In honor of my blogaversary I wanted to include my vlog. When I first started I would also record about my travels. Slowly, but surely I'm back at it.

Originally this blog was to record all of my amazing travels around the world, but to be perfectly honest I haven't set foot out of country since it started. (sobs uncontrollably) HOWEVER, I have gone to quite a few places.

Places I've been since 2012
Louisville, KY
Greensboro, North Carolina
Decatur, GA
Berkley, CA
Oakland, CA
Kansas City, KS
Indianapolis, IN
Little Rock, AR
Dallas, TX
San Antonio, TX
Detroit, MI
Denver, CO
Madison, WI
Chicago, IL
Omaha, NE
Lincoln, NE
Sioux City, IA
New York, NY

I'm sure I'm forgetting some places, but you get it. This year I'm committing to stepping out of my comfort zone. So even if it's just a few hours away I'll find my way there. Seeing the world means even visiting places I can drive to. I go with a budget and the most affordable way to get around as much as possible. It's been fun. (local travel) But I'm renewing my passport. (Seriously)

I'm blessed to have made it this far. (like fooooooreal and I'm not gonna cry, nope). If you've been reading me since the beginning or just tuning in now welcome. 

*Update on slam: We lost. I took it harder than normal. (Maybe because it's my last year) I feel like God was like... Take the whole slam away. This was the last Nationals for AWHILE. (Not just for me, but for everyone) Yea, my God be petty like that. (I love you JC!) So yea, only regional slams for me. Laters!

​What is slam?
Slam is a sport of words and verbs. It is something that stems from the practice of break poetry. Every year teams from all over the country and poets from all over the world compete in slam competitions.

Are You Ready?
This year has felt completely different than other slam years. Maybe it's because I took a break and was asked to re-join later. Maybe it's because the team has "hella" group pieces. Or maybe I just know that I can do other things with my time so it makes slam time more charged now. I do know I want us to win this year and I think we can.

Why Slam?
I slam because it's a challenge for me. I started off as the poet who was cute, but... I wasn't connecting to audiences. I couldn't make the team even if I tried really hard. I wanted to do my best. I wanted to win. Through workshops and writing with others I've slowly transformed into a poet who actually can get my point across without it getting lost in translation. Now? I don't like the fact that I started becoming a poet who was "pimping pain for points". Not really, but I felt myself writing more about pain than anything else. How can I top this hurt. I know these stories must be told, but I wanted to heal. That's what I spent my time off doing. Healing.

I started writing to protest, to entice, to call to action, and to just vent. There was a time my poems were all about activism, erotica, faith, and whatever was on my heart at the time. I'm a broader writer now. Covering any and everything under the sun.

Since I've done the healing I just know slam (for me) isn't fun all the time. It hurts hearing all the things we've gone through as people. It hurts that our stories are so similar though we're all so different. It hurts. And though I cheer on my fellow poets. It gets difficult to sit in a room and be rubbed raw over and over. I often wonder if the people that NEED to hear these poems are even in the room. 

The times I feel the need to slam, I'll go rock a slam. I'll still compete as a indie and support this city (St. Louis). BUUUUUUT first let's get this Nationals competition on! I ain't done yet gosh darn it. I'm ready to go. To see our team go rock those stages in Chicago.

I'll probably blog more than normal this month. Since it's my blogaversary.

​Oh yea. Welcome to Slam.

​2016 Slam Team