What do you want to do when you grow up? Do you want to be an everybody, or do you want to be extraordinary?
While graduating from college with a computer science degree, I thought for the longest time I wanted to be a computer programmer. My parents were blown away when I got a job out of school making bank. They thought I was "super successful", even though I was dying inside and did not like my job. I would be sitting at my desk doing the work I needed to and once I was done, I found myself writing stories, poems, recipes, researching my desired creative avenues, and applying to be on various TV shows. I knew my destiny in life is to create. While I have been involved in computer programming since I was 12 years old, I have taken my writing and performing adventures more seriously since I first started writing at age 15.
After I left my job out of school on my own terms (I am not one to burn bridges unless absolutely necessary), I was ready to make my own career instead of trying to fit a mold. I thought Uber and Lyft were the answer to "working on my own and making it big", but it turned into a failed business venture. I tried obtaining some freelance gigs in the meantime and had minimal luck (better than zero, but not enough to solely freelance). I sold a bunch of my belongings on the internet and have had luck reselling some stuff, but was not making enough to survive solely on that either. After 2.5 years of struggling (from February 2016 until July 2018), I decided to take the summer of 2018 off working completely in order to take a step back and truly find myself. I had a bunch of money saved up, which I spent all of it having fun and making some poor choices in between. My parents saw me as a "failure" because I wasn't going the traditional job route.
After a technical writing job blew up in my face in October 2018, thinking technical writing was ultimately what I wanted to do once I left my IT job, I still knew it was my destiny to create and make people happy. Sadly, in this capitalistic society, you need money, so I decided to get a job as a server and spend more time thinking what I really want to do. While I enjoy my server job and luckily have been working on finding balance to find time to work vs. create, I want to find the best way to maximize the skills I have and turn that into the most income possible. Some people take jobs just for the money, but I know when I do that, I get fired right away, which is a waste of everyone's time. Plus, getting fired sucks big time!
Success isn't a 9-5 job. Success is turning what you want to do into the greatest possible income. I want to be like the Bruno Mars song, "Millionaire" and "I want to be a millionaire so freaking bad". At restaurant land, I am maximizing my time there while learning valuable professional skills and making connections with other coworkers. Making connections is a more valuable experience than making money, even though money is nice and you need money to survive.
My next most valuable skill besides the knowledge of technology (which I still love and still want to write about) is writing. At this point, while working on turning my personal endeavors from writing and performing into a "full-time income" (ex. my blogs/websites, freelancing for other people, my youtube channel and various other creative content I write/sell/post on my own outlets, posting on other people's blogs and getting paid, writing my own books, etc.), writing for an income while turning my own thing into a career is what I want to do. It is possible to turn your dream into a reality. Don't give up or listen to other people's negative feedback. If you do what you want to do and follow your own set path, you will be happiest and live the most fruitful life. It is never too late either. You got this. It is time to create your own path!
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicago. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Chasing Paper: A Millennial's Take on the Gig Economy
I haven't driven for rideshare (or a delivery service) in a couple months and have taken a recent break from working to reflect on life and get back into a career track again. Having lived on my own for awhile without a job, in order to maintain independence, I had to do something. But what did I do? How did I survive without having a scheduled job for 2.5 years?
When I first lost my job, I had some money left in my savings account, as well as some remaining checks to receive from the job. While that was all dwindling away, my friends told me I could make a living driving for Uber and Lyft as my new fulltime job. I thought I was doing fine, but I was burning a hole through my wallet and then some. My car needed a lot of repairs and gas cost a pretty penny. Having to full up several times a week and taking away the value from my car, I wasn't aware how much I was spending. After awhile of driving, I also wasn't taking care of myself because I felt the urge to chase paper. By that I mean I was driving myself to exhaustion and driving for unsafe amounts of time to make as much money as possible. I also gained the 60 pounds back I worked so hard to lose. I felt like I was fishing for scraps and not getting anywhere. Rideshare was winning and I was losing...
Eventually, I decided I needed to cut back on driving. The amount of money I lost exceeded the amount I made and I needed to find other ways to make money while excessively job hunting. Job hunting sadly had no use. I would find some jobs I'd take in any respect such as data entry, dog walking, and verifying background checks. Sadly, I took all of those jobs for the money and not for the passion and lost them all pretty quickly. In the interim of many failed jobs, I would take a bunch of day jobs from people I knew (luckily I know a lot of people), doing crazy things such as working a street fair at a friend's Mexican food and ice cream stand, cleaning houses, working merch tables for music shows, hanging posters, delivery driving, helping people move, and much more. I also sold a bunch of my belongings for some spare rent money. Sometimes, a few people, including my parents, would throw me some financial bones, but not really; I did not depend on help from others. It soon hit a point where I needed to drive to a minimum...
Down the road towards the end of my pure gig shindig, I "did not want to drive no more" and needed to find something else to do. While continuing to job hunt and do odd/day jobs, I eventually discovered the world of gig apps. A gig app is a website that runs on a mobile platform (application) where you can look up and pick up day (or multi day) gigs by clicking a button. Some of these apps are Shiftgig, Jobble, and Wonolo. There are also companies (staffing firms) that host day gigs such as Arete. For awhile I was able to survive solely on odd jobs and gigs, but it is quite the unstable and not necessarily sustainable life. I was in a lot of debt, I needed help (I eventually sought help from a social services place) because I was barely getting by, and I was "making too much to receive government assistance". I also couldn't afford insurance or to pay my student loans back (they're in deferment). It was super lame. I'd get thrown a few financial bones here and there, but not really. I'm sure people were sick and tired of hearing about me struggling for so long.
By the end of this stint, I was worn out, unhappy I had no stability, I gained a bunch of weight, I wasn't taking care of myself, and I eventually hit a dead end when the apartment I had got bedbugs. I completed a few endeavors in my field of choice, but most tasks I did were in the $11-15 an hour range, which isn't a ton of money. I eventually had to move back home, but could have continued to make it on my own had it not been for that. My rent was also extremely inexpensive.
Would I recommend this life to other people? Not really unless you were an entrepreneur or did higher paying gigs that didn't send you into debt... But I survived and that's all that matters!
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
"I Guess You Had to Be There" -- Chicago Apartment Life
I guess you had to be there the time I went through life after leaving my full-time job. For reference, I had a full-time job as a web developer at a large company, which I left on my own terms for a shot at self-employment. Now, I drive for Uber while being in between jobs, hoping someone gives me a job offer that can be permanent for me.
Let me begin by saying I became friends with both of these lovely people on interesting terms. I met my dear friend Kyle through a high school friend and several additional pathways later, our now mutual ex friend introduced us to each other at my very first apartment. He made some tasty drinks for us that's forsure! I met my dear friend Noah on an even crazier venture; Kyle met Noah through OkCupid and invited me over to a gathering at his apartment to meet Noah for the first time. After a series of events, I ended up in a fetal position on Kyle's bed while he was comforting me and Noah was looking at shoes because Kyle was gone and he didn't know anyone. Note none of us were sober that night... Fast forward a couple years after that and now we're all living together. Plus, with Kyle being an Uber driver too, he helped me be able to become one too by showing me the paperwork and going over how to use the Uber Driver app with me. Thanks for all the help by the way I truly appreciate it!
