I retired in March. Originally, there were a lot of things on my plate that needed to be settled regarding my wife’s estate and her business that kept me occupied for a while. But, I knew that I eventually needed to find some activities to keep my mind fresh and functioning.
Towards the end of March, I was having a discussion with a friend of mine and she said that she really enjoyed the story I told at Andie’s 'Celebration of Life' gathering about how we met and our first date. My friend went on to say, “that would be a great story for
The Moth”.
I had no idea what The Moth was. I discovered that The Moth is a non-profit group dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. I was then pointed to their website, their weekly NPR radio show, their podcasts and their YouTube channel. I was fascinated and enjoyed what I heard. The stories told are all true and provide considerable insight to the world at large from the perspectives of individuals.
It wasn’t long before I determined that I would like to attend one of their live events. Now, StorySLAMs at The Moth are open mic nights. Storytellers put their names “in a hat” and 10 individuals are chosen randomly to come up on stage and tell their stories. There are no notes allowed. The first few slams that I attended I was just there as an audience member. I found it to be extremely enjoyable.
Eventually, I remember thinking that if I didn’t do it now I never would. So, I put my name in the hat at an event in Brooklyn. I remember sitting in the audience with my mind vacillating between “pick me” and “don’t pick me”. I wasn’t picked that night. Same thing happened the following month in Brooklyn. But, I was enjoying the stories and the congenial atmosphere of the events.
Later that month, I was heading down to the Philadelphia area to visit my daughter and spend time with the grandkids. I saw that there was a StorySLAM scheduled for Philly, so I stayed for another night and attended. My name was pulled from the hat and I went onstage and told the story about how I met Andie and our first date. It went well. However, I did exceed the six minute time limit but I blame that on all of the times I needed to pause for laughter or applause.
I now go to slams on a regular basis. Most of them to observe, not participate. But, I have found that the ability to take pieces of my life and craft them into a true story that can be told in under six minutes requires some mental acuity. I sit and write for about an hour every morning. One thing about The Moth is that you can never repeat a story that you have already told. So, if nothing else, I’m recording my memories for my children.
I have been on stage a few times. The latest was this past Tuesday in Philadelphia.
I have made a lot of new friends and acquaintances through The Moth. They keep me busy and intellectually challenged. I have received an invitation and a guaranteed spot on stage for a Christmas-themed storyslam on this Saturday. So, I guess I am not boring people.