Living Deliberately: May 2014

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

#13 Experience 10 New Things in Provo (8/10): Go to poetry night at the Coffee Pod

FIVE years ago my friend Lisa told me about this awesome date she went on. They went to the local coffee shop where they have open mic poetry every other Thursday. She said it was fabulous, and I've wanted to go ever since, thinking it might be like the poetry slam I loved in high school. Wrong.

At long last, I put it together. I confirmed that the poetry was happening that night (no, they don't post it on their Facebook page, and it's not a normal every-first-and-third-Thursday kind of thing--it really is every other Thursday!). I had to call a few times because the first girl who answered had no idea and wouldn't give the phone to someone who might. That should have been my first clue.

I really wasn't impressed. It started over half an hour late and seemed pretty disorganized. Most of the poetry shared was original (yay!), but most of it was pretty poor quality and vulgar.

I'm glad I finally made it happen, but I think I'll organize my own poetry nights from now on. Speaking of which, Provo has a rent-a-puppy business...anyone up for a Puppies and Poetry night?

It has potential, don't you think?

## Compete in a Game Competition

Hi folks! Sorry it's been FOREVER since I last updated this! I promise I've been doing stuff. ;) And I'm going to slowly get this caught up now! Btw, I decided that ## is what I'm going to assign things I complete that aren't in my official 99, but, in fact are things that I would've included had I thought of them while I was writing the 99. They must be done deliberately (i.e. decide to do it then make it happen), and this qualifies! Now, without further ado, my post:

I've wanted to compete in a game convention for several years, but I'm never in CA during one! And this year I happened to be in CA over Memorial Day weekend, which is when the Gamex Strategicon Game Convention is. Does that sound nerdy? Cuz it is!

I'm a bit of a closet game nerd. I very openly geek out about how excited I am about what I'm learning, buuut not so open with the fact that I play nerdy strategy games. Secret's out! I started playing strategy games at least 10 years ago, because my brother-in-law (who is super cool and there's no way I'd think of him as a nerd!) plays them. He got me and my two brothers into them, we got the neighbor kids into them, and boom! We're all playing strategy games! We started out with basic Euro games like Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico, San Juan, etc. Now I pretty much only play strategy games when I'm at home, but let me tell ya, it's my favorite thing to do with the fam!

Now for those of you who've never been to a game convention, let me tell you: it's got all SORTS of nerd! Role playing games, computer games, build your own terrain and then play the game on top of it games, etc. It's got all sorts of people, from a 7-year-old girl who wanted me to read the cards her because she "can't read good," to really ancient men (but mostly middle-aged guys). If it's a tournament, you can winner "Dealer Dollars" for placing, and then you can use those to buy games in the dealer room!