Both of these lovely people have seen the before and after changes in me from about a year ago until today. A year ago, I was making good money living the high life, involved in many activities, and being willing to drive an hour and a half to go perform at a local talent show. Now, I am driving for Uber at insane hours, playing the hustle game, and crossing my fingers I make rent. They have probably seen my boobs, PJs, no makeup self, gross crying mode, anxiety attack, and all the works. They have also seen me bring back people who are pleasurable and ones who we want to get the fuck out immediately. Those who aren’t the best people range from not fully recovered alcoholics who acted drunk and belligerent to “friends” who end up causing me to emotionally over-drink on my birthday because they upset me and stole my phone to send text messages saying “I love pickles” to my friends while constantly making fun of me. Throughout the course of living with these two, they have seen several of these “bad friends” they didn’t like, but at least the good outweigh the bad and thankfully, both of you are still here! At least I introduced them to our amusement park travel buddy who I met randomly while playing Dance Dance Revolution!
While driving for Uber, there would be days I would come back over caffeinated, exhausted, post all-nighter, etc. and both of you ended up spending eons telling me I needed to sleep until my eventual wakeup call. Now I have slept basically every single day since Labor Day. I would sometimes be gone over 24 hours at a time without returning home except maybe to pee. Lately, I haven't been gone for more than 10 hours at a time and when it seems like I was gone for a long time, I would get text messages wondering where I was, prompting me to want to return home shortly after. I always want to make sure to at least see both of you for a little bit before going to sleep. Now that I return home at midnight or earlier, the chances of that happening are significantly greater. Thanks for convincing me to get myself as much of a sleep schedule as I can and sleep every single day instead of driving through the night.
I appreciate how much you both care about me and want me to do well in life. A lot of the time we have been living together, I always mention all the job interviews I'm about to have and how I am craving to get an offer somewhere. Many interviews and rejections later, I finally received an offer from a commission only job at a small outsource marketing firm in the Chicago loop. Both of you gave me multiple red flags after my first day and continued to urge me to quit, which I appreciate. I came home super beat in a non gratifying way and you noticed the difference in my mood and overall well-being immediately. I quit less than 3 weeks later. You know those moments where you know someone’s right and it takes awhile to listen to them because you want to see for yourself? This instance was one of those moments. I also like to see my dearest friends be successful too and celebrate accomplishments, such as new jobs and promotions. For example, taking a shot after each of you got jobs at Mariano’s and a shot after I received my job offer.
One of my favorite moments of celebration, besides of course being able to throw parties, is getting to go on mini vacations to ride roller coasters at Cedar Point. The three of us and another friend went to Cedar Point over the summer, 2016. Someone told how something to either expand or falter relationships is going on trips. On vacations, especially when sharing hotel rooms, you see the entirety of a person. For me, that’s how long I take in the bathroom, how slow I am at getting ready, and me with no makeup. Living with people and vacationing them presents a lot of vulnerability. Being at an amusement park also presents standing in line. I have been in past situations before where I was standing in line with my now ex boyfriend. He would pull the petty argument card while in line and I ended up on my phone ignoring him the entire time. This time, it was spent laughing, bonding, and watching my friends become gradually more afraid of the big rides as we approached the front of the line. We are definitely planning on going on another trip to ride roller coasters in 2017.
Growing up, I always had a difficulty becoming close to people. I had a couple strong friendships in the past, but I always felt like something was missing. There were also multiple experiences regarding failed relationships with roommates, like in college when I lived with someone I barely knew as opposed to knowing them for a couple years prior to living with them. It was definitely a hot mess. This time, the situation is way different, and for that, I shall be grateful.
Let me begin by saying I became friends with both of these lovely people on interesting terms. I met my dear friend Kyle through a high school friend and several additional pathways later, our now mutual ex friend introduced us to each other at my very first apartment. He made some tasty drinks for us that's forsure! I met my dear friend Noah on an even crazier venture; Kyle met Noah through OkCupid and invited me over to a gathering at his apartment to meet Noah for the first time. After a series of events, I ended up in a fetal position on Kyle's bed while he was comforting me and Noah was looking at shoes because Kyle was gone and he didn't know anyone. Note none of us were sober that night... Fast forward a couple years after that and now we're all living together. Plus, with Kyle being an Uber driver too, he helped me be able to become one too by showing me the paperwork and going over how to use the Uber Driver app with me. Thanks for all the help by the way I truly appreciate it!
Both of these lovely people have seen the before and after changes in me from about a year ago until today. A year ago, I was making good money living the high life, involved in many activities, and being willing to drive an hour and a half to go perform at a local talent show. Now, I am driving for Uber at insane hours, playing the hustle game, and crossing my fingers I make rent. They have probably seen my boobs, PJs, no makeup self, gross crying mode, anxiety attack, and all the works. They have also seen me bring back people who are pleasurable and ones who we want to get the fuck out immediately. Those who aren’t the best people range from not fully recovered alcoholics who acted drunk and belligerent to “friends” who end up causing me to emotionally over-drink on my birthday because they upset me and stole my phone to send text messages saying “I love pickles” to my friends while constantly making fun of me. Throughout the course of living with these two, they have seen several of these “bad friends” they didn’t like, but at least the good outweigh the bad and thankfully, both of you are still here! At least I introduced them to our amusement park travel buddy who I met randomly while playing Dance Dance Revolution!
While driving for Uber, there would be days I would come back over caffeinated, exhausted, post all-nighter, etc. and both of you ended up spending eons telling me I needed to sleep until my eventual wakeup call. Now I have slept basically every single day since Labor Day. I would sometimes be gone over 24 hours at a time without returning home except maybe to pee. Lately, I haven't been gone for more than 10 hours at a time and when it seems like I was gone for a long time, I would get text messages wondering where I was, prompting me to want to return home shortly after. I always want to make sure to at least see both of you for a little bit before going to sleep. Now that I return home at midnight or earlier, the chances of that happening are significantly greater. Thanks for convincing me to get myself as much of a sleep schedule as I can and sleep every single day instead of driving through the night.
I appreciate how much you both care about me and want me to do well in life. A lot of the time we have been living together, I always mention all the job interviews I'm about to have and how I am craving to get an offer somewhere. Many interviews and rejections later, I finally received an offer from a commission only job at a small outsource marketing firm in the Chicago loop. Both of you gave me multiple red flags after my first day and continued to urge me to quit, which I appreciate. I came home super beat in a non gratifying way and you noticed the difference in my mood and overall well-being immediately. I quit less than 3 weeks later. You know those moments where you know someone’s right and it takes awhile to listen to them because you want to see for yourself? This instance was one of those moments. I also like to see my dearest friends be successful too and celebrate accomplishments, such as new jobs and promotions. For example, taking a shot after each of you got jobs at Mariano’s and a shot after I received my job offer.
