful way to conclude.  I felt good about that for days.  And to think, I almost didn’t go.  It’s been a struggle to get my self to places.

I am so glad that three friends and I are going to see “In the Heights” at a friend’s house and have dinner, wine, etc. this Saturday night.  I had a tiny part in the movie in the rally scene toward the end.  It wasn’t with lines or anything, but several people wrote me asking, “Did I just see you in ‘In the Heights’?”  Yes they did.  I haven’t seen it yet, so I’m looking forward to the whole evening.

Human contact.  Friendship.  Feels good.

Love to CGG-M ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic

September 2021

Wow!  People were dancing in the streets for days!!! 

My buddy set up my laptop.  It didn’t go totally smoothly because of many technical things that are beyond my ability to re-tell.  For the first time, I was able to attend the Wednesday night poetry workshop where everyone was able to see and hear me as I see and hear them.  That was fun.  However, I did have to put on a shirt, look decent, etc.  J  I was also able to fully participate in a poetry festival this past Sunday.

My secret angel made this all possible.  The laptop with a webcam and mic was a gift that boosts me into this era.  Amazing.  One never knows where blessings will come from next.  This person wants to remain anonymous.  Whatever he wants in that regard is fine with me.  I’ll just say he is from the writing community.  My jaw is still hanging.  Oh, in case anyone’s thoughts went there, no, he’s not trying to sleep with me.  He is happily and committedly partnered up.  He’s seen me at poetry readings where I read my stuff, he’s been to a few comedy shows where I performed, he’s heard some memoir pieces of mine, he reads my blogs and knew I lived without certain things, and he wanted to help.  He really stepped me into this era.  I have often said in previous blogs that I so appreciate the angels on Earth who remind me of certain things… like God/dess hasn’t forgotten me.

As evil as the human race can be, it is also magically humane.  I’ve seen both and experienced both.  Both amaze me.

And since this is a comedy-related blog, I will share something that made me feel good in that part of my life.  On 12/21/2018, a week and some days before Cornelia Street Café had to close, I was in a variety show there, produced by Kathryn Adisman, where I did comedy.  Kathryn recently came across a review by Sarah Dowson in the West View News.  We were not aware that there was a reviewer in the place.  This is what Ms. Dowson wrote (I am mentioned in the third paragraph):

Villagers Speak as Cornelia Street Café Curtain Comes Down

02/04/2019

Ghost City Cabaret

Friday night, December 21, 2018, 50 or so poetry and Cornelia Street Café lovers turned to the light for winter solstice and a final evening at the café, due to close in several days. Years ago, when I wrote poetry regularly, I attended and read at open mics at the Cornelia Street Café. It was a wonderful space for people to gather, express opinions and make friends. In her introduction to this solstice evening, Ghost City Cabaret’s Katherine Adisman (“K”), verbalized the concerns of many in attendance about the closings of reasonably-priced gathering spaces in Manhattan.

Once inside after a wait in the bar/restaurant at street level, and finding a seat downstairs, I passed two tiny gender-neutral restrooms at right angles to each other, painted red. I remembered these, as well as the long, narrow room with tables and chairs and a bar at its entrance. Sitting comfortably was easier if one were small or thin. The cement walls were blue, and a red curtain hung behind the stage in front.

A capacity audience of about 50 filled the room. Several writers/performers gave presentations. My favorites: Mindy Matijasevic’s “Comedy for Grown Folks” and drummer Fred Simpson’s musical offerings entitled “Kindness” and “Goodbye, CSC” a tribute to the café. Su Polo gave an outstanding performance of her essay, “A Walk into Christmas” about a possibly lonely pre-holiday evening, walking her dog uptown from 27th Street to Rockefeller Center, and being suddenly surrounded by carolers (her dog in the center of their circle) and then being invited to sing carols: a festive, inclusive evening after all.

After an intermission, open mic performers raced the clock to give everyone a chance to perform, as the café was hosting another event shortly. Ghost City Cabaret has been at Cornelia St. Café for four years. It will revive, K said. “To be continued … in another dimension” the evening’s flyer assured.

— Sarah Dowson

Much love to CGG-M ❤❤❤

Mindy Matijasevic