She So Funny

For those of you who have asked, “Mindy, what do you have lined up?” I so appreciate that question and am putting it all in one place.  I was featured at two poetry readings last month which I didn’t announce here (sorry), but upcoming events include:

Monday, July 24, 2017 at 8pm, I will be a featured reader at the Saturn Series Poetry Reading at Shades of Green on East 15 Street between 3^rd and Irving Place, New York, NY.  Contribution $3 plus a menu item (drink or food).  Includes an open mic, so bring something to share if you like.

Monday, August 21, 2017 at 6pm “What Were the Sixties Really Like?” at Cornelia Street Café (downstairs) on Cornelia Street between West 4^th and Bleecker Sts., New York, NY.  I will be reading prose.  All female line-up that night.  $10.  Great food and drink available for purchase.  

Friday, September 1, 2017 at 10pm Broadway Comedy Club, 318 W 53rd Street, New York, NY. I am part of the line-up in Aaron Smith’s show, Funny Underground Comedy Krew.   $20 plus 2-drink minimum.

Saturday, September 9, 2017 at 7pm She Reads at NAMA, 107 West 130^th Street, New York, NY.  Not yet determined if I am reading my poetry or performing comedy.

If something fits into your schedule and budget, I'd LOVE to see you there.

Posted by Mindy Matijasevic at 8:24 PM | Labels: "What Were the Sixties Really Like?", Aaron Smith, comedy show, Cornelia Street Cafe, Funny Underground Comedy Krew, Mindy Matijasevic, NAMA, poetry reading, Saturn Series, She Reads | 4 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

 

 

I have to bring my dog in to be put to sleep any day now.  He has a growth blocking most of his passage inside his rear.  In spite of that, he loves eating, insists on sharing my challah bread in particular and recently stole my remaining part of a cheese danish, bounded in the snow as he did as a puppy, wags at and communicates with his dog friends and even not-yet-friends, adores certain humans and demonstrates it, sniffs people with interesting smells on the knees of their jeans, etc.  He even runs sometimes like a younger dog.  His spirit is so alive most of the time.  So of course it feels terrible.  He would be 15 on June 1^st.  Surgery of that complexity in such an area is not really recommended for him at his age. 

The vet understood that he is enjoying so much about living still.  He also understood that I didn’t want his last experience to be a rectal exam, which was necessary to determine what was happening with the growth.  So he told me to increase the dose of the laxatives, he gave more antibiotics and pain relievers if needed, told me to take him to the park to have fun since he is hanging on so well, BUT as soon as he can’t poop, to be ready to say goodbye.  He said it would be agony if he got closed up totally.  So I have to not let that happen.

I am glad I wrote this because I have barely any more room left for grief on my chest.

When Luigi smelled a chicken sandwich I had, he was very interested and began his begging.  I said, “Don’t worry.  Of course I’m going to share with you.  I’m going to spoil you rotten!”

My buddy and I brought Luigi to my young adult son on Monday night for them to have some time together.  I am very glad we did.

Life is so everything, often at the very same time, so in addition to having to part with my darling Luigi, there’s work, family issues, financial concerns, and the Divorced Divas of Comedy Springtime Show is on Saturday.  Yes, no matter what else is happening, the show does go on.  There are still seats available.  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1361864  Laughter is guaranteed.  Great way to welcome the spring.  Leighann Lord will be closing the show.  In case you aren’t familiar with Leighann and her comedy, take a look here: www.veryfunnylady.com.  Then get your ticket and come to the show.  It would be wonderful to hear your laughter.

On Monday, March 30, 2015, I will be one of 3 featured poets for the Saturn Series Poetry Reading, 8pm, at Shades of Green, 125 East 15 Street.   www.shadesofgreenpub.com/

It seems Powell Burns does have the luck of the Irish because he also won a pair of tickets to “Clinton, the Musical” after winning a pair to “Hunter Gatherers.”  The other pair goes to Mindy Levokove, a co-worker and friend who I feel fortunate to know.

Posted by Mindy Matijasevic at 12:00 AM | Labels: "Clinton the Musical", Divorced Divas of Comedy Springtime Show, Ellen Orchid, Leighann Lord, Luigi, Mindy Matijasevic, Saturn Series, Shades of Green, Taffy Jaffe | 3 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

A Monday Night with Mindy

 

I don’t remember if I first found the Saturn Series poetry readings when my mother passed, but it seems to touch that spot for me.  I know it is largely Su Polo (and past co-hosts) that makes everyone feel so welcome at her weekly reading series (in its 19^th year!).  I feel able to be somewhat emotionally naked there.  I feel understood.  And I tend to share my tumultuous inner world.  I was very happy to have been asked to feature, and to top it off, she had asked me who I’d like to feature with.  I picked Mindy Levokove who agreed, and I called it the night of two Mindys.  Su began calling it Mindy Squared.