One of my favorite moments of celebration, besides of course being able to throw parties, is getting to go on mini vacations to ride roller coasters at Cedar Point. The three of us and another friend went to Cedar Point over the summer, 2016. Someone told how something to either expand or falter relationships is going on trips. On vacations, especially when sharing hotel rooms, you see the entirety of a person. For me, that’s how long I take in the bathroom, how slow I am at getting ready, and me with no makeup. Living with people and vacationing them presents a lot of vulnerability. Being at an amusement park also presents standing in line. I have been in past situations before where I was standing in line with my now ex boyfriend. He would pull the petty argument card while in line and I ended up on my phone ignoring him the entire time. This time, it was spent laughing, bonding, and watching my friends become gradually more afraid of the big rides as we approached the front of the line. We are definitely planning on going on another trip to ride roller coasters in 2017.
Growing up, I always had a difficulty becoming close to people. I had a couple strong friendships in the past, but I always felt like something was missing. There were also multiple experiences regarding failed relationships with roommates, like in college when I lived with someone I barely knew as opposed to knowing them for a couple years prior to living with them. It was definitely a hot mess. This time, the situation is way different, and for that, I shall be grateful.
Thursday, August 25, 2016
Struggle Bus
The struggle is real.
I usually emphasize the desire to thrive,
But now I yearn for the drive to survive.
Fight or flight mode hath been engaged,
As I try not to become enraged.
The only thing keeping me alive is getting high,
But now I understand what being poor feels like; I empathize.
I'm rich in ideas, connections, and will, but lack the currency;
I must get it with utmost urgency...
So this is what being an animal feels like.
The only person you can count on is yourself.
I may be surrounded by a pack,
But no one else has got my back;
The only way to win the battle is to win alone.
It is time to adventure some more into the great unknown!
All while living on a prayer!
I usually emphasize the desire to thrive,
But now I yearn for the drive to survive.
Fight or flight mode hath been engaged,
As I try not to become enraged.
The only thing keeping me alive is getting high,
But now I understand what being poor feels like; I empathize.
I'm rich in ideas, connections, and will, but lack the currency;
I must get it with utmost urgency...
So this is what being an animal feels like.
The only person you can count on is yourself.
I may be surrounded by a pack,
But no one else has got my back;
The only way to win the battle is to win alone.
It is time to adventure some more into the great unknown!
All while living on a prayer!
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Rebecca Duxler's Food Pics
Since I like to cook a lot and don't always write down exact recipes for my food, this is the page of either concoctions I've made, food I've bought from a restaurant, or food my friends (particularly one of my roommates) has made. Enjoy the tastiness! More coming soon!
Food I Cooked
Fresca Fuego Salsa
Fresca Fuego Salsa Scrambled Eggs
Super Bowl Clam Chowder
Seafood Curry-Sauced Pasta
Skaley Bacony Sausage
Vegetarian Pad Thai
Food I Ate at a Restaurant
Chicken Biriyani from Gareeb Nawaz (Little India, Chicago)
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Open Mic Nite Performance Of "The Epic Adventures of Kill, Grill, and Chill"
My performance of "The Epic Adventures of Kill, Grill, and Chill", which took place on August 12, 2015 at the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park, Chicago.
For approximate words in this piece, click here!
Enjoy!
For approximate words in this piece, click here!
Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
The Epic Adventures of Kill, Grill, and Chill 2015
Where on earth can you go to find a bunch of nerds dressed in medieval costumes hitting each other with foam weapons, see the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine McParty Bus, a super cool person spending well over a grand on an open bar for almost 200 people, camping, fizzball, fire art, monster characters, random pirate songs and tons of singing, a random mediocre cover band, a bullywog wedding, a lake to go swimming, camaraderie, happiness, a party that puts college parties to shame, and way too many mosquitos for your own good?
Welcome to the world of the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society, a group of open-minded nerds who enjoy beating the snot out of each other with sticks all in good fun.
On August 7-9, 2015, the realm of Dunharrow hosted a weekend event near Kankakee, IL called “Kill, Grill, and Chill”.
After packing at the last minute as usual and getting off of work a little late on Friday night, I headed to the event at eventually o’clock pm to finally meet up with my friends from Iowa who I hadn’t seen in awhile. Thankfully by the time I arrived, the cover band was still playing and I hadn’t missed anything. After I finish getting ready to go wandering around the campgrounds for the night, I am first introduced to the lovely fellow who spent over 1500 dollars to provide an open bar for the entire event population. I created my drink-a-riffic concoction and proceeded to wander some more. I witnessed lots of pirate singing and embarked on several adventures to get myself ready for the main day. Of course, I decided to stay up until 5:15am. Oops!
Five hours of sleep and waking up in my car covered in sweat later, I turned on my battery-powered fans to cool down, and got ready for the day. After a random adventure to a KFC/Taco Bell, I changed into my fighting garb (uniform) and went off to battle.
Once it cooled down and fighting ceased, it was time for fizzball. One episode of debauchery singing of the Star Spangled Banner later, several teams of 3 who created their own baseball bats took the “field”. The opposite team pitched and you had to bust open 3 beer cans and whoever busted their cans into the most pieces wins, in nutshell. If you get an “out” (3 strikes), you have to chug your beer. If you cleanly sheared the top part of the can off, you would win bonus points. No running or bases are a part of this game of craziness. It was super epic and I’d like to give it a shot next time.
After fizzball and a ceremony to let newer fighters into my realm, it was time for feast and wandering into the night. At the pavilion of magicness, another open bar awaited. Even the “mundanes” (regular non-belegarth people at the campground) wanted to join in on the fun. Just outside the pavilion, a fire is roaring, drums and music are played, and a fire hooper and fire breathers perform their arts. The bullywogs, aka the frog people, had a wedding and smashed a watermelon. After awhile, I decide to wander off with a new Chicago friend I met who just so happened to be the driver of the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine McParty Bus. A bunch of people wandered in and out of this old fixed-up and painted public transit mini bus that looked like a giant van; it had lights and a pretty stellar sound system. Plenty more craziness and singing later, it was time to hope I didn’t acquire west nile virus when going to the bathroom because the mosquitos began to get nasty during the middle of the night. By the end of the night, it was me, a different super tall friend of mine, and three mundanes in the pavilion at 5:30 in the morning. Once they were too tired and wanted to go to bed, I begin to head back to my friend’s tent to crash as I run into two of my Iowa friends driving around the campground. I end up getting in the car with them and chilling until morning. At that point, I ended up pulling an allnighter. Once everyone packed and split, I ended up going to get food with my Iowa friends and drove home. At least the weather held until cleanup time again. Thank you Kill, Grill, and Chill for being another successful event and to Belegarth for continuing to be a such an accepting and welcoming environment where I could be my colorful and flowery self to be able to spread positivity and joy to all. I’m going to go hibernate in my bed for awhile. DUNHAROOOOOOOOW!!!
