Ida Eisenhower

I went to sleep early early Thursday night, which caused my body to awaken several times before my pre appointed wake up time on Friday morning. Because of all of this rampant activity in waking and sleeping and living and dreaming, my head shot from my pillow, not at 4:45 for gym time, but at 5:30ish.

I went over to the gym, not mine, but one where I received a 30 day pass. The quality of the service and shampoo swayed me somewhere else, and since I was interested in circuit not lap swimming, it was an easy decision to have created somewhere in the abyss of my, tired and most certainly not free from spots type of, mind.

At the place of my circuit engaging I ran into a room mate and a very muscular elderly sir. He lifted about four times my weight and was probably close to four times my age. His muscles burst from elastic colorful shorts and I wondered if Texas is the new Florida in terms of elderly folks. Spectrum does have a high senior population, but this was my first encounter with a swole senior, and he intimidated me because of the fact that he knew more, could bench more, and was superior in mind and body in most ways. 

After a gym encounter, it was off to a day of training in the Lady of the Lake university, where ducks and turkeys and mixes of the two, blocked my vehicle and forced me to look out onto the pond which the school derived it's name. It is a nice lake/pond, but it makes me wish I was back in the place where I always knew which way was East because of the beautiful body of water that shaped my childhood.

An uneventful morning and an afternoon filled of shouting and candy and enthusiasm and repping teams, because this is my last day in the crazy team, soon to discover the school and the people and the children where I will spend the majority of my time for the remainder of the year. Speaking of remainders, our subject for the day was math in which I recall I learned how to multiply only with a box and division I learned not 'til 10th grade when a caring math teacher showed me some tricks. I excelled in explaining but still worry about my capacity for longly dividing and finding remainders.

Training had ceased for the week, with a time card approved I headed home to a sweet air conditioned paradise. I got home, got a talk with a younger more mature boy version of me who enjoyed the same trip, but with different joys and concerns.
I got all fancied up to hit up the verse of the 2nd. First time rocking in jeans in SanAn, better than I expected because soon I'll be fully accustomed to the weather. Getting there hours early resulted in engaged conversations about life at the present and concerns and plans for future endeavors. I chatted on the phone with a dear friend and she injected a shot of inspiration into my veins, wanting to represent for all poets who weren't here but not by choice. I signed my name on the list, 17th was my number out of 25.
A cool drink and
watching stellar performances and
a man who removed his shirt as he sang soulful music to the crowd
and line dancing (which I hope to pursue every Thursday and Sunday eve)
and a quick nap
but then a shot of energy as (soda entered my throat)
and as poets took the stage  and rocked out in front of the mic, in front of the audience, in front of me, in front of everyone in the world who was here. Was there.
I jittered as the MC read, four more left. My name rang out as closing and my body and mind and heart were racing. A shout out to the Caucasians from Mrs. MC because apparently we were representing in some strong numbers that night.
My poem after some initial hesitation rocked the house, with snaps and applauses and "mmhmms" there is no way that is my last time there. Next time I'll know where to sit, and have a new poem to spit, but every second Friday my priority will be with this place that welcomed me with open arms and an open mic.

A three pound cinnamon roll to finish up the night was not too shabby either and a full 8 hours of pillow time really got me pumped for my Saturday...

Daily Hero: Every scene that attracts such a diverse crowd as second verse. All races and genders seemed to be there, all supporting poetrizzle.