Before leaving home, my dog had an unexpected need for another walk, so I was late.  Su begins with open-mic readers, so it was fine.  I was given such a welcome when I arrived that I almost felt like a movie star. 

I was particularly disorganized in gathering material to read this time.  It reflects my paper clutter at home.  I had to remind myself that the audience does not know any of that and just knows what I present.  It was a strange combination of older poems and rough drafts of new stuff.  I was still revising drafts on the train ride from the Bronx to Union Square.  So when I arrived, I still didn’t have things in the order I wanted to read them.  I felt bad to be organizing my papers while people were sharing their work.  Then when we had to work out who goes first, Mindy Levokove was fine with going first which gave me the time I needed.  She sang her work and played a shruti box for some of it.  I never heard that before.  Mindy Levokove is full of surprises, and this night was no exception.

Patricia Carragon was there and gave me my complimentary copy of the 2013

Brownstone Poets Anthology.  It is beautiful and was such a nice surprise.  I read

the poem I have in there, “Brown Leaf in February.” Some of the people there know me to be amusing, so I had to read something deserving of that reputation.  I read, “Divorce, Poor American Style.”  It amused.  I got to meet a Facebook friend in person, Gabriel Levicky.  It means so much to me that Jay Chollick was there.  I wasn’t too late to hear him and Evie Ivy and Pete Dolack and others I enjoy.  Bernard Block dedicated his open mic contribution to me.  My playwright friend and co-worker, Richard Ploetz, attended the reading.  Some people I thought would be there were not there.

By the end of my set, I read a rough draft about where schizophrenia grows in a poem called, “When One Is the Filler for the Other’s Fractures.”

I was back in my neighborhood at about 11:30pm.  The humidity was high.  Under a tree at one end of my block, four people were playing dominoes.  Down the block and across the street, there were many police vehicles and traffic was blocked.  I thought there must’ve been a traffic accident.  I think that corner merits an episode on “Survivor.”  Later, when I went to the all-night store, I learned from someone who lives in that corner building that a man who was sitting at home was shot dead. 

Posted by Mindy Matijasevic at 10:14 AM | Labels: Brownstone Poets, Jay Chollick, Mindy Levokove, Mindy Matijasevic, Patricia Carragon, poetry reading, Saturn Series, shruti box, Su Polo | 4 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |

I have some things to look forward to, so I decided to look forward today instead of backward or sideways or too far inside though there are lots of things in those directions that need expressing.

My jobs are simmering down for the summer which is good and bad.  The good part is I get to do other things.  On Monday, July 15^th at 8pm, I will be co-featuring with Mindy Levokove for the Saturn Series poetry reading (in its 19^th year!) at Revival Bar on E.15^th Street off of Irving Place, NYC.  This series is curated and hosted by Su Polo, a woman with a lot of stamina.  She is also a fine artist and a music maker. 

This is she.

The open mic portion, which takes place before and after the featured readers, welcomes all kinds of spoken word – poetry, comedy, prose, drama – and music.  They request a $3 donation (or more if you can) and a drink.  I hope some of you New York City people will feel inspired to come out and even share something of your own.  Su is a warm and caring host.  The reading series is weekly, but July 15, 2013 is the one I call “The Night of Two Mindys.”

(Spring 2011 me at the open mic of Saturn Series when it was located elsewhere)

 

Mindy Levekove is full of surprises, so I don’t know anything about her performance until I’m seeing it.  

(Mindy Levokove above and below.}

 

Rehearsals begin July 1^st for the short play in which I’m happy to be cast.  That is a week away and I have to have my lines memorized, which should be do-able.  I am so very curious who is cast to play my character’s ex-husband.  In the play, I have to kiss him.  Lord, Lord, Lord.  That is one of those things that could be lovely or yuck.  This may sound weird to some, but I’d find it easier to have him touch me almost anywhere than to kiss.  Kissing is more personal.

For those of you interested in attending the play, "When We Met" will be one of several short plays in the Unboxed Voices 2^nd Annual Summer Short Play Festival.

The shows will be:                           

Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 7:30pm & Sunday, July 28, 2013 at 2:00 at the Kraine Theatre, 85 East 4th St (between 2nd Ave and Bowery).  Mark your calendars, and I will continue to share details as I get them.  In the meantime, let’s visualize a decent person to play my character’s ex; healthy, handsome, and heterosexual would be good too.

 

Posted by Mindy Matijasevic at 8:32 AM | Labels: Mindy Levokove, Mindy Matijasevic, Saturn Series, Su Polo, Unboxed Voices | 3 comments | Email This BlogThis! Share to X Share to Facebook |