If you’re interested in feasting in this fun old time, feel free to check out the following Chicago area (city and suburbs) practice locations which are currently active:
The realm (practice area) of Galahad practices on Saturdays from 3-6pm at the at the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt (by Columbia College)
Facebook Page: Morva; Galahad Medieval Combat Society
The realm (practice area) of Yggdrasil practices on Thursdays from 7-9pm in Oz Park (by DePaul University, 2021 N. Burling St., Chicago, IL, 60614, 10 minute walk from the Fullerton Red/Brown/Purple line)
Facebook Page: Morva; Yggdrasil Belegarth Realm
The realm (practice area) of Esgaroth practices on Sundays from 3-6pm at Foster Avenue Beach (5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60640, by the Berwyn/Bryn Mawr Red line)
Facebook Page: Morva; Esgaroth Belegarth Realm
Welcome to the world of the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society, a group of open-minded nerds who enjoy beating the snot out of each other with sticks all in good fun.
On August 7-9, 2015, the realm of Dunharrow hosted a weekend event near Kankakee, IL called “Kill, Grill, and Chill”.
After packing at the last minute as usual and getting off of work a little late on Friday night, I headed to the event at eventually o’clock pm to finally meet up with my friends from Iowa who I hadn’t seen in awhile. Thankfully by the time I arrived, the cover band was still playing and I hadn’t missed anything. After I finish getting ready to go wandering around the campgrounds for the night, I am first introduced to the lovely fellow who spent over 1500 dollars to provide an open bar for the entire event population. I created my drink-a-riffic concoction and proceeded to wander some more. I witnessed lots of pirate singing and embarked on several adventures to get myself ready for the main day. Of course, I decided to stay up until 5:15am. Oops!
Five hours of sleep and waking up in my car covered in sweat later, I turned on my battery-powered fans to cool down, and got ready for the day. After a random adventure to a KFC/Taco Bell, I changed into my fighting garb (uniform) and went off to battle.
Once it cooled down and fighting ceased, it was time for fizzball. One episode of debauchery singing of the Star Spangled Banner later, several teams of 3 who created their own baseball bats took the “field”. The opposite team pitched and you had to bust open 3 beer cans and whoever busted their cans into the most pieces wins, in nutshell. If you get an “out” (3 strikes), you have to chug your beer. If you cleanly sheared the top part of the can off, you would win bonus points. No running or bases are a part of this game of craziness. It was super epic and I’d like to give it a shot next time.
After fizzball and a ceremony to let newer fighters into my realm, it was time for feast and wandering into the night. At the pavilion of magicness, another open bar awaited. Even the “mundanes” (regular non-belegarth people at the campground) wanted to join in on the fun. Just outside the pavilion, a fire is roaring, drums and music are played, and a fire hooper and fire breathers perform their arts. The bullywogs, aka the frog people, had a wedding and smashed a watermelon. After awhile, I decide to wander off with a new Chicago friend I met who just so happened to be the driver of the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine McParty Bus. A bunch of people wandered in and out of this old fixed-up and painted public transit mini bus that looked like a giant van; it had lights and a pretty stellar sound system. Plenty more craziness and singing later, it was time to hope I didn’t acquire west nile virus when going to the bathroom because the mosquitos began to get nasty during the middle of the night. By the end of the night, it was me, a different super tall friend of mine, and three mundanes in the pavilion at 5:30 in the morning. Once they were too tired and wanted to go to bed, I begin to head back to my friend’s tent to crash as I run into two of my Iowa friends driving around the campground. I end up getting in the car with them and chilling until morning. At that point, I ended up pulling an allnighter. Once everyone packed and split, I ended up going to get food with my Iowa friends and drove home. At least the weather held until cleanup time again. Thank you Kill, Grill, and Chill for being another successful event and to Belegarth for continuing to be a such an accepting and welcoming environment where I could be my colorful and flowery self to be able to spread positivity and joy to all. I’m going to go hibernate in my bed for awhile. DUNHAROOOOOOOOW!!!
If you’re interested in feasting in this fun old time, feel free to check out the following Chicago area (city and suburbs) practice locations which are currently active:
The realm (practice area) of Galahad practices on Saturdays from 3-6pm at the at the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt (by Columbia College)
Facebook Page: Morva; Galahad Medieval Combat Society
The realm (practice area) of Yggdrasil practices on Thursdays from 7-9pm in Oz Park (by DePaul University, 2021 N. Burling St., Chicago, IL, 60614, 10 minute walk from the Fullerton Red/Brown/Purple line)
Facebook Page: Morva; Yggdrasil Belegarth Realm
The realm (practice area) of Esgaroth practices on Sundays from 3-6pm at Foster Avenue Beach (5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60640, by the Berwyn/Bryn Mawr Red line)
Facebook Page: Morva; Esgaroth Belegarth Realm
Chicago Area Belegarth Practices
The realm (practice area) of Galahad practices on Saturdays from 3-6pm at the at the corner of Michigan and Roosevelt (by Columbia College)
Facebook Page: Morva; Galahad Medieval Combat Society
The realm (practice area) of Yggdrasil practices on Thursdays from 7-9pm in Oz Park (by DePaul University, 2021 N. Burling St., Chicago, IL, 60614, 10 minute walk from the Fullerton Red/Brown/Purple line)
Facebook Page: Morva; Yggdrasil Belegarth Realm
The realm (practice area) of Esgaroth practices on Sundays from 3-6pm at Foster Avenue Beach (5200 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60640, by the Berwyn/Bryn Mawr Red line)
Facebook Page: Morva; Esgaroth Belegarth Realm
The realm (practice area) of Nightfort practices Sundays at 4:00pm to 7:30pm (or sundown/too many bugs) at Citizen’s Park, 511 Lake Zurich Rd, Barrington, IL 60010 (weather permitting) from approximately May-October. Winter and bad weather practices are at the Village Church of Barrington, 1600 E. Lake Cook Rd, Barrington, IL 60010
Facebook Page: Nightfort: Belegarth Medieval Combat Society
The realm (practice area) of Dunharrow practices on Tuesdays from 5pm to sundown at Wing Park, 1000 Wing St., Elgin, IL 60123
Facebook Page: Dunharrow, BMCS
The realm (practice area) of Obsidian Hollow practices on Saturdays from 2-5pm at Big Sky (Ken Carpenter) Park, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills, IL, 60156
Facebook Page: Obsidian Hollow
The realm (practice area) of Muxlovia practices on Saturdays from 5-8pm at the Bible Baptist Church of Romeoville, 301 W. Normantown Rd., Romeoville, IL 60446
Facebook Page: Muxlovia
Friday, July 3, 2015
Play that Chelsea Music
This hockey season had its ups and downs,
Which thankfully ended with a crown and not a frown.
One of the big stories early was very main;
It was the broken clavicle of Patrick Kane.
He made his comeback for an important reason,
To participate in the postseason.
In the first round we escaped the Preds;
Glad we got out with minimal dreads.
In the second round, the Wild were tamed;
We swept them at their very own game.
The conference final with the Anaheim Ducks
Made us want to shell our trucks,
Because that series was quite close…
Glad they sucked!
Game 7 was a hell of a game.
Corey Perry lost due to playing with shame.
And in the finals with Tampa Bay,
They were young and came to play,
And lightening may cause some fears
As the city thought the season would end in tears.
Instead we have 3 cups in 6 years!
Now hey, Chicago!
What do we say?
We are gathered here today
To present the lovely Lord Stanley to our bay.
So fly that hawkey and Chicago flag with pride
As the windy city continues to unite with stride,
And don’t forget,
Keep calm and play that Chelsea music fly boy!
The music will never go away,
‘Cuz Lord Stanley will keep on coming home!
Which thankfully ended with a crown and not a frown.
One of the big stories early was very main;
It was the broken clavicle of Patrick Kane.
He made his comeback for an important reason,
To participate in the postseason.
In the first round we escaped the Preds;
Glad we got out with minimal dreads.
In the second round, the Wild were tamed;
We swept them at their very own game.
The conference final with the Anaheim Ducks
Made us want to shell our trucks,
Because that series was quite close…
Glad they sucked!
Game 7 was a hell of a game.
Corey Perry lost due to playing with shame.
And in the finals with Tampa Bay,
They were young and came to play,
And lightening may cause some fears
As the city thought the season would end in tears.
Instead we have 3 cups in 6 years!
Now hey, Chicago!
What do we say?
We are gathered here today
To present the lovely Lord Stanley to our bay.
So fly that hawkey and Chicago flag with pride
As the windy city continues to unite with stride,
And don’t forget,
Keep calm and play that Chelsea music fly boy!
The music will never go away,
‘Cuz Lord Stanley will keep on coming home!
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
The Belle Warrior
In the spirit of posting more content, I went to my first ever storytelling open mic (on 5-1-15) and what better story to tell than the happenings at a Belegarth camping event. This is basically an explanation of what a typical event day looks like in short story format from my (Maron's) point of view. Enjoy!
Since I live in Chicago, I have also posted the current locations and Facebook pages of the area practices (meetups). If it's your first time, we have loaner gear for you. Just show up in workout clothes and prepare to sweat :)
=================================
Note: This story is based on a fantasy, but all of this is 100% true!
Maron has never been the typical face of society. As a pseudonym for the lady standing behind the mic, she stands for style and smiles, minus the sass. With her life being a large adventure consisting of being a poet, web developer, martial artist, sword fighter, chef, nerd, healthspirer, blogger, youtuber, warrior, musician, musical producer, singer, lyricist, short story artist, volunteer, comedian, photographer, dance game master, aspiring gameshow winner, novelist, teacher, mentor, public speaker, and now a story teller, for this segment, we shall delve into the land of nerdom, which connects with being a warrior, martial artist, and sword fighter. Maron is a full-fledged fighter despite over 80% of the combatant population being male. Oh well!
Welcome to the “Belegarth Medieval Combat Society”: A land where people wear medieval garb and whack each other with various foam weapons.
Well, what on earth is that? How is this even something remotely fun? It seems kind of… weird
Fun? The entire group revolves around foam, fun, fighting, friendship, family, and food! People from everywhere land (98% nationally) gather in one central location to enjoy the awesomeness!
This past weekend (April 23rd-26th), Maron had recently returned from “Spring Wars”, one of many “events” where several hundred people gather on a campground and camp, fight, socialize, and be merry for several days while enjoying being off the grid for a bit and not having to worry about adulting.
Maron arrived at YMCA Camp Abe Lincoln at approximately 10:30pm in Davenport, Iowa, aka smack dab in bu-fu nowhere, and went to “troll” aka check-in. She then entered the distant land of Selonia, aka her cabin, and set up shop, changed into her medieval garb, and went wandering for the night.
By the end of the very cold night, I ended up in “Hellhammer” camp in a circle talking about living in Chicago and taking the train.
The next morning, we all wake up at morning o’clock, which is generally between 8 and 10am because we don’t really check our phones or wear watches, take our foam weapons to “weapons check” to ensure safety and that the weapons meet the length/weight requirements and such, and you take them with you once they’ve been checked. Once your weapons are checked, make sure to eat some breakfast. It can span from a granola bar, cereal, eggs, lots and lots of bacon, coffee, tea, and you can even hit up Lady Feri, the food vendor, who sells the tastiest unhealthy indulgences ever, such as a bratwurst wrapped in a cheese quesadilla… Mmmmmm, fattening! Afterwards, you change into your “fighting garb” and prepare for the epic battles, which last for several hours. You can fight with a sword/shield, two swords, dagger, spear, two-handed sword, javelins, and even throw a “poke ball rock” (made of yarn) on someone’s head and win the fight against that person. After one of the days of fighting, there was a 5 man tourney, where Maron decided to join last minute with one of her fellow Selonians, two fellow Chicago folk, and a random newbie from Canada… Yes, people come to these things all the way from freeking Canada!
Next, it’s time to clean yourself up, change in to your feast garb, go to the “feast hall” (or tent), and eat even better than you can at home… unless you’re a chef like Maron is. This time, beef/vegetarian Chili and beef stew were served the first feast night and garlic/onion pork roast, pulled chicken cooked in a wood fire, ratatouille, and salad were served the second feast night. Mmmmmm, the tastiness!
Once feast has been served and cleaned up, it’s time to have some drinks and be merry… people even home-made their own beer, meade, apple pie drink, and much more. Maron’s palette of drink is always left smiling.
Since there is way more to these events than can be described in 7 minutes, for a small piece of nightlife pie, let’s just say that on Saturday night, Maron and the Selonians decided to adventure to “Pirate Camp”, the land off in the distant dark scary mudpit downhill maze past the scary, poisonous trees. Thankfully, the camp was able to be spotted easily because that’s where the main fire was. Drunken pirate songs were sung, cowbells were hit, jolly jolly grog was passed around, and fire spinners were spinning their fire sticks. After awhile, Maron had enough grog and wanted to go wander around some more until she encountered the Jesters Court, another group of fighters. One of the Selonians, named Flea, decided to wander with Maron and ended up in the Jester’s headquarters, located right next to some campfire and the crab shack, where Geyser was setup. Flea was a very sleepy Flea and decided to pass out in one of the Jester’s tents. Lots of conversations about history and the Children’s Crusade later, we needed to “flick Flea back to Sylas camp… or wherever”… hurmph… Shenanigans were definitely had in the Jester’s camp, but at least Maron and the Jesters ensured he got back to his bed safely!
As much as this story can expand forever and ever, if you’re interested in entering this fun-loving community and the best thing that has ever happened to Maron, there is actually a practice on Sunday from 3:30pm to sundown (weather permitting) on Foster Avenue Beach, 5200 N Lake Shore Drive off the Bryn Mawr Red Line. For more information, search for the facebook group “Morva” or “Esgaroth”. Hope to see you lovely people come out and fight and be merry sometime!
For other places to check out the Belegarth community, here are some other Chicago (and suburban) practices, all of which are currently active:
The realm (practice area) of Nightfort practices Sundays at 4:00pm to 7:30pm (or sundown) at Citizen’s Park, 511 Lake Zurich Rd, Barrington, IL 60010 (weather permitting) from approximately May-October. Winter and bad weather practices are at the Village Church of Barrington, 1600 E. Lake Cook Rd, Barrington, IL 60010
Facebook Page: Nightfort: Belegarth Medieval Combat Society
The realm (practice area) of Dunharrow practices on Tuesdays from 5pm to sundown at Wing Park, 1000 Wing St., Elgin, IL 60123
Facebook Page: Dunharrow, BMCS
The realm (practice area) of Obsidian Hollow practices on Saturdays from 2-5pm at Big Sky (Ken Carpenter) Park, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills, IL, 60156
Facebook Page: Obsidian Hollow
The realm (practice area) of Galahad practices on Thursdays from 7-10pm at the Southeast corner of Michigan and Balbo in the Chicago Loop (near 829 S Wabash, Chicago, IL 60605)
Facebook Page: Morva; Galahad Medieval Combat Society
The realm (practice area) of Muxlovia practices on Saturdays from 5-8pm at the Bible Baptist Church of Romeoville, 301 W. Normantown Rd., Romeoville, IL 60446
Facebook Page: Muxlovia
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Thoughts on a Train Ride
Just another spoken word poem on the thoughts that run through my head when I'm on the L in Chicago commuting everywhere or to/from work. Enjoy! Last updated 9-5-15!
Sigh, another day in the office has come and gone to have done practically nothing yet again.
The taste of dull grey dampens the dopamine sensors usually circulating through my veins to spread love and joy,
And I could sure use a sight of smiles right now…
I walk outside through the revolving doors, exclaiming, “I’m free at last, victory is mine”!
Why hello there commute land, it is nice to see you again…
It’s again that time to board the stuffed Chicago Red Line Transit Train at rush hour o’clock pm.
At least I don't have to stand today.
Meanwhile, my mind feels like a messy apartment being struck by a tornado…
Sigh, I wish I could consistently use my time to its fullest potential,
No matter where I am,
But I am suffering from fried brain and am too toasted to be productive or read right now…
I guess I’ll go to distracted land…
Crap, now I’m starting to fall asleep… and I’m still 10 stops away… I can do this, I can really do this!
Oh look, my favorite, the loud chitter chatter about people’s days, work complaints, or other high level train talk…
What else do I see or hear besides people yapping away…
A business man in a suit reading the New York Times, some older lady reading 50 Shades of Grey, a different man sleeping across 4 seats who’s covered in blankets, snoring quite loudly, as well as some college students playing Sudoku and doing their homework at the last minute...
And of course... the leg spreaders, obnoxious gum chewers, loud phone talkers, people coughing and spreading germs, and the inconsiderate lameos who take up 2 seats with themselves and their crap.
I’ll just keep finding something to pass the time... tickity... tockity... tickity… tockity…
I must focus! Must…pull out phone… and write something… I feel like I’m wasting time… nooooo!!!
Three stops later… “Attention passengers, we are standing momentarily waiting for signal clearance, we expect to be moving shortly”, which pisses people off.
Where’s the positivity that needs to shine through the mundane?
Why do people feel rushed and caught up all the time?
I wish I could be glowing and holding a golden lit-up orb to project some light in here…
In the meantime, I’ll put up my “despair-be-gone” shield to block the negativity and think about how my dear friend from the sky energizes me with the power of contagious smiles…
20…minutes…later…
Yay the train’s moving again!
Unfortunately, there are still 7 stops to go…
Shortly after this delay, a father and his super adorable son who looks to be no more than 5 walk onto the train…
This little boy is bouncing off walls and looks like he drank a glass of magic happy hyper sugar juice prior to his journey.
He seems to be the only one who can find fun in this joint... without a care in the world...
Those surrounding the little boy see him as irritating due to his hyperness, but I see him as the spark of joy we need in our lives, just like smiles!
The father and his son leave 3 stops later and the atmosphere is uplifted!
If only the rest of this train could have a glass of magic happy hyper sugar juice!
I’m continuing to stare blankly on this moving train... and trying not to fall asleep... or drop my phone...
Falling asleep… must… be… productive… must stay awake… must… zzzzzz…
*ding dong… doors closing…* Wilson is next…
NOOOOOOOO how did I miss my stop?
Guess I should actually get some sleep if I’m falling asleep in public again and actually want to be productive…
But regardless of silly setbacks and downer people, it’s just a train ride!
Just be sure to know that trains always move forward,
Productivity will find you,
And the light is strong enough to shine through the windows!
Sigh, another day in the office has come and gone to have done practically nothing yet again.
The taste of dull grey dampens the dopamine sensors usually circulating through my veins to spread love and joy,
And I could sure use a sight of smiles right now…
I walk outside through the revolving doors, exclaiming, “I’m free at last, victory is mine”!
Why hello there commute land, it is nice to see you again…
It’s again that time to board the stuffed Chicago Red Line Transit Train at rush hour o’clock pm.
At least I don't have to stand today.
Meanwhile, my mind feels like a messy apartment being struck by a tornado…
Sigh, I wish I could consistently use my time to its fullest potential,
No matter where I am,
But I am suffering from fried brain and am too toasted to be productive or read right now…
I guess I’ll go to distracted land…
Crap, now I’m starting to fall asleep… and I’m still 10 stops away… I can do this, I can really do this!
Oh look, my favorite, the loud chitter chatter about people’s days, work complaints, or other high level train talk…
What else do I see or hear besides people yapping away…
A business man in a suit reading the New York Times, some older lady reading 50 Shades of Grey, a different man sleeping across 4 seats who’s covered in blankets, snoring quite loudly, as well as some college students playing Sudoku and doing their homework at the last minute...
And of course... the leg spreaders, obnoxious gum chewers, loud phone talkers, people coughing and spreading germs, and the inconsiderate lameos who take up 2 seats with themselves and their crap.
I’ll just keep finding something to pass the time... tickity... tockity... tickity… tockity…
I must focus! Must…pull out phone… and write something… I feel like I’m wasting time… nooooo!!!
Three stops later… “Attention passengers, we are standing momentarily waiting for signal clearance, we expect to be moving shortly”, which pisses people off.
Where’s the positivity that needs to shine through the mundane?
Why do people feel rushed and caught up all the time?
I wish I could be glowing and holding a golden lit-up orb to project some light in here…
In the meantime, I’ll put up my “despair-be-gone” shield to block the negativity and think about how my dear friend from the sky energizes me with the power of contagious smiles…
20…minutes…later…
Yay the train’s moving again!
Unfortunately, there are still 7 stops to go…
Shortly after this delay, a father and his super adorable son who looks to be no more than 5 walk onto the train…
This little boy is bouncing off walls and looks like he drank a glass of magic happy hyper sugar juice prior to his journey.
He seems to be the only one who can find fun in this joint... without a care in the world...
Those surrounding the little boy see him as irritating due to his hyperness, but I see him as the spark of joy we need in our lives, just like smiles!
The father and his son leave 3 stops later and the atmosphere is uplifted!
If only the rest of this train could have a glass of magic happy hyper sugar juice!
I’m continuing to stare blankly on this moving train... and trying not to fall asleep... or drop my phone...
Falling asleep… must… be… productive… must stay awake… must… zzzzzz…
*ding dong… doors closing…* Wilson is next…
NOOOOOOOO how did I miss my stop?
Guess I should actually get some sleep if I’m falling asleep in public again and actually want to be productive…
But regardless of silly setbacks and downer people, it’s just a train ride!
Just be sure to know that trains always move forward,
Productivity will find you,
And the light is strong enough to shine through the windows!
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Chicago Open Mic Nite Reviews
Last Updated: May 15, 2014
***NOTE: Before attending open mic nites, make sure to CALL BEFORE YOU HAUL (or communicate somehow)!
I am on a quest to find the hottest and most legit open mic nites in Chicago. I will attend as many as I can and post a review after each place I visit or call, and if I attend, I will list whether or not I decided to perform.
Places I've Attended
Place: Heartland Cafe
Address: 7000 N. Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60626 (Rogers Park, right off the Morse Red Line)
Phone Number: 773-465-8005
Frequency of Events: Weekly on Wednesdays, signup starts at 9, the event starts at 10 and generally runs until around 1:30am
Rating: 5/5
Reason: This was actually the very first open mic nite I ever attended and so far, it's definitely my favorite. I called prior to driving all the way over there because I lived in Bucktown at the time and the man who picked up seemed very friendly and even let me sign up over the phone. He was like "come on in" and I was like "of course!" After getting there a little bit after it started, I walked up to the man to make sure I was signed up, he gave me a lowdown of everything, and said that I get about 5 minutes to perform (but they're not super strict about it). When it was my turn to perform, I was a little nervous, but when I got up there, the MC was like "…for the very first time", which is pretty cute. I did my thing (spoken word poetry) and the crowd seemed pretty engaged and polite, as they did with everyone. Some people brought stuff to sell too. There was also a featured performer, who did an excellent job. The level of talent was there, all categories are welcome (poetry, comedy, music, monologue/skit that's funny, etc.), and there's even a piano if you need one! The bar staff is friendly, drinks not too expensive, food is pretty tasty, bathroom is clean (and single stall), and the open mic nite is in a separate area from the bar, which is pretty neat! There's also a 3 dollar cover and you have to be 18 to get in and 21 to drink. If you're looking for a pretty solid open mic nite that caters to all performance categories, this is definitely a nice place on the north side!
Perform? Yes
Also, here's the facebook page to this lovely place: https://www.facebook.com/pages/In-One-Ear/210844945622380
------------------------------
Place: Friendly Tap
Address: 6733 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
Phone Number: 708-484-9794
Frequency of Events: Weekly on Wednesdays from about 8:30pm until close (1am)
Rating: 2.7/5
Reason: Right before I made the long haul over there, I gave this place a call. The lady who answered the phone seemed really nice, I felt a pretty welcoming vibe, made sure to see if they were open to all performance genres since I perform poetry (with a piano player by my side sometimes with one of those times being now), which "they said they were mostly music, but have had all sorts of acts come and perform". I was pretty cool with that… until I walked into the bar. Of course my friend and I both have to use the bathroom. While the women's bathroom didn't have any jarring problems to me, apparently the men's bathroom was teeny, in a corner, and the sink was outside the bathroom stall… that's weird. When I sign up to perform, some super nice guy greets me and hands me the signup sheet, and I write my name down. As I'm about to want to start settling in, my friend felt significantly more awkward than I did (probably because I'm an extrovert and he's not). Neither one of us started a conversation with any of the other bar attendees. The people who were on stage when we got there seemed to be doing a nice long set of music, which was pretty ok at best. To top it off, the people on stage were middle aged men, which isn't even my type of bar scene anyways or ideal open mic performance to watch. The more I stood around, the more I felt the vibes of "this isn't the right crowd to perform in front of". I have come to learn that there are "open mic nite" crowds and then there are "bar crowds". I found the latter at this place, but whenever I find a bar crowd, I generally end up feeling like my performance would be very out of place. Probably the last straw was that the piano was in a very poor location… and not even on the stage. My friend (who was the piano player), ended up feeling more awkward and wanted to dip. I unfortunately have no remarks about the bar because I never even hit them up for a drink. As we were walking out, one of the men running the open mic nite wanted to know why we were leaving. I just made up some BS reason because I'm not going to blatantly say we felt awkward, and then we left. All of this happened within about a 20-30minute time frame. Moral of the story is that the bar area looked kind of meh and don't try to perform poetry for a bar crowd where people go up on stage and jam music for awhile. I'd like to maybe check the bar out again at some point, but I don't think I'd go back to the open mic nite. I'm also not in Berwyn too frequently either, but it's not a huge deal!
Perform? Nope. I signed up and bailed shortly after due to feeling uncomfortable around that audience
------------------------------
Place: The Elevator Sessions at the Justin Pauly Art Studio (Shivalya Hindu Cultural Center building)
Address: 318 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone Number (Facebook Page): No idea, but people were pretty prompt about responding to a post I made on the Facebook event page, which the Facebook group is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1475335516057027/1485152495075329/?notif_t=like
Frequency of Events: The fourth Friday of every month. Facebook says it starts at 8, I got there at around 9pm or so, most of the people hadn't performed yet, and the list signups were fluid and there likely won't be an issue with being able to get on the list. It ended at around 10:30pm
Rating: 5/5
Reason: Coming out of 3 months having not been able to perform due to being busy and having pretty bad luck with open mics, I was still persistent about wanting to perform. I randomly found this open mic on Facebook and spontaneously decided to go a few hours prior to the event actually happening. Besides for the fact that I need to stop losing my car, I had no issue parking and it wasn't difficult to find. Being new to the poetry scene, with my very first performance being in January (and it's August now), I'm just looking for the most fun places to perform where I get to entertain a decent sized crowd. But then I stumble upon this lovely gem. When I walk in, there are maybe about 10 people in the room… right away, I KNEW it was going to be quite the intimate show. I had never been to one like that for any type of art, so I knew that I was in for quite the ride. I also had no issue signing up on the list (thank you for that, because I've been to places where there's issues). Thank you for the little tasty drink too by the way. When the first person performs… inside of an elevator shaft with some blue painting and an elephant head kindly propped on the back of the elevator, we were to use it as our stage. Inside of this random elevator shaft, I am immediately blown away by the pure raw emotions that is brimming from these artists. I feel like I was surrounded by such powerful people that I was literally moved to tears by the words that came from these people's hearts… says the person who has never cried from a movie… glad I was wearing a scarf! Thank you also to Andy Karol, the oh so lovely feature, my eyes turned into a waterfall due to how much I can totally relate to everything! When it was my turn, I have to admit, I was more nervous than I usually am for these types of performances because I'm used to performing and speaking in front of large crowds, but in front of a small group, it's not as comfortable to me, as well as being a new experience. I did it, especially because I'm on a quest to "fight all fears" as I would say. I would definitely come back to this place. Everyone was friendly and inviting and I actually felt intellectually challenged by these people… especially after coming off of a path of hanging with people who I felt were killing my brain cells and wasting my precious knowledge. I hope more people show up to this, because of the super open atmosphere. Thank you to these lovely poets, I have been able to realize that with my current struggles, I am definitely not alone in my feelings and I am humbled to be surrounded by such wonderful artists. I can't wait to get more involved in this poetry scene and thank you for restoring my faith in open mic nites! I guess it was meant to be that my attempt to setup this volunteer event that I was supposed to be at tonight fell through… because I wouldn't have been free tonight!
Perform? Yes!!!!!
More awesomeness coming soon!
***NOTE: Before attending open mic nites, make sure to CALL BEFORE YOU HAUL (or communicate somehow)!
I am on a quest to find the hottest and most legit open mic nites in Chicago. I will attend as many as I can and post a review after each place I visit or call, and if I attend, I will list whether or not I decided to perform.
Places I've Attended
Place: Heartland Cafe
Address: 7000 N. Glenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60626 (Rogers Park, right off the Morse Red Line)
Phone Number: 773-465-8005
Frequency of Events: Weekly on Wednesdays, signup starts at 9, the event starts at 10 and generally runs until around 1:30am
Rating: 5/5
Reason: This was actually the very first open mic nite I ever attended and so far, it's definitely my favorite. I called prior to driving all the way over there because I lived in Bucktown at the time and the man who picked up seemed very friendly and even let me sign up over the phone. He was like "come on in" and I was like "of course!" After getting there a little bit after it started, I walked up to the man to make sure I was signed up, he gave me a lowdown of everything, and said that I get about 5 minutes to perform (but they're not super strict about it). When it was my turn to perform, I was a little nervous, but when I got up there, the MC was like "…for the very first time", which is pretty cute. I did my thing (spoken word poetry) and the crowd seemed pretty engaged and polite, as they did with everyone. Some people brought stuff to sell too. There was also a featured performer, who did an excellent job. The level of talent was there, all categories are welcome (poetry, comedy, music, monologue/skit that's funny, etc.), and there's even a piano if you need one! The bar staff is friendly, drinks not too expensive, food is pretty tasty, bathroom is clean (and single stall), and the open mic nite is in a separate area from the bar, which is pretty neat! There's also a 3 dollar cover and you have to be 18 to get in and 21 to drink. If you're looking for a pretty solid open mic nite that caters to all performance categories, this is definitely a nice place on the north side!
Perform? Yes
Also, here's the facebook page to this lovely place: https://www.facebook.com/pages/In-One-Ear/210844945622380
------------------------------
Place: Friendly Tap
Address: 6733 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
Phone Number: 708-484-9794
Frequency of Events: Weekly on Wednesdays from about 8:30pm until close (1am)
Rating: 2.7/5
Reason: Right before I made the long haul over there, I gave this place a call. The lady who answered the phone seemed really nice, I felt a pretty welcoming vibe, made sure to see if they were open to all performance genres since I perform poetry (with a piano player by my side sometimes with one of those times being now), which "they said they were mostly music, but have had all sorts of acts come and perform". I was pretty cool with that… until I walked into the bar. Of course my friend and I both have to use the bathroom. While the women's bathroom didn't have any jarring problems to me, apparently the men's bathroom was teeny, in a corner, and the sink was outside the bathroom stall… that's weird. When I sign up to perform, some super nice guy greets me and hands me the signup sheet, and I write my name down. As I'm about to want to start settling in, my friend felt significantly more awkward than I did (probably because I'm an extrovert and he's not). Neither one of us started a conversation with any of the other bar attendees. The people who were on stage when we got there seemed to be doing a nice long set of music, which was pretty ok at best. To top it off, the people on stage were middle aged men, which isn't even my type of bar scene anyways or ideal open mic performance to watch. The more I stood around, the more I felt the vibes of "this isn't the right crowd to perform in front of". I have come to learn that there are "open mic nite" crowds and then there are "bar crowds". I found the latter at this place, but whenever I find a bar crowd, I generally end up feeling like my performance would be very out of place. Probably the last straw was that the piano was in a very poor location… and not even on the stage. My friend (who was the piano player), ended up feeling more awkward and wanted to dip. I unfortunately have no remarks about the bar because I never even hit them up for a drink. As we were walking out, one of the men running the open mic nite wanted to know why we were leaving. I just made up some BS reason because I'm not going to blatantly say we felt awkward, and then we left. All of this happened within about a 20-30minute time frame. Moral of the story is that the bar area looked kind of meh and don't try to perform poetry for a bar crowd where people go up on stage and jam music for awhile. I'd like to maybe check the bar out again at some point, but I don't think I'd go back to the open mic nite. I'm also not in Berwyn too frequently either, but it's not a huge deal!
Perform? Nope. I signed up and bailed shortly after due to feeling uncomfortable around that audience
------------------------------
Place: The Elevator Sessions at the Justin Pauly Art Studio (Shivalya Hindu Cultural Center building)
Address: 318 W. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL 60654
Phone Number (Facebook Page): No idea, but people were pretty prompt about responding to a post I made on the Facebook event page, which the Facebook group is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1475335516057027/1485152495075329/?notif_t=like
Frequency of Events: The fourth Friday of every month. Facebook says it starts at 8, I got there at around 9pm or so, most of the people hadn't performed yet, and the list signups were fluid and there likely won't be an issue with being able to get on the list. It ended at around 10:30pm
Rating: 5/5
Reason: Coming out of 3 months having not been able to perform due to being busy and having pretty bad luck with open mics, I was still persistent about wanting to perform. I randomly found this open mic on Facebook and spontaneously decided to go a few hours prior to the event actually happening. Besides for the fact that I need to stop losing my car, I had no issue parking and it wasn't difficult to find. Being new to the poetry scene, with my very first performance being in January (and it's August now), I'm just looking for the most fun places to perform where I get to entertain a decent sized crowd. But then I stumble upon this lovely gem. When I walk in, there are maybe about 10 people in the room… right away, I KNEW it was going to be quite the intimate show. I had never been to one like that for any type of art, so I knew that I was in for quite the ride. I also had no issue signing up on the list (thank you for that, because I've been to places where there's issues). Thank you for the little tasty drink too by the way. When the first person performs… inside of an elevator shaft with some blue painting and an elephant head kindly propped on the back of the elevator, we were to use it as our stage. Inside of this random elevator shaft, I am immediately blown away by the pure raw emotions that is brimming from these artists. I feel like I was surrounded by such powerful people that I was literally moved to tears by the words that came from these people's hearts… says the person who has never cried from a movie… glad I was wearing a scarf! Thank you also to Andy Karol, the oh so lovely feature, my eyes turned into a waterfall due to how much I can totally relate to everything! When it was my turn, I have to admit, I was more nervous than I usually am for these types of performances because I'm used to performing and speaking in front of large crowds, but in front of a small group, it's not as comfortable to me, as well as being a new experience. I did it, especially because I'm on a quest to "fight all fears" as I would say. I would definitely come back to this place. Everyone was friendly and inviting and I actually felt intellectually challenged by these people… especially after coming off of a path of hanging with people who I felt were killing my brain cells and wasting my precious knowledge. I hope more people show up to this, because of the super open atmosphere. Thank you to these lovely poets, I have been able to realize that with my current struggles, I am definitely not alone in my feelings and I am humbled to be surrounded by such wonderful artists. I can't wait to get more involved in this poetry scene and thank you for restoring my faith in open mic nites! I guess it was meant to be that my attempt to setup this volunteer event that I was supposed to be at tonight fell through… because I wouldn't have been free tonight!
Perform? Yes!!!!!
More awesomeness coming soon!
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